So, the long-awaited Google phone, the G1, has landed on Planet Earth at last. Previouly stuck in the land of Planet Prototype, Google has finally introduced its own handheld computer phone, bursting into the category as a top level player and another instant gamechanger.

October 22 is the day US consumers can start taking possession of Google’s new Internet-connected handheld computer phone, giving users a Google-flavoured view of their digital lives from the palms of their hands.

Q1 2009 will see Europeans officially able to buy their own handheld Googlephones, and while dates for the rest of the world have not yet been set, surely an Apple-esque “later in 2009” timeline is already on the cards.

Already, despite not having the iPhone’s multi-touch capabilities or some of its extra sophistication, the gPhone most certainly seems to have hit the gSpot.

Designed by Andy Rubin, the man behind the Danger, Inc “Sidekick” smartphone, Google purchased Andy’s company, Android Inc, back in mid-2005, with the details and speculation back then making for interesting reading, especially now that the G1 has finally launched.

Since then, Google has worked with T-Mobile and HTC to create its own operating system, applications, back end servers and services and the hardware itself, a package which by admission from Google’s founders at the T-Mobile launch is a handheld computer with as much power as desktop computers from just a few years ago.

The launch event, linked above, is available to watch as a streaming video, highlighting the open nature of the G1 and the appeal that will have for developers and consumers, alongside the open nature of the T-Mobile network.

The hardware is built by HTC, well known for its Windows Mobile smartphones, and while the phone isn’t as sleek as the iPhone, it still looks like an incredibly solid first effort from Google built upon years of HTC’s handset manufacturing experience.

T-Mobile has its TV advertisement for the G1 on its T-Mobile G1 site, briefly highlighting the phone’s most important features such as its large screen, the touch screen interface, one-click access to Google search, the Qwerty keyboard and Street View showing an expanded view just by moving the phone in the required direction.

What else have we learned about the G1?

Clearly one of the G1’s winning propositions is the ability for developers to create whatever kind of software they want, without restrictions – unlike with the iPhone, where Apple’s policies on what software will or won’t be accepted into its App Store is simply not set in stone.

Thus, while the G1 comes with no video recording capability, or Microsoft Exchange compliant email software, developers can simply write it and make it available via the “Android Market”, a software store accessible from the phone, just like the iPhone’s App Store.

Exchange compatibility is a “third party opportunity” according to Google at the launch, and as there is no desktop synchronisation software, with all data synchronised to Google services on the Internet, a desktop sync app is yet something else a developer can write if they so wish.

The potential exists for developers to create malicious software, as is the case for any computer, but Google will remove any such software it finds, with both Google and T-Mobile otherwise committed to having an open a platform as possible.

This means that developers can create VoIP programs which could bypass T-Mobile’s voice networks, or even its data network given the G1’s Wi-Fi capabilities.

Not having Google to meddle in software development as Apple does means a more innovative stream of software could well emerge from the G1 than the iPhone, despite more than 3300 programs already available for Apple’s handheld.

Developers can go to the official Android developer site hosted here, where Google is already hard at work attracting ever more developers to the platform.

Google promises several things on the site, the first of which is “Apps without borders”. This is explained as: “Apps on Android can access core mobile device functionality through standard APIs. Through intents, apps can announce their capabilities for other apps to use” with this and the following three topics all having a video to watch as well.

Google also boasts that: “Apps are created equal”, and promises that: “Any app on the mobile device can be replaced or extended — even core components such as the dialer or home.”

To emphasise the G1’s web connected nature, Google says that “Apps can easily embed the web” and explains that “apps can easily embed HTML, Javascript, and style sheets. An app can render web content through a WebView”.

What else can the G1 do that Apple’s iPhone can’t?
And in a dig at Apple’s multi-tasking device that only multi-tasks with Apple’s apps and forces everyone else to single-task, Google says the following: “Apps can run in parallel”.

Google emphasises that: “Android is a complete multitasking environment where apps can run in parallel. While running in the background, an app can produce notifications to get attention.”

Watching videos of the Android at work, including the simple ability to switch between applications and instantly be notified of applications trying to get your attention thanks to a new message or something else, was very interesting and smoothly implemented.

A bar at the top of the screen notifies you of, for example, a new IM message. Just tap and drag that “bar” down the screen, and suddenly you can see which apps have messages for you.

The interface also looks quite smooth, letting you customise your home screen easily with new icons or photos.

There is no “on-screen keyboard” as the G1 relies on its physical QWERTY min-key keyboard, although with 5 rows of keys, including an individual row for numbers, flicking up the screen to enter data is simplicity itself.

The G1 also supports copy and paste, something Apple is yet to officially unveil. This is available whether to send a link to a friend by email, or copy and paste text from one note to another, and works in other apps too.

This online video – and another here - of the Android G1 OS in operation show how copy and paste works, by pressing and then holding to bring up the equivalent of a “right mouse button” menu.

It also shows how easily Apple could introduce copy and paste if it wanted to, and unless Apple is working on some way to “revolutionise” cut, copy and paste even further, there really is no excuse any further for Apple simply pretending copy and paste doesn’t exist on handheld devices.

So, what now before the October 22 launch, and the upcoming Christmas sales bonaza season?
Google and T-Mobile are clearly going to enjoy just under a month’s worth of added hype and excitement before the G1 launches, while plenty of developers are no doubt seeing just how popular iPhone apps are and how that popularity could easily transfer to the G1.

While the programming languages are different, successful iPhone developers would be crazy to ignore the G1’s potential.

Handheld computers and smartphones have been with us for years, but never have they been more powerful, nor their future as bright.

Despite a raft of Google apps already being available for competing phones and platforms, those who curiously say the G1 isn’t “iPhone exciting” are short changing Google and its gamechanging capabilities.

The battle between the G1, the iPhone, Windows Mobile, the Nokia N96, the BlackBerry and other smartphones this Christmas/end-of-year/holiday shopping season will be fascinating to watch, with each offering better features, benefits and capabilities than ever before.

While 2008 has been an amazing year for handheld computers and smartphones as it is, the way things are going, 2009 and the fight to be the consumer’s choice will be an even bigger battle still, with consumers the ultimate winners from this frenzy of technological competition.

But until all of that happens, the G1 has to launch first. That happens on October 22, in the midst of Nokia’s massive campaign to promote the N96, and the chance that a 32GB iPhone 3G makes an appearance.

More G1 gPhone news as it happens – this is one tech topic you can definitely expect to hear a lot more about.