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Call us geeks, but we can't hear the word "Nexus" without thinking of the utopian dimension in Star Trek where all wishes were fulfilled. And in the run-up to the announcement of its Nexus One phone, Google seemed to be going for the same idea. Indeed, when the phone was finally unveiled on January 5, a Google executive billed it as not only a "superphone" that exemplifies what Google Android can do, but also as "the meeting place of Web and phone."
Lofty promises to be sure, but as is usually true in the tech world, things aren't always what they seem. Don't let the dull candy bar design fool you: the Nexus One brings welcome new offerings to the Android table. The Snapdragon processor is undeniably zippy, the AMOLED display is gorgeous, and we welcome both the enhanced voice dialing capabilities and the noise cancellation feature. What's more, the Android 2.1 interface enhancements show that Android continues to improve as it evolves. It's not the greatest Android phone around--that's a difficult call to make in such a diverse and crowded field--but it adds to an already rich family.
Of course, the Nexus One wasn't without its problems: the music player continues to underwhelm, app storage remains limited to the internal memory, we didn't get tethering or multitouch, and we would have appreciated dual-mode (GSM/CDMA) support. But even with those gripes, the Nexus One delivers a satisfying user experience. The operating system already can go to head-to-head with the iPhone, and the Nexus One only gives Android more ammunition.
Perhaps its greatest benefit is that the Nexus One is sold exclusively by Google in two versions. That means you can skip the carrier store and get free overnight shipping. Believe us when we say it's fairly remarkable that Google is changing the typical control-freak ways of the U.S. carriers. But even better, both versions of the phone--$529 without service and $179 with a two-year T-Mobile contract--will be unlocked. And for you CDMA fans, Verizon Wireless is set to get its own version of the phone in early 2010.
Design
While slim and attractive, the Nexus One's candy bar, touch-screen-only design won't stand out from the Android crowd. With its trackball and prominent display, it looks a bit like both the HTC Hero and the HTC Droid Eris. At 4.56 inches by 2.36 inches by 0.47 inch, it's about the same size as the Droid Eris, the Hero, and the iPhone, but it weighs just 4.58 ounces. The two-toned gray color scheme is standard smartphone, but the handset has a comfortable feel in the hand.
Not surprisingly, the Nexus One's star attraction is its 3.7-inch AMOLED display. Bursting with 16.7 million colors and an 800x480 pixel resolution, the display really is a wonder. Everything from standard text to busy photos and graphics jumped right off the display in full glory. The Android 2.1 OS adds to the fun with 3D graphics (more on that later) and live wallpaper, which are animated backgrounds that react to your touch and your music. They're a nifty and attractive touch, but we realize they may be a bit much for some people and we're not sure if they affect battery life. Standard wallpaper is available if you're not game.
Like the Motorola Cliq, there are five home screens for full personalization. You can add and delete shortcut icons and folders at will, and you can use the dedicated Google Search box. You'll see a customizable weather/news box that's similar to that on the Cliq, though here it's more extensive and its design is refined. The display also offers an accelerometer, an ambient light sensor, and a proximity sensor.
Compared with previous Android phone, the Nexus One brings a few unique touches to the home screen. A square touch control with a grid design replaces the menu tab found on other Android phones. It makes no difference to usability as long as you recognize what it does. You'll also find dots on either side of the touch control that let you skip to an individual home screen or view thumbnails of all home screens in a row. Another change is a shortcut bar that allows you to activate and deactivate the Bluetooth, GPS, syncing, and Wi-Fi features, and control the display brightness. It's all very handy since you don't have to dig through a menu.
The main menu is similar to previous Android phones, but it now takes on a rolling effect at either end where the icons recede into the distance like the title crawl in a Star Wars film. Interior menus, the design of the Android Market, and the display lock and mute icons are comparable to the Motorola Droid. You can adjust the brightness and backlighting time, and limit the display animations. There's no option for calibrating the display, but the touch interface is accurate and responsive to a light touch. Haptics feedback can guide you if you need help.
SOURCE-http://reviews.cnet.com