Google and T-Mobile have just announced (officially) the G1 Android phone. The G1 runs a customised operating system built by Google. It is completely open-source, which means you can install any compatible software on it.
Being a Google phone, the G1 has tight integration with the existing Google services, including Google Maps and “push” integration with Google Mail.
There is a ton of online coverage on the G1:
- Wall Street Journal overview
- Engadget has a hands-on video
- Gizmodo discusses the Google integration features.
I imagine it will be some time before we see the G1 released in New Zealand. The device is slated to be available in the UK in November and “across Europe in 2009″.
From a developer point of view it looks like a mildly interesting platform. It's Java based (rather than J2ME) which is nice. However the downside of that is the hardware and UI libraries are all Google code. This means essentially you're coding to yet -another- vendor specific platform – about the only code you'll be able to keep common is your business logic. As lightweight as J2ME is, at least it's standards based.
The G1 as a device doesn't grab me at all though with that fugly Sidekick-like design. Hopefully future Android devices will be sexier…
From the point of view of a regular user of business mobiles I think this is really something that a business man would require.
Looks very very interesting!
Thanks for letting us know about it.this why i love internet the power of sharing .I am in love with your blog
My best regards,
T-Mobile G1
Hi there , interesting conversation thought i might add to it also.
my main enquiry is the Googletalk functionality. Especially the Talking side which seems to be a grey area so far. my questions are can I use this phone or the Newer G2 Released Tomorrow (here in NZ) for Live Chat (voice Chat) to other users on GT or is this just the normal non Voip Instant Meessaging. Ideally it would be able to implement Voip into the phone and be used through my wifi rather through some contact plan.