Nexus One: Google’s entry into the Wireless arena

LAS VEGAS—On Wednesday night, I spent 20 minutes poking around on the Google Nexus One, the latest smartphone to run Google’s Android operating system. As a Motorola Droid owner, I was upset with the fact that my handset is now only the second-fastest Android device, though I was eager to take the Nexus One for a spin – and definitely liked the ride.
The OLED screen on the Nexus One is spectacular—blacks looked inky black. Next to an iPhone and Motorola Droid, the colors on the Nexus One were vivid.
I didn’t find the body of the Nexus One to be as spectacular as its display, but it’s just my taste. It’s thin and sleek like an iPhone, but has a plastic feel whereas every part of the iPhone feels like a sheath of glass.
The Android experience is just flat-out fast. Not to say my Motorola Droid is slow; applications consistently load and close extremely fast and applications fly. But what is not consistent are the flashy graphics transitions that take place when I close applications. Sometimes an application will dissolve into the homescreen; sometimes it will just flash to the homescreen. The dissolving transitions on the Nexus One were consistently smooth, though I don’t know if it’s because it has a faster processor or because it has the newer software build, Android 2.1 versus the Motorola Droid Android 2.0.1.

A few new additions in Android 2.1 include a quick view of all your homescreens, a weather and Google news app and a revamp of the screen where all of the applications are laid out. They were all svelte. There’s also animated wallpapers which are cute, but feel gimmicky and probably are just a waste of battery.

The touch screen keyboard was terrific, though it didn’t feel radically better the Motorola Droid.

Nitpicks aside, you’re dealing with a spectacular handset. Bottom line, the Google Nexus One will likely not disappoint.

The Google Nexus One will be sold directly through Google’s website unlocked for $529.99 or $179.99 with a 2 two-year service plan on T-Mobile. It will also be available on Verizon Wireless in the spring, though pricing was not yet announced.

For more on the Nexus One and the Google Phone Store see Mobile Analyst Sascha Segan’s column

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Posted by GFBC Admin on Jan 7 2010. Filed under Caribbean News, GFBC TECH REPORT. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.