Nexus One Officially Unveiled
Well, today is the day many people have been waiting for: the day that Google officially unveils its entry into the smartphone market. Earlier today, the Nexus One was unveiled in a press conference in Mountain View, California, home to the corporate headquarters of Google, Inc.
Aside from what we have already found out through leaks and reports all over the internet, there was little new information released about the Nexus One itself. To recap the vitals of the Nexus One, however, here's a list of what future owners can expect:
- 1 GHz Snapdragon processor
- 5 megapixel camera
- 3.7-inch AMOLED display
- GPS
- accelerometer
- light/proximity sensors
Best of all, a major and unexpected development was revealed in terms of service providers: the Nexus One will be coming to Verizon this spring. This has some of us here at ShopXtreme very happy, since Verizon is the only service provider that works well in our neck of the woods. Check out the multiple posts by Engadget for a minute-by-minute update of the press conference, and more information on the major developments.
Source: Engadget 1, 2, 3
Nexus One Hands-On
Old news for anyone keeping up with any sort of tech blog, but Engadget got its hands on a brand-spanking new Nexus One over the weekend. So while the majority of us have been recovering after a little too much New Year's festivities, the guys at Engadget have been testing out the Nexus One that Google was kind enough to provide them.
So what's new from what we already know? Well, it seems like the menu navigation has changed a bit, using little squares or "dots" to navigate between the five home screens. We also get a look at the different wallpapers that come with the Nexus One, which can change perspective depending on what home page you are viewing, or respond with different animations when you touch the screen. Very cool stuff.
Check out the video to get a better sense of what the Nexus One has to offer.
Source: Engadget
Google Names A Price for the Nexus One
Last night, Gizmodo got leaked images of the purchase page that Google has set up for the Nexus One, their entry into the smartphone industry. And if it is legitimate (which it almost certainly is), then we finally have some solid numbers on the pricing of the Nexus One.
If you choose to buy the phone with a mandatory two-year contract with T-Mobile, the Nexus One will run you $180.
If you choose the buy an unlocked version of the phone so that you can use whatever cellular service provider you like, you will have to shell out $530.
If you plan on buying the cheaper version and terminating the contract with T-Mobile early, you will have to pay the difference between the unlocked and T-Mobile-packaged version ($350).
For $80 a month, the contract with T-Mobile will give you unlimited texting, data transfer, and mobile to mobile, and 500 minutes of talk time.
And on top of being a really-cool looking phone, you can apparently get two lines of custom-engraved text on the back.
Check out the source links for more information and pics!
Source: Gizmodo, Engadget
Google Phone Linked to T-Mobile
Reuters reported late yesterday that Google will be offering the Nexus One with a service contract with T-Mobile, in addition to an unlocked version. Consumers who choose to sign with T-Mobile as their provider will be able to purchase the phone itself for a discounted price. It will, however, also be offered in an "unlocked" form for consumers who want the freedom of choosing their service provider.
Although neither T-Mobile nor Google has commented on this information yet, it does not seem out of the question that Google would aim for at least one package-deal with a service provider. Such a move would be an incentive for consumers who might not have enough cash for an un-discounted Nexus One. Those who do, however, would still be able to buy the phone by itself. The best of both worlds for Google. Not so much for its future competitors. *coughAppleHTCNokiacough*
Sources: Reuters
The Nexus One – Google’s Entry Into The Phone Industry
Over the weekend, news broke on multiple fronts that Google has released a prototype phone to its employees to test out. Code named Nexus One, it was first revealed on Twitter with the text "Google Phone = iPhone + a little extra screen and a scroll wheel. Great touch screen, and Android." and a photo. As more information surfaced through mass scavenging of the darkest corners of the internet, more details were discovered; a 5 megapixel camera, no physical keyboard, and Android 2.1 for an operating system. The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that Google would be selling the phone directly to consumers, instead of joining up with an existing cellular service provider, allowing them to choose what service they desire.
As would be expected, this is very big news, since Google is such an innovator in the industries where it is already present. After taking on the established search engines like Yahoo!, Google has excelled in just about every endeavor it has made; email, maps, videos, and browsers. Just last month, Google announced Chrome OS (an operating system centered on the internet) which signaled their entry into the operating system industry, pitting them against uber-giant Microsoft. With this leak of information about the Nexus One, it seems as if Google is fighting a winning war on all technological fronts, throwing surprise right hooks and devastating upper cuts. Who knows what will come next?
Check out the links below for a lot of additional information and some of the first pictures of the Nexus One.
Source: Engadget 1, 2, 3, Reuters