Google has released an SDK ( software program developing outfit ) that programmers can use to produce cell - phone applications for the company ’s Android mobile platform .

In add-on , Google will award $ 10 million to developers whose practical program are deemed “ modern and compelling ” by theOpen Handset Alliance(OHA ) , the organization in charge of overseeing the Android program .

Last week , Google unveiled the OHA and Android , ending months of speculation over the fellowship ’s plans to simplify and concentrate the monetary value of developing mobile diligence .

On Monday , with the SDK ’s release , Google also provided more details about Android , an open - generator maturation political program that bear a staring bent of factor , including an operating system , middleware stack , exploiter port and applications .

Android is work up on the Linux 2.6 heart , admit a practical automobile called Dalvik to maximize coating performance and will come with a effect set of applications let in einsteinium - mail guest , SMS ( Short Message Service ) program , calendar , maps and a internet browser based on the open - germ WebKit engine .

The full Android platform will be made available for free under the Apache Version 2 open - root license in 2008 , according to Google .

The SDK has been design to let developers “ extend , replace and reuse ” software element and comes with debugging tool , library , a twist emulator and sample distribution project , Google articulate .

A fireplug - in also comes with the SDK to incorporate its prick with theEclipse heart-to-heart - germ development program .

To apply the SDK , developers involve to download it to an x86 - based computing machine running Windows XP or Vista ; Mac group O 10.4.8 or later ; or Linux Ubuntu Dapper Drake or later .

developer will also postulate Eclipse 3.2 or later , with Java Development Tools and the Android SDK ’s plugin , or Java and Javac 1.5 or 1.6 ; Apache Ant ; an incorporate development surroundings ; and Python 2.2 or later , Google said .

Meanwhile , Google will award cash pillage ranging from $ 25,000 to $ 275,000 — up to a amount of $ 10 million — to developers whose applications are picked by a panel of judges as part of the Android Developer Challenge .

Developers will be able to reconcile applications between Jan. 2 and March 3 of next year . The 50 best one will experience $ 25,000 award so that they can be further enhanced .

Those applications will then be eligible for 10 $ 275,000 awards and another 10 worth $ 100,000 each . Those awarding will be announced in May 2008 .

Another “ challenge ” will be found after the first handsets progress on Android become uncommitted in the 2nd half of 2008 .

Over 30 spouse are supporting the OHA , including T - Mobile , HTC , Qualcomm , Motorola , Broadcom , eBay , China Mobile , Intel , LG Electronics , NTT DoCoMo , Nvidia , Samsung , Sprint Nextel , Telecom Italia , Telefonica , Texas Instruments and Wind River .

The Android SDK can be downloaded atthis land site .

More information about the Android Developer Challenge can be plant atthis site .

The OHA also has ablogand hosts anofficial word forumwhere developers can partake entropy .