Google Nexus S Review

To our delight, the Google Nexus S excels in the calling quality department as voices on both ends of the line sound natural and distinctive – ultimately making for some good conversations. And even using the speakerphone, it doesn't fluctuate in output seeing that voices have an audible tone to them. However, our only concern is just the less than average level of volume emitted by the phone's earpiece. Aside from that, you can't go wrong using the handset to place voice phone calls.

Signal strength remained steady in the high coverage area we tested out the handset. In addition, we didn't experience any abrupt changes in signal bars or any dropped calls in the greater Philadelphia region.

In our testing, the 1,500 mAh battery provides for a reasonable amount of time using the smartphone as it felt a bit on the above average side. Managing our open applications more than anything and setting brightness to automatic, we managed to get out close to 1 ½ days before requiring a recharge on normal usage. Naturally, light users will get a bit more while heavy users should get close to a solid day of use. Compared to other smartphones on the market, the battery life on this handset appears to be a bit more above average. The manufacturer has it rated for 6 hours of talk and 427 hours of standby time.

Developers will especially want to gravitate towards the Google Nexus S as it tucks away many new hardware technologies that will increasingly becoming prominent amongst smartphones – like its NFC chip and built-in gyroscope. Moreover, those users who want only the latest in terms of software will also adore it seeing that it'll more than likely be treated to the latest and greatest Android version updates before other devices. In essence, the Google Nexus S builds upon some of the characteristics found on the Nexus Oneas being a prominent device in the developer community.

However, from a design and specifications point of view, there's nothing blatantly superior about this handset compared to some of the existing titans in the Android space. In fact, we can't classify it as being a true powerhouse smartphone since it omits somewhat expected features like 720p video recording or HSPA+ connectivity. Naturally, existing owners of any Samsung Galaxy S variant shouldn't be too upset about its arrival seeing that it shares many commonalities that have been around for a good while now. We'd even go as far to say that the Samsung Epic 4G would still reign supreme over this because it manages to pack a convenient keyboard and 4G speeds.

Rather than looking at its design or hardware, the biggest thing about the Google Nexus S is its prestigious title of being the very first Android 2.3 Gingerbread device on the market. On the surface, it might not be considered a monumental leap over Froyo, but it manages to employ some minor new aesthetics with the platform to truly make it a refreshing experience. And it is these small things that manage to deliver a delightful experience that caters to the needs of even the most stringent users out there. It might not be the best looking on the block right now, nor does it boast drastically better specs, but it has enough new hardware under the hood and an untouched stock Android experience to provide a sensual experience that's sure to live up to its Nexus moniker.  

PROS

• Android 2.3 Gingerbread
• Brilliant Super AMOLED display
• Above average battery life
• NFC chip
• Great calling quality

CONS

• Same old Samsung Galaxy S design
• Below average photos & video recording