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Google & Android, Blah, Blah, Blah – HTC is the Sleeper in the Story

September 23rd, 2008 | 9 comments
Image representing High Tech Computer Corporat...

Image via CrunchBase

Today, Google and T-Mobile will announce the T-Mobile G1, a new phone that runs Google’s mobile OS, Android.  This is interesting news because it adds another competitor to the smartphone mix and competition is always good.  The announcement is made even more interesting, IMO, because of Amazon’s introduction of over the air downloads from their DRM-free MP3 store for the phone.

Playing a lesser, but stupendously important role in this announcement is HTC, the Taiwanese company that designed and built the phone that Android runs on – the HTC Dream.  HTC already accounts for 1 in 6 of all smartphones in the US.  Almost all of them carrying someone else’s brand.  With today’s announcement, the company will come out of the shadows.  Perhaps for good.

It’s not only the phone that’s cool, but the company itself.  Very innovative and fast-moving.  Apparently a model of how to be a success in this business.  Very impressive.  Check out yesterday’s New York Times article on them: With Google Phone, HTC Comes Out of the Shadows.

[Update: there are rumors in the Blogosphere that appears that AmazonMP3 will only allow downloads over WiFi – need to check this out some more]

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September 23rd, 2008 | Category: Gadgets, General Business | 9 comments
  • http://www.stillsecureafteralltheseyears.com/ alan shimel

    Will- having used a HTC phone for 2 years, they are the bomb. Besides being cutting edge hardware the software is so much more than than just vanilla OS. Also there is a strong community of developers who have done amazing thing with these phones. Moving to the iPhone, the closed Apple system is a shock to my senses compared to the freedom that the HTC phone gave me.

  • http://www.stillsecureafteralltheseyears.com alan shimel

    Will- having used a HTC phone for 2 years, they are the bomb. Besides being cutting edge hardware the software is so much more than than just vanilla OS. Also there is a strong community of developers who have done amazing thing with these phones. Moving to the iPhone, the closed Apple system is a shock to my senses compared to the freedom that the HTC phone gave me.

  • http://www.2-speed.com/ Will

    Alan,

    Am I right in saying that the HTC phone you had ran Windows Mobile? If so, the openness came from there, not the phone. Of course, that doesn’t take away anything from the phone. If a guy like you who travels so much and probably beats on his phone is happy with the hardware after two years, that’s a pretty good sign.

  • http://www.2-speed.com Will

    Alan,

    Am I right in saying that the HTC phone you had ran Windows Mobile? If so, the openness came from there, not the phone. Of course, that doesn’t take away anything from the phone. If a guy like you who travels so much and probably beats on his phone is happy with the hardware after two years, that’s a pretty good sign.

  • http://www.stillsecureafteralltheseyears.com/ alan shimel

    Will, yes it ran windows. It originally came with windows mobile 5 and I upgraded to Windows 6, than I ran a “bootleg” version of Windows. It has been a long time since I did bootlegs. I think since I had a Bruce Springsteen bootleg of “Live at the Bottom Line”. But HTC understands open and with Android that is part of the equation.
    The hardware was rough, rugged and very useful too. I loved my keyboard. The iPhone can’t hold a candle to it. I used to blog from my phone, can’t on the iPhone!

  • http://www.stillsecureafteralltheseyears.com alan shimel

    Will, yes it ran windows. It originally came with windows mobile 5 and I upgraded to Windows 6, than I ran a “bootleg” version of Windows. It has been a long time since I did bootlegs. I think since I had a Bruce Springsteen bootleg of “Live at the Bottom Line”. But HTC understands open and with Android that is part of the equation.
    The hardware was rough, rugged and very useful too. I loved my keyboard. The iPhone can’t hold a candle to it. I used to blog from my phone, can’t on the iPhone!

  • Mark Hughes

    HTC, Arima and other “white box” phone designers/manufacturers have been at the heart of smartphones from the beginning. The Compaq iPaq (which became the HP iPaq) was a white box phone shopped around by HTC until Compaq sealed a deal. Google is following in the steps of Microsoft, who approached HTC in the early years to produce a WindowsCE phone (including iPaq). I just wish I had bought stock in 2002 when I first met some of HTC’s players!

  • Mark Hughes

    HTC, Arima and other “white box” phone designers/manufacturers have been at the heart of smartphones from the beginning. The Compaq iPaq (which became the HP iPaq) was a white box phone shopped around by HTC until Compaq sealed a deal. Google is following in the steps of Microsoft, who approached HTC in the early years to produce a WindowsCE phone (including iPaq). I just wish I had bought stock in 2002 when I first met some of HTC’s players!

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