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Johannesburg - Vodacom has launched the HTC Magic Android-based phone just a few days after MTN said it would be providing the HTC Dream which also runs the Google operating system.
Android was developed by Google and is maintained by the Open Handset Alliance. As an operating system, it is available to third-party handset vendors. So far, only HTC has Android-based phones available.
However, the phone being sold on the MTN network was HTC's first stab at an Android-based handset. It was introduced into the American market by T-Mobile under the name G1 in October 2008.
Vodacom has exclusive rights to the phone known internationally as the G2 - the second Android release from HTC unveiled at the 2009 Mobile World Congress in Spain.
The Magic was developed by HTC specifically for Vodafone, the company about to purchase Telkom's stake in Vodacom to make it the majority shareholder in the company.
Dream vs Magic: how do they compare?
So the Magic is a newer phone than the Dream, but that does not necessarily make it better. For one, the Magic has no keyboard and users must rely on the touch interface, while the Dream offers a slide-out Qwerty keyboard and touch screen.
Both phones have 3.2 megapixel cameras and their screens are the same size. They both allow for memory to be expanded using a microSD card slot, and both have the same amount of internal memory. They even run the same Qualcomm processor.
In terms of availability, MTN is offering the Dream to customers on the MTN AnyTime 350 package for R529 per month, which includes R350 airtime and 100 megabytes (MB) of data per month.
Vodacom offers the Magic on its Smart 120S or Smart 500S packages, the former at a monthly cost of R450 that includes 120 minutes of airtime, 250MB of data and 100 SMS messages.
Both phones will also be available at retail for prepaid customers or those wishing to use them on other networks. The Magic will retail for about R8 200, while the Dream will be priced at around R6 000.
At time of writing, Vodacom says it will have a framework to deliver mobile applications to the Magic. MTN is unable to confirm third-party application availability for the Dream, although all Google applications, including Gmail and Maps, are integrated into the operating system.
- Fin24.com