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
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