The service, called Bobsled, requires the launch of TMobile’s Bobsled installer, meaning, yes, there is more software to be installed for this service to work. However, once the install is complete, users will have the capability to call people on their friends list. The service makes use of the Facebook Chat utility, and Bobsled users can leave voicemail messages for friends who aren’t available. Over at the TMobile blog, it is implicated that Bobsled application was developed to meet the growing demand for a voice chat service on Facebook.

The use of the Facebook Chat environment supports this. Another benefit of the chat technology allows users to place “one-click calls” instead of having to dial a specific number. The blog entry also indicates calls from PC environment to Mac machines will also be free. Apparently, there was some question about this? Did Jobs and Gates Balmer disapprove of this capability?

While the threat of being swallowed up by AT&T is still alive, that doesn’t mean TMobile doesn’t have further plans for the Bobsled application:

In the near future, T-Mobile plans to evolve Bobsled by T-Mobile to include video chat, the ability to place VoIP calls to mobile and landline U.S. numbers, and will offer applications on smartphones and tablets across various mobile platforms, regardless of the carrier that powers such devices.

It’s hard not to wonder, however, if AT&T will allow such creativity to flourish, provided their purchase of TMobile — Why develop a working 4G network when you can buy someone else’s? — goes through.

Apple told everybody what the iPhone does and when we could get one weeks ago.  What’s more, despite the fact that ‘what it does’ is pretty much the same as ‘what the old one already did (but faster)’ they still made enough people want one that the pre-sale models were gone almost a week ahead of release.

So…my question is…When does this new Android device come out?  we don’t really even know the name of the thing.  MyTouch 3G, G3, gPhone, ION, HTC Magic… I mean really.   Forget about the tech specs (which would also be nice to be able to talk about), we don’t even know what to call the damned thing.

Apple deserves a lot of credit (I guess?) for being good marketers.  Of course what have they had to work against?  It’s not hard to out market something that isn’t being marketed.  What is the new iPhone competing with? The new Google phone we know nothing about aside, we’ve got the Palm Pre from Sprint and what?  Who has seen a single Pre commercial or ad?  Who’s left? Verizon’s touchscreen trainwreck ‘Storm’? Please. Nietzsche said; “At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid.” It definitely fits here.

While Google/T-Mobile are hiding little details, people are running as fast as they can to the next shiny object, which just so happens to be the iPhone 3Gs. I’m not saying Google’s new phone doesn’t have a chance, but the way things are going, they aren’t even making Apple break a sweat.

Michael Martin, who maintains a Google-approved blog for Android called Google And Blog, talked with WebProNews about the upcoming Google phone. Michael likened the iPhone and gPhone to the Mac vs. PC conflict in the 1980′s. When asked what he thinks Apple’s response will be to Google’s (what he calls) "ION", Michael says “we’ll see what happens”. As for his predictions on consumer reaction to the Google phone vs. iPhone, he says; “there is a trash-bin not too far away, so if you have an iPhone you can put it in there and pick up an Android." Not that we have any idea WHEN we can pick one up – or even what to ask for…  Just for the record, Michael Martin gave us more information about this mystery phone than T-Moblie has, so we actually owe him a thank you.

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To me the most frustrating and baffling aspect of all of this is the fact that the HTC Magic (which will be renamed to ‘something’ in the USA) has already been out for weeks in Europe. The good news is, if you dig around hard enough, you can find specs and even some (mostly positive) reviews of the Google phone. So, all the more reason to wonder why most people in America have no idea about the thing. 

The truth is, I’ve heard non-stop chatter about the iPhone but until my manager mentioned Google’s new phone, I didn’t even know there was such a thing.  After researching Android a little, I found that any information on it was unreasonably difficult to come by.  By contrast, type in iPhone 3g into Google and anything you want to know is right in front of you.

Google is clearly motivated and highly interested in encouraging application development for Android. This was made clear a couple of weeks ago when they gave away a couple hundred of the new handsets at the I/O conference. Certainly that did some good insofar as generating some Buzz, but they (or maybe T-Mobile) have made little or no effort to engage consumers. They just let Apple have a free ride with the new iPhone without putting so much as a bug in the public ear about their competing product.

That’s right, folks. The Gphone is sold out.

Of course, T-Mobile most likely set aside a significant number of G1s to be sold direct in stores. One report cited by Business Week said that T-Mobile expects to sell up to half a million G1s this quarter. Their order with the phone’s maker, HTC, naturally, is for a much higher number: 1.5 to 2 million.

As Unwired View points out, two million isn’t a whole lot compared to the iPhone’s early predictions (10 million). But considering the amount of competition we’ll be likely to see among Android handsets, it’s probably plenty.

No other companies have yet premiered Android-based phones, but rumors abound about many in the works. Allegedly, five other cell phone makers are working on Gphones—possibly including Samsung, LG, and Motorola. Qualcomm is supposed to definitely be one of the other makers.

The world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer, (do you even have to ask?) Nokia, however, appears to be going in a different direction: the new Nokia Tube, also an iPhone competitor, comes with a large touch screen—and bundled subscription music download service. The Tube, like other Nokia phones, will most likely run Java ME apps.

What do you think: will the G1, the Tube or another Gphone be the iPhone killer—or none of the above?

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