Google's Nexus One: Is it super? And is there a market for a superphone?
Google on Tuesday unveiled its Nexus One and introduced what could be a new market: The superphone. Here's what you have to decide: Is that Google's superphone spiel for the Nexus One reality or mere marketing?
At this early juncture it's hard to tell whether the Nexus One will be a superphone. Nexus One has some neat features---animated wallpapers, neat weather widgets and other items---but do those items qualify as "super." Perhaps the Nexus One is just a "really smartphone."
Also see: Live from Google's Android Press Event: Meet Nexus One
- Every text field is voice enabled. Speak your Tweets. That's the most impressive thing Google had going.
- Nexus One is 11.5 mm thin.
- Runs on a Qualcomm QSD 8250 1 GHz processor;
- It's 130 grams, or as heavy as a Swiss Army keychain knife.
- Does multimedia well.
- Features shortcuts and widgets, but we've seen that elsewhere with the Palm's Web OS and Motorola Droid.
- Animated wall papers and personalization features.
- A 3D framework on the phone for Google Earth.
There's also a new way to buy Android phones with simple plans and hookups with devices. You can buy a phone with service or without service. With service Nexus One is $179. Without it's $529. The rub: Nexus One is on T-Mobile at first. Verizon later. Count me out until Verizon comes along.
Are those items super enough for you to pay? The debate may take some time to play out. Consider the initial Twitter reaction:
Consider:
It's not a super-phone unless it makes you fly and gives you X-ray vision.
And.
If Nexus One is a super phone, then iPhone is a super duper phone.
Microsoft has its Bing "decision engine" and now Google has its "superphone." Both have to live up to their advance billing. What remains to be seen is whether the market---all of you consumers and gadget freaks---define the Nexus One as a superphone.
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That superphone judgment will be rendered over time. Today the Nexus One will be hyped to oblivion. I must say that I'm pretty excited this pup is coming to Verizon Wireless, but we'll see if the Nexus One is a superphone over time.