The T-Mobile G1 (Android based) is to be presented today; now I read that it is required to have a GMail account in order to use it.

Anyone else heard this?

Strange for an "open" platform... if it's true...

Remember, whatever is on the "T-Mobile G1" is the T-Mobile customized version of Android on the T-Mobile customized HTC Dream. It will not be a generic Android experience. What I heard was that you needed a GMail account for installation/registration. It's possible that's just because the mail client that ships is GMail-only, or some other non-obvious reason. I haven't seen anybody say the end user will be limited to apps from their proprietary store either, so I assume if you don't like the built-in app(s), you can just replace them (unlike the iPhone).

I read that they would offer free (ad supported) access to gmail (that is, no data plan required). But if you drop $20 a month for data (hopefully they will keep their existing pricing) you could do whatever you want.

If you think that google is spending vasts amount of money to hand out a free platform, you are more naive than I thought possible for an adult.

Sorry just saw the webcast,

limited data plan + limited text messaging - 25$

unlimited data + messaging - 35 $

No tethering and no skype or voip

Android is looking bad already!

i just hope those limitations are based on t-mobile, and not the android platform itself.

i also hope that HTC or some other company soon ships a product free of operator branding, so that one can really judge the android on its own.

The limitations are based on time to develop before getting to market; its an open OS, those other apps will come.

The price is inline with other smartphone plans. THough not the cheapy plans offered by ATT with some of their models. Its not half bad considering.

The polish on the OS should make maemo take notice; its not completly there, but there's enough to make notice of what vision on top of an open developer community can do when they work together.

the $25 one is "unlimited data, 400 messages".


But that's *wink* *wink* Unlimited *nudge* *nudge* on both data plans. Not only have they adopted a monthly data cap, but they've got, by far, the lowest one among US carriers: 1GB/mo.

And THAT is why I wont get a G1. It's not that Android looks bad, it's that T-Mobile is f'ing it up with stupid plans. Which is a real shame, T-Mobile used to have the best plans.