Google's smartphone, Nexus One, was touted as a rival to the iPhone. -- PHOTO: AFP
GOOGLE'S first attempt at retail has encountered a speed bump.
Scores of buyers of its first 'own brand' smartphone, the Nexus One, seem to have experienced 3G connection problems.
The much-hyped phone is sold directly to consumers through its website at google.com/phone. Google started selling it just four days ago to consumers in the United States, Britain, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Already, pockets of users have been posting their problems on the Google Mobile Help Forum.
Their complaints centre on the phone constantly switching between 3G and the slower EDGE (Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution) networks, resulting in tardy responses when they surf the Internet. Voice and SMS functions are unaffected.
One user in the US, nicknamed 'manconeg', wrote on the Google forum that he could surf the Net at only 600kbps on his Nexus One. Using the same SIM card on another smartphone, he could surf the Net at five times the speed 'at 3,000kbps, and reliably' too.
Read the full story in The Sunday Times.
