The latest rumor in the long running saga of the “Google Phone” says the firm does indeed plan to release its own handset. But it would run all calls over the internet and thus use data-only service plans.

Dell has confirmed it will be releasing an Android-based phone in China and Brazil. But it’s not giving out much technical info or saying anything about reported plans to release a handset in the U.S.

T-Mobile is to have its own channel for customers using the Android app store. It’s also allowing any purchases from the store to simply be added on to the monthly bill rather than having to pay via credit card.

If the stock market is any indicator, Google’s announcement that the next edition of the Android system will include navigation tools is seriously bad news for traditional satellite navigation manufacturers. But there’s some debate about whether that doom is too imminent to escape.

Motorola’s Droid handset, the subject of a Verizon ad slamming the iPhone, appears to be ready to buy earlier than expected. Verizon has announced what appears to be a launch event for Oct. 28, while Best Buy looks set to sell a contract-free version of the phone four days earlier.

If a finance industry report is to be believed, Google is planning to launch its own Android-based handset. An analyst claims the firm will sell the unlocked handsets directly through stores rather than via the traditional network subsidy route.

Pretty much every consumer-oriented smartphone is a rival to the iPhone. But Verizon’s latest marketing campaign doesn’t even pretend to make that rivalry subtle.

It was perhaps inevitable that AT&T would eventually carry an Android phone, completing the system’s sweep of the major US networks. But it comes from an unlikely manufacturer: computer giant Dell.

A job listing at the Sling Media Web site suggests the firm is considering expanding its presence in the mobile market. It could make it possible for some handset owners to watch their cable boxes on the move via 3G without restrictions.

Motorola has unveiled its first smartphone running the Android system, the Cliq. While it has some neat features, it may not be spectacular enough to stand out in an increasingly crowded market.