After we revealed the invite-only status and the possible launch date just a few minutes ago, there’s now a hands on review of the phone that Gizmodo got to play with through a source. They have played with the phone enough to have a strong opinion about it already, and after reading their review, it’s good enough to make a decision on whether or not you would want to purchase the device now.

A few tidbits from their comparison with Motorola Droid and iPhone 3GS:

• Slightly thinner and lighter than iPhone 3GS
• No information on hardware specs
• Better back than iPhone 3GS, but not better than Droid’s; it’s between the two
• Screen is crisper than Droid and iPhone 3GS
• Best display on a smartphone so far
• Slightly faster than iPhone 3GS
• Benchmarks put Nexus One #1 in speed, followed by iPhone 3GS and Droid
• Interactive background lets you manipulate certain apps

We’ll let you read the rest of the review at Gizmodo if you want more details. In essence, they concluded, “But in the end, it’s still an Android phone. If you want Android phones, this is the one to get, provided Google goes ahead with the rumored plans of either selling it themselves or partnering with T-Mobile in a more traditional role. Droid, shmoid; Nexus is the one you’re looking for.”