Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 First Look: Google’s New Phone and Tablet Sure Look Sweet
In general, Google’s Nexus line of devices represents the epitome of how the company’s Android devices are supposed to look and feel. Google and a manufacturing partner collaborate on the gadgets; they run an unaltered version of Android, Google’s mobile operating system; and they receive updates as soon as they are available.
These devices usually give a glimpse into what Google is planning and what features will be coming to smartphones in the future.
Which brings us to the newest members of Google’s Nexus family, the Nexus 6 smartphone, Nexus 9 tablet, and Nexus Player set-top box. The three gadgets were unveiled earlier in October, and we finally got to try them out ourselves Wednesday at a press event in New York City.
Playing off the name of Google’s latest Android release, Android 5.0 Lollipop, the hands-on event was held in an art gallery that was transformed into an awesome candy-sodden diabetic nightmare — there was literally candy on the walls that you could, and I did, eat.
Nexus 6
The Nexus 6, which is made by Motorola, looks like that handset maker’s incredible 5.2-inch Moto X was pulled and stretched to fit its larger 6-inch display. The screen is huge, bigger even than the larger iPhone 6 Plus; but otherwise the Nexus 6 borrows a good number of the Moto X’s design aspects, including its front-facing speakers and dual-LED flash ring around its rear camera.
There’s even the same “M” logo on the Nexus 6’s back panel as there is on the Moto X — though the Nexus 6 also has the word “Nexus” running along its back. All of that is to say that the Nexus 6 is quite a good-looking, if understated, smartphone.
Of course, the 6 is also gigantic. At 6.3 inches tall, the Nexus 6 is larger than Samsung’s massive Galaxy Note 4 with its 5.7-inch display. Surprisingly, though, the Nexus 6 is only 0.1 inch taller than Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus, despite the fact that the iPhone has a smaller 5.5-inch screen.
At 6.5 ounces, the Nexus 6 and its aluminum body are fairly heavy by smartphone standards. Samsung’s Note 4 weighs 6.2 ounces, while the iPhone 6 Plus weighs 6.1 ounces. But the Nexus 6 doesn’t feel too much heavier, and the weight is evenly distributed.
Due to its large dimensions, though, the Nexus 6 is virtually impossible to use comfortably with one hand. And if you’ve got relatively small mitts, the Nexus 6 might be tough to hold onto.
The hardware
Inside, the Nexus 6 gets a faster processor, which feels like it has more than enough horsepower to handle anything you can throw at the phone. And unlike the iPhone 6 Plus, the base version of the Nexus 6 comes with 32 GB of storage, rather than 16 GB.
Unfortunately, there’s no microSD card slot included with the Nexus 6. The Note 4, on the other hand, can support microSD cards with up to 128 GB of storage. As with the iPhone, the storage you buy is the storage you get.
Around back, the Nexus 6 sports a 13-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization. That means the camera’s lens will physically move to compensate for your hands’ shaking while you take pictures, ensuring that your photos are always crisp. We’ve also seen this feature on the iPhone 6 Plus and the Galaxy Note 4.
Pricing
Overall, the Nexus 6 looks like an excellent example of what Google’s Android phones are truly capable of. Preorders for unlocked versions of the Nexus 6 will be available through the Google Play store starting Oct. 29 with 32 GB models going for $649 and 64 GB models selling for $699.
Google confirmed that each of the Big Four U.S. carriers will be selling the Nexus 6, but pricing and sale date are still being worked out.
Nexus 9
Alongside the Nexus 6 is Google’s new Nexus 9 tablet. The slate features an 8.9-inch display with a 2048 × 1536 display resolution, which is the same resolution as the Apple iPad Air 2’s screen. The Nexus’ display, however, is about an inch smaller than the iPad’s.
In terms of its design, the Nexus 9, which is manufactured by HTC, is about as handsome as the Nexus 6. Sporting an aluminum frame and soft-touch rear panel, the Nexus 9 weighs in at just under 1 pound, making it ever so slightly lighter than the Air 2. Honestly, though, you won’t notice the difference.
The Nexus 9 is, however, thicker than the Air 2, measuring 0.31 inches to the Air’s 0.24 inches.
The Nexus 9 also comes with your choice of 16 GB or 32 GB of storage. 16 GB models cost $399, while 32 GB versions cost $479. You can also get the Nexus 9 with a built-in LTE data connection, but that model is available only with 32 GB of storage and costs $599.
With its good looks, and all-new operating system — not to mention the fact that it’s $100 cheaper than the iPad Air — the Nexus 9 may just be the best new Android tablet.
Nexus Player
The slightly odd man out in this crop of Nexus devices is Google’s new Nexus Player. The hockey-puck-shaped set-top box plugs into your television and lets you stream movies and TV shows from a host of apps including Netflix and Hulu Plus, not to mention the Google Play store.
Interested in who that actor is in your favorite TV show? The Nexus Player will pull up cards showing who is in the scene you’re watching. That should put a permanent end to all those arguments you’ve had with your friends about who voiced the Michael Jackson impersonator in that episode of The Simpsons. It was Michael Jackson, by the way.
To control the player, you can use either the included remote, which features Google’s exceptional voice search capabilities, or a gaming controller that’s sold separately. Manufactured by ASUS, the Nexus Player looks to be quite the competitor for the likes of Amazon’s Fire TV and the Roku 3.
Outlook
So should you buy one of Google’s newest gadgets? Well, the truth is we don’t know quite yet. We’ll know more when we perform our full reviews of each. So hold out just a bit longer.
Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley or on Google+ here.
