T-Mobile and Google today introduced the new $179 T-Mobile G1, the first Google Android cell phone.

"T-Mobile's Android-based G1 handset has all the features of a smartphone, but with a focus on the mobile internet, seems more akin to Nokia's Internet Tablet devices than designed as a rival for Apple's iPhone," contends VNUnet's Daniel Robinson.

"The phone has a typical smartphone feature set: Wi-Fi, 3 megapixel camera, full zooming (WebKit-based) web browser, quad-band GSM and dual-band UTMS," writes The Register's Chris Williams. "There's support for EDGE, standard 3G , and HSDPA. Grasping the VoIP nettle, T-Mobile promises a seamless handover between 3G and Wi-Fi networks. The touch interface is less slick than the iPhone's, only able to handle single finger."

"As for Google Maps, it will support Google Maps Street View, which lets you explore cities at the street-level as if you were right there on the corner," writes Crave's Nicole Lee. "It will also have a built-in compass on the phone and allow you to view locations and navigate 360 degrees by moving the phone around."

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