First Google phone now on sale

The T-Mobile G1, the very first phone featuring Google's open source Android operating system, has hit stories today.

Reports suggest a less enthusiastic turnout than for Apple's latest iPhone, although a couple dozen people were lined up on Oxford Street in the cold, early hours of the morning to get their hands on the G1. Techradar reported a queue of about 25 people at the flagship T-Mobile shop in London for the 5:30am opening.

The handset itself is an HTC model which is similar to one running Windows Mobile. The phone is available free on plans from T-Mobile starting from 40 a month.

Earlier this week, HTC said it expected to sell some 600,000 of the devices.

Although only announced last month, the researchers have already discovered a security vulnerability in the G1, but stressed the Android system's architecture was actually pretty robust.

Not sure if you want to buy one? Click here for IT PRO's first look review of the G1 and here for photos.