Nexus One orders open in U.K.

Vodafone, the U.K.-based mobile operator, has started taking preorders for Google's Nexus One smartphone, which it will offer for free with a two-year contract at 35 pounds, or $54.15, per month.

The company will start selling the Android-based handset on April 30--four months after sales began in the U.S.

Up to now, Europeans could buy an unlocked phone directly through Google for $529, plus shipping and customs charges. The handset, which is manufactured by HTC, has a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and a 5-megapixel camera with a flash.

Read more of "Vodafone begins taking orders for Nexus One" at ZDNet UK.