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(More customer reviews)(I would expect someone investigating purchasing a cell phone would do some price comparison, $700 for this phone is a bit steep.)
The Nexus S is an interesting phone. It is the sequel to Google and HTC's Nexus One (incorrectly regarded as a flop) and like the iPhone 4 it sets the bar for the current generation of smart phones.
I bought this phone on its release day, so I am very familiar with what it can do. I came from using a Nokia N900 Unlocked Phone/Mobile Computer with 3.5-Inch Touchscreen, QWERTY, 5 MP Camera, Maemo Browser, 32 GB--U.S. Version with Full Warranty which was another great unlocked phone. But this year alone has seen a lot of improvements in what phones can do.
The Nexus S, made by Samsung, is a gorgeous gadget. It is a little underwhelming in person, glossy all-black, but its a sleak package and it has some definite power under the hood. The 1GHz Hummingbird processor absolutely blows through apps, I have not experienced anything I would consider lag. I've encountered latency and bad apps, but those are not the phone's fault. The Gingerbread version of Android is a real stunner. I still read about issues with 2.2 (Froyo) and just have to shrug because this phone does very well with every app i've installed.
The camera(s) and other features function very well. The optics of this camera are not all that impressive, but the software behind the camera works very well and even resource hungry apps like Photoshop Express function very nicely on the Nexus S. As for displaying those pictures, this is one of the most beautiful displays on any phone. The "contour" glass is curved just enough to be comfortable when held up to your ear, and it separates it from all the "slabs". The glass coating is wonderful to touch and fingerprints wipe off without a lot of smearing.
One of the big gripes I've heard since this phone was announced was that it lacked an SD card. I was nervous stepping down to a 16GB phone after having 32GB plus an SD card slot on the n900, but now I do not miss it. The streaming apps (youtube, last.fm) do a great job of keeping me entertained and I've gotten quite good at plugging in to my computer every so often to move media onto and off of the device. An interesting thing to note: The 16GB is partitioned similar to a phone with SD card, So you have about 2GB of "root" space- where the apps and actual Android OS stay, and then the 14GB "SD" partition that will be unmounted when you connect your phone to a computer (if that didn't make sense to you, don't worry). You can move apps onto the "SD" partition. In short, I have not missed having a huge hard drive on this thing.
The other gripe is "No 4G" and this one is more of a "religious debate". We are only seeing the tip of 4G. Every carrier claims to have 4G service, but that's a debatable statement. Its pretty clear that carriers didn't even roll out 3G as much as they could have, so really we're waiting for proper high speed connection of any sort in most areas of the country. If you are one of the fortunate few who lives in 4G land, and you KNOW that you need extreme speeds NOW (and you won't travel anywhere, because then you're back to 3G or EDGE pretty quick) then this is not the phone for you. For the majority of people, 3G speeds are quite adequate for the majority of applications (both software and usage) that people will use, the phone is also 802.11 b/g/n compatible, so using wifi will improve your experience over many 4G connections. Consider also that you get tethering for free with this phone (a very nice feature that makes any Wifi device far more mobile so long as you have your Nexus S with you).
Now on to the Nexus S's unlocked status. Is it expensive to buy a phone without a contract? of course, you are only paying for the phone once. If you do the math it is cheaper in the long run (and you have more freedom) if you buy your phone and choose your carrier. Also take into consideration that Google will send the Nexus S Android updates before any other phone on any carrier gets them in the US. This shortcuts all the "fractured" issues with different manufacturers and carriers limiting your access to the latest Android software. This phone's usability will be extended because of it. There is no carrier in the way who will want you to upgrade to get the next batch of features for Android, instead you're plugged directly (or more directly) to the source. That is a big advantage.UPDATE: Having now used this phone daily for a few months, I am still very pleased. The main comment complement I get when people notice the screen and just how good videos look on it (even rather low quality youtube videos). Having Gingerbread on here is a real treat (ha ha). Its a shame I can't recommend certain apps (like Google's Navigation or certain widget functionality) since its running a version of Android that isn't available to my other 'Droid brethren and I feel like a snob explaining how this is practically the only phone with the latest OS.
About the only thing I miss on this phone is an LED to indicate incoming messages when the screen is off. And I have noticed a weird quirk where the phone will randomly reboot itself. This is a known glitch that should be resolved with the next update to Gingerbread (2.3.3).
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Samsung Nexus S Unlocked Phone--U.S. Warranty (Black)Get the ultimate Google experience at 3G speeds which pairs Android 2.3 Gingerbread with a 1 GHz Hummingbird processor and integrated Google Voice capabilities. A thin-profile contour display gives the Nexus S a unique slim and trim size that fits easily in the palm of your hand, and its brighter, high-contrast screen means colors are incredibly vibrant and text is crisp at any size--even when viewed in bright sunlight.
The Nexus S is packed with the latest mobile technologies, including a Super AMOLED Contour Display with curved glass screen, 1 GHz Hummingbird processor, and Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking plus 3G Mobile Hotspot capability for sharing your 3G connection with up to six Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously. And with support for Near Field Communications (NFC), the Nexus S can read information from "smart" tags, or everyday objects that have NFC chips in them--from stickers and movie posters to t-shirts.
The phone is outfitted with a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera plus a front-facing camera for easy video chats on the go. Other features include assisted GPS (A-GPS) for navigation and location-based services, Bluetooth for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, haptic feedback vibration, access to both personal and corporate e-mail, and up to 6 hours of talk time. And with the Nexus S, you'll always be the first to receive software upgrades and new Google mobile apps as soon as they become available.
Google Voice Integration
With Google Voice, your phone number is more than just 10 digits--it's the main hub of your voice communications. You get one number that rings all your phones--up to six different phones--with intelligent call routing and advanced features like call screening, blocking, and recording. You also get transcribed voicemail that's sent to you via email and/or text message, low-priced international calling, custom voicemail greeting capabilities, and more.
Android, 2.3 (Gingerbread) Platform
The Nexus S 3G runs the Android 2.3 platform (dubbed "Gingerbread")--the fastest version of Android available for smartphones yet. It features a cleaner, more refined interface with new icons, improved top notification bar, and more intuitive navigation. Multitasking in Gingerbread allows you the ability to run more than one app at a time. If you're playing a game, you can easily switch to an incoming email and then switch back to the game without losing your place.
A new onscreen keyboard makes it easier to type thanks to additional spacing between the keys and larger font sizes. And the more you use the keyboard, the easier typing will be as the enhanced suggest feature records previous input history to make better suggestions.
With Voice Actions for Android, you can press and hold the Search button from anywhere and speak almost anything--text messages and emails, navigation direction queries, opening web pages, and more. And like the previous version of Android ("Froyo"), Gingerbread provides support for Adobe Flash Player 10.1 for access to the full Web.
The Nexus S 3G also brings one-touch access to the popular Google mobile services you use every day, including Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps with Navigation, Google Calendar, Picasa, and YouTube. It also provides easy access to both personal and corporate e-mail, calendars, and contacts supported by Exchange Server and Gmail. And through Android Market, you'll get access to thousands of useful applications, widgets, and fun games to download and install on your phone, with many more apps being added every day.
Near-Field Communications
An NFC Reader application lets your read and interact with near-field communication (NFC) tags. For example, you can "touch" or "swipe" an NFC tag that might be embedded in a poster, sticker, or advertisement, then act on the data read from the tag. A typical use would be to read a tag at a restaurant, store, or event and then rate or register by jumping to a web site whose URL is included in the tag data.
Vital Statistics
The Nexus S weighs 4.6 ounces and measures 4.87 x 2.48 x 0.44 inches. Its 1500 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 6 hours of talk time.
What's in the Box
Nexus S handset, rechargeable battery, AC charger/USB cable combo, 3.5mm headset, quick start guide
Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps, Google Calendar, Picasa, & YouTube are trademarks of Google, Inc.
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