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Good honest review from my coworker between the two phones, Verizon Galaxy-Nexus and Sprint Galaxy SII
My coworker just bought the Verizon Galaxy-Nexus, coming from an old HTC Incredible, that was damaged. He is not a [H]ard geek, but likes new tech. He was comparing to my Sprint Galaxy SII, that is rooted, with custom ROM, and ICS theme. He actually likes my phone better he said after a day with his new Nexus.
Some of his complaints on the Nexus;
- Speaker is very low, even at max hard to hear GPS navigation
- Screen is not that bright, looks good he says, but not what he expected after all the hype.
- Battery life totally blows he said, on his second day, and battery gets low quickly after a full charge. Lasts half a day.
- Phone is fast, but not butter smooth, there is slight lag here and there sometimes.
- Android 4.0 ICS is hard for him to get used to, feels almost alien to him after having an HTC Sense device running Froyo. He said needs awhile to still figuring everything out.
Now he compared it to my Galaxy SII with same points;
- Speaker is very loud and clear on my phone, loudest he's heard on a phone.
- GS2 is not high res, but still looks very clear, and extremely colorful.
- Battery life on my SII lasts a full day easily.
- Pretty much zero lag on my device he says, where the Nexus does have a little.
- I am on Android 2.3.6 with custom ROM + Theme, hard to really compare, I prefer full 4.0 ICS myself, but he's on the fence he said, almost prefers my tweaked Touchwiz 4.0 better.
My opinion, would be a full stable ICS ROM running on our Sprint GS2, might be a tad faster/smoother than the Galaxy-Nexus. But Verizon has us on the network speeds, not even talking about LTE vs WiMax, but their 3G is almost as fast as our 4G. Sprint's network just blows lately in Chicago_land, 3G is a ****ing joke.
Nice write up. My take is its more about the data network than the hardware. Sure some people will prefer pure ICS, but we'll have it on this phone at some point.
I do wish i had better data speeds sometimes but I can live with it.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
I'm still on the fence. I could go and trade my E4GT in right now for it and walk out with $50 best buy credit...but I love my unlimited data. I go hog-effing-wild on data. Though that has gotten pretty difficult on Sprint these days. Verizon 3G is much faster in my area and LTE is just...wow. As for the phone itself, well, I like the zero-shutter-lag on the camera. The panel has the same amount of sub-pixels as ours, so, I'm really curious to see the difference between the two screens up close both set to 160 DPI....I'm willing to bet it's probably going to be close to a draw for most things. We also have a superior CPU and GPU. Vastly superior? Not really...but enough to measure reliably.
But to have a Nexus device...guaranteed first-in-line updates are nice. "Just unlocking it" 'cuz you are allowed to...that's nice, though a moot point given how easy this phone was to get into. Not to mention pretty much guaranteed CM support, MIUI as well...and Nexus devices seem to just be smoother than any device built off the same platform. Nexus One and Evo4G were on the identical platform, save for a few minor differences (CDMA, FFC, HDMI, FPS cap lol) and an N1 smoked an Evo in day to day performance, even on the same ROM....same for the GalaxyS vs the NexusS...even though they were on the identical platform. Though I'm not so sure there will ever be another OMAP Samsung phone, I could be wrong. I never thought there would be a Snapdragon GalaxyS2 either.
...and I have gadgetitis, it's been exactly 3 months since I got a new phone, lol. That's pretty much exactly when I usually get a new one.
I want to see one in person, then I'll make my mind.
I was just gonna reply to your thread over on Hard Forum. I have a friend who's got one as well. My personal opinion is that I like the GS2 better. It is faster, smoother, has a better screen (imo), has a better camera and a louder speaker.
I appreciate Google's idea behind the Nexus phones. However, even with the last Nexus S, there were some shortcomings the phone had in comparison to other hardware that was already out on the market.
I'm pretty content with my GS2 after using the GNexus for a bit.
Deleted by me
Keep lying to yourselves.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium
awesomeindeed said:
I was just gonna reply to your thread over on Hard Forum. I have a friend who's got one as well. My personal opinion is that I like the GS2 better. It is faster, smoother, has a better screen (imo), has a better camera and a louder speaker.
I appreciate Google's idea behind the Nexus phones. However, even with the last Nexus S, there were some shortcomings the phone had in comparison to other hardware that was already out on the market.
I'm pretty content with my GS2 after using the GNexus for a bit.
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Hola [H]ard buddy
Yeah after seeing the magical Nexus in my owns hands, I was not as wow'd and impressed like I thought I would be. This is supposed to be the second coming, and god of all phones, and compared to my rooted GS2, I just don't see a night and day difference. Yes the Nexus is a better device, but barely, and put ICS on both phones, and the difference really goes away.
The Nexus screen seems dark, and just not as colorful as my GS2. The loud speaker is a major bummer on the Nexus, can barely hear the thing. And there is an ever so slightly lag once in a while, that I don't get on my GS2.
But it has ICS which is cool, and the Verizon network is light years ahead of Sprint's, just the 3G comparison is is like an NHL team playing a little league club. Totally destroys it.
The nexus phones are always over hyped, especially the prime had some crazy rumors.
I'm sure people are disappointed it wasn't everything it could have been
The pros of the nexus are the screen, nfc, and the Google support/development. Everything else is comparable or worse than the GS2, like the gpu, cameras, battery.
Also I like the att variant more than all the others mostly because its the right size and has NFC (I think)
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Rem3Dy said:
Keep lying to yourselves.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium
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Given how neck-and-neck these devices are with each other on most fronts and there is an extreme case of one-is-better-here and other-is-better-there...umm...what I'm saying is I have no idea which position is supposed to be the obvious one that some of us are in denial of.
SGS2 is faster. The GNex is 720p. The Gnex has ICS. The SGS2 will have ICS. Gnex camera is faster, SGS2 camera is more detailed. The screen size is effectively the same. The sub-pixel count is completely 100% identical. GNex gets more pixels. SGS2 gets more sub-pixels per pixel.
The fact that the Gnex has LTE is irrelevant...of course it does, it's a flagship device on Verizon. We get unlimited data...of course we do, we're on Sprint.
Which device is obviously better, to you? I'm seriously considering buying one, tonight...right now, actually, and I would love a compelling case for the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon, but, try as hard as I may I can't come up with one myself.
Well the GSII on sprint is an awesome phone. The thing holding it back is Sprint. I just switched to Verizon yesterday at 9 AM to get the Galaxy Nexus and man, I'm glad I did. The hardware is amazing, but the data speeds increase is night and day. I've been researching carriers in my area for about a month and a half now and Verizon had consistently more coverage and faster data speeds.
I had the GSII and I actually like the design of that phone better. But overall I like the Galaxy Nexus a lot better.
Not to mention I get 20 percent off my data part of my plan and then 19 percent off my entire bill, 25 percent off accessories and I was able to snag an extra battery with external charging kit bundled with the phone. Gotta love employer discounts. I'll end up paying less with Verizon than I ever did with sprint, with usable data.
spencer88 said:
Well the GSII on sprint is an awesome phone. The thing holding it back is Sprint. I just switched to Verizon yesterday at 9 AM to get the Galaxy Nexus and man, I'm glad I did. The hardware is amazing, but the data speeds increase is night and day. I've been researching carriers in my area for about a month and a half now and Verizon had consistently more coverage and faster data speeds.
I had the GSII and I actually like the design of that phone better. But overall I like the Galaxy Nexus a lot better.
Not to mention I get 20 percent off my data part of my plan and then 19 percent off my entire bill, 25 percent off accessories and I was able to snag an extra battery with external charging kit bundled with the phone. Gotta love employer discounts. I'll end up paying less with Verizon than I ever did with sprint, with usable data.
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What are some of the cons and pros if the nexus? Also Is it as smooth as the sII? Thanks
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium
spencer88 said:
Well the GSII on sprint is an awesome phone. The thing holding it back is Sprint. I just switched to Verizon yesterday at 9 AM to get the Galaxy Nexus and man, I'm glad I did. The hardware is amazing, but the data speeds increase is night and day. I've been researching carriers in my area for about a month and a half now and Verizon had consistently more coverage and faster data speeds.
I had the GSII and I actually like the design of that phone better. But overall I like the Galaxy Nexus a lot better.
Not to mention I get 20 percent off my data part of my plan and then 19 percent off my entire bill, 25 percent off accessories and I was able to snag an extra battery with external charging kit bundled with the phone. Gotta love employer discounts. I'll end up paying less with Verizon than I ever did with sprint, with usable data.
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For you then it's a no brainer to go to Verizon with those kinds of discounts. But for most moving from Sprint to Verizon would be a costly venture, higher monthly payments on Verizon, pay ETF for leaving Sprint, buy the new Nexus + accessories.
If I had the extra cash to burn I might think about, mainly for the network, Sprint just sucks so bad for crappy speeds, 3G is like 1x speeds. I sure hope Sprint does indeed improve their network next year like they say, because I will leave for sure when contract is up if we still keep getting these dial up modem speeds.
But just as a device, the Sprint Galaxy SII is AMAZING and AWESOME, I LOVE this device, great screen...killer long battery life...very fast and zero lag whatsoever..great development community here...I can only see one maybe two hits against the Sprint Galaxy SII, #1 the network sucks, and #2 no ICS yet, but that's it. But once a full stable ICS ROM is out this phone will probably be a bit smoother and faster than the Galaxy-Nexus.
My friend just got one and i played around with it some today. I am not blown away by the screen as I though I would be, yes it is better than GSII but not by that much. Can't beat vanilla android but I'm not crazy about the colors of ICS it feels very cold and plain...to each his own. Plus, we will get ISC anyways and somebody will have a rom that gets rid of TouchWiz. The quality feels much better than GSII but thats mainly because of the weight. I prefer the lighter GSII. Its a bit bigger than GSII which I hate I already think GSII is to big. Finally, I'm not sure about this but isn't GSII processor better the what the nexus has, I think with the improvements of ICS the GSII will be quicker than Nexus.
Its a great phone and I actually believe in sprint's network vision plans. If they don't make it happen, I will be up for a new contract then, I can either go back to my work provided BB or change carriers. Rocking this phone but roaming to verizon.......
Both phones have their merits for sure. I got the chance yesterday and today to play with the Nexus and it's a great phone I honestly love it and Android 4.0 in my humble opinion is beautiful. I do agree with the battery life but I kinda figured it would not be as good going in seeing that every LTE device I've seen and used has had very poor battery life compared to the other phones I've used.
xlGmanlx said:
Its a great phone and I actually believe in sprint's network vision plans. If they don't make it happen, I will be up for a new contract then, I can either go back to my work provided BB or change carriers. Rocking this phone but roaming to verizon.......
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Gman what are your speeds when you roam on Verizon? Also won't Sprint eventually kick you out? lol
As i stated in the verizon prl thread i go from crappie to less crappie , seriously though, I only get about 250-300ish/kbps on sprints latest prl, on verizon i can achieve anywhere from 400's-7xx's +. I only roam when out and about, at home or near wifi, stay on sprints network.
niv3d said:
Gman what are your speeds when you roam on Verizon? Also won't Sprint eventually kick you out? lol
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xlGmanlx said:
As i stated in the verizon prl thread i go from crappie to less crappie , seriously though, I only get about 250-300ish/kbps on sprints latest prl, on verizon i can achieve anywhere from 400's-7xx's +. I only roam when out and about, at home or near wifi, stay on sprints network.
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Thanks, I'll search for the Verizon PRL thread. Can you just basically turn it on and off when you want?
musclehead84 said:
What are some of the cons and pros if the nexus? Also Is it as smooth as the sII? Thanks
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium
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This phone is very smooth. The whole OS is very different, some people are *****ing about it over in the GN section, but I actually like it. This change is good. And if anybody says the screen is worse than other screens because it's pentile, they are full of crap and haven't looked at the screen in person, because it looks damn good.
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Zorachus said:
For you then it's a no brainer to go to Verizon with those kinds of discounts. But for most moving from Sprint to Verizon would be a costly venture, higher monthly payments on Verizon, pay ETF for leaving Sprint, buy the new Nexus + accessories.
If I had the extra cash to burn I might think about, mainly for the network, Sprint just sucks so bad for crappy speeds, 3G is like 1x speeds. I sure hope Sprint does indeed improve their network next year like they say, because I will leave for sure when contract is up if we still keep getting these dial up modem speeds.
But just as a device, the Sprint Galaxy SII is AMAZING and AWESOME, I LOVE this device, great screen...killer long battery life...very fast and zero lag whatsoever..great development community here...I can only see one maybe two hits against the Sprint Galaxy SII, #1 the network sucks, and #2 no ICS yet, but that's it. But once a full stable ICS ROM is out this phone will probably be a bit smoother and faster than the Galaxy-Nexus.
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I had my ETF waived by Sprint Retentions, I just have to return my airave, which I don't mind doing since I won't have Sprint anymore. I pull over 1 meg download over Verizon 3G everywhere I go, more often its over a meg and a half. Where on Sprint in the same locations I wouldn't even pull 300 kb/s. I know Sprint is going to get better, I just don't want to pay for a service for 2 more years before I see any difference.
Now Sprint 3G in Charlotte? Over 2 mb/s, really unbelievable, I never would have thought I would have seen those speeds on Sprint 3g anywhere. Columbia, SC? Forget it, 300 kb/s or less.
Now I'm just waiting for Sprint stock to go back up to 2.91 where it was last month lol and then sell, wait for it to drop and buy again.
spencer88 said:
This phone is very smooth. The whole OS is very different, some people are *****ing about it over in the GN section, but I actually like it. This change is good. And if anybody says the screen is worse than other screens because it's pentile, they are full of crap and haven't looked at the screen in person, because it looks damn good.
---------- Post added at 06:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:00 PM ----------
I had my ETF waived by Sprint Retentions, I just have to return my airave, which I don't mind doing since I won't have Sprint anymore. I pull over 1 meg download over Verizon 3G everywhere I go, more often its over a meg and a half. Where on Sprint in the same locations I wouldn't even pull 300 kb/s. I know Sprint is going to get better, I just don't want to pay for a service for 2 more years before I see any difference.
Now Sprint 3G in Charlotte? Over 2 mb/s, really unbelievable, I never would have thought I would have seen those speeds on Sprint 3g anywhere. Columbia, SC? Forget it, 300 kb/s or less.
Now I'm just waiting for Sprint stock to go back up to 2.91 where it was last month lol and then sell, wait for it to drop and buy again.
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How did you get your ETF waived?!
What say you all? I've been on a Samsung kick lately and just wondering if I would be happy with the switch from the Bionic to the Nexus?
Have an Otterbox Defender and Motorola OEM extended battery for the Bionic...so extended battery and a stout case are a must for me.
Nexus for sure.
My grandma beat me down and took my nexus. Sent from a jitterbug with beats by dre.
I know some people don't like typing out long winded replies but why the Nexus for sure?
Here after a while I think every electronic gadget I own will be Samsung lol.
51" plasma, 46" LED, Blu-Ray player, so on and so forth. Man to me Samsung is what Sony used to be in the late 80's through mid 90's.
Anyways, I really want a Nexus, but just not sure if I'd prefer it over the Bionic. The damned locked bootloader really has it going against it for the Bionic. Secondly I have never owned a Samsung phone.
i switched from the bionic and couldn't be happier: my gnex is stable, it doesn't BSOD like my bionic frequently does (including both 5.5.893 or 5.7.893), and it holds a 4g connection in places where my bionic cannot. i haven't tried it yet, but i am also very excited about the ability to try new ROMs (without having to worry about whether or not i can return to stock on the bionic) and standard apps that are designed for AOSP (but don't play well with blur). very happy camper.
if moto ever makes another AOSP phone, i'll be the first one to buy it...but i will not purchase another blur model.
Okay thanks for that insight.
Glad to see Otterbox has a Defender case for it.
A bit worried about LTE radio signals though. Seems to be pretty widespread among the Gnex owners.
I have never owned a samsung phone either before the Galaxy Nexus. Every smartphone I have owned were HTC. (Shadow, G1, Nexus One, Sensation)
I have no issues at all with the build quality. The screen is beautiful and I think it feels fantastic in the hand.
After using the G1 and N1 and moving on the the sensation I vowed never to buy another phone that wasn't a nexus device.
As far as battery concerns go I have the GSM version and my battery life is fantastic. Best from any phone I have ever owned. My fiance has the Verizon version and she has no complaints with battery life as well. She got the extra battery charging kit with stand just in-case, but hasn't needed to battery swap yet. Plus it makes a nice desktop stand.
If you want the latest and greatest android with the ease of loading custom roms and kernels without jumping through hoops; I would definitely recommend the Galaxy Nexus.
Okay thanks! I'm thinking about picking up a Nexus NIB off ebay for about $500 to $550 when tax returns come in. Hopefully I can get $300 or so for the Bionic and all accessories. Then I'll just grab an extra battery for backup and the Defender case.
Eff me, I'm really turning into a Sammy fanboi.
There is no reason over another except this phone has some serious development under it's belt. Patience and some reasonable expectations and you will have quite possibly the perfect phone. It has some flaws, don't get me wrong, but to me it already is the perfect and will get better as it ripens.
My grandma beat me down and took my nexus. Sent from a jitterbug with beats by dre.
the only plus' with the Bionic is the extended battery is much bigger & cheaper and it has better signal strength(reception) then the Nexus. everything else though the Nexus blows it away.
Well my Bionic should be arriving on Monday. We'll see how the LTE speeds and how much changing it does from 4G to 3G once I activate it.
On my Rezound the only time I lost 4G was when I went to non 4G coverage areas in the boonies. But in the city of Chicago where I live and work, the Rezound held a darn strong 4G signal.
My Droid X is always -60dbm 0asu and almost always has full 3G anywhere in Chicago and almost anywhere in Illinois.
These issues with the Gnex signal really worry me, but I think I'm in such a good spot for LTE coverage that I probably wouldn't be affected. I work in a prison, so I can't take my phone into work and therefore don't have to worry about signal strength while in highrises downtown. Thank you all for your input. Like I said, I'll probably keep the Bionic til tax return time and have some fun with it, then hopefully the Gnex's will come down in price or I can pick up a used one cheaper than new, or they will resolve the radio issues by then.
Either way I will probably be getting one.
LTE reception should be good wherever there is coverage. CDMA and hspa will vary by location, geography and radios.
My grandma beat me down and took my nexus. Sent from a jitterbug with beats by dre.
I switched from a Bionic to a Galaxy Nexus. The GN is the first Android phone I've had (among Droid Inc, Thunderbolt, and Bionic) that makes me not miss iOS' look and feel.
It comes down to a few points: 1) ICS, 2) no hardware buttons, 3) high resolution screen, and 4) LTE network. Bionic has #4, but not 1-3. If purchasing new and cost isn't a deciding factor, I really think GN is the only LTE phone to get.
I have been a longtime iPhone and Android user and currently I am using the iPhone 4s. It's a great phone, but I tend to miss Android and all that it offers.
Here is my question.. Does anyone think $690 for the GSM Nexus is worth it? I have been going back and forth on it and I think I would really like it, however I can never seem to keep an Android phone because nothing is really new with it.
Here is an example. I had the Verizon Thunderbolt, it was a nice phone, fast and really allowed Android to shine. I then saw the T-Mobile Sensation come out and it was a dual core with nice specs. Another really nice phone. But again, noting super new with Android. Not to mention T-Moble's network blows around here.
I hoped to ATT and I love the coverage and have tried the iPhone 4, 4s (current) and Skyrocket.
So, will Android 4 on the Nexus be new and improved enough to make the switch?
I should pay attention, I see the subsidized Verizon phone still is $300. Maybe $600+ is an ok price.
Honestly I only think paying full price for the GSM Nexus is worth it if you get the $30 Walmart plan on T-Mobile.
I personally have been using my GNex for about a month now and I bought it from one of the on-line retailers (paid $750BTW) and I would do it again in a heart beat. I personally have TMoUSA and the service is good in my area, everyone's mileage will vary. I had the iPhone and have not looked back after going with android
"Worth it" is completely arbitrary based on the person.
For me, it would be worth it. I hate iOS and all it stands for. I also don't being treated like a criminal for wanting root. I also think the iOS theme is butt-ugly.
I'm running pre-alphas of CM9 and they are working flawlessly. This bodes well for the future of the device.
Depends on your budget . I don't think you'll see too much of a difference in terms of performance though... and the GPU isn't that great compared to the iPhone. If you want more input, I suggest you using the search option in this forum and search something along the lines of Galaxy Nexus vs iPhone 4s
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
The Galaxy Nexus is a really good phone, IMO the best Android out there (but then I'd never again buy a non-Google phone -- these are locked worse than the iPhone).
I love the big screen (came to it from a Nexus S) and ICS is a big improvement in terms of UI.
Having said that, the iPhone 4S still offers a smoother and more consistent user experience, IMO.
mycomputerisjunk said:
I should pay attention, I see the subsidized Verizon phone still is $300. Maybe $600+ is an ok price.
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You can get an unlocked 16gb Galaxy Nexus from negri electronics for about $625 shipped nowadays.
No one can tell you how "worth it" it is. Everyone has different qualifications. I'd be inclined to say that if you're going to be staying w/ AT&T and paying through the nose for service, its harder to swallow the ~$625 for an unlocked device.
It becomes more worth it when you go to a prepaid plan and cut your service cost in half every month.
So I would definitely recommend you walk into a Verizon store so you can play with it in person and make your assessment on whether or not you think Android 4 is good enough to justify your payment for the unlocked device. Obviously don't pay attention to the network speeds or anything as you'll be using on AT&T, but its a good idea to see it in person first.
mycomputerisjunk said:
Does anyone think $690 for the GSM Nexus is worth it?
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I paid $650 ($689 after tax)for a non-subsidized CDMA so I think so.
well coming from the SGS II(epic 4g touch)...........I LOVE THIS PHONE!!!....i got the CDMA(32gb) version with Verizon. Android 4.0 is a HUGE step from gingerbread, you'll love it. I would recommend going with Verizon though
Ye love it too, and the experience is definitely more changed than ever from 2.x to 4.0(eg. better than ever), so by those means, yes it's worth it.
However with an iphone 4s i would probably wait another year before upgrading.
You could watch Swappa if you're interested in trying to save a few hundred and go lightly used. There isn't much on there now, but may be more in the coming months. Beware of people maybe trying to unload their phones due to signal issues (CDMA at least). I've collected very mixed data on CDMA signal issues (I can't speak for GSM). Many people report 0 problems, and some report chronic problems even after phone swaps. I've seen some fixed after a swap, and in my case I had a tech swap my SIM card which helped a lot, and then updating to 4.03 radios *hopefully* fixed the problem.
Assuming my signal issues are fixed now and don't return, this phone is by far the best I've ever owned. A major jump forward coming from a Droid Incredible. CM9 is also amazing.
http://swappa.com/search?q=galaxy+nexus
Apples and oranges.. One is a fancy phone that runs apps, the other is a mini computer.
If you like customizing your phone past wallpapers and folders then it should be a clear and obvious answer
Sent from my Google phone
I mean...
dude i mean i got the gnex the day it came out and it was complete garbage i hated it it sucked so bad i lit it on fire..i mean i come from a rich background so i can afford to do those kinda things..
jk im not queer, but anyways i have the gnex and i love it. i hate ios and apple entirely and when i see all these kids at my school with iphones i just get heated. anyways..if you have the money to use on a gsm version by all means do so
mycomputerisjunk said:
I have been a longtime iPhone and Android user and currently I am using the iPhone 4s. It's a great phone, but I tend to miss Android and all that it offers.
Here is my question.. Does anyone think $690 for the GSM Nexus is worth it? I have been going back and forth on it and I think I would really like it, however I can never seem to keep an Android phone because nothing is really new with it.
Here is an example. I had the Verizon Thunderbolt, it was a nice phone, fast and really allowed Android to shine. I then saw the T-Mobile Sensation come out and it was a dual core with nice specs. Another really nice phone. But again, noting super new with Android. Not to mention T-Moble's network blows around here.
I hoped to ATT and I love the coverage and have tried the iPhone 4, 4s (current) and Skyrocket.
So, will Android 4 on the Nexus be new and improved enough to make the switch?
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Yes...........
The trouble with asking this kind of question in a galaxy nexus forum is your going to get a very biast opinion as everyone here, well mostly everyone here owns one and android users love android and apple love apple products.
Really the best advice is go and use one in a store and make up your own mind and of course watch some youtube videos about ics and gnex vs iPhone 4s. Then you be armed with the knowledge to make the right decisiin for you and your needs.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
I'd suggest going to your local Verizon store and play around with their Galaxy Nexus demo for a bit. I waited and cried about this phone not being released then when it finally was and I picked up I found myself questioning why and what about the phone was I going so crazy for and at the moment I'm a little regretful for not playing with the phone first and just ordering it online.
It's a nice phone and I know I'm a picky person but there was imo more bad than good and the stuff I think is bad may not necessarily be bad but just not as good as it should or could have been for the price and usually when I upgrade, which is once every few years when Verizon grants me a discount, I like to get the best I can get to last me those few years and the Galaxy Nexus isn't the best for me.
To be specific on the things I personally didn't care for were the camera, the battery life which is common in 4G phones but was a little worse in this phone than other 4G phones I've used. The screen was a let down, the colors and grainy banding in low light levels just looked horrible and the whole 4.65" largest screen thing was misleading to me as you hardly ever use the full screen because of the softkeys and worst of all for me was no USB Mass Storage which I used allot in my previous phone but that last one was my fault for not researching the phone more thoroughly prior to purchase.
I've always been an android user so I can't say anything bad about iOS devices although I have and use an iPad 2 and iPod touch 4 I can't imagine them being any worse as a phone.
If you can wait until the Samsung Galaxy S3, it's a beast. IMO, the Galaxy Nexus is already an outdated phone, and it will be more apparent when new phones start rolling out ICS.
Of course, there's a slew of other phones coming out in the next few months, so you'll have lots of options. That's just my opinion.
Only if you promise not to make threads about multi tasking or battery life if you end up not liking it. Which I am very sure you will like it.
Sent from my Nexus in Texas.
I've never owned an iPhone so maybe I'm not qualified to give my opinion, but I have handled various iPhones through the years. My buddy who's owned a couple summed it up best. The iPhone is a beautiful phone with an environment where everything "works." It's a device with a very closed, simple OS but amazing apps, where android is a very powerful, open (if you get something from the nexus line anyway) OS with decent apps. The apps make iPhone and the OS make Android.
If you crave freedom and are a power user, this is the phone for you. I've only owned android devices but I think apple makes a good phone. The problem lies in that if you want it do something that apple hasn't envisioned for the phone, then you are out of luck. Also, the iPhone 4 and up have great screens... but having owned 4inch screen and up phones for the last 2 years, it's pretty much impossible for me personally to go down to something under 4 inches. The thing just feels utterly tiny and limited with that little screen real estate.
As an aside, where Android has caught up with the UI on ICS, they really need to step up the game with their tablets. This is an area the iPad has every Android tablet beat, not even including the horsepower under the hood... device layout! I'm talking about the 4:3 format the iPad uses. Every powerful android tablet is in 16:9, and if you aren't watching movies it's a terrible aspect ratio. It's harder to hold and you give up a lot of usable area in portrait and in landscape. It works for computers with a dedicated keyboard and mouse, but on a huge touchscreen device, it's just awkward.
Edit: Biggest reason I will never own an iPhone is iTunes. Hate the program... huge bloatware on the computer and Apple forces you to use it if you want any sync with your computer. iCloud alleviates it somewhat, but it's just another way to trap you into the Apple ecosystem.
Hey all,
I got a Moto Triumph a while back and had some issues with hardware, bricked it once, etc. Virgin Mobile shipped me a refurb once and a brand new one when the refurb broke. Other than that, I've had great experience with it. Big screen, lots of custom rom support, and a very cheap plan ($35/month). With MIUI it feels like a very high-end phone and hasn't had a problem running anything I've thrown at it.
This past week I purchased a Glide from someone who was going back to their iphone after using their renewal. I was planning on turning around and selling it since they cut me a deal, but after playing with it a little bit and finding out that it is on the list for an official ICS upgrade, I actually am thinking about keeping it, selling the Triumph, and switching to Straight Talk. On paper, it looks like a much nicer phone than the Triumph, but without much development, it doesn't feel any faster. I would also consider switching for the extra coverage (although Virgin works reasonably well where I live). Then again, it's an extra $10/month and money's tight at the moment (graduating college soon).
Anyone have any thoughts on what they would do if they were in the same boat?
for me, if you like it then keep it.
In my case, I am glad to have the glide. Really, when I get the device, I have Galaxy S 2 LTE, HTC Raider, Moto RAZR, Evo 3D as my choices for upgrades.
Why I choose the glide? First android with HW Keyboard + Super AMOLED + Dual-Core.
About development, it is normal to see it like this, quiet, but I am not losing hope. the Infuse 4G thread was almost nothing at first 3-4 months since their forum was established. But if you look there now, it's as noisy as other forums.
So in other words, yes if I am in your shoes, I'll do the same.
Development has slowed because everyone is waiting for ICS. No reason to develop on gingerbread where ICS is around the corner. The glide rocks and I can tell you many of us love it for it's key features. Dual core and Keyboard with 1 gig or ram. Only thing I wish was that the battery lasted longer but I made do by buying extra batteries on ebay and an external charger for cheap.
Haha actually just traded mine for a gsm unlocked Razr Not only are they beastly in the specs department, but they're apparently worth quite a bit! Although I'm not a big fan of the keyboard, it is handy and the phone's def got the specs to back it up.
Sorry to see you leave the Glide, but if you are happy that's what counts.
I can find plenty for cheap. I've been deployed and have a 4s and 4g came to our area so just curious if the nexus still stacks up good to new phones?
Also I should mention I had a galaxy nexus before the 4s so I know what it's capable of.
hinds90 said:
I can find plenty for cheap. I've been deployed and have a 4s and 4g came to our area so just curious if the nexus still stacks up good to new phones?
Also I should mention I had a galaxy nexus before the 4s so I know what it's capable of.
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Yes, and if you can get it around 250 dollars, it will be a steal. It will last you at least 2 more major android releases and still be generations ahead of the apple phones.
Nope. Move along sir.
I got mine off of ebay in November after having an iPhone for 2 years. I was worried at first because I was stuck on 4.1.1 (I have the verizon version), which ran very smooth, but i bought a nexus to get the latest updates. After rooting and upgrading to MMuzzy ROM with Tiny kernal, I have yet to see a smoother phone. I was really only going to use this phone for about 6 months before I upgraded to something else, but I decided that this phone is more then enough for me. I love the stock android and the power is enough.
The only thing I hate is how bad the battery life is though.
I've found quite a few used for under 250$ lol one in excellent condition for 75$. Before I deployed my area didn't have 4g but now it does I'm not due for a upgrade till later this year so figured I go back to the nexus and get 4g for cheap. Battery life doesn't concern me just bring a charger every where I go.
*facepalm*
If you had one yourself before, why are you even asking?
sent from my Google Galaxy Nexus
Although it might not be the best comparison, I messed with all the hottest brand new phones at Verizon a few months ago and they are no where near as smooth as my galaxy nexus. The reason it might not be fair is I've been running roms and kernels since I got it. Stock for stock... I dunno. I wasn't all that impressed with the gs3, least not like I thought I would.
Well I'm asking because it was a year ago that I had the phone and wanted to know how it stacked up against the newer phones. I'm not currently in the states so figure it was a question worth asking until I got back.
No!!!
Battery sucks.
Camera sucks.
and so on..
We all know it is pure Android. But S3 is a way better. At least the hardware.
I still love my phone and will have to live with it at least one year
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
I will say its a pretty solid phone even in 2013, it might start to feel a bit dated by Q3 but as of right now I think its fine. I bought 2 GNex for my mom and sister during Christmas. Sadly over paid for one @ $200 and the screen had scratches on it (night deal didn't see the scratches). The second one I bought was much cheaper @ $170 and came with a case and dock with an extra battery, but badly damaged housing. Only reason i bought that one was because the screen was perfect and replaced the housing for $15 bucks. Still cheaper then the first one I bought and now looks mint.
Dad got the hTC One S and although I love the build and design of the phone and the hardware is better. I still think i may trade that for a GNex or at least put CM/AOKP on it, coz hTC won't support it past 4.2 if it even gets 4.2 and as it currently stands its much slower then the GNex thanks to bloated Sense.
For my family members they use it as a phone more then anything else and maybe some browsing so I think it will last them another 3 years or so. Don't think Google will support it past Android 5 though.
These were major upgrades for them, coming from 1GHz, 512MB RAM and ****ty camera. The camera not the best but decent so can't really complain.
PS I love the AOSP look which is why i run AOKP on my S3 but Sense over touchwiz and hTC build quality over Samsung any day. hTC just gets cheap on the hardware mainly camera/screen and RAM.
Gnex is a good option because it will always have the latest updates and more roms than other phones but if you don't have a tight budget then go for htc one x+ or note 2 (if you don't mind the size), Nexus 4 would be a good choice but it's rare. I would not recommend s3 as s4 is going to come out soon or you can get an s3 after the launch of s4 as it'll be much cheaper by then.