Ever since I got my hands on the Nexus One back in April 2010, I’ve been waiting for the day I would own a phone from the Nexus family. I went through hell and back to get it, since it’s not readily available in my country (yet). Thanks to my Twitter network and this amazing gentleman, I became a Nexus S owner.

What’s so good about the Nexus S?

Firstly? Speed. Specs-wise, this phone is nothing revolutionary. It’s similar to the Samsung Galaxy S and other high-end Androids like the HTC Desire HD. However, there is a marked speed difference. Reason? It’s Pure Google. This means it’s the pure Android operating system. There’s no HTC Sense or Motorola’s Motoblur or Sony Ericsson’s Sense UI to contend with or slow down the system. While these UI have prettier interfaces and are sometimes more functional, users are usually held ransom by manufacturers for the latest Android OS updates.

When I used the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 (before it was stolen), I was grudgingly using Android 1.6, while the world had already upgraded to Android 2.1 or 2.2. That meant I couldn’t download many apps or have access to the latest features. It was a really frustrating position to be in — especially since the Xperia was considered a high-end smartphone.

What’s not so great about the Nexus S?

Having the latest Android is a little bit of a double-edged sword. While it means you are always first with the latest and greatest features, it also means you’re a sort of a guinea pig. I haven’t spent much time with the phone yet, but I’ve already found some bugs in the Android 2.3.1 update. Here’s just a few:

• It can’t change “My Number” stored in the SIM card
• It’s not using the specified contact ringtones
• Sometimes, forms can’t be filled out

I’ve heard there are more serious bugs like sending a message to an unintended recipient, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take for the sake of speed and being free from manufacturers’ terribly slow — or non-existent — OS update timeline.

More Nexus S Photos

Feast your eyes on every Android geek’s current wet dream.

Google Nexus S’ curved screen

Samsung Galaxy S vs Nexus S Photos

Here’s a few photos comparing with my boyfriend’s Samsung Galaxy S and my Nexus S side-by-side. I haven’t made a true performance comparison but from casual use, it seems the Nexus S is faster.

Screen: Samsung Galaxy S vs Google Nexus S

Front: Samsung Galaxy S vs Google Nexus S

Back: Samsung Galaxy S vs Google Nexus S

Dear readers, do you prefer the iPhone or Android phones? Why? And slightly off-topic, is there anything that intrigued you from CES 2011? (Mine’s predictably the Android 3.0-powered tablet, Motorola Xoom.)

Related posts:

1. I got my hands on a Nexus One!
2. Hello! It’s been while…
3. Review: LG Viewty KU990R

1) ASUS 1005 HA for its long battery life
2) MSI Wind U100 Plus for its affordable price tag.
3) Acer Aspire One D250 for having both Windows and Android OSes.
4) Toshiba Mini NB205 for its positive reviews.
5) HP Mini 311 for its ergonomic keyboard.

But when I arrived at the fair, I realized I made a grave mistake. Netbooks aren’t really about specs, they’re about usability. I was disappointed with my “to consider” list. Most of them just didn’t feel right. Some had difficult keyboards, others felt like over sized toys. I was very reluctant to part with my money… until I saw the Samsung N310.

It was love at first touch.

Why I Love the Samsung N310

Keyboard: The Samsung N310 has a Mac-like or chiclet keyboard. And as a Macbook user, I can type with my eyes closed and make no mistakes on the N310. I also really appreciate the full-sized “Tab” button because I fill in quite a bit of forms and like to change windows quickly.

Texture: The shell of the Samsung N310 is covered by this rubbery material reminiscent of those exorbitantly-priced Japanese mechanical pencils. I think they call those things soft grip. The soft grip just makes me want to molest the netbook.

Design: It’s minimalistic and there’s something very Japanese about it… like my blog. (Yes, I’m aware Samsung is Korean.) Upon further research, I learned that the Samsung N310 is designed by Naoto Fukasawa – the dude who designed everything from indestructible paper bags to MUJI’s CD player. So perhaps that’s why there was that certain Japanese-ness to it.

Battery Life: Officially, the website says it’ll run 9 hours with a 6-cell 8850 mAh battery. It’s actually not too far from the truth. My N310 hasn’t gotten a chance to run out of juice yet so I can’t say for certain. However, I did run it for 4.5 hours on Normal battery mode with USB broadband on mobile modem on, iTunes playing, Google Chrome with 3 tabs running, Google Talk and Windows Live Messenger with 3 windows open – and my battery meter still read “48% battery life left; 3.8 hours left”!

Sound: The audio is crisp, clear and very, very loud. And I hate to admit this, but it’s louder than my Macbook’s speakers.

But of course, no product is ever perfect. Over 2 weeks of use, I discovered a few things that annoyed me but nothing severe enough to make me regret my buy.

Why the Samsung N310 annoys me

Heat: It gets a little warm on the left side. Of course, it depends on the surface I place it on. On tables, it doesn’t seem to get that warm that quickly or easily – unless I’m doing something resource intensive. But on softer surfaces like beds, pillows or even on my lap, it does get warm fairly quickly.

Performance: Compared to my friend’s Toshiba NB205, the Samsung N310 on Normal battery mode performs much slower at multimedia tasks like Facebook flash games and webcam chats. (Our specs are the same, except that hers runs on Windows 7 Starter and mine on Windows XP.) But when the N310 runs on Max Performance mode, it was on par with the NB205.

Mouse Trackpad: The touchpad is less responsive than the Mac’s, so I have to tap a little harder to click. I’m also not a fan of the mouse button. Windows machines shouldn’t have one button. With right-click, it just doesn’t make sense.

Logo Design That is one seriously gigantic Samsung logo. Worst thing is, it’s embossed so I can’t cover it with a sticker. Besides, stickers will destroy its beautiful soft grip skin. Argh!

Price

After some bargaining with a very knowledgeable salesperson, I bought the Samsung N310 for S$649 (approx USD $450) with a 2GB RAM upgrade (plus installation) and a laundry list of freebies including:

• External DVD writer
• 2-year extended warranty
• Antivirus software
• 4GB Sandisk Cruzer
• Laptop cooler
• Mouse
• Laptop cleaner

Tech Reviews of the Samsung N310

I’m only a poseur geek, so my review is probably not comprehensive enough for the true geeks. Just shimmy over to the real geeks’ reviews here if this isn’t what you’re looking for:

• CNET’s Review
• Laptop Mag’s Review
• Tech65′s Review

Dear readers, do you own a netbook? If so, which one? If don’t own one, would you consider buying one? Why or why not?

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