Google has announced its plans to sell its own phone. . . independent of wireless carriers. The device will be manufactured by HTC and is called the Nexus One. It will run Google's Android operating system and be available for sale online. No technical specs have been released, though the photo at left, reportedly leaked by a Google employee, may be an image of what to expect.
Unlike Apple, Google isn't working with one wireless carrier to support the phone. Instead, customers will be able to choose between AT&T and T-Mobile for service.
It's an interesting model, and one that may challenge Apple's AT&T exclusivity and also other carriers' plans. Because the phones will be bought directly from Google, though, they may not be able to offer the introductory pricing rates offered by wireless companies upon signing a new two-year contract.
We've done our part to revel in the Google phone rumors over the past year. Every once in a while we hear speculation that it will be released next year, next week or next month, but have never gotten any official confirmation from the company.
Finally, Google has spoken. They aren't making a Gphone, but they have announced an Open Handset Alliance and Android, an open platform for cell phones that includes an operating system, user-interface and applications. They are calling it "more significant and ambitious than a single phone." In a press release on the Google blog the company said it hopes "Android will be the foundation for many new phones and will create an entirely new mobile experience for users, with new applications and new capabilities we can’t imagine today." Here's more:
"Android is the first truly open and comprehensive platform for mobile devices. It includes an operating system, user-interface and applications — all of the software to run a mobile phone, but without the proprietary obstacles that have hindered mobile innovation...We recognize that many among the multitude of mobile users around the world do not and may never have an Android-based phone. Our goals must be independent of device or even platform."
Google developed Android with the Open Handset Alliance, which consists of more than 30 technology and mobile leaders including Motorola, Qualcomm, HTC and T-Mobile. They hope to capacitate an open ecosystem for the mobile world by creating a standard, open mobile software platform. The companies are targeting the second half of 2008 to ship phones based on the Android platform, so those of us who are already champing at the bit to test it out won't have to wait for too long. What are you looking for in a phone? Google made the video below to promote the Open Handset Alliance's "plans to build a better phone." We gush at the ad's cuteness and our next geeky obsession.
To check out what the creators have to say about the device, read more
For those of you who practiced some serious restraint and decided to save your pennies for the second gen iPhone, behold the next superstar device which might make you change your mind: The Google phone.
For those of you who practiced some serious restraint and decided to save your pennies for the second gen iPhone, behold the next superstar device which might make you change your mind: The Google phone. No word on specs yet, but I'm going to take a wild guess and assume it will be jammed packed with lots of Google apps goodies that will rock anyone's online world. Supposedly Google has been working with Taiwan’s High Tech Computer (HTC) Corp to make this Linux-based phone far superior to the iPhone. And yes, it will be here in less than a year. via techfresh
Google has announced its plans to sell its own phone. . . independent of wireless carriers. The device will be manufactured by HTC and is called the Nexus One. It will run Google's Android operating system and be available for sale online. No technical specs have been released, though the photo at left, reportedly leaked by a Google employee, may be an image of what to expect. 
