Everything gPhone

Just last week, Sprint CEO was quoted as saying Android in it's current form is "not good enough to put the Sprint brand on". This started a firestorm on the tech blogs. Sprint contacted Everything gPhone to clarify Hesse's comments.

"As with any single comment from a speech, it’s important to understand the context. Rather than criticize Google, Sprint is a partner with Google (it’s the default search provider on Sprint phones) and we are a very strong supporter of the Android community as a charter member of the Open Handset Alliance. We are interested in developing an Android-based handset, but we would want to make sure it fully leverages all of the advances of Sprint’s current handsets and the data strength of our wireless network. We have a unique approach to making data use easy, intuitive and simply priced. I think what Dan meant is that, only when we are certain we have fully leveraged all the advantages of Android with the advantages we’re known for, that’s when we’d introduce our Android handset."

Low-end cell phone maker Hop-On looking to get exposure from the quote released a press release questioning Sprint's "spin on Google Android".

Peter Michaels, President and CEO of Hop-on, asks, "Why doesn't Sprint find a way to embrace the Android platform and find another revenue stream from it? Sprint has made it difficult to bring CDMA technologies from smaller vendors onto their network. CDMA is the best technology in the world, hands down. Hop-on could have brought in a low-end $10 CDMA, minimum, subsidized phone for Sprint, but they didn't allow it. Hop-on is embracing advancing technology, Sprint is not!"

This was also an opportunity for Hop-on to remind us they are working on two versions of the Android phone. One will be a standard Android phone and the other will be fully loaded with multi-media and GPS tracking. Hop-on expects to reveal an Android phone at CES.

What's interesting is the phones will be able to make calls through a cable box that is being developed by Motorola, that will also run Android. This is the first news we've heard of Motorola developing a cable box with Android. I guess they weren't kidding about their commitment to the Google Android OS.

So, will Hop-on beat Sprint to the punch? Who do you think will release an Android handset first? Let us  know in the comments.

via Stockhouse