Up until now, Google’s new Nexus One phone, based on the Android operating system, wasn’t available for sale to Canadians. Some people got around that by ordering a phone from Google’s website and having it sent to a U.S. address. But now Google has announced Canadians can order the Nexus One phone for delivery to Canada. It has also released a second version of its Nexus One that will work on the Rogers network in Canada. Same phone and functions as the one released earlier, just different network workings inside. The Nexus One phones are unlocked, so they’ll work on most GSM networks. That means consumers won’t necessarily be locked into a single carrier when they buy a phone. It’s a boon for travellers, who can simply switch SIM cards when they reach a new country, thereby eliminating costly global roaming fees. www.google.com/phone

Source: Vancouver Sun

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The Google Nexus One has been one of the biggest launches of 2010, thanks to the Google’s name behind it.

Just a couple of months later and and the HTC’s own branded Desire was launched, with almost exactly the same spec and look, but HTC’s device comes with a couple of additions that Google decided to strip out of the device.

So, which wins?

Screen
Both the Google Nexus One and HTC Desire feature the same crisp 3.7-inch, 480×800 pixel AMOLED capacitive touchscreen.

Body
Although the Google Nexus One and HTC Desire have almost identical insides, the design is slightly different. To the naked eye, they’re the same size,but the Nexus One shaves off 2mm from the width and 0.5mm of the depth.

Navigation
We’ve already mentioned the HTC Desire’s optical trackpad and would say it’s certainly the easier way to navigate around the Android device, with more accuracy than even the touchscreen.

UI
Being a Google device rather than an HTC -branded one, the Nexus One uses the Android Vanilla UI, albeit running on Android 2.1.

Verdict
It’s a close battle, but the HTC Desire wins, thanks to its better UI (including multitouch), wider availability and optical trackpad.

Read the full comparison on Know Your Cell

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While neither a Verizon Nexus Onedeal nor a Verizon Apple iPhone deal have been confirmed, online chatter this week says the VerizonNexus One will be announced March 23. The CDMA Nexus One is expected to be announced March 23 at CTIA 2010 in Las Vegas says reports.

Source: Lalate

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It looks like Voda’s British customers might be able to buy the Nexus One starting this month, as the handset has just appeared on the carrier’s official website. Of course, the Nexus One isn’t yet available, it’s “coming soon” – but it could be launched before the end of March.

You can register for updates here.

Source: Unwired view

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Google may be preparing to launch a stripped-down, low-cost version of its Nexus One smartphone in India, and possibly other developing markets, according to speculation on multiple Indian technology sites. The rumors appear to have originated in a tweet from a TV show producer. But irrespective of how it got started, it sure highlights the importance that Google is placing on the developing markets.

Read the full story on Venture Beat.

Companies, Google, India, Nexus One, Search Engines, Searching, Smartphone, Technology

Analyst firm Trefis isn’t pulling punches, saying Google can only blame itself and carrier T-Mobile for what it calls “weak” sales of the new Nexus One smartphone thus far. Trefis estimates just 80,000 of the devices were sold in the first month after they became available.

Trefis points its finger at Google for a lack of marketing effort to promote the phone and says the search giant’s Web-based storefront has thus far been inadequate.

Read the rest of the story at Phone+

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Apple on Tuesday took aim at Google’s smartphone as it accused Taiwanese handset manufacturer HTC, which makes Google’s flagship Nexus One, of violating 20 of Apple’s patents, some of which were issued in the mid-1990s.

As many as 10 of those violations involve the Nexus One, Apple said in a complaint submitted Tuesday to the U.S. International Trade Organization (ITC). Apple also filed a similar lawsuit in federal court in Delaware that cited 10 different patents. That lawsuit, however, did not specify the HTC-made phones that allegedly violated Apple’s patents.

Apple did not name Google in the federal lawsuit or in the complaint filed with the ITC.

Apple also revealed that it was among the first customers to purchase a Google Nexus One. To prove it had examined the device, it bought the smartphone on Jan. 5, 2010, the first day Google put it up for sale on its Web store.

Read the full story on Computer World.

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Availability will reportedly start on March 23, when Verizon will become the second U.S. wireless carrier to offer the Nexus One. Rumors aside, March 23 is the first day of the CTIA tradeshow and is therefore a strong possibility for the launch date.

Source: Brighthand

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You can now buy Nexus One batteries directly from Google. Check out their sales pitch:

Choosing Nexus One: Additional Batteries
One of the great things about the Nexus One is that you can easily remove and replace the battery. If you would like to be able to carry a fully charged spare battery, we recommend official Nexus One batteries for performance and reliability.
Please note that there is a purchase limit of five batteries per customer.
Technical specifications:
Removable 1400 mAH battery
Charges at 480mA when installed in Nexus One phone connected to USB, at 980mA when installed in phone connected to charger
Talk time: Up to 10 hours on 2G, Up to 7 hours on 3G
Standby time: Up to 290 hours on 2G, Up to 250 hours on 3G
Internet use: Up to 5 hours on 3G, Up to 6.5 hours on Wi-Fi
Video playback: Up to 7 hours
Audio playback: Up to 20 hours
Instructions for installing a battery are available from the Nexus One User’s Guide.
Note: Package includes battery only; does not include charger. Battery charges only when inserted in Nexus One phone that is connected to USB or phone charger.

Google is charging $25 for the battery.

Source: Phandroid.

3G, Batteries, Battery, Battery charger, Google, Nexus One, Universal Serial Bus, Wi-Fi

Here’s a video of Flash Player 10.1, Adobe’s latest and greatest, on Google Nexus One. It’s all very exciting – unless you happen to look at the clock and the phone’s battery indicator which shows that, after playing around with Flash Player 10.1 for a whole 6 minutes (4:00pm to 4:06pm), the battery goes from approximately 50% to 25%:

Flash Player 10.1 on Google Nexus One from michael chaize on Vimeo.

Source: Mac Daily News

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