HTC Thunderbolt user here. I have an upgrade with Verizon in the coming month, but I'm considering leaving my line on the family plan to a sibling and getting a GSM phone with tmobile bands. Would you guys say a used Nexus S is still a good buy, or should I just jumo to the Galaxy Nexus? Can't convince myself that both extending my contract and getting the gimped VZW GNex right now though. Anyway, if you could share your opinions, I'd appriciate it. Thank you.
armada786 said:
HTC Thunderbolt user here. I have an upgrade with Verizon in the coming month, but I'm considering leaving my line on the family plan to a sibling and getting a GSM phone with tmobile bands. Would you guys say a used Nexus S is still a good buy, or should I just jumo to the Galaxy Nexus? Can't convince myself that both extending my contract and getting the gimped VZW GNex right now though. Anyway, if you could share your opinions, I'd appriciate it. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait til October when Google releases the new Nexus Devices.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2
Exit_Only said:
Wait til October when Google releases the new Nexus Devices.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought it was November?
Exit_Only said:
Wait til October when Google releases the new Nexus Devices.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless Google offers it at $350 also, probably priced out of what I can really afford. Though maybe it'd bring the GNex price down. Good advice. Oct/Nov is when my upgrade is anyway so I can decide then.
My 2 cents
The Nexus S is a fine phone, depending what you planning on doing with it. I would not recommend purchasing on a contract, but as an interim phone it should work great.
I personally found that I rarely used my phone as, you know, a phone and began resenting paying a high price for talk time I was barely using (Sprint). So I purchased a Nexus S off of ebay and use it strictly as a voip sourced phone using VOX over wifi.
To fill my need for a larger screen I picked up a Galaxy Tab (only $50) and use a 2 gig data plan with Verizon for $30/mo for when wifi not available as it comes with built in tethering. Though as an after thought I am wishing I went with the T Mobile 100/min and 5gig for $30/mo. The size of the Nexus S works in my particular case and easily upgrades to even JB so I am a happy flasher.
The Nexus S works great for a phone to have some fun while waiting for that next great thing, but might disappoint over the long haul against some of the current and upcoming monster phones.
If you're buying 2nd hand, I'd say GN is worth the extra 100$(€) difference.
Hi,
I had a Nexus S for years and, this phone ils absolutely perfect except two things.
No MHL compatibility: You can't put your screen phone on a TV or anything else..
No notification LED: I couldn't live without it after switching from x10 mini pro to Nexus S.
Last advice, if you get Nexus S, try installing SlimICS + Holo Launcher HD for a 2/3 day battery life by enabling the phone to only receive calls when the screen is off. (You can add things like sync every hours or such).
If you also want MHL, check for Samqung Galaxy S II.
It all depends on what you want. I like the size of the Nexus S. Its bigger than an iPhone, but way more portable than a Galaxy S3. The hardware is still decent. It runs JB just fine. Battery life is very good too.
Sent from my aokp_tenderloin using Tapatalk 2
Tmobile has been cheap and a definite carrier upgrade to ATT in my area.
I want real carrier and phone upgrades instead of incremental ones.
In your situation I'd wait for the Oct/Nov release to make the switch.
My Nexus S has been a 99.99% solid companion since it's release in 2010.
I've had power button issues randomly for the past week but the JRO03L update seems to have fixed it.
I've enjoyed carrier and handset stability that's noticeable compared to my friends.
I've watched my Verizon buddies complain about "normal" use killing charge ad nauseum.
I've listened to my Sprint buddies complain about absent ROM support for phones that drove them nuts.
My ATT buddies, well the service still seems to have the same call quality issues I had years ago.
Hopefully my next upgrade will serve me as long and as well until the next jump in carrier bandwidth becomes a must-have.
Mine is a champ. No plan to upgrade when my contract is up.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda app-developers app
Nexus S is still great phone and I will keep mine for long time. I will rather buy tablet then new phone.
xAyla said:
Hi,
I had a Nexus S for years and, this phone ils absolutely perfect except two things.
No MHL compatibility: You can't put your screen phone on a TV or anything else..
No notification LED: I couldn't live without it after switching from x10 mini pro to Nexus S.
Last advice, if you get Nexus S, try installing SlimICS + Holo Launcher HD for a 2/3 day battery life by enabling the phone to only receive calls when the screen is off. (You can add things like sync every hours or such).
If you also want MHL, check for Samqung Galaxy S II.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not my plan to derail the thread, but you can use BLN technology to make the softkeys at the bottom flash or light up whenever you get a notification. Acts pretty much the same as a notification LED. Been available for over a year too.
It's okay unless you play vidya a lot on your phone.
No it's not worth getting now. It's a 2 year old phone and as good as it has been it's showing its age. It's struggling with the latest roms, very laggy and slow and battery performance isn't good. I'm rooted, running a nightly cache cleaner and occasional wipes and its still slow. Contract is up this week and its a toss up between the sgs3 and hox. Favoring the sgs3 on performance but the hox it's 5 quid cheaper every month. Not considering the nexus as I frankly find the nexus line boring.
Sent from my Nexus S using xda app-developers app
nexus s is still nice to use. almost roms are support galaxy nexus and nexus s basically
Sent from my SHV-E210L using xda app-developers app
wait a bit
I'm in the same boat as you and advise waiting a bit till this winter or spring to see how all the new hardware and prices shake out. quad core is the ideal android environment.
No. Ex-Nexus S user here. Just broke my phone a month ago and switched to a 2nd hand Galaxy Nexus. GNex is so much better, and it's not expensive either
Same here.. been using Nexus S.. and still going strong.. I just don't find it economical to change my phone every year or two.. Since I've bought my Nexus S.. it has been a good experience.. plus with all this mods.. I feel like my phone runs faster and smoother.. So I think still good for another year or so.. So if you can get Nexus S cheap.. get it! hehe
I would get a newer phone. The nexus s is outdated man; and plus google is going to release a new phone soon. We're going to be waay behind and things are just gonna get slower for us I think. No matter how many roms we flash to see if we can speed stuff up; its gonna get slower and slower. That's just how technology is; it gets faster and faster and if the older stuff cant keep up, it dies out
If you can find one under $100 get it now jelly bean really makes it fly
--------
Sent from my Jelly Bean powered Nexus Snarf 4G
Related
I'm on Sprint and ready to upgrade my Hero. The problem though is that the Hero has left me very hesitant to buy a phone with a custom skin, and I will not spend my money on a non-stock Android phone. Is the Nexus S 4G still a good phone compared to current dual core phones or should I just wait until Sprint gets the Galaxy Nexus?
I went from the hero to the NS4G when they had them for $30 after rebate and such, and I don't regret it at all. Even running stock it blows the hero away. Could that perception change over the next 2 years? Sure, but after dealing with the hero being pretty inadequate from the get go I doubt that it will be anything I can't deal with. The only complaint i have found is that the external speaker volume is about half of the hero. I can't pay ~$200+ for a phone any more.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G running CM7/franco.Kernel
Depends on the amount of money you want to spend. The NS4G is a fine phone and I enjoy it and like dpeeps the only complaint I would have is the speaker on it. I like to listen to podcast on my phone, when I'm at home I still listen to em on the Hero, I pretty much use the Hero it as a iPod/MP3Player type device now.
I had to make this same decision back in August and am so happy that I did. There will always be faster, prettier, better...etc. phones coming out so you just have to accept that. I haven't ran into 1 problem yet with my Nexus and I'm not leaving Sprint so for me it's the best phone they had and still have available. I'll upgrade once they get their LTE system in place and phones to work on it.
Good to hear that it is still a very capable phone! I was planning on buying it used off of Craigslist or eBay so that I can save my upgrade for the Galaxy Nexus, if Sprint gets it. I remember when the NS4G came out that a lot of people were complaining about the reception on it and I was wondering if it had ever gotten fixed or if it was ever a real problem to begin with.
Quad Core phones should be coming by springtime. LTE or not, that's what I'm waiting to jump on
Sent from my HERO200 using xda premium
I also have a Hero and I'm ready to upgrade. I'll also be getting a Nexus S, but I'm waiting until Friday because it's going to be free! I can't post links because I lurk a lot, but if you check out phandroid's Hero news (or sprintfeed.com, where they got the article from), Sprint is giving away Nexus S' on Black Friday.
kurtosterhage said:
Good to hear that it is still a very capable phone! I was planning on buying it used off of Craigslist or eBay so that I can save my upgrade for the Galaxy Nexus, if Sprint gets it. I remember when the NS4G came out that a lot of people were complaining about the reception on it and I was wondering if it had ever gotten fixed or if it was ever a real problem to begin with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems for some people it really was an issue, supposedly a update fixed it, I was one of the ones that never had any reception issue so can't say.
ns4g is already really outdated in todays mobile market
spending a few hundred bucks for a phone your going to use for maybe a month or 2 seems a little ridiculous.
you should save the money.
and if i were you i wouldnt wait for the galaxy nexus on sprint, i would jump ship to another carrier like im planning on doing. (with sprint for 9 years now)
sprint reception is getting worse and worse, their data speeds are getting slower and slower
just yesterday we had major problems, couldnt make or recieve calls or send texts.
i would highly consider switching carriers.
that being said if you want to stay on sprint the epic touch is a really amazing phone, held back by its carrier.
good luck
Outdated is probably a stretch. The phone is more than capable of handling anything a dual core phone can handle. I'm sure there's some few exceptions, but spending a few hundred bucks on anything that's as disposable as a mobile phone these days isn't too bright. Wait a couple months and they all become exponentially cheaper on some sale or rebate.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G running CM7/franco.Kernel
Well do you like huge phones?? The Galaxy Nexus is HUGE...Well if you absolutely need a new phone just now then get a Nexus S 4g. If you can wait a few months to see what comes out then the Galaxy Nexus will probably be worth the wait....
I was thinking about getting a nexus s too. But, does it bother anybody that it doesn't have a notification LED? I hadn't heard about the speakers.
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App
Nexus is free all weekend plus u also get $25 in free new Google wallet.
So not bad for a newer phone.
And yes of course u still have to pay taxes and activation
But
It's unavoidable in any new phone purchase
Sent from my HERO200 using Tapatalk
bigmoneygrip23 said:
I was thinking about getting a nexus s too. But, does it bother anybody that it doesn't have a notification LED? I hadn't heard about the speakers.
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most of the kernels include a mod called BLN that allows you to turn on/blink the capacitive buttons on notification. The LED light is a little more obvious but it I've gotten used to it.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G running CM7/franco.Kernel
Well I'm getting the Nexus S soon. It may be outdated but it still is a great phone considering that it is free until Monday but I really just want a phone that will get the latest Android updates wether its official or not. Galaxy Nexus is also great but no one knows when Sprint will get it or its price.
kurtosterhage said:
I was planning on buying it used off of Craigslist or eBay so that I can save my upgrade
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How does this allow you to save your upgrade? Will Sprint do an ESN swap from the Hero onto the Nexus and keep you on your existing contract? I too am interested in saving my upgrade until the new LTE network is in place, but would love a new(er) phone in the meantime.
sleepy
sleepyEDB said:
How does this allow you to save your upgrade? Will Sprint do an ESN swap from the Hero onto the Nexus and keep you on your existing contract? I too am interested in saving my upgrade until the new LTE network is in place, but would love a new(er) phone in the meantime.
sleepy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprint makes it easy to swap really... Just log into the sprint website and find the option in there. It asks for the numbers located on the back of the phone under the battery and then transfers your service to the new phone. Your old one should still have a clean ESN and be good to sell. My family has gone the eBay route a few times now to save our upgrades.
And really to anyone talking about only going for pure stock Android phones or waiting for the galaxy nexus, your missing out lol... Take 5 minutes on a 1ghz phone with Sense and you'll be hooked. The Hero just didn't have the power to handle it. And the Galaxy Nexus is really kind of a letdown tbh. In literally 3 months we'll see 2+ ghz quadcores and higher than 8 megapixel cameras as a bonus. And 4.0 ICS will be all over the place by then
Sent from my HERO200 using xda premium
rubyknight said:
Sprint makes it easy to swap really... Just log into the sprint website and find the option in there. It asks for the numbers located on the back of the phone under the battery and then transfers your service to the new phone. Your old one should still have a clean ESN and be good to sell. My family has gone the eBay route a few times now to save our upgrades.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice, thanks for the info. I did an ESN swap once before with Sprint when I bought a phone from wirefly.com, but that was with an upgrade. I didn't realize they'd allow it while still under contract.
sleepy
Thanks for all of the advice on the NS4G. I decided to go with the E4GT after using my brother's phone over Thanksgiving break. It will suit my needs just fine for the next two years.
rubyknight said:
Sprint makes it easy to swap really... Just log into the sprint website and find the option in there. It asks for the numbers located on the back of the phone under the battery and then transfers your service to the new phone. Your old one should still have a clean ESN and be good to sell. My family has gone the eBay route a few times now to save our upgrades.
And really to anyone talking about only going for pure stock Android phones or waiting for the galaxy nexus, your missing out lol... Take 5 minutes on a 1ghz phone with Sense and you'll be hooked. The Hero just didn't have the power to handle it. And the Galaxy Nexus is really kind of a letdown tbh. In literally 3 months we'll see 2+ ghz quadcores and higher than 8 megapixel cameras as a bonus. And 4.0 ICS will be all over the place by then
Sent from my HERO200 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Per chance do you know if this works with the old non-premium data plans? If I swap ESNs will they want to charge me the $10 a month "premium data" plan for a smartphone? I'm boycotting upgrading until this goes away. I mean my heroc does everything I need and we've almost got ICS there, I don't see a reason to upgrade. (Yes armv7/front camera/dual core/soon to be LTE would be nice but those aren't "necessities" imo)
Shelnutt2 said:
Per chance do you know if this works with the old non-premium data plans? If I swap ESNs will they want to charge me the $10 a month "premium data" plan for a smartphone? I'm boycotting upgrading until this goes away. I mean my heroc does everything I need and we've almost got ICS there, I don't see a reason to upgrade. (Yes armv7/front camera/dual core/soon to be LTE would be nice but those aren't "necessities" imo)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The $10 fee is just for any data plan now I think, and its here to stay There isn't a loophole there though I don't think. If you switch to a 4G phone they'll probably slap it on there.
I just bought my Nexus S off of Ebay lol, so ill find out next week. The touchscreen on my Hero is starting to cut out and I still wanna save my upgrade
Sent from my wildheroc using xda premium
Anyone moving on from the vibrant? What phone / carrier are you looking at? Is there a way to tell what will have working miui and GPS? I've had it with this phone ...GPS never works when you need it ...great when you don't. Now the 911 thing ...
Any suggestions?
Sent from my T959 using XDA App
S3! Waiting for something like vibrant that u can use for more then a year an not feel like I need a new phone! Only Samsung for me!
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Never another Samsung (unless its got Nexus in the name). Google phones for me from now on.
Im stuck in this phone for about another year. Don't want to pay to exit fee, and don't want to sign up for another 2 years to get a phone.
Not paying 500+ for an unlocked phone either - no money.
Moped_Ryder said:
Never another Samsung (unless its got Nexus in the name). Google phones for me from now on.
Im stuck in this phone for about another year. Don't want to pay to exit fee, and don't want to sign up for another 2 years to get a phone.
Not paying 500+ for an unlocked phone either - no money.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea contracts aren't cool never again! Unlocked S3 is my next unless they have hardware button cuz updates are beast on unlocked Sammy phones there getting ics leak this week!
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
These are my same sentiments. I'd love to get the Galaxy Nexus if it came to T-Mobile.
Though, I hope I can hold out until the S3...
I would potentially look at another samsung, I bought it as soon as it came out and almost a year and a half later I am still very happy with it. As of right now I would lean towards a nexus device, I guess it really depends on what is the new hot phone is out over the summer.
Does anyone know if any manufacturers have a better updating reputation than samsung?
Question for you guys. When my contract ends with T mobile can i go to non contract plan and save some money every month? So that i can get unlocked phone from out side. Also galaxy nexus seems the only phone that works with t mobile 3G bands. So we are pretty much stuck with one option if we want to get our own phone and still be on t mobile.
Id say galaxy nexus, if it ever came to tmobile. I wont spend full price on another android phone that is not a nexus.
from now on its....nexus or get lost. (simply because of updates)
streetrider nick said:
I would potentially look at another samsung, I bought it as soon as it came out and almost a year and a half later I am still very happy with it. As of right now I would lean towards a nexus device, I guess it really depends on what is the new hot phone is out over the summer.
Does anyone know if any manufacturers have a better updating reputation than samsung?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only one that comes close is HTC Samsung problem is dealing with carriers but there unlocked phones have excellent upgrades
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
I bit the bullet and got a Galaxy Nexus before Thanksgiving, and I'm glad I did. I will never get hamstrung by another carrier branded phone again as long as the Nexus phones are available. I had the Vibrant for a year. The Froyo update barely happened. Gingerbread? Yeah right. ICS....keep dreaming. Even CM doesn't want this phone anymore. I don't blame them either, the 911 issue was definitely a problem.
With the Nexus, I finally have a GPS that actually works (and works indoors). I get locks in a few seconds instead of waiting 5 to 10 minutes if it locks at all. Sure, I could have got an S2 - which IMO is another redheaded stepchild of the GS2 family and locked on TMO. One of my driving factors is that the international Nexus is pentaband. No phone is future-proof but this one suits my needs for a while.
iPhone 4S on AT&T. Don't have to spend $600 upfront and never have to worry about if it will fall out of support in less than a year.
Android is not reliable that way, and even the Nexus phones here are carrier locked. I'm not importing a phone.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
N8ter said:
iPhone 4S on AT&T. Don't have to spend $600 upfront and never have to worry about if it will fall out of support in less than a year.
Android is not reliable that way, and even the Nexus phones here are carrier locked. I'm not importing a phone.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buy from amazon no import neded an have fun with that
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Doesn't solve the upfront cost issue nor does it solve Android's built in problems. Plus, iMessage is hot and almost everyone here that I know has an iPhone.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
I've had my vibrant since it came out in July last year. I hadn't thought of getting a new phone until I heard about the galaxy nexus. I'm going to wait for prices to drop, then choose between the gs2 and the galaxy nexus (depends on if the s2 actually gets ics). After having a phone with an amoled screen protected by gorilla glass, I can't go to something dull in comparrison and easily scratchable/breakable.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
My problem is with choosing a phone is....
If I want to go to get a 2yr contract again, then I'd go for either S2 or Amaze... BUT... Here's the dilema:
What really IS the truth behind those two phones... People have been saying S2 is great, and there are others that say PIXEL is worse, go with Amaze. ARGH!
If I want to go OFF contract, then definitely no question: Galaxy Nexus.
Right of this moment, I'm using my friend's Nexus S, we swapped, because he wants to dev on my Vibe, and I want to flash happy on the Nexus S. Until he's satisfied of what he's doing to my phone, then I'm happy to be on Nex S for the mean time. Besides, if he bricks that damn Vibe, he'll get me a SGS4G. So I'm not too worried.
BUT, here's the dilema...
THE DAMN PRICE OF THE GALAXY NEXUS!
ndwgs said:
My problem is with choosing a phone is....
If I want to go to get a 2yr contract again, then I'd go for either S2 or Amaze... BUT... Here's the dilema:
What really IS the truth behind those two phones... People have been saying S2 is great, and there are others that say PIXEL is worse, go with Amaze. ARGH!
If I want to go OFF contract, then definitely no question: Galaxy Nexus.
Right of this moment, I'm using my friend's Nexus S, we swapped, because he wants to dev on my Vibe, and I want to flash happy on the Nexus S. Until he's satisfied of what he's doing to my phone, then I'm happy to be on Nex S for the mean time. Besides, if he bricks that damn Vibe, he'll get me a SGS4G. So I'm not too worried.
BUT, here's the dilema...
THE DAMN PRICE OF THE GALAXY NEXUS!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. A $600-700 phone is not in my budget at the moment. I have more important things too spend my money on (bills, 4mo old, etc). As much as I'd love to have the Nexus, it's just not going to happen and it won't come to tmo anytime soon (if ever).
Been looking at the sgs2 and Amaze the past few days. Going into the store this weekend and probably walking out with one. My Vibrants days are numbered.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
To me service is more important than phone. That's why I'm gonna ditch tmo/att for Sprint. Would rather put up with slightly slower 4g that's unlimited than to have "the nation's fastest network" at 2 gig a month.
I'll probably end up getting the evo3d cuz after my Vibrant experience I'm not thrilled with the way Samsung fails to update their products.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
For those who are getting tired of their vibrant you should head over to the dev section and flash deranged9 by jcc. I just flashed it yesterday and it feels like I have a completely new phone.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
I wish galaxy nexus it seems very powerful,
any one can send it to me from usa ??
I just switched TO this phone a week or two ago and couldn't be happier.
I got the Vibrant for $100 on Craigslist and signed up for the month to month T-mobile plan.
Dual core or not there's nothing I ran on the G2x that I can't run on this phone (Even Tegra only games with Chainfire).. except video conferencing with FFC, which I never did, but could always add a FFC later.
I'm getting the same data rate on this "3G" phone as I did on the G2x "4G" phone AND I'm not locked into a contract.
One of the reasons I got it was it's MIUI supported.
I've tried MULTIPLE smartphones since the first iPhone, iPhone 3G, 3Gs then switched to Palm Pre.. then to Android - MyTouch, HTC Hero, DroidX, Samsung Intercept, LG Optimus V, G2x, Motorola Triumph and now the Vibrant.
By far the best one of all those I've mentioned.
I know it's a year old, but I won't be switching anytime soon.
Current Iphone 4 user. This phone is shot, home button barely works and no WIFI or GPS anymore. I am eligible for an upgrade via AT&T and plan to stick with them due to a 20% discount. I have a nexus 7 tab and I love the thing, jelly bean rules IMO. I don't want another iphone due to the "same old" feeling and paying $40 for a damn cable is stupid IMO. Should i wait out and buy this thing? Money isn't an issue due to working tons of OT from hurricane sandy. I was even wondering if I can buy this, and keep my AT&T upgrade for a phone in spring 2013. LTE 4g is heavy in my area.
My main uses for a phone
txting
pictures> Avid fisherman and quality shots really mean a lot to me as my iphone 4 still takes a damn good photo
music Storage is limited on this phone however I have the same on my iphone 4 and survive fine. Google music is plenty as is OTG cable
talking
random apps (droid suites all my needs except for a few)
Battery life isn't the end all however nice. I have 1amp chargers in home/work/truck/boat.
Thanks guys, a new phone is all i'm really looking forward to right now as Long Island is a really depressing area right now.
Should fit you well, go for it!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
If you already like jellybean and are ready to buy a phone now, do it. Do it and be happy.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using xda app-developers app
estallings15 said:
If you already like jellybean and are ready to buy a phone now, do it. Do it and be happy.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I might, I really need to play with it first, i'm not going to buy anything without having it in my hands for a good 10-15 mins or more.
The camera and LTE are making me nervous. My ISP provides over 50,000 access points to its customers (i'm an employee in tech support) so WIFI is covered more than LTE.
The camera better be pretty damn good, photosphere sounds cool and I have a few idea's, however the regular "snapshot" is what I need.
Considering buying this to play with during the winter, and using my upgrade for the Samsung galaxy s4 when it comes out in february, if I can do that.
Hey all, been rocking a Galaxy Note for about six months or so after unloading an iphone. Very pleased with my Note...love the screen size...but have to admit it's large size can be a bit of a hindrance at times. Have been seriously considering switching to a Nexus 4 which is what I originally wanted but was back ordered for too long. Problem is I'm torn on picking up what I believe is a great phone versus waiting another 6 months for the Nexus 5. I know the SG4 and HTC One are coming soon, but I have to admit, I really want stock Android without all the extra features which I find useless. Basically, is the N4 still worth purchasing? Or is it a foolish move this late in the cycle?
Thanks!
Htc One, not a major inovation.
Galaxy S4- they ran out of ideas.
I think the Nexus is still worth it, especially now, when its price went down a bit.
I was actually in a close situation about 2 weeks ago. I was basically up to get a new phone and was looking around for what to get. I wanted the Nexus 4 since launch, but my impressions of AT&T (the only provider in my area that is GSM) weren't good and I wanted to stick with Verizon. After months of waiting, I finally narrowed it down to waiting for the Galaxy S4 and signing a contract with the (again, opinion) superior service provider Verizon or switching to AT&T and staying off-contract with the cheaper phone with comparable specs. There was also the possibility of waiting for the next Nexus to come out (Nexus 5?) when it does.
Well, I decided on the Nexus 4 on AT&T and haven't looked back. I couldn't be happier. As far as Nexus 4 vs Galaxy S4 and HTC One is concerned, I am more than happy with my decision. The hardware is amazing, but the main reasons I'm so happy is the vanilla Android and the community. I love how Google really doesn't care about rooting and modding (it's like 1 or 2 commands in a command window to unlock the bootloader, that's awesome). Then there are forums like this that help you with stuff. Yeah, there are Galaxy S3 sections and they are helpful, but I just feel that the Nexus 4 forums are....I dunno...more friendly? more helpful? I don't know how to put it, but I just like the community better.
Now on the debate of getting a Nexus 4 now or waiting for the next one to come out. I actually liked being 6 months into the release. That way, you avoid back-order issues, and everyone has had time to develop and fix issues with ROMs and whatnot. 6 months in, all you have to do is read a "Nexus 4 101" sticky thread and they have step by step instructions for completely customizing/flashing/etc. it. I will probably continue waiting 6 months after release to buy a new Nexus phone for those two reasons.
Well there's my two cents. Feel free to consider it.
Thanks guys. Appreciate the insights.
Johmama, sounds like we're in very similar situations. After giving up on the N4 and going with the Note a few months ago, I made the switch from Verizon to Straight Talk. While it's not perfect service, it's 1/3 the monthly bill which allows me to forgive the occasional issue. That also is why I'm strictly debating N4 vs. N5 now. The purchase price of the Nexus line makes it very affordable compared to $650+ for the other options. Basically, by the time I unload my Note and accessories, it should be a pretty even swap, so cost isn't an issue. Just wanted to know if the device is still considered a smart buy. Seems like most are more than happy with it, so I think I'll make the jump.
Again, thanks for the help.
I came from the DNA, and was planning on just keeping this till ONE is released, but I'm keeping it. Sure I miss the screen size a bit, but I love this phone and am thinking I'm only gonna be a Nexus guy from now on. Its worth it. Also having good dev support is way cool
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big70tom said:
I came from the DNA, and was planning on just keeping this till ONE is released, but I'm keeping it. Sure I miss the screen size a bit, but I love this phone and am thinking I'm only gonna be a Nexus guy from now on. Its worth it. Also having good dev support is way cool
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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Same for me! This phone is simply awesome! I have it for 6 weeks now and I really love it! Screen size, resolution, amazing hardware, amazing software, no bloatware,... Nexus is the way to go!
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I just got my phone couple weeks ago cause I got a fabulous day on Craigslist. Full well knowing the HTC One is coming out I could easily sell this for a profit but decided this phone is not $300 less of a phone then the HTC One.
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Get it while its still hot! but be careful when you hold it!
my contract with verizon is up as of tomorrow (june 1st). i currently have an htc thunderbolt that i've been limping along with since sometime around the phone's launch. i've managed to get along with this dreadful device for a looong time now, and i do have a very functional and reliable aosp ics rom running smoothly on it. so if worse came to worst, i could suffer just a bit longer.
all that being said, i am DYING to upgrade! but... i'm very torn. with all the recent announcements, there are some very exciting possibilities on the horizon. i see myself as having the following options:
1.) go with nexus 4 now
2.) go with gs4 nue shortly
3.) go with htc one nue shortly
4.) hang onto tbolt (sticking with verizon month-to-month for the time being) and wait for moto's x phone to drop (and when that time comes, possibly extending a contract with verizon, or jumping ship to another carrier)
if i go with 1, 2, or 3, i would likely use either straight up t-mo prepaid, or possibly solavei.
i just can't decide what to do! i know any of these options will be an amazing upgrade from this craptacular tbolt. we're talking leaps and bounds. i'm just worried that the n4 is already a little too long in the tooth. do you think it'll hold it's value and maybe i could get the n4 now and then throw it up on swappa when the x phone (and/or possibly the n5) comes out? does that sound viable and monetarily sound?
options 2 and 3 are the least attractive to me. i don't really feel like ponying up full retail dough. i'm a devout fan of stock android though, so i can't see myself particularly enjoying sense or touchwiz on a non-nue version of either device. yes, i know i could get a carrier-subsidized version and then just root-n-rom, but i'm trying to drop the carrier model entirely. i'm tired of giant corporations taking too much of my money!
one final thing to note is that i'm not worried about giving up my grandfathered unlimited data. i just don't use enough data, period. i'm a heavy wi-fi user, and in the past two years of unlimited with verizon, i've rarely surpassed a few gigs a month.
i suppose i'm just a very indecisive fellow, so i need some guidance. or to be blunt, tell me what to do, please.
If you're waiting for the next best thing then you'all always be waiting because there will always be something better so I'd go with either the one if you really like build quality, the nexus 4 if you want the most bang for your buck(because it's cheaper it'll be easier to upgrade), and the gs4 if removable battery and SD car slot is important to you
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Go with the N4. It's going to be the cheapest phone for the quality that you get (for being off contract).
The nexus 4 is actually a pretty high end android phone at dirt cheap pricing. At the time when it was comparable to most other android phones, it was still half the price unlocked. Even today with the GS4 and HTC one on the market, it's still highly comparable in terms of quality and performance.
If you want to upgrade, you can always sell the phone on ebay. The 16GB nexus 4's have hit up to $320 used!
Go for it & be cool or don't get & not be cool!
Nexus 4 best bang for your buck that's for sure. It's smoother and faster than s3 and doesn't lose much to the other 2 at half their price. No brainer imo if you're going pre-paid. The only bad thing about the nexus is the camera. It's subpar. Reminds me of s2 but slightly better.
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Honestly I would go for a Nexus 4! I see a bright future for the Nexus 4 and the Nexus Line. This phone is going to continue to stand up to most androids out now. Also instead of selling it on swappa you can get more cash selling it via Craigslist(if you dare), EBay, or a friend.
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thank you to everyone who replied!
you all gave me the little extra nudge i needed to make the decision i wanted to make all along. i've been thinking "n4 all the way!" for a few weeks now, but i just couldn't pull the trigger.
ordering the phone this afternoon when i'm done with work. also going to order the sgp dual screen protector and the acase superleggera case (i'm very paranoid about drops, hah). i tested out t-mo in my area with a buddy's s3 last night. we drove all over town, went in and out of a bunch of buildings. i'm satisfied with the coverage and speeds. can't wait for the big verizon send-off! (which is going to be more like an "FU" )
namurt said:
thank you to everyone who replied!
you all gave me the little extra nudge i needed to make the decision i wanted to make all along. i've been thinking "n4 all the way!" for a few weeks now, but i just couldn't pull the trigger.
ordering the phone this afternoon when i'm done with work. also going to order the sgp dual screen protector and the acase superleggera case (i'm very paranoid about drops, hah). i tested out t-mo in my area with a buddy's s3 last night. we drove all over town, went in and out of a bunch of buildings. i'm satisfied with the coverage and speeds. can't wait for the big verizon send-off! (which is going to be more like an "FU" )
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Coverage might be different than the S3.
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how so? both phones support the same bands. are there other hardware differences that would affect reception? (admittedly, i'm pretty ignorant when it comes to radios.)
at any rate, i'm not terribly worried about it. i'm just a bit outside of philadelphia. tmobile has strong coverage blanketing my area, and i don't go out to the sticks hardly at all. i'll take a bar or two less of signal over the ass-raping verizon has been delivering to my wallet over the years!
namurt said:
how so? both phones support the same bands. are there other hardware differences that would affect reception? (admittedly, i'm pretty ignorant when it comes to radios.)
at any rate, i'm not terribly worried about it. i'm just a bit outside of philadelphia. tmobile has strong coverage blanketing my area, and i don't go out to the sticks hardly at all. i'll take a bar or two less of signal over the ass-raping verizon has been delivering to my wallet over the years!
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Hspa speeds. I think nexus is 21 while s3 is 42.. or something like that. But I don't notice the difference unless I'm downloading files over 50mb
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That is untrue. The nexus four has the hypothetical speed of 21 on att. On tmoblie it is 42. So the hspa+ are the same depending on which carrier you use
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