Google Nexus One

[Tecknik]

So who is going to get the real Google phone?

http://gizmodo.com/5425146/the-real-google-phone-everything-is-different-now

It wasn't supposed to exist. "The" Google Phone. Then we (and others) heard otherwise. And now, Google isn't just handing this "sexy beast" out to employees, they're going to sell it directly. Everything has changed. Here's what we know.

• The Wall Street Journal says it's made by HTC and called the Nexus One. It'll be sold online, directly by Google. You'll have to get your own cell service (which suggests it's an unlocked device). Curiously, the WSJ says, "unlike the more than half-dozen Android phones made by phone manufacturers today, Google designed virtually the entire software experience behind the phone." Sounds weird, since they designed the look and feel of the software on the Droid and G1 too, except that our source had told us before that the current Android we know isn't the "real" Android. Also odd sounding: that name, Nexus One. But maybe not that odd.

• Google confirmed they handed out "a device that combines innovative hardware from a partner with software that runs on Android to experiment with new mobile features and capabilities and we shared this device with Google employees across the globe."

• A bunch of Google employees tweeted stuff like the phone is "like an iPhone on beautifying steroids."

• It probably looks like this:


• It's supposedly an unlocked GSM phone running Android 2.1, powered by the crazyfast Snapdragon processor, with an OLED touchscreen (no keyboard), dual mics (for killing background noise), and enhanced voice-to-text powers. It's gonna be alllll Google branding. And it's probably coming out in January. Which jives with what our source saw a couple weeks ago, a huge screen running a brand new version of Android unlike anything out there.

• We heard it was referred to, at least in some capacity in the staff meeting where they were handed out, as the "Passion."

If Google really is going to push this as The Google Phone (and it's not just a dev phone), it's hard to understate just how radically this changes the landscape not just for Android, but what it means for Google and their relationship to the cellphone industry. The Google Phone would be a radically different model, a shift from the Microsoft one—make the software, let somebody else deal with the hardware—to the Apple and BlackBerry one—make the software and the hardware, tightly integrated. And Google's even taking a step further, by selling it directly, bypassing the carriers, at least initially. (Google would not be the first to sell a high-powered unlocked phone—see Sony Ericsson and Nokia—but neither them are, um, Google, and their well-known failures with that approach makes it even ballsier.)

It's a powerful message: to the companies making phones running Android, to the carriers, to developers, to consumers. Google is in this, to win. Everything has changed. You know, unless it hasn't.


Send an email to matt buchanan, the author of this post, at matt@gizmodo.com.

Android running on a network-unlocked GSM SnapDragon phone? Sounds like a pretty bad ass phone.

For those not up to speed on cellphone stuff, the SnapDragon is a 1Ghz processor. As the name would imply, it's fast.

Unlocked GSM means you'll be able to use it on AT&T, T-Mobile or any other GSM network. Sorry all you Verizon and Sprint users.

This will be the real "Google" phone, unlike all the current phones running versions of Google's Android mobile OS.


http://gizmodo.com/5425396/the-google-nexus-one-phone-in-pictures

http://gizmodo.com/5425542/t+mobiles-pushing-the-nexus-one-google-phone-because-verizon-said-no

Google might be selling the Nexus One Google Phone (whatever) unlocked, so you can pick your carrier via menu, but T-Mobile is also gonna push it after Verizon said no, according to Peter Kafka. Guess Verizon felt burned?

So T-Mobile may be offering a subsidized model.


http://gizmodo.com/5425732/google-nexus-one-phone-gets-fcc-detailing

Less than 24 hours after Google employees were gifted Nexus One Google phones, and started twitpic-ing them, the handset has turned up on FCC's site with a few of the specs detailed.

With the model number PB99100, the HTC-built "NEXUSONE" (as it's listed) is apparently quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, as we heard yesterday, with UMTS/HSUPA on the 850/1700/1900 frequencies, according to the FCC-digging Engadget. This means that the Nexus One will be capable of 2Mbps upload speeds and 7.2Mbps download speeds.

Other specs discovered amongst the FCC jargon include a microSD card slot, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1. Got any more details for us? Hit us up on tips@gizmodo.com now.

UMTS/HSUPA on 850/1700/1900 frequencies means it'll work with both AT&T's and T-Mobile's 3G networks.


http://gizmodo.com/5425563/photos-from-the-nexus-one-google-phone

Oh hey, it's the Google Phone! Nexus One! Whatever it's called! Here's some shots taken with the phone, including some of the phone.
       
The EXIF data on the sample photos pulled from Picasa all say that they were taken with a Nexus One, manufactured by HTC. Though sizes vary, the resolution max appears to be 2592×1944. The ones we were emailed obviously show the phone in action, though supposedly they were also taken by the Nexus One.

So, who is getting one?

[Fuse]

Maybe...I have actually been waiting on the HD2 launch in the US in the next few months - but this might change my mind. I'm a fan of the everything on the HD2 except the lack of a hardware keyboard, so I need more experience with Android before I'd make a final decision. I'm thinking I may get this for the wife as a test run to see how I like it. (Buuahaha)

[Setun]

Damnit, everything about that phone sounds amazing...but I love the hardware keyboard on my G1 a lot...makes texting a breeze.

[Lithium]

It they make a deal to get it on Verizon I'd probably consider it. I'd be interested to see what the app API looks like too. Oh yeah that's right, it's based off Linux Kernel so it's C and C++. That'd be fun probably.

[Phienyx]

Sounds very interesting.  I'll be keeping an eye out for this one.

[Tecknik]

It they make a deal to get it on Verizon I'd probably consider it. I'd be interested to see what the app API looks like too. Oh yeah that's right, it's based off Linux Kernel so it's C and C++. That'd be fun probably.

Verizon gave Google the same answer they gave Apple... "We don't want it."

[Fuse]

I'm wondering the reason - it's probably very similar to Apples, where they want full control over everything phone (not service) related.

[Tecknik]

As far as I've read, it was Verizon who wanted their hands in on the development.

It's too late for them to change their mind now, as the phone is now a GSM network phone.  Verizon (and Sprint) use CDMA,

[Lithium]

Oh well. I'm not switching to a sub-par network just so I can get a phone. At the end of the day all I need is to make calls, make texts, have voicemail, have contacts, and have a calendar. 95% of the phones out there do just that.

[Fuse]

All I need to do is make calls and browse followtheangel.org from my hand.

[Tecknik]

Oh well. I'm not switching to a sub-par network just so I can get a phone. At the end of the day all I need is to make calls, make texts, have voicemail, have contacts, and have a calendar. 95% of the phones out there do just that.

Sub-par?  GSM far surpasses CDMA, which is why the rest of the world uses it.

[Lithium]

Let me rephrase. Sub-par coverage. And I don't see verizon's network crashing when 5,000 geeks meet up in Nevada at once.

[Tecknik]

Does Verizon even have 5000 users?




Anyways.  Interesting development.
http://androidandme.com/2009/12/news/nexus-one-limited-to-t-mobile-3g-in-the-u-s/

Localytics, a mobile applications analytics service, has published some interesting findings about the Nexus One. Their software tracks data from Android applications and they began noticing the Nexus One show up in their reports last month. The phone first appeared on November 25 and the number of sessions began to increase after Google handed out the phone to their employees on December 11.

Number of hits for the Nexus One.
We already speculated the device would work on T-Mobile USA’s 3G network after seeing the FCC documents, but some were still hoping the device might also support AT&T’s 3G bands.

According to Localytics, most of the Nexus One phones are being used with T-Mobile 3G. There were also a couple of Googlers using the new phone with their AT&T SIM cards, but they were limited to only Edge data. Note that all the sightings have been over GSM networks and not CDMA. We heard rumors a CDMA version of the Nexus One was also in the works, but it appears that device is a ways off.

The complete notes from Localytics:

The heaviest usage has been on T-Mobile in the US, over both Edge and UMTS (3G)
All usage on AT&T was over Edge; inline with reports that 3G support is limited to the 1700 Mhz band used by T-mobile in the US.
The Nexus One is already appearing on networks outside of the US, with traffic coming from countries including Australia, Germany and the Netherlands—and some of those connections are 3G.
The most recent devices are running the ERD72, ERD56C and ERD65 versions of Android 2.1.
Verizon and Sprint subscribers will likely have to wait as all usage so far has been over GSM-based operators.
[Thank you Jordan for the tip]

Localytics Blog

Awkward, since the FCC specs show that it does have a UTMS/HSUPA radio that works on 850 and 1900 mhz frequencies (The two frequencies that AT&T uses for their 3G network).

I wonder if this is just confirmation that T-Mobile will be selling a subsidized model to compliment Google selling the unlocked version directly.

Oh, and you CDMA guys may be in luck.

[Lithium]

[Fuse]

Tomorrow's the day... I think I'm picking up two of these.