Amid the iPhone 3G launch hysteria, we made a pronouncement that, looking back now long after the dust has settled, pretty well nailed it: forget hardware, it’s code that counts. Code via the juggernaut that is the App Store, which allowed the iPhone to truly came into its own as a mobile platform.

Now, our first official look at T-Mobile’s G1, the first
Android-capable phone built by HTC, is less than 24 hours away, and the same adage holds true now more than ever. Android’s openness puts the emphasis even more squarely on the code this platform will run, making the hardware almost an afterthought. And while it’s still quite early in the game and things won’t really kick up until the G1 becomes available sometime in October, the Android Market is already looking like an equally if not more vibrant place for great apps for your phone. (more…)

Watch Android engineers demonstrate that applications on Android exist without borders. Apps on Android can access core mobile device functionality through standard APIs. Through intents, apps can announce their capabilities for other apps to use.

(more…)