Our buddy Tnkgrl just had a sit down with Google and HTC's lovedroid, the Nexus One. She "wasn't allowed" to take pictures or video but she came away with plenty of detail. The biggest point of clarification might not be what's included in the handset, but what's
missing: multitouch. She confirms, "no multitouch support in the browser or in Google Maps," just like Verizon's Droid (but available on its European
Milestone brother). The unit she tested included a 4GB microSD card, 1400mAh battery, worked on T-Mobile's 3G only (AT&T is limited to EDGE data), and was "super snappy! Faster than the Droid." She also noted "gold contacts" along the bottom edge presumably for a docking port thus jibing with whispers of a Nexus One Car Dock accessory. Now hit the read link for all the details if you still have the strength.
P.S. We should probably clarify that while the Google Apps tested don't respond to multitouch, the OS and hardware are presumably multitouch capable. See our previous
exhaustive analysis of this topic if you're wondering why.
posted December 18th 2009 4:19AM
Oh noez!!! What ever will we do without multi-touch!
\sarcasm
@XIYL The only negatives I have about the lack of multi-touch are typing on the virtual keyboard (if you type fast) and games.
@XIYL All it needs is a Sense port et Voila! Multi touch is fully functional. Apple can't sue google, they'd have to chase HTC. if they do, HTC will be the underdog, and the therefore the emotionally invested jury will have to abolish this stupid patent stronghold Apple has
@Hotrod
3rd party apps support multitouch if the developer includes it, its just Google did not build in multitouch into their own applications. So get the "Dolphin Browser" for internet, and some 3rd party keyboard and you will have your multi-touch.... and for maps, the double tap works great. Honestly if you use it while driving double tap is a lot easier to use than pinching it.
@XIYL Although the lack of multitouch is not a big issue, the implementation is welcome, and can simplify some normal, everyday tasks.
@Abdel Dude, are you really that stupid?
@XIYL haha, Yeah! Droid also had this issue when it has been unveiled, No multitouch, ah yes - but look at it now it seems all has been a joke. Anyway, let's just say the Nexus One really don't have a multitouch.
What's the fuzz? For sure goog geek labs would insert something as good as that feature, wouldn't they? to at least suffice for the loss glamour. Detailed Specs and Review: http://bit.ly/google-phone-frequency-for-all
@XIYL
I really don't have a problem with not having multi-touch other than the fact that they are purposely excluding it from their phones.
Its this silly unwritten alliance that google and apple have that makes me very uncomfortable.
Since Multi-Touch CAN be there it SHOULD be there. Even if I didn't really care to use it.
@Hotrod pretty big reasons actually.
@XIYL it will have multi-touc but it will be disabled for the US since Apple owns the patent for it...
@geraldjax Give me a reason! I exaggerated a little but nothing that warrants you to call me stupid.
Look at MS and their monopoly of IE and see what the EU antitrust suits resulted in
@XIYL
multi touch has nothing to do with pinch zooming on apps and shiz, it's all about having it so you can type as fast as you can.
I am very shocked that multi touch is not there, lets hope it's because it hasn't been enabled yet. That's just crazy.
@XIYL I honestly don't like multi-touch. I've tried it on my Droid with the Dolphin Browser, and have tried it on the iPhone but the double tap zoom just makes much more sense in everyday one-hand uses.
now, if it was an option, absolutely I'd love it (more options for free? why not) but I don't see myself using it during the busiest times of my day
@XIYL I should clarify, I don't like *pinch-zoom* feature. now multi-touch in its entirety is a necessity for the on screen keyboard
@XIYL One Dated device.
@geraldjax You're obviously the stupid one that didnt get the sarcasm.
@(Unverified)
just have the pto review it to get it invalidated... there are prior art before the patent...
that's why there's product divide between the EU and the US since they have different patent laws
@Hotrod and even that is irrelevant now that Swype was leaked for android :D
http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2009/12/30/how-to-get-swype-on-android/
Um, there doesn't seem to be a read or source link ...
@maniack I tell you the supersecret endaget magic trick now: click the picture. but psssh don't tell anyone
@hq Sure, but that's not what it said in the article. It's fixed now.
@engadget
How hard is it to add the target="_blank" tag to your href links?
I'm surprised. (sarcasm)
The only place I really care about multi touch is in the keyboard, it makes it way easier to to type fast, as for gestures, sure they are nice, but if they aren't there, meh, oh well, don't really care.
@Amnesia87
Yea for typing it really needs multi-touch so it really kills it cus that means you're going to be typing really slow.
what the deal the no multi-touch on the android devices? does apple have a patent or something??
@ninjaskllz
Apple patented something they didn't even invent or use first. Stupid patent office.
@ninjaskllz
yes. one they should not have been granted due to plenty of prior art.
witch sucks because though apple would not be able to win a suit nobody wants to deal with it. and thus we get "smart" phones that are gimped.
i have yet to find a single touch interface that flowed well enough. hoping somebody steps up to the plate before i have to break down and get an iphone... im thinking if i go that way it would have to be an unlocked phone though. tired of atts' network bs.
@Bashere
am i missing something here? how does not having multitouch make or break this phone?
the hardware alone blows other phones away.
@ninjaskllz
No Apple doesn't have any patents for the... uh.. what was it called, oh yea, the iPhone...
(/sarcasm)
iPhone > Google ... by about 90,000 Apps. And now Multitouch.
@Wesscoast
1. You know what I meant, don't be difficult.
2. So why would I need to write the name of the phone since they only have one.
3. Any one phone is not perfect. Everyone has different taste. If the iPhone makes you happy, fine. But don't assume everyone is gaga over it.
Perhaps the european version will have multitouch. Just like the Droid...
@jvoorbrood
+1
@jvoorbrood
Yep, the europeans like to touch not americans...:)
Who cares?
@CJ100570
It's a pretty moot point anyway. There'll be a nexus one ROM on XDA-Developers later this afternoon for the nexus one with multi-touch enabled.
i'm really starting to wish the iphone was never invented.
@seangt
I really do resent that device. Not that it's a bad device...it's the blogs and tech experts who's whole field of vision has changed. iPhone released missing basic features that most phones already have that will be slowly rolled out over three devices and numerous OS releases and that's fine...these features are continually disregarded by the fanboys UNTIL their implemented "who needs 3G...tethering...apps...MMS...cut 'n' paste...full bluetooth...etc" but leave the mighty multi touch out of any device that has all of the above as standard and all hell breaks loose.
When will we go back to having even a semblance of objectivity?
@seangt
Because it's true (except the 3G part)
Personally I never used copy and paste on my iPhone and even now that we have it I barely use it.
The truth is that you anti apple club members have been bitching about features that most people couldn't care less about meanwhile Apple patented something that mattered and has lead to a very smooth experience when it comes to navigating a phone.
To date no phone I've used aside from the iPhone has given me a purely perfect web browsing experience. And part of that is the multitouch capablity as well as the capacitive screen.
So yeah until the other phone makers get it they're screwed.
@TheCodexAlera
really multi touch makes web browsing perfect? I have it on my Hero and use it probably about 1/100 the time you use copy/paste. Multi touch is much lower on my list then copy/paste mainly because I like actually being able to use data between programs fluidly (ie - copy an address out of an email and pasting it into google maps). yeah sure multi touch is great for games, and I'm going to say marginally better for typing. I'm not an apple hater, I just don't see the amazingly high value placed on multi touch that others do.
@TheCodexAlera
Seriously...
NO web page displayed at a laughable 320x480 display resolution can ever be remotely regarded as 'perfect' from my vantage point, multi=touch or not.
As previously stated, you obviously have pretty low standards if you regard the the iPhone's web browsing as 'perfect'.
all i care for is: 1ghz cpu, 3.7 amoled screen, and that its for tmobile
I'm more mortified by the fact T-Mobile's 3G only :/. I was gonna buy this phone and sell my iPhone. blarg!!
@xchrislee
A great phone like this needs to be on other carriers with better networks. Tmobile still doesn't even have 3G in many major areas yet.
@ZeRoCo0L
if you live in a major city like me, tmo coverage is great.
plus i refuse to pay what verizon and att charges for their plans.
@inhuman
I live in Los Angeles area and while they are much cheaper they just aren't as robust. I'd never have AT&T but wish a similar phone would go to Verizon or Sprint as I travel a lot.
@inhuman
I live in SF. [one of the largest cluster effs for mobile coverage]
T-mobile is atrocious here, but I do know so-cal tmobo coverage is good.
@ZeRoCo0L
I'm also in Los Angeles, and have never had any problems with T-Mobile
Can't see anything here that is revolutionary rather than evolutionary (Snapdragon, big screen, interface element improvements etc...) Maybe the unlocked phone business model, which is new for the USA...
the droid eris has multitouch so why didnt htc implent it here. seems kinda silly