Google's Android Wars: HTC's Nexus One VS. Motorola's Droid

What an interesting opportunity this has been to competitively review one product and then pit it against its alter ego. That is the nature of the relationship between Google's HTC Nexus One, and the Motorola Droid. It's a little like Microsoft deciding to manufacturer a laptop and then pitting it against a Dell laptop running windows. What makes it worse is that the specs are so close; almost as if all involved had intended them to appear the same, at a distance that is. Side by side the faux twins are not identical and there are plus' and minuses for both versions-although not too many overall.

Form Factor & Keyboard

One that can make an impact on purchasing decision when it comes to smartphones is the style of the keyboard and the overall form factor of the unit. In this case, HTC's Nexus One uses an iPhone style tablet form, and the Motorola Droid is a slider. Given that fact, I am sure we all know what's coming next. It's a given that a tablet style unit uses a more iPhone-ish full touchscreen and comes with a virtual keyboard only. There are not many tablet style phones with a physical keyboard along side the virtual one. The Motorola Droid, on the other hand, because it is a slider, makes room for a physical keyboard. While the physical keyboard can come in handy for those who write a lot of text messages or emails-like the business set-the keyboard itself can be physically uncomfortable as it has shallow keys and is very flat-not much room to type and uncomfortable for larger hands and fingers.

Concerning Cost: The Obvious Winner Is...

The biggest difference between the two is TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). Using the unlimited plan option, the TCO for HTC Nexus One is a whopping 30% less than the Motorola Droid over the life of the contract. The Nexus One, under contract with T-Mobile's full unlimited data plan is $179. The unlocked version is $529. The Motorola Droid is $199 for the unlimited data plan under contract with Verizon and unlocked at $599. This is indeed a significant difference, due primarily to the fact that the only other real differences between them are the on board storage capacity, and the keyboard, but more on those points below. Cash is King, as the saying goes, and on that note, the better unit is clear. Hands down, the winner for upfront pricing is the Nexus One and the winner over a lifetime contract with a full unlimited data plan is the Nexus One, in a side by side comparison, period (as of the date of publishing).

Of course, one might consider the respective manufacturers. While HTC is a newer force in the market, they are just that-a force in the market. In fact, they are certainly a force in the market to be reckoned with. However, Motorola is much older, well established and certainly more experienced, which is something special in itself. The big caveat there is that the unlocked, no-contract Nexus One would be with T-Mobile and their 3G coverage is less than stellar, even when compared to AT&T's small 3G network. If you live in an area where you know that T-Mobile's coverage is complete and you know you will have access constantly, then you will be OK and it would be worth it. If you get this lucky, you can pocket all those savings. If not, then it might just be a different story.

Storage Factor

As to the storage difference, with the Droid, there is 16 GB included and on the Nexus One, only four. Both units, however, are expandable to 32 GB. However, the average cost of a 32 GB microSD card is around $80 to $100. That said, if you were in a T-Mobile area, then ponying up the extra cash for the extra storage card would be worth it. Especially considering you pay once for the card in exchange for saving nearly $70 per month on the plan (as compared to other plans). The upfront cost is high if you choose the unlocked version and you would need to keep the same phone on the same plan for a few years to realize any savings. Otherwise, if you choose the subsidized phone, then the cost of the plan stays a bargain and you still save a fortune even though you have a contract. If you opt for the upfront cost of buying the unlocked version, you can elect another provider. While this might result in higher costs, it is nice to have the freedom to "roam" carriers if you feel like it. The main reason for the Nexus advantage is the cost of the unlimited plan, assuming the non-contract option for the Nexus.

Display & Processor

This is a tight comparison, as from the technical specifications, both the Nexus One and the Droid are nearly identical. Droid uses a TFT 3.7-in.; WVGA display with 480 x 854 pixels resolution. Nexus One uses AMOLED of the same size but with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, which, because of the AMOLED, produces a sharper, richer display. Both have true widescreen capabilities at ratio of 16:9 as well. Additionally, the Nexus One has a Qualcomm QSD 8250 1 GHz processor and Droid don't. Droid is not created equal because it only has a 550Mhz Arm Cortex A8 processor. While understanding there are distinct advantages to each, I would think that having the 1Ghz makes all the difference when browsing the Internet, or using the phone for other resource intensive functions.

Other Specs

The other features of the HTC Nexus One are almost exactly like the Droid. For example, the battery on the Nexus is a removable 1400 mAH battery offering up to 420 minutes of talk time on the 3G band. On the 2G, it offers up to 600 minutes talk time. The Droid has uses the same battery, however only offers 385 minutes continuous talk time and doesn't specify if it is 2G or 3G. The Nexus uses the Android OS 2.1, which is the Éclair version and the Droid uses the slightly older version of Éclair, the 2.0, but that is only because the Droid came out first. They both use Google services for everything, including messaging, email, Maps, Calendar, and much more.

Decision Time
The Motorola Droid is available anywhere where Verizon Wireless products are sold, as well as on their official website (see References). The Google Nexus One's description is available at the T-Mobile website however, to purchase it you must do so at the Nexus One website (see References). If you decide to go the Nexus route, you can have it engraved fro free. Keep in mind that if you do choose the engraving, once your order is complete, it is un-returnable for any reason. In other words, read the fine print!

Overall, it is a very, very close issue. The two smartphones run the same platform and are essentially equal with respect to their technical specifications. The difference in included storage capacity is trivial, really. If Google had included the extra 12Gb it would only serve to make the units identical. It beggars the question, if it would have made so little difference in the cost then why not add the storage? Dollar for Dollar, the difference would have made the two smartphones just about equal in storage and with the HTC Nexus One just as expensive as the Droid-which a Droid clone wasn't the point in the first place. However, The Nexus One is ahead in the critical areas of processor speed and display technology. So who wins, Google or Android? Android or Google, well, um... Er... Well you know what I mean.

References & Resources
T-Mobile: HTC's Nexus One
Verizon Wireless: Droid
Google: HTC Nexus One
Motorola: Unlocked Droid:
Motorola: Droid Overview
AndroidNMe: A Warning Before you Buy a Nexus One\
Android: Open Source Project's Known Issues