Google Android platform, $10 million developer challenge

As promised, Google today released android SDK software for developing mobile application. As I have said in my earlier posts, there are other vendors who support open mobile software platform. What’s interesting with android is its promise of being more open in every aspect of the software. Also described as “the first truly open and comprehensive platform for mobile devices”

Some tit bits about the android SDK
• SDK supported for mac,windows and Linux flavor(Linux Ubuntu Dapper Drake)
• Developers need to use Java as a programming language to write applications
• Eclipse and other IDE supported.
• The platform includes the Dalvik(apparently named after a favorite destination ) virtual machine;
• Android is based on the Apache v2 open source license.
• A high fidelity emulator provided with the SDK
• You can run and fully debug Android applications on a standard PC desktop in an emulator.

The entire Android platform will be made available for free under the Apache Version 2 open-source license in 2008, according to Google. In addition, Google plans to follow the Linux model for android platform.

For developers, it’s a double whammy, an open source mobile platform to play with, and 10 million dollars to smile.
So what’s the deal with this challenger program- Google launched the
, which promises $10 million in awards for great mobile apps, built on android platform.

So here is some more info about the challenger program-
• Two developer challenges announced. Money to be shared between these two challenges.
• Challenge 1- Applications accepted between Jan 2 through march 3 – 2008
• Challenge 1- This will be launched after the first handset built on android is available.
• In the Android Developer Challenge I, the 50 most promising entries received by March 3 will each receive a $25,000 award to fund further development.
• Those selected will then be eligible for even greater recognition via ten $275,000 awards and ten $100,000 awards.

Check out this awesome video from surgery bin and Steve. I loved the maps part, it was mind blowing. What a coincidence, today I got a chance to play around with iPhone maps and here again I see this great map app with touch screen on android. Looks like Googles android has lot of promise for users and developers. Iam very excited about this platform and have decided to digg more on this. Wish to write more about android in future.