Android's Cupcake is first step to rivaling the iPhone's cheesecake

Late last week I began waiting for my Cupcake. I heard a rumor that T-Mobile had began distributing Cupcake at random to people over-the-air. I waited for my turn to receive my Cupcake. When I became impatient, I took drastic measures in order to force my Cupcake to come to me. It turned out my Cupcake was too smart for that. Now it is 5 days later, and I am still without my Cupcake.
This is no ordinary Cupcake, though it is likely just as decadent. The Cupcake I am referring to is the software update to Google's software baby, the Android mobile phone operating system. The first Android phone, the HTC G1, is distributed by T-Mobile in the United States. I have been a patient T-Mobile customer for years, and now I am finally reaping the benefits.

I was one of the first adopters of the G1. I love Google (right, Blogger?). I tolerate G1. Going from an Apple iPod Touch to an Android phone was a huge leap. I expected a similar operating system to the iPod/iPhone's gimped OS X version -- just more "open" since it's all Linux-y and stuff. I was wrong.

The G1 has been a disappointment as an iPhone killer thus far. The G1 is very slow compared to the iPhone, and the design of both the phone and the Android OS is... well, ugly by comparison. Even still, I love my little phone, for all of its flaws. Android has the potential to be an iPhone killer. I believe Cupcake is the first step.

Cupcake, named after a Google executive's sweet-tooth, brings several improvements to the operating system. First and foremost, this update brings a much-needed soft keyboard -- the days of opening up my phone to do even minor typing are gone. The update also brings a handful of new applications, design tweaks, and changes to make things a bit *easier*. This updates will make the phone sexier and more efficient -- so hopefully it will no longer hemorrhage battery power.


The update has reportedly been released in the UK, and for Android dev phones. There are options for "rooting" your phone to update it, but I want to do this naturally -- for sentimental reasons, and since the rooting process isn't yet completely fool-proof. (Therefore, I are fool!)

I will continue to wait.