Google's Nexus One could make phone plans redundant

The Google Nexus One smartphone is finally here and you can buy it immediately. The buzz building up to it has been phenomenal to say the least. The question everyone is asking is: is this the iPhone killer?

Not really. At least not in the way we have been thinking about the Google phone -- a much better iPhone. On the other hand, Google lays the groundwork for a radically different vision of how it would like people to use phones and services. The giveaway is the slogan Google has put out: Web meets phone. What does it mean for consumers?

It would mean lower costs and more services. And it will come in small doses, which Google calls "iterations." With the Nexus One, Google is trying to break away from the stranglehold the network companies have on equipment and services. If this succeeds, it will tie the phone further with the Internet.