Android Coming to T-Mobile, Mobile Video Sharing

As we've noted before, Google's Android isn’t related to Windows Mobile, but we cover it here because it’s one more indication of the trend toward Internet-centric touch devices. Plus this week we’ll note new mobile video sharing sites that even let you stream live video from your device.

Google Android: T-Mobile G1

Perhaps the biggest news last week was the announcement that the T-Mobile G1 would be available across the U.S. October 22 (and in succeeding months in Europe).

The G1 is the first phone out the gates using the new Google Android platform. Android is significant because it’s an open platform based on Linux that is freely available to carriers and to manufacturers for use in their mobile handsets. Of course, part of Google’s motivation is tight integration with their wide range of online services. Installed software includes Google’s search, maps, Gmail, and YouTube.

Also included is an applications store similar to Apple’s iTunes called the Android Marketplace. Unlike iTunes, however, where Apple decides which programs can be listed, developers will have unconstrained access to Android Marketplace. This trend toward a single store is itself significant, because it makes buying, installing, and updating applications so much simpler than on a Windows Mobile device.

The T-Mobile G1, made by HTC, has a touch interface (of course), a 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 HVGA screen, a slideout QWERTY keyboard, 3.2-megapixel camera, built-in GPS receiver and software, WiFi, Bluetooth, and an accelerometer that automatically changes the screen orientation to landscape when you tilt the device. It will be $179 with a two-year voice and data plan.

There are a bunch of demo videos on YouTube. Of the ones that I looked at, by far the best was the one from Google featuring the built-in applications and how they automatically synchronize with their web-based counterparts: contacts, calendar, e-mail, text messages, and instant messages. It also demos the maps application. Also, the T-Mobile G1 web site has a pretty lively introductory video.

Mobile Video Sharing

Given the ubiquity of cameras and Internet access on mobile phones these days, more and more free services are becoming available that let you upload, store, and share your photos and videos via your device.

Perhaps the most amazing feature of some of these new sites is that you can actually stream live video from your device, such that others can view it via their desktop computer or their phone.

CometNow is a free service that lets you share live and prerecorded videos that others can see either on the CometNow site or on another Windows Mobile phone. It offers real-time video and can do so by automatically optimizing the video stream based on the cellular connection available. CometNow also offers photo sharing.

Qik, which has gotten a lot of media attention, is a software program that lets you stream videos directly from your phone to the web. Or you can use it like a camcorder. It’s currently available for a limited number of Windows Mobile devices. This site and service actually seemed a bit creepy when I visited, seeing live videos from people’s homes. There is, of course, a setting for keeping your streamed videos private.