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This will be a big deal. If they do a good job, there will be another Gorilla in the room.

Dec 12, 09 - 01:44 pm Comment from: dickrichie

Google isn't building anything. Tje article specifically says it's an HTC phone. The only thing google does that's different from other Andriod phones is they probably won't muck up their own OS the way other carriers have. Oh and an unlocked HTC is gonna cost in the area of $400 to $700. When google actually designs and builds the phone then maybe some hype may be in order.

Dec 12, 09 - 01:45 pm Comment from: Macintosher

Naturally it will run on the cloud, which will crash and lose all data.

Apple doesn't actually manufacture the iphone yet we still call it the apple iPhone and not the foxcon ( or whoever makes it) phone with iPhone os

Google's not making a phone. Google had HTC make a phone that met Google's requirements. Not very different than Moto making the Droid.

If the carriers sell the thing without an overpriced data plan AND another $0 for texting I may but it.

Apple designs and has a company build to spec. It is a lot different than a company asking for hardware to look a certain way and to run software.

Apple designs and then has companies build it. That is the reason they leaped ahead.

If this thing is on Verizon- that could bring me there. I'm still hoping Steve and Verizon can play "Let's make a deal".

I'd hate to give up my iPhone- I'm still using the 1st Gen- I haven't upgraded; don't want to marry AT&T;for another 2 years. Please Steve- hammer something out with the "can you hear me now?" guys.

Dec 12, 09 - 02:26 pm Comment from: Brilliant Sandwich

This could be the first phone that runs Android the way it was meant to run and be very good, but what does that do to the relationships with other vendors using Android? Does this give Google an unfair advantage over their partners? That could be messy.

I love my iPhone and will not use anything else. One, because it creates a seamless computing and mobile environment for me as a Mac user. And two, maybe the biggest and best reason, iTunes. Even for Windows users, iTunes will be the sticking point for anyone who would consider switching to the Google phone.

Apple doesn't need competition to innovate at an incredible pace, but more competition could stoke the fires a little bit more over in Cupertino. We all know Steve-O loves him some competition and doesn't like to lose. Especially to those people that rip off his ideas. I believe Google is biting off more than it can chew.

Dec 12, 09 - 02:38 pm Comment from: HughB

No one has posted "bloodbath" yet. but I have to admit I am worried a little about my AAPL shares. What will monday bring? How come this was kept secret until now?

Microsoft's products make me laugh. Google's scare me.

A Google branded phone!? Oh my God! That's like... Who cares?

Okay, aside from all the companies selling Android phones. They probably care, since they've just been stabbed in the back. Google must be taking lessons from Microsoft.

U can't tell me that the google asshat on the Apple board didn't have access to all kind of priviledged info.

Google schmoogle...

There will be Google phone in my hands only after you pry my iPhone from my cold dead ones.

Dec 12, 09 - 03:47 pm Comment from: Gregg Thurman

Everybody is recongizing the power of a vertical integration. Sooner or later (the day after Ballmer is fired, err retires) MSFT will forego all of its partners and do the same thing.

Dec 12, 09 - 03:50 pm Comment from: Jubei

LOL! Love how the writer pumps up DELL! Hilarious!

Kitch,
There is a big difference Apple designs it's products and has them contract manufactured to it's specification.

Simply OEM'ing yet another HTC android phone with "Google" embossed in the back is hardly revolutionary (barely even newsworthy).

If google had actually designed and specified unique hardware that would be different, but that is not the case, it is just another HTC android phone...
Yawn....

Dec 12, 09 - 04:22 pm Comment from: ken1w

Isn't it just another HTC phone that runs Android? If this was the first and only phone with Android, it may be a big deal, but at this point (and going forward), it's just one of many devices fracturing Android's market share.

There's a feeling of Deja Vu here.

Google looks like it's trying too hard to be like Microsoft in the 1980's. "Hey, Apple jumped into the smartphone industry 2 years ago and it's doing well. Let's copy what they did! Let's have an App Store too!"

http://no-spamming/

Dec 12, 09 - 04:30 pm Comment from: Spudly

This is anything but a big deal... what we have is yet...another...also ran. But now you have a choice: pedophiles & porn addicts will gravitate towards the Android. The rest of us will stick with our iPhones...

Dec 12, 09 - 04:52 pm Comment from: TowerTone

'Moon Shot'?
Sounds like a pain in the ass....

@Spudly
You got that right.

Dec 12, 09 - 06:18 pm Comment from: 84 Mac Guy

Let's assume for a moment that Google has worked with HTC to actually construct a great mobile phone. Let's even go so far as to say it is comparable to the iPhone.

Now to use this fine device, you need a wireless carrier. Oops, that's where things head south fast.

If Google signs up with one carrier, like Apple did with AT&T;, then the other carriers are no longer going to be excited about Android phones. In fact, this would smell like another MS PlayForSure fiasco.

If Google allows the phone to be used on multiple carriers, then each carrier will "customize" the phone for their system and hence screw up a good phone.

Therefore, no matter how good the Google phone is, either Google or the wireless carriers will be doing their best to f_ck it up.

What this means is that Apple will now have a sense of urgency to sell the next version of the iPhone through multiple carriers.

Think about the ipod. Mac only, then Windows, then the Mini (now Nano) and eventually the Shuffle. Apple took every opportunity to expand the user base and didn't allow any other company to swoop in the way MS did with the OS.

Apple realizes they already have millions hooked on iTunes which provides a natural upgrade to the iPhone. They'll just need to speed up the adoption rate with all the copycats coming to the market.

Sense of urgency? Not a chance in He....

Slow and stead, slow and steady.

As soon as you let your competitors decide your next move for you, you've lost the game.

This is in NO way a game changer.... time to ignore the hype.

Dec 12, 09 - 09:14 pm Comment from: Mormegil

Dell launched a phone? Really? Was it with a punkin-chunker?

in a nod to what others have said, I can see the HTC logo. So the Search Company is NOT designing hardware. It's not a Google phone. Its an Android phone.

In other words, this aint Google's "Zune" its just a nice looking device.

Dec 12, 09 - 10:00 pm Comment from: doc

The idear of a gPhone makes me sick I tell ya, jest SICK.

In other words...

I laughed so hard it gave me heart burn, I have a headache, and I think I broke a rib.

Dec 13, 09 - 12:04 am Comment from: MacRaven

It would be a cold day in Hell, when you'd see Apple hand out lots of unreleased prototype phones to employees to run around with.

Dec 13, 09 - 12:11 am Comment from: zmarc

Just what experience does Google have designing hardware? Zero. (That's assuming they designed this and had HTC build it, which is a huge assumption.) So why would anyone get the slightest bit wet that Google's designing a phone?

Apple's products get hype for a reason: the company has a long line of monster successful hardware designs. That's why just the idea of an Apple tablet generates hype and everyone else's generates yawns.

I don't get the appeal of a Google phone. What would Google bring to the table that no other Android phone has? It's running the same buggy OS as all the others and would have the same features. Any "competitors" would soon have any new features via software updates and unless Google really wants to screw its partners by reserving some features for itself, there's nothing to differentiate it.

It's pointless.

I feed dog food to my dog. His name is Obama. He is a dog.

Dec 13, 09 - 03:03 am Comment from: MacAdvocate

Hardware is hard. LOL@"moon shot".

People said Apple wasn't going to just waltz into the phone market. But Apple was a company built on intuitive, easy-to-use consumer electronics successes. Google has Android, Picasa and Wave.

Good luck in your quest for "gorilla" handset status.

x is obviously the perfect candidate for the Gphone or the Dell toilet.

Moron.

google seems to have become a "look at us too!" company, all they seem to be doing is copying apple. Never should have had them on the board of directors in the first place, same mistake steve made letting bill take a mac to redmond for a week, all google has done is learn inside secrets and now they just try and copy apple--really kinda sad

@HughB the undercover analyst:

Yeah let's start a new AAPL bashing round. Nobody will notice.

Dec 13, 09 - 08:18 am Comment from: Wireless Test Man

@84 Mac Guy

I have an HTC Droid Eris. I can tell you that Verizon has forced no customization onto the phone other than a Verizon Wireless splash screen that appears for 3 seconds when you power it on...

The carriers have all learned from Verizon's huge mistake in initially turning down Apple...

I can tell you that Android has gotten better & better. If you notice, Google is now offering Google services either to Android first or Android only... this will be a problem for iPhone...

I had the 1st Gen iPhone. I couldn't stand the incompetent AT&T;service anymore, so I got rid of it (it's now the world's most expensive iPod Touch! LOL!)

I can tell you that this phone is close, very close... in some ways better than the iPhone, in some ways worse...

It's got some really nice little features I can't believe are missing from the iPhone... Little things like the weather on my home screen updating based on my GPS location.. nice touch... where's Apple?

In my Visual Voicemail, I can e-mail a voicemail message right out of my inbox.... nice feature, again where's Apple?

Sense UI (HTC's Multitouch) has a calibration tool for the virtual keyboard, so it learns how I type... I make far fewer typos on the HTC than I did on my iPhone... very practical, once again where's Apple?

I get OS updates over-the-air rather than having to go through iTunes... it downloads it during the night, I get a notification that the updates are downloaded & ready to be installed & I can choose to install them or not.... REALLY convenient.... Where's Apple??? I hated having to connect to iTunes and it only downloading the update, etc after I chose OK. How archaic!

I can turn any music file on my phone into a ringtone. No additional payments to anybody. Nice money-saving feature.... where's Apple?

I have set up iCal & Apple address book to update Google calendars and contacts... It pushes all updates out to my Droid almost immediately... the service is FREE. I had to pay for MobileMe for this service w/ Apple, and the push updates were not nearly as immediate...

I can tell you that the music player & video player are not integrated and absolutely suck. Apple's genius really shows here...

There is no management software ala iTunes. No automatic backups, etc. This really sux. I'm sure Google is working on an online version of some sort of management software...

Dec 13, 09 - 10:07 am Comment from: DLMeyer

As several have said before, this is not hardware made by Google, merely re-branded to their name. Also, not something obviously meant to be sold to the public. To quote: "John Biggs writes for CrunchGear, "What if Google starts to sell this thing?" " ... yeah, What If. For right now, it is a semi-large order placed by Google with one of its partners for a product many of its employees need. A specific, controlled, test bed.
The iPhone is not perfect. Especially if you consider the network it's on. The Android phones are equally imperfect. Different reasons.
For this to be "real", you'd need a bit more Google input into the design - the actual hardware part - as well as some unique tweeks to the software - more than a unique flash screen. Re-badging is nothing to chatter about.

Dec 13, 09 - 11:20 am Comment from: breeze

The iPhone, The iPod touch, the Mac and soon the tablet will soon be very integrally and seamlessly intertwined and integrated.

One will be a natural extension of the other and they will all share a common OS, software, apps and files in a manner that only a company like Apple can implement and make seem effortless and transparent. That's because Apple knows how make software that is simple to the user, rock solid and it creates the ultimate trouble free user experience featuring unrivaled ease of use.

No other company can compete. That is an undisputed fact that is evidenced by Apple's growing market share during the last few years while the entire industry has been shrinking ( ask Michael Dell). Anyone who purchases any Apple product, fast becomes addicted and follows soon with a Mac or another. The learning curve is negligible and it's instant familiarity, productivity, functionality and customer satisfaction. Freedom.

Google is a great company, with an unrivaled following and edge in information management...That's the ship they need to keep afloat and perpetually develop. They can't compete directly with Apple and it's OS' evolution. Not in a million years...

HTC designed phones are not good so the Google phone, if it is marketed, is really the same thing.

When I think of Google lately, they seems like non-innovaters.

Too bad, they had potential. Hopefully they will go back to making a great search engine and forget the rest of their stupid side projects.

Hey Google! Great job on Chrome for Mac! Ha! And even better job on the Linux version!

Dec 13, 09 - 12:55 pm Comment from: silverhawk

I actually heard a Zune HD ad on FM radio last night. It features BB as the place to get one. Very sophmoric ad style. They will never learn. But then again, perhaps the demographic fits.

Dec 13, 09 - 12:58 pm Comment from: dave smith

What I want to happen is that Google phones can have any SIM card installed with them. And that they can connect to my internet connection at home without having to pay for a expensive data plan I cannot afford.

Then that will make Apple release the iphone away from at@t's grip.

Good luck with that..

So it's just going to be as good as "dog food"? Sorry, Dr Eric Schmidt, that sounds rather sad.

http://no-spamming/

I love google. I get as excited when Google launches something new as I get when Apple launches. I hope both companies combined will destroy Microsoft.

Dec 13, 09 - 05:52 pm Comment from: G4Dualie

@gregg

MSFT will forego all of its partners and do the same thing.

Only after they've abandoned Microsoft and their OS. I believe at some point, Microsoft will enter the PC market as a last ditch effort to bolster their commitment to the platform. I'm expecting a tablet or a laptop that will compliment their cloud initiative.

This may not occur though until they've had plenty of time to examine mobile computing done right. In other words, they'll copy Apple and compete with similar products.

Apple does most of their R&D;, after all.

what the hell is "visual voicemail"?

@Kitch
You wrote, "Apple doesn't actually manufacture the iphone yet we still call it the apple iPhone and not the foxcon ( or whoever makes it) phone with iPhone os"

The difference is that Apple DESIGNED every detail of the iPhone (perhaps with the exception of some standardized telecom chips) and contracted with a Chinese firm (Foxcon?) to build the phone to their exact specifications.

In this case, Google is testing their software on what appears to be a standard HTC phone that Google had no role in designing.

Dec 14, 09 - 03:52 pm Comment from: doc

New Product



GhoneAds launch announced by goog!

A phone supported totally by advertisements (just like a newspaper)!

In honor of the trend of blended naming schema, the "g" from google has been blended with "hone" from the word "phone" an the word "Ad" in honor of the time tested advertisement supported news industry!

Let us offer a hearty welcome to
drum roll please

GhoneAds!

A phone supported totally by advertisements (just like a newspaper)!

In honor of the trend of blended naming schema, the "g" from google has been blended with "hone" from the word "phone" an the word "Ad" in honor of the time tested advertisement supported news industry!

Let us offer a hearty welcome to
drum roll please

GhoneAds!

In response to questions, a company spokesperson conformed (?sp) that gOOn and gOOne had both been rejected as alternate names because market testing had shown the pronunciation hoped for by Schmidt, Page, and Brin had to be explained to every one of the participants of the studies with the phrase "sounds like cone" and it was concluded the cost to change the pronunciation throughout the English speaking world via advertising would be prohibitive.