Here Comes Android

Google, in its quest for global supremacy, begins another ambitious project…Android.

Android is a mobile device platform based on the Linux operating system, developed by Google and the Open Handset Alliance. Android, a complete software platform and operating system for mobile phones, is slated for release in late 2008. It is as of now still under development, and is designed to run even on handsets with relatively low RAM and processor speeds.

Currently, the platform supports a wide range of wireless connectivity technologies, including GSM, CDMA, EDGE, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. SMS and MMS are already supported, with threaded SMS being one of the most-awaited features. There is also good multimedia support, with the platform able to play various audio and video formats such as MP3, MPEG 4, H.264, AAC, JGP and more.

Of course, the biggest draw of Android is the fact that it is open source, unlike most mobile platforms (Apple’s iPhone being the most notable closed-source platform). Like with Linux, developers hope that the open-source nature of Android will help in faster development, as well as faster and easier bug finding and fixing. The Open Handset Alliance includes Google, HTC, Intel, Motorola, Qualcomm, T-Mobile, Sprint Nextel, and Nvidia.

read comments (0)