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T-Mobile G2 – Complete With a QWERTY Keyboard – Spotted in the Wild

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That was quick! Just a day shy of T-Mobile’s (USA) official announcement of the T-Mobile G2, Engadget‘s already gotten a first shot of the device in the wild.  This technically isn’t the first time we’ve seen the device, though, as some of you may remember the HTC Vision being leaked a while back – it’s the same phone. It’s complete with the same QWERTY keyboard and 3.7-inch screen on the Vision, except here the keys have different colors and you can see T-Mobile branding instead of the general HTC logo.

A worthy-looking successor to the G1, no?

t-mobile-g2-itw-02-sm

Quentyn Kennemer
The "Google Phone" sounded too awesome to pass up, so I bought a G1. The rest is history. And yes, I know my name isn't Wilson.

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76 Comments

  1. A four row keyboard is not a worthy successor to my G1.

  2. I think it is different. Wasn’t t-mobile G2 white ?

  3. WOW this one is nice :D lucky no 4inch screen :X
    ugly tmo logo -_-“

  4. I love the HSPA+ but this things is hideous. That optical trackball is the biggest waste of real estate ever. I tried the MyTouch Slide for a month and that optical trackball is useless.
    In addition, the lack of a fifth row on the keyboard or at least a dedicated number row is a deal-killer too.
    I do like that the keys on the keyboard are offset… unlike the Epic.

  5. Does anyone know if its coming with 2.2?

  6. I like a keyboard but 4 rows cant replace 5 rows. I would also like a bigger screen, 4.3 or more. Also minimum 1ghz.

  7. So it’s a Nexus One with a trackpad and hardware keyboard.

    That might’ve been a big deal back in Feb/March. Today, it’s pretty disappointing.

  8. Ohh why can’t it have a 5 row qwerty :-(

  9. So the blue keys are now white. Still Want.

  10. I bet this phone was post to be the Nexus Two / Pro.. Sadly it had to go to Tmobile.. I wish it was a Nexus brand instead of G series.. hmm.. no free wifi tethering out of box.. bummer!! (have to root.. I know..to get it.. but i hate rooting..)

  11. I was actually expecting the keyboard of the TP2 :X

  12. This is…gorgeous.
    My vibrant is stunning but I’m just about ready to return it for this piece of glory. I miss my g1s keyboard so much but it broke so I went ahead with the Vibrant. I am NOT a master of Swype so you probably know how irritating using this phone could be for me. Even just writing things like these take a lot of effort and is a hasell. I prefer faster download speeds than faster processor and with hspa+ and this phone hardware, I’m pretty sure the download speeds will be faster than the processor. And that’s okay with me. Anyone care to make me feel better by telling me I’m doing the right thing? Or should I stick with my vibrant?

  13. Damn so many nice phones when im back in my home country.
    Dunno what to buy (hopes its also gonna be cheaper by that time xD):
    – this phone, HTC Vision
    – Moto droid 2 world edition
    – Samsung Galaxy Q

    realy need a business phone in december, any advice?

  14. This looks like a viable answer to Verizon’s Droid 2. I hope the MyTouch HD has a 4.3″ screen to compete with the Droid X.

  15. No. If it only has a 3.7 inch screen there will be no sale to me. I already have an N1. Waiting for a bigger screen AND a GPS that works. (Hello, Sammy?)

  16. Son, I am disappoint. Not a worthy successor.

  17. It loolks thin. I don’t mind it missing the number row but it really comes in handy. Hopefully it has a great multi touch screen and good GPU since its supposed to be 800mhz.

  18. If this is the G2, I am not impressed. I’m expecting dual core processor, 4.3in screen, 5 row keyboard or no keyboard at all, and a camera comparable to the Droid X. This phone looks like poo.

  19. This is a good looking phone. The keyboard is just ‘ok’ and im going to have to agree that it should have had a bigger screen, somewhere around 4 inches would have been great. I thought this phone was coming out with a dual processor, so why would it need a 1 GHz processor?

  20. This really is the nexus two. Too bad the nexus brand didn’t take off as google wanted it to. Still love my sexy nexy.

  21. @Jasong920 4.3″ or bigger!? What are you, an 8 foot giant with gigantic hands?? I have the N1 and that screen size was perfect until I got my Vibrant. And even 4″ is cutting it close to being too big for my hands. 4.3 I think is overkill and anything bigger definitely is!!

    @Phandroid Worthy G1 successor?? ..not at all. I loved the 5 row keyboard of my G1..3.7″ screen is ok but I’ve gotten used to the 4″ screen on my Vibrant and now my Nexus feels small when I hold it so this phone has just lost my interest. Guess I’ll have to wait and see what the MyTouch HD brings to the table.

  22. Bloody, some of the comments here tick me off.

    BIGGER DOES NOT MEAN BETTER

    not everyone wants a 28 billion inch screen

  23. This is not a bad phone at all and to be honest if your still complaining about T-Mo’s “lack of powerphones” at this point, it’s noted your just hater that will never be pleased. Why does Verizon get a pass with Droid? Why? Because their Verizon?! This phone looks definitely better than Droid one and actually looks similar to Droid 2 (but thinner). The point is, if Verizon were to release this phone you guys would be slobbering all over it but sense it’s T-Mo it’s inadequate? I’m beginning to wonder if the complaining is justifiable or just complaining because it’s a hobby. But on a personal note, I don’t see any reason for me to jump out of my N1 for this no disrespect.

  24. To answer Quentyn’s question, yes, it does look like a worthy successor -physical keyboard, bigger screen, HSPA+, faster processor, more memory…even appears to be a bit slimmer than the G1. Perhaps it even has stock Android, like it’s dad.

    The more I visit this site, the more I’m convinced the majority of people that post on here are iPhone users. Why else would Moe, Rio, Jasong, GPL, mudrock, & cory complain like 2nd graders if they aren’t actually iPhone users coming on here to bitch & moan?

  25. It’s sexy. Bigger does not equal better unless its the processor! Clocked to 800? I was hoping for something > 1ghz. Its still a nice device I may wait to see what LG brings us.

  26. 3.7″ screen? Lol. Ok, looks like I’ll be waiting EVEN longer than I already have been. G2? No. More like G1.25. #Superfail

  27. I’ll wait for the Glacier…

  28. @John J, this will come with wifi tethering out of the box a long as it launches with 2.2… The MT3G will have wifi tethering as well with the 2.2 update next month.

  29. @LSxChevelle – Actually, the carriers can and probably will lock that feature out. It can still be “stock” android, too.

    This is a good phone, basically the Desire or Nexus 1 w/ a keyboard.

    But the Glacier, which will come to T-Mobile, will have the Snapdragon 2, the dual-core 1.5 Mhz beast that runs 80 million triangles per second. That’s the phone to beat.

  30. Any word on a price yet?

    If it is Vanilla android and the GPU can come anywhere close to the one in the Galaxy I will probably buy this.

  31. How about the camera? Anyone hear specs?

  32. has there even been any official specs on the cpu and other hardware for everyone to be complaining about the phone sucking already? isn’t the nexus one with 2.2 still the fastest of any android phone out there at the moment? so whats wrong with an N1 with a keyboard and a “claimed” faster 3G then any other company.

  33. SIGN ME UP!

  34. So my question is, does it have the Nexus-style dock connectors?

    Every night, I go to bed in the dark to not wake the wife (I’m a night owl…) and have to fumble around to plug in my Mini USB charging cable. The Micro USB isn’t much easier.

    I was looking forward to the Nexus primarily for its “cordless phone” style charging with the desktop dock… If the G2 doesn’t have that, does the MyTouch HD?

  35. Awww and I was excited about the G2. This will not replace my g1. At least I still have the Glacier to hope for. I remember reading that by the end of the year (november?) Htc and tmobile are supposed to realease a 4.3 inch device with a dual core processor. I think thats the glacier.. I’m hoping it willl have a front facing camera and not carry the mytouch branding. Mytouch sucks tbh

  36. @Stream The Vibrant is a good phone and you can actually turn Swype off. Just select a text box and hold down. A menu will pop up and one of the options is “Input type”. You can choose between the Swype keyboard, the Samsung keyboard, or the default Android keyboard.

  37. i dunno, i agree with others that say it looks dated already. If people are correct that say this design is left over from the nexus series, then i feel like us G1/G2 uses just get hand-me-downs because i remember a quote from someone that worked on the G1 and they said the design was a few years old by the time it was released.

    Plus, why do i think 1ghz processors will be old news by the end of the year? And i think they slightly over compensated with reducing that chin. ;)

  38. Disappointed in the keyboard. Should have 5 rows. I can live with the 3.7 inch screen if it is the same technology as the iPhone screen. Would have preferred a 4.0 inch screen like the vibrant though. This may not be the answer to replace my G1 after all.

  39. Wow. you trolls need to stop and think: this is tmos answer to the droid 2. Screen size: same. Proccessor: slightly worse, but details are not final. Keyboard: WAY Better. and while im upset that its a 4 row, hey, the keys look great. and, HSPA+, and a great camera, and youve got a winner. and dont anyone say “Well, its not a DROID, so there.

  40. Dammit! What is this crap? Looks like something that HTC found laying around in their reject bin. 800mhz really? 3.7″ screen really? What a joke. I’d rather use my G1 and stay off contract. T-mobile is cheap but their phones are not competitive.

  41. Whine, whine, bitch, bitch. That’s all G1 owners do.

  42. Hey if your waiting for something worth waiting for then hold out for Project Emerald. Dual core processor and android 3.0 aka gingerbread. 4.3 inch screen supposed to come out by the end of the year hopefully by christmas…

  43. Is it so hard to come up with a 5 row offset keyboard? There is a big opportunity here

  44. I like it but it would be better if it had a 5 row keyboard like the G1.

  45. A couple of months ago the manager of the local T-Mobile store told me that they will be coming out with their version of the Nexus One in a few months. Looks like this is.

  46. Honestly, I have a G1 but I really like the G2. Ok it doesnt have 5 rows for the keyboard but who cares. This phone looks amazing. This looks alot better then the G1.

  47. Looks like a nice phone. Though I don’t care for the large screen. I just got the My Touch Slide and I think that’s as big as I prefer to go when it comes to phones.

  48. I guess the hype is for the HSPA+ , I’m sure some G1 users are ready to swithc phones and this will be a good chance too. But for those of us that are looking for “the next best phone” I don’t think this is it. Might have to pick up the vibrant to hold myself over. Just going to have to suffer with no keyboard

  49. @don cornelius…yup, thats all they do… im a G1 owner myself..its running 2.2 with a nice blue skin. i cant wait for this phone…i dont care about the lack of a number row…i dont type #s that much…the hinged screen and the smooth almost iphone thin look wins me over… the haters wanna hate over .3 inches of a screen and one row of keys, and no FFC…let em leave…and deal with sprint or verizons shitty plans and prices….good luck whiney bitches

  50. I got a 3900mAh battery for my G1, it only needs more memory and processor speed and things are fine.

  51. i’ll decide after i see specs…

  52. You idiots do realize that people who review phones for a living like phandroid and droiddog say that the mytouch slide has one of the BEST QWERTY keyboards EVER made right? And if i am not mistaken becuase i own a mytouch slide. I had a G1 before the mytouch slide but if i am not mistaken this keyboard looks almost just like the slides keayboard. I will admit i liked the fact that my g1 had a dedicated number row and sometimes miss it but only because i had that phone for almost 2 years and was easy. But the mytouch slide is new to me so it takes getting used to. But i have found it to not be that huge of a deal to hit FN twice on the slides keyboard for a dedicated number row when i need it. And for you morons who think the specs that havent even been offically announced yet are weak. Are you F-ing kidding me. Its 100 times better then anything tmo has now. Which means they are getting better. And your complaining about the specs when you dont even know the real specs. Why not wait till they annouce amazing specs till you guys bitch about them. I hate cry baby bitches who whinn when something good comes. Just stfu already and go somewhere else.

  53. Definitely not a worthy successor

  54. @ comment 22…kida why get pissed at what most people want?

  55. #24-I’m pissing and moaning because this is simply not a worthy successor. As an owner of both a G1 and N1 I don’t think it’s too much to ask for some screen real estate. It’s a real pain to be viewing web pages, particularly with Flash and have to scroll around constantly. It looks like an N1 with a keyboard, which becomes more and more a moot point as Google’s voice to speech technology improves. I already have a fast CPU and 3.7 inch screen, so this would be a sidegrade rather than an upgrade. It’s not really an improvement since I don’t need the keyboard.
    You sound more like an HTC employee than an enthusiast.

  56. Why do phones that are almost-but-not-quite what we all want releasing? Why can’t T-Mobile give us something exactly like the Galaxy S Epic that Sprint has, but running vanilla Android 2.1/2.2? Is it really that difficult to understand what would make a good Android device? Large, clear screen, five row keyboard, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, connecting to whatever the fastest networks currently available are, NO CUSTOM SKINS. Might as well hang onto those G1s until providers and manufacturers can figure out the most basic of concepts.

  57. That should read voice to text, not voice to speech.

  58. 3.7 screen ehh.imma stick with the nexus one.this is a waste.

  59. People complaining for “more screen real estate” because it’s “only” a 3.7″ screen… you realize that the 4.0″ and 4.3″ screens (like the EVO) are the EXACT SAME RESOLUTION? If you’d be scrolling around on a web page on this screen, you’d be doing the same damn thing on an EVO.

    Hardware keyboards are a niche product, but for people who need them nothing less will do. On-screen kb’s that suck down half your screen are not welcome when you’re running an ssh client. And get back to me about voice-to-text when it can quickly and accurately do something like ‘find . -name “*.log” -mtime +90 -exec rm {}\;’

    As for the 5th row of keys… it would be nice to have them but you do get something in exchange- you get a thinner device. Look closely at the pictures that have been released- this isn’t a pure slider, it’s a weird offset. The 5th row went away to give more space for the internals.

  60. Your all haters

  61. Bonezy’s English lesson for the day: You + Are = You’re | They + Are = They’re . Both examples prompted by comments posted above. Also indicates deficiency in fundamental grammar concepts. :D

  62. And to preemptively respond to detractors: there is never an excuse to purposefully be incorrect / look ignorant, i.e. “This is the internet” btw, fwiw, Double Standard Bonezy fully endorses use of abbreviations, lolz

  63. ok I think we can all agree there will never be anything like the G1 ever again even a g2 or g3 or my touch or N1, nothing will ever compare to the original, but we gotta keep up with fast pace technology of our time, my g1 runs slow and don’t work right half the time anymore but almost 2 years on a phone this day and time is pretty dang good. and i wont be buying any other phone till mine is dead and gone! but it appears that we have to be grateful for even a 4 row key board(AND YES I WILL ALWAYS MISS THE 5 ROWS LIKE CRAZY) but b4 long they prolly wont even be making phones with qwerty keyboards anymore so we should enjoy it while we can…

  64. For all those that can’t fathom why some of us want larger screens, the resolution will be the same, blah blah blah.

    Do your fingers get larger as the screen gets larger? So if you want to do some gaming or other touchscreen manipulation, larger screens mean a little easier to hit the right area.

    Do your eyes change size just because the screen changes size? So, if you want to read a book or watch a movie, a larger screen is a little easier on the eyes.

    For some folks, that’s important. Get over it.

    I also happen to agree about the 4-row versus 5-row keyboard (a la G1) and am spoiled rotten by having five rows. Still waiting…

  65. When will phone manufacturers understand that a 4-row keyboard sucks!!! Why make it more compact? We like having a big, spacious keyboard that is easy to type with. It is lame to have to hit an Alt key to type numbers. 90% of text messages use numbers. Plus many email addresses have numbers.

    GIVE US THE 5-ROW KEYBOARDS!!!!!

    I love the G1 keyboard as-is. Don’t change it.

  66. Yeah I’ll upgrade when they release an upgrade phone with a 5 row qwerty or I’ll just hang on to my G1 as long as it still breaths.

  67. 5 Row qwerty kb, HTC please!!!

  68. im not feeling the 4 row keyboard not cool i LOVE MY G1 THE BEST PHONE EVER LIKE DONT DISAPOINT US WITHE THE NEW ONE PLEASE….

  69. yeah… Ill keep my G1 until T-mobile gets a android phone with a decent keyboard. – the size is cool with me, the processor could be faster… but overall, this is kinda lackluster.

    im almost jealous of my wife’s samsung intercept… and definitely jealous of anyone with an epic, they did a great job on that keyboard.

  70. at this point… ill hold on to my G1 until it completely stops. lol

  71. for all the haters, the g2 is an upgrade of the G1….not the nexus or any other phone, the g1. as a g1 owner, i can say i am fully looking forward to this phone as the orig g1 is a brick in looks, has less than 100mb for app memory (which sucks nowadays but is expected as it was the first android phone), has a slower processor, no flash for the camera, and isn’t upgradeable to android 2.2 (unless you root it which frankly i’m not a fan of). yes it has one less row for typing, but it is wider and nicely laid out. all in all as a successor to the g1 this is more than acceptable. if you want more of the newest and greatest, well you are going to be constantly dissappointed no matter where you go and what you do, so quit crying and deal with it.

  72. I love my g1, but will do fine without a number row. I’m waiting for official specs, though. I’m a gamer, so a crappy cpu or gpu can be definite dealbreakers. If I snatch up this phone, I’m stuck with it for two years. BIG commitment. Ugrade day is in december, so if the Mytouch HD gets a keyboard or the glacier rocks the house, I may just pass this up. I’ve always wanted an all in one device for phone, web, mp3 player and gaming. The g1 covers those bases, but could definitely use more horsepower.

  73. That’s the same outfit as the Desire Z. Equally ugly. Too bad they didnt copy the classic Desire look w/ keyboard.

  74. 4-row qwerty is a downgrade.. :(

  75. Please, I beg you, come out with a nice Android phone with a keyboard like my Sidekick 2008 had. This cliq has been miserable. A dedicated number row is not too much to ask for…Some us extensively use out keyboards…Extensively…Make it happen, TMO…You own the Sidekick brand…Do it!!! Just do it!! I don’t want to leave….

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