This week, quite unexpectedly, I became the proud owner of a Nexus One, Google’s flagship Android mobile phone.
I was one of around 70 devs at Google’s London offices for the Android Developer Lab session. After the check-in and half an hour for coffee and a light breakfast, we were ushered into the “St James Park” room and took our seats.
About ten minutes into the presentation there was a knock at the door: some important packages had arrived for the presenter. Apologising for the interruption, he left the room, quickly returning with a fellow Googler carrying the first of two large boxes. Already there was an air of excitement in the room, as the two Googlers opened one of the boxes. After looking at the contents for a moment in mock surprise, the question to the devs: “Who would like a Nexus One?”. Oh, joy!
Ten minutes later each dev in the room had a Nexus One. Geeky enthusiasm was thick in the air as the room filled with the excited sounds of joyous devs unpacking their new hardware.
Tweeting was the obvious thing to do and we were asked to include #ADL2010. On the presentation display the tweets began to roll in.
Pictures were taken by Googlers, Nexus Ones (Nexii ?) were waved and smiles were wide.
On with the presentation, covering the APIs and features of Android 2.1 and the potential for great apps on devices like the Nexus One. No mention of tablets, but this has to be a target platform that offers, perhaps, even greater creative scope. It’s another reason Google wants devs to get on board and produce some head-turning apps.
We then had a freestyle lab, with devs given the opportunity to see how their apps run on a range of Android phones provided by Google.
The lab concluded in time for lunch, with the usual exchange of Twitter and email details. I came away inspired by the presentation, the Nexus One and, not least, by the other devs that I’d met.
This event was just one of many Android Developer Labs that Google are holding over the next few weeks in cities around the world. If my own experience is anything to go by, there will be a lot of very enthusiastic Android devs out there. We can expect great things in the Android Market.
The Nexus One makes a great Android dev platform, and I look forward to making full use of it.
Like Woody when Buzz Lightyear arrived on the scene, I’m not about to abandon my faithful HTC Hero. There’s something about the Hero that makes me just a little unsure I really want to move to the Nexus One. More on this later…
