Google To Sell First Branded Phone

Google Inc. will take a giant step off the desktop and into the world of cellphones today when a major U.S. phone company launches a new handset built with the Internet giant's software.

T-Mobile USA, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG, is set to unveil a touch-screen device with a swiveling keyboard that incorporates some of the defining features of both Apple Inc.'s iPhone and Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry.

The device, dubbed the Dream, is built by Taiwan's HTC Corp., which until now has kept a low profile as a contract manufacturer of other companies' phones.

Regardless of whatever novel design elements HTC has incorporated, the most high-impact feature of the device will be the software created by Google, called Android.

Android is open-source software, which means it can be shared, updated and improved collectively, as well as tweaked for adding customized features or emerging technology.

Although HTC's new device is already being called "the Google phone," the search giant has no ambitions of becoming the next RIM. Instead, it wants to create a common software platform for handheld devices that makes it easier for people to surf the Web on their smart phones.

The mobile Web represents a seductive new channel of advertising for Google. In fact, Eric Schmidt, Google's chief executive officer, said recently that the company thinks it can eventually garner more money from the mobile Web than the desktop Web.

Google is hoping Android will become the dominant platform for mobile phones, eventually bumping Apple and RIM from their perches.

So, here’s what they say about the phone…

“The T-Mobile G1 is the world’s first Android-powered mobile phone in an exclusive partnership with Google. The T-Mobile G1 combines full touch-screen functionality and a QWERTY keyboard with a mobile Web experience that includes the popular Google services that millions have enjoyed on the desktop, including Google Maps with StreetView, Gmail, YouTube and others. ”

Amazon, which has a deal with Google related to the phone, also says that the phone will have “one-touch access” to Google Search and will allow access to Android Market, “where customers can find and download unique applications to expand and personalize their phone to fit their lifestyle.”