Vodafone continues to conquer Europe with the HTC Magic. The world’s second Android powered device has been introduced this week in Spain and Germany, and starting May 1st the phone will be available in the UK. Pricing for the Magic is as low as zero with a two year contract costing at least 35 British Pounds per month which is the minimum plan Vodafone offers with the model. With that deal, you would receive free mobile internet, 600 minutes of voice and unlimited text. If you pre-order before May 1st, Vodafone will lower the charge to 30 British Pounds per month. Vodafone is also throwing a 2GB microSD card in the box along with the unit. This is the domino effect that our leaders warned us about during the 1950’s Cold War. The only question though, is where will Vodafone take its Magic show next?

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In the last few days, we have seen some interesting news about the Android OS. We have seen Vodafone launch the HTC Magic in Spain and two days later announce that Germany is the next place where the Magic will be sold. As we reported, Samsung has introduced their first device to run Google’s open source OS, the I7500.

And now, according to a BGR tipster inside the company, here comes Moto throwing their hat into the Android sweepstakes with the introduction of the Calgary. While every Android device we see is introduced with the same wallpaper featuring the giant analog clock hanging on the sky, surrounded by clouds, this device is pictured with a different photo that shows the earth from what could be an orbiting satellite and while not a big deal, the change is refreshing. The interface also looks personalized. The sliding QWERTY keyboard looks unique and interesting and in no way does it resemble the one found on the G1. Back when the year was fresh, the Schaumburg, Illinois based manufacturer said that they would be focusing on Android powered devices while also concentrating on quick and easy links to social network sites. This handset is expected to feature fast access to the latter. Availability date and pricing were not mentioned although a second quarter launch has been considered likely by the tipster.

Another Moto said to run on Android is the Motorola IRONMAN (this seems to be a codename) which is a slider with a full keyboard and nice features, according to BGR. The funny thing is that the sketch shows it with a Windows Mobile interface, instead of Android, so we are not sure if it is real and what OS it will run on.

In other Motorola news, the company has scrapped two handsets; the sleek looking Flash and the Inferno flip phone will not go into production. On the other hand, the company is supposed to be working on a high-end model called Rolex (its display is pictured below) with the same form factor as the Aura and made entirely from hardened glass. No word on whether this will have a limited run like the Aura or if the Rolex will be for mass consumption.

source: BGR, more

Just to refresh your memory, Vodafone Spain was the first carrier to release the second Android powered handset, the HTC Magic. Now the carrier is starting to spread some Magic throughout Europe with the announcement that on Thursday, its German unit will be the next to release the handset. The cost of the phone can drop as low as one euro if you sign up for the 44.95 euro a month (about $59 US Dollars) service plan for two years. If you want to pay less monthly, you can agree to pay 24.95 euros a month for two years and pay 59.90 euros for the device. Customers will have a choice between a black or white model. We already showed you pictures of the Magic wearing a T-Mobile brand passing through the FCC, so hopefully the phone continues its march over Europe and heads over the ocean to the States soon.

source: Vodafone via EngadgetMobile

After the good news about the notorious Cupcake update coming to the T-Mobile G1 owners in the beginning of May, Android Dev Phone owners are already able to download an official version of the update. So, we can only hope now that Deutsche Telekom (parent company of T-Mobile USA) is to keep its word and will not delay the T-Mobile G1 update any longer, bringing important features like an on-screen QWERTY, video recording and A2DP to the users.

Now that we know Cupcake is finally ready, we guess that the development of the next set of new features for the Android OS is already underway.We hope that we would not have to wait for it as long as we had with Cupcake (since last December).

source: HTC via EngadgetMobile

Did you expect the HTC Magic to come out in Spain that early? Probably not, but better warm up, because Vodafone has now launched the Android-powered Magic through its Spanish division. The much-anticipated handset is only available with a special Internet data plan at a price of Euro 19 per month. Some of the highlights here include (naturally) the Android OS, accompanied by all sorts of Google services (Market, Maps, YouTube, Navigator, etc). When it comes to pure hardware power, the Magic features a large 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, Wi-Fi and quad-band 3.5G support. Congrats, amigos!

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Samsung didn’t wait long before officially confirming the rumor, eh? It is now clear that the I7500 is indeed the company’s first handset to be running on Google’s Android operating system. So, what do we know about this one? Pretty much what we need actually – we can see from the pictures that the I7500 is a candybar with only the basic set of hardware keys needed for the Android OS, in order to allow more space for the large 3.2-inch touch-sensitive AMOLED screen with a resolution of 320×480 pixels.  The user interface doesn’t seem to be customized in any way, maybe because this is the first attempt of the manufacturer with this OS and it has decided to stick with the original appearance… We like it anyway.  The I7500 also has a 5-megapixel camera, of course, with autofocus and a LED flash (seems like it won’t be double LED).

As you might have guessed, the GT-I7500 will come with a galaxy of applications for Google services, such as Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, etc. However, one needs a great amount of storage space if they are into uploading images, videos and whatever you can think of to the Internet. That’s why the I7500 packs 8 GB of internal memory and gives you an option to extend it through the microSD card slot with up to 32 GB more!

And now we guess that you wish to know who’s going to get this one, right? Hold your breath – Samsung’s first Android is a quad-band GSM and a tri-band UMTS phone that will be available in major European markets, starting June 2009. Unfortunately, we do not have information about the pricing yet.

The German web site Bild.de is reporting some information they have received about the Samsung i7500. The device, says the report, is expected to be Samsung’s first phone using Google’s open source OS and is heading for a June release for O2 in Europe. This scotches previous rumors that the S8000 would be the Korean manufacturer’s first Android release. The i7500 handset is expected to offer 3G connectivity, feature a capacitive 3.2 inch OLED touchscreen with HVGA (480×320) resolution, Wi-Fi, GPS, a 5MP camera with flash, 8GB of memory expandable with a microSD slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The smartphone will be powered by Android 1.5 which includes all the lovely goodies from the Cupcake upgrade, and is expected to be priced at 300 Euros (about $400 US). Although the pictures shows the standard Android interface known from the G1, we hope Samsung will personalize the OS. Unfortunately, there is no word on U.S. availability.

source: Bild.de (Translated) via EngadgetMobile

T-Mobile Germany has posted on its G1 web page that a software upgrade will be coming in May for users of the device on its network. Among the features that will be added to the handset is a virtual keyboard, video capture and playback, stereo Bluetooth support and what appears to be an accelerometer (translated copy from German to English reads “Automatic Adjustment of the touchscreen when the G1 is horizontal or vertical hold”).

As far as a similar offering for all of those hungry U.S. G1 owners waiting for a cupcake of their own, we still have no idea of a date when it will happen, but with the apparent May release in Germany, the U.S. upgrade shouldn’t be too far away.

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Our eyes are constantly wide open for every new phone that might eventually use the Android OS. Fortunately, the HTC Magic is surely going to use it, and there is information now that it will also be offered by the Italian carrier TIM. The handset has already appeared on TIM’s website and it even has a price tag. You should be able to get it for 449 Euro, probably on May 4, which is a day before Vodafone’s official release date for the phone.

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The first Android powered handset has surely made a mark in the cellular world. In the half year that the G1 has been available, 1 million units have been bought in the U.S. While a strong showing, the device trails behind the iPhone 3G which had domestic sales of 1.6 million in the last three month quarter for AT&T. The G1 does dominate T-Mobile’s relatively new 3G pipeline in the U.S. where 2 out of every 3 phones sending voice and data over the network is that model. When the G1 was first released, T-Mobile restricted sales to stores in locations where the carrier had 3G presence which amounted to just 21 markets, although customers could buy anywhere using the web site. Since then, the restrictions have been lifted and the company’s 3G network now covers as much as a third of the U.S. population.

The next cellphone using Google’s open source OS could be heading T-Mobile’s way. We recently showed you pictures of a HTC Magic passing through the FCC with the T-Mobile logo branded on the casing. As we reported, European carrier Vodafone plans on shipping the Magic on May 5th to those placing pre-orders. No word on if and when the device will be available in the States.

source: TelephonyOnline via electronista, EngadgetMobile