Google Nexus One Review

The Google Nexus One is one of the most hotly anticipated smartphones of 2010, and yesterday we finally managed to get hold of one. With a stunning screen, range-topping specification and ultra-thin dimensions, it’s definitely desirable, but can it live up to the hype? Read on after the jump to find out our first impressions…

The white packaging is fairly simple, and it’s a look that’s mirrored on the Google Nexus One itself. The front of the device is dominated by the large 3.7-inch touchscreen, which proves slightly bigger than an Apple iPhone’s. There’s a a set of touch-sensitive buttons integrated into the bottom of the screen, and a rollerball underneath, but other than that the design is completely free from clutter.

Take it out of the box and the most apparent thing about the Google Nexus One is just how thin it is. Because the screen is so large, it’s easy to think that it’ll be thicker and bulkier than it actually is, but the slim dimensions help it to sit nicely in the hand. The rear of the Google Nexus One isn’t so successful, with a mixture of shades and finishes that give it a slightly cheap appearance. At least the soft-touch finish makes it easy to grip, however, and the glass screen also aids quality.

The homescreen on the Google Nexus One features spots of colour that flare across the screen, like something out of 80’s film Tron. It looks stunning, mainly thanks to the use of AMOLED technology in the  display. Colours are vibrant and bright, and it’s a pleasure when viewing photographs or movie clips.

The menu will be familiar to existing Android owners, with several home pages, and a similar menu structure. Using the onscreen keyboard to create text messages is a reasonable experience, although the text correction software still lags behind that of the Apple iPhone. One of the features we were looking forward to on the Google Nexus One was voice control integrated Google Search and Maps, and although it worked in some cases, we had less success when used in noisy locations, with all manner of odd places suggested. At least it’s a fast device, however, aided by a speedy 1GHz Snapdragon processor.

Verdict
We haven’t had the opportunity to fully test the Google Nexus One yet, but from first impressions it’s an attractive, fast and reasonable device. It just doesn’t seem that special. However, check out our pictures below to make up your own mind about the design, and keep an eye out here for a full review in the coming weeks.

Best features
Gorgeous screen
Slim dimensions
Fast

Not so good
Plastics feel cheap
Voice control could be better

Closest Rivals
Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is Nokia’s first touchscreen phone and is a fantastic all-round device. You can take great quality pictures with the 3.2-Megapixel camera or listen to your tunes on the built-in MP3 player

LG Arena KM900
Inside the LG Arena touchscreen phone is a powerful S-Class user interface that lets you control an array of apps with your fingertips. The 3-inch touchscreen is perfect for images, video and even web browsing

Samsung S8300 Tocco Ultra Edition
The Samsung Tocco Ultra Edition blends style, design and the latest in technology. With a full touchscreen and revolutionary 2.8-inch super bright AMOLED display and 8-Megapixel digital camera this is one knockout phone