Nexus One video series, part two: Google schools us on OLED displays
By Laura June 
posted February 7th 2010 5:16AM
posted February 7th 2010 5:16AM
posted February 7th 2010 5:16AM
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companies love to propagate.
@Billy sorry, i just wanted to see if formatting tags worked...
[b]no?[/b]
low rank me yankee!
@BUNT2
I am not going to listen to some strange man on the internet.
Upranked.
@Outsider am I the only one here enjoying these clips??
@scioncas No I think these are great too, makes my Nexus One feel like a designer tool or something hah
@BUNT2 Pretty cool huh? Surely these series of vids are very informative. Seeing them, makes me want to see my N1 phone with a new perspective. A review: http://bit.ly/nexus-one-story-film-review
Part three is up too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1sz5c-R9h0&feature=player_embedded
@ChazClout
Part 4 is up to....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9qeN42KAc0&feature=SeriesPlayList&p=4ACDE3CAD0636572
Eh. Honestly I was expecting a better clip. Plus let's not forget how usable the screen is in the sunlight. Glossy screens on laptops may be a nuisance in the sun but you look at your phone's screen outdoors way more often.
Get ready for about 3 different responses ranging from:
'It's really not that bad' to 'that's only a competitor's marketing myth!'
@BUNT2
Here ya go:
Better then the one in Touch HD plus any other TFT display I've seen so far. And yes, seen quite many. :P
@superwizard
I HATE glossy displays with a passion. But it's much less of a problem on a cell phone. It's easier to position it away from the light. On any device with a display larger than 4.3" it should always be matte, in my opinion.
@BUNT2 That's fine. I'm only expressing my personal opinion after seeing it in the daylight. I'm far from a Google hater (I'm typing this in Chrome) but I was a bit disappointed with this phone. There's nothing specifically wrong about it in my opinion but then again there isn't anything specifically right about it either. Google should have either gone big or never gotten into this sticky mess. That's my personal opinion of course.
@BUNT2 I will respond anyway. I have a Nexus One, I have had an iPhone. The difference is not a big deal. This is like the plasma burn-in meme. It is blown way out of proportion. yes if you leave the auto-dim feature on, it is a bit dim in direct sunlight (I wouldn't go as far as unusable), but if you turn the brightness up (which is especially easy to do with one of the default running widgets.) then it is fine. The only caveat, to my experience, is that I live in the Pacific Northwest, and although I have tried it in full daylight with a perfectly clear sky, we definitely don't get as bright of sunlight as say in the tropics.
When I got the phone, it was to evaluate it for long term viability, and I can assure you I was looking at anything rumored to be weak about it.I just don't see this as an issue.
Now if you want to bring up the weird reflective ghosting the screen can get wen viewed at an angle in the dark, well then I would have to agree, there is an issue. You see the OLED layer, is transparent, and is set about a mm or so in front of a solid black background. The material they used as a background is reflective, so when you hold it at an angle it looks as though the images are floating a mm or so above the background and you can see a clear reflection of any bright parts on the background. Not too obnoxious, as I tend to view my phone head on but I sure as hell hope that this doesn't become a pervasive issue for screens that might be used as TVs. That would make them damn near unwatchable at a less than stellar viewing angle.
@superwizard
that's a dealbreaker for a portable device
@superwizard
intomobile's Droid vs Nexus One showed that the Nexus One offered the distinctly better experience in sunlight.
I think it's a myth... and once Apple released an AMOLED screen, everyone will be bashing this myth.
@TareG
Even Paul Thurrott has stated the Zune OLED sucks in the sun.
Conversely the iPhone/iPod touch has a light sensor that will dim, etc according to how much sunlight is reflected.
@Wesscoast
Lest not forget that Apple also mad and OLED version of the Ipad. I don't think everyone here will sit in the sunlight to use there device. Lets face it. Unless your a construction worker, Lawn care, Farmer, etc. How many of you here spend more that 2hr in direct sunlight; And how many of your drives with your convertible top down all the time and the sun roof open all the time?
The point of this is the educate on the display. The Nexus One is not the only device with that type of display on the market.
Ipad doesn't use a oled display.
@BUNT2 I have had the phone for the past month and find it just as usable as my gf's iPod Touch in direct sunlight. The N1's screen has the capability to get super super bright and so I usually use it on its dimmest setting indoors (which is still fucking bright). Depending on the conditions outside, I up the brightness and I have never ever had a problem reading news, texting, emailing, or really doing anything at all outdoors. People are latching on to any little rumor of a problem that this phone has, but the reality is that the Nexus bests most smartphones available in many respects and at least competes with them in all others.
more impressive is part 4
http://bit.ly/cB9mrx
@Deloren
Thanks for posting that! Great vid.
@Deloren I have to ask... why the bit.ly? I more than expected a good rick-rollling on the other side of that url mask.
@dman
well... we europeans are nice ... who have not the need to trick ;)
HTC using Windows Mobile code in their 'snippet' = fail?
Pretty sure ReleaseDC function and HWND objects are Windows-specific ..
@b2046806
They were just adding code up there to look pretty :) I wouldn't worry about it.
These are nice informative videos.
Pity Google didn't mention the distinctly pink tinge in all the shades of grey on the Nexus One's screen :|
As an actual N1 owner and not someone who has just looked at video reviews, the display works 'good enough' in direct sunlight when on full brightness (and I live in a very sunny country).
Mid year, when the 'Nexus One killer' (new iPhone) comes out with an AMOLED screen that is not as good in daylight, then suddenly the criticism of AMOLED screens will stop - because it wears the logo :-)
@dzeRnumbrd
intomobile's Droid vs Nexus One showed that the Nexus One offered the distinctly better experience in sunlight.
http://www.intomobile.com/2010/01/24/the-google-nexus-one-is-better-in-sunlight-than-the-motorola-droid.html
I think it's a myth... and once Apple released an AMOLED screen, everyone will be bashing this myth.
Here's the comparison video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwyJq6oF4wE
@TareG
Since I have used both LCD and AMOLED screens outside in direct sunlight, I can tell you that neither are particularly usable. AMOLED may be a bit worse, but it is not like the iPod Touch or other LCD screens are all that great either. Basically, if you are using any type of player or phone in direct sunlight, you will need to cover it to read it properly.
@John W Harding
Lots of folks seems to have forgotten that LCD screens used to be great in sunlight until recently. For example, the Sony CLIE N610c had a reflective LCD and it got better looking the more light you shone on it, esp sunlight.
The iPhone* currently does have the best sunlight viewablity due to this reflectivity. All the other LCD versions that try to maximize the pixel's brightness (transmissive, etc) instead of taking advantage of the fact we live in a lighted world with plenty of free-light to reflect is pretty silly.
Stop gimping TFT and how it was meant to work.
Did any of these engineers ever stop to ask if the phone really needs a trackball?
@MGDdrinker
The trackball is useful where analogue input is strictly necessary, such as in the recovery menu where the touchscreen is not activated. It's also handy for correcting errors when typing.
@DestrictoEnse Yep, I was going to say, for positioning the cursor to correct a typo, the trackball is invaluable. The magnifying function of the iPhone is superior in this regard, but I do believe that is firmly patented. Otherwise hitting the right letter on a capacitive screen is a dodgy task, the trackball makes it much easier.
That and being the anti-smudge guy I am, I use the trackball often to avoid excessive fingerprints on the screen.
@RandomGuy
Wait, I thought you were just the random guy!
@BUNT2
I kind of hate you, because you seem to troll (any topics concerning the Nexus One at least) pretty hard, but then you go and make clever comments like that.
STOP TOYING WITH MY EMOTIONS
Get this phone to The Netherlands already. I know you reading this google people. I'd buy it in a heart beat.
@WithoutHeroes
SAME but for canada (im getting one imported from hongkong later this month cuz the wait is just not cool)
This phone is actually growing on me :)
I'd like to see how better Tegra 2's battery life would be... if not-so-much-better, then I'll just stop buying NVIDIA's product forever. Vaporware Tegra.
The style of presentation is reminiscent of a certain fruit corporation. Magical .....
@palindrome
Definitely reminds me of the Apple videos, but these are more in-depth and better IMHO.
- iPhone/MBP owner
Elephant. Room. Battery life.
@huh Yup IPhone sucks in that regard, especially since you cannot remove the battery and replace with a fresh one like the Nexus One.
Ugh, they actually used the word "magical" in the production video.
Can we please reserve this word for crappy magic shows and acts of nature? I say we put out a vote on it and make it official.
@GadgetGeezer
And Disney. Disney can definitely use "magical".
@GadgetGeezer
Disney is also grandfathered in on "wonderful".
I wish the editors at engadget had drilled the people at Google about the nexus one not syncing MS Exchange calendars or additional folders in your exchange mailbox a fraction as much as they did it not having multitouch. I swear about 1/3 of the last webcast seemed to be them going on and on about multitouch. THe multitouch while being a good feature doesn't prevent my clients from using the the Nexus one as a business phone. I support about a dozen different companies and all of them but one has an MS exchange server and as soon as the economy gets better for one of them they'll be going to exchange as well.
I realize not every company uses MS exchange but I would say it is probably about 95% of the businesses I've ever met with whether they brought me in to look at exchange or any other server.
And yes, I have tried touchdown and no my clients don't like it although it is a good product.
@boe hacked roms offer the same corp calendar as in moto devices. its nice..