Google Inc. showed off its nearly completed mobile software system to about 3,000 computer programmers Wednesday, hoping to cultivate more services and advertising for humans on the go.

Although brief, the demonstration at the World Wide Web search leader’s annual developer conference in San Francisco represented the most extensive public look so far at “Android” — an open-source platform being designed for “smart” phones and other mobile devices that surf the Web. Android was first announced nearly seven months ago.

The bells and whistles unveiled Wednesday included: a way to unlock phones by drawing a specific shape on the touchscreen instead of entering a password; bookmarks for favorite Web sites on the device’s home page; a “compass” tool that automatically roams with the phone while a user looks at photographic images of a city map; a magnifying tool to zoom in on Web substance; and a mobile version of the video game Pac Man.

The demonstration relied on touchscreen technology

similar to Apple Inc.’s iPhone, but Android can additionally be tailored to work with a tracking ball, said Andy Rubin, who is overseeing the project.

While acknowledging the work on Android is nearly done, Rubin deflected a question about how much longer consumers will have to wait for a phone powered by the new software. Sticking to the timetable Google has used all through the project, Rubin said Android will hit the market some duration during the final six months of that year.

Several handset makers, including Samsung Electronics Co., HTC and LG Electronics Inc., are among the 34 partners that Google has recruited to help launch Android.

Google plus hopes programmers will create a wide variety of products that will run on Android. That’s one of the reasons the Mountain View-based company chose to flaunt the free software at the developers’ conference.

By making it easier and more appealing…

Orginal post by Top Tech News