Android is a software platform for mobile devices

Android mobile phone operating system.

Android is a software platform for mobile devices, powered by the Linux kernel, initially developed by Google and later the Open Handset Alliance.It allows developers to write managed code in the Java language, controlling the device via Google-developed Java libraries.

Applications written in C and other languages can be compiled to ARM native code and run, but this development path is not officially supported by Google.

Xavier Ducrohet announced the Android 1.5 software development kit (SDK) on the Android developer blog.

The Android 1.5 SDK release notes include details programmers might be interested in, such as improvements in emulating multiple Android devices and gauging performance issues.

And for comic relief, Google added, "We regret to inform developers that Android 1.5 will not include support for the Zilog Z80 processor architecture," an 8-bit chip that dates back to the 1970s.

Ordinary folks, though, will be more interested in the list of new features with Android 1.5, code-named Cupcake. Among those are video support, faster GPS, stereo Bluetooth, a faster Web browser, a software-based screen keyboard, and user interface changes.

Android 1.5 is due in coming months. In Germany, T-Mobile plans a May release for Android 1.5 to users of the first Android phone, the G1 built by HTC.

Google led the creation of a consortium called the Open Handset Alliance to develop Android in an attempt to jump-start development of higher-end smartphones with sophisticated Web browsers and other software. Google believes mobile computing will drive significant growth in its Internet services.

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