HTC Dream vs. T-Mobile G1

A few sources are reporting that what everyone and their mother have been calling the “HTC Dream” for so long will actually be marketed as the T-Mobile G1. Apparently, the Magenta Men want to flex their muscle by re-branding the phone as their own (a la Sidekick) and cash in on the idea of the “1st Google Phone” – or G1.

But wait… don’t the FCC documents specifically refer to the DREA100? They sure do, but thats likely the model number assigned by HTC to the device. So T-Mobile is free to call it what they want, but where did this G1 name come from?

Carriers and Manufacturers have built some websites around their handset models – take for instance the T-Mobile Sidekick website at Sidekick.com or the BlackBerry Bold website at BlackBerryBold.com. A little Sherlock sleuthing shows that the whois information for T-MobileG1.com is the same as that of Sidekick.com. You guessed it… T-MobileG1.com is owned by T-Mobile and was just recently registered and people are speculating this will definitely be the “official” name.

It would be a shame if its true for a couple reasons:

  1. HTC Dream sounds cooler than T-Mobile G1
  2. Google has tried to move away from calling any Android device a “Google Phone” per se and this comes right out and wreaks of, “Hi, I’m a Google Phone – Buy Me!”

Do you think it will be called the HTC Dream or T-Mobile G1? And what SHOULD it be called? There is a poll over at AndroidForums.com… lets see which name is most popular: http://androidforums.com/showthread.php?t=170

Note that the poll asks what will it be called and you should say what you think it SHOULD be called in the comments of that poll, as a reply!

The rumor mill keeps churning in relation to the good old HTC Dream G1 Google Phoned T-Mobile device as we’re now calling it. Most recently, pictures that show further details and specifications of the phone as well as a information on the first television commercial:

The phone will sport the T-Mobile logo, Google logo AND HTC logo. Everyone is saying how this is great news but I think its rather irritating. If this really is a “dream” device let the phone speak for itself instead of plastering logos all over it. Am I wrong here?

And concerning the potential “commercial” they already say they’ll be quick to blame an overzealous fanboy if it doesn’t pan out, so I wouldn’t put any money on this but apparently here is the “concept” of a possible G1 Commercial:

Sounds more confusing than anything else. Someone needs to remind these guys that the vast majority of people still don’t know what Android is and don’t know that any type of “Google Phone” is in the works or what network its on or any of that. I’m all for creativity… and maybe this would be okay as a “teaser” leading up to the announcement and pre-sale or something… but as a main spot I couldn’t see it being too effective.

[Via AndroidForums, AndroidGuys(twice), AndroidCommunity]

Exit mobile version