By These days if you say “Nexus” the only thing you’re bound to think of is Google’s Nexus One Android Phone by HTC – ESPECIALLY if you’re the tech-loving type. But less than 2 months ago the name Nexus meant something very different to the Android world. That’s because Sony Ericsson announced Nexus, their custom build and UI for Android that was made up of 2 components: Timescape and MediaScape.
HTC Sense, MOTO BLUR, Sony Ericsson Nexus… that name had taken its place in Android history. And then Google erased it. As rumors and leaks of the Nexus One spread across the interwebz, everyone forgot that Sony Ericsson ever made mention of Nexus at all. Sony Ericsson realized this, backing off the Nexus name and pretending it never existed, instead opting to stick with just Timescape and Mediascape.
Is this just a really crazy coincidence? How long ago had Google selected the Nexus name? How about Sony Ericsson? Had either heard that the other were considering the name? I doubt there is anything sinister going on here but it is a pretty huge coincidence.
As for Sony Ericsson, I can understand the unbranding of the Nexus name but shouldn’t they select a replacement name? Having TWO names for your custom integration is a bit confusing not to mention irritating.
One last note – THIS is why company’s trademark their names. Can you imagine putting mad marketing/advertising money/effort into a name like Nexus only to have another company start using it and trademark it? I’m glad this happened to SE early on rather than later in the game.
Personally I think both SE and Google could have found name’s better than Nexus or Nexus One. and to be honest I like Nexus more as a custom OS name than a phone name. But that’s just like… my opinion… man.
Wasn’t the Sony Ericsson custom UI called Rachael?
I’m reading all the large Android blogs, and been reading a lot about the Xperia, and never heard Nexus in regard to it. Seems confusing to me now.
Take a look at the article I link to in the beginning of the post. It’s from November – well before the Nexus One talk – and we specifically explain Timescape/Mediascape is part of Nexus.
It is rachel, yeah… Nexus is a name for the scape apps I think
I thought rachel was the code name for the x10before it was called the x10
They change their minds everyday. If rumors are to be believed x10 has been pushed back again.
Further delay at Sony Ericcson makes me think they are watching and waiting to make sure the Xperia X10 is equal of better than the Nexus One.
I think you’re confused…. SE never mentioned the word “nexus”,, you’re saying it did, but I’m utterly sure it never had….. it’s been Rachael all the time long…..
Rachael= phone name
nexus= UX platform
both were just internal code names and have been re appropriated by the media.
Rob, you’re the dude! :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsogswrH6ck
Thanks for the Lebowski reference. Made my day!
Google/Android gotta do better with names or some sort of naming system.
remember the HTC Click? (now Tatoo). the name was changed, due to avoid confusion with Moto’s Cliq… A good (marketing) name is not something that you can think in very last minute.
I think it’s totally ridiculous. I continue to wonder who these marketing people are and what school they graudated from.
First look at Palm’s strange commercials with the pale chic for the Palm Pre.
Second Droid, they got better, I prefer the jet version and at least now they’re showing what the phone can do in commercials.
Then take Verizon’s strange branding Motorola DROID and HTC DROID ERIS. Why do they insist on confusing people.
When people hear Droid they assume either Android as a whole, Droid (as in Moto Droid) or Eris as in HTC Droid Eris.
They should have made the names much more different and kept the w/Google Android addition.
Now we have Google Nexus One and Sony Xperia Nexus? If I was Sony and laying off people, closing down facilities, downsizing, and already on my last leg I wouldn’t want people to get my phone confused with the Google Nexus One. Which from this point forward when the word Nexus is mentioned people will associate it with Google Nexus One. I would want my sexy Xperia X10 to stand out on it’s own.
All these similar names are confusing the NON-TECH crowd. Of course we techies get it, but marketing to non-techies is different and these similar names are just trouble.
What r u talking about???? Xperia ui was never called nexus. it was always racheal.
kurry, Rachael is the X10’s code name inside the company. It has nothing to do with the UI.