Updated: Htc Dream! Google Selling Unlocked G1 Phones In India !

[Sadikk 301]

Ill try my best to be first one to own this. Even if its not unlocked

[@ksh@T 20]

T-Mobile Android phone to hit stores on Oct 17, Sprint Android phone coming next year

Android, Google’s new operating system for devices, will be officially unveiled as part of the HTC “Dream” phone launch on T-Mobile on September 23rd, at a press conference in New York. The phone, to be officially called the “G1″ will ship on October 13th and arrive in stores on October 17, sources tell us. This is a few days earlier than previous reports suggested, but otherwise fits with what we’ve been hearing.

The Android team, which has been given every resource available from Google, has until recently been expecting excited press coverage, sources say. The reason: Android’s software is like a nicely baked cake plus a container of frosting. It’s a full stack of software components for an operating system (the cake itself) that includes customizable interfaces and features such as an “app store” (the frosting). Carriers, in the Android team’s view, just need to take Android and put the frosting on the cake the way they like, so to speak.

A lot of people will expect their Android cake to be frosted like the iPhone, but somehow better. The reality is that there’s not enough accurate information out there to say how the Dream is or isn’t comparable to the iPhone. This perception problem is a result of Google’s own strategy. Google wanted to try out Android with one device and one carrier before pushing out others.

So how much does this first device really matter? Android is itself a software platform, remember, not a direct iPhone competitor. Android is meant to drive the mass market adoption of full-featured “smartphones” and applications. It intends to make the mobile web more ubiquitous so Google can get more people using its various applications and seeing its ads. For this reason, the Android team itself actually sees the iPhone as an ally of sorts.

In the meantime, if you’re looking to do an apples-to-apples comparison of an Android phone and the iPhone, it’s best to wait until more Android-based phones come to market.

Android’s leaders have already started acknowledging the iPhone-comparison perception problems. Perhaps in the light of that uneasiness, Google’s Mike Jennings showed off the Dream handset — from a distance — at a developer conference in London this morning.

Jenning’s phone is the first official image of the Dream running Android (screenshots above, via Tech Radar). Early news about the Android launch surfaced in mid-July. Wider layers of management at T-Mobile started to see the device in August, but no reliable images of the device had appeared so far.

Expect a lot more news about Android, however things go with the Dream. In addition to T-Mobile, some other carriers in the Open Handset Alliance, such as Telefonica, are trying out Android. And today, Google invited a computer maker, Asustek Computer Inc, to join the OHA. New information coming out about Android seems rather positive. The Wall Street Journal wrote earlier this year that Android has been running into delays, but today has a more positive report: HTC expects to ship 600,000 to 700,000 units of Dream, its sources say, exceeding analyst estimates of 300,000 to 500,000 units.

The earlier Journal article cited one delay coming from Sprint’s planned phone. We’re now hearing from multiple sources that the Sprint Android phone will have “other functionality” than the Dream, and will definitely be out by 2009.

[vIa: vB]

[@ksh@T 20]

gPhone Spotted in the Wild!

Google Phone Exclusive vIDEO

[vIa:rizzn]

Edited September 20, 2008 by @ksh@T

[Sadikk 301]

Vedio is very impressive.

Now i am getting curious for this.

[@ksh@T 20]

Google’s Android Estimated To Gain 4 Percent Marketshare Among Smartphones: Report

With Google’s (NSDQ: GOOG) first Android phone just days away from being unveiled, the predictions have started flying. In the final three months of the year, Strategy Analytics is estimating that the Google Android operating system will account for 4 percent of all smartphones sold in the U.S. That means T-Mobile USA will sell about 400,000 of the HTC phones, out of the 10.5 million smartphones forecasted to be sold during the fourth quarter.

Chris Ambrosio, Strategy Analytics’ executive director said: “Google has the brand power in the USA to make a big impact at launch.” He qualified that statement by saying that in order to be competitive against those already in the market, such as Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT), Symbian, Apple (NSDQ: AAPL), Palm (NSDQ: PALM), LiMo and BlackBerry, the carrier will have to subsidize the product so that the retail price is below $200. Information leaked out earlier this week said the device will likely be sold for $199. Release.

[vIa:moconews]

Edited September 21, 2008 by @ksh@T

[Mufaddal 678]

Time Magazine wrote this article today:

"A new smartphone is debuting on Sept. 23, and, no, it's not just another iPhone clone. The HTC Dream from T-Mobile will be the first handset to run Google's new mobile operating system, Android. And while it won't look as sleek as the iPhone, it promises to give mobile-phone users a lot more freedom and flexibility.

Many of the Dream's features are under wraps until launch, but based on leaked photos and videos along with screenshots released by Google, we already have a pretty good idea of what to expect. The biggest departure from the iPhone design is the inclusion of a physical keyboard, which apparently slides out from underneath the Dream's touchscreen. The Dream will also allow users to run multiple applications at once and more easily share contacts and data between them. And if reports from developers TIME interviewed prove true, mobile-phone users will finally be able to cut and paste text in emails a function that's frustratingly absent on the iPhone. The Dream, which is expected to go on sale in late October, will also reportedly cost the same as the 3G: $199.

Follow up:

The sweetest part of the Dream is the add-on applications available from the Android Market Google's answer to the Apple App Store. Whereas many Apple apps cost money (typically anywhere from $.99 to $9.99), at launch all Android Market apps will be free. That includes BreadCrumbz, a picture-based navigation program that doesn't just give you a drawing of your route, but also includes real-world photos to keep you on track. Another interesting app, TuneWiki, is a tricked-out music player that encourages mobile karaoke, by synchronizing written lyrics onscreen to the song's YouTube video. It also shows you what songs other TuneWiki users near you are listening to in real time. Since Android is better than the iPhone at running multiple programs at once, you won't have to choose between apps: As Breadcrumbz helps you find your way to a party, TuneWiki can play your favorite Rihanna video and get you in a groovy mood. When it's time to make a right turn, Breadcrumbz will cut in and alert you.

Android has several other key advantages over Apple. While Apple takes a top-down approach to app development the company must approve every app that makes it into its App Store Google will allow creators to upload any application to the Android Market without its review. Sure that means some duds will make it in, but it will also allow for a much more open and democratic way for favorites to evolve. Perhaps more significantly, users will not be limited to a single phone or carrier for long. While T-Mobile's HTC Dream will be the first phone to run Android, Google is inviting all carriers to develop handsets for the platform. Expect to see other compatible devices early next year.

Most of the Dream's other features are expected to go toe-to-toe with the iPhone, including built-in GPS, a tilt sensor for gaming, and a camera. What's more, T-Mobile recently expanded coverage for its 3G data network to 27 major cities. The faster bandwidth promises to make watching videos and downloading websites go smoothly, but if the spotty 3G coverage offered by AT&T for the iPhone is any indication, buyers should treat this promise with deep skepticism.

On the downside, don't expect the Dream to be anywhere near as slick and shiny as the iPhone. T-Mobile may be much loved among teens for its colorful, flip-screen Sidekick, but the HTC Dream will likely have a more staid look that lacks the iPhone's panache. Plus, no one can turn on the hype machine quite as well as Steve Jobs. But whatever the Dream may lack in flair, it's no less of a breakthrough when it comes to giving mobile-phone buyers more ways to connect on the go."

so guys today our dream device will b finally announced

[Honest 836]

Specs for Google Android Phone Leaked!

No video recording, no stereo Bluetooth apparently

With only a few hours remaining for the official announcement of the T-Mobile G1, some of the specs have already seen the light of day. Folks at Tmonews , a website dedicated for T-mobile users who in the past have managed to provide some scoops, have done it again. In any case, we will know most of the details later today once the phone is officially announced. Before we delve into the specs part, here is an excerpt from the announcement that was apparently leaked:

"Available in all stores within 3G boundary area, regardless of whether or not store is in a 3G dead spot. Available in some locations directly outside of the 3G boundary area due to the fact that some customers who live in the 3G boundary area shop within a 2-5 mile radius and the store they would go to is outside of the 3G boundary area.

For those stores not in 3G markets, a demo unit and merchandising will be in store so rep can show customer what the experience on G1 is like on the 2G network. If customer is ok with experience, Rep can help them purchase a device on T-Mobile.com."

Now that is interesting for sure!

The speculated specs:

Size 4.6 x 2.16 x 0.63 inch

Weight 5.6 ounces

Display 65K color screen, HVGA (480 320)

Talk Time 5 hours

Standby Time 130 hours

Maps (including satellite, traffic and street views)

Gmail, YouTube, Calendar and Google Talk one touch access.

Speculation is also rife about the fact that there will be no video recording or stereo Bluetooth and more importantly, no sign of corporate e-mail access for now at least.

At the same time there, on the G1 content front, there seems to be fresh rumors suggesting that Amazon.com has already readied an application, which will enable users to purchase music from Amazon music. With only a few hours to go for the launch, you can keep a tab of the announcement on the official G1 website.

Courtesy : Techtree

[@ksh@T 20]

the website for t-mobile g1 is up now. T-Mobile G1

Google’s G1: First Impressions

Google’s new G1 phone announced today is the first real competitor to the iPhone. Like Apple’s product, it’s a serious handheld computer with a powerful new operating system (called Android) and a clever touch-based user interface. Like the iPhone, it’s likely to be a major new platform for third-party software. But it’s also very different, and may appeal to different buyers.

The phone, expected to be the first of many to use the Android operating system, was largely designed by Google, and was built by HTC of Taiwan. It will be sold in the U.S. starting next month by T-Mobile, for $179 with a two-year contract.

Here are some first impressions of the G1, based on some experience with a prototype. This isn’t a full review; that will come later, when I’ve had a chance to use a more finished device.

Most importantly, the G1 complements its touch screen with a physical keyboard, the lack of which has made the iPhone a non-starter for some users. The G1’s keyboard is revealed when you slide open its screen. The keys are a bit flat, and you have to reach your right thumb around a bulging portion of the phone’s body to type, but it’s a real keyboard. And there’s also a BlackBerry-like trackball that supplements the touch screen navigation. I found typing on this keyboard to be OK, but not great.

A second big feature, or limitation, of the G1 — depending on your point of view — is that it is tightly tied to Google’s web-based email, contacts and calendar programs. In fact, you must have a Google (GOOG) account to use the phone, and can only synchronize the phone’s calendar and address book with Google online services. Unlike the iPhone, it doesn’t work with Microsoft Exchange, and it can’t physically be synced with a PC-based calendar or contacts program, like Microsoft Outlook.

So, if your world already revolves around Google services, you may find that the G1 fits like a glove. If not, you may be disappointed.

Also, like the iPhone, the G1 has a download service for third-party programs, called Market. I downloaded a couple of simple Market programs and they worked fine.

The G1 won’t win any beauty contests with its Apple (AAPL) rival. It’s stubby and chunky, nearly 30% thicker and almost 20% heavier than the iPhone. It’s a bit narrower — more like a standard phone than a “smart phone” — and longer, but has a somewhat smaller screen.

Still, it feels pretty good in the hand when closed, although I found it more awkward when opened.

But the software is slick. Programs appear in a virtual drawer you slide open via a tab at the bottom of the screen, and notifications of new messages and the like can be read by sliding the top bar of the screen down. The screen and software were quick and responsive.

The web browser is based on the same open-source technology as the iPhone’s, but works differently. You can view a portion of a page, and use a zoom control and finger-dragging to see the rest, or you can view the whole page in miniature, as on the iPhone. In the latter mode, however, you can’t simply use Apple’s technique of tapping or “pinching” to zoom in on a portion of a page. You must move around a virtual lens to pick out a part of the page on which to focus.

There are two email programs: one for Google’s Gmail, another for all other email services. There’s an instant messaging program, that works with multiple services — not just Google’s. And, as on the iPhone, there are programs for using Google Maps and Google’s YouTube video service. The G1’s Google Maps program has a feature lacking in the iPhone version: photographic street views of some locations.

The G1 has a couple of other things the iPhone omits: copy and paste functionality and a so-called MMS program, which sends photos to other phones without using email. Its camera is higher-resolution than the iPhone’s, but, like Apple’s, doesn’t record video.

It also gives you far more flexibility in organizing your desktop, or home screen, than the iPhone, or almost any phone I’ve seen. In addition to placing icons for programs there, you can everything from individual contacts, music playlists, folders, web pages, and more.

The G1’s multimedia capabilities are less polished and complete than the iPhone’s. There’s a very basic music player, and a built-in version of Amazon’s MP3 download service that works fine. But the G1 lacks a built-in video player — you have to download one from the third-party software store. Also, you cannot use standard stereo headphones with the G1. You need special ones, or an adapter.

And it lacks the iPhone’s ability to change the orientation of a web page or photo by just turning the phone. You also can’t move through groups of photos by just “flicking,” as on the iPhone.

The G1 also has much less memory than the iPhone. The base $199 iPhone comes with 8 gigabytes sealed in, but the G1 comes with just a 1 gigabyte memory card. Its maximum memory, if you buy a bigger card, is 8 gigabytes, while the iPhone can be purchased (for $299) with twice that.

T-Mobile is claiming similar talk time to that of the iPhone, but, unlike Apple’s product, the G1 has a removable battery.

Finally, a word about networks. In the U.S., the G1 will initially only be available on T-Mobile, whose high-speed 3G network will be up and running in many fewer cities than those of its larger rivals, AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ). Like the iPhone, the G1 does have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.

In sum, the G1 is a powerful, versatile device which will offer users a real alternative in the new handheld computing category the iPhone has occupied alone.

[vIa:mossblog]

Edited September 23, 2008 by @ksh@T

[Honest 836]

Google phone to face tough battle

23 Sep, 2008, 1646 hrs IST, Indiatimes

NEW YORK: Google Inc's announcement last year that it would give away software that could run cell phones was met by dizzy accolades from analysts who thought it would let the search engine company conquer the world of mobile advertising.

T-Mobile USA is set to reveal the first phone to use Android, Google's software platform, at a New York news conference. But a lot has happened in the world of cell phone software in the intervening year, and Google looks set for an uphill battle in trying to capture the desires of consumers and wireless carriers.

Research firm Strategy Analytics estimates that T-Mobile could sell 400,000 phones this year, giving Google about 4 percent of the US market for "smart" phones, a category dominated by Research in Motion Ltd's BlackBerry phones with tough competition from Apple Inc's iPhone, Palm Inc's Treos and Centros and various phones running Microsoft Corp's Windows Mobile software.

The new phone, called the G1 according to T-Mobile's invitation, is widely expected to be a design from HTC Corp of Taiwan, which has made a name for itself by making smart phones that use Windows Mobile software. Based on previous Google demos of its software, it's assumed that it will have a touch screen and a slide-out, full-alphabet keyboard.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week, citing unnamed sources that the phone would sell for $199 and carry the Google brand. It's likely that the phone will go on sale in a few weeks. Other details are scant, and it's not clear exactly what the phone will be capable of, but Web browsing and e-mail are safe bets.

"This is the right moment for Google to answer some of the big questions that have been outstanding since Android was announced almost a year ago," said Morgan Gillis, executive director of the LiMo Foundation, which has created a rival cell phone software platform. "What will the consumer do on this handset that can't be done on other handsets?"

The LiMo Foundation is behind one of the developments that has undermined the prospects for Android in the last year. In May, Verizon Wireless said LiMo, or Linux Mobile, would be the "preferred" software for its phones, starting next year, joining some European carriers.

Like Android, LiMo is based on Linux computer software, and is given away free to phone makers. But the LiMo Foundation is designed as consortium of industry participants to assuage their fears that a single company would dominate phone software, like Microsoft does on PCs. In contrast, while Google has tried to broaden its base by creating an Open Handset Alliance, Android is still very much identified as its project, and a "Google" brand on the phone will strengthen that image.

The world's largest supplier of software for smart phones is Symbian Ltd., used by Nokia Corp. In June, Nokia announced it was buying Symbian with a view to donating the software to a LiMo-like foundation, which will make it available for free.

That means there will soon be not one but two suites of software with strong industry support and a price tag of zero to compete with Android when manufacturers pick operating systems. When it comes to getting carriers interested in Android, Google has an advantage its competitors lack: a world-beating advertising system that turned it into a multibillion-dollar company in the space of a few years. If Android can translate Google's success in Web advertising to the phone, carriers could get a cut of the revenue.

Wireless operators have been looking for more than a decade at making the cell phone an welcoming place for advertisers, said In-Stat analyst Bill Hughes. In particular, they want to make use of the ability of cell phones to locate their users and provide ads keyed to that location.

But the carriers "are not really set up, structurally or by temperament, to pursue that," Hughes said. "So it's basically remained: `This is a really good idea that we're going to get to some day.'"

Now, he added, Google "can come to them and say `Look, we've proven ourselves to be very successful in this application." By building an operating system from the ground up with this idea in mind, it could succeed where others have failed.

That prospect boosted Google's stock to its highest level ever, $747.24, on Nov. 7 last year, the day after Android was announced. Analyst Sandeep Aggarwal, then with Oppenheimer & Co., predicted then that Google could be harvesting as much as $4.8 billion in annual revenue from the mobile market within three years after Android appears. He put a 12-month price target of $850 on Google stock. But time has deflated some of the hopes around Android, and Google shares closed Monday at $430.14.

Among US carriers, Sprint Nextel Corp has apparently taken the bait along with T-Mobile, and is a member of the Open Handset Alliance. Verizon Wireless has not ruled out Android phones, but is putting its energy into LiMo. AT&T is holding off on making decisions about Android. "We will look at it and see if it makes sense for our customers," said AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel.

[vmsanghrajka 0]

Looks are just 'OK'.. Nothing great..

[Honest 836]

Google phone to cost $179, debut October 22

24 Sep, 2008, 0124 hrs IST, ET

NEW YORK: The first cell phone running Google Inc.'s mobile software looks something like Apple Inc.'s iPhone and has a large touch screen, but it also packs a trackball, a slide-out keyboard and easy access to Google's e-mail and mapping programs.

Google made its debut as a cell phone software provider Tuesday at an event where wireless carrier T-Mobile said it will begin selling the G1 phone for $179 with a two-year contract. The device hits U.S. stores Oct. 22 and heads to Britain in November and other European countries early next year.

The phone will be sold in T-Mobile stores only in the U.S. cities where the company has rolled out its faster, third-generation wireless data network. By launch, that will be 21 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Miami.

In other areas, people will be able to buy the phone from T-Mobile's Web site. The phone does work on T-Mobile's slower data network, but it's optimized for the faster networks. It can also connect at Wi-Fi hotspots.

The data plan for the phone will cost $25 per month on top of the calling service, at the low end of the range for data plans at U.S. wireless carriers. And at $179, the G1 is $20 less than the least expensive iPhone in the U.S.

Like the iPhone, the G1 has a high-resolution screen, making it easier to browse Web sites that haven't been specifically adapted for a cell phone. Unlike the iPhone, Research in Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerrys and most other high-end smart phones sold in the U.S., the G1 has a very limited ability to connect to corporate e-mail servers. That means the device's initial market is likely to be consumers.

Google is giving away Android, the software that underlies the G1, for free, and opening the operating system to third-party developers who can create their own programs. The software has been seen as Google's way of getting a foothold on the mobile Internet, which industry watchers see as a big growth area, and in particular as a way to make advertising on cell phone screens a viable business.

In an interview, Google co-founder Sergey Brin said Google's aims are broader than mobile advertising.

``Generally, we think if there are great (operating systems) out there that let people have great devices and great applications, people use the Internet on their phones much more,'' Brin said at the launch event in New York. ``And whenever people use the Internet more, they end up using our services, and ultimately, that's good for our business. There's no secret plan to have ads pop up or anything.''

On the face of it, the G1 doesn't do much that other high-end phones don't already do. But Google is counting the device unleashing the creativity of software developers, who are free to write applications for it.

``There aren't a lot of `wow' features on it. I think what we can expect from it is that it's going to be a good Internet phone,'' said Lance Ulanoff, editor-in-chief of PC Magazine.

Developers will be able to submit applications to an online store run by Google, which will apply minimal vetting. Apple launched a similar store for the iPhone earlier this year, but keeps much tighter control over what applications are available. It has blocked programs that compete with its own.

Brin also revealed that he had personally written an application for the phone.

``It's just very exciting for me as a computer geek to be able to have a phone that I can play with and modify and innovate upon just like I have with computers in the past,'' he said.

Brin's program uses the phone's built-in motion sensor to measure how long it takes for the phone to land when tossed into the air. He acknowledged that the wisdom of including such a program with an expensive phone is dubious.

``We did not include that one by default,'' he said.

[Mufaddal 678]

[Honest 836]

Google mobile is not just an iPhone clone

24 Sep, 2008, 1650 hrs IST, ANI

WASHINGTON: The first mobile phone that runs Google Inc.'s software, though looks identical with Apple Inc.'s iPhone, provides several extra facilities.

Launched in the U.S. market on October 22, the phone comes with a trackball, a slide-out keyboard and easy access to Google's e-mail and mapping programs.

With its launch, Google has debuted as a cell phone software provider.

Wireless carrier T-Mobile will begin selling the G1 phone for 179 dollars with a two-year contract in its stores.

The phone will be sold only in the U.S. cities where the company has rolled out its faster, third-generation wireless data network.

In other areas, people will be able to buy the phone from T-Mobile's Web site.

The phone does work on T-Mobile's slower data network, but it is optimised for the faster networks. It can also connect at Wi-Fi hotspots.

It can also connect at Wi-Fi hotspots.

"It's just very exciting for me as a computer geek to be able to have a phone that I can play with and modify and innovate upon just like I have with computers in the past," CBS News quoted Sergey Brin, one of Google's founders, as saying at the launch event.

Larry Page, another found of the company, said that the mobile phone industry was a tremendous opportunity for Google.

The company hopes mobile phones will provide even more ways for people to interact with its advertising network.

[Honest 836]

Google phone wins cheers, requests for better

25 Sep, 2008, 1200 hrs IST, REUTERS

NEW YORK: Nice try with the new phone, Google. Better luck next time. That's what some seem to be saying about Google Inc's first foray into the world of cell phones.

But while it may not attract long lines like Apple Inc's iPhone, it offers much to those looking to use their phones for more than talking.

So what's it like? The G1, which is made for Google by HTC Corp and sold by Deutsche Telekom AG unit T-Mobile, actually resembles an older handset - the Sidekick, a soapbar-shaped phone also created by G1 designer Andy Rubin, the father of Google's Android mobile operating system.

It has touch-screen controls, and a miniature computer keyboard that is uncovered by sliding the screen out. This means a chunkier gadget than the svelte iPhone. But it makes for a more familiar typing experience for consumers who dislike iPhone's virtual keypad, especially for typing longer notes.

The G1, which was greeted with cheers when it was unveiled in New York on Tuesday, shares many functions with iPhone -- a full web browser, an online market to buy games and software, and a music player. This will work in its favor for shoppers whose expectations from Google weren't as lofty.

Experts were not as giddy. Some analysts noted its lack of some typical smartphone features such as corporate e-mail and companion desktop software. "This is an important device, but there has to be more to it," Michael Gartenberg a Jupitermedia analyst who described the phone as "a good first step" after the launch, even as he created a checklist of what he wants for the next versions.

Upcoming versions of the phone could have a completely new user interface, as Google has opened the operating system to outside developers. Both T-Mobile USA and HTC already have plans to offer more phones based on the Google systems.

G-INTEGRATION

The biggest draw for G1, especially for people who already like to use Google a lot on the desktop, could be its tight integration of familiar Google Web services, such as Google maps, search and Gmail, into its traditional phone features.

For example, tapping on any address in the contact database automatically links you to Google Maps, where you can get directions from your current location - which the phone automatically knows thanks to its GPS technology.

If you're still worried about finding the place after all that, G1's Streetfinder produces a snapshot of the actual buildings at the location. Google has also developed a compass feature that changes the view as you move the phone, giving the impression that you're already there.

Also, once you've stored your friends' email addresses, you can also jump automatically from the contact database to gmail by simply tapping on the address.

One of the phone's quirkiest features is actually its security system. Instead of typing a password you slide your finger over a series of dots to get into the phone. So instead of remembering a password you just need to remember what kind of line to draw to join the dots.

Similarly, photographs taken on the phone's 3-megapixel camera can be quickly shared with friends by choosing a share option when the image is on your phone and then choosing either email or an Internet photo sharing site, such as Flickr.

Web surfing is similar to iPhone's, although iPhone enthusiasts may have to refrain from using two fingers to either pinch a page smaller or slide it bigger - a feature unique to Apple.

Google's Android Market lets users download from a choice of almost 2,000 software applications, including everything from Ecorio, which helps users track their carbon footprints, to ShopSavvy, a comparison shopping aid.

While applications from Android Market are all free so far, T-Mobile USA said it expects its customers to be able to buy applications in the future.

The G1, which comes in black, brown and white and is $20 cheaper than iPhone at $179 with a 2-year contract, will be available in T-Mobile USA stores October 22.

Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart summed it up. "There's nothing here that isn't available in one form or another on some of the other competing products," he said. "But at the same time, it's all here in a pretty nice form factor at a great price."

[Honest 836]

Google phone G1 may enter India by January 2009

26 Sep, 2008, 0011 hrs IST, ET

KOLKATA: Indian consumers will be able to lay their hands on the latest gizmo, the Google mobile phone, around New Year.

Taiwanese smartphone vendor HTC Corp, which has manufactured the first Google phone G1, said it will roll out the handset in India by early January 2009. Global analysts have pegged G1 as prime contender to challenge Apple’s iPhone and the BlackBerry smartphones.

Indian consumers, however, will be required to shell out much more for G1 than its US price point of around $180. While HTC is yet to firm up the prices for G1 in India, the company said it will be priced “significantly higher than Rs 20,000”.

“The price of Google phone in India will depend on the distribution model, whether it is bundled with operators or sold through the retail channel. We are yet to firm up exact plans. However, it will be sold at a much higher price than the US tag,” HTC India country head Ajay Sharma told ET.

The much-awaited G1, also branded as HTC Dream, was globally launched in the US on Tuesday. The smartphone is currently being sold in partnership with US operator T-Mobile and is the first phone to run on Google’s Android platform.

The Google phone is a 3.5G handset with finger-friendly touch screen navigation, slide-out QWERTY keyboard with a trackball, Wi-Fi enabled and delivers rich internet browsing experience. It also provides one-touch access to Google services like Google search, Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk and Google Map.

HTC might look at the possibility of customising G1 specifically for the Indian market. “We will explore all such possibilities. The Google phone is expected to drive a lot of data usage due to its internet-friendly features. Hence, if we tie up with operators, there might be a specific data tariff plan for consumers,” Mr Sharma said.

The company is betting on G1 to increase its market share in India next year. HTC had sold around 1-lakh handsets in 2007 in India and has set a target to sell 2.5 lakh handsets this year. It currently enjoys around 8-10% share in the Indian smartphone market with handsets starting at Rs 10,000 onwards.

“By 2010, we expect to sell 1-million handsets in India. It is then that we will achieve a certain critical mass that might support the possibility of setting up a manufacturing plant in India. But, at present, there are no such concrete plans. Currently, all our handsets are manufactured in Taiwan,” Mr Sharma added.

[Sadikk 301]

Data for GSM is huge revenue generator.

So i am sure considering GOOGLE fans in India they will surely come up with G1 ASAP.

G1 will be selling unlocked in most of the countries.

not like Iphones, first they create sensation and thn come up with launch.

Love google cause of its transparency and openness.

Welcome Google. We love u.

[Sadikk 301]

Underestimating Google can be disastrous

Google's first Android-based phone was announced Tuesday and so far, the response has been mixed.

Some believe it'll be the next big thing in the cell phone business because it adds some basics -- such as a physical keyboard -- that the iPhone is lacking. Others believe the G1 will fall flat on its face because it's not unique and its omissions (Exchange support, for one) will make it lose out in the corporate space. (For a full comparison of the two devices, see "T-Mobile G1 Vs. Apple iPhone 3G.")

I tend to agree on both counts. I think Android could be a major hit in the cell phone space, but the G1 won't be able to stand up to Apple or RIM. It's too underpowered and its obvious omissions tell me T-Mobile and Google rushed it before it was ready.

Android logo

But Android is an entirely different story. At its core, Android is a platform that has tons of potential. It's not only open (which is probably the best feature), it offers full Google integration, which is a key concept in today's age of Google domination, and its touch-screen capabilities mean Apple isn't the only other major company doing something unique in the market.

But my belief that Android will be a success goes far beyond the product itself. Call me crazy, but I can't think of one reason why anyone would underestimate Google. Countless times, companies have ignored Google and let it slip into a market, only to learn when it's too late that it's the leader.

And while it's easy for Apple and the rest to scoff now, you can bet that that's exactly what Google wants.

Who would have thought that Google would become such a powerhouse in the tech industry? Ask.com certainly didn't think it could happen and neither did Yahoo. AOL must have thought Google was just another flash in the pan. Oh how wrong they were.

And what about Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, and the rest? Certainly Microsoft and Yahoo didn't believe that a product called Gmail would make an impact, right? After all, why would anyone actually want to use an online email application from Google when they can use Outlook on any Windows machine in existence? Nice one, Microsoft.

Speaking of Microsoft, where was it when Google was building its online advertising empire? And why didn't it stop Google in its tracks once the company started bringing Google Docs online to compete with Office? Oh, and what about that whole search thing? Didn't Microsoft see that one coming?

Google has its grips in countless markets in the tech industry. It leads the way in search and advertising, but it's a major player in online productivity apps, mapping solutions, and a slew of other places where the leader was supplanted without much worry. And although it's still struggling with YouTube, we can't forget that Google was the only company that had both the money and vision to acquire that site.

The key to Google's success throughout the years is two-fold: it offered superior products because it understood what customers wanted, but it also capitalized on all its competitors that failed to believe that a company with that crazy name could become a powerhouse in any market.

Oh, how wrong they were.

And now, as Android finally hits store shelves next month, companies in the cell phone industry are making the same mistake. Microsoft claims it isn't worried about Android (we've been down this road before, Microsoft), Apple doesn't see it as a worry, and RIM has practically ignored it. All the while, Sergey and Larry have been forming alliances with companies that will see dozens of Android-based phones hit store shelves over the next few years.

Have any of these companies learned anything? Sure, the search and advertising business is much different that cell phone software, but Google's knowledge about what the consumer wants hasn't changed. Worse, Google's understanding of what the market needs has gotten better over time.

At this point, I don't know if Android will lead the way in the cell phone industry and I have no idea if Google will supplant Apple and the rest or face annihilation. But if I had to put money on the most likely outcome, I wouldn't bet against Google. The company has been right too many times to bet against it.

Apple, RIM, Microsoft, and the rest need to wake up and realize that the G1's success isn't indicative of the future success of Google in the cell phone industry. Android is.

[HetalDP 947]

What iPhone Lacks and Google Have

A Hardware Keyboard

GPS location-based services enhance Google's StreetView and Google Maps for mobile.

A 3 mega-pixel camera enables barcode scanning for applications that compare sale prices, search for reviews and store shopping lists.

A Electronic Compass to Rotate GPS Maps Automatically when we Move around (First time i have seen This in Mobile)

Open Architecture of OS (Delete, Modify and Add Component as u like)

Open of All Phone so any Manufacture can be Memeber can use this OS in there Phone with Modified Version.

Better Application Market for Over The Air Download of Application, 50% will be Open Source and free

Dedicated Hardware Button for Talk and End, This may be removed on other Version.

Android SDK is available Before the Phone is Launched so so many Application will be available on First day unlike iPhone which took a whole year to come with This Facility.

We can Replace Google UI with any Other UI (Shell Manager) to have Fully Different Look.

iPhone Notification Lacks everything is from XML and Icon but in Google Notification of Application Events is Very Good.

Switching Between the Application is Better in Google

What Windows Lacks and Google Have

So many Things

Windows is dont have Better UI, Al we see is from HTC UI developed only for HTC.

Hardware Driver is an Issue MSM7500 Graphics Driver have to seen light of day from last 1 year.

Very Very Very Poor Microsoft Support or Willingness to Update it.

Original Browser is the Product to put it in Museum and not in OS.

Instant IMAP, POP Access can be Easily Made.

Microsoft is Stylus Product and not true Touch Sensitive.

What Google Lacks

Blue tooth File Transfer (Its okay all USA Operator Ban it for Piracy of Music) can be Patched by Third Party Application of in Another version of Google

Enterprise Email (Not an Issue at All) Anybody Vendor can Develop such Software in One Day for Android.

More Color Depth, HTC have to learn to Provide 256k Color Depth LCD.

[Mufaddal 678]

[Sadikk 301]

MMuuuahhh.

I am in love with this. Mufaddal please keep me updated on it unlocking. I want one ya.

[Mufaddal 678]

ATTACHED BELOW IS THE LINK OF T MOBILE G1 POSTED JUST TODAY

IF U R FREE N HAVE NOTHIN TO DO HAVE A READ AT IT

CHECK IT

[Honest 836]

Google phone to cost above Rs 20,000

26 Sep, 2008, 1153 hrs IST, Indiatimes

NEW DELHI: Excited about the new Google phone? Wondering when the phone will hit Indian shores? Soon. HTC is planning to roll out Google Android-powered phone in India by December end.

According to a business daily, Taiwan-based cellphone major is currently in talks with a leading service provider in India. The company which has an exclusive partnership to sell phones in India with service provider Airtel said that it is open to selling the phone through independent retail channels. The business model is still under consideration.

Indian consumers, however, will be required to shell out more for G1 than it’s US pricing of around $180. While HTC is yet to firm up the prices for G1 in India, it is expected that the phone will be priced higher than Rs 20,000.

The phone which has widely being termed as Google's rival to Apple iPhone was launched by TMobile in US earlier this week. Apple's 3G iPhone sells for $199 8GB in US as compared to Rs 31,000 for 8GB in India.

The G1 phone boasts of touchscreen, a computer-like keyboard and has Google's new open operating system, Android. It also hosts an array of multimedia features similar to Apple's iPhone and RIM's BlackBerry.

The phone has a trackball for navigation, high-speed Internet browsing, WiFi, email, instant messaging and SMS texting. The phone functions on 3G network and is specially designed to offer high-speed Internet surfing.

It also has a Global Positioning System (GPS), a 3 megapixel camera with photo-sharing capability and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a feature lacking on the iPhone. Like iPhone, in G1 users cannot shoot video.

There's also a feature by which Gmail users will get instant notification whenever they receive a new message in their inbox. Available in three colors -- black, white and brown -- it includes familiar Google services, such as Google Maps, Gmail and YouTube. Like the iPhone and other smartphones, the device is meant to broaden the appeal of Web surfing on the go.

Research firm Strategy Analytics has predicted that the G1 could sell 400,000 units by the end of 2008, accounting for 4 per cent of the smartphone market.

[Honest 836]

Visa Develops Payment Software For Google Phone

Visa Inc. said Thursday it's developing mobile payment software for the new wireless phone powered by Google Inc.'s Android system.

San Francisco-based Visa said Android users will be able to receive near real-time alerts about purchases via their mobile devices, Visa said. Users also will be able to use location-based mapping technology to find ATM machines and nearby stores where they can redeem special Visa offers.

The software will be broadly available to U.S. consumers by the end of the year, starting with holders of Chase Visa cards. Visa's announcement came two days after T-Mobile USA showed off the G1, the first phone harnessing Google's ambition to make the Internet easy to use on the go. The T-Mobile device is schedule to hit U.S. stores Oct. 22.

"By developing these mobile services for the Android platform, Visa has taken a major step toward achieving our goal of combining two of the world's most powerful and ubiquitous consumer innovations, electronic payments and mobile technology," said Elizabeth Buse, Visa's global products head.

The nation's largest payment network also signed a deal to give users of Nokia's upcoming 6212 Classic-model cell phone the ability to make "contactless" payments in stores just by flashing their phone at an electronic scanner. Similar "contactless" capabilities for Android users are still under development, Visa said.

Visa also announced an agreement with U.S. Bank, lead bank of US Bancorp, to launch a mobile money transfer pilot program. Expected to begin on a trial basis by year-end, the program would allow Visa's U.S. cardholders to use their mobile devices to send funds directly to another Visa cardholder's account.

According to Visa's Website, there are 1.6 billion Visa cards in circulation with nearly $4 trillion transacted among its payment products in the 12 months ended March 31.

Courtesy : Tech2

[Honest 836]

Google's G1 phone will kill-off the PC, claim its designers

Economic Times l 28 Sep, 2008

LONDON: Florian Seiche, HTC (High Tech Computers) chief, the designers of Google's G1 phone, has claimed that with its high-tech features, the new phone could make the personal computer obsolete.

Florian Seiche, whose company designed Google's answer to the iPhone, believes the personal computer will soon join the 'dodo'.

Seiche insisted that the phone is set to transform the way we think about the internet, and could even kill off the PC.

Google's founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin launched the G1 phone amid a frenzy of excitement in New York this week.

"This is really big news for the entire mobile world. It is so fast, responsive and easy to navigate that you basically have the same browsing experience you would have on your desktop at home," Telegraph quoted him, as saying.

He said that its just a matter of a couple of years that people will look back and remember how "awkward" it was that they could only go online when they were sat down in front of their PC, because "it will just be very natural that you can enjoy the internet wherever you are".

The G1 is touted as Google's answer to the iPhone, the image it may easily pull off by taking advantage of Google's wealth of applications that have already transformed the desktop.

It offers one-touch access to Google mail, which revolutionised web-based email services. It promises to make watching videos on the Google-owned YouTube a delight. Meanwhile instant-messaging via the Google Talk chat service could mean the end of back-and-forth text messaging.

The phone boasts so many "very, very cool and compelling features", including an mp3 player with access to Amazon's music download service, that he believes "many users will find it highly addictive".

"That is all available on day one of the platform going live. So you can just imagine within six months, within a year, the vast kind of choices consumers will have about what to turn their mobile device into," said Seiche.

And the most revolutionising feature is the phone's operating system which will allow the phone to evolve into the future.

[ACS 130]

Guys, we should totally respect Honests' commitment towards this thread..

Also, Just look at the time of the last post - 3:45am !