Chicago (IL) – As we are inching closer to the official G1 launch on October 22, first reviews of devices handed to the press have been published. So, how good is it? Is it a capable iPhone alternative – or is it even better? We distilled the reviews and conclusions by our colleagues, who generally do not seem entirely convinced yet.

Ok, so we know that the G1 will not win any beauty contest and it lacks the iPhone shine. However, it has on open platform, a Linux-based open-source OS called Android and an application store that, in contrast to the App Store, is open to all applications. More than 1.5 million people pre-ordered the G1, which is a clear sign that consumers are hungry for an iPhone rival. The first reviews are in and it seems that most journalists agree that the G1 is a solid first-gen Android handset but nothing particularly exciting. G1's software has more than a few quirks and there is, of course, the phone’s clunky design and a lack of business features.

Here is what was said:

Ars Technica: "In the shadow of the iPhone"

Ars Technica believes that the G1 is burdened with the high standards set by Apple and others. The publication noted that that G1 falls short of competing smartphones at this time. "My first-generation iPhone with iPhone OS 2.1 feels faster and slicker than this late 2008 G1," the reviewer wrote.

Engadget: "A fine, solidly designed device"

Engadget chime din and said that the G1 holds its own against the iPhone and Windows Mobile handsets. However, the phone has "a lot of ground to cover before it's really making the competition sweat." Engadget described the hardware as "not particularly impressive" but noted "there is tremendous potential for Android OS on mobile devices." The conclusion: It is a "fine, solidly designed device that has enough style to please most users" mainly because of Google: "Think of it this way: if it were running Windows Mobile, it'd be a footnote in HTC's history."

Gizmodo: G1 is for gadget enthusiasts

Gizmodo labels the G1 and Android as work in progress, citing a lack of other Google applications beyond Gmail, Maps and Calendar, in addition to UI quirks and design issues. The tech blog admitted that developers might add missing functionality but warned that "your question is not whether the phone will be great down the line, it's whether or not it's good enough for you to buy it now." Gizmodo thinks the G1 is the smartphone for gadget freaks, but not mainstream consumers.

Cnet: "The real beauty is the Google Android platform"

Cnet wrote about "annoying design quirks" that make G1 the uncomfortable to hold and difficult to use, in addition to disappointing GPS tracking and a poor speakerphone. Cnet thinks these drawbacks are offset by the Android platform which the site called "the real beauty." The verdict: G1 "is not quite there yet," which makes it best suited for "early adopters and gadget hounds, rather than consumers and business users."

New York Times: "Software: A-. Phone, B-. Network, C."

The New York Times wrote that the G1's software "looks, feels and works a lot like the iPhone's." In fact, the newspaper found that it is "polished enough to give Windows Mobile an inferiority complex the size of Australia." The Menu button, which is "the equivalent of right-clicking a computer mouse" was praised and Android Market was described as "a gigantic development, rich with possibilities." The NYT believes that  Google haters will dislike G1 as it syncs only with Google services. The report card: "Software: A-. Phone, B-. Network, C."

WSJ: "A godsend for people who prefer physical keyboards or T-Mobile"

Walt Mossberg describes the G1 as "a worthy competitor to the iPhone" that has "different strengths and weaknesses." He dismissed the G1 design as "a chunky brick of a device," with keys on a physical keyboard "too flat and hard to see in bright light" and an "annoying" bulge on the right side. Mossberg said the G1 "skimps on memory" with only 1 GB, although a memory card can be purchased to expand the storage, noting the OS limits third-party applications to just 128 MB. He thinks the G1’s multimedia and UI features are inferior but praised "more flexibility" in organizing information. Mossberg said T-Mobile's 3G coverage in just 20 metro areas (8 more to come by year's end) can't compete with  AT&T's 320 cities and he found the iPhone "consistently faster, by an average of between 50 and 100 kilobytes per second" on a 3G network. Conclusions: The G1 is "a godsend for people who prefer physical keyboards or T-Mobile."

Our take

The G1's large touchscreen, a 3.1 megapixel camera (2048 x 1536) with autofocus, multitasking OS and IM program that supports Google Talk, AIM, Yahoo Messenger and Windows Live Messenger suggest mass consumer appeal. However, there is no VoIP (T-Mobile said it will not prevent VoIP calls over its network), Skype, stereo Bluetooth, or killer apps on the Android Market and there is a lack of computer syncing (you have to drag media by hand). There is no standard headphone jack and just 1 GB of default storage capacity, which makes the G1 a lousy audio/video playback device.

It isn't for business neither, despite its physical QWERTY keyboard, a full HTML browser and POP3/IMAP email client because there is no Exchange support; the calendar, contacts and email can only be synced with Google, but not with other programs on a PC or Mac. In our view, G1 appeals to Gmail geeks who exclusively trust Google with their contacts, calendars and email. The iPhone has nothing to be afraid of yet.