Claimed to be “superphone” by the company, it is the search giant’s latest attempt to grab a share of the booming smartphone market popularised by Apple iPhone. Aimed at protecting its online advertising, the phone challenges the likes of Apple, Blackberry and Nokia.
Nexus One measures 119 mm (H) x 59.8mm (W) x 11.5 mm (D), and weighs 130 grams. Featuring a 3.7-inch (9.4 centimeter) AMOLED touchscreen display, the phone has been designed in partnership with Taiwan’s HTC Corp. HTC also made the first Android-powered phone.
While unveiling the phone, Google engineer Erick Tseng said that Nexus One handset is no thicker than pencil and no heavier than keychain Swiss Army knive. The phone sports a track ball at the bottom which changes colours when a user receives an email or a new text message.
As for memory, Nexus One packs 512 MB Flash, 512 MB RAM and 4 GB Micro SD Card which can be expanded to 32 GB.
On connectivity front, the phone offers HSDPA 7.2 Mbps network performance, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, AGPS, and onboard accelerometer technology.
The handsets feature a voice-enabled keyboard that allows users to speak emails, text messages or Internet search queries. The phone also packs a 3D photo gallery, Live Wallpapers, and support for Google applications like Gmail, Google Voice and Google Maps Navigation.
Nexus One devices can provide turn-by-turn spoken driving directions from a Google mapping programme. The phone also has a compass, GPS and a light sensor. The light sensor helps save power by adjusting to indoor and outdoor light.
The phone will run on Android Mobile Technology Platform 2.1 software, the most recent version of the mobile platform offered by Google.
On sale through Google’s online store (google.com/phone), the phone is currently available only in the United States. The locked version of Nexus One comes at a price tag of $179, which includes a two-year service contract with T-Mobile USA. The unlocked model of the phone will cost $529.