NS still holding it's own - Nexus S General

I enjoyed reading this:
http://thisismynext.com/2011/05/30/coming-nexus-s/
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App

That's kind of how I feel as well after "upgrading" from an Epic 4g... I really wish something out there seemed better than the nexus, a 5 month old phone, release 5 months late on sprint, when in reality it's a year old hardware that launched on the Galaxy S last May...
I really sincerely agree with the blog and wish that a decent phone has come out since then, but all this bull**** with modified android, flaky hardware, and poor support really has me turned off from every phone except for the Nexus series.... When my contract with Sprint is up I'm likely going to be moving to the carrier with the newest Nexus, not with the best 4g coverage, fastest speeds, or newest phone.... but the one with the most reliable.
I just noticed that was posted by Chris Ziegler. I'd imagine that's the same one from Engadget, in which I find it to be very interesting that someone with so much exposure to new technology feels that way.

I agree with the article it's just makes more sense to release a product that works instead of a product that has everything but doesn't work...

This was my first smartphone. Yes, I could've waited a month and got another, and in terms of theoretical performance, better.
But I can't say I regret myself one bit, it's truly an amazing phone and all complaints I had in the beginning has been solved by the amazing devs here on XDA
I'll probably keel this phone for a long while!
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App

Thanks for the link, phillevy. This article perfectly describes the current situation on the android handset market.
Before I chose the Nexus S, I had ordered 2 HTC Desire S which I sent back because of their crappy build quality (Google brings up lots of threads about this topic). I certainly prefer the looks of the Desire S over the Nexus S, but if you buy a high-end android smartphone you also expect high end build quality. If you buy a cheap (but still very good) ZTE Blade, you can live with wobbly switches and some other flaws in build quality.
Before choosing the Nexus S, I also considered the Galaxy S2. But Samsung's lame update policy and a barely noticeable added value of the dual core processor (besides some games) made me chose the Nexus S which brought up an update notification to 2.3.4 instantly after connecting to my WLAN router.
Bottomline: I'm very satisfied with my unbranded, factory-simlock-free Nexus S. There are certainly some handsets out there which outperform the Nexus S in terms of some features, but not if you have a look at the whole package.

it just feels good knowing i'm not getting crazy, cause i moved from my old htc desire hd for the same reason. Nexus S is not the best in all functionality, but makes everything pretty much well.
DHD makes HD videos and has 8mp cam, but it can focus with that, i can only take photos from static things.
DHD has a huge screen, but somehow its lcd screen is pretty lame, with washed colors (i have a sclcd nexus, but it get a way way better screen).
DHD has dolby-s and srs, but that speaker is awful, you can make it better with several tweaks, but...
to make a long story short, despite all devices with amazing specs arriving out there, i can't see a single one that lets me a little excited... i guess i'm stuck with nexus series!

Yep I agree totally coming from a higher spec G2x. In the end the specs are important but they are not everything. Especially if the experience is degraded by bugs (G2x) or skins (anything Moto). So you get a high spec phone and keep flashing nightly ROMs until you get one that works perfectly. That's quite a waiting game to play, especially if you can just get a Nexus that works perfectly out of the box . I view custom ROMs as something that can *add* to the experience and improve the phone in many ways, but they shouldn't be *necessary* to have a working bug-free, lag-free phone. Nexus FTW.

The Nexus series is the closest you can get to "future-proof" in the smartphone world. That is what made me upgrade from the Epic. Knowing that I will get pretty much every Android update in the foreseeable future (barring any new major hardware requirements implemented by Google...which I don't see happening anytime soon).
Its nice being free from the confines of Touchwiz or MotoBlur. My Nexy is truly MY phone. I can do whatever I want with it. Its a true Android experience.
Having the latest software and the peace of mind that I won't be left in the dust is better than having slightly better hardware in my opinion. The Nexus S 4G can still hold its own. The Hummingbird is still a very high end chip.

mapin0518 said:
Yep I agree totally coming from a higher spec G2x. In the end the specs are important but they are not everything. Especially if the experience is degraded by bugs (G2x) or skins (anything Moto). So you get a high spec phone and keep flashing nightly ROMs until you get one that works perfectly. That's quite a waiting game to play, especially if you can just get a Nexus that works perfectly out of the box . I view custom ROMs as something that can *add* to the experience and improve the phone in many ways, but they shouldn't be *necessary* to have a working bug-free, lag-free phone. Nexus FTW.
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+1
I just came over from the G2x as well. I went through 3 of 'em, and thought my 3rd was a winner, but that one went all wonky on me too. Supposedly gonna get an update to GB and to fix the "issues" that plague it, but I'm not convinced that a software patch and GB update is gonna fix what's wrong with the G2x.
To be honest, the NS is just a better phone for how I use a phone and I probably should have gotten it in the first place.

Yup, great phone, but needs hardware acceleration asap. Browsing experience, at least compared to my old phone HTC Desire, is hilarious. It lags at rendering flash content or big pictures and scrolling through them is not smooth at all. Another thing that is bugging me is that from the 512mb RAM, 200 is used for the GPU alone, so we're left with 300mb for the system and apps, which is very low. I often find myself left with 30-50mb free RAM and when I open some demanding apps (games for example), it lags until android kills some processes by itself, lags horridly. So I finally got to the point where I need the advanced task killer app.
I am actually surprised that people coming from the Desire HD or Inspire didn't mention anything about this :|

I was on my 4th G2x and I'm done with that phone. Reboots, freezing, can't hold a data connection or Wi-Fi. I was gonna go with a myTouch 4G but decided to go back to the Nexus S. Always loved it and it does me fine.

scmurphy13 said:
I was on my 4th G2x and I'm done with that phone. Reboots, freezing, can't hold a data connection or Wi-Fi. I was gonna go with a myTouch 4G but decided to go back to the Nexus S. Always loved it and it does me fine.
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Yup, glad to see there are quite a few of us that left the G2x for the NS. That phone was nothing but a headache for me (reboots and shutdowns on stock systems with no additional apps installed). I went through 2 of them and ran out of patience (plus I was on day 29 out of 30 of my remorse period so I needed to make a decision!).
I hope Google doesn't go with LG for their Nexus 3. LG has left a very bitter taste in my mouth.

mapin0518 said:
I hope Google doesn't go with LG for their Nexus 3. LG has left a very bitter taste in my mouth.
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That's what she said!
In all seriousness, I hope not either. The only thing I've ever purchased from LG that was worth a damn has been a washer and dryer.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App

lvnatic said:
I am actually surprised that people coming from the Desire HD or Inspire didn't mention anything about this :|
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you are right, browser experience with dhd is really better, but to be honest, i was so pissed with update delay and annoying bugs that i was in cm7 for daily use!

I have come over from the G2X as well. On my second, I would get data drops like crazy.
But, I have not had a single drop since getting my Nexus S. I love this phone, and Ill probably keep until until the next Nexus phone releases

I upgraded from the Nexus S to the G2x four days before it was released. I used the G2x as my only phone for a bit over a month. Ended up selling it and coming back to the Nexus S. I did not experience any of the reboots, connection problems, or severe screen bleed that others are reporting. I simply prefer the Nexus S. That's means a lot coming from me...I'm the kind of person that upgrades phones around three times a year so I can always have the latest and greatest. I came back for four main reasons.
1) Overall smoother experience both hardware and software wise. Software felt smoother, touchscreen more responsive, and I prefer the feel of the haptic feedback.
2) Updates from Google rather than TMo. No-brainer.
3) Dramatically better battery life. No comparison at all, Nexus S blows away G2x. The NS is the only Android phone I've owned that I didn't need to carry a spare battery around for.
4) Form factor....this was the biggest reason. I'm on my phone for many hours per day. Even after a month I still disliked the feel of the G2x. I just didn't like holding it. It feels like a brick. Coming back to the NS was like a breath of fresh air, even with it's clearly inferior specs and pixelated pentile matrix. People complain of a cheap build quality, but I actually really like it. Sure it's plastic but it doesn't feel flimsy. And it's a pleasure to use. Even the way it flips around when picking it up from the base, the positioning of the power button, the curved screen. I just really like the phone. Keep your 1080p recording, HDMI out, and "Tegra Zone" (to name a few, list goes on and on). I'll keep my Nexus S.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

mhaedo said:
***
2) Updates from Google rather than TMo. No-brainer.
***
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As G2x owners are now experiencing. The phone should have had tasty gingerbread from day 1, but didn't. T-Mo said the wait for GB wouldn't be long, but it's already been 6 or 7 weeks. Now T-Mo says "by summer", whatever that means. In theory that means by June 21.
I do miss the idea of the raw power of the G2x, but I don't miss the G2x. Perhaps the next nexus device will figure out how to utilize a multi-core processor. If so, I'll leave the NS for it.

Related

thinking about getting a Nexus One - a few questions

how is the battery life?
is the phone stable on AT&T?
i'm coming from an SE X10. the phone is eye candy. and other than the camera, it ain't all that.
looks like nexus one is getting ALL the goodies. so i'm thinking about picking one up.
Battery life is fair to good.
...Yes (why wouldn't it be?)
just wanted to know if there were some known issues with the phone on AT&T because i hate getting drop calls
arcticreaver said:
just wanted to know if there were some known issues with the phone on AT&T because i hate getting drop calls
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Dropped calls are a network issue, not a hardware issue
If I were you, (OP) I would save up my money for the HTC Passion.
ChillRays said:
If I were you, (OP) I would save up my money for the HTC Passion.
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i see what you did there
arcticreaver said:
just wanted to know if there were some known issues with the phone on AT&T because i hate getting drop calls
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No issues I know of with the phone. OP, no one likes dropped calls. Mine works fine - in this area. Your mileage may vary.
I can go a day, but not two with a single charge most of the time, unless I am using turn by turn nav, and then I am charging while driving. Radios eat batteries. Run only those you need, and keep good widgets handy to manage them.
I've had the Nexus One for AT&T for close to a month, and I live in the DC area. Take my unscientific, layman's review for what it is.
The phone is very nice. It's easily the best phone I've ever had, but I cannot say that it's a superphone without adding certain things to consider. I've been on this forum for a long time, since I bought an 8525 and was blown away to find through Google searches that people were customizing their phones to speed them up.
I really thought my days of modding the phone to death and waiting for the latest dev release to speed my phone up would be over with a 1Ghz phone with 512 MB of RAM running Android. Sadly enough, that's just not true. I figured the phone would fly out of the box. In a lot of ways it does, but I found the stock ROM to not be aesthetically smooth. The scrolling on the default launcher is borderline painful considering the hardware. Third party launchers like LauncherPro are essential (to me) for a smooth user experience.
I'm also disappointed by the browsing experience. Many sites feature choppy scrolling, another thing I thought would be behind me with a phone so powerful. Considering how the iPhone 3G my girlfriend has regularly puts up a smoother scrolling experience than the Nexus One particularly hits home.
But, after some tweaking (Cyanogen Mod, a 1.1 Ghz Kernel, and some third party apps from the Market), I am really, really enjoying the phone. The camera is very high quality, better than I expected, and the flash works much better than I anticipated. I find myself rarely using my desktop or laptop because everything I'd do on there I can accomplish on my phone. It's become rather integral to my day to day activity.
I'm probably a heavier user than most people, so my battery life is rather flimsy. I can drain the battery easily in half a day, but I keep push on, keep the brightest relatively high, and am always tinkering around with it. I bought this pack of 2 batteries and an external charger for about 20 bucks off of eBay, so I'm never without a fresh battery so it's not a big deal for me, but it would have been nice to have better battery life.
One of the biggest glaring faults is the touch screen sensor used in this phone. When I see the term superphone, I don't expect to find out that previous generation, inexpensive components are used. As it stands now, the sensor gets confused when two touches are put on within 15mm along the same axis. What this means is that for games where say a virtual stick and buttons are along the same axis you will have input issues because it'll read as one straight line rather than you moving the stick up while pressing fire.
It's something you can look up on the internet or youtube. It's been talked about quite extensively. It's definitely the biggest detractor for me. It's fine for browsing and pinching, but if you game keep that in mind. You'll also occasionally find some weird inputs in general at random, especially if there are a lot of finger prints on the screen, or if you're holding the phone with one hand and you try to reach across the screen with your thumb. All in all it's poor form to use such a lame sensor, especially considering that phones generations before this one have better hardware.
But, I love the phone. It being a Google phone almost guarantees that it will be first in line for Android updates (Froyo?).
The pro's outweigh the con's, in my opinion, and it's a very nice phone. Froyo will make it an even better phone. As far as 3G, I don't have any problems. I've gotten at as high as ~2900kbps, which is a lot faster than I ever got on my iPhone or Tilt 2.
The only phone I'd take over this is the Evo 4G, because of the screen and the 4G. But from what I read the camera's actually better on the Nexus One.
Don't do it! Nexus is all hype. Keep looking, there are better phones on the market. I love my nexus, but it annoys me. It has stupid little quirks. I can't wait until my next phone.
With that said, if you still want it. Battery life is impressive and AT&T connectivity is decent in my area.
I just dumped my iPhone 3g for the Nexus one.
The out of the box Rom is crap, particularly if you need Exchange sync full support.
You need to unlock the bootloader and put a better rom on.
Once I switched to Modaco's R21 Rom and now trying some different Kernels, it does everything I need.
It is fast, stable, my coverage on ATT is still the same, no difference.
Maybe look at getting the HTC Desire, that will run on ATT right? There are versions out there you can get that will run 3G I thought.
Nexus is not all hype... obviously no phone is perfect but I didn't regret spending $560+ for this phone... if you root or not froyo will make this phone a great buy.
-------------------------------------
Sent from my Nexus One
arcticreaver said:
how is the battery life?
is the phone stable on AT&T?
i'm coming from an SE X10. the phone is eye candy. and other than the camera, it ain't all that.
looks like nexus one is getting ALL the goodies. so i'm thinking about picking one up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait until June 4th and see how the Evo launch goes!
The Nexus One is amazing, but the Evo is just GOD-like!
thank you all for the feedbacks for the nexus one.
i guess the thing about nexus one is that it's going to be getting all the updates firsthand and a lot faster than almost all the phones out there. flash and the allegedly 450% boost in speed is something that i seriously consider.
i like the evo but i'm not sure if it would work with ATT's network.
HighTech216 said:
Don't do it! Nexus is all hype.
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I think the Nexus is the least hyped phone if you compare it to iPhone forexample. Especially since it's the Google phone.. you would belive it was hyped up and donw, but there was little publicity about it in my opinion. Just rumor talk and it suddenly was out for sale..
arcticreaver said:
thank you all for the feedbacks for the nexus one.
i guess the thing about nexus one is that it's going to be getting all the updates firsthand and a lot faster than almost all the phones out there. flash and the allegedly 450% boost in speed is something that i seriously consider.
i like the evo but i'm not sure if it would work with ATT's network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If all goes well, i'm ordering my nexus one tomorrow. You bet i'm excited. I believe the EVO only works for sprint.. but I may be wrong about that.
arcticreaver said:
thank you all for the feedbacks for the nexus one.
i guess the thing about nexus one is that it's going to be getting all the updates firsthand and a lot faster than almost all the phones out there. flash and the allegedly 450% boost in speed is something that i seriously consider.
i like the evo but i'm not sure if it would work with ATT's network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Sprint Evo will definitely not work on AT&T.
ChillRays said:
If all goes well, i'm ordering my nexus one tomorrow. You bet i'm excited. I believe the EVO only works for sprint.. but I may be wrong about that.
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Give 'em hell!
i'm really thinking about getting the nexus one. google store is closing down so i guess i have to make my decision real soon.
right now it's all about the software. i think x10 has a better overall hardware but the software is outdated and there are apps that do not support 1.6. plus flash is coming out for android and nexus one rooted or not will get it regardless. so the hardware for my x10 is impressive but without the software to make advantage of the x10 is kinda leaving me with a sour taste in my mouth. plus no multi-touch for x10, ever. another drawback...
EDIT: Read a post wrong.
I've been very very happy with my N1, much happier than my friends were with their iPhones when they first came out.
Im fine with mine. I can make it through the day on a battery although just barely on heavier usage days. This is all I have got out of any recent smartphone so charging nightly is situation normal to me. Mine has had no issues. Personally I have been quite happy with the N1, its been a pleasure to use and I have no problem with hanging on to it till the next thing comes along.

So I got to compare the old with the new.

(WARNING: This is long.)
My father got word of the Nexus S (he's not much into technology) and wanted one, so I went to Best Buy today to play around with it. I figured I would compare it against my Nexus One with Gingerbread and see how big the difference is.
I wasn't expecting to be blown away by the new Nexus, since it's pretty much a standard Galaxy S device with a few niceties. It was disappointing to find out that it wasn't even convincing me to feel anything.
The Hummingbird CPU on the Nexus S is indeed as fast as it seems, but the experience doesn't feel that much faster than on my Nexus One (especially when using Launcher Pro). I suppose it would be better for Live Wallpapers, but I never caught on to that. I tested a YouTube video both in HD and standard quality, and neither stream played any better on the S though they looked a bit nicer on a bigger screen. It's a definite, hands-down improvement for mobile gaming, though.
The device itself definitely felt as plasticky as the Vibrant, but it's not terrible. However, I prefer the metallic feel of the Nexus One.
The screen is bigger and a bit brighter, but it also has a cooler color temperature, which may contribute to that brightness a bit. Colors from the camera lens seemed less saturated than those on the Nexus One, though they could also be closer to the actual results. I really liked the front-facing camera; I hope video calling takes off soon. (Has FaceTime even been open-sourced yet?)
The S booted up WAY faster than the Nexus One. I did a boot comparison and turned it on about a half-minute later by accident and it still booted before my Nexus One finished.
These differences would be acceptable for an upgrade, but I'm not sure if I'll feel comfortable with losing the microSD slot and trackball. The SD reader can really come in handy, and makes transfers super easy since tons upon tons of phones and laptops have one. (Then again, the Windows Phone 7 team decided to do something similar here as well, so it could be the sign of a trend. I hope not.) Trackball notifications were really, really nifty too, though not as important as the SD reader.
Other than T-Mobile making it unreasonably difficult for me to actually upgrade to the device, the deal-breaker for me was that it didn't seem nearly as innovative as the Nexus One was for me. I could be biased because my first experience on Android was on the G1...and we all know how wonderful that device was. Because of that, hoping onto the Nexus One was like a BIG breath of fresh air and a big reassurance that Android is an exceptional alternative to the iPhone universe. I feel even more so with devices like the G2 (the device I'm set on getting now), Droid X and MT4G, which have been HUGE upgrades from the devices that preceded them. The Nexus S, on the other hand, doesn't even have Wifi Calling (though I guess it'll get it at some point?) or HSPA+. I can't justify spending a small fortune on that.
As for my father, I'm getting him a Nexus One. Coming from an original iPhone, he, and my wallet, will definitely appreciate it.
It wasn't worth it the moment I heard it wouldn't be covered by the phone insurance and no SD card swap. G2 wasn't worth it either in my opinion
Does make you wonder about no ins coverage
I only played with one at Best Buy, but came to many of the OP's conclusions!
No insurance coverage? Wow, that's weird.
Re: boot time, were you comparing a fresh NS against a full-o-****e N1, or was it like for like?
Rusty! said:
Re: boot time, were you comparing a fresh NS against a full-o-****e N1, or was it like for like?
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Like for like; N1 is running the Gingerbread ROM that's being developed, which comes with a few apps but nothing heavy. That might have slowed its boot time a bit.
Rusty! said:
Re: boot time, were you comparing a fresh NS against a full-o-****e N1, or was it like for like?
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I picked my NS from CPW yesterday and have been comparing it with my soon to be retired N1.
I've got FRG83D on the N1 (completely stock, no apps) and it takes twice as long to boot as the NS... but the NS only feels 'half done '! It's still got the old market, it can't see some apps on the market, and it feels Buggy... guess that's why the N1 doesn't have gingerbread yet... they haven't finished it!
The NS screen is nice but the back button doesn't work half the time! Wifi is more sensitive on theN1, 3g is more reliable on the NS. The NS feels a lot quicker but its hard to tell if its the phone or the OS.
I'm waiting on an official GB update for the N1 before I decide which phone goes on fleabay...
lf2k5 said:
I picked my NS from CPW yesterday and have been comparing it with my soon to be retired N1.
I've got FRG83D on the N1 (completely stock, no apps) and it takes twice as long to boot as the NS... but the NS only feels 'half done '! It's still got the old market, it can't see some apps on the market, and it feels Buggy... guess that's why the N1 doesn't have gingerbread yet... they haven't finished it!
The NS screen is nice but the back button doesn't work half the time! Wifi is more sensitive on theN1, 3g is more reliable on the NS. The NS feels a lot quicker but its hard to tell if its the phone or the OS.
I'm waiting on an official GB update for the N1 before I decide which phone goes on fleabay...
Click to expand...
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Back button is a known issue -try and get a swap from CPWH.
To chip in my experience:
Went from a N1 with MIUI (was in love with the ROM, it's awesome, quick looks amazing etc) to Stock NS.
Have to say, N1 has been sat at home not used since the S arrived. The screen on the S is simply amazing, so responsive to touch looks fantastic. The "proper" multi-touch is great too - especially in google maps.
The S feels nice to hold - especially in landscape. The extra bulges make a big difference, it sits very nicely in the hand.
It feels a little less sturdy that the N1 does, deff lighter and doesn't feel like it'd take well to being dropped.
Still slightly worried about the screen - since no one seems to know how easily it'll scratch yet.
Speed wise, the S is quick. Navigation is about the same as N1 on MIUI (maybe a little slower), apps load wise, everything feels nippier.
The phone does lack a few features, but no doubt these will be added over the coming months - either officially or via the dev community.
It remains to be seen how the dev community will take to the S. Early days show a couple of custom roms, kernel and recovery and a few of the "bigger" names starting to work on the phone....
Is the S worth the upgrade - it depends. The overall experience IMO is better than the N1. It seems (so far) easier to get along with out. There's a few features missing - if these are must have's then the S isn't for you.
Go and have a play with one if you can.
FWIW - my fiancée is IN LOVE with the S. She normally hates smartphones, but this seems to be an exception...
You Can Have It
I just came back from Best Buy returning my Nexus S.
Yeah the touch screen had a little more snappy response
and the gpu makes it a little faster than my Nexus One
but the phone is not worth wasting a two year contract
on. Its just not much of an upgrade over the N1.
The lack of any way to move the curser was the last straw.
No track pad or track ball, no NS for me.
I did side by side tests clicking each app simultaneously and both my nexus one and the S loaded identical speeds for most everything.
I was however impressed with the quality and feel of the build of the nexus s. Much more solid and high end feeling than I thought it would be.
RogerPodacter said:
I did side by side tests clicking each app simultaneously and both my nexus one and the S loaded identical speeds for most everything.
I was however impressed with the quality and feel of the build of the nexus s. Much more solid and high end feeling than I thought it would be.
Click to expand...
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I just got a Nexus One (traded a old netbook for it ) but had a EVO for a while now. Friend I traded with got a Nexus S so I got to play with both a lot. The bottom line is that most apps are pretty simple and would probably run fine on a 400 MHz CPU, but the apps that don't (Google Earth, Maps in 3D view, 3D gallery app, Games, etc) usually require a decent GPU to run 100% smooth, and it becomes obvious that the Adreno 200 can't keep up. It may run decently (20-30 FPS) but once you put the N1 or EVO side by side to the NS you can see that the apps are buttery smooth on second gen hardware.
It also pisses me off that I can't run a LW paper without causing the home screen to lag under 20 FPS while doing certain actions - especially the Microbes wallpaper which looks cool as hell IMO.
I say I will upgrade to watever phone Cyanogen upgrades too... and thats just being real honest loool.
Sent from my Nexus One...
Award Tour said:
usually require a decent GPU to run 100% smooth, and it becomes obvious that the Adreno 200 can't keep up. It may run decently (20-30 FPS) but once you put the N1 or EVO side by side to the NS you can see that the apps are buttery smooth on second gen hardware.
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It is not necessary the Ardeno200 to blame. Gingerbread has got a much better 3D stack they bought from outside, while the N1 and Evo are still using the old one. Currently it is not clear where the NS performance advantage is coming from.
draugaz said:
It is not necessary the Ardeno200 to blame. Gingerbread has got a much better 3D stack they bought from outside, while the N1 and Evo are still using the old one. Currently it is not clear where the NS performance advantage is coming from.
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You can replace the Nexus S with a SGS running 2.1 and you'll see the same results. Its the GPU, we all know it's that. If it wasn't for that weakness, the Nexus One would still be as speedy as the newer phones.
Sent using Tapatalk
Award Tour said:
You can replace the Nexus S with a SGS running 2.1 and you'll see the same results. Its the GPU, we all know it's that. If it wasn't for that weakness, the Nexus One would still be as speedy as the newer phones.
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Are you sure? As far as I can tell, the SGS UI is not significantly "smoother" than nexus one.
On the other hand, everyone drools how buttery smooth the WP7 devices are, and almost all of them are using Adreno200. And they even consider some "serious" 3D gaming with XBL.
Does anyone have any infos in regards to battery life on the NS? What is the battery life on the Nexus S? I think comparing battery life with the Nexus One is useless for now, since both devices are not running 2.3 yet!
draugaz said:
Are you sure? As far as I can tell, the SGS UI is not significantly "smoother" than nexus one.
On the other hand, everyone drools how buttery smooth the WP7 devices are, and almost all of them are using Adreno200. And they even consider some "serious" 3D gaming with XBL.
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Yeah, I'm sure, seen it with my own eyes. The SGS suffers from weird lag to due the file system but with it fixed it runs fine, and even without it fixed it still runs smoother in things that rely on the GPU (those things I mentioned). But like I said, weird issues (like the file system lag) aside, running through a list shouldn't require a lot of power; it's when you hit apps that do need the power that you realize the difference.
...and about WP7, I agree. But this isn't WP7, and everything Google has shown so far isn't as optimized. The Adreno 200 will always be weak compared to every other high end GPU but I hope that Honeycomb w/ full HW acceleration (if it even supports the Adreno 200) can at least bring some life to it like WP7 has.
Award Tour said:
Yeah, I'm sure, seen it with my own eyes. The SGS suffers from weird lag to due the file system but with it fixed it runs fine, and even without it fixed it still runs smoother in things that rely on the GPU (those things I mentioned). But like I said, weird issues (like the file system lag) aside, running through a list shouldn't require a lot of power; it's when you hit apps that do need the power that you realize the difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Comparing stock for stock, when I scroll a list I can hit 100% CPU utilization on a N1, and ~84% with NS.

Nexus S is awesome!

Kinda pointless post but was bored at work so thought I'd share my views for anyone else who's on the fence about getting it:
I was waiting for CES announcements to see what was coming out in the future but changed my mind and decided to jump in and get a Nexus S. I was coming from an old WinMo phone that I've had for ages (having been a poor student), which probably isn't the best base to be commenting on this but I'm used to android as I've been deving on my housemates HTC Desire HD.
I'm so glad I did, I won't lie and say the phone is perfect as no phone is. It is, however, a true pleasure to use and looks gorgeous (especially compared to WinMo).
I mostly just wanted to put a nice positive post on the forums because there's allot of people moaning about one thing or another to-do with the phone and as with anything people only tend to post when they have a problem or issue. Especially regarding the specs being current gen and not next gen; and therefore a lack of longevity. It's easy to forget that being a "Google" phone means that regardless of hardware it will be around for a while, and will still be enjoyable and exciting to use during that time thanks to the ongoing updates.
The device feels solid and premium, even the plastic backing, and I prefer it in the hand and visually to my house mates Desire HD (which is also a great phone). Battery life is better than most equivalent devices. Sound is crisp and clear. Reception on the same network has been better that the HD. Everything has worked perfectly. The screen is beautiful, especially if you like darker backgrounds.
My only disappointment is the lack of gorilla-glass, but that's not a biggy for me.
The phone wasn't meant to be bleeding edge. It was meant to work, and work well. It does, and to quote Mr. D's "I'm loving it".
Thumbs up Google and Samsung.
Even though people are going crazy over the dual-core phone announcements at CES, but none of those phones won't be available in months and they still will launch with Froyo.
The Nexus S still uses the most powerful harware available at the moment but the feature that it's really marketed for is the fact that it will be running vanilla Anroid and will get update priority.
I have this phone and I can easily say it's one of the best android phone the market. Here in the UK there is no 4G so all this no HSPA+ stuff doesnt really affect me.
agree
Hear hear! I totally agree. This is my first smartphone and I am loving the Nexus S. Pure Google experience all the way.
2.3 is why i went for our SNS
I agree its an awesome phone! My first android phone coming from the Iphone 2g and what a difference xD
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
IMHO the NS is still a sexier device then the ones shown at CES. Just saying
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
I understand and agree with wanting the Nexus S for the timely and clean updates, but I've always called people out when they play the "I don't need it" card when specs are compared. There are many things on phones we don't "need," but that doesn't abate people's disappointments. Granted, it goes both ways; people will find anything to complain about (like if it had 720p recording, some would say it should have 1080).
Everyone is different, everyone has opinions, and everyone can voice them at an open forum.
I love the clean black look of the Nexus S. No emblems, no harware, and no icons.
leyvatron said:
I love the clean black look of the Nexus S. No emblems, no harware, and no icons.
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Click to collapse
Amen. The SAMSUNG on my i9000 and the T-Mobile & Samsung on the Vibrant are just butt ugly compared next to the totally unmarked NS.
Still, that ugly Verizon logo on the new Samsung LTE phone won't keep me from buying it!
Ceres66 said:
Hear hear! I totally agree. This is my first smartphone and I am loving the Nexus S. Pure Google experience all the way.
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Click to collapse
Agreed! My first 'real' smartphone too (my Nokia E63 could be classed as a smartphone, albeit not a very good one, suited me at the time though) and I absolutely love it! I have finally jumped on the Android wagon (lack of money prevented me before ) and I am not looking back!
slateac said:
I have this phone and I can easily say it's one of the best android phone the market. Here in the UK there is no 4G so all this no HSPA+ stuff doesnt really affect me.
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Click to collapse
Same with Australia. We have WiMAX but only in Perth and a couple of other places (not in my area though) but it doesn't support phones. So everything is perfect for me! Sure there are other features that would have been nice to have, but I would never had really used them, so overall it doesn't detract from the experience.
KidCold said:
I agree its an awesome phone! My first android phone coming from the Iphone 2g and what a difference xD
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You think that's a difference? Try coming from a Blackberry .
Seriously, I love this thing.
I think I'm one of the few when I say that I like the build. It looks very good, all black. Plastic makes it lighter, and it's firmer. Only con is that plastic is slippery, and of course fingerprints. The Contour Display, although subtile, makes it very appealing, as does the chin on the back.
Especially with Super AMOLED and it's deep blacks, the phone is awesome. I really like the notification bar fading into the phone itself, and that the buttons are not visible when the phone is turned off. We will get the Nexus S with Super Clear LCD here, which will be nice for lighter interfaces and for browsing the web, but I am a little bit jealous on the Americans and the Britons. With Super AMOLED a dark background looks much better, and in combination with the black finish of the phone, it's beautiful.
The Nexus S is my 4th android phone & I love it. I started with a T-Mobile Pulse (I really liked that phone, coming from a Nokia n97!), then the HTC Hero, HTC Desire & finally the Nexus S.
I thought the screen was good on my Desire (when I'm not outside lol), but the 4 inch NS screen is just amazing. I had to get used to a few things though...
1) No notification light (noled app is a good solution, but obviously uses a little bit of battery as the screen is on).
2) lack of trackball (this is just personal as I used the trackball a lot for moving the curser when typing).
3) the phone is really light & a bit slippery (i love the handsets design, but I'll get a case once I find one I like).
4) no sense ui (not for the Widgets, I jus prefer the dialler, gallery & SMS apps over the stock android ones).
Overall, the points I mentioned have not stopped me loving this phone. They are just things I became accustomed to from my previous android phones. I also miss the excellent Facebook integration from sense ui (birthdays in my calendar for example).
Having said all that, I still wouldn't swap my Nexus S for any other phone on the market today. I'm a big fan of complete customisation & I haven't even mentioned the ease of getting full root (anyone tried to get 'S-OFF' on a Desire lol) or the fact I have gingerbread out of the box! Finally, any phone with a screen bigger than 4 inches is just too uncomfortable for me.
There's my 2p worth
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
I came to the Nexus S from the Evo, and I have to say that I like it more in almost every way. I do, however, have one legitimate complaint, and that is that the wifi connections are very weak.
I just switched over to the NS4G from the Epic 4G today and after playing with this for a solid 8hrs now.
NO REGRETS.. It's fast right out of the box.. I almost didn't even bother rooting it I was so impressed.. Then I did root, flashed mikeyinid's v.5 ROM and WOW. It just got faster...
Amazing phone.. I will never.. Ever.. Go back to a non-Google phone again.. Yeah, it's plastic on the back, but it feels solid.. Not wobbly and cheap like my Epic felt. Swore Tyco made that thing.
I love my Nexus S too, its my first Droid phone, although my girlfriend had the mytouch. I learned how awesome droids are from rooting and installing a custom ROM on. I had jailbroken iPhones and iPod for my self and friends in the past but the freedom of the Droid was what made me want one. I was going to get the mytouch 4g but after I saw the nexus s at best buy, I knew I had to get it, the screen is by far the best looking, and its just sexy. I have had for two months and I love it. James Bond Sabi Dee UV kernal is so smooth, running cm7.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
Its more aswsome if u flash a cm7 into it. Totally worth to downgrade back to 2.3.3 and flash a cm 7.0.3
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
I may as well plugin my thoughts too. I just passed down my Nexus One to my girlfriend and got the Nexus S. I'm quite happy with it!
Things I like about it versus the N1...
- 4" is my new favorite size
- The haptic feedback feels better
- Light weight
- SCLCD makes texts easier on the eyes
- It feels faster overall... smooth scrolling in stock launcher!
- Camera mic picks up much better audio when recording
- Battery feels like it lasts longer after heavy use!
Things I don't like about it versus the N1...
- It's plastic and I'm very hesitant when putting it in my pocket - need to find a case soon
- Display colors don't seem as vibrant, but definitely clear and great color reproduction... just not excellent (again, I'm using the SCLCD version not AMOLED)
Summary: No regrets switching my N1 for NS! The size, speed and battery life made me one very happy owner!
MistaJae said:
The Nexus S is my 4th android phone & I love it. I started with a... ...HTC Desire...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How would you rate the battery on the Nexus S compared to the Desire?
Ahh while we are praising our NS's, I want to say something about how I felt when I first got my phone. Ordered it beginning of April from negri-electronics and was a bit skeptical at first, but after being brainwashed by the ads online and playing with the NS that was on display at Best Buy, I couldn't wait any further.
The day came and I had been creeping on the tracking status every 2 minutes to check the location of the package. I had gotten it expedited so I'd get it as fast as possible, yet the shipping day felt like the longest day ever when I was sitting and waiting outside my house with 3 cups of coffee, my laptop, and season 6 of The Office. After waiting for about 283828833 hours (in reality 3 hours) my package came! Felt like christmas when I opened that box, popped in my sim, and watched that sexy Nexus Bootscreen in awe much like my first time last year.
My cellphone journey was weird.
I started out with a small nokia phone that lasted me quite a long time. Then I 2 christmases ago I got a blackberry. My mother had picked up the N1 at that time and I loved it so much I traded her my blackberry (after countless times of persauding the blackberry was faster and such.. ) From then on my love for the Google Phone spread like wildfire.
And now I'm with SNS. Not Samsung Nexus S, my Sexy Nexus S.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Possibly looking at the GS3, would like some opinions

I have a friend who is letting me use the upgrade on their line at the end of September to get a phone so I can keep my unlimited. As it sits right now I have a Galaxy Nexus. I love the phone but want something with newer tech. I had a few questions though.
The first being battery life of the phone compared to the GNex. I'm not at all satisfied with the performance of the Nexus regarding the battery. I average under 2 hours screen time and medium usage, and that sort of stinks. Since the S3 has the same size battery as my extended I have now, is the batter life good in those regards?
Secondly there are some good looking phones coming down the line. I'm a picky person when it comes to screens. Is the quality good regarding the screen? I have some burn in on my nexus and I don't know how the S3 is. Also, the nexus has an annoying issue where the screen loses sensitivity after a while. Does that happen on the S3 as well?
Would I be better waiting for the Note 2, RAZR maxx HD, or the HTC device or getting the S3?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Here's my personal opinion;
If you're looking for newer tech, why don't you wait for the new Nexus phone(s) coming around December? The S3 is bound to lag behind upcoming phones because technology is moving really fast.
Since the Galaxy S3 has the same screen as the Galaxy Nexus, it is bound to be affected by screen burns after a year or more. The screen quality is excellent but Super AMOLED screens are prone to burn-ins. The Note 2 has a better screen, in my opinion.
The battery life of the S3 is superb! Really. My friend's Nexus doesn't last long at all whilst my S3 can last for a long time!
Stick with the Nexus for now.
Thanks for the honest responses. I wish more companies would follow HTC and use super LCD2, the screen is awesome and crystal clear. I like the note 2 but I fear it might be just too big.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Just wait a bit for the optimus g or a bit more for the new nexus. The sg3 is great, but there are going to be a few better choises very soon, at least hardware-wise. Then razr maxx hd looks promising, It might be a good bet considering the google acquisition of moto...
I have never been a fan of LG, they always seem to be lacking. I heard a rumor about the new nexus being the 5 inch phablet from HTC. Not sure how I feel about having a super big phone. I'll have to check out the note 2 to figure out if I could handle it.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
chrisjm00 said:
I have never been a fan of LG, they always seem to be lacking. I heard a rumor about the new nexus being the 5 inch phablet from HTC. Not sure how I feel about having a super big phone. I'll have to check out the note 2 to figure out if I could handle it.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The razr maxx hd looks nice on videos and articles, but Its a bit thick and has a dual core cpu. Lg makes great hardware, but I've never liked the software and slow updates. There are probably going to be other devices with a s4 pro(quadcore) chip soon I would wait and go for one of those.
SGS3 is awesome... Best phone I ever had (and I had quite a few..).
Battery lasts me all day (just email, browsing & reading newsfeeds), no problem. Screen is nice, no complaints. The S3 is just gorgeous and really speedy. I use mine with a 64GB SD-Card, which is the reason why I passed on the GNex.. I need storage space for movies and music!
Best of all, I hook my S3 up to my 42in flatscreen TV (LG), and the picture is nice and crisp...
Did I already suggest you should get an S3 (Quad core)?
Sure, there will always be better & faster phones coming out, but this one just has everything you (probably) want.
Just one thing I really hate about the S3: the physical 'Home' button. HTC did that better on the Rezound (a crappy phone w/ a nice screen...), even though those morons gave it 4 buttons. - How dumb is that?
I certainly will never get another HTC as long as 'Sense' is around - even though I used to root all my phones and put Custom ROMs (preferably CM) on them anyway...
However, I have to admit that after using Samsung TouchWiz (in JB flavor) for the last 6-8 weeks, I have no desire switching to some always half-broken CM ROM anymore.
With TW, at least, all the features work.. right away!!!
Sent from my rooted GT-I9300 running Samsung's 'leaked' Android 4.1.1/JB [XXDLI7] using xda-developers app (blue)
Isnt there a new HTC one x5 coming out? (seeing as you said you like htc screens, this ones meant to be 5 inches and full 1080p) could be just a rumour but have a look: http://blog.gsmarena.com/the-htc-5-phablet-to-be-the-google-nexus-5/
I am having this phone and after using a store model I found it pretty smooth.
i have to honestly say this phone is amazing. not a single fault with it.
its heavily supported by the community, paranoid android is amazing too. etc etc etc.
but as always, just look at what you need. theres never any point looking for the greatest tech, because another this or that will come along in a month and be the new 'best'.
for me, external SD card was a must, removable battery is always nice, etc etc.
either take the dive and get an S3 which will be a really really solid phone for the next 12 months and probably longer, or wait another 6 and get the next big thing, be it nexus, galaxy, HTC <insert name here>... but just make sure it does what you need (and with the number of custom roms out there, this is becoming more and more flexible)
diz_dizane said:
i have to honestly say this phone is amazing. not a single fault with it.
its heavily supported by the community, paranoid android is amazing too. etc etc etc.
but as always, just look at what you need. theres never any point looking for the greatest tech, because another this or that will come along in a month and be the new 'best'.
for me, external SD card was a must, removable battery is always nice, etc etc.
either take the dive and get an S3 which will be a really really solid phone for the next 12 months and probably longer, or wait another 6 and get the next big thing, be it nexus, galaxy, HTC <insert name here>... but just make sure it does what you need (and with the number of custom roms out there, this is becoming more and more flexible)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, this phone is great, lots of fun and also needed an SD card and battery I could swap. Nothing worse than arriving somewhere and having to wait for the phone to charge!
I was thinking of jumping from the Sensation 4G with Tmo to the GS3 since they are offering an upgrade 2 months early...I think I will stay with my rooted Sensation a bit longer its awesome anyways but I think Tmo will be getting a new line up before Christmas...Im considering the Note 2 but it may be too big Im not sure yet...just dont wanna waste an upgrade and a month later the lastest and greatest hit the market....
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using xda app-developers app
A lot comes down to personal preference.
Like the first reply said why not wait until december.
I had the Galaxy S3 and I hated it.
Found it very uncomfortable to use. Impossible to operate in one had. I would try it out yourself, i wish i did, its not as smooth as everyone makes out. However, i was advised to do lots of things to it which would have made it smooth like rooting etc (i couldn't be bothered with the hassle of that)
Screen is very good but not as good as other phones and its really bad in sunlight. Almost unusable.
Dont know what battery other people have got but its not very good. You wouldn't get through a day with it thats for sure. Android fans had a tough time over the years with battery but this is an improvement.
Also, the device is not very pretty as others seem to think. Again this is personal preference. Its very plasticy and flimsy. One drop and its dead. Poor build quality.
As you can see my post is very negative due to the experience I had with it. Personally, if your an android fan wait til december.
The opposite of what he ^ said.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
antdawe said:
A lot comes down to personal preference.
Like the first reply said why not wait until december.
I had the Galaxy S3 and I hated it.
Found it very uncomfortable to use. Impossible to operate in one had. I would try it out yourself, i wish i did, its not as smooth as everyone makes out. However, i was advised to do lots of things to it which would have made it smooth like rooting etc (i couldn't be bothered with the hassle of that)
Screen is very good but not as good as other phones and its really bad in sunlight. Almost unusable.
Dont know what battery other people have got but its not very good. You wouldn't get through a day with it thats for sure. Android fans had a tough time over the years with battery but this is an improvement.
Also, the device is not very pretty as others seem to think. Again this is personal preference. Its very plasticy and flimsy. One drop and its dead. Poor build quality.
As you can see my post is very negative due to the experience I had with it. Personally, if your an android fan wait til december.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
An opinion, that most people do not share. I would just wait for the next Nexus or look at what HTC is brining out. Something tells me the new Nexus phone may be a disappointment, I do hope I'm wrong though

[Q] Happy with your Nexus 4?

I'm new to the forums here and I have the HTC One X (ATT) and I've come to hate the lack of support of it and also all of the control ATT has over the updates. So I started looking into the Nexus 4 and just wanted see how satisfied or unsatisfied actual users were with their Nexus 4. So please comment and share your thoughts!
I am satisfied with my Nexus 4. Being using for 2 weeks and it's the best your money can buy.
If storage and glass aren't a big deal, then this phone is the best choice.
PS Ordered the second one on 27th for my bro. I love it SOOO much!
ak700 said:
I am satisfied with my Nexus 4. Being using for 2 weeks and it's the best your money can buy.
If storage and glass aren't a big deal, then this phone is the best choice.
PS Ordered the second one on 27th for my bro. I love it SOOO much!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what about the lack of LTE?
andrew.simon said:
what about the lack of LTE?
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When I am in SF for work, I have LTE but I need to use office wifi for tranfer and other stuff. At home, my LTE is soooo slow that I need to use my home wifi.
Bottom Line - I don't need LTE.
ak700 said:
When I am in SF for work, I have LTE but I need to use office wifi for tranfer and other stuff. At home, my LTE is soooo slow that I need to use my home wifi.
Bottom Line - I don't need LTE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thinking about it now makes me realize that I don't have to have it and Wi-fi really is everywhere. I'm guessing you are on T-Mobile right? So you purchased at a discount?
andrew.simon said:
Thinking about it now makes me realize that I don't have to have it and Wi-fi really is everywhere. I'm guessing you are on T-Mobile right? So you purchased at a discount?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I order through the Play store and use tmobile pre-paid's $30 plan. Works for me. I also have Sprint, which my family uses.
Love my nexus 4... Official cm10. Official PA. official AOKP. Franco and Faux kernels...
Gorgeous 768p IPS. Luxury feel in the hand. Amazingly slick curved display (defiantly don't want to drop this phone)
Meh camera (still great though, just not exciting) and some thermal throttling (being worked on)...
Lte is a non issue as hspa± is plenty fast. I mean, it loads YouTube, music, xda all instantly. Its not like we are doing real time video games and 1080p video streaming (just runs down my data plan quicker)
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
elliot.newnham said:
Love my nexus 4... Official cm10. Official PA. official AOKP. Franco and Faux kernels...
Gorgeous 768p IPS. Luxury feel in the hand. Amazingly slick curved display (defiantly don't want to drop this phone)
Meh camera (still great though, just not exciting) and some thermal throttling (being worked on)...
Lte is a non issue as hspa± is plenty fast. I mean, it loads YouTube, music, xda all instantly. Its not like we are doing real time video games and 1080p video streaming (just runs down my data plan quicker)
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You really make some valid points. Camera on my HTC One X is nothing crazy either. (pretty sure they have the same specs?) I'd also like to get into modding my phone and I think the Nexus would make it easy but I honestly have no idea what I would be doing. Hahaha. How do I learn more about it because I'm a complete newb.
Awesome phone, I completely love it. Don't need LTE either. External SD would have made this phone too good to be true.
Got it on the 19th, being a pig in mud since.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
BruceCLin said:
Got it on the 19th, being a pig in mud since.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha. Love the metaphor! :good: I can see everyone loves their Nexus that's for sure!
andrew.simon said:
I'm new to the forums here and I have the HTC One X (ATT) and I've come to hate the lack of support of it and also all of the control ATT has over the updates. So I started looking into the Nexus 4 and just wanted see how satisfied or unsatisfied actual users were with their Nexus 4. So please comment and share your thoughts!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the N4 in the mail the Monday after it came out. I too am coming from the AT&T HTC One X. I used the N4 for about a week straight before deciding to break out the ol' One X (just for a change of pace). Quite frankly, it would be hard for me to give up the N4 for the HOX now.
The HOX is a great phone, but the N4 just makes it feel slow in comparison. Maybe I'm spoiled by the speed of the N4, but I just felt like I had to wait forever to do basic things on the One X (running the latest ViperROM, btw). The HOX has better battery life, for sure, and the camera is better. I miss those two things the most. The HOX still has the best screen out there (other than the Droid DNA), but the N4 really isn't far behind. Once a few color control apps come out for the N4, my guess is that I won't really miss the screen as much. For what it's worth, I forgot just how big the HOX's screen is. When they say 4.7", they mean it. The N4 has a 4.7" screen too, but it's probably more like a 4.5" once the on-screen buttons are considered. But the additional width is really nice and almost makes up for it. I don't have LTE anywhere near me where I live, so that's irrelevant to me. I don't travel much either.
Here's my summary.
HTC One X:
- slightly better, arguably bigger screen
- better battery
- better camera (in terms of picture quality; the software is on par with the N4)
- smaller development community, although they're doing a great job imo
- poor multitasking on Sense roms (works fine on AOSP roms)
N4:
- stock Android
- blazes through any task you throw at it
- AT&T doesn't control your phone
- easier to root, flash roms, kernels, etc.
- future proof with quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM
I am fully satisfied with my Nexus 4. I love my One X, but I will not be going back to it any time soon, most likely.
I've actually been with the iPhone since the 3GS when I came into the smartphone world. I read up about this and decided to give it a try from the 4S I was using, and I'm really enjoying the Nexus 4.
I'm still a bit apprehensive to give up iOS since I've been with it for so long--still haven't sold my 4S--but I have a feeling I'll be sticking with this phone for a while. The larger screen real-estate is also much nicer to have in general. I'm torn!
Zaimojin said:
I've actually been with the iPhone since the 3GS when I came into the smartphone world. I read up about this and decided to give it a try from the 4S I was using, and I'm really enjoying the Nexus 4.
I'm still a bit apprehensive to give up iOS since I've been with it for so long--still haven't sold my 4S--but I have a feeling I'll be sticking with this phone for a while. The larger screen real-estate is also much nicer to have in general. I'm torn!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I feel like you and me are one in the same! The only thing I do miss is the amount of iPhone users. All my friends and family have one... Which makes me miss iMessage and group texting :/
You are on the forums and mentioned your problems with the 1X community's lack of activity.
I like the screen, but other phones have better screens which are also better calibrated. I like the camera, but indoor photos have very inaccurate white balance.
Connectivity is good (I'm using a $10 MEdia Net plan from AT&T and have used over 2GB every month and one month even went over 12GB cause my Internet was out), and I'm getting 500KB/s average (~4Mbps). Battery life is also good; I get about a day of moderate use and 6-7 hours of literally constant, active use. I am really hurting from the lack of storage as I do a lot of reporting and don't always have time to transfer the interview recordings. I do a lot of work away from a PC and need to be able to quickly seek tracks, so I have to keep he audio on internal memory.
By most people's standard, I'm very careful with my phone. I consider my usage to be of common sense and responsible practice. The Gorilla Glass is very scratch resistant, but I'm sure a few encounters with silicate and a hard surface would leave a mark.
But really, all of these things pale in comparison to one criterion: the development community. I came from a Galaxy S and the community was amazing. Though the HP Touch Pad was well known, it apparently wasn't popular enough to garner a lot of dev support and those forums are fairly sparse.
By getting a Nexus phone, you know that the every dev is prioritizing your phone over any other model they might be working on as well. Cyanogen posted. AOKP posted. Moles posted. These are the respective heads of the three best teams this community has to offer. Check their post history. They don't appear in too many other phones' forums; they usually have teammates do that. But for the Nexus 4, they want to be the ones posting. That says a lot.
And a lot of other devs know this about the community heads' devotion to the newest Nexus model. They are locked in to a N4 for the major dev support, but will also provide their own amateur, but very valuable, contributions as well.
I'm sure the 1X is a great phone. I'm sure the 1X+ is a great phone. Same goes for the DNA, Optimus G, and other leading smartphones out there. But the N4 attracts the biggest development teams, and in turn attracts smaller developers. It kind of feeds on itself, with regard to popularity. None of these other phones have so much 3rd party support going on for them.
So, if you are looking for the absolute best hardware, maybe you should keep looking (keep the N4 in mind, though). If you're looking for flexibility, know that your stuck with one battery on the road and can't expand the meager storage provided. But if your looking for ROMs, kernels, and tweaks that let you customize the phone exactly how you want it, and maximize the potential of the hardware, then look no further.
The Nexus 4 subforums are truly the promised land.
Hung0702 said:
You are on the forums and mentioned your problems with the 1X community's lack of activity.
I like the screen, but other phones have better screens which are also better calibrated. I like the camera, but indoor photos have very inaccurate white balance.
Connectivity is good (I'm using a $10 MediaNET plan from AT&T and have used over 2GB every month and one month even went over 12GB cause my Internet was out), and I'm getting 500KB/s average (~4Mbps). Battery life is also good; I get about a day of moderate use and 6-7 hours of literally constant, active use. I am really hurting from the lack of storage as I do a lot of reporting and don't always have time to transfer the interview recordings. I do a lot of work away from a PC and need to be able to quickly seek tracks, so I have to keep he audio on internal memory.
By most people's standard, I'm very careful with my phone. I consider my usage to be of common sense and responsible practice. The Gorilla Glass is very scratch resistant, but I'm sure a few encounters with silicate and a hard surface would leave a mark.
But really, all of these things pale in comparison to one criterion: the development community. I came from a Galaxy S and the community was amazing. Though the HP Touch Pad was well known, it apparently wasn't popular enough to garner a lot of dev support and those forums are fairly sparse.
By getting a Nexus phone, you know that the every dev is prioritizing your phone over any other model they might be working on as well. Cyanogen posted. AOKP posted. Moles posted. These are the respective heads of the three best teams this community has to offer. Check their post history. They don't appear in too many other phones' forums; they usually have teammates do that. But for the Nexus 4, they want to be the ones posting. That says a lot.
And a lot of other devs know this about the community heads' devotion to the newest Nexus model. They are locked in to a N4 for the major dev support, but will also provide their own amateur, but very valuable, contributions as well.
I'm sure the 1X is a great phone. I'm sure the 1X+ is a great phone. Same goes for the DNA, Optimus G, and other leading smartphones out there. But the N4 attracts the biggest development teams, and in turn attracts smaller developers. It kind of feeds on itself, with regard to popularity. None of these other phones have so much 3rd party support going on for them.
So, if you are looking for the absolute best hardware, maybe you should keep looking (keep the N4 in mind, though). If you're looking for flexibility, know that your stuck with one battery on the road and can't expand the meager storage provided. But if your looking for ROMs, kernels, and tweaks that let you customize the phone exactly how you want it, and maximize the potential of the hardware, then look no further.
The Nexus 4 subforums are truly the promised land.
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Couldn't have said it better. The best devs are working on this phone (provided if they could get one) and that is the exciting part of Nexus4. Trumps all other phones out there.
It might seem very complicated at once if you are not familiar with Android, but it's actually quite simple. And people are always there to help. I'm looking forward to at least 1 great year with this phone.
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And the fact that I am the only one I know are using it makes it super cool. I have several friends who know of N4 but didn't purchase one all liked the phone after I showed them. Their impression was the speed and the screen.
A friend asked me to purchase an iPhone for him since I'm going back to China soon. While in Apple Store, I took out my phone and google talk'ed with him. I can't help but notice the "Genius" looking at me. :laugh: And signing on that 3.5' tiny screen is just ridiculous. I paid half the price for what he is gonna pay for that piece of gadget, but I don't even have the desire to try out the iPhone 5 in their store.
When I got my N4 I was stunned at the slim look and mild colors. I wasn't sure if I'd like it after being on an SGS2 for over a year. I've gotten to where I really love everything about the phone, except the signal.. It sucks.
I can hold the phone next to my Nexus 7 or Galaxy Tab 10.1 and where I would normally get full bars of Wifi signal, I get 1 bar if I am lucky. The cellular signal is terrible as well. Living in Florida with hurricane glass and Double block walls - my SGS2 got really good signal, this thing is just garbage. If you rely on good signal, its not for you..
The touch sensitivity on the on-screen buttons at the lower portion of the phone seem to be not so great, other than that and the signal issues everything else is excellent..
I'm very happy with my 8GB
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Like you, I previously owned a at&t htc one x as well. I ordered my nexus 4 on the 13th and have been using it for a couple of weeks now. Since then, I have sold my htc one x.
to be completely honest, i have to say i liked the camera and screen combination of the htc one x better. Colors on the htc one x were brilliant and vivid, while the nexus 4 screen seemed to look dull. this is all personal preference, but i prefer the 'over-saturated' look.
speed on the nexus 4 is a lot faster compared to sense, but when i had cm10 on my htc one x it wasnt a slouch either.
in terms of aesthetics, they are both beautiful in their own ways. i quite liked the htc's design, but i agree on the lack of support, with the nexus you are guaranteed at least a couple of updates, (just look at the nexus s, got 4.1)
here's my advice to you: as nice as the nexus 4 is, if there is nothing wrong with you htc one x, dont upgrade. If you want jellybean 4.2 and dont want to wait for the update, root your HOX and put cm10 on it.
I was able to sell my HOX for $260 and my nexus 4 was $340 after taxes/shipping.
I for one am very happy with my Gnex4...Ive had every phone that came out this year...just sold my note 2 which was a pure beast if I must say but this nexus have a more snappier feeling as far as speed and etc...plus development is going crazy for this phone which is a big +....but overall this is the best phone on the market hands down...with the note 2 very close behind...

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