Google's Android Sparks Excitement in Europe

The much-hyped "Google phone" didn't create quite the buzz that many experts anticipated when the T-Mobile G1 was released in October of last year. Disappointment isn't expected to linger, though, as cell-phone manufacturer HTC announced the release of three new handsets that will support the mobile operating system.

According to TheBigMoney.com, the HTC Magic, the first of the new handsets, will be sold in Europe beginning in April. Google's first Android phone saw sales at a meager 4.3 percent of the smartphone market while Blackberry and iPhone sales doubled. Google is optimistic of future growth as more manufacturers seek software partners, and the open-source Android platform is a viable choice for many. As mobile platform sales have seen enormous growth, PC makers Acer, Asutek, and Dell are all planning to introduce their own smartphones.

To support the new influx of Anroid-enabled handsets, CNET reported that Google set up a support team in Taiwan, the operating base of HTC. The group will provide support for phones, and Google denied that the tech giant is also offering support for laptops in the Asian nation.

According to Wind River Systems, the Linux-based mobile operating system is expected to be used in a variety of devices, including navigation systems.