Google Android and the Dream Phone

News about the software is based on official announcements on the developer's platform, and speculation about the hardware is based on test results published by the American testing body, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The mobile platform Engadget first called attention to the simultaneous timing of the software and hardware releases when the company discovered that the mobile telephone ''DREA100,'' from Korean manufacturer HTC, had been granted permission to sell in the U.S. after being tested by the FCC.

The Google handset, which the media nicknamed the GPhone, should reach American stores by November 10, just in time for the holiday rush.

Ironically, a secrecy clause in the FCC document drew attention to the product in the first place. The FCC should have kept the information under wraps until the release. Documents published by the FCC include construction plans that show a so-called "jogball" as the main operating device, similar to the Blackberry.

The German telephone giant T-Mobile, currently the fourth largest telecommunications provider in the American market, is partnered with HTC and Google.

Google's Dream - published by FCC

Software intended for the handset has been released by the Google developers as a Beta version, Number 0.9 SDK, and the final version 1.0 is planned for the last quarter of this year.

Dan Morrill, one of the developers, lists some of the more important changes and additions on his blog. "First and most obviously, the new Home screen is included, along with a ton of UI changes for 1.0. Some new applications are included: an Alarm Clock, Calculator, Camera, Music player, Picture viewer, and Messaging (for SMS/MMS conversations.) Several new development tools were added, such as a graphical preview for XML layouts for users of Eclipse, and a tool for constructing 9-patch images," he writes.

A comprehensive list of changes and additions and the free software are available on the Android Developer website.