Source: www.voip-news.com

According to an inside source, there really is going to be a Google phone - of some kind. This may just mean that the Android phones coming out from people like HTC are going to have  Google logo on them. Or does it mean that Google will somehow sell hardware - like a rebranded HTC?

Who knows? But the source was good. So was the “oh %$#$ I shouldn’t have said that.”

So - how about we get some votes in the comments for what is really going to happen

1. Google is going into the hardware biz and aims to take Nokia down.

2. Google is going to rebrand a couple of thrid party harware manufacturers’ devices in order to prime the pump for Android

3. Google is going to slide its logo onto any and every Android phone

4. Google will stay out of hardware and stick to software

5. What’s Android?

and finally, for the conspiracy theorists

6. Google is going to go ahead and with whatever dark fiber it has snapped up, add in whatever airwave bands it has grabbed, move into the mobile device space and take on Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, Orange, Nokia, LG, Samsung and Apple all at once…

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Apple, Google vie for hearts (and wallets) of developers
This is the title of an excellent article on Posted by Stefanie Olsen
It was a nice view of the current developer interest on attractive mobile platforms. The facts on iPhone development funding of 100 million and unsaid Apple iPhone Developer kit compared with Google’s Android developer challenge paired with 10Million prize money makes one think that developers will flock to iPhone.
But I think Android has another big advantage, open! There  were developers that wanted to get on the iPhone platform and surprisingly denied by apple. But I have not heard of anyone getting denied by Android. As I write, my Android Development environment is running on a virtual machine on this computer. No I am not developing any applications but evaluating an application for a company that I consult. My iMac has most of the Apple developer products but iPhone developer kit.(It also has the Android Developer platform running!) One of these days I will have it because the same company I consult got the approval and I will have to go through the codes and what not. I hope I will be able to say "Google Phone Coming Soon" again and get dugg.
But I think you should read the Stefanie’s article as it might shed light on darker corners of your developer desk.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

I know I had a good run with "Google Phone coming soon" but now I found another article about a new face of the gPhone. Let me correct myself, many faces of many gPhones!
As the said article mentioned, the best way to go and find what gPhone will look like is to look into the work by the independent developers who are playing around with the Android SDK and Open Handset Alliance. There will be many different GPhones, developed by many companies and I am sure they will operate on the upcoming "open" spectrum block that the auction is being held now.

Source: andyabramson.blogs.com

Greg Galitzine speculates that Google has something planned for MobileWorld, an event I’m anxiously looking forward to attending in February. Besides the major geek factor, the food and wine in Barcelona are amazing.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

The elusive Google Phone is coming soon, again to a gSPOT near you! My first post that got the best Digg so far (for me!); 1257 diggs and counting~ (Got Dugg again), is coming alive again. Gizmodo has posted a photo of one of the rumored prototype phones circulating around the Googleplex and else where. The OHA, Open Handset Alliance has brought together a lot of people who make mobile phones from Motorola to Samsung, 34 of them. All sporting Android, the Linux based mobile operating system.
If you want you can see a little bit Android in a whole lot of videos on youtube. But if you are a programmer and if you are good, you can do more than just watch some hype videos; take the Android Developer Challenge, running from January 2nd to March 3rd 2008, which might get you $25000 for "the 50 most promising entries… that make use of Android’s capabilities to deliver a better mobile experience" and further 20 follow-up awards, ten of US$275,000 and ten of US$100,000. I submitted mine!
There are also other rumors that a bunch of Google Phones will be introduced at the Mobile World Congress expo, which kicks off on February 11th in Barcelona, I will be there! and hope fully I would be able to locate the Gspot!

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

I was reading a post on Cisco SP360, "Google and the Open Mobile Phone", about Google phone (one of the most visited link on the site, got dugg twice!) initiative and the wireless industry’s view of the matter. Larry Lang has been to the wireless conference known as Rutberg Wireless Influencers conference and of course the talk of the town has been Android. But what made me laugh out and shout "What" was Verizon’s president and CEO, Lowell McAdam, said when asked about the Google Phone.
"For example, what if malware infected an Android-equipped phone and started relaying your exact location to a stalker?"
Malware could infect any phone and give such opportunities to bad people. If his argument is right, Microsoft OS based PC’s should be secure from malware while Linux desktops filled with malware. We all know it is other way around. Google is not doing this for love of the world and they stand to gain a lot if the android is welcomed by masses. The fact as I have mentioned before, it is not the android that US wireless carriers like Verizon must look out for. It is the Open Spectrum that these Androids might roam. Verizon even filed a lawsuit against FCC, regarding this open Spectrum issue.
So all I have to say to Mr. McAdam is that to come up with a better ideas and strategies, rather than throwing malware mud at Open Source. There others who excels in that particular ability, with manufactured case studies and facts etc to create FUD [fear, uncertainty and doubt]. The above statement only made me laugh, no fear!

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Andy Rubin, director of mobile platforms at Google, (gPhone, Google Phone, Android saga) talked to CNET News about Android phones, How will it look like, whether it will compete with Apple’s iPhone, and why the software took so long to build. Here are some of QA’s that I liked, for the rest follow the link.

"Q: What other types of devices that aren’t exactly cell phones could Android enable or run on?
Rubin: The sky is the limit. This platform has been contemplated in different devices, from car navigation systems to set-top boxes to laptop computers and, of course, cell phones. One of our alliance partners, Intel, has a category device called MID, or Mobile Internet Device, which is somewhere between a cell phone and a PC. It’s a large-display device meant to be primarily an Internet access device."

Q: So, will there be a Google phone?
Rubin: I’m going to say "no comment" on that.

Q: Why did you pick Linux as the foundation for Android?
Rubin: One of the advantages of Linux is, it’s a pretty prevalent operating system. The portion of Linux that we use for Android is just the kernel portion, and the benefit of kernel, of course, is that it’s been already ported to all the varieties of semiconductors that run in cell phones.

Q: What do you think of the iPhone?
Rubin: I love it. I use it every day. That’s my phone, and I think it’s a great product. It’s probably the best version 1.0 piece of consumer electronics that I’ve ever used.

CNET News article

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Dan Morrill builds a simple application on the Android platform to demonstrate how you could start something with it!.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Google (The Open Handset Alliance,) has let the Android lose. At least the tools for beginning to create stuff for the gPhone. I am writing this before down loading so I have no idea what I could do.
The SDK site states that;

The Android platform is a software stack for mobile devices including an operating system, middleware and key applications. Developers can create applications for the platform using the Android SDK. Applications are written using the Java programming language and run on Dalvik, a custom virtual machine designed for embedded use which runs on top of a Linux kernel.

If you want to know how to develop applications for Android, you’re in the right place. This site provides a variety of documentation that will help you learn about Android and develop mobile applications for the platform.

An early look at the the Android SDK is also available. It includes sample projects with source code, development tools, an emulator, and of course all the libraries you’ll need to build an Android application.

Also you can find

To start learning about the Android platform, please read the documentation in the following order:

What is Android?

An overview of the Android platform

Getting Started

All the basics, including Hello World

Developing Applications

The nuts and bolts of Android applications

Developer Toolbox

In-depth information on specific topics

Reference Information

A myriad of reference material

Sample Code

Several sample Android applications for your viewing pleasure

Frequently Asked Questions

Common issues and questions

And of course there is the customery blog with the article

Android Developers Blog: This is the droid you’re looking for
Where I left a comment for Microsoft developer

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

According to BusinessWeek, HTC might be the first of the alliance to bring out the Google Phone. So what I said a few months ago, I can repeat; ‘"Google Phone is Coming Soon" with a touch screen!’
Florian Seiche, HTC’s European vice president, said that the company’s goal was to provide a "broad portfolio" of devices targeting various segments of the market, from consumer to enterprise. Android devices, he said, would fall squarely into the relatively new consumer side of HTC’s business, targeted this year with the Touch phone.

"The core nature of Android is the fact that the internet should be put right at the centre of your mobile experience," said Seiche. "It is fair to say that it will be very much focused on the growing part of the consumer market that is using mobile devices for much more than voice calls and text messages."

Seiche claimed that HTC was "fairly far along" in the development of the handset, as demonstrated by the time frame for the device’s release.

Technical details of the device are currently scarce–many aspects of the platform will only become apparent when the Android software developer kit (SDK) is released next week–but Seiche hinted that "it’s fair to say that touchscreens are becoming extremely important for providing user experience".

Source at Businessweek

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

If you have forgotten, amidst the noise about Google Phone or gPhone, that Google made headlines here and elsewhere, when it said plans to bid in the upcoming 700-MHz auction and it’s attempt to keep it open as in "Open Access" together FCC and other organization. Verizon even took FCC to court over the same issue.

Google’s Schmidt said Monday, during the press conference, that Android and the 700-MHz issue are "two separate initiatives", but if policymakers agree to the open access, a 700-MHz environment that will allows people to connect devices.", Android would certainly "run on that network,".

Schmidt also mentioneded that Google’s OpenSocial network "will be a framework that will run well on Android.", answering my question "Will Google Phone or Gphone play a role in OpenSocial?"

We worked on this phone; "VOIP IP Telephony: Google Phone coming soon!" for a while now.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

I was over at OHA site and was looking for any information on the Press conference held on Nov 5th. Yes, at the media room, there was this information, hope you find in informational and dial in to listen if you are interested. I also borrowed the Android logo!

Android and Open Handset Alliance Launch
Replay Information for November 5, 2007 Press Conference

Participants: Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google; René Obermann, Chief Executive Officer, Deutsche Telekom; Peter Chou, Chief Executive Officer, HTC Corporation; Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, Chief Executive Officer of Qualcomm; Ed Zander, Chairman and CEO, Motorola, Inc.

Replay available from 3:00 PM ET Monday, November 5th through 11:59 PM ET Monday, November 12th
Replay numbers: 888-203-1112 or 719-457-0820
Replay passcode: 8747527