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The Wall Street Journal is reporting the much ballyhooed, by me anyway, Google powered phone may make an appearance in mid-2008.  Of course, there is still much speculation as to what a Google phone means: from a 3rd world phone to a smart phone replacement.  Here is what we think we know:

• Google is, above all else, an advertising vehicle.  Analysts see mobile phone advertising spending as the “next big thing” ($1.4 billion by 2014 according to the Kelsey Group).  It stands to reason Google will try to get is phone or phone OS onto any and everything as easily as possible.
• The iPhone is paving the way for the next one.  Despite analysts claims the Google phone will be based on Linux and be open; I strongly suspect Google to leverage its online applications: Gmail, Calander, Documents, Presentation, Spreadsheet.  It is the Windows Mobile Pocket PC, all online ala the iPhone online app system and off line via Google Gears.  Everything you need, syncd to clouds.  All that is needed is fancy wrapper to make it all funnel together.
• If we step back and look, Google is geared for the masses.  Sure there are hacks you and I take advantage of to make Google’s tools work better for us, but everything is made to be as simple as possible to the end user.  From the barren search page, to logical email threading, everything is very sano, not the control room of the Death Star.  There is no reason to believe the Google Phone is aimed at impressing us (though it just might).  Even the iPhone, while user friendly, is more geared for us rather than the masses (you have to connect it to a computer to activate).

The linked article below says the Google phone will be made by HTC and refers to it as a Google-powered phone.  Can it be both?  No matter, it will be interesting.

Read [Reuters] and [Forbes]