How Google's Nexus One Can Beat Apple's iPhone

We're only hours away from Google's special event when the company is expected to launch the Android-based Nexus One mobile device. There has been a lot of speculation about the handset, and how it will differ from competitors like the iPhone. An early hands-on review by Engadget suggests the Nexus One will be a solid device, but not be immediate threat to the iPhone.


But that won't stop the endless comparisons to the iPhone once the Nexus One is released later today. So why not just dive right in with several things Google needs to get right on the Nexus One, as well as the Android platform in general, to beat the iPhone.

Speed

It's all about speed when it comes to smartphones, as users want a blazing fast connection and a device that doesn't take forever to load a program. The Nexus One is widely believed to have a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor making it super fast, although not blazing fast according to Engadget's review. The iPhone 3GS, where the 'S' stands for speed, has a 600 MHz processor, so clearly the Nexus One will have the advantage for the time being. But that could change if Apple brings out another version of the iPhone this year.

Pricing

Right now, the Nexus One looks like it will have a pretty standard pricing plan: $180 with a two-year contract with T-Mobile or $530 unlocked. If Google really wanted to shake up the system it would figure out a way to offer the Nexus One at an even cheaper price or for nothing at all.

Be Open

If Google wants the Nexus One to rival Apple then it will have to be careful not to be seen as a closed device. The Nexus One is expected to be sold unlocked for $530, meaning you should be able to use the device with the carrier of your choice. But the Nexus One is a GSM phone so only two U.S. carriers, AT&T and T-Mobile, will be able to support the phone.

The problem is early reports are saying the Nexus One's 3G connectivity will only work on T-Mobile, not AT&T, which automatically limits how you can use the phone. If I'm paying over $500 for a phone, I want it to be as wide open as possible, and that includes being compatible with both 3G networks.

Maps, Goggles and more

Google has released some really nice mobile toys recently including Google Goggles and free voice-activated turn-by-turn GPS for Android 2.0 devices. Then there's Google Voice, which, when combined with Gizmo5 (a Skype-like service Google recently acquired), could turn Google into a quasi-independent network provider for voice services.

If Google keeps releasing cool features that are available only for Android devices, or at least on the Android first, then these features may give Android an advantage over Apple's device.

So will the Nexus One be a game changer or is this just another mobile device taking up space on an already crowded mobile field? Only a few hours until we know for sure.

By: Ian Paul
Source:http://www.pcworld.com/article/185895/how_googles_nexus_one_can_beat_apples_iphone.html

10:46 AM | 0 comments | Read More

Google Nexus One Said To Cost $530 Unlocked

With Google poised to unveil its Nexus One mobile phone next week, the $530 unlocked handset ($180 subsidized by T-Mobile) is already taking the wind out of the sails of other exhibitors at next week's Consumer Electronics Show.

Google hasn't said much about the phone, but enough information has leaked out to produce a profile of the HTC-built phone. It will operate on GSM networks, meaning the Nexus One could also work on AT&T's network, but not on Verizon Wireless or Sprint Nextel networks.

Qualcomm's fast Snapdragon processor is slated to power the Nexus One, which raises the question whether Qualcomm's chief operating officer, Len Lauer, will be involved in the Nexus One. Lauer has worked closely with Google on its Android Open Handset Alliance, but is scheduled to leave Qualcomm Thursday to become CEO of another as-yet unnamed firm. Lauer's predecessor in the Qualcomm COO post, Sanjay Jha, left to become co-CEO at Motorola, where he has been directing that firm's Android project.

Previously Lauer said the Snapdragon, which boasts a 1-GHz speed, could eventually operate with Google's new Chrome browser.

New details on the Nexus One were provided by Gizmodo, which reported that it had received information from anonymous sources.

Specs reported for the Nexus One mention Wi-Fi connectivity, a 5- or 6-megapixel camera, and a 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen. Broadcom's BCM4329 chip, also said to be included in the Nexus One, is capable of providing 802.11n, Bluetooth, and FM technologies.

The Nexus One could represent a unified design for Google Android phones, thereby eliminating some of the complaints of application developers that existing Android phones are fragmented. A recent survey of 30 developers found that many were dropping Android work and returning to application development for the iPhone because the multiple Android designs made it difficult and uneconomical to develop apps for Android handsets. A unified Android design could attract more developers to the Android.

An unlocked Nexus One Google phone would likely please the Federal Communications Commission, which has been complaining about the exclusive marketing deals that exist between mobile phone providers and carriers. The T-Mobile Nexus One will carry a stipulation that users will pay a stiff fee if they opt out of the phone's contract before its completion.

By: W. David Gardner
Source:http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/smart_phones/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=222100268

11:37 AM | 0 comments | Read More