The tech industry was abuzz about a new phone from Google over the weekend. After months of speculation, it was discovered that Google does indeed have a new smartphone, and now more details and images have surfaced.

The phone is being called the Nexus one (so far, at least), and will run the Android operating system. The hardware comes from HTC. Most details about the phone are only speculative at this point, as the only people that have access to them are Google employees. The company has given a number of its employees the device to mess around with over the holidays. Mario Queiroz, Vice President, Product Management writes on the Google Mobile Blog:

At Google, we are constantly experimenting with new products and technologies, and often ask employees to test these products for quick feedback and suggestions for improvements in a process we call dogfooding (from "eating your own dogfood"). Well this holiday season, we are taking dogfooding to a new level.

We recently came up with the concept of a mobile lab, which is a device that combines innovative hardware from a partner with software that runs on Android to experiment with new mobile features and capabilities, and we shared this device with Google employees across the globe. This means they get to test out a new technology and help improve it.

Queiroz also said that Google cannot share any specific product details, but that hasn't stopped the leaks of photos. Engadget dug the following one up on Google's Picasa Web Albums photo sharing site:

Greg Sterling at Search Engine Land has a source, who he says is not a Gooogle Employee, that claims to have held one of the devices and messed around with it. He said that the resolution on the phone is "at least twice as good" as the iPhone. According to the Wall Street Journal, Google designed the entire software experience on the device, which makes it unique from other Android phones.

Apparently people will be able to purchase the phone directly from Google, rather than a carrier, and according to Pete Cashmore at Mashable, users will be able to choose their carrier from a menu, once they receive the phone. He says the phone will be "sold online and unlocked," and that Google is partnering with T-Mobile to push the phone. He says Verizon declined.

Some rumors suggest that the Nexus One could be released to the public as early as next month. That could just be wishful thinking, but whenever it does come out, it will be quite interesting to see how the public responds.
 

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