(By Ben Patterson – Mon Dec 6, 12:10 pm ET) http://tiny.cc/nexuss
Yep, the rumors are true: The Samsung-built, "pure Google" Nexus S is real, and it's coming to T-Mobile or a Best Buy near you this month — complete with "Gingerbread," the latest version of the Android OS.
Google unveiled the long-rumored Nexus S -- the sequel to the Nexus One from way back in January -- early Monday, and as expected, the new handset is chock-full of snazzy
Among them: a 5-megapixel camera in back (capable of 720p video recording), along with a VGA lens for video chat up front; a 4-inch, WVGA Super AMOLED display; 16GB of internal storage; and NFC (Near Field Communications) support for reading "smart" tags on nearby, "everyday" objects like movie posters, stickers and the like — or even, eventually, allow you to use your phone as a tap-enabled credit card. Under the hood hums a 1GHz Hummingbird processor.
No, the Nexus S's 4-inch, 800-by-480 screen isn't a Retina display, like the one on the iPhone 4. Instead Google is touting what it calls the Contour display: a slightly curved screen designed for the contour of your face. Interesting.
More important than the new hardware goodies is the fact that the Nexus S will be the first phone to ship with the long-awaited Android 2.3 Gingerbread update.
Expect such features as one-touch word selection for copy-and-paste (just tap a word and hold to select a single word and copy it to the clipboard, or tap to bring up a pair of arrows that you can drag around a selection of text); a new application manager that shows you how much power and memory your various apps are using; native Internet voice calling support; a redesigned on-screen QWERTY keypad for "faster, more intuitive typing" (so says Google); and a series of user interface tweaks for "simplicity and speed."
As with the HTC-made Nexus One, Google is calling the Nexus S a "pure Google" phone that was built by a third-party manufacturer — Samsung, in this case — under Google's strict supervision, to guarantee "tight integration of hardware and software" and essentially deliver an unfiltered Android experience, free from any bloatware or custom elements imposed by carriers.
Google promises that the handset will be available online and at Best Buy — either unlocked or with a T-Mobile contract — starting Dec. 16, or after Dec. 20 in the U.K. at Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy outlets. Unlike the Nexus One, however, Google will not be selling its new Nexus direct over the Web. As for pricing: $529 unlocked, or $199 with a two-year T-Mobile service plan, according to Best Buy's website (via Android Central).
TechCrunch managed to crank out an early review of the Nexus S, which it calls "sleeker" and "significantly faster" than the Nexus One, even if its "generic black plastic case" feels "somewhat cheap." TechCrunch also praises the phone's "good" battery life and solid camera quality.
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