G1 News

Those new to Android might not realise it, but the Nexus One wasn’t the first Google-branded phone, that honour actually goes to the T-Mobile G1. So, it is with slightly misty eyes that we reveal T-Mobile have discontinued this landmark handset.

The G1 was the first mobile to feature Google’s exciting new operating system and the HTC manufactureed device set the pattern for future handsets, paving the way for later handsets such as the Milestone, Nexus One, HTC Desire and most recently the Samsung Galaxy S.

The build quality was slightly plasticy, but for its time, the G1 packed some decent specs: it had a 512Mhz processor, 192MD RAM and an excellent physical QWERTY keyboard which has proved hard to beat. Indeed, the idiosyncratic slide-out design made it a hit with anyone looking for a handset to set them apart from the pack.

Unfortunately, despite being capable in its time, it seems that the G1 couldn’t keep up with the slew of super powerful Android devices that followed and they didn’t follow in the 2.0 and beyond OS updates.

So, farewell, G1!

If you’ve seen the picture of a Nokia running Android, then don’t get your hopes up… it turns out the images are a marketing mistake. Billboards in central London appeared to show a Nokia 5230 and X6 running Android and were snapped by a Posterous user (one Mauricio Reyes) last Thursday.

Nokia have since identified the mistake in no uncertain terms however, with this statement from head of Mobile Solutions, Anssi Vanjoki:

“Despite rumours to the contrary, there are no plans to introduce an Android device from Nokia”. So Nokia will be sticking with Symbian for the foreseeable future.

Well, excuse us, but we don’t see the Apple store putting up pics on an iPhone 4 32GB running a competitors OS do we? Be more careful next time!

According to two recent reports Google’s Android platform is set to overtake the Apple iPhone in terms of downloaded apps.

The first report to suggest this trend comes from AdMob, a Google-owned source. Nevertheless, AdMob’s reports states that there will more Android users than Apple iPhone users by the end of 2010.

The second report to suggest the Android’s pre-eminence is perhaps more convincing, coming from independent telecoms analyst Ovum. Ovum expect that by 2015 Android will be responsible for 26 percent of all app downloads, while iPhone will see just 22 percent. That would be a huge shift from last year’s figures of 14 percent for Android and 67 percent for iPhone.

The reason for this trend? We expect is has everything to do with the large volume of low cost Android phones out there, and with an iPhone contract recall imminent, might Google have Apple on the run?

Google have just introduced a toolkit which makes it easy for newbies to computer programming to make their own apps. App Inventor for Android allows you to build just about any app you can imagine with a minimum of prior knowledge of code.

Instead of requiring written code, App Inventor allows you to design applications using a block-like graphical system. The App Inventor authors have created blocks for just about everything you can do with an Android phone, as well as blocks for doing “logic-based programmy” stuff, for instance, blocks that store information, repeat actions, or those that perform actions under certain conditions.

See the below video for a run-through:

If you’ve been looking at Samsung Galaxy S deals but haven’t seen the apps yet that you really want, programs like App Builder make it possible to go home and just make your own! Fantastic.

Android 2.2 has barely made it out of the blocks and already rumors of the upcoming Android 3.0 release have already started popping up.

Speculation on Google’s next major release of Android, code-named Gingerbread, comes from Russian website Unwiredview, which has the odd scoop before, but without any official word from Google yet it’s only speculation

According to the source, Android 3.0 could arrive as soon as mid-October, with the first handsets shipping in time for the festive season, around November or December.

Android 3.0 would also set a new set of minimum hardware requirements, including a 1-GHz processor, 512MB of RAM memory, and displays no smaller than 3.5 inches. Higher resolutions of up to 1280 by 760 pixels would also be available for devices with displays larger than 4 inches.

If true, the minimum requirements won’t mean that all new Android phones will be power-horses. Word is that Google intends to split Android into two branches: high-end devices running version 3.0, and low-end devices running 2.1/2.2.

Rumours also abound that Gingerbread would bring with it a much needed UI overhaul, which if good enough could help stem the fragmentation of the platform.

There aren’t any specifics on the improvements, but the site says that the interface across the OS would be similar to the Gallery app on the Nexus One.

Exciting news! Perhaps exciting enough to defer that purchase of that Nokia N8 or iPhone 16GB? We’ll have to wait and see!

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