Google's Nexus One on Jan 5?

Already touted as the most hyped gadget of the year, an invitation for an event scheduled by Google has everyone all excited and spewing rumors that the Nexus One, Google's first mobile phone, may be released as early as the 5th of January, the day of the event. However, all that Google has announced is that they will be holding an 'Android Press Conference' on January 5th. The invitation-only event also says, "With the launch of the first Android-powered device just over a year ago, we've seen how a powerful, open platform can spur mobile product innovation. And this is just the beginning of what's possible. Please join us in Mountain View on January 5, for an Android press gathering.", leading to speculation that this event might mark the official launch of the Nexus One.

The event rekindles memories of what Apple did in 2007 with the launch of the iPhone. The iPhone's launch in an event in San Francisco, was made when the Consumer Electronics Show was in progress in Las Vegas. In comparison, the January 5th conference by Google is just 2 days before the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, further adding to the speculation of the Nexus release.

So is it worth the wait? Not that January 5th is too far away, but will Google's Nexus One be worth waiting for, in case the release is delayed? Well, taking everything into account, Google's Nexus One might indeed turn out to be well worth the wait. With almost every manufacturer wanting to dethrone Apple's iPhone from the smartphone king status, Google has also risen to the occasion and packed the Nexus One with powerful features.

The Nexus One is rumored to have a whoppingly large 3.7 inch AMOLED display that will conserve power and improve battery life, a 5MP camera with LED flash, and the usual other smartphone features, including a compass, accelerometer, Bluetooth 2.1, aGPS, etc. The unit will be powered by the super fast 1Ghz 'Snapdragon' processor, and will feature wireless 'n' as well. And, most importantly, all this will run on Google's latest operating system, Android 2.1. The OS, along with the snappy 1 Ghz processor, will ensure that the phone not only runs superfast, but also handles multitasking with ease.

While all this is enough to outstrip the iPhone in technical terms, the design, availability, and marketing of the phone will also play a big role in the success of the Nexus One. On the design front, the phone, though having a larger screen/display than the iPhone, comes in very close to the iPhone's dimensions. Designed by Google at the famous Google Labs, the Nexus One is built by Google partner HTC. With HTC just releasing their HD2, it will be interesting to see how the Nexus One matches up to the HD2. Both handsets use the Snapdragon processor, and while the HD2 scores with its larger screen (4.3 inch), the Nexus One will undoubtedly make up with its Android OS (as compared to Windows Mobile on the HD2). From pictures posted on various sites, though, it seems that the Nexus One has got a reasonably good design build, and it might just take the iPhone in the design round.

What is more interesting is the availability and the marketing of the phone. The Nexus One will, according to all indications, be sold unlocked, and will not be tied to any carrier. This will ensure that the phone will not only sell fast, but will sell all around the world as well. Rumors of Google selling the phone through websites have surfaced, making it a dream come true for users around the world. Though there are plans of some carriers playing a role in the launch, this might just mean that chosen carries will have a more attractive selling point for the mobile phone.

The Nexus One has a lot to live up to, and a lot more to prove, if it looks at reaching the top spot in the smartphone market. The Apple iPhone already enjoys huge success in the market, and recently a slew of cell phones have been released, making the competition supremely difficult. Phones such as the Palm Pre, Motorola Droid, HTC HD2, etc have all been looking to take on the iPhone and de-throne it. Though they have been successful to some extent, the iPhone is still considered to rule the roost. Also, it must not be forgotten that the iPhone will see the 4G(?) or whatever the next model is called, which is being released in 2010 as well.

While the Nexus looks all pumped up for the task it has, only time will tell if yet another warrior will make a difference to the ongoing war in the smartphone world. All said and done: it might be wiser to wait for this monster before buying a phone in the new year.