Watch out, Apple. The G1 may not be as sleek and sexy as the iPhone, but its peppy, easy-to-use touchscreen interface makes mincemeat of all the other iPhone wanna-bes, and it packs in some killer features—like 360-degree Street View—that the iPhone has yet to match.



Granted, I've only had a few minutes of hands-on time with the T-Mobile G1, so this doesn't count as a review—we're just talking first impressions here. But first impressions count, and the G1 ($179, available October 22) scored big during my brief test drive. (Click here for full specs and details on Tuesday's announcement.)

So, let's talk about the hardware first. As I mentioned in my initial post, the G1 is slightly bulkier and heavier and—well, let's just say it—a little uglier than the slim, sexy iPhone. Weighing in at 5.6 ounces, I could definitely feel the G1's extra bulk in my hand, although at just 0.6 inches thick, the G1 should fit relatively easily in a jeans pocket.

The G1's 3.17-inch screen is slightly smaller than the iPhone's 3.5-inch display, and at first glance, its interface looks a bit dull compared to Apple's red-hot handset (and unfortunately, my shaky photography skills don't help). But beneath the G1's sliding display, we get a surprise—a full, Sidekick-sized QWERTY keypad, perfect for those who don't want to deal with a touchscreen keyboard. There's also a trackball, a Home key, and physical Call and End buttons.

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