So I ordered a Nexus One last night.

To be clear, this doesn’t in any way mean that I have plans to abandon my i-Device ecosystem. However, the buzz surrounding Android, particularly with the impending release of Android 2.2 has piqued my interest. Plus, I want to get my hands on an official, original, Google-branded (and unlocked) Nexus One before they shutter their online store for good and move to a more typical carrier sales model.

Even in the current pre-Froyo iterations, Android has some interesting and appealing features. As one would expect from a Google device, it’s far more cloud-connected already with its Google services integrations, and looks poised to become even more so as things like Simplify Media come into the picture.

While iPhone OS 4 promises some interesting things, it seems that Apple is still way behind the curve when it comes to a world without wires. The iPhone (and iPad, and iPod touch) remain cryptically tethered to an iTunes-centric world for media sync, and while there’s no doubt that Apple is working on better solutions, they’re moving at their typically glacial pace in doing so — the Apple TV introduced Wi-Fi based syncing back in 2007, so it’s obviously not only possible, but in fact is already built into iTunes. Sure, performance, particularly over 802.11b/g might be a dog for syncing your entire library, but it would certainly suffice for keeping podcast subscriptions and basic smart playlists up to date. With Apple’s recent acquisitions and patent portfolio, it seems that something really cool may be coming around the corner, but that corner might still be several blocks (or years) away. Apple’s priorities are clearly focused on providing a smooth user experience rather than cutting edge bells and whistles — to put it simply they would rather leave a feature out entirely than do a half-baked version of it.

Don’t get me wrong — I do respect Apple’s approach, or at the very least I’ve learned to appreciate it. You see, Android sounds in many ways like a nerd’s dream, with extensive customization options and lots of shiny features to play with. My twenty-something self would have been all over that, and probably wouldn’t have even gone near an iPhone in the first place. These days, however, I prefer a platform that “just works” for what I need it to do and doesn’t get in the way. The iPhone has proven to be that platform. However, the view from the cheap seats, at least, suggests that Android may be getting there. We’ll see once I actually have one in my hands to play with for a while.

(Admittedly, however, there’s still some of that twenty-something kid left in me — the one that gets hooked on “shiny new toy syndrome” every once in a while and needs some new bells and whistles to be entertained by.)

That said, I most certainly still plan to also get a next-generation iPhone when it arrives next month. By that time, Android 2.2 will likely have surfaced for general consumption, which will make for an interesting showdown between what have effectively become the two juggernauts of the smartphone industry.