plumsauce - 3:20 am on Nov 6, 2007 (gmt 0)

First, who in their right mind would commit to major development of hardware dependent software based on a SDK which has not been even released yet, and for which said hardware will not exist for a minimum of six months?

Someone else could trash six or more months of work just because the specs don't match the hardware.

players can add proprietary functionality to their products based on Android without needing to contribute anything back to the platform.

So far, so good. This is perfectly consistent with Googles past treatment of open source.

1.2 Your use of products, software, services and websites in connection with the Open Handset Alliance website (referred to collectively as the "Services" in this document) is subject to the terms of a legal agreement between you and Google. "Google" means Google Inc., a Delaware corporation with principal place of business at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States. This document explains how the agreement is made up, and sets out some of the terms of that agreement.

It seems some equals are more equal than others.

4.2 Google is constantly innovating in order to provide the best possible experience for its users. You acknowledge and agree that the form and nature of the Services that Google provides may change from time to time without prior notice to you. 4.3 As part of this continuing innovation, you acknowledge and agree that Google may stop (permanently or temporarily) providing the Services (or any features within the Services) to you or to users generally at Google's sole discretion, without prior notice to you. You may stop using the Services at any time. You do not need to specifically inform Google when you stop using the Services. 4.4 You acknowledge and agree that if Google disables access to your account, you may be prevented from accessing the Services, your account details or any files or other content that is contained in your account. 4.5 You acknowledge and agree that while Google may not currently have set a fixed upper limit on the number of transmissions you may send or receive through the Services or on the amount of storage space used for the provision of any Service, such fixed upper limits may be set by Google at any time, at Google's sole discretion.

Truly confidence inspiring. A model for trusting collaboration by all parties.</sarcasm>

Finally, the most important question.

Can they knock out Blackberry domination?

Do you think RIM is going to even consider switching?