Google has been selling unlocked phones for direct sale to registered Android Developers.

Currently, the Google's developer phone is the Nexus One, which is available at a price of $529. You can order your phone directly from Google through your Android developer account. All you need to do is click on the 'Development Phones' link.

The Nexus One comes with an up-to-the-minute OS -- Android 2.2, modern hardware, and the pure Android software suite. "It's a good choice both for people who want to build Android applications using either the SDK or the NDK, and those who want to experiment with modified versions of the Android platform. Note that the Nexus One still ships with Android 2.1 but will download 2.2 soon after you turn it on; make sure you’re near a fast network," writes Tim Bray on Android blog.

Don't mistake the phone as some non-production prototype. Despite being a great developer phone, "it's a really nice everyday phone; we're really happy to have connected the right dots to make this happe," adds Bray.

Nexus One accessories are available in HTC's US/European online store.