Google Nexus One Unboxing & Optimisation

I recently received my shiny new Google Nexus One, as well as the stand, and captured the glorious moments with it as an unboxing feature.

See the pictures here.

Now if there were two things, and there are, that are not to my liking, I’d have to say:

• Exchange support does not include Calendar!!!!!!!
• No HTC Sense UI

Now while there are ways around both issues through apps (paid-for ones), it is just not the same. For a while I pondered to sell my Google Nexus One and get the HTC Desire instead so at least I can get the HTC Sense UI. This would be intriguing if it wasn’t for one crucial difference in hardware between the Google Nexus One and the HTC Desire, the hardware-based noise reduction tech. Since I’m using the Google N1 mostly for business it is quite crucial that I get the best voice quality possible. So after long deliberation and having found a good set of pretty good replacements for some key components of the HTC Sense UI I’m finally leaning towards keeping my Google Nexus One and not pawning it off so I can get the HTC Desire instead.

HTC Sense UI replacement apps:

• Basic home theme: “GDE – The new home experience!” by MiroMind [paid for], with the “Hero Theme for GDE” by Diceman4 [free]
• Clock/Weather Widget: “Weather Widget” by Android Apps [paid-for], with the H7C skins for clock and weather [free]

I’m aware that this is by far not an exhaustive list of all HTC widgets it is still a good enough work-around, short of having to root the device and flash the HTC Desire’s ROM onto my Google Nexus One.

Other replacement features to match HTC Desire:

• “FlipSilent” by Maven Peter: this mutes your phone if you turn it face down

Great replacement for complete Exchange sync/push access:

• “Exchange for Android” by NitroDesk, Inc. aka Touchdown [paid-for]