GOOGLE SERVES UP G1 FOR DEVELOPERS, UNLOCKED AND CONTRACT-FREE

Well this is interesting. If you're prepared to first pony up $25 and register as an Android developer you can then proceed to order a SIM-unlocked, hardware-unlocked G1 for $399 (and that includes free shipping in the US).

They're calling it the "Android Dev Phone 1" but really, and while it's intended to be used strictly as a platform for Android software developers to test their creations on, it's still a legitimately obtainable unlocked G1.

In addition to being able to use the device with any SIM, it will also have a battery cover with a custom Android-inspired design.

One word of caution however: It's not yet clear whether the device is compatible with AT&T 3G bands. For sure it will work with T-Mobile in the US, but as we all know T-Mobile and AT&T are on different frequencies of high speed data. If I can find a definitive yes or no on that I will update this post.