Welcome to Android – Google’s Mobile OS

New to Android? Here’s a quick look at what Google’s mobile operating system can do.

By now, you’ve probably heard an earful about how great Android phones are, how they will take over the mobile world, and how they do everything the Apple iPhone can’t. But if you haven’t yet fully explored an Android phone, you may be wondering what the hype is all about.

First, a little history: Google’s move into the mobile phone market started way back in 2005, when the Internet giant acquired a small startup company called Android, Inc. Rumors immediately began to surface that Google was developing its own challenge to the iPhone. But it wasn’t just one phone–and Google wasn’t the only company working on the project. In November 2007, the Open Handset Alliance–a consortium of 47 hardware, software, and telecom companies–unveiled Android, a mobile platform based on the open-source Linux operating system.. Read more [via pcworld]