Switching to Google’s Nexus One from the iPhone (ROUGH NOTES)

Now if I make the time to do it, I intend to write a cohesive review of my two week switch to the Google Nexus One.

In the meanwhile, here are my notes from twitter. For context, I switched from the iPhone, which I’ve used since the day it launched in 2007:


  • Feels good to be back in Delhi, catching up on email at the moment. Using Nexus One (with multitouch) while I’m here — I like it!
  • Using the Google Nexus One on Airtel in India http://bit.ly/9aDLSr
  • One of the things N1 could do better is text entry and editing. Predictive isn’t as good, and I miss iPhone cursor locator.
  • When my Nexus One is plugged into 240V here in India, it feels like a charge is trickling into my hand from the back… weird.
  • I like the way the browser on the nexus one/android zooms to a column of text. It works.
  • Keeping track of cell phone numbers for family in Delhi is a pain.
  • The nexus one needs auto brightness adjustment. Screen’s barely readable in daylight.
  • Can the nexus one email multiple photos on a single email? Doesn’t look like it.
  • I really like how voicemail just isn’t very common here in India. Few people have voicemail on their phones.
  • People who use their cell phones as their primary cameras… it makes me sad.
  • No multi touch in the nexus one’s pdf viewer app.
  • Wish there was a way to switch the from address when composing a message on the nexus one/android. Is there?
  • Cool — my iPhone’s ear bud headphones + mic work with the Nexus One.
  • While the Android / Nexus One’s touch keyboard works, the iPhone’s is better.
  • Nexus One’s trackball is interesting. Too often an up scroll leads to my touching bottom of the glass (ie home button)
  • I wish Nexus One/Android had an easier way to turn wifi on and off. Has to be an elegant way to layer quick settings into phone ui.
  • Nexus One / Android’s browser needs to prevent double periods when I’m entering a URL (happens when I use the .com button). iPhone does it.
  • I’ve had to re-program to lookup names by first name instead of last name on the Nexus One. One of my many iPhone-user habits.
  • I CAN JUST DRAG ANY MP3 FROM MY COMPUTER TO MY ANDROID NEXUS ONE? NO ITUNES SYNC? OMG. IPHONE=FAIL.
  • Ha, Nexus One uses last accessed Gmail account as ‘from’ address when you share a photo by email. Random.
  • Gmail client in Android on my Nexus One needs a “more details” for mail header so I can not only see date of email but also time.
  • Search on Nexus One / Android is messed. When you refine a search, keyboard takes you to field on bottom of page. Happened to me 3-4 times.
  • I wish bookmarks were closer at hand in browser on Nexus One. Oh wait… clicking star does the trick. Thought it was like star in chrome.
  • The Gmail client on Android / Nexus One is awesome. For Google Apps and Gmail users, no better mobile email client.
  • No native iPhone ‘Notes’ equivalent on Nexus One, but no biggie — I loaded Evernote app and it works (and is better).
  • While it’s much better than I saw on the Droid and G1, Android on my Nexus One is still susceptible to random freezes/stalls.
  • I don’t miss a lot app-wise on my Nexus One. Facebook app is way inferior to the iPhone FB app. Certainly seems to be less there.
  • PS dear Nexus One, please stop changing app to apparently! I really mean app! Then again, unlike iPhone, you don’t misspell my name Rajesh.
  • Just ordered the Nexus One dock (had to logmein to a PC in the States and order it from there to get around geo-restrictions – wack!)
  • Back on my iPhone. Feels more polished. Miss having a period on the keyboard without hitting shift.
  • Return to iPhone means return at AT&T. 6 failed calls in a row. Yay!

As an aside, Matt Cutts posted some notes on “Leaving the iPhone” and I agreed with some of what he had to say. Read what his post if you’re looking for another perspective (though keep in mind that he does work for Google).

Summary of my iPhone to Nexus One switch: The Nexus One matches the iPhone in almost all areas and even beats in it some other areas. But it lacks the iPhone’s software polish and that last 5-10% of simplicity, so I’d only selectively recommend it to family members. But it’s a great phone and, personally, I’d love to use it exclusively (I don’t because it’s hard to switch carriers here in the U.S.)