Google shows off masked Android handset

It looks like Google was doing its best to spread Android fever in London this morning, with it taking advantage of its Developer Day event to show off a working Android phone for the first time in Europe. While Google apparently wasn't quite ready to take all the wraps off the suspiciously Dream-like handset itself, PC Pro reports that it looked "far more polished" than it did in earlier leaked videos, and that by all accounts it was actually a "finished commercial device." Google's Mike Jennings was, on the other hand, more than eager to talk about the OS, and he even dropped a tantalizing "why not?" when asked if Android could be used on devices other than phones. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any video of the event available, but you can check out a few first hand reports by hitting up the links below.

Read - TechRadar, "Google shows off final Android handset"
Read - PC Pro, "Android handset hits London"
Read - PC Pro, "Will Apple or Android get in my pocket?"

Update: Video of the event has been found (thanks, rxgator). Head on past the break to check it out.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[captainpease @ Sep 16th 2008 11:57AM]

It's funny how much better looking the word "Google" is typed as a headline versus their actual logo. The time for an update is long overdue. Oh, and Android is a yawn.

[Brent @ Sep 16th 2008 12:07PM]

I disagree with everything you just said.

[BluesK1d @ Sep 16th 2008 12:08PM]

Android is a yawn? Please provide details of your experiences with Android devices. I am dying to find out about it and with a statement that bold, you are clearly someone in the know!

[frankthetank @ Sep 16th 2008 12:09PM]

The logo needs an update? What are you 12?

[Juan @ Sep 16th 2008 12:11PM]

h8ers gotta h8

[Todd @ Sep 16th 2008 12:39PM]

"captainpease" is a paid troll for AT&T, who full time job is to spread FUD about Android.

[Jon Doe. @ Sep 16th 2008 5:15PM]

"The logo needs an update? What are you 12?"

Nope. Just a iHype Fanboi...wait....that is redundant. Sorry.

[rxgator @ Sep 16th 2008 12:01PM]

youtube video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmniBnVB6wA

[TareX @ Sep 16th 2008 2:49PM]

Thanks for the video. I was among the "everyone who sent this".... I tipped Engadget like 6 hours ago.

Anyway, utterly disappointed. The tape covering the logos is proof it is the final product. And it looks like a polished black version of the leaked "prototype-ish" phone. The OS had better be kick-ass to justify the not-so-impressive hardware.

[TareX @ Sep 16th 2008 3:00PM]

Alright not so "prototypish" in black... but again it's no Diamond/iPhone/TouchHD either.

[Jeremy K. @ Sep 16th 2008 12:04PM]

oooo different colors! As we noticed before, the black one looks the best.

[EmoChicksAreHot.....Seriously @ Sep 16th 2008 12:10PM]

I second that.

But wouldn't a hot rod red and jet black mixed look even more better?

I think so.

[CJ @ Sep 17th 2008 8:24AM]

I'm just waiting for a cherry coloured one.

Then I can use black boot polish on it and make it Oxblood!

... I miss my second hand oxblood docs. :(

[Taylor @ Sep 16th 2008 12:14PM]

Yeah, as far as other devices, i think Android would be great for a CarPC!

[Omen_20 @ Sep 16th 2008 12:41PM]

I think it would be awesome on PSP2. If only...

[phanbouy @ Sep 16th 2008 4:55PM]

Taylor, you didn't sign your post

[zephxiii @ Sep 16th 2008 12:20PM]

Damn you Mr. Blurrycam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At least have a video though :D

[udub @ Sep 16th 2008 12:49PM]

Go here:

http://keepvid.com/?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DnmniBnVB6wA

and download the high quality version. It's much better.

[Craig @ Sep 16th 2008 12:29PM]

Can I have an Android-powered Treo that runs Access' Palm OS translation layer, please?

I'd even pay for it. Yes, I'm that serious.

[BluesK1d @ Sep 16th 2008 1:17PM]

@PM

"Are you serious? I'm not an apple fanboy, but I think it stands true when I say that Google has shown off the Android much more times without delivering, than Apple did with mobile OS X."

Really? Everything you say after "I'm not an apple fanboy" indicates you in fact are. Lets see... How many times did Apple demo the iPhone as a work in progress to show the fans how it was coming along before it launched? How can Android have failed to deliver more often when it hasn't even been released and therefore hasn't failed to deliver ANYTHING yet?

"The android is a fantastic platform, and it's very powerful, but it went through a lot more hiccups."

Huh? Are you from the future when Android has already launched and has problems? Can I ride in your Delorean? To claim that Android has gone through more hiccups before it has even launched is assinine.

"The only thing that Apple really, badly screwed up on was the MobileMe launch, where they tried to launch a million things at once (figuratively speaking). Other than that, almost all Apple releases go pretty smooth."

Where have you been? Almost everything about the iPhone 3G launch has been a complete fail. There are/were serious, sweeping problems with basically every aspect of the device and the services offered on it.

[BluesK1d @ Sep 16th 2008 1:32PM]

My Apologies, Craig. This should have appeared under the comment below.

[kccboy2004 @ Sep 16th 2008 12:34PM]

For sure this is going to wipe out Apple.

Let us face a reality, Apple can not get anything to work properly. All they can do well is raise expectations and then not deliver on it.

Go Google.

[frankthetank @ Sep 16th 2008 12:42PM]

I'm all for Google, but they aren't competitors at all. The iPhone is even powered by Google maps. Android isn't the iPhone killer, it is an open source free OS.

[PM @ Sep 16th 2008 12:57PM]

Are you serious? I'm not an apple fanboy, but I think it stands true when I say that Google has shown off the Android much more times without delivering, than Apple did with mobile OS X. The android is a fantastic platform, and it's very powerful, but it went through a lot more hiccups. The only thing that Apple really, badly screwed up on was the MobileMe launch, where they tried to launch a million things at once (figuratively speaking). Other than that, almost all Apple releases go pretty smooth.

Seriously, grow some pubic hair, before you talk kid.

[riggs @ Sep 16th 2008 1:12PM]

wasnt android announced officially a short while ago? what are you talking about?

[KarlW @ Sep 16th 2008 1:21PM]

Android really isn't a competitor to MobileOSX. At least, that's not the reason Google are doing it. They're all about open standards - making it so anybody can access their services. They don't want Microsoft or RIM closing down access to Google services through proprietary protocols (see: Netscape, Exchange, Active Directory).

Apple have the same concern. IE broke standards, so people had to write sites that only worked with IE. If that happens again, both the iPhone and Mac OS no longer have decent access to the web. It's the same with flash - if flash becomes so popular that nearly all sites are using it, an inferior version on OSX or iPhone would be a serious blow. Google have a good relationship with Apple, because they're both relying on open standards to market their products, and Apple benefits a lot from Google's services (Maps, search..etc).

This is about standards and openness. Google want a popular mobile platform that they can't be locked out from. Apple (and Google) want standards compliant browsers to have a majority market share to take away the threat of Microsoft locking them out of the web. That's why WebKit is open-source and optimised for all kinds of devices.

[BluesK1d @ Sep 16th 2008 1:22PM]

Gah! I have to admit an epic fail on my part. See above comment under Craig that should have appeared here in regards to PM's comment. Sorry Craig.

[BluesK1d @ Sep 16th 2008 1:24PM]

@frankthetank
So does that mean since OSX is "powered by" Microsoft Office, Apple and Microsoft aren't competitors? Of Course Android is meant to compete with the iPhone.

[Alex Padilla @ Sep 16th 2008 1:26PM]

It's not even about Google vs Apple. It's about Google giving consumers another option. This notion is confirmed by the fact that Android is an open-source platform, rather than being a closed ecosystem (as seen in the iPhone, etc). If Google wanted to directly compete with an Apple or a Symbian or what-have-you, Android wouldn't be open-source.

Google isn't trying to dominate or attack the market, they're just trying to shake it up and potentially revolutionize it.

[Zak @ Sep 16th 2008 1:47PM]

Yep, other companies have been "wiping out Apple" for what, 25 years now? You should ask Michael Dell about predicting Apple's demise, he seems to be good at it. But I'm sure this one will do it! I expect to see Apple completely gone any day now. Wait for it.... any second now...keep waiting...

[kccboy2004 @ Sep 16th 2008 1:53PM]

@PM,

What are toy talking about. Google has only shown off Android at Developer conferences. It has never had a release date.

You clearly no idea what you are talking about.

When you say that MobileMe is the only screw up, are you ignoring all the bug fixes that they released less than a month after launch ?

Are we forgetting the inability to register the phone at launch ?

Apple screwed it all up.

[ethana2 @ Sep 16th 2008 2:10PM]

"Android isn't the iPhone killer, it is an open source free OS."

Your logic is flawed. Android is the Mobile OSX killer.

[darkroom @ Sep 16th 2008 7:02PM]

it's called the "iPhone OS"... commenters not knowing it's actual name certainly seems to invalidate most of their judgmental comments.

[Todd @ Sep 16th 2008 12:36PM]

That's not Android 0.9b, that's 1.0 or something. It sure aint' what's available for us to download at code.google.com

Way to observe the "all developers are equal" spirit of Open Source, Google.

[BluesK1d @ Sep 16th 2008 12:39PM]

Settle down. They are a little more concerned with getting a 1.0 device out the door. You'll get the new code soon enough.

[mike @ Sep 16th 2008 12:46PM]

THey don't have to release code right to the public as soon as they they make it. A little selfish of you don't you think?

[YoYo @ Sep 16th 2008 12:43PM]

the device looks like crap

HTC Touch Pro will be better

[Meridimus @ Sep 16th 2008 3:23PM]

I agree. Also, is it just me or is the wow factor on the UI non existant? The guy hardly got me excited about the project as he mumbled his way through an obviously unplanned show. Jobs put on a good show and I think for 30 minutes after every Apple event I want everything he's spoken about, of course, I quickly return to my senses shortly after.

He even made the 4g nano look good, that's saying something.

[Rehehelly @ Sep 16th 2008 12:48PM]

Looks awesome.
I WANT AN ANDROID PHONE.

[Nathan C. @ Sep 16th 2008 12:50PM]

I have to say I'm a total iPhone fan, but the Android seems very promising. It's interface is smooth, responsive, and the Open GL is looking good. I've recently seem a demo of the SE Xperia smartphone and believe me the Andriod is a WHOLE other level. Android is like bring the an iPhone like OS to the masses (other companies that are not Apple). But still I would never ditch my iPhone =).

[schmitty338 @ Sep 16th 2008 1:04PM]

Your weird.

[Kizorblade @ Sep 16th 2008 1:09PM]

@schmitty338

And you don't have a grasp on the English language.

[Nathan @ Sep 16th 2008 1:38PM]

@schmitty338

If you dont have anything intelligent to say dont bother commenting. For as far as I know, you're a 12 year old who need to review your grammar.

[GON @ Sep 16th 2008 12:50PM]

Yes! My prayers have been answered!

[TheCow5 @ Sep 16th 2008 12:53PM]

The majority of what was shown seem more dependent on hardware than software or were they showing how open the OS is and how easy it is to write programs to run on their OS.

[Ron @ Sep 16th 2008 12:58PM]

I honestly don't see why this is so huge, it's not even out yet, I wanna text drive before I make any comments on quality.

[riggs @ Sep 16th 2008 1:52PM]

u shouldnt text drive, you can kill someone.

[ethana2 @ Sep 16th 2008 2:10PM]

Like that dude with the train in California..

[Frankie @ Sep 16th 2008 1:06PM]

"Text Driving" is illegal, well, atlest here in the states. lol

Sorry, I couldn't resist...

[ZenDaddy @ Sep 17th 2008 4:40PM]

Actually texting is not illegal in most places in the states while driving. Holding the phone up to your ear is the only thing widely regulated.