Google lowers Nexus One upgrade price to $279, issues $100 refund to early upgraders

Good news, earthlings! Apparently Google's taken all the complaints about Nexus One upgrade pricing to heart, because it's giving $100 rebates to current T-Mobile subscribers who paid $379 for the HTC-built handset -- and it says it'll be widening the net and offering upgrades to even more current T-Mo subs, although we still don't know how that's determined. That means the new Nexus One pricing tiers break down like this: $529 unlocked, $279 upgrade for (some) current T-Mo subs, and $179 on a new 2-year contract. Handshakes all around. Now, let's fix up family plan activations and that crazy double ETF, shall we?

Update: Just in case you needed the reassurance, Google's confirmed all this to be true.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]