With the supposed release of the Google Nexus One just around the corner I thought it would be interesting to highlight the important features of this upcoming device. The first thing to mention of course is that this information may not prove to be 100% correct. This list is yet to be official so take this list with a grain of salt.
Here are the important features so far:
OS: Android 2.1
Height: 11.5mm thick
Storage: 512MB RAM, 512MB ROM, 4GB microSD in-box expandable to 32GB
Camera: 5 megapixel camera with mechanical AF and LED flash
Carrier: T-Mobile 3G and no to AT&T 3G
Screen: 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED display
Processor: Broadcom’s BCM4329 1GHz Snapdragon
Wireless: 802.11n
Other: FM radio receiver
Manufacturer: HTC
If the specifications prove to be true, this device will take the crown from the Droid as the most powerful Android device with twice the amount of RAM and a higher clocked processor. Also take note that the inclusion of FM receiver would be a first for any Android phone so far. This could provide app developers some interesting opportunities if support for application developers is provided in the new Android 2.1 SDK.
This takes me to my next observation. Since the phone runs Android 2.1 that makes 4 active versions of Android currently in the wild (1.5, 1.6, 2.0.1, 2.1). It will be interesting to see how quickly the handset manufactures are at providing Android updates, and also how well application developers are able to support a collection of devices whose feature sets and abilities are quickly diverging.
Apparently the phone will be carried by T-Mobile but an unlocked version can also be purchased. This is a step in the right direction. However what the consumer needs in the end is a truly open phone which is unlocked giving them the ability to between carriers, but root access as well, finally allowing the user to load any OS on the device he or she chooses like a home PC.
As I hop off my soapbox I will finish by saying this is a very impressive device which will not only help Android gain more adoption, but push the boundaries of what mobile devices are capable of. The Nexus One is thinner, has no physical keyboard, and the remainder of the features look to be at least on par with the Motorola Droid which everyone knows is a pretty impressive device.
