Funds freed up for UK innovation

More than £1 billion has been awarded in UK grants

UK pioneers of research into new materials, green energy and future communications will share a £100m government fund to back innovation.

More than 76 research and development projects covering eight technology priority areas will share the money.

The money has been made available through the Technology Strategy Board which promotes innovation in business.

The board has funded more than 700 projects with a total of £1bn since it was formed in 2004.

The new money for projects starting this year was announced by Innovation, Universities and Skills Secretary John Denham.

Pioneers in healthcare, green energy and business competitiveness will benefit, along with work on advanced cell therapies to treat wounds and eventually organs, and ways to allow patients with chronic conditions to be monitored from home.

Environmental priorities include better materials for use in wind and wave farms, efficient lighting for shop fronts and systems to better exploit small-scale local energy production.

Mr Denham said: "New research in these important eight key technology areas will make a real difference to the economy and to our lives.

"This is an excellent programme that fills the gap between pure science and industry Dr Nicholas Warrior, Nottingham University

"Our work on innovation will help businesses to succeed and improve public services, meeting the challenges of the 21st century and enhancing people's life chances."

The new round of funding has been welcomed by the Science Council, the body which represents scientific bodies and professionals around the UK.

The council's chief executive Diana Garnham said the eight target areas touched "almost all areas of science, engineering, technology and mathematics".

She added: "The funding will involve many different types of professionals, not just in science and technology but in business as well."

Dr Nicholas Warrior, who received funding from previous rounds of the Technology Strategy Board, said the grants had made a huge difference to his research at Nottingham University.

"This is an excellent programme that fills the gap between pure science and industry.

"We would not have been able to pursue our work without the help of the Board."

Dr Warrior is working on research to develop advanced materials from recycling carbon fibre, which provide a lightweight and strong alternative to metals like steel.

Carbon fibre materials are often found in planes, boats, racing cars and body armour.

World production of carbon fibre is about 25,000 tonnes per year but it is difficult and costly to recycle.

Dr Warrior's research project aims to make the process of recovering carbon fibre from composite materials much simpler.

Factfile: XO laptop

The One Laptop Per Child project is one step closer to releasing the completed machine to millions of schoolchildren in the developing world. But what makes the computer so unique?

INTERNAL HARDWARE

To ensure the laptop is robust and can be maintained as easily as possible it omits all moving parts. It has no hard drive, CD or DVD drive. As it also packs a low power processor it has no cooling fans.

Storage: Instead of a large hard drive the laptop has 1GB of flash memory, similar to that used in some digital cameras.

The memory can be expanded using an SD memory card slot underneath the screen or by plugging in peripheral devices through the USB ports.

Files can also be backed up on to a "school server" - a larger computer installed in a classroom - or via an online system provided by search giant Google.

HARDWARE OVERVIEW Processor: AMD 433 MHz Memory: 256MB SDRAM Storage: 1GB Flash

Processor: The chip, made by AMD, is much slower than most in today's PCs, operating at a speed of just 433Mhz. In comparison , some of today's high performance machines have multiple chips with speeds of up to 3GHz.

The off-the-shelf processor is designed to be energy efficient. Unlike a standard chip, which remains active even when nothing changes on screen, the AMD processor is able to shut itself down, only waking when it is needed. It has an inbuilt graphics card.

Wi-fi: To conserve as much battery power as possible the wi-fi adapter can operate even when the main processor is switched off or asleep. It is able to do this by having its own in-built low power chip. The adapter supports standard wireless protocols used in most homes and offices.

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SOFTWARE

Different programs appear in the doughnut icon as they are opened

The laptop has a bespoke Linux operating system (OS) developed by leading open source software company Red Hat.

In contrast to sometimes costly proprietary software, open source software is free and allows users to access and alter the code. OLPC hopes some children will tinker with the code to develop new programs.

In comparison to standard operating systems (OS), it is very small when compressed, taking up just 130MB of space. By comparison, Windows XP takes up around ten times that amount, requiring 1.5GB of hard drive space.

Its user interface is known as Sugar. At the centre of the screen is a customised icon surrounded by a white circle known as the "doughnut". As different programs are opened icons appear in the doughnut.

Different programs take up different amounts of space on the ring depending on their size and system requirements. Because of the machine's limited memory, when the doughnut is full, no more programs can be opened.

It includes standard programs such as a web browser based on Firefox; a word processor able to handle most common document types, including Microsoft formats; a PDF reader and media player. In addition, it comes with games, a music creation tool and drawing programs.

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WI-FI

Flash guide to mesh networking

The wi-fi antennas are also known as rabbit ears

One of the most recognisable features of the laptop is the dual wi-fi antennas, known affectionately as "rabbit ears". These boost the range of the wireless connection by between two-and three-times the normal range.

A test done in the outback of Australia under ideal conditions showed that two laptops could communicate more than 2km (1.2 miles) apart. In reality, the range will be much shorter than this.

Using standard wireless protocols, the laptops are automatically able to form a "mesh network" where each machine acts as both laptop and router, able to pass information between computers.

If one laptop is switched on in range of an internet connection (usually at a local school) all other laptops on the network can share the access.

Those computers furthest from the connection will have the lowest internet speeds. If there is no internet access, the laptops can still share data, video and information through the mesh.

It does not have an Ethernet port for use with wired internet connections .

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SCREEN

The screen can be used in colour or black and white mode

The laptop has a low power dual-mode display, allowing children to toggle between colour and black-and-white screens.

Designed for use in outdoor classrooms, the full-colour transmissive mode is similar to any other Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), but in ultra low-power black-and-white mode the screen is readable in direct sunlight.

Many companies are interested in using the technology in standard laptop displays.

SCREEN OVERVIEW 19cm (7.5 inches) LCD display Colour mode: Resolution 800x600 (133dpi); power consumption 1 watt Black and white mode: Resolution 1200x900 (200dpi); power consumption 0.2 watt; sunlight readable

The screen can also swivel around to convert the laptop into an e-book or a games console.

It is also easily maintained. For example, a faulty backlight - a common complaint on aging laptops - can be replaced by undoing two screws.

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POWER SUPPLY

The pull-string recharger is just one method of powering the laptop

A range of power supplies are available to countries buying the laptop. Two choices of rechargeable battery are offered with different chemistries. Both cost $10 (£5) to replace and hold their charge for at least four-times the amount of time as a normal laptop battery, according to OLPC.

For areas with an electricity supply, the computer can be used with an 18W power adapter.

In areas without access to the grid, various contraptions have been designed to plug directly into the laptop including a solar panel, a hand crank (similar to those used on wind-up radios), a foot pedal and a pull-string recharger, similar to a starter cord on a lawnmower.

The pull-string gives 10 minutes of charge for every minute of pulling. Group recharging stations can also be bought for schools where multiple batteries can be hooked up to solar panels or car batteries.

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KEYBOARD

The sealed rubber keyboard is child-sized and waterproof

The sealed green rubber keyboard is waterproof and its size is designed for a child's hands. As well as being offered in a standard QWERTY layout it has various configurations for different languages such as Thai, Arabic, Spanish, and Urdu.

In addition, the keyboard does away with low-use keys such as Caps Lock. In their place are new buttons such as the "geek key" or "view source", which allows children to quickly see the underlying code used to write the program running on screen.

A "grab" key allows children to pan and scroll around the screen while a slider key on the top left-hand-side of the keyboard allows users to quickly see who else is part of the mesh network, who they are working with on collaborative projects and which of their friends are online.

Keys either side of the screen below the inbuilt speakers are used for gaming and reading e-books. A touchpad allows children to control the cursor and can be used as a drawing tablet using a stylus or the back of a pen.

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PLASTIC CASE

The hard-wearing plastic case is waterproof and dustproof

The hard-wearing green and white plastic case is designed to be as waterproof and dustproof as possible for children walking to and from school.

When it is closed the wi-fi antennas lock the laptop and cover the only external openings, the data ports.

The laptop has been dropped from 1.6m (5ft), with the antennas up, with no breakages. According to OLPC, the laptop keyboard has also been dunked in water for 10 minutes with no effect.

The entire package is approximately half the weight and size of a standard laptop. Holes either side of the carry handle allow children to tie a scarf or string to the laptop so it can be carried over the shoulder.

It also features a coloured XO on the back cover. There are 400 different colour combinations so that children can easily distinguish their laptop.

In the future, the plastic case may be swapped for durable rubber.

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VIDEO CAMERA

The camera can also be used as a light meter

Situated on the right hand side of the screen, the still and motion capture camera allows video chat across the mesh network and the internet.

With a resolution of 640x480, the colour camera can also be used to take photographs or as a light meter for school projects.

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DATA PORTS

The rabbit ears cover the usb ports when the case is closed

Three USB ports will make it possible to connect a variety of peripherals including a mouse or larger keyboard. A microphone input and a line output will allow children to play music through external speakers and record sounds.

All of the ports are covered by the wi-fi antennas when the laptop is closed, preventing water and dust getting inside.

An SD memory card slot, underneath the screen can be used to expand the memory capacity or to load new software.

'$100 laptop' production begins

By Jonathan Fildes Science and technology reporter, BBC News

Five years after the concept was first proposed, the so-called $100 laptop is poised to go into mass production.

Hardware suppliers have been given the green light to ramp-up production of all of the components needed to build millions of the low-cost machines.

Previously, the organisation behind the scheme said that it required orders for 3m laptops to make production viable.

The first machines should be ready to put into the hands of children in developing countries in October 2007.

"There's still some software to write, but this is a big step for us," Walter Bender, head of software development at One Laptop per Child (OLPC), told the BBC News website.

The organisation has not said which countries have bought the first machines.

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Silencing critics

Getting the $100 laptop to this stage has been a turbulent journey for the organisation and its founder Nicholas Negroponte.

Since the idea was first put forward in 2002, the low-cost laptop has been both lauded and ridiculed.

Intel chairman Craig Barret famously described it as a "$100 gadget" whilst Microsoft founder Bill Gates questioned its design, particularly the lack of hard drive and its "tiny screen".

Other critics asked whether there was a need for a laptop in countries which, they said, had more pressing needs such as sanitation, water and health care.

Professor Negroponte's response has always been the same: "It's an education project, not a laptop project."

Clickable guide: XO laptop

The view was shared by Kofi Annan, ex-secretary General of the UN. In 2005, he described the laptop as an "expression of global solidarity" that would "open up new fronts" for children's education.

And as time passed, even some of the critics have changed their stance. Earlier this month, Intel, which manufactures what was considered a rival machine, the Classmate PC, joined forces with OLPC.

Functional design

The innovative design of the XO machine has also drawn praise from the technical community.

Using open source software, OLPC have developed a stripped-down operating system which fits comfortably on the machine's 1GB of memory.

"We made a set of trade-offs which may not be an office worker's needs but are more than adequate for what kids need for learning, exploring and having fun," said Professor Bender.

The XO is built to cope with the harsh and remote conditions found in areas where it may be used, such as the deserts of Libya or the mountains of Peru.

Professor Negroponte first proposed the laptop in 2002 Intel and OLPC join forces

For example, it has a rugged, waterproof case and is as energy efficient as possible.

"The laptop needs an order of magnitude less power than a typical laptop," said Professor Bender. "That means you can power it by solar or human power."

Governments that sign up for the scheme can purchase solar, foot-pump or pull-string powered chargers for the laptop.

And because it may be used in villages without access to a classroom, it has also been designed to work outside. In particular, the green and white machines feature a sunlight-readable display.

"For a lot of these children it's their only book and we want them to have a first class reading experience," said Professor Bender.

Name drop

The XO will be produced in Taiwan by Quanta, the world's largest laptop manufacturer.

The final design will bring together more than 800 parts from multiple suppliers such as chip-maker AMD, which supplies the low-power processor at the heart of the machine.

"This is the moment we have all been waiting for," Gustavo Arenas of AMD told the BBC News website.

"We certainly believe very strongly in the mission and vision of OLPC so finally starting to see it come to fruition is not only gratifying, it is also rewarding."

Test machines, on which the final design is based, are currently being put through their paces by OLPC.

"We keep laptops in the oven at 50 degrees and they keep on running," said Professor Bender.

Field testing is also being done in countries such as Nigeria and Brazil.

However, the names of the governments that have purchased the first lots of machines have not been released.

The XO currently costs $176 (£90) although the eventual aim is to sell the machines to governments for $100 (£50).

Intel and $100 laptop join forces

The laptop has already been put through its paces in some countries

Chip-maker Intel has joined forces with the makers of the $100 laptop.

The agreement marks a huge turnaround for both the not-for-profit One Laptop per Child (OLPC) foundation and Intel.

In May this year, Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of OLPC, said the silicon giant "should be ashamed of itself" for efforts to undermine his initiative.

He accused Intel of selling its own cut-price laptop - the Classmate PC - below cost to drive him out of markets in the developing world.

"What happened in the past has happened," Will Swope of Intel told the BBC News website. "But going forward, this allows the two organisations to go do a better job and have a better impact for what we are both very eager to do, which is help kids around the world."

Nicholas Negroponte, founder of One Laptop per Child, said: "Intel joins the OLPC board as a world leader in technology, helping reach the world's children. Collaboration with Intel means that the maximum number of laptops will reach children."

Intel inside

The new agreement means that Intel will sit alongside the 11 companies, including Google and Red Hat, which are partners in the OLPC scheme.

It will also join rival chip-maker AMD, which supplies the processor at the heart of the $100 laptop.

"Intel's apparent change of heart is welcome, and we're sure they can make a positive contribution to this very worthy project for the benefit of children all over the world," read a statement from AMD.

Software developed for the Classmate could run on the XO

Initially there are no plans to switch the processor to one designed by Intel. However, the servers used to back-up the XO laptops, as they are known, will have Intel technology at their core.

Decisions about the hardware inside the XO laptop would be made by OLPC, said Mr Swope.

"OLPC will decide about which products they choose to offer or not offer," he said.

OLPC, however, indicated that it would consider using Intel chips in its machines in the future.

Walter Bender, head of software development at OLPC, told the BBC News website that he believed OLPC would eventually offer different computers with different hardware.

"I think we will end up with a family of products that run across a wide variety of needs," he said. "Intel will be part of that mix."

Price test

In addition, the partnership will have a practical pay off for software developers.

"Any software you build is going to run at least on our two platforms," said Mr Swope.

An application developed for the XO laptop should work on the Classmate and vice versa.

"That's the exciting thing for me," said Mr Bender.

Currently both laptops are being tested in schools around the world. In parallel, OLPC is finalising orders for the first batch of computers.

Participating countries are able to purchase the XO in lots of 250,000. They will initially cost $176 (£90) but the eventual aim is to sell the machine to governments of developing countries for $100 (£50).

Intel says it already has orders for "thousands" of Classmates, which currently cost over $200 (£100).

Like the OLPC machine, Intel expects the price to eventually fall.

'$100 laptop' sparks war of words

The $100 has already been tested in many countries

Chip-maker Intel "should be ashamed of itself" for efforts to undermine the $100 laptop initiative, according to its founder Nicholas Negroponte.

He accused Intel of selling its own cut-price laptop - the Classmate - below cost to drive him out of markets.

Professor Negroponte, who aims to distribute millions of laptops to kids in developing countries, said Intel had hurt his mission "enormously".

Speaking to US broadcaster CBS, Intel's chairman denied the claims.

"We're not trying to drive him out of business," said Craig Barrett. "We're trying to bring capability to young people."

Mr Barrett has previously dismissed the $100 laptop as a "gadget".

Speaking to the BBC News website earlier this year Professor Negroponte said: "The concept has received a lot of criticism and yet after that criticism they are either copying it or doing things perfectly in line with the concept.

"Yes people laugh at it, then they criticise it, then they copy it."

Business practice

Both Intel and Professor Negroponte's not for profit organisation, One Laptop per Child (OLPC), have developed a low cost, robust laptop aimed specifically at school children in the developing world.

Intel's Classmate PC runs Microsoft Windows and Linux

There are various differences in both the hardware and software, but Professor Negroponte believes the main problem is that his machine uses a processor designed by Intel's main competitor, AMD.

"Intel and AMD fight viciously," he told CBS. "We're just sort of caught in the middle."

Professor Negroponte says Intel has distributed marketing literature to governments with titles such as "the shortcomings of the One Laptop per Child approach", which outline the supposedly stronger points of the Classmate.

Mr Barrett told CBS: "Someone at Intel was comparing the Classmate PC with another device being offered in the marketplace. That's the way our business works."

He dismissed claims that Intel was trying to put OLPC out of business as "crazy".

"There are lots of opportunities for us to work together," he said.

Price drop

Professor Negroponte's project is currently in a critical phase.

Countries have until 31 May to place their orders for the first batch and will be able to purchase lots of 250,000.

They will initially cost $176 (£90) but the eventual aim is to sell the machine to governments of developing countries for $100 (£50).

Intel says it already has orders for "thousands" of Classmates, which currently cost over $200 (£100).

Like the OLPC machine, Intel expects the price to eventually fall.

$100 laptop could sell to public

By Darren Waters Technology editor, BBC News website, Las Vegas

The laptop will be delivered to countries in the summer

The backers of the One Laptop Per Child project are looking at the possibility of selling the machine to the public.

One idea would be for customers to have to buy two laptops at once - with the second going to the developing world.

Five million of the laptops will be delivered to developing nations this summer, in one of the most ambitious educational exercises ever undertaken.

Michalis Bletsas, chief connectivity officer for the project, said eBay could be a partner to sell the laptop.

"If we started selling the laptop now, we would do very good business," Mr Bletsas, speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show, told BBC News.

TOMORROW'S WORLD BLOG I was told that the executive had mis-spoke Darren Waters, BBC News website tech editor Read Darren's entry in full

"But our focus right now is on the launch in the developing world."

Nicholas Negroponte, chairman and founder of the OLPC group, emphasised that the launch to the poorest parts of the world was the organisation's main task.

Of plans to sell the machine, he said: "Many commercial schemes have been considered and proposed that may surface in 2008 or beyond, one of which is 'buy 2 and get 1'."

Durable

The laptop has been developed to be as low cost, durable and as simple to use as possible.

The eventual aim is to sell the machine to developing countries for $100 but the current cost of the machine is about $150.

The first countries to sign up to buying the machine, which is officially dubbed XO, include Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Nigeria, Libya, Pakistan and Thailand.

The XO's software has been designed to work specifically in an educational context. It has built-in wireless networking and video conferencing so that groups of children can work together.

[The industry] should look to connect the next five and a half billion. Michalis Bletsas, chief connectivity officer, One Laptop Per Child

The project is also working to ensure that children using the laptop around the world can be in contact.

"I'd like to make sure that kids all around the world start to communicate. It will be a very interesting experiment to see what will happen when we deploy a million laptops in Brazil and a million laptops in Namibia."

'Glue'

The OLPC project is working with Google who will act as "the glue to bind all these kids together".

The machine is close to a final design

Google will also help the children publish their work on the internet so that the world can observe the "fruits of their labour", said Mr Bletsas.

He said that the hope was to put the machine on sale to the general public "sometime next year".

"How to do that efficiently without adding to the cost is difficult," he said.

"We're discussing it with our partner eBay. We need to minimise supply chain cost , which is pretty high in the western world."

Philanthropic organisation

Mr Bletsas said that a philanthropic organisation would be formed to organise the orders and delivery of the laptops.

"It's much more difficult to do this than making the laptop," he said.

The aim is to connect the buyer of the laptop with the child in the developing world who receives the machine.

"They will get the e-mail address of the kid in the developing world that they have, in effect, sponsored."

Mr Bletsas was speaking amidst the festival of consumerism taking place on the show floor of CES.

He said he hoped that the laptop project would help children enrich their lives to the extent that one day they could become consumers of the types of technologies on display in Las Vegas.

'Castigated'

But he castigated the industry for being unambitious in its plan to "connect the next billion people".

"They should look to connect the next five and a half billion.

"The way to do it is not to try and deploy tried and trusted technology but to try and develop technology specifically targeted to the developing world."

He said that OLPC was ensuring that laptops were being deployed to areas where there was internet access.

"We are trying to help the governments - that ranges from donating resources, to making sure that we work with them and that they don't consider the laptop as something that can work in a disconnected environment.

"It's vitally important that children are connected. My ambition is that we will get them connect to a vast amount of information that is unavailable to them.

"It will stimulate their interest in looking further - not waiting for some teacher or an adult."

Q&A: Google's Android

Google has launched an open operating system for mobile phones, called Android. It has also formed an Open Handset Alliance with 33 partners, promising "better, cheaper" mobile phones.

What is Android?

Android is a series of software tools built by Google designed to power a next generation of mobile phone handsets.

The tools are based on Linux - and so are open source and free to use. It means any one can develop software for the platform and that Android itself can be tailored for individual phones, networks and potentially users.

What is the Open Handset Alliance?

Thirty four companies, including Google, have formed an alliance to promote Android and to develop features and handsets to take advantage of the platform.

Companies include handset manufacturers such as LG, HTC, Motorola and Samsung, chip firms such as Qualcomm and mobile networks like T-Mobile and China Mobile.

What is different about Android?

Google is stressing the open nature of the platform. Operating systems on current phones - such as Windows Mobile, RIM, Symbian and Palm - are proprietorial and have to be licensed for use. Google believes it will be easier and quicker to develop new applications for Android than the other systems.

What kinds of features and phones will we see?

That is the big question. Google and its partners believe that the new phones will make the internet experience on a mobile "better than on a PC".

But they have given little details about how this will be achieved, except to say Android includes an advanced web browser.

Most mobile web experiences are hampered by the limitations of the browser and screen resolution of the handset.

But devices such as the Apple iPhone and Nokia N800 - which are not powered by Android - are already showing the potential for a PC-like experience on a mobile device.

Google and partners have said the new phones will be able to make web experiences, such as video, sharing content and social networking, much easier on a handset.

The first phones are not due until the second half of 2008 but developers will be able to get a look at the Android tools from next week.

Will my current phone work with Android?

No. You will have to buy a new phone that is running the Android platform.

Does that mean current phones are obsolete?

Not at all. Rival platform systems, such as Symbian, Palm, Windows Mobile and Blackberry, will continue to exist on an ever expanding array of devices. The companies behind all these platforms say they are also working on more accessible web experiences on future devices.

What has the reaction been to Google's big jump into mobiles?

Mixed. Analysts are emphasising the impressive partners Google has secured. But it is clear that none of the handset partners in the alliance are ditching deals with existing platforms in favour of Android. Google's system will be part of the mix.

Forrester analyst Charlie Golvin wrote: "Paradoxically, Android will increase complexity for developers initially since it represents yet another platform to support."

Technology writer Om Malik has described the move as a "massive PR move, with nothing to show for it right now".

He added: "The partners - with the exception of HTC and T-Mobile - are companies who are, in cricketing parlance, on the backfoot. Motorola, for instance is not exactly a bastion of handset excellence."

What are the business implications of the Google deal?

It is clear that Linux - the open source operating system - is going to be a big player in the mobile space. Android is based on Linux and there are other Linux-based mobile OSes in existence, such as OpenMoko, LiMo and Qtopia.

ABI Research predicts that Mobile Linux will be the fastest growing smartphone operating system over the next five years.

Linux-based smartphones will account for about 31% of such devices by 2012, the analysts have reported.

Why is Google doing this?

There are more people with mobile phones with access to the net right now than there are PCs with online connections.

This is a massive potential market for Google - and every other online firm - that is yet to be tapped and developed.

Improving the mobile web for all is a rising tide that will float all boats, including the Google battleship.

More people online means more people using Google's services, which means more advertising revenue for the firm.

Google pushes into mobile phones

There are three billion mobile handsets in the world

Google has unveiled software it hopes will power a variety of future mobile phones and boost the web on the move.

The software could lead to cheaper phones as it is designed to speed up the process of making mobile services.

The firm is working with four mobile manufacturers - Samsung, HTC, Motorola and LG - but a Google branded phone was not announced.

The first phones using the so-called Google "software stack" will be available in the second half of 2008.

"This is going to bring the internet into cell phones in a very cool way," Andy Rubin, Google's director of mobile platforms, told the Associated Press news agency.

Mr Rubin's firm, called Android, was bought by Google in 2005 and the software it developed forms the basis of the new stack.

We want to create a whole new mobile experience for users Eric Schmidt, Google

Google has formed the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), made up of 34 companies, including chip manufacturers and handset makers.

The move will be seen as a major competitor to Microsoft, Research in Motion, Palm and Symbian, who make the leading software systems for mobiles.

Google's Android software will be provided to handset makers free of charge and could lead to a price war for operating system licenses and potentially cheaper handsets.

In the United States mobile networks such as Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile will carry the Google-powered phones.

'Unleash potential'

China Mobile, Telefonica in Spain and Telecom Italia are among the carriers that have signed on to provide services outside the US.

This doesn't seem to be a beta release of a technology. If I were a competitor, I would be sitting up and paying attention Analyst Adam Leach, Ovum

"This partnership will help unleash the potential of mobile technology for billions of users around the world," Eric Schmidt, Google's chief executive and chairman, said in a statement.

Rene Obermann, chief executive of Deutsche Telekom, said Android would offer a "better than internet experience for mobile users".

"This is a shot that is going to be heard around the world, but it's just the first shot in what is going to be a very protracted battle in the next frontier of the mobile web," said analyst Michael Gartenberg, at Jupiter Research.

In a call to reporters, Mr Schmidt said: "We want to create a whole new mobile experience for users.

"Mobile users want the same applications on the phone as they use on the internet."

Peter Chou, chief executive of HTC, said the agreement to join the OHA did not mean the firm would stop the use of other operating systems on its platforms.

"We do have commitments with some carriers and will continue with those lines," he said.

There have been many reports of a so-called Google phone in recent months.

"Today's announcement is more ambitious than any single Google Phone that the press has been speculating about over the past few weeks," said Mr Schmidt.

"Our vision is that the powerful platform we're unveiling will power thousands of different phone models."

But Mr Schmidt would not rule out the release of a Google Phone in the future.

Adam Leach, principal analyst with Ovum, said: "It's an important announcement. That number of companies already committing to the service is very impressive."

Mr Leach said the danger was that the move would create "yet another" competing service and not a "truly open platform".

"We've seen collaboration of this sort before in the mobile industry and there's quite a number of platforms already out there professing to remove fragmentation, speed-up time to market and enable third-party innovation.

"The proposition from that point of view is not new."

He added: "This doesn't seem to be a beta release of a technology. If I were a competitor, I would be sitting up and paying attention."

Google's system will be based on computer code that can be openly distributed among programmers, allowing them to build new applications.

A development tool kit for working on the new platform will be released next week.