Google officially unveiled its plans to offer a software stack for delivering mobile services from a variety of handsets. 
Google’s announcement focused on two components: its Android software and the formation of a new Open Handset Alliance backed by major handset manufacturers and a number of marquee mobile operators.
The Android platform is an integrated mobile “software stack” that consists of an operating system, middleware, user-friendly interface and applications. Android is built on the open Linux Kernel. It will use a custom virtual machine to optimize memory and hardware resources in a mobile environment. Android will be open source and a software development kit will be released shortly. Google expects the first phones based on Android to be available in the second half of 2008.
The Open Handset Alliance “aims to develop technologies that will significantly lower the cost of developing and distributing mobile devices and services. There are 33 founding members, including: Aplix, Ascender, Audience, Broadcom, China Mobile, eBay, Esmertec, Google, HTC, Intel, KDDI, Living Image, LG, Marvell, Motorola, NMS Communications , Noser, NTT DoCoMo, Nuance, Nvidia, PacketVideo, Qualcomm, Samsung, SiRF, SkyPop, SONiVOX, Sprint Nextel, Synaptics, TAT – The Astonishing Tribe, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Texas Instruments, T-Mobile, Wind River.
http://www.openhandsetalliance.com
http://www.google.com
