Linux Solutions

Google have released a SIM and hardware-unlocked G1 handset specifically for developers that are normally available on the T-Mobile network with a copy of Google’s Android operating system installed.

Google spoke about the handset on its Android website: “The device ships with a system image that is fully compatible with Android 1.0, so you can rely on it when developing your applications. You can use any SIM in the device and can flash custom Android builds that will work with the unlocked bootloader.”

The handset’s obviously aimed squarely at the developer mob, however non-tech savvy phone lovers could easily get there hands on one for $399 plus a $25 fee to join the Google Android developer’s club, however Google is limiting sales to one-per-user.

Avi Greengart, research director of mobile devices for Current Analysis spoke with Linux magazine, LinuxInsider:

“It is possible that a consumer who really wants an Android phone today, but lives in an area outside T-Mobile’s coverage area, would want to pick one of these up.

“But you need to register as a developer first, so you’re jumping through a few hoops. More importantly, it allows programmers and weekend hackers to write Android applications and run them on a real device - the SDK (software development kit) and an emulator have been online for months now - without having to sign up for a contract and a data plan,” he added.

Google has made it clear that if you are not sure what you are doing with the hardware then you should maybe steer clear: “Since the devices can be configured with system software not provided by or supported by Google or any other company, end users operate these devices at their own risk,” Google notes.

Android and Android-based handsets are likely to change beyond all recognition over the next few years and developer as well as customers will be hopeful that this is not the last time Google lets us play with everything.

“I don’t think Android plays by different rules from other mobile operating systems - it will benefit from a variety of devices, form factors, vendors, and carriers. It’s still a very young OS, and I wasn’t expecting more than just the single HTC handset out before the end of the year,” Greengart said.

The Android Developer phone is to be made available in 18 countries around the world, throughout Europe, Asia and Australia and of course, the US.

The T-Mobile G1 smartphone has only been around for a short while, but its been long enough for a group of security researchers to pick apart, and find what they say is a “serious flaw” in the Android operating system.

One of the group’s researchers, Charles A. Miller, told Google about the flaw last week, and has taken the step of publicising it because he feels that mobile users are not generally aware of the risks of using smartphones, and the threats they face.

Miller, a former National Security Agency computer security specialist, said the flaw could e exploited to trick a user into visiting an infectious website.

Google acknowledged the issue, but said that the phones security features would limit the extent of the damage that could be done by an intruder, compared to computers and other mobiles these days.

Unlike today’s modern computers and advanced handsets such as iPhone, the G1 phone creates a series of software compartments that limit the access of an intruder to a single application.

“We wanted to sandbox every single application because you can’t trust any of them,” said Rich Cannings, a Google security engineer.

He said that the company had already fixed an open-source version of the software and was working with T-Mobile and HTC to offer a patch for its current customers.

Generally, modern computer operating systems try to limit access by creating a partition between a single user’s control of the machine and complete access to programs and data, often referred to as administrative access.

The risk in the Google design, according to Miller, lies within the web browser partition in the phone. He believes that it would be possible for an intruder to install software that would capture keystrokes entered by the user when surfing to other web sites, making it entirely possible to steal passwords and other security information.

Miller is an accomplished security expert. He recently won a contest that gained him $10,000 and a free laptop when he found a vulnerability in Apple’s Safari browser.

However, Google are not so happy with him, as they believe that he has violated an unwritten code between companies and researchers that is intended to allow time for vulnerabilities to be fixed, before they are publicised. Miller said he would withhold technical specific, but said that consumers have a right to know when a product has shortcomings.

Well I doff my hat to Google, they lived up to their promise of releasing the source code for their new Google Android platform. The release comes just one day from the general release (in America) of the new G1 handset, available exclusively through T-Mobile.

Google made the announcement to release the source code in November 2007, as part of an open source computing and software initiative headed up by the search engine giant.

Open software development is fast becoming the cool thing to do (if you are a g33k and proud of it) and is becoming more prevalent in the computer and software industry.

“In the last five years, Google has witnessed firsthand through social networking sites that the applications development community at large is stronger than any collective of corporate programmers,” Colin Gillis, an equity analyst with Canaccord Adams, said.

“The real potential will be when the developer community gets their hands on the source code. We want to see what the community does with a powerful code base like this,” he added

It’s fair to compare Google’s strategy with that of the Apple iPhone - The Apple App Store allows users to develop their own applications for sale or otherwise, but they have never opened the source code.

“When you open up your operating system to other developers, you never know where good ideas are going to come from,” Steve Weinstein, an equity analyst with Pacific Crest Securities, said. “Apple’s iPhone App store is great. Time will tell if Google will be as successful.”

So far, there have been mixed reviews of the G! handset.

“In terms of its styling and design, G1 does not break new ground,” wrote Wired blogger Priya Ganapati. “It is thicker and heavier than the Apple’s iPhone and lacks some of the iPhone’s features, including video playback. Instead of standard headphone and USB ports, it has a proprietary combination port.”

PC Magazine blogger Sascha Segan called the G1 “an initial solid effort” that is, “missing a bunch of key features right now - like a decent media player and support for corporate e-mail, for instance. But the G1, manufactured by HTC, is a quality phone with few bugs, and given the open nature of Android, I’m confident that more features are on the way.”