I don't think 1998 is correct, this was my first Android phone and I used it in 2008 (a decade later than OP) which is what the wiki also says:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Dream#History

First released in September 2008, the Dream was the first commercially released device to use the Linux-based Android operating system

Android itself didn't start development until 5 years later than OP:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_(operating_system)#History

Android Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, California, in October 2003 by Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears, and Chris White.

I also found this cool category for phones that came out in 1998. They're all Nokias. This was even a year before BlackBerry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Mobile_phones_introduced_in_1998

1998?! Try 2008.

I miss the days of android phones with physical keyboards. They were just better

It was very satisfying flipping and sliding phones like this. I wonder how it would be to transfer back to a tactile physical keyboard after all this time. I’m not sure if it’s just nostalgia but I almost feel like it would be better

I had this phone. It was great. I really miss tactile keyboard keys.

I feel like this design would work pretty well even for a modern phone. Just flatten the bottom-right menu section and extend the screen over it, and you'd get a regular full-size smartphone with a slide-out keyboard and some handy physical buttons!

That keyboard, though. 🤤

i was in the root/rom community for a decade & anytime i see anything about classic android i get nostalgic af. while i was a bit too late to own an htc dream, i still boot up my lg optimus v running android 2.2 (well, it was on a 4.4 rom at one point but i flashed it back to stock) every few years. while i don't miss the horrible ui, bugginess, slowness & clunkiness of android before 4.x, at the same time... i also kinda do for whatever reason lol. not enough to actually go back to it, but still. something about that white status bar, square icons & the overall mismashed together ui made of gray headerbars on top of white & black feels pleasant in a way i can't explain.

Had one for less than a day. I was the designated driver, stopped to get gas after dropping everyone off. Put the phone on the car. Drove home… bye bye G1 😭

Bring back unnecessary physical keyboards!!!!

It was very satisfying flipping and sliding phones like this. I wonder how it would be to transfer back to a tactile physical keyboard after all this time. I’m not sure if it’s just nostalgia but I almost feel like it would be better

Haha I had one of these phones. It's battery was terrible but it was super nifty

I did not have that phone, but my first Android phone was the HTC One V. A nifty little budget device that had some nice metal construction for the price I paid. The chin it had was a bit odd though.

I still have my G1 and my G2! The G2 was one of my favorite phones of all time and, sadly, the last I ever owned with a physical keyboard.

My first Android phone was my Motorola Cliq, which I got after my Blakcberry Pearl died. Good times with those phones.

Ah so nostalgic... HTC making phones lol

On a serious note, I still think my HTC Desire Z was the bee's knees... except it didn't tolerate water that much and I live in a very wet and humid place. Feh.

Still, one of the best handhelds I've ever had. Gotta give it that.