THE NEXUS BLOG

Android TV

2010-12-28T00:29:00.000-05:00

Wow, Android is becoming quite a formidable little OS! Ok, here's the latest: Android TV! I know, I know, no one's even heard of it yet,...well the folks down under have. The good folks at Millenius Pty Ltd. in Australia have just leaked a couple of pics of a device stating that Android TV is coming soon in 2011. So far, here's what we know about the device: it runs Android 2.2, full HD 1080P Video Decoder, HDMI, Support for Flash 10.1, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 1GHz Cortex A8 CPU, Android Market, and has a total of 2 (possibly 3) USB 2.0 ports. Now we'll just have to wait and see where Mountainview is going with this one - maybe this is going to replace GoogleTV?? Stay tuned,...

INTRODUCING The Nexus S

2010-12-07T15:27:00.002-05:00

Well, well, well,....it looks the not so secert Google Nexus S by Samsung has finally decided to show itself to the world. What's interesting about this is that the google website (link is provided below) is fully up and operational, but the phone is actually not coming out until Dec. 16th, which is still about a week away. It's like they decided to launch a website without the device - they we're originally going to launch back in November, or something like that,...but again, my point is why not just launch the phone today? I mean they're selling it through Best Buy, so why not today as opposed to a week later? Also, no dual-core processor,...and no 4G. Again, weren't all the tipsters and everybody who came forward with details saying that the reason for the delay was because they were going to make it dual-core (since all the rumors indicate dual-core android devices as early as Feb. '11) and that they had to update Gingerbread since it doesn't play well with dual-cores? Anyway, I've got some mixed feelings about all of this... If Nvidia Tegra2 phones are just around the corner (Motorola) then why not update the hardware so it will be the flagship Android device for more than a month or two. Also, since Google obviously has a thing for T-Mobile, why not make it "4G"? This is weird because now the Android "flagship" device won't even have the best radio since T-Mobile currently has two phones that run on their new upgarded network (the G2, and MyTouch 4G). Also, why does it still have a 5-megapixel camera? You woud think that it would at least be a 8-megapixel camera. Besides the front facing camera, and the NFC chip (which will make it act like a credit card someday,) this phone is really not all that different than the Nexus One. Oh, I almost forgot - no microSD memory card, it's got 16GB of internal storage. The Nexus One (and other devices) supports a 32GB microSD; so in that area it's even behind! I have to admit that this more than a little curious. It almost seems like Google decided to launch another phone back in November, then somebody said, "hey, shouldn't we make it better since it's launching so late in the year and better phones will be here in January and Febuary?" Then it's like in the middle of making the update they said, "Nah, nevermind - let's launch now and take advantage of the Christmas crowd." But then they launch the website and tell you that you still have to wait for the phone. Whew,...this is all very tiring and confusing. Anway, I do have to admit one thing: it does look nice. Even though everyone was talking about how it's plastic, an that's not as attarctive, I think they did a good job making it all black with no phyical buttons on the beryl. Plus it makes Android "pop out" a little better; sort of like when you go to the movies and it's dark and the movie looks better because it's black. Also, the shape is another goo idea; a slighty curved shape makes it fit closer to your head when holding it to your ear. I also like the reverse "chin," it definitely makes sense and will also help when holding the device. Overall, it does sound like a good device - if you want all the tech specs I'm not going to post them here, but you can go to the link below and it will fill you in. My one real problem with it is that hardware wise it does seem like it's not as technically advanced as it should be - this phone really should have come out back in June/July/August. Anyways, it does look nice at least.
[Link to the Nexus S]

NEW Google Nexus S photo and video

2010-12-05T06:46:00.000-05:00

Yes, the newest Google Phone, a.ka. the Google Nexus S has been spotted again in the wild. This time it's the camera that seems to be the main point of interest. It appears that over a dozen photos have leaked thanks to Google employee Ben Saitz. The video below was taken with the Nexus S's video recorder to show off it's video quality. Feel free to read more about this story here.

Google set to unveil Chrome OS Netbooks on Dec. 7

2010-12-04T11:26:00.000-05:00

It looks like our friends in Mountain View, CA are holding a press event on Dec. 7 to bring us up to date on the status of their other operating system Chrome OS. Back on November 15, Google CEO Eric Schmidt told us that Chrome Netbooks would be ready for public consumption in a few months. Yesterday they released an update to the browser which is now Chrome 8. Also, it looks like their Chrome Web Store will be launching on Dec. 7th so it could be that Chrome is finally going to be revealed.

Code Named: Zeus - First Valid Glimpse of the Up-Coming Sony Ericsson Z1 Playstation Phone

2010-12-04T02:22:00.000-05:00

Ok, ok let's all try and relax for a moment,... Yes, it does appear that this is the first clear footage (we're not counting that blurry video released from Greece, or wherever) of the often rumored, but never seen Playstation Phone. Remember, there are still a lot of unknowns. For example, the obvious: when will it be released? From the look of the video it looks good enough to go right now. Also, what network will it run on? Is it 4G capable? (Probably not!) Is it dual-core? Does it have a cutting edge graphics processor? Will it be called the Playstation Phone??? I only bring this up because if you look at the video closely, the only logo on it are the Sony Ericsson brands. Oh yea,...one more thing: what version of Android will it arrive with when it does ship? We all loved Sony Ericsson back in the early to mid 2000's when they seemed to be ahead of the curve but so far, at least when it comes to Android they seem to always be playing catch-up. Well, let's just hope they do this one right because obviously the beloved Playstation brand can not afford to be lightly represented. If all goes well, this could be the Android runnin' camera tottin' graphics crunching Android behemoth we've all been waiting for...but again, don't hold your breath. We'll just have to wait and see. If it is it what we've all been hoping for based on years of internet rumors and pics (or should I say design suggestions) then Sony Ericsson is back, and in a big way. Watch out Steve Jobs, Microsoft, Samsung, Nintendo, and everybody else in Sony's path. Let's keep our fingers crossed for now.

Motorola is planning 7-inch and 10-inch tablets for Verizon 4G LTE.

2010-12-04T00:40:00.000-05:00

According to PC Magazine, Motorola is putting the finishing touches on 7 and 10 inch tablets set to launch on Verizon's new 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) network which will go live this Sunday. The announcement came at Credit Suisse 2010 Technology Conference where Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha gave the keynote. "I believe that tablets are a very important growth opportunity for us," he said. "But we have to differentiate. Software differentiation is going to be very important." Let's just hope that these devices run Android.

[READ MORE HERE]

Samsung Nexus S spotted again in the wild,...sort of.

2010-12-03T11:05:00.000-05:00

What is it about the Nexus S (Two) that has every Android user enthralled? My guess is that it has to do with the fact that Nexus devices are said to be the official and preferred devices from internet giant Google. Amazing how one company has totally become the face of the internet,... I wonder if anyone 15 years ago knew that searching was so vital to humans? But anyway, back to the story: supposedly the Nexus S has been spotted again thanks to a Google senior engineer: Erik Beans. His Picasa account shows a picture of some lady with a phone that closely resembles the Nexus S. I have an idea,...maybe the lady is his girlfriend and he gave her the phone as gift?? Oh wait, that would be too romantic! What if she stole it from him while he was sleeping...just kidding!

[Read more of this story here]

TmoNews posts T-Mobile's reaction to Verizon 4G announcement

2010-12-03T10:41:00.000-05:00

For your convenience we've provided the link of TmoNews' story of T-Mobile's reaction to the announcement of Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network. What kinda funny to us is their claim that their customers having enjoyed 4G service "for a while now." T-Mobile is supposedly "welcoming" Verizon to the 4G world now, as if they themselves have been in the "4G World" for years or something. More like a month or two. Are these networks really 4G?? Oh wait, we're not supposed to talk about that!

[Read their story here]

Cellular South offers to Pay You $100 if you loose your iPhone and switch form AT&T for and Android device.

2010-12-03T10:14:00.000-05:00

Are you an AT&T customer? Do you own an iPhone and for whatever reason you're just not impressed. No need to worry, the nice folks at Cellular South are offering to give you a $100 credit towards the purchase of a new Android device that runs on their network. While this might not go very far in terms of paying AT&T's absurdly high early cancellation fee,...hey something's better than nothing, right?

Analytics Firm Gartner names Samsung No.1 Android provider.

2010-12-03T10:04:00.000-05:00

Samsung has recently received praises from Gartner stating that it has become the top Android handset provider based on the volume of units sold through Q3 of 2010. According to the article, Samsung has shipped over 3 million Galaxy S handsets in the U.S. and now holds over 32% of the market.
Read the entire story here.

Is this the PlayStation Phone? Maybe.

2010-12-03T09:46:00.000-05:00

While the internet has long heard rumors of a PSP Phone( since the release of the original PSP), it seems that these rumors have found their way,... all the way to the ears of the Executives at Sony, and it looks like now their might be some truth to the idea of a Playstation Phone. We all saw the leaked images of the Sony Ericsson X-12, but these are still questionable as whether or not the X-12 is indeed the Playstion Phone. Someone in Greece managed to capture this video which is supposed to be the PSPhone, but who really knows at this point. All we can say at this point is....maybe.

Sneak Preview of the LG Star! (Dual-core Android phone)

2010-12-03T09:37:00.000-05:00

The website GSM Israel had managed to get their hands on the LG Star which is a dual-core Android mobile device. While the video below is not in English, it does a good job of demoing the rumored phone providing a good first hands-on.

Quad-Core CPU's on your Android Phone!

2010-12-03T09:29:00.000-05:00

According to Nvidia's CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, quad-core processor's for Android devices are just around the corner. Everyone has recently been talking about Nvidia's Tegra 2 processors which are set to debut early next year (2011), but Mr. Huang as stated that the next-gen Tegra 3 processors are being developped and should be ready, "in the near future." He also said that their goal was to develop an new Tegra every year. Nvidia's whitepapers can be read in detail here.

Gamestring demos its custom WoW UI

2010-12-03T09:06:00.000-05:00

Were you an early adopter of Google TV? Then you are already enjoying playing World of Warcraft thanks to the folks at GameString. But here's where it gets better,... you may soon be able to enjoy WoW on you Android device. While still in the alpha stages of development, GameString has successfully demoed WoW on an HTC Desire. Check out the video below to see it in action!

Samsung pushes 1 Million and plus Galaxy Tabs!

2010-12-03T08:52:00.000-05:00

Samsung's goal was to sell a million Galaxy Tabs before Dec. 31. Needless to say, they have achieved that goal. According to our friends at Samsung Hub they sold 1 million units in just two months after their launch. Read the their story here:
http://www.samsunghub.com/2010/12/03/samsung-sells-more-than-1m-galaxy-tab-units-ups-the-target-to-1-5m/

Google's Nexus One vs. the Droid: Two Phones Dissected

2010-01-18T02:10:00.000-05:00

JR Raphael, PC World
Jan 15, 2010 6:04 pm
Google Nexus One and the Droid.

Motorola can add one more item onto its list of Droid slogans: Droid does have more expensive hardware than the Nexus One. But only by a small margin.

A new teardown analysis finds Motorola's flagship Android device has $179.11 worth of components inside. Google's Nexus One, on the other hand, has $174.15 worth of goodies beneath its shiny shell, according to the same company. That difference is despite the fact that the Nexus One boasts a faster processor and twice the RAM of its Motorola-made contemporary.

Now, does this finding do anything to change the value of the phones from a consumer perspective? Of course not. But for anyone intrigued by Android, it does make for some interesting trivia.

Inside the Nexus One

So here's the scoop, starting with the Nexus One. Google's high-profile phone went under the knife earlier this week. The surgeon -- a company called iSuppli -- reached its $174.15 conclusion by analyzing every piece of hardware inside the phone.

As one might expect, the Nexus One's processor -- the superfast 1 GHz Snapdragon -- is its most expensive component, accounting for $30.50 of its total bill of materials. The phone's display comes in next, with an estimated cost of $23.50. That's followed by the memory ($20.40), touchscreen assembly ($17.50), camera ($12.50), and then a host of other assorted parts.

Dissecting the Droid

The Droid, in comparison, has a very different bill. According to iSuppli, its most expensive component is its 16GB microSD card, coming in at $35. (The Nexus One is equipped with only a 4GB microSD card; both phones, however, can be upgraded to cards as high as 32GB.)

Following the card is the phone's 3.7-inch TFT LCD display, which is estimated to cost $17.75. While the Droid's display is generally regarded as being one of the best on the market, the fact that it's TFT LCD is likely why it's lower in cost than the Nexus One's OLED alternative. You can see more about the differences between those two technologies in my "Nexus One Questions and Answers" report.

Continuing downward, the Droid has a $17.50 touchscreen overlay, $14.25 camera, $14.04 baseband processor, and $12.90 applications processor. The grand total comes out to about $4.96 more than what's inside the Nexus One.

You can see iSuppli's full component breakdown for the Droid here, and for the Nexus One here. And if you own either handset, be sure to also click over to "Master Google Android: 40 Tips and Tricks," my in-depth guide to making the most of your Android experience.

Android adds another member to the family tree: Introducing "Rachael," from Sony Ericsson.

2010-01-15T15:55:00.004-05:00

Above is a pic of the already famous Sony Ericsson Xperia X10. Due to the amount of leaks, Sony Ericsson had to go ahead and confirm all the specs (I guess there was so much hype surrounding this phone they couldn't keep the lid on it any longer). But for those of you not yet familiar with this device, here's what all the fuss is about:
* GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
* UMTS HSPA 900/1700/2100
* UMTS HSPA 800/850/1900/2100
* 4.0-inch scratch-resistant WVGA touchscreen with 480 x 854 resolution
* Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz processor
* 8.1-megapixel camera with 16x digital zoom, auto focus, and
geotagging
* video recording
* Bluetooth Stereo
* Media player
* Sony Ericsson Timescape and Mediascape features that handle communication and
media, respectively
* Microsoft Exchange support
* Gesture control
* A-GPS with Google Maps and Wisepilot
* 3.5mm headphone jack
* microUSB connectivity
* Wi-Fi support
* Phone
memory: up to 1 GB
* 8GB microSD card
* Android Donut 1.6
* Size: 119 x 63 x 13mm
* Weight: 135g
* 1500mAh battery

( * available February 2010, according to Sony Ericsson)

And finally, on a side note: contrary to what other internet sites are stating, the codename "Rachael" was originally being applied to the exclusive Sony Ericsson version of Android that was running on the device; not to the actual device itself.

For those are pic hungry, here are some more images of the device:

Google Cuts Nexus One Price For Some T-Mobile Subscribers

2010-01-15T15:29:00.000-05:00

* JANUARY 15, 2010, 2:16 P.M. ET

By Scott Morrison

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

SAN FRANCISCO (Dow Jones)--Google Inc. (GOOG) on Friday cut the price of its Nexus One mobile phone by $100 for some buyers who are already subscribers to Deutsche Telekom AG's (DT) T-Mobile USA.

The Internet search company said existing T-Mobile subscribers with data plans were initially being charged $379 for the Nexus One, while subscribers without data plans were paying $279. Under the new pricing plans, all T-Mobile subscribers will pay $279, and those that had purchased the phone at the higher price will be refunded the difference.

The phone sells for $529 without wireless service. New subscribers, however, can buy the phone for $179 with a two-year contract from T-Mobile, currently the only U.S. carrier that provides a Nexus One wireless plan.

A Google spokesperson did not explain why the company was changing its pricing, but the move might help squelch some of the criticism that has tarnished Google's first branded phone since its launch last week.

While the phone was built by Taiwan's HTC Corp. (HTCXF, 2498.TW), Google is selling it directly to consumers through a Web store. By selling it online and convincing operators to offer wireless plans through its site, the Internet search giant wants to speed innovation, lower costs and establish a new model for the way mobile phones are sold.

But early praise was quickly overshadowed by a series of reports about connectivity snafus, customer service shortcomings and eye-opening "recovery" fees. Shares in Google were down 1.4% at $581.52.

Nexus One Naysayers Are Missing the Bigger Picture

2010-01-14T21:39:00.001-05:00

JR Raphael, PC World
Jan 14, 2010 5:59 pm

Google's getting a bit of a beating in the media these days. Since unveiling its Nexus One Android phone last week, the company's come under fire for everything from poor customer support to poor first-week sales with its first foray into the mobile market.

The former is an issue Google will no doubt need to address. Whether they buy in a store or online, people expect a reasonable amount of guidance on something as indispensable as a cell phone. A solution could come in the form of a more robust support system by Google, or a more traditional support system by the carrier -- which, as The Wall Street Journal points out, could end up happening once the Nexus One reaches Verizon Wireless.

Assuming Google can work out the technical kinks, however, I'd argue that the sales numbers themselves may not be as big of a disappointment as some are suggesting. Here's why.

Nexus One Numbers

First, to be clear, the Nexus One sales numbers are far from official. They come from Flurry, an analytics firm that measures mobile app usage and then uses that data to make estimates about overall ownership.

With that being said, Flurry estimates that Google sold 20,000 Nexus One handsets during the phone's first week on the market. That's compared to an estimated 60,000 first-week sales for the MyTouch 3G and an estimated 250,000 for the Motorola Droid. All three phones debuted in a single country with no existing user base.

(Flurry estimates that the iPhone 3GS sold 1.6 million units in its first week; however, that phone debuted in eight countries with a substantial existing user base from previous iPhone models, so it's far less of an even comparison.)

Nexus One: The Bigger Picture

Methodology aside, Flurry's figure has led many to label the Nexus One launch as weak. Twenty-thousand, after all, is a mere fraction of the sales seen by the far more heavily marketed Droid.

Despite the disparity, though, there are a couple of important factors to keep in mind: First, assuming the Nexus One did sell only 20,000 units in its first week, it did so without any significant advertising or marketing campaign beyond Google's own pages. The Droid, in comparison, was backed by a reported initial marketing budget of $100 million. These are two very different business strategies with very different investments.

Second, and perhaps more important, raw numbers alone are likely not what the Nexus One is really about. By launching its own direct sales platform for phones, assuming it can work out those aforementioned issues, Google is setting the stage for a new kind of distribution model. One where the phone you buy is more about the operating system than the carrier, even the manufacturer. One where you look to a single Web site to find the handset you need.

Here's the thing: Google is known for focusing on long-term strategies, as we've seen with everything from Chrome to the company's ever-expanding advertising empire. While it's easy to knock the Nexus One's early numbers, there's a good chance those aren't the real measure of the project's success.

The truth is, it's far too soon to know whether Google's long-term strategy for phone sales will pay off. And, given that, it's definitely far too nearsighted to label the Nexus One a failure based on five digits and seven days.

Study claims Google will sell 5m phones this year

2010-01-14T14:31:00.000-05:00

From: StrategyEye
By Andrew McDonald
14th January 2010

Google's Nexus One phone is set to sell 5m units this year and account for 0.4% of the world phone market, but will grow more slowly than the iPhone, according to data collected by finance site Trefis. However, the study claims the unit will account for 9.34% of Google's stock price, contributing more than Google's YouTube division or its app store Android Marketplace. Google's current market cap stands at about USD186bn.

According to the forecast, Google's Nexus One phone will account for 1.4% of the handset market in three years and 3.4% of the world's phone market by 2016. In contrast, the iPhone had a 2.2% market share in 2009 after two and a half years.

Trefis doubts the Nexus One will have the same sales response as the iPhone because Apple's device "had a novelty factor while the Nexus One is following the concept and design bar set by the iPhone". The forecast also notes that Apple's retail strategy and the media attention attracted by customers queuing outside Apple stores worked to its favour. In contrast, Google’s device is only available to buy online. A comparative shortage of Android apps could also play a part, with Google currently offering a fifth of the applications available at the Apple App Store.

The research predicts the price of the Nexus One will drop over time, with subsequent phone releases being brought in at different price points. This will have a knock-on effect on margins, with Trefis predicting that the EBITDA margin on the phone will drop from 43% in 2010 to 15% by 2016.

At its launch price of USD530, Trefis estimates Google is making a gross profit of USD231 per unit. The figure takes into account iSuppli's recent estimate that Nexus One components cost USD174, while adding on additional assumed costs including warranty and R&D costs of USD50 and HTC's profit of USD75. Marketing and selling expenses are estimated at an additional USD50 per unit.

Google Nexus Two will be 'aimed at business users' A follow-up to Google's new Nexus One mobile phone could have a physical keyboard, says Google

2010-01-14T12:38:00.000-05:00

By Claudine Beaumont, Technology Editor
Published: 11:32AM GMT 12 Jan 2010

Peter Chou, CEO of Google Nexus One manufacturer HTC, shows off a handset. Photo: Getty

The next version of Google's Nexus One mobile phone will be designed with enterprise users in mind and might have a physical keyboard, said Andy Rubin, a vice president of engineering at Google and a key figure in the development of the Android operating system.
Reuters reports that Rubin made the comment during an interview with Walt Mossberg, a well-known technology journalist, at an event organized by his newspaper, the Wall Street Journal.

The Nexus One, which went on sale in the US last week, is seen as a direct competitor to Apple's iPhone. The device, made by Taiwanese manufacturer HTC, boasts high-speed web browsing and speech recognition for dictating emails and text messages, and runs Google's Android operating system.
But a business edition of the Nexus One could also help to pit Google's flagship device against popular corporate devices, such as Research in Motion's BlackBerry range.
An enterprise version of the handset would need to offer enhanced security options and Microsoft Exchange support, among other features, and would likely need a slide-out Qwerty keyboard for those business users who prefer tapping out emails on a physical keypad rather than the virtual keyboard favoured by the Nexus One and other similar devices.

Vodafone Nexus One Priced at 150 Euros

2010-01-14T12:22:00.000-05:00

By Simon Sage on Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at 1:35 PM PST

You might have heard that Google (NSDQ: GOOG)’s Nexus One Android smartphone was coming to Europe by way of Vodafone. Well, thanks to this German leak, we see that the N1 (along with the LG BL40 and N97 Mini) will be priced at at 149.90 Euros. Despite the hype, Google’s N1 sales have a ways to go to compete with even with its other Android cousins, like the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) droid. From what I’ve seen, the N1 is well-polished and all, but has little to offer that other Android handsets won’t get eventually by way of a firmware update. Who knows, maybe things go differently in Europe, but I doubt it.

Does Google's Nexus One level the playing field?

2010-01-14T12:04:00.000-05:00

Here's the link, or just read below:

January 13th, 2010
Does Google's Nexus One level the playing field?
Posted by Joel Evans @ 1:59 pm

Apple will have you believe that you need an iPhone to have the best smartphone on the market. Now Google is trying to convince you that Android is the way to go and is even going into the market itself with its own phone: the Nexus One. While Apple touts its more than 100,000 Apps available on its App Store, Google focuses more on the phone’s features, with its Nexus One sporting its latest Android OS (Eclair / 2.1). Bundled in the new OS is a whole bunch of new features including live wallpapers, Facebook integration, voice control over just about everything in the OS, and a whole lot more.

I had some play time with the Nexus One earlier today and have to say that while I wouldn’t call it a game changer, it’s definitely raising the bar for what you can do with your mobile phone. Sure, the iPhone offers a bunch of the same features, but the Nexus One is on the level and even passing the iPhone this time around. I’ve highlighted a few of the more notable features below:

Facebook integration
Palm made a huge deal about its integration with Facebook when it launched its Palm Pre. In fact, the company even came up with a name for its technology: Synergy. Now the Nexus One does this effortlessly, too, and even launches a decent Facebook experience when you click on a Facebook-related item in the Contact on the Nexus One. Contrast that to the iPhone where the built-in Contacts App doesn’t integrate but the latest Facebook App will sync your Facebook contacts to the iPhone. I haven’t tried this yet, since the concept of an App playing with Contacts scares me, given how protective Apple has been over its core apps on the iPhone.

Live wallpapers
This is more of a gimmick but it shows off the power of the Nexus One. It also reminds me of what I don’t like about the iPhone: it’s ability to do true multitasking and offer more customization options.

Voice to text
Brian showed me how Voice control and voice-to-text is integrated into just about everything on the Nexus One and I managed to capture some of this on video below. In the example he speaks the phrase “my hovercraft is full of eels”, and the Nexus One nails it on the first try. He then clicks a button and the Nexus One speaks the phrase in French–beat that iPhone!

Keyboard
One of the things I hated about older Android phones was the keyboard experience. HTC improved upon that but with the Nexus One it seems that its speedy enough and accurate enough that you don’t need HTC’s enhancements. Granted, I’d love to see what HTC can do with the Nexus One base given what the company has done with earlier versions of the Android OS.

User experience
The Android OS has come a long way since its inception and that evolution coupled with the speed of the Qualcomm QSD 8250 1 GHz processor makes for an incredible experience.

I think the most interesting thing about my play time with the Nexus One was that I had no desire to go into the App Store. As a matter of fact, it seems to ship with just about everything you need.

I’m still a bit troubled by the business model around the Nexus One and believe that Google could have just as easily given this reference design to HTC to bring it to all carriers and not just T-Mobile, but like everything Google, there’s probably a method to the company’s madness.

Now I’m debating about getting a Nexus One myself, as the customizability of it has reminded me of just how restricted I feel when using the iPhone.

Customer Service Will Be Nexus One's Achilles Heel

2010-01-13T17:45:00.000-05:00

(As always, here's the original link [or just read the story below]: http://www.pcworld.com/article/186847/customer_service_will_be_nexus_ones_achilles_heel.html)

Google simply doesn't have the kind of customer support that mobile-phone users are accustomed to.

Tom Kaneshige, CIO.com
Jan 13, 2010 5:09 pm

Google's comeuppance is at hand, as two of the most innovative Silicon Valley companies face off. I'm betting the veteran Apple iPhone clobbers newcomer Google Nexus One in the early rounds.

It won't come down to cooler technology, nor better battery life. Wireless carriers? Nope, despite a great many iPhone owners and wannabe owners begging for Apple to end its exclusivity deal with AT&T. Google's arrogance will lead to its downfall.

For whatever reason, Google is selling Nexus One directly to end-users. That means many users are turning to it first, reports IDG News Service, and the search giant doesn't have the kind of customer support that mobile-phone users are accustomed to.

Wireless carrier T-Mobile lacks Nexus One support documents and refers people back to Google, according to a customer going by the name of Roland78. IDG News Service also reports that Google appears to be only accepting email customer queries and pledges to reply in one or two days.

Among consumers, that's not going to cut it.

Sure, Google serves up a search engine for consumers but the money-making end of its operation has little to do with consumers. Google's soaring revenue comes from advertising deals. In these business relationships, Google dictates terms and wields enormous power.

Only a handful of business titans like Rupert Murdoch have defied Google. Murdoch's take on content aggregators: "These people are not investing in journalism. They're feeding off the hard-earned efforts and investments of others ... To be impolite, it's theft."

Google recently made it easier for news sites to opt-out of Google News, yet it's still fair to say that Google isn't known for great customer service. But Google better change its ways with Nexus One—with smartphones, consumers sit in the driver's seat.

Apple, on the other hand, has a cadre of Apple gurus in Apple Stores nationwide at the ready. Its vast customer service outlets have evolved over the years. For the most part, the iPhone is supported extremely well. Apple is perhaps the greatest consumer-focused tech vendor on the planet. (For business customers, Apple customer service lags behind nearly all major competitors.)

All of this means that Google will go through growing pains as it learns about direct sales and supporting consumers. In the emerging smartphone market, however, a learning curve can turn into a death knell especially when you're going head-to-head with Apple.

I should mention that there is a precedent. Years ago, chip giant Intel decided it wanted a piece of the consumer's heart and mind. Intel, which already owned a lion's share of the market, apparently felt that simply creating the best technology wasn't good enough to ensure its future success.

So Intel launched a marketing campaign that called for putting "Intel Inside" stickers on all computers with Intel chips. Prior to this, most consumers had no idea what processors drove their computers. Intel put itself squarely in the headlights of fickle consumers.

Then a techie found a bug in the Intel chip during massive computations. Never mind that virtually no consumer would ever run into the problem. Consumers cried foul. Intel didn't have any experience containing consumer outrage.

The end result: Intel dumped millions of dollars worth of chips. (For many reasons, Intel eventually cemented its position as the king of chips while underdog AMD continues to run a distant second.)

Google will likely receive a giant dose of humility, too. While Apple may not be an angel, at least it knows how to keep consumers happy.

Google Nexus One's First Week of Sales Were Weak, Report says

2010-01-13T11:11:00.000-05:00

(Here's the actual link: http://www.pcworld.com/article/186796/google_nexus_ones_first_week_of_sales_were_weak_report_says.html)

Google Nexus One's First Week of Sales Were Weak, Report says

Daniel Ionescu, PC World

Jan 13, 2010 9:19 am

Report: Poor First Week Sales for Google Nexus OneBig hype didn't equal big sales for Google's Nexus One. According to reports only 20,000 Google Nexus One phones were sold in its first week of sales, according to sales estimates from market research firm Flurry. In comparison to its Android sibling the numbers are 12 times lower than for the Motorola Droid and 80 times lower than for the iPhone 3GS.

The Nexus One didn't benefit from such a strong marketing push like the Motorola Droid (estimated $100 million), despite Google's phone featuring so-far unique Android features. This has reflected in poor first week sales for the Nexus One, as per the table below. (Click image above to enlarge)

Instead, Google chose a soft launch for the Nexus One, selling it through their website. But the steep $500 Google is asking for the unlocked device and the mixed reviews the Nexus One received didn't help to maximize first week sales.

Flurry's report mentions that the Nexus One lacks the "wow factor" and the general perception that the device is not seen as revolutionary, but rather just evolutionary from other Android phones.

Om Malik, of GigaOm, notes that Flurry's estimated sales numbers for the Nexus One might even be a bit far fetched. He mentions Google has been giving away the Nexus One to its employees and also lent it to many members of the media for reviews, which could have bumped up Flurry's analytics.

Next to the poor first week sales figure, the Nexus One has also seen mounting complaints over the 3G connectivity of the device and the lack of developer tools for the Android 2.1 platform.

In her review of the Nexus One, my colleague Ginny Mies notes that Google's phone "isn't quite the game-changer people hoped it would be, though it certainly trumps other phones in performance, display quality, and speed." Next to pros like a dazzling OLED display, snappy performance and sleep, slim design, she marks the lack of multitouch support and the software keyboard as cons.