G1 Released in Australia today

The Google Phone, widely touted as the first serious rival to the highly successful Apple iPhone, launches on the Australian market today.

Made by Taiwanese electronics company HTC and dubbed the Dream, it is the first and so far only smartphone in the world to use Android, an open-source computer-style operating system, built by Google and based on Linux.

The Dream is a quad-band touch-screen GSM 3G phone fitted with WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS capabilities, a 3-megapixel camera and a single USB port but no 3.5 millimetre headphone jack.

A microSD card of up to 8gigabytes can be fitted. Software includes a web browser based on Google's Chrome application.

Bundled features include access to YouTube, Google Maps, including Street View, a music player, instant messaging and email.

It is so far being sold exclusively in Australia by Optus.

Telstra says it has not yet decided whether or not to include the HTC Dream in its range. "We continue to consider how an Android-based phone might fit," spokesman Martin Barr said.

Like the iPhone, the HTC Dream is essentially a handheld computer that can also make phone calls, seen as primarily a consumer device and not a competitor for the BlackBerry in the corporate market.

"These days it is not just about the technology but about making it simpler and easier for the end user," says HTC Australia's marketing director, Anthony Petts. "There are now so many things you can do with your phone; people now use it just as they use their PC."

Some reviewers have gushed about the Android phone, others criticise its angular form and say it needs more work before it matches the iPhone.

They also point to rumours that a new, more capable iPhone will arrive about mid-year, said to have a body carved from a single block of aluminium, GPS navigation, 32GB of on-board storage, a removable battery and, possibly, a lower sale price.

For Google and Apple, as well as mobile phone network operators, the core of the smartphone market is not voice calls but software applications.

Rank	Phone	Product	Price /month	Included Value	Estimated Usage	Min. Total Cost (over 24 months)
1		Optus Online Store $79 Internet Cap + Unlimited Text	$92	$550		$2,118 Save $100
2		Optus $79 Internet Cap + Unlimited Text	$92	$550		$2,218
3		Optus Online Store $59 Internet Cap	$110	$350		$2,600 Save $50
4		Optus $59 Internet Cap	$110	$350		$2,650
5		Optus Online Store $99 'yes' Timeless Internet Plan	$123	Unlimited		$2,861 Save $100
6		Optus $99 'yes' Timeless Internet Plan	$123	Unlimited		$2,961
7		Optus Online Store $129 'yes' Timeless Internet Plan	$132	Unlimited		$3,078 Save $100
8		Optus $129 'yes' Timeless Internet Plan	$132	Unlimited		$3,178