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!

Today, Google announced that their new Maps Navigation system is now available for devices running the Android 1.6 operating system…provided you live in the U.S., that is.

As Android 1.6 is the build that all phones aside from the Motorola DROID (to be called Motorola MILESTONE if you call elevators by their real name, which is a ‘lift’) are running on, even the humble T-Mobile G1 and HTC Magic able to get a new lease of life and sense of direction.

Android 1.6 stops short of enabling full Droidery for Maps Navigation, leaving out the “Navigate to…” voice commands enabled by the 2.0 ‘Donut’ update.

US users can point your browsers to the Android Market, whilst UK users can make a gun using their thumb and forefinger and point at their temple in desperation…

Source: Android Release

Just as we thought the plucky T-Mobile G1 was about to be left behind as the Motorola DROID and Android 2.0’s charms courted everyone’s attention, a man named Akira Harada has given us all hope by porting it across to the original Google phone!

Whilst the update isn’t fully optimised, and the G1 does need to be “rooted” for this to work (instructions here), the video proof shows that it is a risk I will be willing to take for Android awesomeness.

Expect to see it on XDA Developers any time from now, and a link to it from our site about 15 minutes later.

As fun as it has been updating the T-Mobile G1’s internal software above its station, it looks like we might not be seeing it ever occur officially, due to a simple lack of space on the device.

The G1, famed for getting much needed functionality upgrades with the ‘Cupcake’ update, seems to have run out of internal flash RAM to the point where future upgrades will not be able to fit.

With word that the slick ‘Sense’ user experience popularised by the HTC Hero will be coming to other Google-phones in certain parts of the world got Android fans all excited, but this may not be the case for everyone, and definitely not for ‘with Google’ devices including the G1 and myTouch 3G.

On Twitter, Android developer Jean-Baptiste Queru was not optimistic that the G1 would be getting upgrades:

“As much as I’m hoping that it’ll be possible to somehow continue updating the G1, I can’t promise anything. We knew that internal flash space was going to be very tight on the G1 and we kept the system partition tight on purpose.”

However, T-Mobile was quick to stop owners throwing their G1s from the nearest overpass with a swift and yet entirely vague rebuttal: “We plan to continue working with Google to introduce future software updates to the T-Mobile G1. Reports to the contrary are inaccurate,” they said to Engadget in a statement.

Upgrades to the G1 are not unwelcome, but what people want is true changes, not cosmetic and incremental upgrades whilst the rest of the world live in an HTC Sense wonderland!

Still, with a little tech savvy, it seems that the most ardent G1 fans will be able to make a little room for some open source dessert for their pioneering handset.

Well, it seems like T-Mobile UK is taking those Twitter 101 business lessons to heart, using their account to announce the release of the T-Mobile G2 Touch on their site from the 28th of July, and in stores in the coming days.

A HTC Hero by another name (but still as sweet), the G2 Touch is impressive thanks to the slick user interface and refreshing handset design.

The smartphone offers an antidote to those ’sold out iPhone 3GS’ woes, and has the Android Marketplace and a fine line in personalisation thanks to widgets and profiles that each offer a markedly different user experience.

Other plus points include Flash support on the G2’s browser and Microsoft Exchange mail support, although we are yet to see what magenta-flavoured additions T-Mobile will bring to the device.

Best Android phone out now (well, tomorrow)? Certainly. Best touchscreen phone on the market? It’s a close one.

What will become of our humble T-Mobile G1? I shudder to think…

Co-Pilot Live app has recently rolled out on the Android Marketplace, offering GPS guidance, lane indicators, speed camera locations and voice directions on your mobile for the princely sum of £25.99 for UK/Ireland maps and £59.99 for all of Europe.

Supported by the holy trinity of Android phones, the T-Mobile G1, HTC Magic and HTC Hero/T-Mobile G1 Touch will even allow you to divulge and share your location to your mates, Google Latitude-style.

With no monthly charge or extra costs outside of your 3G usage for services like live traffic, fuel prices or weather updates, Co-Pilot Live seems like a great, cost-effective way to get you going in the right direction!

Source: Electric Pig

When talking to Pocket Lint about the slick new HTC Sense interface on the Hero, CEO Peter Chou made mention of it becoming available on handsets already on the market!

“HTC Sense will be available on some other existing devices”, he confirmed at the HTC Hero launch. He was more reticent to mention which handsets will be blessed with the update, but was adamant that they are in shops now.

Since we can count the number of HTC Android handsets currently available on two fingers, it is highly likely that the ‘own brand’ keyboardless HTC Magic will see it, as opposed to the ‘T-Mobile G1 With Google’.

I’m sure there’s a very real reason that the ‘with Google’ tag stayed there for a reason, and a new firmware might just break the very specific G1 agreement.

Still, we know that there are other ways to make it happen…

UPDATE: Confirmed. As we thought, got a ‘with Google’ phone? This ain’t for you.

We’ll finally see the mobile web catching up to the graphically rich desktop experience, thanks to Adobe working with manufacturers and gearing up their famous web interface and video player for smartphones.

Adobe’s Flash Player 10 is coming to Android, Windows Mobile, Symbian, Web OS, Betamax, Hi-8 and George Foreman Grills in beta from October of this year.

Following the impressive demo from an earlier press conference showing off Flash on the T-Mobile G1, it was always a matter of when rather than if.

Still, there’s no word of support for one other phone in particular…I forget which.

One of the best Android apps since launch is ShopSavvy, a great barcode scanning program which we loved since the days of seeing the first GoCart videos!

The latest version of ShopSavvy is 3.5, and brings with it a wealth of great new features to take the pain out of the shopping and comparison experience (just like Omio does with mobiles)!

Still using the camera to scan the background, they have added over 750,000 items (bringing their total to over 20 million products),  1000 retailers and faster laod times to make ShopSavvy even more useful.

Stock notifications, integration with Google Product Search and the ability to even visit retailers beyond ShopSavvy through the app makes this a must-have download.

Get ShopSavvy from here!

Re-tweeting a post on Android Guys, what do you think of Cupcake now its out there? Love it? Hate it? Wish you could install Rosie and move on?

Let me know!