1.5 million Android phones pre-sold? What's up with the 16 October launch party?

As we get closer and closer to the launch of the T-Mobile G1 Google Android device the rumors are heating up. The latest report comes from The Motley Fool (it hasn't been confirmed by anyone else yet) states that T-Mobile has sold out of the first (we all knew that) and second batch of preorders. This equates to 1.5 million G1 devices being called for in preorder sales. That would be quite a feat considering there are still about 10 days before we get our devices in hand.

I have had a G1 for a few days now and will be posting my biggest and most extensive review ever on the blog soon. I also just received an invite in the mail for a special T-Mobile G1 launch event being held in New York on Thursday, 16 October, at 9:00 pm and now am wondering if we will be getting our pre-ordered devices sooner that we thought. The launch event will feature a performance by The Raconteurs.

When I preordered my device the day of the original announcement in New York I am pretty sure the preorder page stated we would be getting our G1 devices prior to 22 October so there is a chance we could see them sooner.

T-Mobile really needs something major like the G1 to compete with AT&T and the iPhone and as a long-time T-Mobile customer I hope that these preorder numbers are indeed true and accurate. I think there is room for both devices and am excited about the prospects of the Android given the "open" nature of the platform.