Google Android Phone | gPhone

Google And Blog is about providing the latest updates and facts about Google Android and the gPhones that use this mobile software platform.

Below are some of the common questions I have heard and seen on the Internet as I followed up with credible sources and direct resources working with Android outside and in Google.

Updated October 2nd, 2008

 

• What is Google Android?

It is a open-source software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications to allow developers to develop Internet style applications on the phone.

It is based on the Linux OS and coded in a Java-like language, but It will only utilize Google’s Java libraries.  Android is NOT Java technology even though it uses the Java programming language.

 

• What is the gPhone?

Any phone that utilizes Android software - Google announced there won’t be a gPhone per se as they currently have no interest in actually manufacturing the phone itself to directly compete with the iPhone.

 

• What are Android’s tech specs?

Android runs off Linux 2.6 using a Dalvik VM (virtual machine) that is optimized for a minimal memory footprint.

Every Android application will run with its own instance of Dalvik, but it is not a JVM, according to Google’s developer advocate, Jason Chen.

 

• What is the Android Developer Challenge?

Starting in January 2nd, 2008 Google has funded $10 million to challenge developers to develop applications for Android and there were 1788 submissions from 75 countries that joined the contest.

The first round concluded on April 14, 2008 with fifty entries being announced on May 5th and they each received $25,000.

On August 28th, 2008 twenty of first round entries won either $275,000 or $100,000.

Winners include cab4me, CompareEverywhere, Ecorio, GoCart, Life360, Locale, PicSay, Softrace, TuneWiki, Wertago, BreadCrumbz, Cooking Capsules, Maverick, PebbleBox, PhoneBook 2.0, Piggyback, Pocket Journey, Rayfarla, ShareYourBoard, & Teradesk e-Storage

The Android Developer Challenge 2 is scheduled to start in late 2008.

 

• What was the first public application run on Android?

Snake, Google provided in the Android SDK release on November 12th, 2007, the classic game from the 1970s with the player controlling the direction of the snake as it constantly moves within a grid andeats food increasing its size. The purpose of this game is to last as long as possible by avoid running into itself or any of the boundaries.

 

• What is the current Android SDK (software development kit)?

The current Android SDK is 1.0 Release 1 on September 23rd, 2008 for Windows, Mac, & Linux.

 

• How was Android started?

Andy Rubin started Android with Rich Miner in the Fall of 2003 as an idea to provide the mobile code for free, but profit by providing the support such as email management, security, and parent standards.

Andy Rubin is now the Director of Mobile Platforms at Google while Rich Miner is the Group Manager.

Mr. Rubin claims the mobile market is three times bigger than the Internet in 2008 as he points to the statistic of cell phone users totaling 3.2 billion compared to 850 million PC users.

 

• What is the Purpose of Android?

A free open operating system and source code mobile platform in the spirit of Linux, so any coder could write for it, and the reach of Windows, so any handset maker could use it.

 

• When did Google purchase Android?

July 2005 at the estimated purchase price of approximately $50 million.

 

• Who is currently developing Android?

Google & The Open Handset Alliance.

 

• Who is in The Open Handset Alliance?

Formed on November 5th, 2007 it currently includes 34 companies such as Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, Intel, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, LG, Motorola, Samsung, & Ebay.

 

• Who will create the gPhones?

Currently Samsung, LG, HTC & Motorola

 

• What networks will support Android and the gPhones?

T-Mobile & Sprint Nextel

 

• When will the first gPhones be available to the public?

Wednesday October 22nd 2008 is when the HTC Dream will be released by T-Mobile as the G1.

 

Sources: Google and direct sources