Google Phone

Or Nexus One. Google finally ate its words and admitted that it's testing its own brand of Google phone, a device made by Taiwan's HTC that Google has absolute control over its design, which is a departure from what Google has been doing so far, partnering with handset makers by providing the Android OS. Google by having its own hardware is not only competing with the iPhone but also with its partners' contraptions. Engadget shows some pictures of the supposedly Nexus One which again looks very similar to iPhone, so there isn't any wow factor in its appearance in my opinion. It just seems almost impossible to top the iPhone's aesthetic as of now. No handset manufacturers manage to design any phone significantly different from that of iPhone (or they don't even want to especially the knockoffs). I think it's just a testament to iPhone's game changing and much coveted design. Google is believed to sell the devices unlocked, without subsidy from the carriers, as early as January next year. If you are in the market for a new smartphone (like there is a dumbphone) you may want to hold your horses. Because the Nexus One might just be the one non-iPhone smartphone that you have been waiting for all your life.