Friday, December 5, 2008

Google announces unlocked G1 for developers

If you're a developer itching to get your creative developer hands on a T-Mobile G1, good news for you.

An especially good news if you happen to be a developer who lives outside an area covered by T-Mobile.

Google has announced a SIM- and hardware-unlocked version of the first Android smartphone.

To get an Android Dev Phone 1, you'll first need to register as an Android developer on the Android Market site, which entails a one-time setup fee of $25.

Then the device will cost you $399 (free shipping here in the States). To accommodate demand, Google says it's one device per developer account--for now.

The device will be available for purchase in 18 international markets, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan, India, Canada, France, Taiwan, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Poland, and Hungary. And more territories are on the way, Google says.

Now go build us some amazing apps, developers! Or if you're just pretending to be a developer to nab one of these, go enjoy your new unlocked smartphone!