Although details are still sketchy at this point, Google's new Nexus One phone, expected to be announced on January 5, 2010 has all the makings of a potential game-changer for mobile business travelers and the best smartphones for business travel.
The phone will sport Google's Android operating system that's already in other devices, such as Motorola's Droid phone. Expect it to be similar in size and shape to other large form-factor smart phones.
Now for the rumors. It's expected to have a fast processor (a 1Ghz Snapdragon CPU) that will enable it to zip through standard processes and make the phone feel more responsive when handling non-phone tasks. Sales prices and channels haven't been announced, but some rumors say that the phone will be available in a locked version from T-Mobil for under $200, or an unlocked version directly from Google for slightly over $500.
Here's the top-level overview, according to Engadget's in-depth pre-review of what it claims to be the Google Nexus One:
"The HTC-built and (soon to be) Google-sold device runs Android 2.1 atop a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, a 3.7-inch, 480 x 800 display, has 512MB of ROM, 512MB of RAM, and a 4GB microSD card (expandable to 32GB)."
In addition, Engadget says the phone comes with a good 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, a light sensor, proximity sensor and accelerometer. Apparently, it's also very slim and has a nice "hand feel." Of course, like any good business smartphone, it's got GPS as well.
But don't expect miracles. Even with a zippy processor and perhaps some cool new capabilities, it's still a smartphone. From a business traveler perspective, I take a wait-and-see attitude. If it's time for a new phone, and you want to get in on the ground floor on a product set that will have longevity and will undoubtedly have strong developer and third-party support, it might be worth taking the plunge.