Google Samsung Nexus S with Gingerbread Review
Introduction & Specifications
Google's Nexus S smartphone has a lot of attractive features, but the one that attracts the most attention is the fact that this smartphone is the first to ship with the latest version of the Android smartphone operating system—version 2.3. Otherwise known as Gingerbread, this OS is said to be the fastest version of Android yet. In addition to Gingerbread, the Nexus S touts a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, a 1GHz Hummingbird processor, and 16GB of internal memory.
Although the Nexus S is the sequel to Google's Nexus One smartphone, Google is taking a different approach with this product. Whereas the Nexus One was only offered through Google's website, the Nexus S is available through Best Buy stores. Given that the Nexus S will be more visible to customers thanks to its retail presence, we expect Google will enjoy greater success with the Nexus S than it did with the Nexus One.
Since the Nexus S is a Google-branded phone, there isn't a custom UI that alters the Android experience—In other words, you'll get to use Android 2.3 in all is raw glory. Along with that, you'll get the new and improved features of Gingerbread, including a new user interface, an improved keyboard, support for near field communication (NFC), and more. This new OS also builds on many of the most popular features of Android such as multi-tasking and Wi-Fi hotspot capabilities.
Our test unit came with service for T-Mobile, but it's important to mention that this is an unlocked phone that you can use with any GSM / HSPA carrier. Best Buy currently offers the phone for $199.99 with a new 2-year contract with T-Mobile service. For a contract-free version of the phone, you'll need to shell out $530.
Read on in the coming pages as we take an in-depth, hands-on look at what the Nexus S and Android 2.3 have to offer.
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| Processor and memory |
1GHz Cortex A8 (Hummingbird) processor 16GB iNAND flash memory |
| Operating System |
Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) |
| Connectivity |
Quad-band GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 Tri-band HSPA: 900, 2100, 1700 HSPA type: HSDPA (7.2Mbps) HSUPA (5.76Mbps) Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n Bluetooth 2.1+EDR Near Field Communication (NFC) Assisted GPS (A-GPS) microUSB 2.0 |
| Display |
4.0-inch WVGA (480x800), 235 ppi Contour Display with curved glass screen Super AMOLED Capacitive touch sensor Anti-fingerprint display coating |
| Size and weight |
Approximately 2.48 x 4.88 x 0.43 inches (63mm x 123.9mm x 10.88mm) Approximately 4.55 ounces (129g) |
| Hardware |
Haptic feedback vibration, Three-axis gyroscope, Accelerometer, Digital compass, Proximity sensor, Light sensor Physical buttons: Power button, Volume Up / Down button Illuminated soft buttons: Back , Menu , Search, Home |
| Cameras and multimedia |
Rear-facing: 5 megapixels (2560x1920), Auto focus, Flash 720 x 480 video resolution H.264, H.263 MPEG4 video recording Front-facing: VGA (640x480) 3.5mm headset jack (stereo audio plus microphone) Software noise-cancellation |
| Battery |
Talk time: up to 6.7 hours on 3G (14 hours on 2G) Standby time: up to 17.8 days on 3G (29.7 days on 2G) 1500 mAH Lithium Ion battery |
| Availability |
Unlocked and carrier-independent Available at Best Buy stores in the U.S. and at Carphone Warehouse and Vodafone stores in the UK |
| In-Box Content |
Nexus S Li-ion Battery AC Charger Micro USB Cable Headset Documentation |
