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.

Why I'm not divorcing AT&T, yet.

After today's exciting news of the Nexus One being available, I sat down and did some hard math. I could save money each month by switching to T-Mobile. Where I live and work, the coverage maps are nearly identical and neither offers 3G at home. That's generally good news.

However, the monthly savings isn't anything to write home about. I get a pretty decent discount because of the company I work for, so even with T-Mobile's cut rate pricing, it just isn't enough to justify the switch right now. It would take over 2 years of 'savings' just to pay off the sky high EFT with AT&T.

At this point "it's cheaper to keep her" so I'm not filing for divorce just yet. I'm irritated with the quality of the network, frustrated that they are dead last to offer Android phones, and will likely fill the ones they are coming out with to the brim with bloatware. I still want a Nexus One, but I think it makes good financial sense right now to save up my pennies and dimes until I can pay the full $530 for it, give up 3G until my contract is up with AT&T, then move to whoever gives me the best pricing on GSM service with good coverage.

I should point out that I was DEAD WRONG about the Nexus One being a ADP release. I really didn't expect this to hit the main stream just yet. Google did a good job of playing their cards close to their chest and letting the hype advertise for them.

What are you thoughts? If you're an AT&T customer, are you ready to leave her for a new sexy mistress or will you endure the loveless marriage for financial reasons?

More Nexus One Rumors, fact or wishing?

With all the new rumors coming in this week, it's easy to get caught up in the hype of the Nexus One. An unlocked, HOT handset for $199 before "Google rebate" of $100 is almost too good to be true. And now they are by invite only from Google. Both a way to fairly distribute what could be a limited share of phones and an excellent marketing concept. Keep in mind, this is one of the most talked about, most reported phones of the YEAR, and it's the 2nd half of December. Google has gotten prime time marketing and not spent a dime on it. To restrict access to this only causes us poor users to droll just that much more.

What does this tell us? From my point of view, it says that people WANT Google to take a chance on breaking the phone company's iron grip on the industry. We can't count on the phone industry to change itself anymore, and legislation isn't always the right way to go.

With AT&T delivering what is really sub par phone service to a vast number of people while raking in billions in profit, yet growing their customer base because of the draw and marketing of the iPhone, there is little motivation for them to change at all. No matter how frustrated I get with AT&T's service, lack of non-iPhone smart phones, I still believe they are free to set their pricing model as they see fit. I can tell you I won't be extending my contracts and when I can afford to pay the EFT's to drop their service, then I will move to a different carrier.

With a growing number of users sharing these same frustrations (visit this thread in the AT&T customer forums), it's easy to see why people's wishing is becoming rumors. I personally still believe that the Nexus One is going to be like it's other ADP offerings, hopefully at a reduced price. Especially true since I tried to flash a bad ROM to my G1 and now have a G1 shaped paperweight.

With the hype and mentions of the "developers get first dibs" being thrown out there, I would imagine a sharp upswing in the number of people who register in the next few weeks. An extra $25 to get first in line for a 1Ghz, 512MB, 802.11b/g/n phone for a rumored $99 after rebate? Sounds like a pretty inexpensive wager to me, one I personally took up. I'm also a part time software developer, so it works out fairly well.

What are your thoughts? What excites YOU about the Nexus One, or will you pass on it for another phone?