By Rather than post 7 billion Nexus One articles today, we thought we would spare you the never-ending google phone story for a few hours and do a quick round up of a bunch of happenings. So here they are, in no particular order, Nexus One News Update tidbits and deliciousness:
Android 2.1 Ported to T-Mobile G1
The first instance of Android 2.1 (Flan) in the wild was on the Nexus One phone that Google gave to all those employees. It was quickly torn down and has now been built back up for use on the T-Mobile G1. That is… if you’re not scared of bricking your phone. The guy who did the dirty work took out some “extras” like Car Home, animated wallpaper and some other stuff… probably so the whole darn thing could actually FIT! Try it out at your own risk [XDA via Engadget]
Update: Oops, was a hoax! Thanks enjoijams, Jared and Krugger!
More Google Phone Skeptics
Michael Gartenberg writes for Engadget: “until someone can give me a ten-word answer to how Mountain View can manage to build an ecosystem while trying to compete with it, I will remain skeptical that the Google Phone ever comes to market.” Anybody want to try those 10 words in the comments? That’s 1/16th of a TWEET… hardly fair if you ask me!
Double Twist Adds Nexus One Support
I’m just as confused whether this is a slip up or whether desktop software sync company Double Twist has had early access to the Nexus One, but they list support for the device in their most recent changelog update.
Nexus One Naming Debacle
The word “Nexus” is in the dictionary, which always makes a Trademark battle difficult to win, but at least 2 companies we can think of might have a case and one of them might even be pursuing legal action! First you’ve got a product called exactly that – The Nexus One – made by Comexi. The product is a heavy duty laminator that I will assume isn’t made for mass production of Fake IDs:
The second “issue” comes straight out of Hollywood and this story is juicy enough to quote a large portion of the original text:
As many bloggers have noted, the name Nexus One seems to be a reference to the cyborgs in the dystopian movie “Blade Runner,” which in turn was based on the novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” by the late Philip K. Dick. Both the film and the book feature a bounty hunter tracking down several rogue Nexus-6 cyborgs, the sixth generation in the line of Nexus robots.
But unlike Motorola, which licensed the Droid name from “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, no one at Google discussed the name with Mr. Dick’s family — and they’re not happy about it.
Isa Dick Hackett, a daughter of Mr. Dick, said in an interview Tuesday that she was “shocked and dismayed” by reports indicating that the Google phone would be named after her father’s famous characters. “We were never consulted, no requests were made, and we didn’t grant any sort of permissions.”
Can either of these groups file a claim that would stand on any legal ground? Could they win? It’ll be interesting to see but my guess is if they DID have a case they would be quick to settle out of court for a handsome amount of money.
In the 1st instance the trademark would be granted because the lamenator would never be confused with the phone. In the 2nd there’s no trademark or patent that they can claim to assert rights to the name.
but out of greedy lawyers dragging this on till the cost was too much. google would be forced to settle not cause of anything they did just out of pure greed of lawyers.
Rob, they’re not cyborgs, they’re replicants, DONT DO THAT MISTAKE AGAIN :P
I have read about the second one a couple of times now. The latest being in the N.Y. Times. The problem I see is that, and I quote every article I’ve read it in including yours, ” Nexus One SEEMS to be a reference” Nobody is saying it IS a reference to the cyborgs in the “Blade Runner”. It SEEMS to me that until there IS a connection, there IS no case.
I have read about the second one a couple of times now. The latest being in the N.Y. Times. The problem I see is that, and I quote every article I’ve read it in including yours, ” Nexus One SEEMS to be a reference” Nobody is saying it IS a reference to the replicants in the “Blade Runner”. It SEEMS to me that until there IS a connection, there IS no case.
Trademarks aren’t exclusive if they are in different markets. That’s why Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Drive-In are allowed to co-exist.
My answer to the challenge:
Cheap service will change everything, and its about damn time.
10 words..
They already do. examples are HTC sense and Google experience.
awwww…. bummer… it’s just a hoax :-(
I really do hope they port it over to the G1, I’m still running version 1.6 on mine :-(
sorry, what I meant is… the part where they say flan was ported over to the t-mobile G1
Seriously? your first story was proven to be a hoax last night. Even Engadget updated the very story you linked to last night saying as much.
**Update to your update: The Android 2.1 Ported to T-Mobile G1 rom by Teh Dust was a fake. It was just a 1.5 rom with xml tweaks to disguise it.
enjoijams, Jared and Krugger: Thanks! Updated post.
10 Words:
What’s good for Android is good for manufacturers using Android.
Some explanation:
The number of Android devices will soon outnumber iPhones, but nobody but tech bloggers and their readers will know that because the iPhone dominates mindshare in the consumer smartphone market. The only other brand that can generate Apple level buzz is Google. If Google released an honest to goodness “Google Phone” that people instantly recognize and covet, mindshare increases which further strengthens the Android Market with tons of high quality and innovative apps. Third party manufacturers will benefit by leveraging the Market and being able to claim that they have the “Google Phone Experience” on their devices as well, which gives people options in the way of aesthetics, form factors, and specs. Besides all of that, the Google Phone (if it exists as people think it will) will have cutting edge specs. This leaves the mid/low range smartphone market completely open for competition among HTC, LG, Motorola, Samsung, etc.
Lastly, the uninformed consumer probably has no idea that the HTC hero and the G1 run the same OS because of the sense UI enhancements. UI tweaks will easily allow a manufacturer to benefit from the Android ecosystem while still offering a unique product as the Google Phone will always run a vanilla build of Android.
I was not a fan of that Gartenberg piece.
Nexus is something in world of warcraft too lol. And WOW fans excited for this phone? lol. WOW is kinda lame.
Something I came up with, to calm the craziness that is the onslaught of neXus info.
‘Twas the night before neXus, when all through the house
Not a gadget was stirring, not even a mouse;
The cords were plugged in the outlet with care,
In hopes that neXus ONE soon would be there;
The iPhones were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of apple-cores danced in their heads;
And Apple in her ‘kerchief, and Steve in his cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
iPhones sprang from bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window they flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of noon to all objects below,
When, what to their wondering apps should appear,
But Google itself, and new mobile phone gear,
With a snappy new dragon, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be neXus.
More rapid than eagles the screens they did change,
Google whistled, and shouted, and changed the phone game;
“Now, fanboys! now, Googlers ! now, loyalists please listen!
I’ve got a new phone, it’s the one you’ve been missing!
To the end of the state! to the end of it all!
Now call away! call away! call away all!”
Puny phones that came before, oh my how they’d fly,
To the trashcans, garbage pails, all sitting outside,
So to the end of the world all people rejoiced,
With a beautiful new phone they let out their voice.
Then, in a twinkling, iPhones heard through the news
The neXus was coming, and they each sang the blues.
As they folded their hands, and were leaving this town,
Through the door came little neXus with a great sound.
He was dressed in colors from his LED to his Mic,
And his screen was all smudgy with prints and the like;
A bundle of apps he had waiting inside,
And he looked like a savior, with which we could fight.
His screen — how it twinkled! his camera what might!
His rocker was solid, his sensors just right
His style was cool, it was a style for all
Though his style would be better, during the Fall;
The warmth of his OLED, projected like heat
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a plain face and a little round belly,
Shone bright when called, happy, you jiggled like jelly.
He was so thin and then some, it was brand new gear,
iPhones laughed when they saw him, though they really felt fear;
A click of his camera the flash it appeared,
Soon made the iPhones know they failed with him here;
He spoke words for all his apps, and began his job
And filled all the stockings; with his personal mob,
And laying his screen, so that all may watch the view
A hi-def parody of that awful New Moon
He sprang to his virtual feet, and bid goodbye,
But would return soon, perhaps a date with a 5
But I heard him exclaim, as he flew out of sight,
“Happy neXus to all, and to all a good-night.”
Ok on the Nexus One machine, but to the blade runner reference. I think it’s just ridiculous. So now we can’t use a name used in a movie to name a product? And that’s assuming Google actually used that name because of the reference to blade runner (will be hard to prove).
Why don’t I just start suing everyone who used the term “iPhone Killer” because I used it in my blog first (not really but work with me here). Maybe that wasn’t a great example since I’m not making money off anything but it’s ridiculous. She didn’t even know what a Nexus One was until people told her at which time she was “SHOCKED AND DISMAYED”. Ohhh the tragedy! lol. Ridiculous. All she heard was “CHA-CHING”
@TSellers – I agree. They aren’t competing with the ecosystem but helping it. And they certainly don’t have the advantage that Microsoft has in its ecosystem which is controlling the closed source OS at its foundation. While no one can dig into Windows and integrate their products better than Microsoft can, ANY OEM can modify Android and make it better than anything Google can come up with. I doubt seriously that if the Nexus One materializes that it will stand as the top phone (if it debuts there) for long. I mean the source code for all the customizations come right along with it. And that goes right back to what TSellers said. As soon as Nexus One is released Nexus “Two”, “Three” and “Four” can ship within weeks. All Google would be doing is stirring the innovation pot to cook faster.
–
It will be interesting to see how Apple attempts to keep up with this pace. Look at the onslaught of phone announcements and buzz between every IPhone release. Let Google finally stamp Android into minds with this Nexus One and it will be quite easy to forget the IPhone exists with the constant beat of Android news. I still say Android from day one was a genius move by Google.
Google thinks they own the place (place meaning world). If Motorola did the responsible thing and licensed the rights to the name why doesn’t Google have to do the same?
In response to Michael Gartenberg question:
Has Google ever done something “traditional”?
They are building way even though Gmail just came out of beta AND are trying to get people to use their Apps.
Google has always has that “going in opposite ways” kind of style.
ummm, did anyone notice the word ‘android’ in Philip K. Dick’s story title? Who has the copyright on that, I wonder…
@Pedro Rodriguez and that is why they succeed the way they do.
The difference would be if Philip K. Dick or his estate ever trademarked the word “Nexus 1”. Lucas being the money grubber that he is trademarked the word droid. He made a case that he invented the word.
So this is the world we live in. Motorola had to get the license from Lucas to use “Droid” as the name of their device. What is “droid” but just a shortening of the word “android”?
The case with P.K. Dick’s daughter is even more atrocious. How is she going to be “shocked and dismayed” when the word “nexus” is a common one? There is a reason she was never consulted, and that is because there’s no reason to have to consult her or ask for permission to use that word.
These two cases are just more instances where people are blinded by greed. Isa Dick Hackett and George Lucas should be owed NOTHING.
Departmental segregation. (That leaves room for these eight additional words).
how bout a lawsuit from the scientist comunity since they used nexus in many papers before anyone else. come on these people are saber rattling hoping to get a peice of the google gravy train. come back to me when someone comes up with a legit claim.
10 words: Compaq needed an IBM before it could make IBM compatibles.
I just spoke to a lady wearing an android shirt. when she told me she worked at tmobile I asked her if she knew anything about the nexus one. she said she couldn’t tell me much but theoretically speaking it will be $399 at full price, without instant rebate if any.
I think Nexus one is just a codename ..
It’s funny how these bogus naming rights issues always blow up into a huge cloud of smoke which just eventually fade from our memories.
Nobody probably even remembers the huge hoopla over the name iPhone, years before Apple turned their iPod into a phone, Cisco had a VoIP device on the market called an iPhone, I don’t even remember what happened, but obviously Apple prevailed.
supposed nexus1 unveiling on 1-6-2009.
CES in las vegas 1-7 to 1-10-2009.
anybody see if google has any exhibit space rented?
might be a ‘tell’ either way.