There's been a lot of rumbling about Google's Nexus One, their hot new entry into the mobile phone market. The Android-powered phone continues to draw attention amongst tech-types who are looking for alternatives to certain other multi-touch capable devices as the competition in the smartphone market heats up.

Nats has taken the Nexus One through its paces, giving the all-important software-side a thorough investigation - so if you're interested in an in-depth examination of this hot new phone, then head over and have a read!

This is an awesome review, thanks! I am actually pretty convinced that I want one.

Pity it's difficult getting one in Australia (as usual). Also, I wonder what the various android readers are like - anyone with an android phone know about this?

I'm intrigued. Always wanted a google phone, and now that I'm looking at getting an OS phone, it's hard to pick between iPhone 3GS or the Android when it's available...

Good review. I'd definitely buy this over an iPhone but I'm guessing it's just not worth the hassle with the ongoing issues with Optus and lack of NextG support. Better off waiting until it's properly supported (as much as that pains me to say).

@Eorl - Android is an operating system, not a phone. An increasingly large number of phones will be running Android as the o/s soon.

disregard my comment.

Ah yes, sorry bout that Pinky, got my words mixed up it seems :P

Its probably worth mentioning, I was certainly unconvinced prior to actually getting the Nexus One. I bought it primarily to do Android development work on at work, so I was not going to be too fussed if kept using my iPhone instead.

Like I say in my conclusion, after using it for a while - its a great phone, and I won't be going back. If you aren't addicted to iTunes I definitely recommend checking out either the N1 or one of the other Android phones that are hitting the market later this year.

What ongoing issues with Optus? I'm not interested in being with Telstra anyway, so NextG wouldn't be an issue for me, even if it is great coverage.

this may be a solution?

Hah, signal coverage on 2100mhz is anus, and also more power consuming.

Slightly more on topic, is there an index to this article or am I just missing it? I wanted to go to the conclusion/final thoughts and I had to scroll-to-the-bottom-click-next about 4 or 5 times.

On topic, I would be buying one of these if I didn't already own an iPhone (which seems to be a pretty common response), and considering there's probably a new iPhone revision coming out june/july when my contract is up I might just wait and see what's there first.

Slightly more on topic, is there an index to this article or am I just missing it? I wanted to go to the conclusion/final thoughts and I had to scroll-to-the-bottom-click-next about 4 or 5 times.

On topic, I would be buying one of these if I didn't already own an iPhone (which seems to be a pretty common response), and considering there's probably a new iPhone revision coming out june/july when my contract is up I might just wait and see what's there first.

Haha I was thinking the same thing when I had to click through to the conclusion.

Agree with the last comment too - and since I don't have an iPhone, it will most likely happen!

What ongoing issues with Optus? I'm not interested in being with Telstra anyway, so NextG wouldn't be an issue for me, even if it is great coverage.

Currently Optus are blocking paid apps from the Android app market. Google pays telcos 30% of the app market revenue but Optus seem to be rejecting this and are 'working to bring the Android application market to customers'. A common conclusion is that Optus are being greedy, but without the ins and outs about what sort of bandwidth is required to support app market style services who really knows if they are are or not.

There is a way to work around it though, so that's probs not a deal breaker - but it's another hassle, and workarounds cannot be relied upon.

I know it's been said, but that was a really good review Nathan.

You answered all of the questions that I would want to investigate. I like how you compared the iPhone and the N1 with maturity, objectivity and composure. No hyperbole or exaggeration, I liked it.

Seems the N1 has more future functionality freedom potential than the iPhone, but the iPhone has more Apps now and works well with all it's proprietary hardware knick-knacks. I like how the N1 is upgradable to 32GB with a micro SD card, meaning the user can carry around data and even have multiple sets as backup.

Currently Optus are blocking paid apps from the Android app market. Google pays telcos 30% of the app market revenue but Optus seem to be rejecting this and are 'working to bring the Android application market to customers'.

Yes good point Pinky, I actually forgot to mention the issue in the review but I find it infuriating. Its a very good reason to avoid Optus; I intend to shift carriers when my contract is up.

Great review but I'm still waiting for that n900 review :(

I can tell you that the "nice to have some access back" commentary makes it very enticing. A decent camera (for a phone), the high resolution screen, storage access, native Gmail support (no more "Folders" through IMAP), bigger battery and customisation would be a breath of fresh air quite honestly.

I hope that Apple can finally get a kick up the arse and start making the iPhone less "annoying", as much as it's a nice to use phone. Steve Jobs is turning into a cranky old megalomaniac (not that he ever wasn't).

The main thing that would stop me is the lack of 850MHz support, as I'm on Telstra.

Hog: this post is real, btw ;)

last edited by 3dee at 16:30:43 08/Feb/10

I wonder what Steve Jobs thinks of this software listing rofl: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/productivity_tools/themissingsyncforandroid.html

Nats - any Exchange servers you can connect it too to test functionality?

Oh that. I did notice something about Optus being tools about the market paid apps. Its really gay of Optus, but just personally I can't see it being a huge issue for me as I wouldn't bother buying paid apps.

Every time I receive a call at home on my mobile, it reminds me that I should be looking at NextG compatible phones, because I'm in a 3G dead zone in the middle of f***ing Chapel Hill and can hardly get any reception.

One of the best things is being able to use it to carry data around instead of on a usb (tho I guess you still need a cord or card reader), and also no itunes! yay!

TicMan, I only have access to Zimbra's outlook connector thing. I can read my email through it, but my calendar comes up blank / is not supported. I haven't yet looked to see if there is a solution.

EDIT: http://androidforums.com/nexus-one/33648-no-exchange-calendar.html covers the situation pretty well. No built-in support; you can pay $20 for an Android app someone makes that provides native connectivity, or you can run a program on your desktop PC to sync your exchange calendar onto your Gmail account.

Have heard a lot of negative comments about the N1. Screens not working properly, poor battery life etc. etc.

I don't think Android is ready for me yet.

I will seriously consider the Dell Mini5 when it comes out. It looks sexy and is just that little bit bigger that its almost a dual phone / tablet.

Dell Mini 5 Hands-ON from Gizmodo on Vimeo.

last edited by mongie at 17:48:03 08/Feb/10

Just chiming in to say I love my Android phone, and it's an awesome operating system. I have a Motorola Milestone (called the Droid in the US), and it's awesome. The screen is ridiculously high-res (slightly more than the Nexus One), and the physical keyboard makes smashing out emails and forums posts a breeze. I'd like to have a play with the Nexus One, but I don't really feel that I'm missing out on anything, since 2.1 has been confirmed for the Milestone/Droid by Motorola in the coming weeks, and the CPU in the Milestone is still pretty quick.

And the stuff with Optus is a real pain in the arse, as Pinky mentioned. I had to get root access to my phone and install an app called MarketEnabler, since those f***-heads don't think I deserve to have access to paid apps.

EDIT: Hahaha, I just looked at that "Missing Sync for Android," what a useless piece of software.

Keep contacts in sync wirelessly via Wi-Fi. Transfer music, ringtones, photos, files, and videos fast with a USB cable.

Thanks Apple, but unlike your stupid phone, my contacts are synced wirelessly as standard, without the need for a computer, and I have access to my upgradeable storage like any other drive, so I don't need your bloated piece of s*** software to copy music to my phone.

I don't think Android is ready for me yet.

Those problems are isolated to the Nexus One, they're not standard Android issues.

DOUBLE EDIT:

No built-in support; you can pay $20 for an Android app someone makes that provides native connectivity, or you can run a program on your desktop PC to sync your exchange calendar onto your Gmail account.

That's odd, I'm just running stock-standard Android 2.0.1, and I have built in support for Exchange email and calendar syncing. I don't use it, but the apps are there, pre-installed.

last edited by Midda at 17:51:38 08/Feb/10

Those problems are isolated to the Nexus One, they're not standard Android issues.

You're right - but there are just as many issues with the Milestone / Droid as there are with the Nexus 1.

(Thats not to say that the iPhone never had any issues, but i didn't buy an iPhone at release either).

There are? I'm aware of the camera auto-focus issue, but that was fixed with 2.0.1. I haven't really read about or noticed any other problems.

That's odd, I'm just running stock-standard Android 2.0.1, and I have built in support for Exchange email and calendar syncing. I don't use it, but the apps are there, pre-installed.

Reading through that other thread, the theory/belief is that you have to pay Microsoft a fee to license the Exchange ActiveSync stuff which Google fob off onto the handset manufacturers to pay; Droid has full support because Motorola paid the fee.

Ah, I see. That sucks. Doesn't the Hero come with Exchange support, though? Both the Hero and Nexus One are manufactured by HTC. Strange they'd license one and not the other.

Android love
http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/rr31/wht32/iRacing/AndroidFormulaMazda_640_400.jpg

Yes I have a Motorola Milestone too and loving it. Using Exchange for work email and gmail for personnel stuff, push email is awesome :)

Here's a good long review of the Nexus One. I tell you what, it seems pretty nice, despite some of the issues.

I'm planning on ordering either the n900 or the Droid off this site next week sometime. They seem to have really good prices so I'm hoping it's not a to good to be true website where I pay the money and get an empty box in the mail a month latter while some a****** in China laughs it up at my expense.

I thought the Droid was an ugly phone until I saw the Nexus One.

I don't see what the big deal is with the Nexus One's image. The colour is not fantastic but the design itself looks pretty sleek if you ask me.

HTC HD2 IMO

I thought the Droid was an ugly phone until I saw the Nexus One.

Call me a freak then (and referencing Nathan's comment about the phone that is more 'sexy' *shudder, I fukn hate that word, you don't have sex with your phone, mmmmk?*) but I think Nexus One looks better than the iPhone :-/

What ongoing issues with Optus? I'm not interested in being with Telstra anyway, so NextG wouldn't be an issue for me, even if it is great coverage.

A lot of council officers are now being issued with 2 Sim cards/phones because there are a vast Number of Optus dead zones in the new Logan area.
My house (middle of Springwood) doesn't get Optus, I have to walk up the front and 20m down the road to get more then 1/2 a bar, even then it's barely 2. Telstra gets full service here.

Yeah the design isn't bad but the colour is horrid. The only colour I want on my phone is displayed on the high-res screen.

EDIT: Hahaha, I just looked at that "Missing Sync for Android," what a useless piece of software.

You do realise that that software is not made by Apple, its just a 3rd party app?

Overall I really like the nexus one, especially the screen. I think android is a great OS (esp 2.1), and they finally have some solid hardware to run it on. Theres a few things that I would need to switch (exchange support + audible compatibility + tweetie), but I think the platform is definitely getting there. If I was google embedded (ie: used google services for everything) I'd definitely go for this phone (especially for google voice even though its not available here...yet). Although I'm sticking with the iPhone, I'm hoping for some awesome stuff to come from Android, any competition in the marketplace is decent, seeing RIM, MS and Nokia dropped the ball so hard!

I guess everyone has different opinions on appearance. I've not seen the Motorola Droid in person but it looks kind of ugly to me in photos - very rectangular, which I know is a conscious design decision but its not one I enjoy

The Nexus One is in my opinion one of the best looking phones I've seen; to me its just not quite up to iPhone, particularly on the back.

I don't regard it as a big difference, but in the interest of fairness I wanted to include it in my review.

You do realise that that software is not made by Apple, its just a 3rd party app?

Doesn't make my point any less valid.

And I think the Nexus One looks much better than the iPhone.

Yeah the design isn't bad but the colour is horrid. The only colour I want on my phone is displayed on the high-res screen.

Wouldn't you just chuck a case on it to solve that issue though? Not really worth talking about IMO.

I see fandroids

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/8458/overdroid.jpg

Very nice trillion! I tried to copy for AGN but I like yours much better. My gfx skillz aren't as 1337.

http://i46.tinypic.com/wqsr4w.jpg

This could be a new meme, just for thermite

I'm with the majority who like the design - although the grey isn't fantastic. I don't like the squareness of the droid at all, but the N1 is all curves and slimness. Also, I'm kinda over the 'shiny' of the iPhone - I like the matte of the N1 too.

A lot of council officers are now being issued with 2 Sim cards/phones because there are a vast Number of Optus dead zones in the new Logan area.
My house (middle of Springwood) doesn't get Optus, I have to walk up the front and 20m down the road to get more then 1/2 a bar, even then it's barely 2. Telstra gets full service here.

Well this makes me appriciate my 1 to 2 bars!

I was all for the N900, til I got to have a brief play with a friend's on the weekend. It's pretty chunky, although it looks great and the qwerty (i can't believe i spelt that wrong the first time..) is really good to use. However the camera is less than expected, which was disappointing as I had heard good things about Nokia cameras.

Here's a good long review of the Nexus One. I tell you what, it seems pretty nice, despite some of the issues.

I had no idea that these things were this advanced. I kind of want one but can't really justify it since my current phone can already send messages which is all I use it for... Does skipping on the Telstra 3G thingy prevent using certain functionalities?

Does skipping on the Telstra 3G thingy prevent using certain functionalities?

Functionalities like constant 5 bar service right out into the countryside? Yes.

look at the upcoming X10 if you want a phone thats slightly better than the n1 - and has Telstra NextG support. Also the HTC increadible - but the x10 has a better screen/camera

Yeah the X10 looks really bloody good. Android phone as well.

My last two phones have been Sony Ericsson and I've been really happy. My mate bought the Xperia X1 and that had a major problem though - had to go in for repair and they replaced the hole back section with mainboard and everything.

yeh.. but it's a sony. So you'll know they'll find a way to ream you somehow

Yeah true that, wouldn't buy a DVD player or amp or anything Sony but I've had a good spell with their phones so far.

The proprietry charger plugs and headphone sockets are starting to get on my nerves though.

Optus has pretty awesome coverage if your phone supports 900Mhz 3G. Their coverage is pretty damn close to NextG. Driving from Brissy to Cairns over Christmas, there was never a point between here and there that I didn't have signal. The NextG network is still better, with like 98% of the Australian population covered, but the Optus "Yes G" network isn't too far behind, sitting at 96%. It's not as fast though, in my experience. Close, but no cigar.

@Midda yeah I think the iPhone has tarnished their network's reputation. Kinda stupid on their part selling so many when the proper network isn't supported by the most common phone. But hey.

Also, I dunno about you but I know which one I like more.

http://www.techhail.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Google-Nexus-One-and-Motorola-Droid-Comparison.jpg

Yeah, the Nexus One is prettier, but I would rather the physical keyboard.

The X10 looks good in theory, but I'm with trog; I think Sony will find a way to stuff it up. We already know that a) it will launch with Android 1.6 b) it has some sort of custom Sony UI stuck on top and c) it has half the ram of the Nexus One.

To me, c) is a massive problem - with nothing running on my N1 (with 512MB ram), Advanced Task Killer says I have just 263mb free.

Sony have come out and said they will move to Android 2.0 after launch, but from what I can see 512MB ram is mandatory for Android 2.x . One can only hope that the reported specs are wrong or they move to 512MB before launch.

I'm also sceptical that Sony will manage to support the phone with updated Android releases over time. This is one area that Apple have done really, really well on and is something the Android manufacturers are yet to figure out.

Sony have come out and said they will move to Android 2.0 after launch, but from what I can see 512MB ram is mandatory for Android 2.x . One can only hope that the reported specs are wrong or they move to 512MB before launch.

The Milestone/Droid only has 256MB of RAM, and it launched with 2.0. 256MB is fine. Sure, 512MB would be nicer, but I've never run out of memory on my Milestone, and considering the Droid was the first Android phone in the world to run 2.0, 512MB is obviously not mandatory.

Apparently Android supports M4A non-DRM iTunes Store music. This is another reason why I might switch.

Maybe I'll wait for the next iPhone and the "Nexus Two" and see how they compare.

Midda, that's interesting. I wonder why I have so little memory free then? Maybe its one of those things where it includes operating system cache and so really is just lies.

People always seem to think that computers and phones will somehow run faster if they have more RAM free, which makes no sense. RAM is the fastest memory in a computer system, so the more things you have loaded into memory at once, the more things you can load without having to wait. Provided a system is smart with how it allocates memory, you WANT as much of your RAM to be utilised as possible. I was using a task killing app on my phone for a little while, but it was doing nothing to improve my performance, and was in fact often doing the opposite. Worrying about your free RAM is often a pointless exercise, particularly if your device is running fine anyway.

Looks pretty cool, I think I will going to Android for my next phone (approx 1 year). Right now I am content with my HTC Touch Pro 2, though for me to upgrade it will have to have a good physical keyboard to tempt me.

I'm prepared to leap into soft-keyboard land just to minimise the carry weight/size.

I just can't believe that people would go to that much trouble to get a mobile phone.

the phone does look nifty though.

last edited by protit at 12:52:40 09/Feb/10

I'm planning on ordering either the n900 or the Droid off this site next week sometime. They seem to have really good prices so I'm hoping it's not a to good to be true website where I pay the money and get an empty box in the mail a month latter while some a****** in China laughs it up at my expense. I thought the Droid was an ugly phone until I saw the Nexus One.

lemme know how it goes, if it works out then i may have to follow you

I just can't believe that people would go to that much trouble to get a mobile phone.

The US proxy part is a bit troublesome (I was fortunate I already have a US webserver), but comGateway were very easy to deal with; very little difference vs just ordering direct.

I'm prepared to leap into soft-keyboard land just to minimise the carry weight/size.

I'm in the same boat, I had a phone with slide-out keyboard before my iPhone, and I just dont think it makes a big enough difference to justify the extra weight and size it adds.