Google has released an early developer build of version 2.0 of its Android cellphone software. Here are the new features that are getting fanboys sweaty with excitement.

The code is a (highly unstable) early version of the final product which is codenamed “Donut”, and is released so developers can test and build applications for it.

Developers and fans alike are salivating over the list of key new features which include:

Android Search - a universal search tool a little like Google Desktop Search that allows you to search your phone and the web from the place.
 

System-wide multitouch that includes gesture support. This allows you to draw a ‘G’ on screen instead of scrolling through all your contacts to find names with ‘G’.
 

Text-to-speech support which allows Google Voice to be integrated to your gPhone
 

CDMA support. Despite CDMA being an anachronistic platform, the fact that it’s still the biggest network in America means Google needs to be able to support phones running on this technology from carriers such as Sprint and Verizon.
 

Automated backups
 

A new camera app
 

Better performance

The Donut build is actively being ported to current handsets, with a (very crashy) version available for the G1 handset already.

Some of the key features and widgets will be made available in ‘cooked’ 1.5 builds, which will make “the best stuff available in a more solid, accessible form without having to wait for 2.0 to become stable. If you're an adventurous - nay, borderline mental - G1 owner, though, you can start your journey to Donut right now”, reports Engadget.

But to reiterate, it’s an unstable developer release, so unless you really know what you’re doing and are comfortable with a crashing mobile OS - wait for the stable release.

Some of the features were previewed at Google's I/O conference