Google Nexus S Review
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Introduction:
Less than a year since its introduction, Google's ambitious nature in the mobile space has changed somewhat after they unleashed the Google Nexus One. Back when that device was first unveiled, the mobile community gasped out many wonderful words seeing that it was a truly iterative device that seemingly continued Android's reach to the masses. Looking back at it now, the Nexus One was the epitome of a top shelf device thanks to its strikingly beautiful design and flare with Android 2.1 Eclair. But rather than following the tried and true process, Google decided to buck the trend and sell the high-end smartphone directly to the consumer – and without the aid of carriers!
The package contains:
- Google Nexus S
- Wall Charger
- microUSB cable
- Stereo Headphones
- 1,500 mAh battery
- Terms & Conditions
- Health & Safety and Warranty Guide
Design:
Instead of finding a device that's undeniably different in design from everything else out on the market, we're treated to yet another Samsung Galaxy S lookalike – not to mention some common hardware as well. Needless to say that it doesn't necessarily come off as awe-inspiring, but rather, it looks as though Samsung refined their successful smartphone. In fact, this slate device is a bit more rounded in the corners and sports a completely clean facade. And looking at it from the side, it bears a slight curve to its profile. Its all plastic body does well in keeping it extremely light (4.55 oz) and streamlined (0.43”), but it does have a constant attraction to the usual set of smudges, fingerprints, and scratches. It's not to say we're not pleased with the design, but when we've seen this constantly used, we were expecting to see something a bit more innovative to truly make it a standout.

You can compare the Google Nexus S with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.
Directly above the display and next to the earpiece is a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera which can be used for self-portraits or video chat.
Even though we adore the clean look of its surface, attempting to figure out the placement of its capacitive buttons is a nightmare. Again, the layout is different as we're presented with the following buttons from left to right – back, menu, search, and home. We constantly find ourselves struggling to figure out where they are because the back lighting is so dim – and not to mention the occasional accidental presses that accompany it.
Luckily, Samsung improved the feel of its volume rocker and dedicated power button, which are located on the left and right sides respectively, seeing that they're more distinguishable to the finger and offer a better tactile response when pressed. However, Samsung flip-flopped the placement of the 3.5mm headset jack and microUSB port as they're now located in the bottom edge of the phone. Still, it works well there since they are spaced far enough from one another to not feel too cramped.
On the rear, we see the 5-megapixel auto-focus camera which is surrounded with a silver colored border and the LED flash sitting close by. Furthermore, there are two notches close at hand which are for the speakerphone. Moreover, removing the back cover will provide you access to its battery and SIM card slot, but more importantly, we find the NFC chip embedded into the cover as well.
Things that are NOT allowed: