Google Android Facts

The HTC Desire is an Android phone released in 2010.

Google Android is a free and open-source operating system for mobile devices, such as phones and tablet computers. Android includes a built-in Web browser based on Google Chrome and applications for media playback and messaging. According to CNNMoney, Android was the operating system on 53 percent of smartphones sold in the United States in the fourth quarter of 2010.

History

Android, Inc. was founded in 2003 by former employees of companies such as T-Mobile and WebTV. Although the company had yet to release a product, Google purchased it in 2005 for an amount of money that neither company disclosed. Google continued to refine Android until the release of the first Android phone -- the HTC Dream or T-Mobile G1 -- in 2008.

Android Market

The Android Market is one of the key selling points of the operating system. Using the Android Market, Android device owners can purchase, download and install more than 200,000 applications for their phones and tablets. Many of the applications on the Android Market are free, and the selection includes games, productivity software and software to create media -- many of the same types of applications that you would expect to find on a personal computer.

Types of Devices

Although Android first appeared on mobile phones, it has the capability to power other types of devices, such as tablets and netbooks, as well. For example, the Toshiba AC100 has a keyboard and trackpad, like a notebook computer. It runs the Android operating system and has a dual-core nVidia processor, 512MB of RAM, 16GB of solid-state storage and a 10.1-inch screen. It weighs less than two pounds and boasts up to seven hours of battery life. Although Android netbooks cannot compete with full notebook computers in terms of performance, they present a low-cost choice for those looking for a device to bridge the gap between smartphones and notebooks.

Competitors

Android's primary competitors are Apple's iOS and Microsoft's Windows 8. As of the time of this writing, Windows 8 is in development and has not yet been released. Windows 7 has steep hardware requirements for tablet computers, and Microsoft is working to optimize Windows 8 for portable devices. Apple's iOS is the operating system of the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. According to Bloomberg, the iPad captured a 75 percent share of the tablet computer market in the fourth quarter of 2010.

References

• CNN Money; Android's U.S. Market Share Hits 53%; Seth Weintraub; Jan. 2011
• Bloomberg Businessweek; Google Buys Android for Its Mobile Arsenal; Ben Elgin; Aug. 2005
• HTC: T-Mobile Unveils the T-Mobile G1 -- the First Mobile Phone Powered by Android; Sept. 2008
• The Official Google Blog; Android --- Momentum, Mobile and More at Google I/O; Hugo Barra; May 2011
• AnandTech; This Is the Windows 8 Tablet & PC Interface; Anand Lai Shimpi; June 2011
• Bloomberg; Android Tablets Gain on Apple iPad in Fourth Quarter; Pavel Alpeyev, et al.; Jan. 2011