If you are subscribed to our RSS for news updates you probably won’t notice that our website have completely changed since last week. Now it’s more simple, clear and easier to find the information you are looking for. It is also more like a magazine ! I would like to thank Adii for his great webdesign work. We spent last week on testing the new design and improving different aspect of the website.

We are currently working on the video and podcast section, which will be enabled in the next days. A new job board for Android jobs is now available for US-based Android Jobs only, but it will be expanded to support more countries late in this year. A mobile edition of the OHM is also available, and that you might consult already from your mobile device at the same address openhandsetmagazine.com.

This is not everything, because we have also moved our server to a new Dual Quad-Core Xeon, 1GB DDR2 ECC 667 RAM, 30GB on SAS/SCSI, and 10Mbps Dedicated Unmetered. You will notice the difference if you visited our website last week and today. The server is used only by our network partners and serving hundred thousands of unique visitors daily, including OHM readers.

Hope you enjoy the new OHM and let us know if you have any suggestion or topic you would like to read.

Popularity: 14%

We all know that the two success keys of any open source project are : the community and the documentation. Android SDK was launched with an excellent documentation, but there was just one group “Android developers” where people started talking about anything concerning Android but development. The group become quickly overcrowded and difficult to follow. I posted a suggestion yesterday to launch new groups for newbies and general discussion, and google reacted very quickly by splitting the developers group into five discussion groups.

So for now, be sure to read Android groups charter and check the right group before asking your question. This is the new list of Android groups :

1. Android Beginners : New to Android development? Start here. Open to any discussion around beginner-type questions; this is a great way to get up and running with your new App on the Android platform.
2. Android Developers : Discuss developing Android applications using the Android framework. Get help with troubleshooting apps, advice on implementation, and strategies for improving your app’s speed and user experience.
3. Android internals : For “hackers” interested in discussing the innards of Android or exploring its use on various hardware.
4. Android Challenge : Discuss the Android Developer Challenge, including questions on contest details. You can also seek other developers to join a team effort.
5. Android discuss : The “water cooler” of Android discussion. Free-wheeling discussion from ideas about the Android platform to your announcements on other Android resources.

Popularity: 12%

Today is the day that everyone is expecting to get a first taste of Android technology and get the SDK for the first time. It’s amazing how a project with such number of members was kept secret for all this time. We was following opinions since last monday and many things unknown are now more clear especially the commitment of Google and other partners in the project, the choice of linux, the open license Apache V2, … etc. And defintely, Eric Schmidt answer on the Google’s strategy to monetize Android is self-explanatory :

“We’re likely to want to enter into such agreements with handset partners because sharing in the revenue, sharing in the advertising, produces just a better total ecosystem. Our whole strategy around partnership has been to work with people, literally share in the profits, share in the revenue, under whatever terms make sense, because then everybody’s in alignment. The fact that Android allows it does not require it. I think it’s highly likely we would do it.”

Popularity: 10%

Google have just announced this monday its commitment to the mobile technology market by the new Open Handset Alliance and Android. While people was expecting a new Google Phone, the news was about something more general, which is a mobile operating system which aims to make life easier and spread mobile phones usage around the globe. The idea sounds more amazing than creating a single phone, and looks also more benefic for Google to get its mobile services used by more and more peoples.

Android according to Google’s announcement is the first truly open and comprehensive platform for mobile devices, including an operating system, User interface and applications. Until today we still don’t know anything about android, but the first SDK will be available for developers since next monday. We can’t miss this opportunity and launched the Open Handset Magazine to follow this new technology and how it could change the mobile world.

HTC will create the first mobile handset using Android which will be available in the second half of 2008 according to official sources. The next year is going to be hot in the mobile market, as everyone is expecting, and we can’t wait to see the first results of this new alliance including Mobile Operators, Semiconductor Companies, Handset Manufacturers, Software Companies and Commercialization Companies. Until the time this dream come true, rendez-vous next monday to learn more about the new Android SDK, and this new mobile technology.

Popularity: 13%