I Want One!

The Google Phone.  I want one!  Why?  Well, its operating system, Android, is based on Linux.  So, it's an open source phone.

"Google has since announced that all parts of the OS will be released under the Apache License where applicable and under the GPL elsewhere."

And the really slick thing about the phone is that it syncs up with your Google account and all your Google apps.  So, if you ever break your phone, your contacts, email, calendar, etc. are always available.  Because they're on the web in your Google account!

But the thing that will really make this phone take off is the open source approach. Developers from all walks of life have developed (and are developing) apps for the phone. You can, too!  You can get download the Andriod SDK (Software Developer's Kit) here. 

Check out this video of an app one developer came up with (Montan State college student Jeff Sharkey).  It's called "CompareEverywhere" and allows the user to shop for the best price for a specific item.

You can also view other developers' videos here.

Because the phone is taking the open source/Linux approach, I expect big things.  It's going to be exciting to see this phone grow and develop.  It already has a list of great cutting edge features:

Touch Screen
QWERTY Keyboard
One-Touch Google Search
Real Web Browsing
Easy Access to Google Apps
3G Network and Wi-Fi Access
IM/Text/E-mail
3.2 Megapixel Camera
YouTube™ Videos
Music Player
Android™ Market
Customizable Home Screen
Colors Options

You can see all the features here.


I think the slide out keyboard is a real plus.  It certainly makes typing easier for searching on the web or texting messages.

The G1!  It's Linux, Google, and open source! You can't go wrong!

Get Linux!