Last week, I was fortunate enough to be part of the large group of attendees at TED who received a free Nexus One Worldphone from Google. Being a loyal longtime iPhone user, I was excited, but skeptical. I’d spent some time with the Blackberry, Palm Pre and various cool Nokia products, only to run back to my iPhone’s open arms. All of these phones are great in their own way, but nothing could compare to my iPhone experience and the overall usability.
But the Nexus One is different. And it is different mainly because of my heavy Google property usage. That is to say, if I wasn’t addicted to using every Google app out there (calendar, mail, docs, maps, etc.), the phone may not have wowed me so much, but I AM a Google girl, so it fits beautifully into my lifestyle.
Calendar
One of the things that frustrated me about the iPhone was the complications with the calendar. I schedule everything through my gCal, not my iCal, and the two have never worked beautifully together. On the N1, though, the calendar is right there for me and immediately synched to all of my gCals that are available. It loads quickly and gives me more options than the web version of gCal.
The calendar made me jump for joy.
Camera
There are several huge advantages to the camera on the N1 as compared to the iPhone:
- There is a flash – I take many of my photos in low light situations, so this makes me happy.
- It auto-focuses – I know this is on the 3GS iPhone, but I didn’t have it on 3G
- It has options like: flash level, white balance, color effects (sepia, b&w, solarized, etc), size (1-5Mpixels), and geo-location (turn on and off).
- Video is a quick switch and has all of the same cool options
- Sharing is quick and simple – depending on whether photo or video, you can instantly upload to any service you have connected to your N1 (Seesmic, YouTube, Picasa, Flickr, mail, etc).
It also takes much better photos in general.
Contacts
Synching with the web rather than having to update through my desktop? Revolutionary! Whatever is in my Google account is automagically on my N1. One simple sign-in to Google and everything is there. No more needing to plug my phone into my laptop to synch. It’s always plugged into the web. This really is the future.
Voice Recognition/Type Correction
This is pretty cool. A feature on the iPhone and the Blackberry that always irritated me was the word suggestion as I was typing…especially when typing something non-standard (acronyms, avatar names or swear words for instance). The N1 has a similar feature when typing, but a whole list of words are suggested for you as you are typing and this makes it a super quick tap to type really long, complex words or you can completely ignore. It’s also pretty simple to add words the engine doesn’t recognize (hold your finger on the ‘misspelled’ word and add it to the dictionary). Like the iPhone, it also learns from words you type enough…the advantage here is that it takes what it has learnt from your gMail activity and already understands, so you aren’t starting from scratch.
The voice recognition is really awesome and, even though it is in beta, it’s not so bad. And when it IS bad, it’s funny. I’ll be using this quite a bit when my fingers are cold! Voice recognition is built in wherever you use the keyboard, so it’s pretty universal (even search).
Multiple Apps Running
One of the things that slowed down my activity on the iPhone was that I’d have to exit one application to go to another one all of the time. This was highly frustrating when needing to copy and paste or remember an address or the like. Moving out of applications, opening another (often with slow load-up time), getting the info, closing that application, then re-loading the original (once again slow loading up) was a pain. Not so much on the N1.
As you can see on the screenshot to the left, the applications all run in the background and notify you of updates even as you are working in different applications. You can do a quick check of what’s coming in by sliding down the top bar. This will reveal new text messages, voice mail, missed calls, tweets, calendar notifications and anything else that you are set up to receive. You can clear them or move in and out of these applications smoothly without having to go to the home screen once. This was one of the features that really won it for me.
Googley Synching
This bit freaked me out a little at first, but because it is so darned useful, I relaxed. I turned my phone to vibrate and went to bed the other night, when I woke up, I saw that my good friend Erica O’Grady had called. Now, this isn’t revolutionary. Erica and I talk all of the time. What was revolutionary is that, being that this is a new phone, I hadn’t programmed Erica’s information into it. On any other phone, it would have shown up as just a number and I would have had to wrack my brain for who that was (I rely heavily on digital address books). But because Erica has her information entered into her Google account, it showed her photo, her number, her email, her location and everything else she has given the g00g. This means I don’t have to start over again with my address book. Anyone I know who I have interacted with on Google who have more information entered will be automagically updated for me. And even better, when my business partner, Cassandra, called, it didn’t recognize the number (she hasn’t put it into her contact information in Google), but as I typed her name into my contacts, it pulled all of her gmail information automagically into the contact form.
Maps works similarly. I noticed that if I have searched and saved a search on my laptop before, that search will come up on my mobile phone. The implication here is that I can search an address at home, save it, then while en route, just pull it up easily from my history.
Speed
When I announced that I got the N1, multiple people tweeted me that I would be disappointed because any SIM card I inserted would be downgraded to the EDGE network instead of 3G. This is true. Both with my AT&T SIM and with my ROGERS SIM, I’m on the EDGE network. However, whether it is the speed of the phone itself or the fact that the EDGE network is no longer overloaded (while 3G, especially in the US is terribly overtaxed), the N1 seems much faster than my iPhone. It loads up apps quickly, switches between screens faster, sends texts, emails, searches and loads up maps faster and hasn’t frozen in the week and a half I’ve been using it (a frequent iPhone issue). All in all, the speed is way superior to the iPhone, which matters even more on a mobile phone than on my computer at home.
Equivalents to the iPhone
There are some things I thought I’d lose by switching from the iPhone, but found out pretty quickly it wasn’t an issue:
- Rich App Store – taking into account that the iPhone has been around for a few years and Droid only for a few months, the app store is super impressive. In fact, there was only one application I couldn’t find in the app store (Wells Fargo), but quickly found out that they had a web version anyway that I could bookmark. Otherwise, all of my favorite apps exist in the Android App Store that I had on my iPhone.
- Maps with compass – Has it. This is, by far, my most frequently used feature on the iPhone and it seems faster and even more accurate on the N1.
- Battery – I’d say the battery life is comparable and even maybe a little better, depending on what you are doing. For instance, I can run the wifi in the background on the N1 without compromising much battery.
A Few More Pluses
There are a few more advantages that shouldn’t matter to me that much, but were lovely details (heart tuggers) and are worth mentioning:
- Screen – wowsers. It’s bright and gorgeous.
- The cute robot – okay, this WAS a gleeful moment. That adorable robot mascot is just too much. It kind of made me love the N1 instantly.
- Animated wallpaper – this is kind of way fun.
- Amazon music store – I generally separate my music device from my phone, but it’s nice to have DRM free music on my N1. I really like this direction as I’ve run out of devices I can actually have my iTunes music on. The store needs work, but for a v1, it’s pretty awesome.
- Speakers – better sound in general coming from the phone on a comparison.
- Worldphone – it’s unlocked!!! Sure, I’d find a way (like I did with the iPhone), but what an amazing thing it is to have a phone that can work on any SIM card automatically!
Downsides
Of course, the N1 isn’t all perfect and there are definitely several ways in which it could improve. Some of the features I’m not crazy about on the N1 that I’d love to see Google improve in future updates:
- Simple Screenshots – currently it is way too complicated. How do you expect us to show off our new shiny phones and apps if you make it so hard?
- Not ‘getting’ the glowy rollerball – Okay, so I *think* that rollerball is to help Blackberry users transition? Or maybe it’s for those of us in cold climates who don’t want to remove gloves? Either way, it takes up too much real estate for what it could be used for.
- The finicky bottom menu bar – (see inlaid photo) when I want to go back, get menu, go home or search, I have to finesse these menu items to do this, but when I’m in the middle of typing something important, I always seem to accidentally hit the buttons and get taken out of the program. I’m improving, but it’s frustrating in the beginning.
- Buttons in general – turning on/off the N1 and adjusting volume is finicky. Too sensitive when I accidentally hit them and too tough when I need them fast.
- Gallery is a little clunky – although it looks cool, it’s definitely not optimized for usability. Having slideshow as one of the shown item features rather than share isn’t logical. The amount of times I’d run a slideshow off of my mobile phone versus using it to share a photo is minimal.
So…there you go. Ironically, about 1.5 days into trying out the N1, my iPhone decided to lay down and play dead (with very little warning), so it’s a pretty good thing that I got the Nexus when I did. The Nexus One isn’t available many places yet, but the worldphone can be bought in the US and brought anywhere with you for $549USD. Not a small price, but this means you aren’t stuck in any contracts, which in the long run will save you money.
February 20th, 2010 at 11:10 am
Glad to read the great things you have to say about the Nexus One. I’m still using the original G1. Can’t wait until I’m eligible for upgrade pricing on the N1.
I think from an OS perspective, Android has some serious advantages over iPhone. What I think Android needs to close the gap with Apple is to attract the type of designer/developer that is drawn to the iPhone in the first place. Also, publishers of popular iPhone apps really need to keep up with their Android versions (Facebook, Foursquare).
February 20th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Welcome to Android-land! I’m sure you and the lil’ green guy will get along famously.
Some follow-ups to your downsides:
– Screenshots are a pain for ordinary folk. On the plus side, there’s nothing but elbow grease standing in way of making a better tool for it. That’s on my list of 18,000 things to do.
– Most Android devices have an pointing device, like the N1 rollerball, for games and such, as an alternative to the touchscreen. You can use it to navigate normal apps, too, but the value is not really there on the N1. However, by having it, developers are continually exposed to it, to deal with the time when there are Android devices *without* touchscreens (TV set-top boxes, low-end phones, etc.). While there are no such devices available right now, I expect that to change by the end of 2010.
– Agreed on the other three, though the button bar will become second nature in due course. Personally, I prefer hard buttons for those, just for the better tactile response, but I’m old fashioned that way. I like physical keyboards too, which is why though the N1 is my main phone at the moment, I’m sure to be swapping it out for something else before the end of the year.
If you run into problems, drop me a line.
February 20th, 2010 at 11:42 am
Great post. I’ve been tempted to jump to the N1 but not being a heavy Gmail user (on Exchange) and very attached to a physical keyboard has made me think twice.
Just a comment when you talk about speed, the difference between edge and 3g is noticeable when browsing the web or streaming video. It has nothing to do with how fast apps run, that’s more a matter of the hardware and software.
February 20th, 2010 at 11:46 am
It is always tricky for a blogger to rave about something that was a gift from the manufacturer. A reader might question the authenticity of the review. However, this article is first class. The product is not only given good review, it is given in rich details and includes the context (G girl) and the downsides. Of course, being Whuffie-rich helps credibility
February 20th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Hey Tara, nice post and i’m liking the new look blog (its a while since i viewed viewed the full site rather than just the rss feed)
I’m also a bit of a google guy and had been thinking about upgrading to an iphone, but maybe i’ll take a look at the nexus before i go make a purchase.
February 20th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
I am so tempted on switching to the N1. I use everything google and would like a phone to match that. But you are right, $550 is kind of steep for me right now seeing that I just bought the iPhone 3GS when it came out. Don’t think that my wife would be too happy if I got the N1.
Were you able to get your iPhone in recovery mode to restore?
February 20th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
funny how many of those features I have on my droid. plus with the physical keyboard I don’t have that random button press issue…actually I mostly use swype but still..
February 20th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Hi Tara,
Nice review. Very thorough and balanced. You have an ability to explain design features and benefits in a way that is not boring, which is a rare skill.
I think that the fact that you like this Linux-powered computer called the Nexus One is a huge digital tipping point, because you are someone who I believe has high design standards. It seems that you are someone who expects a device to be both esthetically pleasing and functional. The fact that the N1 passed your test signals to me that Linux is maturing. Merely being Free Software is not enough if it the look and feel and user experience is not compelling, as you wrote in your “Whuffie Factor” book.
For those who don’t know what I am talking about, pick up a copy of Tara Hunt’s book, the “Whuffie Factor”, which is a book about how companies can succeed by engaging with the communities of which they are a part, thereby increasing that company’s “Whuffie” (social capital or esteem and therefore increased sales). Tara talks in the book about the need for companies to have create a compelling customer experience.
In my mind, the fact that Tara likes the N1 means that she thinks the user experience passes the test from her “Whuffie Factor” book. Since Tara is someone who has thought a lot and written a lot about enhancing customer experience, her imprimatur carries weight with me.
Christian Einfeldt
February 21st, 2010 at 1:26 am
Awesome review, definitely one of the most comprehensive reviews I’ve seen so far.
I do think you overlooked one major issue with the device, (possibly because you don’t use it for music), which is the lackluster music playback capacity on the device.
I don’t think that Double Twist really provides a viable alternative.
February 21st, 2010 at 5:11 am
Tara,
Thanks for the honest evaluation, giving both the pros and cons of the Android. I do not own an iPhone, never have. Though I do not have a blackberry now, I was one of the first people to have a blackberry before it became cool, back when it was a pager and I had a few after that.
My smart phone got stolen juts a regular and I’ve been thinking about blackberries and iPhone. Like you, I live in Canada, in Toronto, so this information is very handy for me about no contracts. Thank you! Avil Beckford
February 21st, 2010 at 6:20 am
While I agree that the Nexus is great for Google-heavy people, I think you’ve missed a few of the iPhone possibilities. For example, I can have it sync my Google Calendar and Google Contacts over the air to the built-in iPhone versions. Setting up Google as an Exchange server automates much of that. I agree that it’s awesome — add a new contact in Gmail, it shows up on the phone. Add one on the phone, it’s also in Voice, etc.
That being said, I’d love to get a Nexus, but the iPhone can already do some of what you think is only available on Android.
February 21st, 2010 at 11:00 am
You should have tried windows mobile, it has all that since a long time ago (Google integration is v quick using exchange sync) and it also feel and look more professional. I still believe that iphone/nokia and all the rest are for fun and style, android is a baby and blackberry is for mail mostly, but windows mobile is the complete catch.
February 21st, 2010 at 1:32 pm
I’m still struggling if I’ll get a Nexus One or an iPhone. I was thinking of all the iTunes capabilities and the Apple hardware already integrated to the Mac environment. I was wondering if the Nexus One will limit me to enjoy all the other options already available for the Mac (movies, iTunes, etc.), not to mention that my bread-and-butter machine is a Macbook pro.
February 21st, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Interesting shift from an iPhone early adopter!
I have a Droid. It has many of the same features as your Nexus One, and the same interface. But I am not a huge fan of the interface. I still miss my old Palm OS.
Richard loves his Droid, though. He uses it like a third computer.
-Erica
February 21st, 2010 at 2:24 pm
I received an animated ecard from a friend this week and it really made my day. I decided to work out how to send some myself and now I can’t stop. They are easy, fun and don’t cost anything!
February 21st, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Hmm, after reading your review it seems like a lot of the features you really like are available on the iphone 3gs. I have owned all three versions of the iphone and I can definitely say that the only one that is really fast is the 3gs. I would really like to see you review the iphone 3gs vs this phone instead of using the iphone 3g as a comparison. Beyond that, great review. I really like the idea of syncing over the web instead of the desktop. I think apple will be doing this soon over a web version of the apple store.
February 21st, 2010 at 7:03 pm
I’m a bit disappointed in the review because most of the features were based apon the fact that it integrates with google (cal,mail,contacts etc) when iPhone has been able to do this over air for some time now. The biggest failing for me when it came to android was that its lack of accessories (car docs, all the other things you plug it into) as well as lacking app store.
February 21st, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Very thoughtful review.
A bit surprising to be so positive when so many tech bloggers with years of iPhone experience seem to suffer migration malaise when trying out Android.
The bottom bar does take some taking used to — and I came from a BlackBerry Curve. The learning curve for me was a lot about working with a touch screen vs. a keyboard. For iPhone people, I think moving to another touch screen would be a bit harder, because you don’t have tactile feedback correcting you or making it more obvious that you’re in a different touch world.
February 26th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
My ipod touch 1G is my important iPod, Pda and alot more, plus has also been from the time I purchased it. It still work on the newest iPod system software program, and also any iphone app I might need it to run. I’m working with it to post this comment at this moment. I’d personally say it truly is a much more compared with solely an “excellent hobbyist system” — it can be an excellent iPod
March 2nd, 2010 at 1:36 am
Regarding the screenshot issue, a much more simple way (and this works on the Hero) is to root the handset, a 5 minute job at most, and then install ShootMe! from the market. Takes a screenshot when you shake the handset.
March 5th, 2010 at 6:08 am
Like @Caleb said, I’m also struggling. I almost went to the Apple store this week, will now ponder a bit longer. Great article. I thank Tara for taking time to cover so many of the features.