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Google has figured it is time to no longer keep its G1 users or fans waiting, and has released an unlocked version of the device that works using any kind of GSM card. The Android Dev Phone 1, as it is now called, is the SIM and hardware unblocked version of the G1, and the first Android device of its kind.

To further explain the pluses of this new appearance, any G1 fan who felt constrained in any way by T-Mobile's version is now “free” because, by purchasing this version, they will not have to wait that long and terribly annoying period of time in order to receive the unlocking code from T-Mobile. In addition, the bootloader for this model is no longer restricted, and that can also mean good news for other markets that could not distribute the device until now.

This decision was probably taken by Google since its competitors were breathing down its neck and it seemed to have fallen a little behind. Thus, this move is meant to boost sales for Google, especially since there are plenty of users who did not purchase the G1 simply because of T-Mobile's “blockage.”

Nonetheless, even if this is surely to be regarded as good news, there is still a catch, and that is the Android market site. Since it was officially designed for developers, to order the Android Dev Phone 1, you must first register yourself as an Android developer on the site, as already noted, and only then will you be able to purchase one.

Google has announced it for 18 countries, including US, UK, Germany, Japan, India, Canada, France, Taiwan, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Poland, and Hungary, for a price tag that will go up to somewhere around $399. This seems a pretty long list, but it is likely it will only get longer once more customers register as developers and demand will be high in other regions as well.

Labels: android, Gphone

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