Google shows off masked Android handset
By Donald Melanson 
posted Sep 16th 2008 11:53AM
posted Sep 16th 2008 11:53AM
It looks like Google was doing its best to spread Android fever in London this morning, with it taking advantage of its Developer Day event to show off a working Android phone for the first time in Europe. While Google apparently wasn't quite ready to take all the wraps off the suspiciously Dream-like handset itself, PC Pro reports that it looked "far more polished" than it did in earlier leaked videos, and that by all accounts it was actually a "finished commercial device." Google's Mike Jennings was, on the other hand, more than eager to talk about the OS, and he even dropped a tantalizing "why not?" when asked if Android could be used on devices other than phones. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any video of the event available, but you can check out a few first hand reports by hitting up the links below.
Read - TechRadar, "Google shows off final Android handset"
Read - PC Pro, "Android handset hits London"
Read - PC Pro, "Will Apple or Android get in my pocket?"
Update: Video of the event has been found (thanks, rxgator). Head on past the break to check it out.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Read - TechRadar, "Google shows off final Android handset"
Read - PC Pro, "Android handset hits London"
Read - PC Pro, "Will Apple or Android get in my pocket?"
Update: Video of the event has been found (thanks, rxgator). Head on past the break to check it out.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
What do you mean there isnt a video yet? its on youtube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmniBnVB6wA
This looks like a black version of the "Dream" too bad it's not a "dreamy" looking device! My hats off to T-Mo for being the first ones to get this but I'm sure that all the other guys will be jumping on this quickly after T-Mobiles launch and I'm sure on "dreamier" devices and not the usual cheap phones that T-mobile has had a habit of getting. Why can't T-Mobile USA carry the same devices that T-Mobile Europe does? Well we could only "dream". Sorry for all the puns but this this is probably going to be a great new OS on a cheap device, they could have done better for the initial launch.
wow! i’m still not impressed. good way to spend your time showing off that you can do google maps, internet (with apparently no text wrapping and which didn’t load /. correctly) and an ingenues bouncy ball game using the accelerometer. how in the world will symbian or winmo be able to compete???
It's a hardware demo, not a software demo. RTFM. :)
umm, i dont think he even used the accelerometer, i saw him move the ball with his finger ;p
Can I load Android onto my HTC Tilt?
i don't need any more steve jobs in my life, but couldn't they get someone to at least pretend to be excited about this?
"here's the browser. eh... it's a browser."
I sorta think that was the point. The conference and the OS itself seems to be aimed at the more tech-savvy group, not the more fashion/college kid oriented group like the iphone. I dont really think people at that conference wants a browser to be all glamorized with fancy words and crap.
Its a browser, you browse sites with it. No fluff or bloated-ness. A nice and simple statement to introduce a nice and simple browser.
"If you want to see the code for this later, I can show it to you." You'd never hear that line at an iPhone preview :)
This was not meant to be an introduction like Steve Jobs overblown productions.