Having gone to Barcelona more than a little ambivalent about Android, Vincent ended up pretty impressed by the state of Google’s mobile OS (you can read all our coverage here); from what he saw, the software and hardware partners Google has managed to bring on board are doing a pretty good job of turning what could be just another Linux cellphone distro into something capable of threatening Symbian and Windows Mobile.  It looks like the BBC’s Darren Waters feels much the same way after meeting with Android developer Andy Rubin (and shooting the video you can see after the cut); despite demonstrating an alpha version of the software stack, the handset Rubin brought was still capable of browsing the full internet, smoothly showing Google Maps and even the hitherto desktop-only Street View location-image app. 

Rubin also managed to sneak in a sly dig at Apple’s iPhone; describing the coveted handset - which he himself owns - as “a great 1.0 product”.  It’s also a possible insight into why Google went with a software platform rather than the much-rumored gPhone; asked about the challenges Apple face with their cellphone, Rubin described the difficulties in creating a device when catering for widely varied markets:

“One of the things that is a challenge for them is having an incredible footprint worldwide - there are different types of communications standards, regulatory issues, and different language issues.  I’m hoping that doesn’t limit them” Andy Rubin, Google

Early last week controversial rumor-monger Robert X. Cringely restarted rumors that Google would be entering the hardware cellphone market, with a device built by Samsung but bearing the search company’s logo.