A new version of the Android SDK, released earlier this week, also includes a newer version of the Android operating system in the emulator. This new version included several of the features that Google has been flaunting lately.

Streetview is there (though I can’t play with the compass in the emulator). I can emulate an SMS message, and I got two instances of the emulator to communicate with one another.

I’m really looking forward to Android’s release in a couple of months. I need a new phone, and I’m considering the iPhone, Blackberry, and Android. Android I think would be my ideal choice, but it’s not yet available, and as cool as the iPhone is, the lack of a physical keyboard annoys me. Add the fact that administering it from Linux would be a pain, and I’m not thinking too highly of it. If I had to buy a phone today, I think I’d go with a Blackberry Curve. It’s $150 from Sprint, and for $70/mo, I can get 450 minutes with unlimited data and text messaging, much better than the iPhone plan.