Google Nexus One Review
Overview
A powerful smartphone with a large touchscreen and range of features, the Google Nexus One is a first-class Android phone.
Pros
Not only does the Google Nexus One boast an array of advanced features, it has the technology to support these features. Internally, the HTC-manufactured Nexus One is powered by the super-fast Snapdragon processor. This means that the mobile phone can more than keep pace, no matter how many applications you choose to run at the same time – not to mention that accessing and browsing the internet is reliable with little or no hold-ups.
The curved shape of the Google Nexus One ensures a comfortable grip. The design is similar to the
HTC Hero, and the Nexus even manages to be slightly slimmer than the
iPhone. The weight makes for a solid feel but it is plenty light enough to take with you in your pocket or handbag. Considering the screen measures 3.7 inches, the Nexus One is a good size.
Navigating the smartphone is straightforward. Beneath the touch-sensitive screen are the back, menu, home and search touch-buttons which allow you to access the screens directly as well as to go between pages effortlessly. The central and only physical key on the front of the Google Nexus One is for overall navigation. The virtual keyboard has finger-friendly keys and typing is enhanced by the phone’s ability to predict what you are writing after you input a couple of letters, displaying the completed word above where you’re typing. This friendly feature is also found on the
iPhone 3G S and helps to make messaging fast. And if you want to rest your fingers you can always opt for the voice-recognition feature which lets you speak your message instead of typing it.
The brightness and depth of colour on-screen are impressive, supporting fun elements like the Live Wallpaper. As the name suggests, this wallpaper moves – for example, the Water one has a ripple effect when touched. The high resolution is also great for applications including Google Maps as it means you can clearly see your planned route and, using the GPS receiver integrated in the Google Nexus One, even check your progress on the map as you travel.
This sense of clarity is expressed also through the images which you can take on the 5-megapixel camera. The Google Nexus One’s camera comes with autofocus, 2x digital zoom, LED flash, and smile detection which ensures a photo is only taken when your friends are smiling. Sharing your photos can be done via email, MMS, uploading onto the photo-sharing website Picasa, or via Bluetooth direct to other compatible mobiles.
Cons
Browsing websites is pleasant on the Google Nexus One thanks to the screen quality and speed. However, it is a shame that the Nexus doesn’t have the multi-touch capability seen on the iPhone 3G S, which lets you zoom in on an image or page by simply pinching two fingers together.
Conclusion
The features on the Google Nexus One encompass music, camera, GPS, Android Marketplace, digital compass and instant messaging. For a reliably fast, responsive and functional smartphone, the Nexus One is a good choice.