Google Releases Experimental Phone To Employees

alphadogg, as is his wont, sends in a Network World piece on the resurgent rumors of a Google Phone. "Google has handed out a new mobile phone running its Android software to some employees, stirring another wave of speculation that the oft-rumored Google Phone is real. In a blog post on Saturday morning, Google said the phones are being distributed so that workers can experiment with new mobile features. It did not say the device will be a Google-branded phone. Since even before Google unveiled Android, onlookers have wondered whether the search giant will release its own phone. Instead, it released an open source operating system that other hardware vendors can use to make phones."

Re:How does it compare to the Droid?

[tangent3]

Specs seems equivalent to Droid, with a faster processor, minus the physical Qwerty keyboard

Re:How does it compare to the Droid?

[beakerMeep]

I'd say it would be about equal to the Droid. Here's the rumors I've heard/read: - Processor speed will probably beat the droid, - HTC SenseUI will be nice, - Battery will probably be worse due to the stronger processor. - Screen should be nice an beautiful like the droid's, maybe ever more stunning. - Haven't heard anything about an LED flash like the droid's - No hardware keyboard - Sounds like T-Mobile's (weird flavor of?) GSM. - HTC Trackball v Moto'd directional pad - No discount, so looking at $300-800 ish? Full bias disclosure: I own a Droid and love it. Plan to marry it. Verizon has me by the balls in the prenup though.

Anonymous Coward

[Anonymous Coward]

it appears to be the HTC passion. The twitter hype of this thing is extraordinary, it's like viral advertising only done right.

Nexus One

[tuxliner]

You can see a picture of this device here [engadget.com]

Gizmodo has an article too

[rrohbeck]

http://gizmodo.com/5425146/the-real-google-phone-everything-is-different-now [gizmodo.com]

Looks and sounds real to me.

Re:How does it compare to the Droid?

[Tumbleweed]

Battery will probably be worse due to the stronger processor

Maybe not - the screen is an AMOLED, which should use less juice than the Droid's. Dunno if it's enough to make up for more juice for the CPU, so only time will tell.

This phone seems to be the HTC Passion, the CDMA version of which (the Bravo) is rumoured for Verizon in 1Q2010, so if you don't need the crappy keyboard of the Droid, and want a faster processor, better screen, and FM radio, that would be the one to wait for (assuming the rumours are true). Flash on the Bravo is rumoured to be dual LED, btw.

Re:How does it compare to the Droid?

[the ReviveR]

Most americans seem to have quite a hard time comparing prices simply because most of the time your carriers subsidize so much of the actual price.

Here are some prices from one of the cheaper web stores in Finland. Please note that these have taxes included and probably the "europeans are idiots" bonus (1 dollar = 1 euro)

• iPhone 3GS 32GB - 528 euro (+ 12 month contract with "normal" prices)
• iPhone 3G 8GB - 396 euro (+12 month contract with "normal" prices)
• HTC Hero - 489.90 euro (no contract)
• Motorola Milestone - 549.90 euro (no contract + 50 euro for localized keyboard)
• Nokia N900 - 569.00 euro (no contract)
• Samsung Galaxy i7500 - 489.90 euro( no contract)
• Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Android - 749.90 euro (no contract)

Based on these it would seem that most top of the line phones actually cost around 500 - 600 euro (that is probably 500$-600$ in US) and even correlates pretty nicely with release schedule. Don't get the price on the Sony Ericsson, though it isn't actually out yet I think.

Re:How does it compare to the Droid?

[Registered Coward v2]

GSM is a pretty darn well-defined spec. The FCC compliance process takes months and is amongst the strictest in the business. You either conform completely or you don't get a licence. So WTF are these flavours you speak of?

ATT and T-Mobile use different frequency for 3G; so while the GSM phone bands are pretty standard the data bands are not. Hence no ATT 3G for teh Nokia N900 or T-Mobile 3G for unlocked ATT iPhones.

Math fail.

[ImYourVirus]

Sorry but your math fails. 1 usd != 1 euro

1 U.S. dollar = 0.684134911 Euros
1 Euro = 1.4617 U.S. dollars

500 Euros = 730.85 U.S. dollars
500 U.S. dollars = 342.067456 Euros

Re:Math fail.

[the ReviveR]

I am perfectly aware of current EURUSD conversion rate. What I am trying to say is, most electronics and software in EU is priced like the conversion rate would be 1 dollar = 1 euro. For example computer games on steam are priced about 50 dollars in US and about 50 euros in EU (I am talking about english version in both cases). I do not think anyone could explain the current difference based on actual expenses.

I know the rates wary from case to case, but while the actual value of dollar has gone down and euro has gone up, the actual prices in US haven't risen at the same rate and prices in EU certainly haven't gone down. Most big companies seem to charge what ever the market can take.