At the GSMA Mobile World Conference in Barcelona the first mobile phones especially designed for Google’s Android operating system were unveiled on Monday. Apart from innovative features, Android proved it is perfectly capable of working amazingly well on very simple processors.

The Android platform was officially launched last year, on November 5, as a result of a collaboration between Google and HTC, Intel, Motorola, T-Mobile, nVIDIA and Qualcomm, with one sole purpose: to develop open standards for mobile devices. Google is working on boosting the quality of Web browsing, enhancing the audio and video experience for mobile phones.

However, the devices unveiled yesterday would fail to impress consumers. Elizabeth Woyke wrote for Forbes that "ARM's model resembles a plain, clunky smart phone. Qualcomm's is an ungainly mélange of circuit boards and screens. TI's boasts a large screen full of square icons for one-click access to messaging, videos, lists and maps." In fact, they apparently all have ARM processors. Freescale, Marvell, NEC Electronics had their own Android-based gadgets on display as well.

Undoubtedly, the new operating system is not yet ready for release to the public, or, maybe more exactly, handset makers haven't yet fully polished its implementations. They have about 6 months to polish their contraptions and make them both work well and look good. They are still crude devices in great contrast with fully-designed gems like the latest Nokia phones. Google has lined up about 30 phone, chip and software companies to help develop Android-based devices.

The Open Handset Alliance is to "offer multiple handset vendors access to the Android platform through the support of open source activities," said to EE Times Avner Goren, director of strategic marketing for TI's wireless terminals business unit.

Indeed, the Linux-based Android has opened up broad flexibility and ease of development for handset makers, and it is certain that the consumers will eventually benefit greatly from the new features and the efficiency of the hardware use by the upcoming Android handsets.

Meanwhile, Microsoft isn't waiting to be crushed by Google in the mobile OS market. Microsoft announced the acquisition of Danger, the makers of the homonym platform which runs on Sidekick devices, widely popular with teens. This means it will be able to eventually push its Windows Mobile OS into yet another market slice.