Google's Android mobile platform will be demonstrated at Mobile World Congress, formerly 3GSM, on a Texas Instruments-powered handset, according to news reports. TI is one of the many manufacturers backing the linux-based platform and the first to show a working model to the public at the telecommunications trade show.
Android has received iPhone-like buzz since its original announcement back in November and now we are one step closer with actual handsets running the open-source mobile platform.
TI wasn't the only company demonstrating Android. Others included Freescale, Marvell, NEC Electronics, and Qualcomm.
The functionality of Android has not changed a lot since its original announcement. It still includes a robust software suite, software expandability, user-friendliness and more. TI has said that the prototype shown at Mobile World Congress will be powered by its OMAP850 mobile processor that includes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This is the same backbone of the HTC Excalibur.
There's not many times I am excited for trade shows, but I have a feeling Android is going to dominate the CTIA Wireless spring show in April and I can't wait. Bring on the open source!
Apple is going to blow their big chance.
With their historic mindset, expect Apple to own only a tiny fraction of the mobile market. Apple is too closed ? they only put their OS on Apple hardware ? but in Mobile, there?s far too many competitors. (Imagine if Mac computers competed against 4 other OS?s in the PC space ?- each far more ble to innovate and learn from Apple?s success than Microsoft. What a world it would be!) But unlike the PC space, Mobile has dozens of competitors, wildly innovative, learning and copying, releasing products annually, and covering divergent prices and styles.
Read the excellent analysis at http://www.broodingsavage.com