Google Nexus One stands with iPhone and Hero, interface gets a 5-minute walkthrough
By Ross Miller 
posted December 22nd 2009 11:27PM
posted December 22nd 2009 11:27PM
The Google Nexus One trickle continues. Today's two menu items include a 5-minute demonstration of the Android 2.1 interface -- shaky, sure, but it's a pretty thorough rundown of all the menus. We're also serving up some low-resolution picture comparisons of the Nexus One laying side-by-side with the iPhone and HTC Hero. It
still eludes us how all these leaking parties don't seem to have in their possession a decent DSLR or camcorder (feel free to give us a buzz, we'll gladly help out). Video after the break.
Love the android platform, can't wait for this phone, and getting on board with the t-mobile non contract plans. 1ghz snapdragon, and oled. Yes please.
Complaints about multi touch go out the window since all that takes is a software patch.
@stabbytheicepic
+1 because I just LOL'd at your username
"It still eludes us how all these leaking parties don't seem to have in their possession a decent DSLR or camcorder (feel free to give us a buzz, we'll gladly help out)."
Hey I got the inside scoop, how about a decent DSLR or camcorder? I want my rewards in nickels & dimes please.
To clarify things from htcnexusone.net these pictures were first provided to us then uploaded elsewhere. We were allowed to take credit by the provider.
Thank You
Well, the good news is that the speed isn't exclusive; I bet the Nexus One will be faster than the Droid (snapdragon, of course) but it seems that 2.1 will be a speed improvement for every android phone it gets put on, as illustrated by the port to the Droid earlier in the week. Know what I'm waiting for? Once the Milestone gets updated to 2.1, the reverse port of that to enable native multitouch on the Droid. (Don't get me wrong, I know multitouch gestures aren't everything, but why wouldn't I want them if I can have them?)
@Saauron I did not notice any speed over 2.0..
Putting 2.1 on my Droid got me to drop Home ++, since I like organizing my widgets between the 5 homescreens - and I no longer see any lag when switching between them (not that there was significant lag on 2.0, but you do notice once its gone, especially as someone who uses a bunch of widgets)
Have a look at the reflection later in the clip - big camera + big tripod!!
@stef101 lol, no... No other camera, no tripod, it's just an open space...
@stef101
the camera looked like it had the form factor of a Euro Hero. I'm pretty sure there is no working tripod for it, and that definitely explains the video quality.
lol...pretty much a carbon copy clone of iPhone's UI animation.
Also the camera work was starting to give me motion sickness.
@Kanaka
Thank you! I had asked about that in an earlier comment. I have never used an iPhone myself, but it was the first thing I thought of when I saw this video and the user access the Apps section of the Nexus.
As stated in my earlier comment, I have an HTC Hero from Sprint, and this video left me with a "that's it?" feeling.
@GeorgeAnthony
The phone doesn't really bring anything new to the table besides the Snapdragon processor and being called the actual Google phone. Droid and Hero users (since Hero is getting 2.1 soon) aren't missing out on anything at all.
@Kanaka but anyone that's used Android for any length of time will know that lag is a problem. The 1Ghz Snapdragon and snappier Android 2.0 alone warrant a look at the Nexus. If the NexusOne is truly as fast as this video shows, I can use a stock phone and have it run faster than my rooted phone. My rooted G1 on Cyanogen 4.2.9 runs snappier than a stock Droid for that matter. As far as the icon layout and what have you...who cares? GDE, Ahome, OpenHome, PandaHome or DXtop gives flexibility to change that layout.
I think too many people are nitpicking.
@psudoplex you mean nexususers.com has the same old information, gathered from other sources on it.
Browser still seems subpar to iPhone & Pre's browsers
@Kanaka With Android, you can replace stock apps like the browser, music player, calendar, etc. There are always better ones of course. With Android, the user has much more control, which makes for a better user experience. From running apps in the background to installing 'banned' apps like Google Voice, Navigation and Latitude, Android lets you decide what to run and how to run it.
@bst Whats the best 3rd party browser? I continue to be unimpressed by the android browser.
@mcfine Dolphin.
@dansus
Dolphin seems noticeably slower than the built in Android browser to me on rendering/scrolling but definitely has a better GUI. Not quite sold on it yet.
Go to any verizon store and ask about the returns on the Nexus..too many software issues
@(Unverified) On a non available phone? Please... :)
@(Unverified)
you talking about the droid?
it looks pretty cool :) if only it had multi touch because it really is smart for the internet and for viewing pictures. but i like it :) if it's cheap i would think about getting it. what is the camera like?
@KRISC123 multitouch IS capable on these Android devices. what you're referring to is the "pinch-zoom" capabilities popularized by Apple.
if you ever decide to get an Android device, just download Dolphin Browser from the app market and you'll be pinch-zooming your happy ass in no time.
Nearly threw up watching that vid.
I'm not sure why everyone is saying it looks sluggish.. looks pretty damn fast to me.
http://www.nexusoneforum.net
"mommy", said the iphone
I like the speed. Android 2.0 is nice. More RAM, more ROM than my rooted G1. Better screen. better form factor. I'd buy it.
This is looking better every single time there is a post about this. Can't wait for Google to bring this to market (specifically the UK). It'll easily win over my cravings for an iPhone - and I haven't even used one of these yet.
meh...uglier and slower than iphone...what is the hype all about? I'll be waiting for the HD2 or X10.
Ugly, maybe - that's a personal opinion. But based on this video, can't say I saw anything that was going slowly...
@Saauron
The icons look like winmo icons, nothing compared to the Sense UI the Iphone UI.
The lag might be because of frame rate issues of the video. But the phone seemed pretty laggy especially when using the internet. Double tap as you could see did not zoom well at all and even crashed the explorer. Just becaues it has the 1gig processor doesnt mean its being completely utilized efficiently by the OS.
I'm no apple fanboy, as I said I'm tired of my iphone and want something else also. But you Android/Google fanboys need to get a life. HD2 or X10 for me.
Phone is great but volume is terribly low..also phone needs to be unlocked to answer which I find quite annoying.
NO! Why have they not given us a decent youtube app? (the very end)
@LOLCATZ
I'd agree this is an issue. Although a small one. I can generally pull up videos on my droid faster than an iPhone 3g. I haven't gone toe to toe with the 3gs however.
i hope they launch the phone in jan or feb ....i am ready to buy the dev phone as well....hehe
wow this phone could be the android device ive been waiting for. im going to wait to see what webos has to offer next as well
Please register at the Nexus One Forum
http://forums.htcnexusone.net
Is the guy using an iPhone to take this video?
@Samster
i thought that too. the irony...
@Saja No it was an HTC Hero.
another wannabe trying to play catch up. might be interesting if they give the phone away free with free service or something game changing. hardware wise I don't see it. people still salivating over 3gs. still trying to match 3gs speed with 1 ghz processor. anybody see how ridiculous and lame that is? come on get real.
@PattyXXX
Wanna be trying to catch up? Hardware not game changing? Get real, You must be delusional! Not even the HD2 has the full package like this phone because of the AM OLED screen. Stop being such a fan boy ... Had this device had certain fruit as the logo you would say quite the contrary!
If anyone has catching up to do its software that cant handle more than one app at a time.
@newjaruz
full package? it's got the same functionality as every other phone with a less than flattering industrial design. and at least iPhone can hold more than one app. 256mb storage is insulting.
We don't yet know what the internal storage on the Nexus One is, all we know is that the ones they gave out came with 4gb micro sd cards. I'm not even going to argue with you regarding speed - don't tell me that looking at that video that the Nexus One seems slower than the 3GS in any way.
I'm confident that the Nexus One will be faster than the 3GS, considering that it has a faster processor, and is coming out some 6 months afterwards. We'll see what Apple will be offering come June, but when this comes out (presuming January) it'll be the fastest thing on the market.
@Saauron
sorry to disappoint you. but iPhone doesn't harness all of it's processor power. one software update and the 3gs will blow obliterate this phone and any other. no multitouch out the box. got to hack it. get serious.
@PattyXXX
lol because "multi-touch" is the be all and end all of ultimate phone capabilities (which by the way this device does have). Pinch zoom is what you're talking about, which is also capable on the device. aka "There's an app for that."
Maybe you should read up a bit more next time before beating your head across your iphone's keyboard.
Uh, most phones underclock to save battery life. If the 3GS uses any more of that processor, its going to come at the expense of battery life. And I can guarantee you this, its not like you're going to be buying a bigger battery, now are you? Why am I touting snapdragon as faster? Not just because it's clocked at 1ghz vs the iphone's 600mhz (clockspeeds aren't everything), but because we've seen the snapdragon processor beat the 3GS on the HD2, and that's running windows mobile. (Not to hate on windows mobile, but the browsing experience hasn't exactly been the fastest)
I love how fanboyism drives people to say things like "will blow obliterate this phone and any other." First off, I don't know what blow obliterating is. Second, are you afraid that in a few months something will come out which is faster than your iPhone? It's called technology, and if you bought it today, chances are it'll be obsolete tomorrow. Who knows what the next iPhone firmware update will do? Basically, your argument comes across as: "well, the iPhone is the best phone, and has hidden secret powers that will make it better than any phone which comes out after it.
If the iPhone could be faster, I would be mad at Apple for keeping that functionality from me until they could package it in a way which allows them to sell more iPhones.
Like they did with cut and paste. And 3g. And video. And MMS.
I assure you this, Cupertino won't be making the iPhone 3GS any faster until they can release the 4G iPhone, which will be even faster and retail unlocked for $599. But even if they did, that S5PC100 wouldn't keep up with software that properly uses the new Snapdragon processor, and Apple is running out of places to optimize iPhone OS X.
So can the Nexus One record 720p video, or is that just the HTC Bravo?