Getting a little something off our chests re: the Nexus One

By Phil Nickinson
last updated

Let's get a few things straight regarding the almighty Nexus One, shall we?

  • There is no "Google Phone." As of this writing, the only semi-official name out there is the Nexus One.
  • "Google Phone" is what it's been dubbed because Google reportedly may go it alone, bypassing carriers. But that's looking increasingly unlikely. That and it sounds good. And with Google's simple branding, coming up with something better would require, you know, thinking.
  • HTC, not Google, is the manufacturer. Sure, Google likely has had a pretty big hand in the details. But that's hardly unusual in the developement of a smartphone. Usually a company such as HTC brings a basic design to the table, and then the carriers change (or break) options at will.
  • Currently, no carriers have been announced. T-Mobile is the front-runner, given that the Nexus One sports a 1700MHz radio in it. And T-Mobile is the only U.S. carrier that uses 1700MHz. Dots connected.
  • We don't know if it will be available for purchase by the general public. Currently, only Google employees have the Nexus One.
  • We don't know when the Nexus One may be made available for sale. A Reuters story, citing (not quoting) an unnamed source, says it could be available "as early as January 5." That's not the same as "will be available Jan. 5." Remember that when your kids wake up disappointed.
  • (Our favorite line from the Reuters piece: "The phone is similar to Apple Inc's iPhone but has, among other features, an exchangeable battery." OH.)
  • We don't know what it will cost. Free is unlikely. And even my grandmother can speculate it will be somewhere between $99 and $299. Next.
  • The Nexus One, for all intents and purposes, has the basic features of today's high-end smartphones. Large capacitive AMOLED touchscreen. Snapdragon processor. Accelerometer. All important things, but not one of them is new to smartphones. (Hell, the the Samsung Omnia II and HTC HD2 cover the spread for Windows Mobile.)

So, again, let's all take a deep breath. It's exciting anytime a new phone is discovered. And we're not even a week into the news of the Nexus One. If there's anything that really piques our interest here, it will be Google's relationship with the carriers regarding the Nexus One. Standing up to carriers is really something only Apple has been successful at so far. Microsoft has hinted at it regarding Windows Mobile 7, but that's yet to be announced, either.

We'll know more soon enough.

/rant

Phil Nickinson
Phil Nickinson
19 Comments
  • Plus one. Great rant.
  • im excited to see what htc will do with the new updated android, on the terms of an updated sense ui. So yeah this phone is nice but its been done, i'm just banking on an htc branded android phone coming to at&t so i can get my sense ui on. either that or the x10... and worst case the acer liquid...
  • I for one am excited!!! I dont know why everyone wants everyone to calm down. Why take away hope from people. I own a G1, and I love it, and now its time to move on. I not excited because its may be a "iPhone Killer" or the "G-odPhone". I'm excited because this may be for T-mobile, for all the ones that did not jump ship for an iPhone or Droid. This is my light at the end of the tunnel for T-Mobile. So just let us have this moment...lol
  • Get over it.
    I find this post rather hypocritical - your entire existence is based on, and always has been the popularity of thirst for information about what we now know as Android. So now that there's another new, exciting, wildly out of control rumor you scoff at it??? Your site exists because people love this sort of stuff.
  • Right. I agree with ScottJayhawk. The post / rant might be correct but the tone was so belittling to your readers who obviously ARE very excited about new android products. So YOU take a deep breath, and stick with your day job, or humor your readers with android news.
  • Nah. I love you guys. There are rumors, and then there are rumors based on absolutely nothing that get diluted down so bad it's not worth figuring out what happened. Oh, and you better believe I'll be in line for this thing. How's that for hypocritical hype :P
  • OK that was a fair rebuttal.
  • agreed
  • As you noted, the exciting stuff isn't the device itself. It looks like a very worthy Android handset, but not Earth-shattering. Even Google's decision to sell it themselves is interesting, but not revolutionary. What would be a game-changer is the speculation that it will be available as a VoIP-only device, using a $30/mo prepaid data plan as the only monthly cost, with Google Voice providing unlimited domestic and cheap international calls. If that happens (and it's a big if), the Nexus One will be revolutionary, simply because it turns the phone companies from service and device providers into nothing but a big fat pipe. The only thing they'd have to compete on is the quality and price of their data service. All of this dovetails nicely with T-Mobile's rollout of its 7.2 Mbps HSPDA upgrade -- that kind of bandwidth is enough to make a VoIP-only phone a reality, and make AT&T seriously rethink its strategy about paying Apple $300 for every iPhone customer.
  • Been reading Gizmodo? http://gizmodo.com/5426003/why-we-all-need-to-calm-down-about-the-google...
  • Who cares. I lost all interest in this device when it was announced it only had TMO 3G frequencies installed. I would have better service with a 2 cans and a string.
  • @ScottJayHawk: Just because we're part of the same world doesn't mean we can't try to rise above some of the junk floating around out there. @Mike: None of these conclusions, here or elsewhere, are revolutionary. @gquaglia: You just gave me a great idea for the next Smartphone Round Robin. ;)
  • its just another HTC android device (minus Sense UI) that will be sold by T-Mobile and maybe unlocked as well. Every needs to settle down. It does nothing more than my droid.
  • Like @Aaron said its not the device nor the open contract that is making it exceptional (sure its a huge plus) but having google voice on it at only about $30 bucks for with data, you can't fricking beat that! I do have AT&T and have slim pickings on my choices of phones. Since I have such an extreme hatred for Apple and will never let that bloated iTunes software ever touch my pc, I am left with only with a few small choices. So for me I am either getting this phone or may have to wait for Telus to get the Milestone.
  • lol at verizon fanboys trying to down play the nexus.
    they just got the 2 best android phones on the market and they are still crying about wanting the next one.
    sorry i dont want to get rapped in the @ss by verizons expensive plans. Also i get great tmo reception. So do plenty of others that live in major cities.
    this phone with the super cheap "even more plans" is heaven.
  • Well said, Great Rant
  • To all those shouting that it's just another developer phone like the ADP1 (G1), ADP2 (Magic).. read the following: http://www.dereenigne.com/nexusone/
  • I would add a bullet point that says "It's Android 2.1. Not 2.5. Not 3.0. How much can they possibly change in a .1 rev bump? Are we suddenly going to see the "real" Android, something unlike anything we have ever seen before? No."
  • I fell for the HTC Bravo/Passion "leak" hook line and sinker.
    Reel me in now,stick in the fork...I stopped taking my Viagra it was that good,oh well.
    The amoled screen like the omnia2,
    the Dragon processor,
    the Android 2.whatever all WOW factor. Thanks for the Catch our breath,"Get something off our chest" article.
    To me the Droid sounds great however I don't want moving,sliding,pop-out keyboards.
    I currently use the Omnia i910 but am getting tired of M/S 6.5 quirks.
    The people using Droid for the most part seemed quite pleased.I'm ready to jump the fence.
    If the Nexus google does come and goes to TMO I'll just have to wait I for the most part am happy with "Big Red" I now feel better Thank You