Google Android

Google Android was released Thursday Oct. 23, 2008. What is Google Android? It's a smartphone! The first one of its kind that interfaces Google applications with standard phone applications! Well, its actually a LOT more than that. Android is actually a "software stack for mobile phones, including an operating system, middleware, and key operations. OK, that's all gibberish to me - laments terms please! From what I can gather, it is basically a phone that also functions as a mini, handheld computer.

Not only is this new product a phone with computer capabilities, the software behind the product does not stray from Google software standards, as it is open source. "A mobile open source programming platform? How is that possible," I thought when I first read about it. Well, as it stands, anyone can add features and programs to Android. There is even a developers challange worth $10 million between first, second, and third prize to set the bar high for Googles latest attempt at taking over the Web. However, to safeguard against nasty programmers, Google has established the OHA, or Open Handset Alliance, that will work to create increased openness among mobile environments.

So what can we expect to see in the way of cool applications and features on the phone that is, as of now, only supported by T-Mobile? Well for one things, applications on the phone will be more personalized to the owner. It seems like the sky is the limit, though, when it comes to determining what kind of apps will be put into the phone. One example came from silicon.com by Natasha Lomas. She writes, "a developer could write an app that grabs a GPS-positioning feed from public transport, mash that up with Google Maps and then get a user's phone to send an alert when the bus/train etc is a few minutes away." How amazing and altogether fascinating would that be?! I am very interested to find out where Google will bring the world of mobile technology over the next five years with this new innovation, and I can't wait to watch!