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HTC EVO 4G, Nexus One, and Droid face off on the charted field of battle
HTC EVO 4G Google Nexus One Motorola Droid Android OS 2.1 with Sense UI 2.1 2.01 Carrier Sprint All2 Verizon Wireless Network technology 1x / EV-DO Rev. A / WiMAX Various (including 3G) 1x / EV-DO Rev. A Processor 1GHz Snapdragon 1GHz Snapdragon 550MHz TI OMAP 3430 RAM 512MB 512MB 256MB Screen size 4.3-inch 3.7-inch 3.7-inch Resolution 800 x 480 800 x 480 854 x 480 Touch Capacitive multitouch Capacitive multitouch Capacitive multitouch Physical keyboard -- -- Slide-out landscape QWERTY Internal storage 1GB 512MB 512MB Expandable storage microSD microSD microSD Rear camera 8MP w/ LED flash 5MP w/ LED flash 5MP w/ LED flash Video recording 1280 x 720 720 x 480 720 x 480 Front camera 1.3MP -- -- Battery 1500mAh 1400mAh 1400mAh WiFi 802.11b/g 802.11b/g 802.11b/g HDMI out Yes -- -- Kickstand Yes -- -- As you've probably noticed, we have something of a propensity for charts -- hey, organization is key to a well-balanced life, right? Since we last tackled an Android device faceoff, the sheer number of competitors has branched out far and wide, but despite the propagation / fragmentation, including today's unveiling of the HTC EVO 4G, three clear frontrunners have taken most of the spotlight for being the pinnacle of the Android experience: the aforementioned, HTC / Google's Nexus One, and the Motorola Droid. Here, the latter device is looking a bit long in the tooth, but that physical QWERTY keyboard and its volcanic rise to prominence gives it some strong staying power. Cold, hard data isn't going to tell the full story, but until you can get to try each of these yourself -- all at the same time, if you're lucky -- it's a great place to start. Notes: 1 A purported 2.1 upgrade has been promised and delayed more times than we care to count anymore. 2 The Nexus One is currently available unlocked for T-Mobile's and AT&T's 3G networks, separately, and on track to hit Verizon, Sprint in the near future.
Nexus One 3G problems persist after update -- is it a design problem?
Looks like someone at Google should fast forward those Nexus One design videos to the radio integration portion and figure out what went wrong, because it seems like the 3G coverage problem still hasn't been fixed, even after that last big OTA update. What's more, many in Google's support forums are noting that the phone will drop a weaker 3G signal merely when held by the bottom, as the video below clearly shows. Oops. We're not at all sure what's going on here, but we're hoping this issue can yet be solved with a software patch -- things are going to get messy if this is purely a hardware issue. [Thanks, Geathan]
Watch Nexus One get built, then beaten mercilessly
This might be the best entry yet in Google's Nexus One video series. Today's double feature is marked by the testing and manufacturing of the device, and while the all-white facilities and assembly lines can be interesting in their own right, we love nothing more than seeing just how Google and HTC stress test its labor of love. Watch it dropped, slammed, bent, poked, and detonated -- okay, maybe not detonated, and we unfortunately don't get to see any phones crack, but it's still good fun. The big game's not on yet, so give yourself a few minutes and hit up the two short videos after the break.
Nexus One experiencing nationwide data outage? (update: it's back!)
Well, Happy Friday to you, too! We've been inundated with tips from perturbed Nexus One users across the country (and even in Puerto Rico) suggesting that their T-Mobile data coverage is completely out of commission. As you can see above, our own Josh Topolsky is seeing the error in Brooklyn, NY. Some users have reported that their SIM card pulls down data when swapped out of the Nexus One and into another handset, and both T-Mobile and HTC tech support centers have purportedly been slammed. At the moment, no one really seems to know what the issue is, but we have seen some reports from owners that their data is coming down just fine. So, what say you? Let us know what's going on with your Nexus One in the poll below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: As of 12:54PM ET, it seems that data is back in action for Nexus One users. You should probably try rebooting your phone if it's not. %Poll-40752%
Walmart greeters will soon welcome you to a Nexus One with Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T 3G? (update: nope!)
Today's Nexus One may be the hottest keyboard-free Android smartphone on the market today, but it doesn't exactly have the hottest network support. That looks like it'll be changing soon thanks to Walmart of all places, which has put up a "Coming Soon!" page for the Nexus One, listing an impressive suite of wireless bands including 1xEvDO for 3G on Sprint and Verizon and UMTS/HSDPA 850/1900 for 3G on AT&T. Could this finally be the network-agnostic smartphone (or smartphones, as the case may be) that Google has wanted, or is it just a case of some optimistic web admin letting his fingers do the walking when writing up this teaser? We're leaning toward the latter, and there's also a rumor of a $99 price when purchased at Walmart. We're having a hard time swallowing that one, too -- if only because the Droid went for $188 there at launch. Update: Seems Walmart slipped up! Spokesman Ravi Jariwala states: "Due to a technical error, this item erroneously was displayed on our site. We're working with our partner Let's Talk to have it removed as quickly as possible. We have no plans to carry Nexus One in Walmart stores or online at Walmart.com at this time."
Google's Nexus One censors your voice-to-text input, we #### you not
It'd be kinda funny if someone was live-bleeping your profanity, right? Sure, but five minutes later you'd sober up to regret and lingering annoyance. Turns out the Nexus One does it for real, courtesy of Google's speech-to-text engine -- it replaces notorious curses like the F and S words with a '####,' which is a more dramatic take on the Zune HD's now-obsolete Twitter censorship. As silly as this sounds, Google has come up with a good reason: We filter potentially offensive or inappropriate results because we want to avoid situations whereby we might misrecognize a spoken query and return profanity when, in fact, the user said something completely innocent. Kudos for caring, but it wouldn't hurt to have an on / off option either -- after all, it's not like we're asking for pinch-to-zoom here, and we'll promise to use a swear jar.
Droid doesn't. Have touchscreen accuracy, that is...
Now there's a nicely-documented fact that you can throw back in the face of that annoying friend of yours who got a Verizon Droid and who keeps saying "It's just like an iPhone!" According to a report cited on AppleInsider this morning, the touchscreen accuracy of the iPhone is much better than that of three Android phones: the Motorola Droid pushed by Verizon, the HTC Droid Eris, and the new Google Nexus One. Why is that important? Well, when you're trying to tap a link on a website, for example, chances are very good that you're going to be successful on the iPhone and not on the Android phones. The tests, performed by MOTO Development Group (no relation to Motorola), measured touchscreen accuracy with a simple test. On each device, a drawing app was launched and a tester drew straight diagonal lines in both directions across the screens with a finger. iPhones showed straight lines in situations with both light and medium finger pressure, while the Android phones showed zig-zag wavy lines across the screen. MOTO stated: "On inferior touchscreens, it's basically impossible to draw straight lines. Instead, the lines look jagged or zig-zag, no matter how slowly you go, because the sensor size is too big, the touch-sampling rate is too low, and/or the algorithms that convert gestures into images are too non-linear to faithfully represent user inputs. This is important because quick keyboard use and light flicks on the screen really push the limits of the touch panel's ability to sense." Several user comments on the MOTO site validate the findings. Have any TUAW readers been able to compare touchscreen accuracy on an iPhone and an Android device? Leave a comment below. [via AppleInsider]
The Engadget Interview: Erick Tseng, Senior Product Manager of Android
We had a chance to sit down with Erick Tseng, Senior Product Manager of Android at Google, who you may remember from that little press event the big G held the other day. We have a pretty detailed conversation on the impetus behind the Nexus One, details on Google's long-term strategy for its online store, a deep dive on the device itself, and lots more. We've split the chat up into three, easy-to-digest parts, so hit the videos after the break and get the full scoop!
Google's Nexus One is official
We know, you're so surprised. Google's finally confirmed the Nexus One. We've naturally heard all about the phone already from dubious sources, and even reviewed the purported device, but now that they've got one in hand up on a stage, we suppose we'll have to set aside all of our doubts. So, the nitty gritty: 3.7-inch AMOLED display, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, compass, GPS, accelerometer, light and proximity sensor, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a multicolored LED under the trackball. There are also two mics onboard, one on the bottom and one on the back, for the purpose of noise cancellation à la Motorola's CrystalTalk, and the phone is naturally running the brand new Android 2.1. The phone is actually HTC branded, unlike the pre-release versions we've seen, and can be custom engraved with two lines of text at the time of order, for that extra personal touch (there's a picture of the phone's back after the break). The phone is available today off contract with a T-Mobile compatible radio for $529 unlocked, shipping to the US, UK, Singapore and Hong Kong, or with a two year T-Mobile US contract for $179 (both with free overnight shipping in the US). Most surprisingly, the phone is also headed to Verizon this Spring, and Vodafone will score the device eventually as well. Update: Tony couldn't resist, and he managed to capture each step of the checkout process while ordering an unlocked Nexus One today. Hit up the gallery below if you're into that whole "living vicariously" thing. Thanks, Tony! Update 2: Check out the detailed T-Mobile USA pricing options here. Thanks, Kamran! %Gallery-81540%
Nexus One hitting France at €450 contract-free?
Maybe you, like us, are a little disappointed at how the Nexus One fared in our review. It may not be the ground-breaker we'd all hoped for, but it's still a mighty important handset, and while we're expecting to know the full details for its American release later today it seems someone may have tipped their hat on European availability details a little early. According to Le Point, the phone will be available in France and elsewhere in Europe within the next "several weeks," with prices at €450 for a contract-free device. However, if you don't mind signing two years of your wireless independence away to Vodafone that price is said to drop to €200. Again, we're still waiting to learn about pricing here in the States, but we'd expect a similar ratio here. [Thanks, Lopez]
Nexus One review
The Nexus One. In the modern climate of hyped (and over-hyped) smartphone launches, Google's official entry into the phone-sales game has excelled in a department where many find difficulty: generating legitimate excitement. Of course, long before the name Nexus One or the recent bounty of pictures and details existed, the very concept of a "Google Phone" had been ingrained in the public conscience, predating even the Open Handset Alliance and Android itself; the company dabbled in the concept of direct sales through its offering of the Android Dev Phones 1 and 2 (alias Ion), but this time, it's a public retail ordeal, not a couple of one-off developer specials. The genuine-article Google Phone is finally here -- for better or worse. The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks -- on paper, at least -- like the ultimate Android handset, combining a newly tweaked and tightened user interface with killer industrial design. A sleek, streamlined phone that can easily go toe-to-toe with the iPhone 3GSs, Pres, and Droids of the world, powered by the latest version of Android (2.1 "Flan," if you're counting), and hand-retooled by Google. But is it all it's cracked up to be? Can the Nexus One possibly live up to the hype ascribed to it? And more importantly, is the appearance of the phone the death knell for the OHA and a sign of the coming Android autocracy? In our exclusive review of the Nexus One, we'll answer all those pressing questions and more... so read on for the full scoop! %Gallery-81309% Note: The unit we have in hand is -- by all appearances -- a production model, save for the QR code imprint on the back, which is likely an employee-only Easter egg. However, Google is making its official announcement tomorrow, and there could always be differences. If anything changes with the device, or there are revelations about the marketing or sale of the phone, we'll be sure to update the review with new info.
Google Nexus One support page goes live, quickly dies again
Wondering how to activate your shiny new Nexus One? Curious how to get started with the thing, or how to use the 3D gallery? Oh, wait, you don't have yours yet? Oops. Google seems to have posted its support page for the phone a little early, a little site that went live for just a few minutes -- just long enough for us to click through a little, read that Terms of Service that was leaked to us last week, and watch a few videos. The first one that came up is actually the walkthrough for Android 2.0, curiously, but the other videos showed 3D photo gallery and some other goodies. Now they show nothing, though, having been set private and the pages removed. Surely they'll be up again soon, with the device getting announced tomorrow, and while we're still not sure exactly when you'll be able to get your own, you're always welcome to enjoy our hands-on impressions. Update: Jakob wrote in to let us know that there's another support page still alive -- but barely. It just shows some funky characters, a nearly empty dropbox, and a very nice Nexus One logo. [Thanks, Joe]
Exclusive: Google Nexus One hands-on, video, and first impressions
That's right, humans -- Engadget has its very own Nexus One. You've seen leaked pics and videos from all over, but we're the first publication to get our very own unit, and we plan on giving you guys the full story on every nook and cranny of this device. In case you've been living under a rock, here's the breakdown of the phone. The HTC-built and (soon to be) Google-sold device runs Android 2.1 atop a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, a 3.7-inch, 480 x 800 display, has 512MB of ROM, 512MB of RAM, and a 4GB microSD card (expandable to 32GB). The phone is a T-Mobile device (meaning no 3G if you want to take it to AT&T), and includes the standard modern additions of a light sensor, proximity sensor, and accelerometer. The Nexus One has a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, and we have to say so far the pictures it snaps look pretty decent (and the camera software is much faster than the same component on the Droid). The phone is incredibly thin and sleek -- a little thinner than the iPhone -- but it has pretty familiar HTC-style industrial design. It's very handsome, but not blow-you-away good looking. It's a very slim, very pocketable phone, and feels pretty good in your hand. Thought you'd have to wait for that Google event for more on the Nexus One? Hell no -- so read on for an in-depth look. C'mon, you know you want to. %Gallery-81309%
HTC Nexus One Bluetooth car dock hits the FCC; Nexus One trade name listed as 'Google Phone'
The slow drip of Nexus One info continues at the FCC -- just a day after we saw the Bluetooth desktop dock hit the database, the Bluetooth car dock we'd also seen floating around has turned up for inspection. And what's this? The list of ancillary testing equipment used says the phone's "trade name" is "Google Phone," which is the first time we've seen that name used in a semi-official fashion. It's particularly notable since this form was prepared by HTC employees and the phone is called the Nexus One elsewhere in the document, so you'd think they'd just put either HTC or Nexus One in that space. Of course, it's also entirely possible that whoever filled out this form just got a little carried away, but c'mon -- you wouldn't lie to the government, now would you? Titillating wireframe pic of the car dock after the break.
Another Google Nexus One sighting, this time a wee bit more clear
How a phone given to thousands of employees still manages to be nothing more than an occasional blip on the internets continues to boggle our mind. This latest Nexus One / "Google Phone" sighting comes care of two Twitter chatters -- @djrobrob and the less protected account of @phillm. It's the clearest shot of the interface we've gotten, and given our previous go-to videos have been subsequently pulled, the best "motion picture" interpretation we've got -- take a look for yourself after the break. %Gallery-80730%
