Google unveils $529 Nexus One smartphone

[Justin]

Toward the end of last year, waves of rumors asserted the existence of Google's phone. Called Nexus One, it was speculated the phone was due for a January release. All of that became true today, with Google officially unveiling the phone during a morning press conference.

The so-called "super phone" is a combination of Google's Android and a new platform from HTC, intended to show off the features of Google's OS. With a fast ARM-based processor, 3.7" AMOLED touchscreen, a half gig of memory and 3D graphics, the phone is no lightweight when it comes to hardware, despite weighing less than the iPhone 3G.

It comes loaded with other hardware and software synergies, such as a GPS unit, a compass and Google Maps, a 5-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi and tons of Google software. Another feature worth noting is noise cancellation, a first for any Android platform.

The Nexus One will be available worldwide, with an unlocked model priced at $529. Only GSM varieties will be around initially, though CDMA variants are expected from Verizon down the road. Google is now competing with Apple, Microsoft, RIM and others for a slice of the smartphone market -- which will likely get very interesting this year.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/37498-google-unveils-529-nexus-one-smartphone.html

 

[TomSEA]

That's competitive pricing with the iPhone3G - but both are still too rich for my blood.

Plus I'll wait for other people to test it out first.

 

[slh28]

The hardware specs sound very nice and phone looks like a more professional device than the iPhone. But one glaring omission is the lack of a multi-touch screen! This is one of the things which make the iPhone so user friendly. Let's wait and see how the usability is in everyday use.

And yeah it's never good to be the first guinea pigs, e.g. the 2G iPhone.

 

[Guest]

Who is making the ARM possessor for this and future google phones?

 

[Vicenarian]

that thing has more RAM than a lot of people's computers haha

 

[9Nails]

The Nexus One does come fully ready to support Multi-Touch - but it's disabled. There's probably legal reason's for this, and a future patch should straighten that out.

Qualcomm is the 1Ghz processor's daddy.

I gotta admit that the phone looks pretty darn sweet. But I like my current provider and don't want to leave them for T-mobile. (Maybe if Catherine Zeta-Jones was tossed in the deal I'd come over to their side.)

I'd love to hear about battery life on this phone. I can only imagine that that big 1ghz CPU would gulp the battery juice like a firetruck taking water out of your pool.

 

[tengeta]

Everythings going to cost a grand pretty soon eh... only computers have dropped in price. Gotta love these monopolies... err industries.

 

[Vrmithrax]

Pretty interesting (but hardly surprising) development. I actually hope they hit the Verizon marketplace soon - I need to replace my flaky and slow Blackberry, and have been contemplating the Droid.

I would imagine battery life will be similar to the Droid Eris (very similar design by HTC) or the Motorola Droid (more similar in processor and overall features).

And even though it has a half gig of memory, it's still going to get flogged by iPhone fans who will point out one serious limitation with Android - that half gig is it for app space, sure you can add a micro-SD card for more storage, but you can't run apps from it (yet, I hope).

 

[TorturedChaos]

I guess I don't pay attention to smartphones because when I read that price tag I was thinking holy crap! That's the kind of budget I built my computer on......

But then reading the comments and see that as 'competitive pricing' it just blows my mind.

 

[Guest]

I bought it. Really liked my Iphone 2G, not so much love for my current MyTouch 3G though. 560 with tax minus sale price of used MyTouch = $300.........not so bad. of course from iPhone to MyTouch was a free upgrade (sold Iphone, bought MyTouch)

 

[Guest]

Check out the price and specification
http://mobiles-prices.com/Google-Nexus_One