One of the biggest technology stories recently has been the collaboration between Google and HTC, which has resulted in the HTC Dream/T-Mobile G1 mobile phone. Whilst the phone itself is fairly well designed, it is the fact that Google itself is involved that catches my attention.  Android, Google’s foray into the mobile operating system, has a greater significance than just being an alternative phone OS. It marks a turning point in Google’s strategy; not content with just providing online services, they are now bridging the gap between what the online world and the real world. For example, one g-phone application allows you to scan barcodes to compare the real world price of an item to its online cost, while the Google Maps application allows you to see a 3D representation of your current location on your handset.

In future, I think we will see the launch of the g-phone, along with the iPhone, as a turning point in how we use the internet. The easier it becomes to access specific and relevant web content through our phones, the more we will rely on it when away from our computers. Checking your emails, looking at the news or checking blog updates will be as natural as looking at your watch.

Luke Davies