The G1 phone launches

October 22: Google's assault on the iPhone begins today when the T-Mobile G1 hit stores with a sticker price of $179 and with a two-year T-Mobile contract. The search engine company designed Android, the new Linux-based software, as a way to enter the cell phone market to compete against the trendy tech giant Apple. Eventually, Google wants to make the Android mobile platform standard on dozens of phones.

World Series begins

October 22: Baseball's best-of-seven World Series opens, but the three teams with the most expensive rosters will be sitting home and watching the action on Fox (see p. 73). The American League champion (either the Boston Red Sox or the Tampa Bay Rays) will square off against the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Senator vs. comic

October 24: Minnesota voters may laugh during the fourth senatorial debate between GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and his Democratic challenger, former Saturday Night Live funny man Al Franken-but Independence Party candidate Dean M. Barkley's surge in the polls has stalwarts from both major parties crying.

All in this together, again

October 24: The success of the original High School Musical even caught Disney executives off guard in 2006. But now after relegating the second installment of the teen musical to cable television, Disney will debut High School Musical 3: Senior Year on the big screen. And despite controversy surrounding lurid photos of star Vanessa Hudgens, all the popular characters should be back to portray the fictional class of 2009 at East High.

Kilpatrick reports to jail

October 28: Disgraced former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will don his jail jumpers today as he will appear in court to be sentenced to 120 days in prison after being convicted on two felony counts of obstruction of justice and one felony count of assault.