HTC Dream vs Kogan Agora Pro

side by sideThey say good things come to those who wait, and this may be the case for Australians waiting to get their first taste of Google's Android operating system for smartphones.

While the US and Europe have enjoyed a smartphone powered by Android since late last year, Australians may soon be lucky enough to have the choice of two phones running the open-source platform, if the current speculation is accurate.

Rumours suggest that Optus is currently testing the T-Mobile G1 handset, otherwise known as the HTC Dream, in preparation for a local release. Alongside the G1, electronics distributor Kogan will release the Kogan Agora and Agora Pro Android phones in the last week of January.

As we wait to thoroughly review these smartphones let's compare the specs of each. Keep in mind that as both phones run on the same OS, elements such as included software are most likely identical.

  T-Mobile G1

T-Mobile G1

 Kogan Agora Pro

Kogan Agora Pro
Operating system Android Android
3G Yes (HSDPA 7.2Mbps) Yes (HSDPA)
Screen 3.2-inch (320x480 pixels) 2.5-inch (240x320 pixels)
Touchscreen Yes Yes
Alternate Input QWERTY keyboard, trackball QWERTY keyboard
A-GPS Yes Yes
Weight 158g 130g
Processor speed 528MHz 624MHz
RAM 192MB 128MB
ROM 256MB 256MB
Expansion slot microSD microSD
Battery capacity 1150mAh 1300mAh
Battery — talk time 5.5 hours 6.5 hours
Camera resolution 3.2 megapixels 2 megapixels
Camera flash No No
Video calling No No
Video capture No Yes
Access to MS Office Yes, read only Yes, read only
Accelerometer changes screen orientation when rotated Yes No
Supports stereo Bluetooth (A2DP) No No
Locked to carrier Unknown No
Price AU$600 (approx) AU$399

Side by side, the G1 looks better on paper, particularly with its larger touchscreen display. The Kogan has the faster processor, though less RAM, and in all honesty, both are ugly handsets.

For some people it will come down to the value of a name brand. HTC has a proven track record of quality smartphones, but is that worth the extra AU$200? We'd love to hear your thoughts on this match-up.

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Talkback 2 comments

    Good review - bad timing! Anonymous -- 19/01/09

    Disappointing that I didn't see this review until AFTER the news that Kogan have delayed their release indefinitely.
    Perhaps some other vendors will get their act together or maybe OpenMoko will actually release a phone with 3G support!

    Weight Anonymous -- 14/02/09

    Isnt a lighter weight a good thing?

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