But at first muck around the browser is, of course, miles easier than the N95 and not as good as the iPhone.

/m

But at first muck around the browser is, of course, miles easier than the N95 and not as good as the iPhone.

/m

@Ben – There definitely was some coverage, but nowhere near the excitement generated around the iPhone. Now I think that that was intentional as, although I don't think the G1 is only for geeks, it's certainly not a consumer device in the same way the iPhone is.

I didn't buy the insurance, but it took me to say 'I don't care if it breaks, I'm a journalist and I want it to review' (I'm not, I'm a blogger) for them to give it up. The manager sighted several situations that would have been covered by warranty as reasons to take the insurance. That said though, the rest of the process including selecting a tariff was excellent.

At 3pm T-Mob's website still offered the option to pre-register to 'be the first to know'… many hours after the devices were in public hands… fail.

I don't think there is or should be huge public interest in this phone – it's only fit for geeks right now, but it is a massive indicator of what's to come (and yes, it is normob-friendly IMO) in Android. The hardware is a vehicle for that right now and nothing more. For all those reasons though, that is also why you'll see a fair amount of coverage here – the N96 is the past… a revision of an existing tired platform that needs a kick up the pants. The G1 is the flawed first indicators of what the latest entrant to the smartphone ecosystem is thinking.

ITN covered it in their TV news as did the Metro free paper and a few nationals.

They quite clearly state: “To order your T-Mobile G1 from the T-Mobile.co.uk shop, follow the exclusive link below after 2pm on 30 October 2008. We have limited stock, so make sure you get in early to avoid disappointment. Once they’re all gone, the link will no longer work.”

I rang the King's Road branch at 9am, they put one aside for me. There was some confusion at the Clapham reseller store (P4U?) so I headed up to the T-Mo high street store. 15 minutes end-to-end signup/purchase experience, having never been a T-Mo customer before. Impressed.

Walked out of the store, got on to a bus. Had to read the manual to get the battery cover off. It's a tricky sucker. Should be printed on a screen or cover sticker to avoid RTFM rage. Popped battery & USIM in, power on, boot up, entered Gmail address – and away rocking before I got to the office, 5 minutes tops. Best out-of-box experience to date. Better than iPhone, because no PC was involved.

Not to seem a T-Mo fanboy, but IMHO the G1 launch makes O2 and Apple look like the proverbial Simian copulating with an item of sporting apparatus.

/m

I've already seen a couple of people with one today – but there isn't the same sense of excitement 'on the street'.

On a separate note – I'd have loved to see you dressed all in Pink for the MIR G1 Day!