T-Mobile G1 Hits the UK

First phone to run on Android hits the shelves at T-Mobile stores

London, 30 October: The T-Mobile G1 - the phone built for the internet and the first to run on the innovative Android open source mobile software platform - went on sale in the UK today, prompting a queue of gadget enthusiasts outside T-Mobile’s Central London store stores eager to get their hands on this year’s most anticipated mobile phone.

Queues began at 5:00 am at T-Mobile’s Oxford Street store which opened early to allow shoppers to get their hands on the T-Mobile G1.

Exclusive to T-Mobile, the G1 offers a completely new mobile internet experience with full touch screen plus QWERTY keyboard for easy online communication and high speed internet with popular Google services already on board. The T-Mobile G1 also offers access to innovative application downloads from the new Android Market, 50 of which are available now to download for free. These initial applications enable you to do everything from compare prices to mix a cocktail and even measure the earth’s movements.

Andy Burgess, a software programmer from Farringdon, London, was the first to emerge from T-Mobile’s Oxford Street store with a T-Mobile G1. He said: Being the first person in the UK to own this mobile phone is amazing - I’m going to be popular at work! I’ve been waiting for this phone for months and I knew I had to be the first to own it.

Jim Hyde, CEO, T-Mobile UK said: With the richest web experience ever seen on a mobile and thanks to the Android Market, the unprecedented ability to make your mobile work just the way you want, the T-Mobile G1 is set to revolutionise the way we use our phones. And judging by early reports coming in from our stores today, people are enthusiastically embracing this revolution and signing up for the T-Mobile G1.

The T-Mobile G1 is available for free on T-Mobile Combi and Flext price plans from £40 a month, including unlimited fast mobile internet browsing powered by T-Mobile’s award-winning network.

The G1’s full QWERTY keyboard makes it simple to write exactly what you want to say and navigating is even easier using the touch screen and trackball. There’s also one touch access to all your favourite Google applications including web search, Google Maps, Google Talk and Google Mail. So whether it’s email, instant messaging, social network updates or even calling and texting, the T-Mobile G1 is perfect for whatever form of communication you prefer.

With Google Maps, T-Mobile G1 users can instantly view maps, satellite imagery, find local businesses and get driving directions. And Google Maps synchs with the built-in compass - an industry first - to allow users to view locations and navigate 360 degrees by simply moving the phone with their hand.

The 50 applications available to download for free at Android Market include Wikitude, which displays local information from Wikipedia live on-screen when scanning your local surroundings using the phone’s camera. There are also a number of applications designed to help consumers make their money go further including ShopSavvy, which uses the G1’s camera to ˜scan’ product barcodes and then searches the web using the browser to find the best available prices. Other applications help users indulge their interests. SplashPlay teaches users how to play the guitar by streaming video over the web, whilst Cooking Capsules and Cocktail! comb the web to provide recipes and instructions based on the contents of your kitchen or drinks cabinet.

- Ends-

Notes to Editors:

T-Mobile G1 Price Plans

§Combi: get the T-Mobile G1 free with 800 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited* mobile internet browsing for a total of just £40 a month

§Flext: get the T-Mobile G1 free on Flext with web’n’walk plus for just £40 per month including unlimited* mobile internet browsing and up to 1,250 minutes or up to 2,500 texts or any mix of the two

* Terms and conditions apply

Vital statistics: The T-Mobile G1

· Available in two colours - black and white

· GPS and compass

· Rich HTML email client which seamlessly synchs email with POP3 or IMAP services

· 3.5G (HSDPA/HSUPA) and Wi-Fi connectivity

· 3 Mega pixel camera

· MP3 music player

· Pre-installed 2 GB Micro SD memory card (device supports up to an 8 GB card)

· Bluetooth-enabled

· Up to 130 hours standby and up to 5 hours talk time

· Dimensions: 117.7 x 55.7 x 26.5 mm

· Weight: 158g

Applications available free on Android Market from 30 October

Shopping

Barcode Scanner v2.1 - Scans and recognises the barcode of any product

ShopSavvy - Compares prices online and on the high street

CompareEverywhere - Scans barcodes and gives directions to local stores using Google maps

Lifestyle

Mandelbrot Map - Map viewer

Krystle II - Pet your phone

Pocket Seismograph - Monitors the phone's accelerometer

Translate - Translation tool

Pro Football Live! - Football news / information

BreadCrumbz - Navigate via user-generated pictures

e-ventr - Event organizer and friendship scout

iMap Weatherâ„¢ - Weather application

Ecorio - Track and reduce your carbon footprint, "green community"

Cocktail! - Database of cocktails

Cooking Capsules Taster - Cooking application

Wikitude - AR Travel - Mobile travel guide

AccuWeather.com - Global weather

Multimedia

Shazam - Identify music, store and buy music

PicSay - Personalize pictures with text

Panoramio - Finds pictures of interesting places in your area

TuneWiki - Next generation social media player

BlueBrush - Draw with friends, share the same canvas

Video Player v.01 - Plays video files off of the G1’s SD card

Photostream - Photo browser for Flickr

Ringdroid - Create ringtones

SplashPlay - Music application

Productivity

QuickList - To do lists

WikiMobile Encyclopedia - Wikipedia for mobile devices

Maverick - IM compatible to Google Talk

Tools

Radar - Draw a bearing between the user's current location and latitude/longitude

Task Switcher - Search-Space is the new "Alt-Tab"

Spare Parts - Android developing tool

Text-To-Speech Translator - Text-to-speech services

Any Cut v0.5 - Home shortcuts to "anything" on your web or your phone

Locale - Manages phone settings based on conditions (e.g. location)

Contacts De-Duper - De-duplicate your contacts to streamline your contacts folder

Shutter Spead - Detailed camera settings to make the most of the in-built camera and web access

DiskUsage - Utility to examine SD card content to manage what you store on your phone

Rings Extended - Replaces standard ringtones

Games & Puzzles

PAC-MAN by Namco

Metamath Solitaire

MisMisMatch

Anagrams v0.2

Slide Puzzle

Divide and Conquer!

CB Blackjack

Bubble Bash

Bonsai Blast

Balls 2 The Wall

Tetris

Android Says

Contacts:

Sophia Parviez, T-Mobile PR Manager +44 (0) 7908 208 417

Brands2Life +44 (0) 207 592 1200

About T-Mobile UK

T-Mobile is one of the world’s largest mobile operators with more than 123 million customers worldwide and is the service provider of choice for 16.8 million customers in the UK, making it one of the largest networks. T-Mobile has a range of innovative products and services, such as Solo, the SIM only option offering market-leading minutes and texts (at £30 per month) on a 30-day rolling contract; Combi, our best package deal; Flext, a unique tariff with a flexible allowance; U-Fix, a tariff that combines the best of pay-as-you-go and a price plan, and web'n'walk, which enables customers to surf the internet on the move. Competitive high-speed Mobile Broadband tariffs include access to the largest worldwide Wi-Fi network, with more than 1,000 HotSpots in convenient locations in the UK and 27,000 worldwide. Network coverage is among the best in the UK at over 99 per cent of the UK population. T-Mobile operates an advanced 3G HSDPA-enabled network capable of supporting effective mobile broadband speeds of up 4.5Mbps and is the first UK operator to provide a nationwide HSUPA capability for faster uploads.