As much as we would want to jump straight to the tech specs of this Android smart phone, it would be unfair to talk about the Stream without discussing how good the handset looks. Compared to other smart phones, the Acer Stream has a very futuristic appeal. The device’s form factor may be basic, but the use of the line contours is arguably the most appealing since the Motorola Milestone (or Motorola DROID in the US). Granted that Motorola has not released an Android smart phone for the high end tech bracket, the Acer Stream seems to have found a place.

The specs of the Stream are actually great, but not that impressive. The specs are indeed high end, but too many Android devices are already filling up the high end market choices. This leaves Asus with plenty of competition. At the same time, nothing will truly show the industry that Asus is up to task other than what is the industry equivalent of a trial by fire.

The 1GHz Snapdragon CPU is tried and tested on many other devices. So users can be assured that this processor is currently the new standard for a good reason: because it beats everything else before it. Apps, features, media, everything will load fast and run smooth on a device using this CPU.

The 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen is similar to the ones used in the HTC Desire and the Google Nexus One. Expect to get excellent response to commands, accurate finger tracking and most importantly, impressive visual quality.

According to the developers of the world famous search engine, they made the Nexus One for a very specific purpose, and in that regard, the smart phone is a success. But the company has no plans to keep selling the handset indefinitely and has finally decided to pull the plug on the online store.

Of course, the Nexus One is still available through other means. Vodafone UK is still offering the impressive Android smart phone on various plans and tariffs. In the meanwhile developers who were not able to snag a unit earlier this year will still have a change to get the device straight from Google –the developer exclusive channels are going to remain open. This means that the Nexus One will still serve a very important purpose in the development of the Android operating system.

While Google has directly announced that they have no intentions of working on or releasing a Nexus Two smart phone, no one can say if the company will stop working on actual smart phones altogether. As long as the industry’s technology keeps evolving, so will the Android operating system –and Google will eventually have to come up with a technologically superior handset to serve as part of their new developer’s tools.

For those who missed out on the details of the Google phone, this device was actually manufactured by Taiwan based phone maker, HTC. It also shares many similar hardware features with the Desire, an HTC made Android handset. Both devices use a 5 mega pixel camera, a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU and both phones have 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen displays.

The slide out QWERTY keyboard has been a very elusive feature among HTC Android fans. While Motorola has already come out with the Milestone (known as the DROID in the US), and Sony Ericsson has recently offered the X10 Mini Pro, many would still want an HTC Android device over other manufacturers as the phone maker has been a constant in the development of the Android OS.

Taiwan based HTC has been a founding member of the Open Handset Alliance, the first manufacturer to create an Android smart phone and they also made Google’s Nexus One as well.

For those who have never used a physical keyboard, the charm of the feature lies in the simplicity of its purpose: it helps people type faster. While it is pretty common to hear of people who can dish out hundreds of characters in a few seconds of a using a T9 keypad, the average person is not as fast. Virtual keyboards often suffice for quick typing requirements such as for Tweets or simple one-liners; but for making long forum posts or personal emails, having a physical keyboard changes the experience to a more convenient level.

In the meanwhile, haptic technology is pushing the limits of how a touch screen can emulate a physical keyboard. While the technology is quite impressive -using a combination of audio output and sometimes, vibration feedback; the technology is still a long way from a real slide out keyboard.

The Desire is not the only smart phone affected. Other HTC Android 2.1 smart phones are expected to get updates around August this year.

The reason why there is so much fuss about the Desire’s delayed update is that many consider it the benchmark for other non-Google branded Android smart phones; that is if the Desire is getting an update, then updates for other devices will surely follow soon.

For now, only the Google Nexus One has the update for the new Android Froyo. The reason for the delays has not been explained by either HTC or Google, but many believe that they are simply biding their time. Google has had no qualms releasing updates with compatibility issues (a constant problem for the Android as there is a wide variety of phones that use the OS), so there really is no reason to hold back on the launch date.

Another reason why the Desire is a very important phone for many is because it practically serves as a non-Google substitute to the Nexus One. And considering that HTC manufactured both devices, the Desire is a pretty good choice too. The specs are even the same. Both phones have 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen displays, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz processor and a 5 mega pixel snapper.

Still, it is a big step for the web format developer in their quest to show critics and the market that Flash is still a widely used web format. And they are right. While Adobe also recognizes the need for HTML5 development and they also support the new media (Adobe has confirmed that they are currently working on HTML5 development software), Flash is still a well accepted medium.

Anyway, the launch of the Flash Player 10.1 is still big news. So far, none of the existing mobile phones are compatible with it simply because Google’s launch of Android 2.2 Froyo is still not applicable for a vast majority of Android devices.

And that is an issue that Google needs to fix as soon as possible. While it has been confirmed that the HTC Desire will be getting a 2.2 update in the next few days, there are plenty of other impressive Android handsets that have yet to taste the power and versatility of the new Android version.

According to the original announcements, Android 2.2 features a whole host of new features such as tethering and support for turning a handset into a WiFi router. Froyo also improves existing Android performance by boosting the performance speed up to two times faster and the browsing speed up to three times faster.

Naturally, the new Flash Player support is considered to be the main attraction of the new OS, and once it is available for other smart phones; many mobile users will be able to enjoy Flash content on the go.

Below is Andy’s official post:

“We launched Nexus One in January with two goals in mind: to introduce a beacon of innovation among Android handsets, and to make it quick and easy for people to buy an Android phone. We’re very happy with the adoption of Android in general, and the innovation delivered through Nexus One. Already, a lot of the innovation that went into creating Nexus One has found its way into numerous Android handsets, like the HTC Evo 4G from Sprint and the Verizon Droid Incredible by HTC”.

“But, as with every innovation, some parts worked better than others. While the global adoption of the Android platform has exceeded our expectations, the web store has not. It’s remained a niche channel for early adopters, but it’s clear that many customers like a hands-on experience before buying a phone, and they also want a wide range of service plans to chose from.”

“As we make Nexus One available in more countries we’ll follow the same model we’ve adopted in Europe, where we’re working with partners to offer Nexus One to consumers through existing retail channels. We’ll shift to a similar model globally.”

“Once we have increased the availability of Nexus One devices in stores, we’ll stop selling handsets via the web store, and will instead use it as an online store window to showcase a variety of Android phones available globally.”

“Innovation requires constant iteration. We believe that the changes we’re announcing today will help get more phones to more people quicker, which is good for the entire Android ecosystem: users, partners and also Google.”

The only drawback in all the good news is the fact that Google will still be restricting access the Nexus One. As most of you are already aware. The Google phone is only available through the online store. It’s a major drag since most people would prefer to be able to get their smart phones over the counter.

Having a UK operator subsidize the device does change things in terms of price costs, but if the device will still be shipped from the US instead of from a location from within the UK, this will still be the same problem that we have had since the device first came out last January.

The Nexus One is a pretty impressive device, and that is why we were hoping that the Vodafone release would change things. For one, it runs on a 1GHz Snapdragon processor –it beat the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 for the position of first Android Snapdragon. The CPU will ensure fast speeds with loading and running features. The 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen gives accurate control and excellent visuals.

Lastly, the 5 mega pixel camera will allow users to take high quality images and videos. The phone also comes with enhanced noise reduction, a speech recognition system that is able to convert speech to text as well as use voice input queries. A new patch for the device has also been released earlier. It addresses the early 3G problems that plagued the smart phone as well as a few other bugs.

Get to know more about the Nexus One at the Telegraph UK.

The argument stands that Sony Ericsson suffered greatly last 2009 and the chance to make the Google branded phone would have been good for business. In terms of reputation this is certainly true. Sony Ericsson was not doing well from a financial standpoint. Many still remember the news about the company letting of over 2000 workers and having to shut down offices in the US and facilities in parts of the world. The end of the year was not much better.

The Satio, which was heavily advertised and promoted, was suspended from sales for over two weeks due to firmware troubles. Getting a major device getting pulled off shelves from two major retailers such as Phones4U and Carphone Warehouse just before the holidays certainly dealt a big blow to the company -while the problem was eventually fixed and brought back the phone just in time for Christmas, the bad publicity already took its toll. Not to mention the XPERIA X2 also got delayed from its intended December launch date.

To cut things short, Sony Ericsson ended 2009 with losses of over 800 Million.

Many believe that Sony Ericsson should have made the Nexus One when it was offered. After all, as a general rule, refusing opportunity is never a good choice.

But in the very end, SE chose to stand by its ideals despite the things that were going against them. They believe in creating products only for their own brand and not being a sub contractor to another company. Its logical and a good decision, at least in terms of being consistent in their choices.

Read more about the SE and Nexus One connection at Mobile Choice UK.

Well that changed recently when a Google meeting revealed that the new Google phone, the Nexus One is due for release In the United Kingdom in Spring 2010. It will be available on the Vodafone network on a contract tariff at first, and is then expected to widen out to other phone networks as well as pay as you go plans. In the United States the phone is available on T Mobile with similar plans to widen out.

The phone itself is great as it features Google integration, allowing you easy and quick access to any Google made program, including Google Maps, Google Trends and even YouTube. This allows you to view these programs at the touch of a button, saving you from having to go through an internet browser, which takes up time and becomes confusing.

The phone features noise reduction technology, by using a built in compressor. This basically blocks out any unwanted frequencies, for instance anything extremely higher than the human voice is blocked out, which can include background noise or line interference. The Nexus One will at first only be available direct from the Google website, but is expected to be sold in shops a couple months after the release date.

Google isn’t the only company to utilize the technology, but it looks like they are the ones using it best, at least so far. The Nexus One is very impressive. It comes with a large 3.7 inch touchscreen, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and autofocus. It has 512 of Flash memory built in. An additional amount can be added via the phone’s microSD slot. The Nexus One utilizes a 1GHz snapdragon processor. This is incredibly speedy. Users will also benefit from built-in GPS, compass, voice recognition, and noise cancellation.

Though the phone was officially unveiled on January 5th, a day before, January 4th, several official online reviews were released, complete with pictures and specs. Even still, there remained an incredible amount of excitement surrounding the press conference at Google’s Mountain View headquarters.

The Nexus One has taken the Android into the next century in a very impressive way. However, those who want to utilize the technology in their own life will need to be willing to pay a pretty handsome price for the privilege of owning one. If a person purchases the phone directly from Google, they will be charged $529 or £331. Individuals can qualify for a significant discount if they sign up for a contract with T-Mobile. Persons who choose this option will only have to play £179 or £112 for the handset. This is a huge price break but individuals are required to sign on with T-Mobile for two years. This will be an acceptable compromise for some individuals but obviously not for everyone.

The Nexus One will first be launched in the United States. Individuals can purchase the phone straight from Google as mentioned above or through T-Mobile. It will then be available in Europe through Vodafone. It will then be reintroduce in the U.S., this time via Verizon.