Time traces

T-Mobile USA is said to be offering the first Android based handset for presale on Sept. 17, according to TmoNews. The new development contradicts that the mobile platform could be delayed until 2009.

The Android-powered device will be manufactured by Taiwan-based HTC and will carry the name G1. G1 is said to have a large, 5-by-3-inch touchsreen display (larger than iPhone’s 3.5-inch multitouch display) and a sliding Qwerty keyboard for those long e-mails, together with a 3-megapixel camera (iPhone 3G has a 2-megapixel camera). This rumoured handset is previously known as HTC Dream and videos depicting it emerged earlier on the Web.

A curious addition to G1’s specs is the requirement of a working Gmail account in order to use the phone’s features. Though many are already unhappy with this development, there is no need to panic. Anyone can sign up for a Gmail account now by simply visiting the service’s page.

Price-wise, T-Mobile is said to start G1’s pre-sales on Sept. 17 for only $150 with a two-year contract (iPhone 3G has a $199 starting price point). The offer will be open only to current T-Mobile customers for just one week. After this period, in early October, you will be able to grab the device for $250 while the full retail price is slated at $399. Further details on the data plans sold with G1 have not emerged yet.

As expected, G1 is supposed to be a 3G-capable device but T-Mobile’s high-speed coverage is lagging far behind to its competitors. At the moment only New York and Las Vegas benefit from T-Mobile’s 3G coverage. By 2009, the network plans to expand its 3G service to 25 cities.

If the latest rumors are true, we will see on Sept. 17 T-Mobile’s G1 going head to head with Apple’s iPhone and HTC’s Windows Mobile counterparts, the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro. Will you be pre-ordering a G1?

I have been a T-Mobile USA customer for over six years now and have four mobile phones and my T-Mobile @Home Talk Forever phone as my fifth family plan line. I read on the Washington Post that T-Mobile is apparently planning to launch a mobile phone application store similar in functionality to the Apple iPhone App store. This plan may be just what they need to actually do something ahead of other wireless carriers since they lag behind in wireless 3G data and number/variety of available high end smartphones. They do however have good coverage (I have never had a dropped call), the Sidekick, great customer service, and unique offerings with the @Home services.

One of my questions is, What phones would the application store be available for? T-Mobile USA has BlackBerry devices, Sidekick devices, Windows Mobile devices, Java-based devices, and custom environments from Motorola, Nokia, and Samsung. They were also one of the first to support the Open Handset Alliance (aka Android) and may be the first carrier to launch with an HTC Android device (I think they really need to be in order to bring subscribers to their network). The experience could vary widely depending on the mobile operating system that the applications would be available on and I think they may focus on the higher end smartphone market where people tend to buy 3rd party applications rather than just ringtones. Apple makes it look easy, but they have just the iPhone to support and it has a large display and powerful operating system to power the application store on the device itself. The T-Mobile store may or may not be available on the device in addition to a desktop access point.

There are other software stores, like Handango, that power other carrier’s mobile application stores on devices like Windows Mobile, but I don’t think there is a good cross platform store yet available and this could be where T-Mobile steps up and differentiates itself. This will not be an easy task and adding something like this will significantly increase the customer service demands as people buy applications and have issues.

There is a T-Mobile devPartner community site that looks well designed and has lots of information and tips for developers looking to support T-Mobile’s devices. The site mentions the t-zones catalog as a place to showcase applications and also states, “In the coming weeks, T-Mobile will be offering new ways to go to market.” I look forward to seeing what T-Mobile has to offer in the way of application distribution.

1960s-era sci-fi phones are no longer fiction

One of the running gags in the hit ’60s TV show Get Smart was the crazy telephones used by Maxwell Smart, aka Agent 86. Tucked inside ties, combs, eyeglasses, ice cream cones and, of course, shoes, phones were always ringing at the most inconvenient times for the bumbling spy. With the June 20 release of the movie version of Get Smart, we decided to see how many of these once-futuristic phones are available. Here’s our list of 10 “Get Smart” -inspired phones that you can buy today.

So smart it’s a cinch

NEC’s belt phone kicks accessorizing up a notch. In an episode of Get Smart entitled “Satan Place,” Agent 86 uses several hidden phones in one scene, including a belt phone. Last year, NEC unveiled a leather belt with a built-in cell phone at the Wireless Japan 2007 Expo. Only thing odder looking than using this gadget would be lending it to someone else.

The write stuff

Pen phone mightier than a Bic. Bulky phone pens are available today, such as Haier’s P7 Pen Phone, and even smaller pen phones are on the horizon. One engineering feat–a cell phone pen only 8.7 inches long–is still on the drawing boards.

Hands on the wheel, all right

Smart or too clever by half? A patent has been granted for a steering-wheel mounted cell phone that operates similar to the one in Get Smart: The device that looks safer is a cell phone holder for your seatbelt. With either gee-whiz device, it’ll be a challenge for drivers to keep their eyes on the road.

What’s in your wallet?

More than credit cards if you own one of these babies. Wallet phones have been available in Japan for four years. These cell phones have built-in debit cards that allow users to pay for items with cash or conduct other transactions such as buying movie tickets and train passes. The latest versions also feature cameras, radios and MP3 players. As convenient as they are, wallet phones aren’t expected to reach a critical mass until 2012.

Phones don’t get any geekier

Magnified demand seen for microscope model. A cell phone/microscope combo is under development for use in telemedicine applications. The system would allow health workers in remote areas to capture microscope-quality images of diseases and transmit them to medical facilities for analysis. College students taking lab courses may find this prototype microscope add-on for their cell phones handy.

A pocket watch for a modern man

Gentlemen prefer this type of gadget. This device is retro and modern at the same time. It’s a pocket watch with a computer inside that lets you check your voice mail, e-mail and text messages. What’s missing from the one Max Smart used in the 1960s era TV show? A full-featured phone.

Redefining pillow talk

Max Smart had a headboard phone and a bedpost phone that he used in various episodes that showed his high-tech bedroom. We found a hands-free Bluetooth pillow for lying in bed and talking on the phone. Dubbed the perCusion, this device was shown at the 2007 CeBit show. It’s supposed to be available for purchase in 2008.

Nothing says smart like a shoe phone

Excuse me, sir, but I believe your shoe is ringing. Max Smart’s shoe phone is infamous. To see how popular it is, just look at the contest YouTube is running for people to submit their funniest shoe-phone videos. While real shoe phones are unrealistic, there is a high-heeled novelty shoe phone that you can buy today in one of five colors — perfect for any outfit. You can also get a sneaker phone for a more casual look.

What do you think?

We want to hear from YOU. Let us know what you thought of our Get Smart gadgets, or if there’s a great one we missed. Just click the ‘Post a comment’ link below.