Google will give $10 million to the developers who build the best applications for Android, the open source platform Google designed for building mobile phones. Google says it hopes to spark innovation with the so-called Android Developer Challenge, announced today concurrently with the release of Android. The software development kit is now available for download on the Android site.

Several actual hardware devices have been hacked to run Google's Java-based Android software stack, according to blogs and forum posts around the Internet. Although Google's preview release last fall included a software emulator based on Qemu, real hardware may provide a better target for application development.

The rumored Google Phone would not only provide an open source phone powered by Android, it could actually free us from the control of the large network providers at the same time.

Google has sent one of the most prolific independent developers for the Android phone a letter demanding he stop distributing software that greatly expands the capabilities of the fledgling smartphone operating system. Neither Google nor the developer, who goes by the handle Cyanogen, is saying much about the cease and desist letter.

Want to try Google Android? Today is no longer necessary to have a mobile phone with Android installed to be able to prove it.Recently released a new version of Google Android LiveCD to test or install on a PC computer. Just download the ISO image of Live-Android that Google released for testing on a PC, burn onto a CD and boot the computer from this CD.

Android is maturing, both for developers and consumers. Will it dominate the mobile market? 2010 may bring the answer. Two years ago I began writing a book about writing applications for Android. Back then, most people had not heard of Android — in fact, unless you’re a phone-geek or a Linux fan, you may still not have heard of Android.

Google is taking action against the CyanogenMod project for offering customised Android firmware. The search giant primarily objects to CyanogenMod distributing proprietary Google applications like Google Talk and Android Market without a licence and has ordered the developer to discontinue his work immediately.

Dr. Geo, the free interactive geometry software, will soon land on Android. ... I am looking for Android tablet owners to test it on various association of hardware and Android brand. If you are interested to participate to this test campaign, write me privately at hilaire at drgeo dot eu

As we've noted before, the T-Mobile G1 or "Google phone," based on Android, is doing better than expected. In 2009, many Android phones are going to be appearing, and as applications and innovative designs proliferate, they could give the iPhone a run for its money. Today, photos are appearing of Lenovo's Ophone, which is an Android phone that it has slated for delivery in China.