Withe the announcement of the Open Handset Alliance Google entered the mobile phone market. not with a phone as many had expected, but with an open source mobile operating system called Android. Android was purchased by Google back in 2005 and has been augmented to form a complete software stack for mobile devices such as cell phones, PDAs and high end MP3 players. The software stack is split into four layers:

• The application layer
• The application framework
• The libraries and runtime
• The kernel

Cell phone users work within the applications in the application layer. Android developers write those applications using the application framework. Android applications differing to standard mobile application deployment in that the applications that come with the phone are no different than those written by a developer. If successful the move to drive an operating systems would provide Google with a platform to deploy its tools, applications and advertising models to a much greater degree of the worlds population. The list of partners, while impressive is missing a few big names, most notably Nokia. We will have to wait until next year to get hold of a device and see how it functions. At present you can watch some videos at youtube