T-Mobile G1 update adds Google voice search

At last, users of the Google Android-powered G1 smartphone will get a crack at Google's innovative voice searching feature—more than two months after iPhone users got the update, in fact. Meanwhile, the long-awaited "Cupcake" update for the G1 is still in the oven.

Gizmodo reports that T-Mobile began pushing out the "over-the-air" firmware update this week. If you're a G1 owner and you haven't received the update yet, just be patient; not every will get the automatic update at once, and the rollout will reportedly take about two weeks to complete.

Anyway, while the new firmware update is not, apparently, the buzzed-about "Cupcake" release (which will supposedly deliver a virtual touchscreen keyboard, among other goodies), the current OTA patch comes with a welcome surprise: Google's clever (and mostly effective) voice search feature, which arrived for iPhone users back in November (check out my impressions right here).

Other features included in the new G1 update, according to Gizmodo: "long-click" saving for images and files, as well as the ability to manually check for new software updates.

OK, but when's Cupcake coming? No official word on that, unfortunately, although if you're really dying to try it (and you're not afraid to tinker around with software development kits), Gizmodo has the instructions right here.

And what about the rumored T-Mobile G2? Wish I had something new for you; alas, the rumor mill is relatively quiet in the wake of last month's leaked images. If I hear any news, you'll be the first to know.

Related:
Significant Android Update Rolling Out to G1 Users, Includes Google Voice Search [Gizmodo]