Interested in getting the first Google Android cell phone but don’t have T-Mobile service (or the desire to switch to them)? It looks like the G1 falls under the same ruleset the all other T-Mobile devices do, allowing you to request an unlock code from them once you’ve had an active account for 90 days. That means that unfortunately, even if you buy the phone outright and unsubsidized, you can’t have it unlocked for you by T-Mobile.

Considering the openness of the google Android platform, many assume that this will be a moot point shortly after launch that there will be an app that is capable of unlocking the G1. We’ll have to wait and see how everything unfolds as we get closer to the launch date.

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Tags: app market, carrier free, google android, t-mobile, unlock

The T-Mobile live press conference has just come to an end and it looks like Google Android is going to be a hit. The demo videos they’ve shown has allowed us to see what the phone can really do.

The launch phone will be out for $179 for a 2 year contract on T-Mobile. The launch date is October 22nd and the phone is looking pretty sharp. It weighs about 5.6 ounces and measures up at 4.6 x 2.16 x 0.63 inches. The screen is a sharp 480 x 320 HVGA display and the phone takes full advantage of the 3G network and GPS.

Of course you’ll be able to take excellent pictures on the 3.1 megapixel camera, talk for up to 5 hours, and take full advantage of the 8GB internal memory.

It is missing Bluetooth stereo and video capture right now. But that’s what apps are for!

Tags: bluetooth, g1, google android, htc, htc dream, t-mobile, t-mobile g1

Apparently the world isn’t going to be content with Google Android only running on cell phones. John Bruggeman, the chief marketing officer over at Wind River Systems has just recently stated that "We’re starting to see Android get designed in on devices that extend way beyond the phone–things might go in the automobile or things that might go in the home."

This doesn’t really come as a surprise considering the fact that both Wind Rider Systems and Intel are already part of the Android Open Handset Alliance and have discussed putting a Linux based system into a car.

Nobody has put anything final into writing, so we’ll have to see how things progress, but the possibility is clearly there.

Tags: google android, Intel, john bruggeman, wind river systems

Not too sure exactly what makes Microsoft so confident that they can continue to take hits like this in the cell phone market, but apparently Windows Mobile 7 has been pushed back to the second half of 2009.

The last bit of information we had received had been focused on the fact that Windows Mobile 7 was to appear in the early part of 2009. While Microsoft has neither confirmed nor denied this information, it does seem particularly confusing as to why they wouldn’t shut this down with such a huge Google Android announcement today.

If Microsoft is lucky, they’ll have people like HTC busting their butt to make customized tweaks to their out dated operating system. Or perhaps everything will just run Android?

Tags: google android, htc, windows mobile, windows mobile 7, wm7

T-Mobile hasn’t been keeping much about their new App Store inspired program out of the lime light. While the news came as a bit of a surprise last month that they would go as far as including Android and Sidekick in this launch, the plans have apparently changed quite a bit.

T-Mobile has now confirmed that they’ll be leaving the Andorid and Sidekick for the second round of this plan. What’s worse is that the API won’t be open enough to allow developers to throw ads in there to reduce the costs or offer a free ad supported option.

The goal is to make this available and working on day one. After that they’ll start conquering the rest of the markets, or so they hope. Expect the T-Mobile app store to launch on their Java, RIM, and Windows Mobile phones by the end of this year.

Tags: app store, apple, google android, java, rim, sidekick, t-mobile, windows mobile

We’re not that far away from the final unveiling of the first publicly released Google Android phone. While the exact release date from T-Mobile has yet to be publicly announced, sources such as Reuters and the New York Times expect that the official announcement will be slated for September 23rd, announcing the HTC Dream as their first device.

While this shouldn’t be news for those of you who follow this blog, it’s definitely something that those of you looking forward to getting your hands on a Google Mobile device should hearing about. Especially those of you who can’t get in on the pre-reg period.

We’ll keep you posted as more news goes live.

Tags: google android, htc dream, New York Times, reuters, t-mobile

The Google Android Developers Challenge has officially ended! Out of all the developers who entered this first annual event, only fifty made it through to the final round. Out of those fifty, the top ten were awarded $275,000 each and contestants 11-20 received $100,000 each.

Most of the winning finalists took advantage of the location based aspects of the Google Android platform, such as the grand prize winner, Locale. Unlike the iPhone, these apps can run in the background, allowing for Locale to help you set multiple profiles and automatically switch to them depending on where you physically are.

The list of winners will no become the list of apps we’ll all be downloading on launch day. This developers challenge definitely seems like the best idea yet that Google has had for the Android developers.

Tags: android, android market, app store, apps, google, google android, google android developers challenge, iphone

More information regarding Google’s soon to be released mobile operating system have come to light. Today on the Google Android Developers Blog we had a chance to learn a little bit more about how the apps are going to work with Android and what we have to look forward to.

Instead of a store, Google will offer the Android Market, a place where any and all developers can list their apps for use with Google Android immediately and without approval. There will be plenty of measures taken to make sure that you won’t be able to load the wrong version of the app onto your Android based phone (as not all Android capable phones can do the same thing) and of course make the distinction between free and paid (paid apps won’t be in Android Market 1.0, fyi).

We’re nearing the launch of Google Android, so stay tuned for more up to the minute information from your favorite tech blog.

Tags: android market, app store, apps, developers, google, google android, iphone, itunes, sdk

Trying to follow what’s going on with Google Android is almost impossible at this point. But word has managed to leak through in a semi-authoritative manner that is leaving many hopefuls looking forward to the month of October.

The HTC Dream/G1 through T-Mobile is set to go on presale on September 17th and last until October 3rd. The build up comes to an end on October 13th release date for the public.

The phone is expected to go for $199 with a two year contract. As of right now there isn’t any one-year option currently available. Whether this means you won’t be able to purchase this phone unsubsidized or not is another question completely.

The monthly plans seem to be the only truly solid information, with $35 getting you unlimited data and messaging or $25 fetching you unlimited data and 400 messages.

Tags: android, google android, htc dream, t-mobile

When asking your magic eight ball about the expected launch of HTC’s Android based phones, all signs are starting to point to “no”. Either that or my eight ball is broken….

HTC has been working hard on getting their Android ready phones up and running, particularly the HTC Dream, but it may not be hard enough. The features that Google is demanding out of the phones launching with Android, plus the revenue share have been enough for HTC to possibly question how strong a selling point Android will be.

With the iPhone SDK updating like crazy and providing an active community for developers, it’s difficult for people to choose investing in Android when the updates are so scarce lately (unless you’re one of the elite few). Add in the fact that Windows Mobile, Symbian, and BlackBerry are also a part of this pie, and it will make perfect sense as to why HTC is waiting a bit on this game.

Tags: android, blackberry, google, google android, htc, iphone, sdk, symbian, windows mobile