Google Nexus One First Impressions
By Allan, 7:07 am Mon Feb 1 2010 - Featured, Rundowns - 7 Opinions
Trust me when I say that the Nexus One, my first Android device, is worth it. I’ve gone through the hassle of getting one from the US, waiting (very difficult!), and damaging my wallet.
My first impressions of this device are largely influenced by my experiences with other platforms. Nexus One and iPhone are always found in one sentence. Hardware-wise, Google’s phone is superior in almost every aspect. However, the experience with the device doesn’t end there. My Nexus One may open the email app faster than my iPod Touch (it runs iPhone OS too, for those who have been hiding under huge rocks), but the Apple device downloads my non-Gmail mails faster. The software and ecosystem play a huge role in the experience of the user with the phone.
Comparing the two phones (and platforms) is still like comparing apples to oranges. Nexus One is good at things that Google does best (obviously). If you use Google services extensively, you’ll love this phone. If you’re already dependent on your iDevices, the iPhone is probably the phone for you.
There are some things that aren’t subjective when comparing Android and iPhone OS. I bought my iPod Touch to have something to compare to my Android-powered phone (yes, that’s how much I love my Android) so I already have a long list of notes. It’s obvious that more iPhone apps follow the platform’s conventions than the ones on Android. This is probably a product of a thinner barrier to entry to the Android market and the youth of the platform.
To sum it up, my Nexus One experience has been great so far. The hardware is superb and the software is promising. Stay tuned for more posts on the Google Nexus One!
(Editor’s note: Allan Caeg is a guest writer who will share his experiences with the Nexus One. Thanks Allan!)
jab
1:01 pm Mon Feb 1 2010
i hope they bring this over to the Philippines so that it doesn’t hurt our wallets when we try to get one…
Rico
3:03 pm Mon Feb 1 2010
I think it will get here jab, though as the HTC Bravo/Passion/whatever name HTC comes up with.
Rom
8:08 pm Mon Feb 1 2010
HTC Bravo is expected to come this March 2010. It also has 1Ghz Snapdragon and HTC Sense UI plus the ability to record HD videos at 720p.
It’s the successor of the N1 and will raise the bar on Android phones.
suburbandude
10:10 pm Tue Feb 2 2010
Hey Rico, thanks for the heads up. I’m considering an Android phone for my next purchase. Nokia’s offerings don’t cut it anymore for me. I have the E90 right now and it’s the slowest phone I ever had, and I already have the latest firmware. I wonder if Nexus One responds fast?
I also use Gmail a lot. Does the phone book synchronize with your contacts list in Gmail?
Allan
12:12 pm Wed Feb 3 2010
suburbandude,
It does sync your Google Account (with contacts, calendar, Picasa, and GMail).
Syncs Facebook contacts too!
As for getting one in the Philippines, Mark Sergio, HTC Philippines’ country manager, said that its counterpart will arrive in PH http://twitter.com/mark_sergio/status/7424300062
Marc
3:03 pm Sun Feb 7 2010
Is it safe to wait for this? Or will it already be topped by something else by the time it’s released officially in the Philippines?
Also, how’s divx playback? TIA
Allan
1:01 pm Mon Feb 8 2010
Marc,
I haven’t tried divx playback. I’ll tell you as soon as I do.
As for waiting for it, I don’t think something will top it very soon. Even the HTC Incredible, which was just leaked ( http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/07/htc-incredible-caught-on-video-rocking-snapdragon-android-2-1-w/?s=t5 ) isn’t good enough. It depends on how long you can wait, though. If you can hold for 6 months, you might as well see if the next Nexus (from Motorola, probably) is good enough. At this point, I recommend getting a Nexus One even until March.