Nexus One succumbs to Colorware's charms

Colorware's out to conquer the whole gadget world, it seems, as it has now added Google's first own-brand phone to its roster. Joining such hero devices as the Nook, iPhone 3GS, every modern console and even the occasional ThinkPad, the Nexus One will take three weeks to undergo its makeover, at a cost of $175 if you're supplying your own or $800 for a brand new one. Whether the results end up priceless or worthless will be entirely up to you, however, so feel free to practice on their design site a bit before pulling the trigger.

[LAY Posted Jan 27th 2010 9:54AM]

$175 could help some hurting children in Haiti. But if your phone needs some Colorware lovin, then who am I to judge?

[Hazdaz Posted Jan 27th 2010 9:57AM]

@LAY

And on top of that, that looks awful.

If you really need to paint your phone, just spend $5 on some fancy nail polish and go to town.

[Aeon74 Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:05AM]

@LAY

You for real ? I hate it when people preach to others about where their own hard earned money should go. If you wanna donate to Haiti then go ahead, but I see no reason why others cant make up their own mind without people questioning their spending habits.

Personally I think $175 seems expensive for a makeover.. what that has to do with Charity to Haiti I have no idea.

[Peter Pan Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:07AM]

@LAY why don't you sell the device you wrote this post from and donate that money to haiti. when you are in the mood you could also sell some other stuff, i mean you don't need a toaster to survive, or more than one pair of socks. just like that you can help the suffering kids in haiti.
but hey, you am i to judge.
PS: there are also dying kids in iraq, but you don't have to give a shit about them since they are most likely to become terrorists, right?

[LAY Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:11AM]

It was 50% sarcasm, guys.

I reeeeallly dont care what you do, however isnt there better things to do with $175 then painting your cellphone?

[credo Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:24AM]

@Kbalz
Wow, you guys are so negative. Cheer up, look at the pretty picture!

[One Love Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:30AM]

Looks like the Nexus One is wearing a bra.

[blueskyv201 Posted Jan 27th 2010 11:10AM]

That is properly pretty. And I don't normally say that about ColorWare products.

[Suupa Posted Jan 27th 2010 11:48AM]

@Aeon74
Yea i know...its too much...I wouldn't even do it...

[geekthree Posted Jan 27th 2010 4:19PM]

@One Love

lmao

[technogecko6 Posted Jan 27th 2010 9:56AM]

Wish I knew this was coming, I would love a Pearl White N1 :P

[Level 5 Posted Jan 27th 2010 9:57AM]

And lose the scratch resistance of the alum/teflon? Pass.

[thelongmile Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:13AM]

@Level 5 note to self, read link before posting... ok some of those are hideous but... still don't think the thing is too bad in "some" iterations...

[credo Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:18AM]

@thelongmile
You can't note to self to someone else. You also cant triple stamp a double stamp, but thats a different argument.

[DirkDickbutt Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:45AM]

@Level 5
Is it teflon? I was wondering what that was.

[Maurizio Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:55AM]

@credo
+1 on the Dumb and Dumber quote...still laughing.

[grumpyOldMan Posted Jan 27th 2010 9:57AM]

I heard Google charges extra ETF to cover the de-uglification process. That could be true, but probably isn't.

[thelongmile Posted Jan 27th 2010 9:59AM]

I'm sorry I know I'll get voted down for this but for once colourware has come out with something I quite like, it's... fresh in a way. Alight so it's lost some of it's original charm but at least it's not that garish.

[Level 5 Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:00AM]

@thelongmile

Well.. that's just the example, you can paint it in a variety of colors for each part of the phone. Check the link out.

[YpoCaramel Posted Jan 27th 2010 11:00AM]

@thelongmile I agree colors are 'fresh' are on gadgets. Even Apple, a good designer, doesn't deviate from the greyscale for anything except for their most consumer lines (iPod Nano, Mini and Shuffle). Good use of color is rare in gadgets. I find most of Dell and HP's color variations are uninteresting, being just typical shades of blue or red or the occasionally under gaudy pink. I think PSP colors are well though, for the exception.

In games analogy, it'd be nice to see some more Uncharted 2 tasteful vibrancy rather than Gears of War grey and brown.

[Why should I have all the fun Posted Jan 27th 2010 11:40AM]

@thelongmile

Huge improvement over the stock colors.
Remember when computers first came out? Everything was beige ... until someone grew a pair and used a different color. Now everything is 'safe' black or gray.

But I'm not paying $175 to show my fashion-flare.

[thelongmile Posted Jan 28th 2010 4:31AM]

@Why should I have all the fun

agreed on price point, but it is nice to see some variation, though personally some devices just suit the black colour VERY well, but, everything as you say is black or silver, it's getting rather boring

[Verythrax Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:01AM]

THIS is a gadget that would really take some benefit of the coloware treatment.

Thumbs up.

[RoyFokker Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:02AM]

I don't mind people wasting money on changing the looks of their gear... but they charge you $175 AND put their logo on it?! That's lame.

[a dark day Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:17AM]

no one ever sees that log. its resting against your palm or the face up on a table.

[YpoCaramel Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:52AM]

@RoyFokker Thing is, coloring isn't easy. They have to take the cover apart, paint it, probably cook it in a oven for pro results and to make sure the paint stays. Its similar to what they do at nicer car workshops.

I can't say what coloring is worth to you, but it's actually pretty difficult to do on their end.

[RoyFokker Posted Jan 27th 2010 12:24PM]

@YpoCaramel I'm not dissing the tech, just noting that if you're gonna pay premium for quality work (supposedly), they can afford to give you the benefit of not being a walking advertisement, no matter how small or invisible it is. It's no big deal, really, but I hate being labeled.

[micanuck Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:03AM]

wow... hideous...

[Luxury Guy Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:04AM]

This is phone is what colorware was MADE for. The origina lcolor scheme couldn't have been a bigger turn off. Nice to see them righting HTCs wrong.

[ElectronicRage Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:04AM]

No Google logo on the back :( - my fanboy charm will be lost forever

[Monkey Fetish Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:09AM]

$175 is expensive, but the bigger issue is that you have to send it in, or are forced to buy a $800 unlocked phone.

[robb Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:10AM]

1989 called... they want their colors back.

[Why should I have all the fun Posted Jan 27th 2010 11:45AM]

@robb

1982 called... they want that joke back.

[Hardcore1 Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:10AM]

For $175 I'll come stab you in the eyes so you don't have to ever spend money on aesthetics again. Think of it as a long term investment.

[sintricate Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:24AM]

I'd like it if the blue was replaced with black.

[koolerz1569 Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:25AM]

Looks pretty in blue. :)

[Lody Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:51AM]

@koolerz1569 Yeah, I agree. I feel like the colorware pics in engadget are always garish awful colors, but this is actually very nice. Yes, it's bright, but for a bright look it's pretty.

[iappsdev Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:29AM]

Horrible color :)

[iappsdev Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:31AM]

As you may know, people want silver, black and white and a lot of metal and glass. :)

[ango Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:32AM]

nexus one (RED)™

[geolemon Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:40AM]

I don't get the pricing...

$175 for them to tackle a custom job.
Or, $800 to buy a new one?

$530 new Nexus One plus $175 is $705.
What am I getting for my extra hundred bucks?

[Nighthawk007x Posted Jan 27th 2010 11:02AM]

@geolemon
A one year warranty if you buy it from them vs. a voided warranty if you send it in.

[Reisa Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:51AM]

Black on black and I'm totally in ... make one of them shiny and one matte.

[tustah Posted Jan 27th 2010 10:57AM]

Not quite sure about the colorware, but I just saved 15% on my car insurance by switching to Geico.

[Vidboy10 Posted Jan 27th 2010 11:16AM]

Funny...
This popped up a few days ago....
http://androidforums.com/android-news-talk/37070-nexus-one-red.html

[sammysamcore Posted Jan 27th 2010 11:31AM]

You bitches should quite drinkin hate-or-aide! Anything Colorware does is ballin'! :D

[kingkool68 Posted Jan 27th 2010 12:06PM]

This would be the sweetest Colorware job EVAR! http://img513.yfrog.com/i/picture2jn.png/

[Accidental Posted Jan 27th 2010 4:59PM]

This is the best color combo:
http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/1411/16572881.jpg

[haan Posted Jan 28th 2010 1:17AM]

ohh why wasn't this around when i bought my N1...

[XDAfan Posted Jan 29th 2010 11:37AM]

it looks like it belongs in a pool, i prefer the original