The Android launch - Live!

TechRadar - your Android source for the launch
TechRadar - your Android source for the launch

TechRadar is privy to a very special announcement between T-Mobile and Google tomorrow (we have no idea what it could be about), and we're going to tell you all about it.

- That appears to be it. The phone is nothing very special, and there are worryingly few features coming in the UK at launch. In fact, there isn't even a launch date.

On the plus side, Google Android looks great, and the Android Market could even trump the App Store. Only time will tell whether the OS will fly, but we'll bet it does.

- There's no 3.5mm headphone jack. The iPhone 3G scores back again.

- There are more phones coming from LG etc. It might be an obvious point, but it's good to note.

- No Flash compatibility at launch, but T-Mobile reckons it will come very soon through developers. Why can't Apple do that?

- It has Pacman. We take it all back...

- It's thinner than the Nokia N96, and it packs a keyboard. It's similar in size to an Apple iPhone, and doesn't feel too big.

- No accelerometer. Come on HTC, these are basic errors. You can't even browse the web in portrait mode.

- You can lock the phone and unlock it with a picture. Spiffy.

- It has MMS! IN YOUR FACE APPLE!

- No video or flash to go with the 3.2MP camera. We're pretty certain it's fixed focus as well. Booooooo.......

- There won't be a PAYG version in the UK at launch.

- There's no multi-touch a la Apple's pinch and flick system.

- The handset has a 2GB microSD card in the box, with 3.2MP camera as well. Confirmed.

- Amazon's MP3 marketplace, which is available for the US markets to get DRM-free downloads straight to the phone, won't be launching in the UK in November. Great...

- The phone will be available on the full range of tariffs though.

- You can get the phone for free on a £40 plan, the cheapest monthly to get the phone for free, that includes unlimited internet on the phone.

- The UK is getting handset in November. That's official people.

- Applications include a mobile version of Wikipedia, games like 'Furry Animal' which uses the touch screen. People will develop applications based around the internet, for instance business applications and the ability to take a picture of a barcode and price compare it around the area.

- Android will have an 'open market' where people can develop applications and just place them there for people to play with and take them if they like them. It's called 'Markets'.

It features a rating system to help ward consumers off rubbish applications, for which there will be free and paid options available.

UPDATE: We've found all the specs and apps the new device is going to have, along with its official name: the T-Mobile G1 with Google.

The website was accidentally put up too early, so the announcement today is going to be a little bit underwhelming... couldn't see Apple doing the same thing, could you?

Check the site from 3.30PM to find out all about what the new mobile OS is going to bring, and be prepared for some decent surprises with one of the biggest announcements of the year.

Will the HTC handset be dubbed the Dream, the G1 or something else? Will the Android platform have some development tricks up its sleeve?

TechRadar will be on hand to tell you all about it... as it happens.

TOPICS
Gareth Beavis
Formerly Global Editor in Chief

Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grew with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.

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