Oh Google, how could you?

While researching information on the Google Nexus One and it's upcoming AT&T compatibility I ran across this article at gadgetopolis. Most of it is boring 6th grade math walking you through the differences in price between a subsidized phone and buying it straight out over two years. The interesting bit is at the end, where we learn that

"The Nexus One uses the Qualcomm RTR6285 RF transceiver chip which includes support for AT&T’s 3G frequency bands. But they are effectively disabled due to the lack of compatible power amplifier chips"

Well now, isn't that a slap in the face to all those (myself included) who really wanted the altruistic giant to set us free from the iron grip of the Phone companies. If the geek in me cries foul play, how can the geek in Google's founders not cry the same? I can only imagine a marketing weenie or a bean counter made the decision. There could have been technical challenges with clearing all the testing through the FCC in time for the launch, they do have to sell a legal product. That may be true, I don't know. I can only hope that such an oversight would put someone out on the streets, especially if they were a bean counter or marketing weenie.

I feel a little sullied, having defended Google in many debates and have been an early adopter of all of their products. It's like finding out that your hot girlfriend who is 10 years younger than you has been with twice as many people in bed than you have, and some of those since you met her.

This does open the market for "chip modders" - I know of a few guys who made bank putting illegal mod chips in PS1s back in the day, maybe it's time for them to grab some schematics and warm up their soldering irons?

Whatever the cause, I hope Google will make this right and enable the hardware before I'm ready to make my Nexus purchase. The news of a compatible AT&T handset coming onto the market has made me question my plans of buying unlocked t-mobile hardware and giving up 3G until my blood soaked contract with AT&T is up then switching the much less expensive T-Mobile when my contract is up. Neither company offers 3G in my town, both offer it where I work.

Dare I buy more AT&T hardware for part time 3G, only to need to buy more hardware in 2011? I'd end up paying full price for the data plan, an extra $20 over what I pay now as I had no reservations telling the representative that it was a plain Jane feature phone and I didn't need the smart phone package for my unlocked G1, as I wouldn't be using much data on it at all.

What are your thoughts on the AT&T bands being crippled on the Nexus One? What are your thoughts on what I should buy in the next few weeks if both versions of the Nexus One are available.