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The sun is shining here today, and we'll tell you--it's turning out to be an important sign! At one o'clock, Google's set to unveil its Nexus smartphone and try to worm its way further into the smartphone market. Here's the skinny and what this new release means for everyone.

iPhone Killer
We think that phrase should be retired. Since that's not likely any time soon, we might as well just discuss the known specs of this new Google phone and tell you why it isn't likely to end the iPhone world as we know it. Leaks tell us a few things: the phone has a 3.7 inch screen, runs Android 2.1, contains an accelerometer, compass, 5 megapixel camera and has Wi-Fi access...and Google hasn't taken any pages from Apple's secret leak stopping police.

Buzz in the industry is that the phone will remain untied to any one subscriber, which immediately spells high cost for the customer. Of course, Google could subsidize the phone with ads or by itself...we'll know for sure come this afternoon. Bottom line? We love competition in the marketplace (especially when Apple stays on top), but we don't think any one device will be the mythical slayer of the wildly popular iPhone. However, maybe once this unlocking thing is done once, other companies will follow suit...hail Google, for setting the precedent.

Free Tibet!
No, wait. That's not right. We meant "Free Spectrum."

As in free up spectrum, as in create more competition in broadband providers, as in bring end user costs down...the Justice Department itself has weighed in, giving the FCC a piece of their mind. A ton of spectrum (which is a quantifiable unit, we swear) was freed with the big switch to digital TV but with iPhones, Google's new Nexus and all the other smartphones out there gobbling up bandwidth more is always necessary. There's available spectrum in the military and intelligence sectors, but we're more likely to get our hands on some more from TV broadcasters; the legislative branch has introduced bills to take a solid inventory of how airwaves are being used so they can be reappropriated.

With all the other options looming large on the horizon, this seems like an easy way to ease the strain on networks without adding towers or asking users to stop streaming data...at the very least, it's a way to start fixing a problem that's going to take research, tax dollars and time.

One More Thing
Yes, you get an Apple update too: the Mac Makers are sitting pretty, looking to buy Quattro Wireless for a reported $275 million dollars. Remember how we said Google could subsidize the cost of its unlocked phone with ads? We're leading you to water...

Oh yeah, and the App Store just passed THREE BILLION downloads. Nice timing on that announcement, guys.

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Till tomorrow, Newsies...