Nexus S 4G is Google’s second Nexus branded smartphone after the hyped-up Nexus One. The smartphone has been co-developed by Google and Samsung. The gadget that hit the stores in December 2010 has been known for two remarkable features. It was Nexus S 4G that first played on Google’s Android 2.3 Gingerbread. And as well, it was the first Android smartphone to feature the much-touted Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.
What is it:
Google, the developer of Android mobile operating system, rolls out its own smartphones on the platform. Nexus S 4G is the second generation of Google’s Android smartphone, the first being Nexus One that debuted Android 2.2 Froyo. However, Google never manufactures the hardware for its Nexus smartphones. The company hires technology manufacturers like Samsung and HTC to build the Nexus smartphones. Google Nexus S 4G is built by Samsung, which, in fact, reflects in the suffix S of Nexus S 4G.
Key features:
Google Nexus S 4G has lots of incredible features. It was the first smartphone to play on Android 3.2 Gingerbread. Therefore, Google designed the smartphone with several cutting-edge features.
Super AMOLED screen with a contoured design: Google Nexus S 4G sports a 4-inch 800 × 480 pixel Super AMOLED display. The smartphone’s display is really a testimony for the fact that it is built by Samsung. Moreover, its display is having a contorted design, which adds to the beauty of the gadget.
5MP rear and VGA front cameras: Google Nexus S 4G is enriched with a 5-megapixel camera in the rear panel with auto focus and LED flash. It is also having a VGA camera in the front for video chatting.
Sprint WiMAX support: Google Nexus S 4G appeared on Sprint Nextel in May 2011. Though T-Mobile and AT&T also have Nexus S 4G versions, the device became famous on Sprint with its support of the carrier’s WiMAX connectivity.
What’s innovative:
Google Nexus S 4G drew in large attention with its feature as the first smartphone on Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The new version of Android is reviewed as the most advanced of the Google mobile operating system. One another great thing with Nexus S is that it is the first Android smartphone to introduce Near Field Communication (NFC). Its support of Sprint WiMAX is another attribute of the Google smartphone.
Price and availability:
On introduction, Google Nexus S 4G was priced at $529.99 for an unlocked version. Cellular service providers were selling the device for $199.99 with a two year agreement. But as of now, Amazon sells the unlocked version of Nexus S 4G for $440.37 and Sprint just delivers the device for $0.01.
Accessories:
Nexus S 4G comes with several accessories that include spare battery, charger, stereo headset, USB cable, reference guide, health safety and warranty booklets.
The up side:
Google Nexus S 4G features a powerful 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor and 16GB iNAND flash memory. The smartphone is powered with Wi-Fi 802.11 n/b/g, NFC, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and microUSB 2.0. Thanks to its 1500 mAH Lithum Ion battery, Nexus S 4G provides talk-time up to 6.7 hours on 3G and 14 hours on 2G. On standby, the smartphone will work up to 17.8 days. A wide and contoured display with Super AMOLED is another major thing with the device. The display will help you do social networking and web surfing activities quite comfortably.
The down side:
Even with its nice looks, Google Nexus S 4G seems to have cheaply constructed. Video chatting on G-Talk operates not much good. Even if the chatting is on 4G or Wi-Fi connectivity, the sound often stutters. There are also some glitches in data transferring with the smartphone. The app you use for data transferring often gets stuck.
Our experience:
The smartphone has been receiving rave responses from both reviewers and users. With many new and innovative features, Google’s second generation Nexus smartphone can be counted as a market success. The company is now looking ahead to bring out its third generation Nexus phone thanks to the popularity of the Nexus brand.
The bottomline:
Certainly, Google Nexus has been a success in market. Although Google started releasing Nexus phones as an experiment, the devices attained large consumer attraction in global markets. As per rumors, Google is to come up with the third generation Nexus smartphone to debut its imminent Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich this fall. Rumors say Samsung is to again build the third Nexus phone for Google by the end of the year.
