The first Android-running phone, the G1, attracted a fair amount of attention, but didn’t really make it as a mainstream phone. Over and over again, though, people said it was the hardware, not the software, that made them dislike the phone.

While this particular model will never be released, CNet got their hands on the Google Ion, a new all-touchscreen phone from HTC running Android 1.5 (Cupcake). CNet called the phone “the Android device for which we’ve been waiting.” Though the Ion lacks the G1’s physical keyboard, it is supposed to be much sleeker and generally more polished. There are still some complaints, but there is plenty of time for issues to be worked out before a phone like this makes it to the US consumer market.

This look at future Android devices may signal that Android is really starting to go somewhere as a consumer phone platform, not just a hobbyist’s toy. Competitors, such as Apple and Microsoft, have a lot going for them, but, if Android takes off, its cross-device presence will give it a major boost.

Android’s future is still unknown, but this looks like a step in the right direction.

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