Nexus One Google Phone:

Google finally launched its first mobile phone last night after months of frenzied speculation.

The Nexus One, which uses software designed by the internet giant, aims to take on Apple's iPhone, which is used by 25 million people worldwide.

It will be sold through Google's website from today and initially be available on T-mobile in the US followed by Vodafone in the UK.

Direct from Google the sim-free handset will cost £331.

Full details of the Google-branded touchscreen handset - made by Taiwanese company HTC - were revealed last night.

Users will be able to browse the web, take photos, play games, access Facebook, use Google News and Google Maps.

The phone was unveiled by Google chiefs Sergey Brin and Larry Page during simultaneous webcasts from the firm's headquarters in California and London.

The phone will use software Android 2.1 - also designed by Google. Mario Queiroz, Google vice- president for product management, described the unveiling as "the next stage in the evolution of Android".

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The Nexus One launch will almost certainly overshadow the opening today of the world's biggest gadgets display - the Consumer Electronics Show - in Las Vegas. It has two microphones which enables the user to cut out background noise when making a phone call.

The Mirror was among the first to try the Nexus One last night at Google's London HQ.

Speaking at the launch, Mirror technology editor Kevin Lynch said: "While it is not quite as intuitive as Apple's device, on the hardware front it beats the iPhone hands down.

"It's faster, thinner has a better screen and a superior camera."

The phone was named after a type of cyborg in Ridley Scott's sciencefiction film Blade Runner.

It has a bigger screen - 3.7in-long - than the iPhone and also boasts a more powerful fivemegapixel camera.

The handset weighs in at 130 grams.

It will have a 4GB memory but Nexus One owners will have the option of adding a 32GB memory card.

A Vodafone spokesman said it was the first operator to "bring the Google phone to the UK" but stressed it was a "non-exclusive agreement", meaning that other networks could also offer it soon.