Australian company debuts world's second Android phone

An Australian company, Kogan, has launched the world's second phone based on Google's Android platform, debuting two versions of the phone.

The company, which has electronics custom manufactured in China and sells directly to Australians, launched the phone, which it calls Agora, for $194. The other version of the phone, the Agora Pro, goes for $258. Both versions of the phone are unlocked and not tied to any network. The phones are on sale at Kogan's website today, with delivery starting  Jan. 29, 2009.

The phone, which looks very similar to the Samsung Blackjack II, features a back-lit QWERTY keyboard, a 2.5-inch touchscreen, microSD slot and 3G connectivity. The Pro version of the phone features a 2-megapixel camera and WiFi and GPS capabilities.  

The company's founder, Ruslan Kogan, said the phone is the best phone on the Australian market, and was made after soliciting customer feedback regarding the design and capabilities.

"We worked closely with manufacturers and vendors to develop drivers, software, and tweaks to make the Agora an intuitive and exciting experience for everyone," he said. "The design and features of the Kogan Agora makes the phone appeal to both consumers and business users. The Android operating system means the handset can capture and play music, photos and video, surf the web, play games, navigate and organize your life with extremely powerful applications."

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