One of the biggest event for this day, not to mention for the rest of the techworld is the unveiling of Google Phone / Google Nexus One Phone to be exact. BIG G didn’t disappoint all the avid listener, publishers, enthusiast/future buyers — for they surely answered most of the questions that’s being smite to them. It’s impressive to see that in just a span of 6 hours, majority of websites have the word “Nexus One” published on their site already. Indeed, this is what I called the ‘google fever’ !
For our readers, I know its kind of hard to flip from one page at a time, pressing ctrl + t to view different tabs at once only to find the same exact info as the other site have. So here’s a compiled resource gathered from the big guns of the techdustry (engadget, techcrunch – other’s not mentioned) You will be surprise what ‘6 hours’ of non-stop nexus one info can do to you!
Okay so let’s start with specs – the purported specs being announced before the official announcement was highly accurate (Android 2.1 (eclair platform), QUALCOMM Snapdragon 1 GHz processor, 512 mb ram, 512 mb rom, 4GB Micro SD – can be extended upto 32GB, GPS capability, 5MP camera) However even with this crystal clear specifications, there’s still some questions that aren’t answered here that is, “Aside from T-mobile, will Nexus One be available to other carriers as well?”, “Ordering Online?”, “Will it have multitouch?” and a bunch more – Fortutiously Goog answered it all!
Here are some of the things that you didn’t know about Nexus One:
- Paired with all the great tech, Nexus One have the trackball that also functions as a notification system. It can pulse different colors.
- Has Light and proximity sensor now.
- No thicker than a #2 pencil. No heavier then a small Swiss Army knife. (I think everyone can understand that :D )
- Active noise cancellation – This is needed because of the two microphones on Nexus One. When you make a call, background noise is cancelled out
- You can also get custom engraving on Nexus One
- Android 2.1 – Latest Eclair platform (not 2.0.1 – this creates confusion)
- Live wallpaper – Animated wallpaper (see videos below)
- Can be ordered online via www.google.com/phone – you can buy a Nexus One with service from T-Mo. The phone is available today off contract with a T-Mobile compatible radio for $529 unlocked, shipping to the US, UK, Singapore and Hong Kong. (photos courtesy of engadget – impressively, this is the 1st time that I saw engadget posting a blurry sceenshot) click to enlarge
- Will be open for Verizon and Vodafone on Spring as well! – Meaning not only Nexus One will be a GSM unlocked phone (With Sim card), it will cater for CDMA carriers also.
- T-Mobile Nexus One is $179.99. Unlocked $529.99.
- Any chance for Nexus On having a multi-touch? Answer: We leave the option open, we’ll consider it. – Engadget says: That’s all we could get out of him (Android chief Andy Rubin) suggesting this is still very much a sensitive subject — but at least we have some confirmation that it’s a software limitation alone, so if nothing else, this’ll get hacked every which way within a few days of release.
- Tethering is coming
Those people in the audience will be able to pick up a device today – with a trial T-Mobile SIM card so you can check it out. – Did this make you feel envious? LOL.
Two Biggest questions? *paraphrase a little bit*
1) Is Nexus One an iPhone killer?
Answer: I think this isn’t to the iPhone specifically, this is for consumers. This is our “super phone” – choice is a good thing.
2) Will Google Cannibalize other partnering companies (moto droid), now that you decided to create your own smartphone?
Answer: I think Nexus One is a great phone, but Droid is a great phone too. We’ll upgrade Droid to Android 2.1 too
Related answers:
- This is just another channel to take innovation to consumers, as we see it. This is an expansion of the market place.
- This is about several players pushing innovation.
There you have it guys, right from the mouth of the gods of nexus one. Something tells me that not even partnering companies can stop Google on seeking “innovation” for the entire world. (take note of the double quotation)
Btw, the rumors of BGR that Nexus One will be open for AT&T as well? Two words – Not mentioned.
Sliding out of the mountainview presentation here’s a specs matchup between Nexus One, Motorola Droid, iPhone 3GS and Palm Pixi as well for (enthusiasts/non-enthusiasts who never failed to see a gadget matchup in their life) Billshrink made this one just on the nick of the day. (click to enlarge)
Take note, nexus one’s storage capacity is expandable upto 32GB via a MicroSD card
And what kind of presentation this would be, if it doesn’t have some official videos to flaunt? Here’s a bunch
Wrap-up:
For sure Google live up to the expectations of the users – consumers who are looking for the best alternative for iPhone; Although, Nexus One chief said, “It’s not about killing the iPhone” – Like on our last unboxing opinion, we stated that Nexus One is not an iPhone killer as well. On the otherhand, you can see that Google really did meticulously pick-up the falling crumbs iPhone laid during the past 2 years and now look? We got a smartphone that’s not carrier dependent, open to almost any countries, has the guns at par with iPhone’s features and has a android store that can cater the apps that we need as well.
To me, that’s more than a killer (If we’re just speaking of practicality) It has been a dream for countries outside the USA, to someday utilize a real highend smartphone. Today, we got the answers that we need. Living on an asian country, I personally know the difficulty of having an iPhone unlocked. The Nexus One phone just solves the problem, it being released as a GSM unlock with a compatible band frequency.
There are still rumors that Nexus One will have a sequel (judging by its name) which opens the question, “Should you buy the phone at this early period, or wait for a couple of months to hear a feedback from users?” – There’s no problem with that way of safe-buying thinking especially when shelling out 530 USD seems not to be so sleek for you. Remember, the law of Gordon Moore? That as time passes by the price of a certain tech commodity diminishes – Looking at the nexus one, I have a hunch that its price will have a tendency to diminish and will be seeing it soon.
My prediction? Before 6 months expect a price reduction.
So far, Google really did go out on a very competitive and monopolistic journey especially this year. As mentioned above if Google is trying to cannibalize the sales of the droid? The answer we heard was indirect- Can’t blame them, sometimes you need to become selfish in order to become generous, right? For sure, this will be perceived as a half-full/half-empty move by its partnering companies (Verizon, Motorola, Samsung etc)
But hey BIG G, is BIG.. you can’t expect it to be a tame company and not be competitive – venturing to places it hasn’t had before is in its nature.
So how about you, would you buy the nexus one phone now? Let us know in the comments.
Updates: For all those Fanboys who are loving their iPhones we made a special article for you entitled, “Nexus One Sucks” – I guess the title speaks for itself. Warning: Highly contagious
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I would have bought one for myself and a couple for friends and family if it had been below $200. I would have just bought it for the Wifi, without the T-Mo connection. But Google had to go by the way of the other Evil wireless providers. Google will soon realize its strategic mistake and a missed chance at being great.
This is not the Google I have come to love and respect. Google has disappointed me and countless others.
good article, only one flaw. IT DOES HAVE MULTITOUCH!
It’s kinda funny but mostly disturbing that pretty much every article has said the same incorrect thing about its multitouch support. android 2.0 and up all have it but they may not make use of it in their preloaded apps…
heck one article even went and explicitly listed off 3rd party apps saying that they couldn’t be used for lack of multitouch support. Mine has multitouch, just tested it out on some 3rd party apps. Why they all make such a big hoot out of multitouch makes sense, this is a keyboardless device, multitouch is very important, why they lie about it so they can have some beef with it baffles me. are they all on a apple payroll or something. most say it could take on the iphone “if only”. what “if only” it does have it… so aggravating.
I would buy a Nexus One if it will easily sync with Microsoft Outlook in the same way that Blackberry does. Do we know if it will sync?
I switched to the iPhone after 4 years fighting MS mobile 6.3 GUI and apps that had little to offer.
If I was to switch to the Nexus 1 it has to offer a much better GUI experience than the iPhone. I would have to play with one before I made that decision. So for me, the jury is out. I’ll wait till Apple comes out with their next update, then compare the two phones again. In meantime, I’m still very impressed with the iPhone and its ease of use and how it interfaces with the iTunes and App store, and how it interfaces with Outlook, and email. It appears fast to me as well, so a 40% speed increase is not going to move me. AS I said, the GUI, and the apps I can use is where it’s at.
Isn’t it really a prettier Droid in a nutshell?
I bought it on the day it was launched and is expected to get it on Monday. The custom engraving add 3 days to the shipping schedule. I am a current iPhone 3G user and decide to upgrade to Nexus One, instead of the 3GS.
Yes, Android supports multitouch. Most Android phones released in Europe (where they have more sensible patent laws) have multitouch enabled. Multitouch is NOT invented by Apple, they are just the first to mass-market it, just like the Mouse back in the first Mac in the early 80’s.
I do not think Nexus One who be an iPhone killer. It is more appeal to those techno-savvy people like those who would read this posting. We know under the hood, Android is more powerful than the iPhone OS, but it still needs more Apps.
I checked out a Motorola Droid and it seemed very confusing compared to the iPhone’s interface. For example, if you pull up a contact on the iPhone, there is a nice simple Edit button right on the screen. On the Droid, you see the person’s information and there is no indication of how to change it. I found out through trial and error that the dedicated button that looks vaguely like a list of stuff will pull up a menu, which then lets you edit your contact.
It seems like it should be obvious to have an Edit button, especially since there was a lot of completely empty screen space for it.
One point everyone but iPhone seems to have not mastered is scrolling. On the iPhone if you scroll something it moves as though it is physically connected to your finger. On the Droid and Palm Pre, motion is jerky. One review of the Nexus One mentioned that this was so, despite the enormously faster processor.
It looks to me like Apple is still best at sweating the details. However, I would love to see a higher resolution iPhone. That would be tough on developers whose user interfaces count on the lower resolution. Hopefully the next iPhone OS will have some good features to vary screen sizes and provide backward compatibility. That’s going to be a challenge. But then again, Apple has been better than anyone else at meeting them, and they will have to work with higher resolution with the upcoming Apple tablet, so perhaps they have something truly brilliant to offer …
D
the nexus looks good, but i still like my iPhone better!
I like my iPhone for it’s look & feel and the overall user experience. I knew that it do not have Bluetooth file transfer, MMS etc. and I accepted them. I sacrificed those little inconveniences for the beauty in my hand.
NexusOne have superior specs but that’s not something which will win Google consumer minds. Frankly, if Functionality is all that important, we would have much less iPhones in the market.
When people say “it’s no iphone KILLER” they are only half right…will it put apple out of business? no.
Is the Nexus One a better phone? Yes…99.99%.
The DROID is a better phone…the DROID with 2.1, and more updates to come, does kill the iphone (in every way, for me). I really don’t even understand how it’s a debate. Use them both, for a few days and then judge. Seems most people that hate Android, have been using the iphone for a few years and have been dumbed down and heavily invested in apple products and services, so everything else sucks…STUPID. The only thing ipone has is slicker looking apps and games (for now). Also, I prefer the Android’s all black UI, over iphones.
The DROID, nor Nexus will stop apple from selling millions of iphones, but you better believe it will affect them, enough to make them step up their game, which is good news for us (the consumer).
I agree with bobarazzi’s comments. I have been looking to upgrade to iPhone for the last 3 months and waiting for the 3GS price to come down. But with the entry of Nexus One, I have changed my idea and purchased Nexus One.
We must agree that Nexus One is a strong punch from Google. Only time will tell if it is going to be a an iphone killer but I’m sure Android is going to kill the remaining platforms in the coming years. Symbion is already sick. Let us see how many more will follow.
Yes, Nexus One has full version of Multi-touch via an app called Dolphin. Wake up people!!!
Remember, a 1/4 or 25% of 100,000 apps are really useful in the iPhone app store ( that’s 25,000 apps). How many people you know have 25,000 Apps on the iPhone at one time?
As for the Android, It has 20,000 apps. Even if 1/20th of the 20,000 apps was useful or 1,000 apps, I’d still be happy. How many people you know have 1,000 Apps on the Andoid at one time?