Google unleashes unlocked G1 on developers

The back of the Android Dev Phone 1.

(Credit: xda-developers)

Good news if you're a developer itching to get your creative developer hands on a T-Mobile G1--and especially good news if you happen to be a developer who lives outside an area covered by T-Mobile. Google has announced a SIM- and hardware-unlocked version of the first Android smartphone.

To get an Android Dev Phone 1, you'll first need to register as an Android developer on the Android Market site, which entails a one-time setup fee of $25. Then the device will cost you $399 (free shipping here in the States). To accommodate demand, Google says it's one device per developer account--for now.

The device will be available for purchase in 18 international markets, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan, India, Canada, France, Taiwan, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Poland, and Hungary. And more territories are on the way, Google says.

Now go build us some amazing apps, developers! Or if you're just pretending to be a developer to nab one of these, go enjoy your new unlocked smartphone!

[kingrah1]

This is a bad sign, this will lead to an early downfall for the G1, too bad i just ordered mine the other day

[pjhenry1216]

How is this a bad sign? That aside, even if it was done for various negative reasons (maybe its not doing well and they hope this makes it more popular), how would this make it worse?

[TechnoMan475392]

Wow. Sorry, CNET, but this has been on Engadget for more than 24 hours. Keep up!

[JunkSiu]

OMG, this may break my budget for this x'mas ... for myself 0.0

[Topspin14]

Wont work on AT&T. Will only work on T-Mobile and European GSM bands...even when unlocked.

[klew]

The device is quadband for GSM, so it will work on AT&T. What won't work is 3G (you can still get EDGE speed).

[mbenedict]

The real news is the shipping costs Google is gouging international developers.

The phone is $399, but shipping to Canada is $264 per phone!!
to Spain: $268
to India: $224
to France is a bargain at $183.

These are insane shipping rates for a phone!!!

[JunkSiu]

I think I can save my $25 for now ...

[nihouma]

Something tells me that is a fluke of some sort

[fuserx948]

It's a very heavy phone.

[Riverdome]

The customs laws make international shipping very expensive. Those rates may include the fees required to pick the item up at the post office.

[MichaelSM55]

Why anyone would be silly enough to entrust their entire communications to a conglomerate like Google is totally beyond me. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket ....!
If Google has it the way Google wants it, it seems, then let's see the list:
Google Home page.
Google Mail.
Google on-line word-processing.
Google 'phone ...
Plus other apps I'm not aware of ..
And all of this adding to the largest database in history ...
What's next?
Google credit cards?
And I used to think that MicroSoft was the elephant in the room ..
Mike.

[storm14k]

Google home page? Its a search engine....and by far the most used search engine. Who cares?

What does it matter anyway. You aren't forced to use any of this stuff or locked into it even if you do. Meanwhile a smart phone will barely sell unless it can talk to Exchange and read Office documents as people have been silly enough to trust all email and electronic documents to MS...! It's mighty hypocritical to talk about Google which isn't even remotely in the same position unless you just and MS shill.

[nachurboy]

Hmm. That's strange. I thought Apple was trying to do the same thing as well, along with Microsoft and the open source foundation.

Just because all that is available from one company doesn't mean you're forced to use all those products from one company.

[driesv]

Different kind of elephant though. While with MS and Apple the goal is to lock in the user. While Google embrace the community and uses open source tools and standarisations like IBM

[Maarek Stele]

if someone just wants an unlocked phone, they can buy any of the 3 colors fro $399 without the extra $25 charge. T-Mobile will give you the unlock code when you buy the phone.

[nachurboy]

Unlocked by your definition means it's network unlocked. Unlocked for the dev version means the software is unlocked (ie. you can install any OS on it, if you had any others that would run on it) AND is network unlocked.

For devs, that means you can modify the Android OS and install it. I don't think you can do that with the commercial version.

[Remo_Williams]

unlocked doesn't mean much unless it ships with root access

[AppleSuxLeo]

I`m ready to go Android as soon as they release some compelling phones. Where are all the Android phones ? We get one "not-quite-there" phone to choose from after all the hype for Android ? Come on Google ! I`m ready to bite as soon as the phones are available.

[basem3wad]

Android have some good fetures that can be added to other OS , but it's speed sucks .. anyone can see the defference between the ease of motion of iPhone & android .. android sucks ..

[PREEYAC]

DEV GOOGLE G1 DELIVERY - $100 GREATER TORONTO AREA

I just recently bought the developer?s edition of the google g1 for $399.00 USD (http://code.google.com/android/dev-devices.html) which is completely unlocked and customizable. However, shipping to Canada is approximately $264.49 USD, but it is free to an American address. I am offering you a chance to pay 100.00 CAD shipping. You may ship it to my address in New York (I am a Canadian on an American student visa) and I will bring it back to Toronto or the GTA on the weekend (I come back home every weekend).

Contact me if you are interested and I will give you my address to ship to. ([e-mail])

I CAN ALSO SHIP VIA CANADA POST