Android-based HTC Magic due in the UK in April

Vodafone has announced that it will release the HTC Magic Android-powered smartphone in the UK in April.

The mobile operator has launched a new web site for the phone, revealing specifications and details, and offering the chance to register for updates, including pricing information.

The site shows a white handset, reflecting Vodafone's decision to launch different coloured units across Europe. The firm said at Mobile World Congress in February that the HTC Magic would ship in white in the UK, Spain and France, black in Germany and in both colours in Italy.

The phone is the second to offer the Android operating system, after T-Mobile launched the G1 in December 2008.

The HTC Magic boasts a 3.2in QVGA touch screen and trackball, but no keyboard. It offers HSDPA, GPRS and Wi-Fi connectivity, GPS, a 4-megapixel camera with autofocus but no flash, and native support for applications such as Google Maps and Google search. The handset includes 512Mb of ROM, 192Mb of RAM and a microSD card slot.