T-Mobile G1 först med Google Android

It’s time for The VAR Guy to eat a little crow. A few weeks ago, our resident blogger predicted that Google Android — the new mobile operating environment — would arrive late to market with reduced features. He was wrong on both accounts. The first Android device, called G1, ships soon. And early reviews are positive.

T-mobile will introduce the first Android device — known as the G1 — on October 22 priced at $179 with a two-year contract. Impressive. So impressive, in fact, that even Apple fan Walt Mossberg thinks the G1 could be a hit.

The Wall Street Journal’s Mossberg has tested the G1 and praises Google on many points.

In his blog, Mossberg writes:

Google’s new G1 phone announced today is the first real competitor to the iPhone. Like Apple’s product, it’s a serious handheld computer with a powerful new operating system (called Android) and a clever touch-based user interface. Like the iPhone, it’s likely to be a major new platform for third-party software. But it’s also very different, and may appeal to different buyers.

Somewhere, The VAR Guy is blushing from embarrassment. In August, our resident blogger predicted that Android would miss the mark (at least initially) and would suffer from multiple delays and feature cuts.