T-Mobile to launch successor to G1 with Google Android software

T-Mobile USA said today it is preparing to launch a successor to the G1, the cell phone that uses Google’s Android software.
The T-Mobile myTouch 3G with Google is a big mouthful. But it’s certainly timely. It’s clear that T-Mobile needs to do this in order to present some kind of counter to the launch of the iPhone 3G S and the Palm Pre.
Customers can start to pre-order the device — which comes in black, white, and merlot — beginning July 8. The phone has a  touch-screen display with virtual keyboard. T-Mobile is focusing on the ability to customize menus, wallpapers, icons, and download thousands of Android Market apps as a reason to upgrade to the new phone.
The phone also has deep integration of  Google services and the latest Android software. You can use Google Search via voice. You can view Google Maps with Street View (which shows you real 3-D pictures of streets), as well as Gmail, YouTube and Picasa.
One of the new apps being touted is Geodelic’s Sherpa, which has an engine that customizes itself to the user’s preference. It learns your dislikes and likes when it comes to retailers, restaurants and attractions. It can then make recommendations based on what it knows about you.
In a statement, Andy Rubin, vice president of mobile platforms at Google and the visionary behind Android, said the new device will pave the way to attract more developers and lead to the creation of a new wave of “killer Android applications.”
The phone was designed by HTC. The myTouch features a  3.2-inch HVGA touch-screen display and virtual keyboard, which orients automatically from portrait to landscape mode in most applications. It also has a 3.2-megapixel camera, a music player with a preinstalled 4 gigabyte microSD memory card, and enhanced video capabilities to make it easy for users to record and share pictures and videos. You can share via multimedia messaging (MMS) or, with a single click, upload videos and pictures to YouTube and Picasa. The device can tap into Wi-Fi or T-Mobile’s 3G data newtork.
The myTouch will cost $199.99 with a two-year contract. More product features will be released at that time. It’s a little bit of vaporware for the moment, but clearly T-Mobile doesn’t want everyone to think that the only choices they have are the Palm Pre or the iPhone 3G S.