Buying the Nexus One unlocked is probably the best choice

The unlocked price of $529 is typical across all carriers for smartphones without a contract so there are no surprises there. You can also buy the Nexus One at three other prices, but we are hearing that T-Mobile will charge an ETF while Google charges various return fees. If you had your Nexus One engraved there is also another $45 fee. I highly recommend you make sure you want a Nexus One and T-Mobile account before ordering a subsidized device or your fees may end up being higher than the $529 unlocked price. I have no plans to ever return the Nexus One since it is the best Android device available on T-Mobile USA and I am finding more and more I like about it every day.

I still do not quite understand the whole idea behind Google selling the device directly and do not think it will appeal to the masses, especially since the masses have no idea who they go to for support. Do they call T-Mobile, Google, or HTC? The masses buy their phones in retail stores and in order for the Nexus One to do well I believe it needs to get into T-Mobile stores. Even if T-Mobile could setup a Nexus One station with a couple of devices to play with and a terminal to order a device I think it would do better. Can someone explain to me why Google would ever want to get into the retail sales game with the Nexus One where headaches with customer support are the order of the day?

I was hoping Google would have something different to say when they made the Nexus One announcement, such as a free phone that was ad supported or free/low cost wireless service that was ad supported or something different than the same old thing like we have now. I guess they are being different by charging customers exorbitant fees for ever trying to leave.