Checking out the pros and cons of Google’s G1 phone

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      There was a lot of speculation that the Google G1 phone would take over from Apple’s iPhone as the best ever phone.

      The phone has most of the features that were expected, but there are some gaps.

      The Android operating system is definitely a plus. Giving power to the people to make applications and being able to get them from everywhere is great, but this also has a down side. If there is one thing we have learned from the Internet is that we shouldn’t trust it––there are a lot of spammers, viruses, and false information. If you allow anyone to make applications, then some asshole will make an application that will crash your phone, give you a virus, or Rick Roll you.

      The G1 phone also has two features that don’t make sense. First, there is no headphone jack. Why make a phone with music and video capabilities without a headphone jack? You can get a USB adapter to connect headphones, but those can be a bit cumbersome. Second, there is a slide-out QWERTY pad. The phone is touchscreen, so why not just make it so you can text using the touchscreen?

      T-mobile, the cellphone provider for those living in the U.S., is getting rid of the . 1GB data cap. Hopefully this will be the same when the phone comes to Canada.

      There is also no video playback for the G1 except for YouTube. This isn’t so bad, since most videos watched are from that Web site anyways. Users will have to make apps for more video playback options if they so desire.

      Amazon will have a MP3 store preloaded on the G1 for US customers so far, enabling users to browse, play, and buy music from the six-million strong catalogue using their phone. You will need WiFi to download music, but you can browse and preview music without it. Amazon is advertising that individual songs will be (U.S.) 89 cents and full albums will be (U.S.) $5.99. That is 10 cents cheaper per song and $5 cheaper per album than iTunes.

      As for battery power, there are five hours of talk time and 130 hours of standby. There is a 3.1 mega pixel camera, but without video-capturing capabilities. Again, users will have to develop an application to have this unlocked. There is no stereo Bluetooth, but it does have GPS.

      So far, the phone looks pretty good, but Google is relying on users to fill in the missing application blanks with ones of their own. Hopefully, most of the kinks will be ironed out before it hits Canadian shelves.

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