First Google's Android Phone Unveiled

Google and telecom carrier T-Mobile unveiled Tuesday the first mobile device powered by the Internet search giant's software, a smartphone seen as a potential rival to Apple's popular iPhone.

The T-Mobile G1, informally known as the "Google phone," will cost 179 dollars and will be available in stores in the United States from October 22. The first device to run the search giant's operating system will feature a touch screen as well as a Qwerty keyboard.

The phone runs on Google's open source Android software, which Google hopes will eventually become the dominant operating system for mobile phones and make handsets compatible with the networks of multiple carriers.

The G1 offers many of the features of the iPhone and Research in Motion's BlackBerry, including a touch screen, high-speed Internet browsing, Wi-Fi, e-mail and SMS texting. It can also run applications such as Google Maps.

Google announced its plans for the Android phone software in November 2007 with a declared aim of making it easier to get at the web while on the move.

To help develop Android, Google also unveiled the Open Handset Alliance - a partnership of more than 30 firms that would work to make phone software easier to work with.

The Android software is squarely aimed at the smartphone segment of the handset market which adds sophisticated functions to the basic calling and texting capabilities of most phones.

(September 22, 2008)