Australia and Singapore have finally received the first load of mobile phones that run under Google's Android mobile OS and software. The new handsets went live on the specified markets on Thursday, with Singapore Telecommunications, which has added to its offering the 'Dream' smartphone developed by High Tech Computer (HTC) of Taiwan, which is also the maker of the first device to feature the Android mobile platform.

The HTC 'Dream' smartphone will be offered in Singapore by SingTel, the largest mobile phone operator in the area, which also owns Optus, the service provider that will bring the handset to Australia. The first HTC Dream, also known as T-Mobile G1, was announced for the first time last year in September by its maker, T-Mobile and Google.

Australian users will be able to purchase the 'Dream' from Optus starting with February 16, with plans that start at A$59 per month to which the cost of the handset is added, states the company's Web site. According to SingTel, the availability and pricing of the smartphone in Singapore will be announced at a later time.

As many of you might already know, HTC Dream is a rather popular mobile phone that offers users a 3.2-inch touchscreen coupled with a full QWERTY keyboard, as well as a 3.2-megapixel camera. At the same time, the device is also able to support removable memory cards with capacities of up to 8GB.

The HTC Dream smartphone comes along with a nice pack of software built around Google's Android platform. The handset can prove to be a great option for those who would like to acquire a device that can provide fast access to the Internet. In addition, both the mobile phone and its operating system bring users support for Google offerings like Google Maps and Street View.

The HTC Dream features 3G connectivity and is able to connect to the Internet through the built-in Wi-Fi as well.