Andre Yoskowitz
12 Dec 2009 15:33
UPDATE 1: The WallStreetJournal is reporting now that the phone will be called the Nexus One. There is no word on whether the rumored Google Voice implementation will be in effect, killing the need for a voice plan but requiring a data plan from a GSM carrier such as AT&T or T-Mobile.
Techcrunch is reporting this weekend that the oft-denied Google Phone is a reality, with Google employees confirming it all over their Twitter homepages and the Google Mobile blog announcing that they are in fact testing the phone with imminent release set for early next year.
Despite previous rumors however, the phone hardware will be manufactured by HTC but the phone will not be sold through a carrier and instead directly from Google as an unlocked handset. The phone's looks are said to be based on the upcoming HTC Passion or the HD2, which Google had input on the design of.
The creatively dubbed "Google Phone" will be available next month, as an unlocked GSM device, and will be the first phone to run Android 2.1, which has so far only been tested by Google employees. The phone runs on a Snapdragon processor, has a "super high-resolution" OLED touchscreen, has two mics, no physical keypad, is thinner than the rival iPhone, and has a very large resolution camera. New visual enhancements include animated desktop wallpapers (such as water that ripples when you touch it), voice-to-text for every application, and other incredible features.
Adds one Tweet from member "Great White Shark": "A friend from Google showed me the new Android 2.1 phone from HTC coming out in Jan. A sexy beast. Like an iPhone on beautifying steroids."
Says Google Mobile: "We recently came up with the concept of a mobile lab, which is a device that combines innovative hardware from a partner with software that runs on Android to experiment with new mobile features and capabilities, and we shared this device with Google employees across the globe. This means they get to test out a new technology and help improve it."
Rumored pic: