The much anticipated Google Android phone looks like it will finally see the light of day on the T-Mobile network. It is worth noting that some of the more interesting developments in the world of mobile phones have come from traditional computer companies. First, HTC a company known for making really leading-edge PDAs around the turn of the century got into the smartphone business and provided a solid alternative to traditional cell phone makers and phone from Treo/Palm/RIM (all three of which could be considered computer companies as well).

Then it was Apple and now Google. (I may lump Samsung in here as well but let’s leave them out for now. Oh and HP deserves an honorable mention for the iPaq phone line)

So it seems that the HTC Dream will be in our hot little hands (well mine anyway — hopefully — I still don’t seem to be able to procure a 3G iPhone. The store manager tells me I need to wait for the person who “erroneously” took my phone to come back and return it).

I have been a vocal advocate of adding a keyboard to the iPhone and it seems that both RIM and now Google are embracing the concept of a full touch-screen device with a keyboard. In this case it will be a 5-row keyboard which should make internet surfing easier than on an iPhone.

Still, one wonders if this new device will do something that The iPhone doesn’t besides adding a keyboard. Moreover can’t Apple just launch an iPhone-k which sports a keyboard as well?

We know Google has been courting developers for its Android platform and has even decided to anger the developer community as a whole in its efforts to have a robust suite of applications on the phone quickly.

HTC Dream, AKA GooglePhone, Gphone in Action

It seems that at the current pace there will be a battle for developers between Apple and Google not seen since the battle for developers which Apple and IBM OS/2 lost to Microsoft.

Speaking of Microsoft, let’s not count them out… I would imagine they will re-energize themselves around the whole idea of getting more developers on their mobile platforms as well.

One thing is for sure… There is no shortage of competition in the mobile or mobile API world.

Visit often for the skinny on who is winning and who is losing.

Disclosure: I own Google shares