Though Google has yet to officially make the announcement, Eric Chu from Android Market has announced that developers will soon be able to target users in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and Poland.

Skype has just released a new version of it's popular software specifically designed for Android-based phones, and other Java-enabled devices. “Making the Skype experience available for download to Android-powered devices, as well as hundreds of other mobile phones from the world’s leading handset manufacturers is a major step forward for Skype,” said Scott Durchslag, COO of Skype.

I just read over at LinuxDevices.com that "Several actual hardware devices have been hacked to run Google's Java-based Android software stack, according to blogs and forum posts around the Internet. Although Google's preview release last fall included a software emulator based on Qemu, real hardware may provide a better target for application development."

For more info checkout the full story here: Link

Well it looks like somebody in the shipping department made a slight error at T-Mobile, and now we are hearing many T-Mobile customers who pre-ordered the HTC G1 smartphone from T-Mobile are receiving the units today.

After discussing the issue with the local T-Mobile store I was told that only current T-Mobile customers were given the ability to pre-order the G1, and with upwards of 1 to 1.5 Million pre-orders to fulfill T-Mobile didn't really have a choice but to start shipping the units late last week in order to get them out to customers by the Oct 22nd release date.

Handango Inc. the well known smartphone application developer has announced that they will become the first retailer to offer both free and paid applications for Google Android based phones.

"Handango has always offered its customers the widest variety of smartphone apps available on the market and on all major operating systems," says Bill Stone, CEO of Handango.

"Handango is now offering developers the opportunity to sell the paid apps they create for the Android platform as well as offer any free apps when the first Android device launches. Customers can purchase apps via the Web and then download them to their device."

With T-Mobile scheduled to release the first Google Android based phone, the HTC G1 / HTC Dream in the US on Oct 22nd, and in the UK on Oct 30th, how long will it remain in the shadow of Apple's iPhone?

With that being the question on everybody's mind, we take a close look at the G1.

The upcoming T-Mobile launch of the G1 Google smartphone, which was made by HTC and designed by Google, will for the time being remain in the shadow of the iPhone. Our first impressions leave us feeling that the HTC hardware and Android OS could have used just a little more polish prior to hitting the streets, but overall left us feeling very good about the direction Google is taking with its Android OS.

There's good news out there for all of you Android developers. Google has officially announced the release of version 1.0 of the Android SDK. You can now code with confidence that the API's will not be changing.