Sure, the very first iPhone released today, but does anyone remember the first Android smartphone?

In October of 2008 HTC’s T-Mobile G1, or HTC Dream as it’s known outside the U.S would launch being the first phone with the Android OS. The G1 was priced at $179 — which was pretty affordable even in those days — and featured top-of-the-line specs including a Qualcomm MSM7201A processor, 192MB of RAM, and 256MB of internal storage (expandable up to 16GB). It also stocked a 3.15MP rear camera, and a 1,150mAh battery.

  • heartlessevil@lemmy.oneEnglish
    2·
    1 year ago

    I don’t think 1998 is correct, this was my first Android phone and I used it in 2008 (a decade later than OP) which is what the wiki also says:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Dream#History

    First released in September 2008, the Dream was the first commercially released device to use the Linux-based Android operating system

    Android itself didn’t start development until 5 years later than OP:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_(operating_system)#History

    Android Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, California, in October 2003 by Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears, and Chris White.

    I also found this cool category for phones that came out in 1998. They’re all Nokias. This was even a year before BlackBerry.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Mobile_phones_introduced_in_1998

    edit: the calendar open in the picture says September 23 2008 which is when the phone actually came out…

    • donio@beehaw.orgEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      That keyboard was excellent and the slider mechanism was solid! A lot of the later pkb phones don’t have a dedicated number row. And I really miss the physical Home and Back buttons, even later pkb phones lost those quickly. My only complaint is about the trackball. It was ok for some things but not accurate enough and got flakier with use.

      I also loved early-Android UI. The modern stuff might be smooth but ergonomically it’s crap. For me the G1 represents a golden age, I am sad that I gave mine away.

    • African_Grey@beehaw.orgOPEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      I edited the typo in the post but edits suck on federated social media and don’t update on all instances. This is like the 5th I’ve seen this comment.

  • Hazelnoot [she/her]@beehaw.orgEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I feel like this design would work pretty well even for a modern phone. Just flatten the bottom-right menu section and extend the screen over it, and you’d get a regular full-size smartphone with a slide-out keyboard and some handy physical buttons!

  • taanegl@beehaw.orgEnglish
    0·
    1 year ago

    Ah so nostalgic… HTC making phones lol

    On a serious note, I still think my HTC Desire Z was the bee’s knees… except it didn’t tolerate water that much and I live in a very wet and humid place. Feh.

    Still, one of the best handhelds I’ve ever had. Gotta give it that.

    • lyam23@beehaw.orgEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      I remember when that flip clock widget was everywhere. You couldn’t get away from it. I think those originated from HTC.

  • pbjamm@beehaw.orgEnglish
    0·
    1 year ago

    I still have my G1 and my G2! The G2 was one of my favorite phones of all time and, sadly, the last I ever owned with a physical keyboard.