Update 2: Yeah. Fake. Move along, folks.
Update: Tech Hog has pulled the post and picture. That proof it's real? Proof it's fake? News at 11.
ZOMG, might this be Google's next Nexus device? Could be. According to Tech Hog (yeah ...) what you see here indeed is testing platform for Ice Cream Sandwich -- ICS. And if you had any doubts about how Honeycomb features were going to be merged into the smartphone platform, you need only count the number of buttons you can see on the front of this thing. While it's possible they could be the kind of magical disappearing capacitive buttons you see on a few phones now, we're more than willing to bet the home-back-menu-search functions will be moving to software, just like in Android's tablet OS.
Anyhoo, two manufacturers said to be in the running for the next Nexus device are HTC (natch) and LG. The device is said to be in testing with HSPA+ and Sprint's CDMA. No real surprise there. As for when we'll see release? We'd figure later in the year, much as we know you guys would like it out ... yesterday.
Reader comments
Rumored Ice Cream Sandwich test device surfaces
That's gotta be a fake.
{{-_-}}
Maybe they're trying to do it like the Playbook and replace buttons for gestures.
With the silver bezel it looks too much like a 1st gen iPhone, of course this isn't the final unit but it looks like unibody and no capacitive buttons?
If you ain't rolling with sprint then down the road when this monster comes out later this year YOU WON'T BE ROLLING AT ALL...fOR NOW IT IS EVO 3D TIME that will be the best device on the market for the summer of 2011. Sprint is making moves with there overall lineup of smartphones and tablets PEOPLE BETTER TAKE NOTICE...
I doubt this is a legit photo. Anyway, I don't want a phone without buttons, as if the buttons are all software, they will take up too much of the screen and it just won't be very user friendly. Bring back physical buttons. HTC Desire style ftw!
Buttons aren't everything dude, look at the Playbook...it works flawlessly with gestures. I actually like it better than buttons.
Verizons only nexus like device is the XOOM. Would Love to get ICS but can wait for Verizons. Should be pretty big free after my two years are up on my contract with the TBOLT and Charge
jus got the nexus s 4g from an evo. was gonna keep it and play with the possibility of getting the evo3d. kiiinda want that asynchronous dualcore. if a new nexus device is coming with 2.4, i may wait regardless of nexus s getting it. i like the pure goog.
Is this the line for this device ?
I'll take one !
Hopefully it will be 42mbps 4G capable !
EDIT: Woops ! The photo has been removed from the techhog site
and all the comments there say its a photoshop job.
:-D
I'm not feeling the lack of hardware buttons. Even if it's a fake, many think this is the direction Google's headed. Franky I think it works on a tablet because of three things: 1) surplus screen real estate 2) buttons on any one side of a device you often turn every which way would be awkward 3) a tablet usage model is generally more laid back... You're not walking, eating lunch outside, waiting in a crowded place, etc when using a tablet.
On a phone, the ability to QUICKLY back out of a full screen app (or jump to your previous app/page) and the ability to quickly initiate a search (or voice search) are a lot more imperative than they are on a tablet. The menu button was always a crutch that lead to disparate app interfaces, we could probably do without that one.
I guess search could be moved on-screen even if it's not always more convenient, and I could see home & back combined into one physical non-capacitive button, maybe around the side (thus ending the debate of what's more comfortable for waking up the phone, top or side)... Losing a physical home and/or back button entirely would be a step backwards tho!
Think about how you use a tablet vs a phone for a minute... How do people even exit full screen games on tablets, thru the often schitzo in-game menus? Eww...
Don't you people remember seeing this "phone" around Christmas of 2010? It was rumored to be the inc2. This isn't the nexus 3. This isn't even a real device. I wish the websites reporting this stuff would do a little research before they post this garbage. Especially if they've hosted this image before.
http://www.techhog.com/editorial/exclusive-test-model-for-the-nexus-3-by...
they pulled the info (guess it was indeed GIMPed)
WOW!! That phone is gonna be awesome! Does anyone have any shots of it with the screen on?
If it is even real and not just a photo edited construction.... what exactly makes it "awesome"? Simply the lack of buttons??
Agreed, I think it looks like a piece of crap.
i like no physical buttons. give me more display and less bezel/buttons. have the buttons appear only when needed - kind of like the Android Menu pop up. squeeze a 4.5-5" display into a 4.3" display form factor?
4.5" certainly. Maybe even 4 5/8" (I just measured an Evo, less buttons). 5", no way.
Like splitfinity said this thing looks photoshopped!! look at the area of the screen around his middle finger. You can see a line going almost accross the screen. This is probably a picture of someone holding an Evo upside down with a TPU case and then someone altered the image cut out the capasative buttons and pasted it again to make the phone look the same on both sides..
This is a terrible job. At first glance it could look real but just take a second and follow the right side from bottom to top. the screen is obvious cut and paste.
thanks splitfinity i almost missed it.
I think it looks GIMPed
Wah I hope its HTC, not LG :/
that pic is obviously a hack job. but i cant wait for the real one to be announced. i passed on the nexus s just cus i hate sam-suck. and i have no idea why ppl rag on htc phones' battery life. both my evo and evo shift, both overclocked, give me well over 12+ hours on one charge.
Well, as a point of comparision, that Google phone you passed on because of it's Korean-manufacturer-who-shall-not-be-named can get up to 2 days on one charge once rooted. :p
I wouldn't give you guys two plug nickels for all the "real" buttons on the planet. I love my EVO and feel as though when I touch a Droid that thing is cheesy!
I'll take your plug nickels and real buttons. With real buttons you don't accidentally change screens.
Another these phones could use - a dead/freeze screen button, so I don't keep changing screens or apps by accidentally touching the edge of the screen when talking on the phone.
I wouldn't give you guys two plug nickels for all the "real" buttons on the planet. I love my EVO and feel as though when I touch a Droid that thing is cheesy!
I'll take your plug nickels and real buttons. With real buttons you don't accidentally change screens.
Another these phones could use - a dead/freeze screen button, so I don't keep changing screens or apps by accidentally touching the edge of the screen when talking on the phone.
Uugghh!!!.... When is Verizon gonna get a Nexus phone?!?!.... And yea this looks fake, but a Nexus phone + HTC + 4G = 2 hours of battery life hahaha... Ohh and some winning thrown in as well :)
READ AGAIN!! PHOTOSHOPPED.
All other opinions about how it looks are irrelevant, it is a fake.
ARE YOU SURE IT IS NOT GIMPED?
this is the future. i think i'll keep my original EVO and skip the EVO 3D and wait for this ICS device or equivalent. this is a leap worthy of an upgrade.
Based on what information, exactly? That is has no buttons? Who cares. It is not like the Evo 3D won't be able to run IceCream simply because it has buttons.
Oh my poor Evo4G is rattling in my pocket with fear and anxiety... Ya I would definitely be upgrading to this baby should it turn out to be true!
Can Verizon haz a Nexus device?
lol
Completely agree ^^
If Verizon got this device they'd stick Froyo and a ton of bloat-ware on it.
Probably not till LTE is fully deployed on Verizon.
So much functionality is lost on CDMA vs GSM phones that Google would be working in a vacuum, which would make testing full functionality of all GSM features a problem.
Until Verizon joins OHA, I don't see them ever getting a Nexus phone.
Yea, it looks like an iPhone without the home button and if it is available in December, that will be my first phone upgrade on Sprint. Nexus phone with Ice Cream equals, HELL YEA. May as well stop buying apps now because my current apps probably won't work on Ice Cream.
Sorry you have all been scammed. Clearly that is a photoshop job. Look at the lines outlining his hand near and on the device. Especially the thumb area.
Just trying to get hits on his website.
Shameful.
Oh, and follow the edges of the screen, you can clearly see where he photoshopped to make it bigger and blur the edges as well.
Nice
Are you sure it wasn't GIMPed?
Are you sure it wasn't a GIMP job?
Umm, it has to have been altered. they added their watermark to it. Probably some crappy software that makes it look fabricated.
Is it just me or does that look like an iphone without the home button..?
How can they go from the Sensation to this?
It looks like a prototype of a HTC phone , Right ?
Its clearly their design (Mixed a bit with a 1st gen. iPhone)
The Earpiece looks exactly like the ones in the Desire HD\Inspire , Sensation , EVO 3D , ...etc
noooooooo, I want my REAL buttons back, no capacitive and hell no software buttons
Yea , tell me about it
Lets just hope that it won't be a "UniBody Design" if it had a Software buttons , because if the phone Stopped Responding , we will have to wait until the battery dies (If its a HTC battery , that can be easy , but if it was Atrix's battery its gonna be a long night)
Yank the battery.
not possible with UniBody builds... (i.e. iPhone)
Im pretty sure the power/lock button will still be there :/
If the phone freezes, regular capacitive buttons wont work any better than software buttons. And I am sure there will be a force power off like on the Xoom so you don't have to pull the battery by pressing Vol Up + Power to force a reboot.
Wrong. I frequently use the home button to get out of non responsive apps. The capacitive buttons along with widgets and swappable batteries are the most compelling advantages Android has over iOS, without them...
You obviously haven't used Honeycomb. It has a regular status bar and an action bar, bottom and top. The advantage is being able to use the device in ANY orientation and still have the buttons where they belong, even if you are holding the device upside down.
Also, to the author, I have a 7" eReader with only software buttons and it is running Android 1.5
Once you get used to them they are much better. Also, most devices with non-removable batteries have a pinhole on them with a reset button inside, just poke it with a paper clip and off you go. No muss no fuss.
Loving my Iconia Tab with Honeycomb.
Sir, you are talking about Honeycomb, so it is only available on 7"+ tablets... now you are talking about 2 bars on the screen thick enough to hold software buttons. That may be fine on a big screen but I wouldnt be able to hit any button accurately on my 3.2" screen...sorry
regarding the UniBody: loving my extended batteries ;)
Regarding Honeycomb vs. ice Cream:
My understanding is that Ice Cream will be a version of Honeycomb for phones. They may change the interface, but who knows. If your device has at least a 4.3" screen, dual action/status bars should be no problem. They are not as "fat" as you make them seem to be. I had no problem operating the status bar on my original Droid.
I am sure that a phone with a 3.2" screen would never get an upgrade to Ice Cream any more than the original Droid did to Gingerbread. It is called device limitations. They WANT you to upgrade, you know.
I am going to be holding onto my HTC Desire (bravo) as long as I can because I absolutely hate all this capacitive buttons crap, the screen is enough touch needed, leave the hardware buttons there and leave them good ol' push buttons for real tactile feedback, all this new design direction is not my thing at all :( I hope Android handsets in the future keep at least a couple tactile buttons on the front 2 years from now.
After a week of using capacitive buttons you just like me will end of loving them. I can't stand physical buttons now.
Also that device looks like a cheap aluminium ash tray with a retro fitted lcd screen, ah the disappointments in the Android world just keep piling up, still I'm not going to another OS so I'll hold out for something in the future 18 months from now
Yeah, you can tell they're really not putting in the appropriate design effort for these unofficial photoshops of fictional internal testing devices. BYE GOOGLE.
its like 6 months before this thing comes out. i bet you 20$ its not going to look anything like this, if this is even real. relax, big companies usually have multiple designs before choosing a final one. crazy.. i know..
Not Verizon? Sigh. Was hoping it would be a Moto...
I know.. when is Verizon going to get a Nexus phone?! :( and no one say cause they love their bloatware cause all carriers do it and if Apple can convince them so can Google!
I don't see Verizon getting a Nexus phone anytime soon because they are not part of OHA.