The first handset sporting the new Google Android OS, the HTC G1, has finally hit the market. The internet is lighting up with early reviews and we here at TimTechs are looking to put in our 2 cents.

From first impression the phone seems to come with HTC’s classic quality and high tech precision that we love. The design is love and hate for most people. It’s a bit thicker than some of its main competitors such as the iPhone 3G, but for us that is by no means a deal breaker and the highly usable QWERTY keyboard is definitely worth it.

But let’s look a little closer:

Hardware Advantages

• Excellent qwerty keyboard
• Love or hate design (we love it)
• Durable design
• Dedicated camera button for quick switching
• Great color on the LCD touchscreen
• Comfortable in the hand easy to use

Hardware Disadvantages

• The qwerty keyboard is required for texts which means you need to flip it out for any message
• Average 3G connections (could be due to T-Mobile)
• Good but only average sound quality
• No 3.5 mm head phone jack

Now that’s all well and good about the way the phone feels and operates in our hands, but who are we kidding here? We’re looking for the dirt on Android and what we’re going to be able to do with it.

Here are our some of our first impressions:

Software Advantages

• Quick and easy integration with your Google Accounts (this was so easy)
• Beautiful easy to navigate interface
• Great notification system, much superior to Windows or iPhone
• Easy to customize homescreen
• Amazing integration with Gmail
• Portrait and landscape modes with the accelerometer are very useful

Software Disadvantages

• Long and scroll presses can get confused by the system
• Google Contacts is not widely used
• No flash support for the browser yet

So that’s a quick look at something which is most likely going to take the mobile market by storm. From a general point of view the G1 isn’t going to make any major changes in terms of hardware. It definitely have some kinks to work out, especially with GPS and connection issues, but the fans out there (us included) don’t really have any interest in that. We were drooling over the Android OS and it has not failed to satisfy. The possibilities for it to grow into a staple mobile phone OS are guaranteed. We can’t wait to see what will be coming up in the next year.