Google Marries Phone Companies to Create an Android

Google announced today a collaborative effort in making the development of mobile applications easier and cheaper.

The effort is called the Open Handset Alliance, an alliance of 33 members participating to develop a mobile phone platform that looks like what's on the Web.

Quentin Hardy of Forbes.com reported: "Once an alliance member has made the first phone available to the public, the intellectual property at the heart of the alliance will be openly available to any other company developing mobile technology."

Android-based phones should hit the market in the second half of 2008. Tmobile plans to release a T-Moblie device in 2008 also.

According to what happened at a phone conference about two hours ago, PC World blog reported that Google has a two point strategy:

POINT 1: Apps like Google Maps on phones through handset partnerships.
POINT 2: Thirty-three companies are announcing this open platform, with an OS, middleware, user interface, and apps.

What I want to know, though, is when will a simple GPS navigation tool come out on the phones. You think this alliance will do it? Please comment if you wish.