InformationWeek SMB TechEncyclopedia

An open platform for smartphones from the Open Handset Alliance (www.openhandsetalliance.com). Based on Linux and Java, Android owners can download and install applications without being tied to a single vendor conduit as are iPhone users with the App Store (see Android Market). Android uses a touch screen and includes multitasking, which enables apps to run in the background so that users can be notified of incoming messages or other events. Due to its backing by Google, Android is expected to make serious inroads into the smartphone market.

The Google Phone
Google is the primary developer of the platform, having acquired Android, Inc. in 2005, a startup that developed the software. Before Android's debut in late 2007, Google was expected to announce its own hardware, but instead launched the platform for others to make. Within the year, T-Mobile introduced the first phone. Sprint also joined the Android alliance, but not Verizon and AT&T as yet, which combined have more than half the cellular market in the U.S. See smartphone, Open Handset Alliance and HTC.




First Android - The G1
In 2008, T-Mobile offered the first HTC-made Android, featuring GPS, Wi-Fi, 3G cellular, 3.2 megapixel camera, a touch screen and physical keyboard (underneath touch screen). (Image courtesy of HTC Corporation, www.htc.com)





Second Android - Magic/myTouch (G2)
In 2009, the second model was dubbed Magic in Europe and myTouch in the U.S. Goodbye physical keyboard. Hello video capture and a physical Google button. (Image courtesy of HTC Corporation, www.htc.com)





Not Just Phones
The ARCHOS Internet Tablet is a portable, Android-based multimedia entertainment center. Launched in 2009 without a phone, it supports Android applications and every major audio and video format, along with GPS, e-mail, Web browsing, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. (Image courtesy of ARCHOS, www.archos.com)