Google Nexus S

 
The Android-based Nexus S is the second Google-branded smartphone to hit the market, succeeding the Google Nexus One. It's also the first handset to run version 2.3 (Gingerbread) of Android. The mobile operating system is getting smoother and the Nexus S is an excellent smartphone, but it brings little new to the table.

It has an entirely plastic body. The gloss-black finish gives it a sleek look and feel, while a slightly contoured display sits comfortably on your cheek when making calls. Although it doesn't feel flimsy, the Nexus S has a toy-like resemblance when compared with handsets such as the iPhone 4 and even its Nexus One predecessor. The design is close to the Samsung Galaxy S, which is unsurprising since the Nexus S is also made by Samsung.

At 4in, it has a larger display than its predecessor, and the super AmoLED screen is bright and vibrant. Four neat hardware buttons at the bottom of the
display take you to the Home screen and allow you to search or bring up settings, but you'll find yourself enamoured with the 3D scrolling effect of the main display and you'll happily trawl through its menus.

Used with the iPlayer app, the bright screen and Flash support make a compelling case for watching movies and TV shows on a smartphone.

NEW FEATURES

One feature that marks out the Nexus S and Gingerbread OS is its support for near-field communications (NFC). In its infancy in Europe, it's an established technology in the Far East and Google expects it to become a de facto contactless payment method.

Other new features in Android 2.3 are best described as refinements rather than revolutionary. A revamped keyboard, better copy-and-paste functionality, improved power management and a slicker user interface all figure. Text entry and editing are also more efficient than with previous Google Android handsets.

Gingerbread's new user interface is slick and smooth, and the darker colour menus and notifications give the Google Nexus S a much more professional look. The main menu has a cool scrolling 3D effect, and the new 'TV off' screen-lock animation looks superb.

We experienced a number of crashes during testing; cur review unit turned itself off on more than one occasion daily, suggesting that Google still has kinks to iron out.

Battery life has improved, with our review unit lasting more than a full day with Wi-Fi and auto-sync switched on. As with all Android phones, the software is customisable with third-party apps from the Android Market.

PICTURE PERFECT

The lack of a digital zoom is frustrating as the Nexus S' 5Mp camera takes reasonably good photos. The camera's user interface has a nice variety of settings that you can tweak to your liking, such as autofocus, macro and infinity modes, four resolutions to choose from, nine scene settings, three colour modes, three quality modes, and exposure metering.

Google's handset also has a front-facing camera for making video calls or taking self-portraits. You can shoot video as high as 720x480 pixels at 30 frames per
second. A video that we shot outdoors looked pretty good, if a bit jittery when a fast-moving object went by. Colours were accurate and details were fairly sharp.

VERDICT

We can see why Google chose the Samsung handset design to show off its Gingerbread 2.3 OS - unlike the many HTC and LG devices, it's distinctive. It also features a large, colourful screen and NFC capability, while the improved interface bring it closer to the iPhone. Judged against the stunning Desire HD, however, the Nexus is unable to convince us of its supremacy.

Details 
Price £30/month

Further information www.google.com/phone/detail/nexus-s
Specifications Google Android 2.3 (Gingerbread); 3.8in, 480x800-pixel display; 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor; 5Mp (rear), VGA (front) camera; 16GB memory; 3G, HSDPA; 129g; 63xllxl24mm