The video embedded below looks to be the first live glimpse of the HTC Dream, which is likely to be one of the first phones to utilize Google’s Android mobile platform. The video hasn’t been verified, but it certainly looks real enough, as The Boy Genius Report notes.
You’ll notice that it has a large touchscreen interface just like the iPhone, but that it also has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. This could be the killer feature that gives it traction against the iPhone.
Of course, the device has to actually come out first. A report just a few days ago indicated that structural difficulties were forcing HTC to push its release to early 2009. It had hoped to get the phone out before the end of the year.
A representative for Google reiterated to us that the first Android phones are on schedule to come out before the end of this year:
“We remain on schedule to deliver the first Android-based handset this year and we’re very excited to see the momentum continuing to build behind the Android platform among carriers, handset manufacturers, developers and consumers.”
We’ve contacted HTC about the legitimacy of the video and will update if we hear back.
Update: A representative from the PR firm that handles HTC, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide responded back to me saying that the reports of the delay of the Android device are “inaccurate,” but was unable to comment on the legitimacy of the video above. More info here.
10:51 pm
HTC Android device still set for 2008 release » VentureBeat said:
[...] would not confirm the legitimacy of the video posted earlier that supposedly shows the HTC Dream device running the Android operating system. There is some speculation that the video may have been leaked by someone within HTC to offset the [...]
9:23 am
A glimpse of the HTC Dream running Google Android? | HTCPhoneBlog.info said:
[...] The video embedded below looks to be the first live glimpse of the HTC Dream, which is likely to be one of the first phones to utilize Google’s Android mobile platform. The video hasn’t been verified, but it certainly looks real enough, … Read More [...]
1:16 am
Första filmklippen på gphone - Googles konkurrent till iphone - har läckt ut på nätet | Kulturbloggen said:
[...] bilderna på Googles svar på Iphone - Gphone, eller Android, som Google kallar sin mobilplattform, har läckt ut på nätet. I alla fall hävdar signaturen TheIncarcerator det och får även stöd av insatta prylbloggare [...]
7:07 am
Google’s Android phone, the HTC Dream, is apparently approved by FCC — Nov. 10 is the hinted release date » VentureBeat said:
[...] It has already been widely reported that the phone is called the HTC Dream. In the documentation, the handset is listed as type: “Dream,’ and model: “DREA100.” There’s also mention of a “jogball,” which has been seen on the handset in videos that have circulated. [...]
12:00 pm
So is the Google Android running towards its release date? : TechFever Network | The Hot Tech News and Gadget Network said:
[...] [Link] [...]
11:18 pm
Business Never End | Business and Technology » Google’s Android phone, the HTC Dream, is apparently approved by FCC — Nov. 10 is the latest release date said:
[...] It has already been widely reported that the phone is called the HTC Dream. In the documentation, the handset is listed as type: “Dream,’ and model: “DREA100.” There’s also mention of a “jogball,” which has been seen on the handset in videos that have circulated. [...]