Database Users

[Impressions] Note owner, Impressed by the Galaxy Nexus

Hello guys,
This post is not meant to wine or get results, it's a general chat post, I'm sharing my thoughts and opinions, if you disagree and feel like sharing, go ahead, if you are here to troll, make a U turn and go away please!
Iv'e been using the Note for almost 2 months now, I love it - It's pretty fast, (Rocket V17 OCed to 1.7GHz), Battery holds up nicely, Screen is great.
But still it has some odd feel to it, like it's not perfect.
The Galaxy S II I had before the note, felt pretty perfect with the latest firmwares and some mods, but also, something was still lacking, for example, playing Glow Hockey 2 proved an annoying delay between the finger and the puck movement.
I always thought it was the game, but when I tried it on the iPhone 4 it was perfect.
Yesterday, I had a chance to touch'n'fell a Galaxy Nexus.
It was the first time I felt everything was right on an android phone. (Excluding the small screen compared to the note... I'm doomed on that part...)
Everything was ticking perfect. Smooth, Good looking, UI was perfect, no stutters, no FPS drops, no delays.
BTW, I was never an iPhone fan, but I can appreciate many things on iPhone/iOS, none the less, i'll never be an iProduct owner.
So what I wanted to share is that I hope that when Samsung release ICS for our note, the CM team will be able to use it to give us the experience that is going on with the Galaxy Nexus.
Me,
Out.

eitama said:
So what I wanted to share is that I hope that when Samsung release ICS for our note, the CM team will be able to use it to give us the experience that is going on with the Galaxy Nexus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recently upgraded my HTC Sensation with a leaked ICS build (including Sense). It definitely made that phone much smoother and snappier than it was running Gingerbread - it really did transform the device!
I won't be swapping back to the Sensation over the Note, as overall I still prefer the larger screen of the Note, even though the Sensation running ICS feels faster than the Note.
Given that the Note with Gingerbread is definitely much smoother than my Sensation with Gingerbread/Sense, it certainly bodes well for the upcoming upgrade to ICS, and I fully expect an ICS Note to excel!
Regards,
Dave

I have same feels like you.. I have note 3 weeks and many things is not perfect.. When i open QnA section in galaxy nexus forum, there is no problems and when i open galaxy noge QnA its full of problems with display,scratches etc. But what is killing me is that nexus have only 5 mpx camera and 1.2 ghz processor :/ what you think i have to do? i have many problems with display,sound, many things lags, inaccurate display and s-pen, banding... With 3 or more issues i can refund and i dont know if i buy galaxy nexus or not :/

Hi eitama,
I was between the Nexus and the Note, and was tired of waiting for updates for my X10, it's screen is unusable with sweaty hands and the display on my SII had uneven brightness, forcing me to replace it 2 times in 1 month, receiving 2 faulty devices as a replacement.
Long story short, i wouldn't buy another Samsung device, but the need to have a fully functional phone led me to buy the Note, and i 'll tell you why.
First of all, the stock battery on the note is unmatched. 2500mAh is the best of the best right now. No need to double the size of the phone just to get that extra hour. Nexus has a 1750mAh as stock battery. It may last the same as the Note now, but it runs ICS. Our Note will only get better with it's dual core optimization.
Secondly, the screen. I can't see myself going to a phone having less than 5 inch screen. I couldn't be more happy with the display performance. Even though the colors might not be that accurate, i have faith in the dev community here fixing the issue. If i am not mistaken, Supercurio has been working on a fix. Nexus's ppi is higher sure, but do you really need to pinch to zoom to read something every time?
S-pen. It has replaced pen and paper for me. Nexus doesn't have something similar coming out of the box and it doesn't have the hardware space to facilitate a pen inside it. I am not sure if it has a dual digitizer screen also. Our Note's screen is both pressure sensitive and capasitive.
About the need to have the latest software update available. I used to have that, then i took a Note in my pocket. Joking aside, i've been browsing the Nexus sub-forums and i have seen the "Once the ICS's wowness ware out, it's just another phone" type of threads. I can't say the same about you, but if people are bothered enough to post about it, i am sure that would happen to me as well. Besides, ICS will come to the Note too. It's not like we are wondering if we will get the update, like other devices.
Camera. Again, you will see countless thread over the Nexus forums complaining about it. Quality aside, I 'll ask you this. Do you really find yourself in a situation where you have to take 10 pictures in 12 seconds?
Expandable storage.
If you check the development section here, you will see many stock roms that have been leaked that improve smoothness, touch sensitivity, battery life. Grab one of these babes if having a smooth device is a must. I am tempted to flash one of them, but being on stock KK5 unrooted is more than i could ask. I 'll wait to see ICS come via KIES, then root this beast. Happy days.
In the end, it's your call. I was just posting my point of view.

Sramie said:
I have same feels like you.. I have note 3 weeks and many things is not perfect.. When i open QnA section in galaxy nexus forum, there is no problems and when i open galaxy noge QnA its full of problems with display,scratches etc. But what is killing me is that nexus have only 5 mpx camera and 1.2 ghz processor :/ what you think i have to do? i have many problems with display,sound, many things lags, inaccurate display and s-pen, banding... With 3 or more issues i can refund and i dont know if i buy galaxy nexus or not :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my opinion, if you don't take too many pictures, you will get used to the camera, no matter the quality, and I doubt it's bad. 5mp is enough.
If you don't mind the smaller screen size, I think the Galaxy Nexus is a win phone.
I'm thinking about this issue myself. I'm kind of tires of being late at receiving firmware. And tired of samsung crapware, even though they do have some nice additions, all of these can be added to aosp.
Lets be honest, how many times did you remove the external sdcard from the phone? How many times were 16gb not enough?
The flaws of the Nexus can be tolerated, where as some flaws inserted by Samsung just keep annoying you.

ICS could be what u r looking for

@Bassarnis,
Thanks for you great reply, It was a pleasure to read.
I know the Note is amazing, I also enjoy using it, and the more people ram me for having such a large phone "Q:does it fit in your pocket? ; A:Where do you think it was up until now?" The more I enjoy having it.
But, I remember the first time I touched an iPhone 3gs, the experience was great, for about 20 minutes I was sure it's the best phone ever, then I started finding out all the limitation is annoyances and it got off the list, Still, the first 20 minutes were amazing.
With the Galaxy Nexus, I really had those 20 minutes all over again, they only ended by the dude owning the phone having to go home
The note, with custom kernel, all the fixes in the world, still lags!?
Believe me I know how to trace those problems, been having and hacking android for a long time. I know all about freezing all the right apps, running top, running logcat, disabling logs, OC, BetterBatteryStats, tweaking the live wallpaper, removing unwanted services - Still the note just lags.
BTW, Full wipe everytime I switch rom.
I don't even keeps my photos/vids/mp3s on the phone cause I want to start over clean. Only thing I leave behind is SMS/Contacts via google account/Whatsapp backup/Where's my water backup
I am just not sure the ICS Nexus like smoothness will be kept with samsung "baked" roms. (even if they are baked by samsung themselves)...
:0

I can stand software issues.. But not hardware.. This phone is crapped by samsung. I seen many peoples that replaced their note 37582 times and always got defect device... I have 16 gb external cor movies and often take pictures.. This is why i choosed Gnote... But i have on my device about 5 issues.. Hardware... So i will replace my gnote for new one.. If somethinv goes wrong, hail galaxy nexus!

eitama said:
In my opinion, if you don't take too many pictures, you will get used to the camera, no matter the quality, and I doubt it's bad. 5mp is enough.
If you don't mind the smaller screen size, I think the Galaxy Nexus is a win phone.
I'm thinking about this issue myself. I'm kind of tires of being late at receiving firmware. And tired of samsung crapware, even though they do have some nice additions, all of these can be added to aosp.
Lets be honest, how many times did you remove the external sdcard from the phone? How many times were 16gb not enough?
The flaws of the Nexus can be tolerated, where as some flaws inserted by Samsung just keep annoying you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
16 gb is a joke for a super phone. I have a 32gb card in my note and still not enough. I see you don't keep videos on your phone or a good song collection and photos. Don't tell me about cloud storage- that requires a data connection. A 5 mg camera on a superphone again is a joke. No removable storage on a super phone is also a joke. The processor on the Nexus doesn't bother me though that also could he better.

graphic is also old.. but is more useable as Gnote

I was gunning for the nexus as well, but the hardware was not impressive enough.
And I wen't for the Note, because I knew I would be running ICS eventually.
I come from an HTC Incredible S so for me this is a huge step up from what I had.
But I'm absolutely sure CM9 would give an even better user experience.

eitama said:
Lets be honest, how many times did you remove the external sdcard from the phone? How many times were 16gb not enough?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have over 20gb of movies on my SD card, and my internal memory is nearly full with GPS maps, music, and games.
16gb unexpandable is a definite deal breaker for me.
Regards,
Dave
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk

eitama said:
Lets be honest, how many times did you remove the external sdcard from the phone? How many times were 16gb not enough?
The flaws of the Nexus can be tolerated, where as some flaws inserted by Samsung just keep annoying you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never really replace the SD card, but I do use it quite frequently.

Today rocket rom V18 was released, and i backed up everything getting ready for a full wipe, so i decided to try cm9 by maui, just to see how it runs, and it's a lot better then I thought.
I'll use it for a few days, and if we can run Nova/Trebuchet on samsung stock ICS, maybe the note will fullfill me after all.

I have a HTC onex convince me to switch to a GS3

On launch day i when out and brought my self a One X and for the first few weeks i loved it but as time went on there became more and more that anoyed me about the phone for example the lack of S-OFF, terable battery life and the fact that is completly refuses to get along well with my network "three uk".
Should i switch from the ONE X to a GS3?
and if so what are the reasons behind it?
will the GS3 help to amend any of the issues i have with the ONE X?
Thanks guys

Plz don't be convinced to get a s3! U should be loving the no sd card and non removable battery
☞★Swyped from drajax's Galaxy S3!!! *♂ツ
Hit thanz if I helped!
" Tomorrow .... its a brand new Today "

Here's a great site with everything you need to know http://tinyurl.com/c8mmd3t
By the way, the note 2 is better if you can handle the extra half inch

Switch to note2 not s3
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium

what worrys me about switching to the note 2 is that it has a serious lack of development
i am a huge AOSP fan but i know that if they get aosp up and running on the note that all of the S-pen feautes wont work and and so that will deem that part of the phone useless :/
i have also read that becasue of a recent fall out between cyanogen mod and samsung that cyanogen wont be suporting the note 2 as a official device which will make AOSP development slow :/

irish-sid said:
Here's a great site with everything you need to know http://tinyurl.com/c8mmd3t
By the way, the note 2 is better if you can handle the extra half inch
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have tryed that but all google is going to tell me is how these two phones compare out of the box when they were first released. since then there has been a huge amount of development on these phones thus rendering any review or comparison usless for what i am looking for :/

Explain to me, as if I am very dumb...what's the point on that switch? Both mobile phones are pretty much the same, one is better here the other there. But it's just my opinion. As far as ROM goes, I would be running CM anyway or AOKP or PA and the sorts...so on that point they would be exactly the same.
What I'm saying here is that people worry too much for things like 30mins extra battery and the sorts. My device has one of the worst batteries ever (Galaxy Ace) and still does it's job. With that said...I'd kill for a HTC OneX and I'd buy the HTC over the S3 any day. And let's get real here...There's this thing called Nexus 4 coming soon...I'd buy that XD

the point is the ONE x has so many problems on 3uk its not even funny :/
if im conected to H and for example i go into a building with a lead roof and i loose signal then when i exit the build the phone wont reconect to the network atall it just refuses and even if it does then it will only let me get a GSM signal and im lucky if i get that. i have to force a conection by searching for the networks and then it will recconect. i am not the only one with thus issue as it is comon with 3uk ONE x users and after half a year of doing this i cant be bothered with it anymore :/

Damsung promised to give drivers for Exynos 4 so there will be huge development from devs on xda starting from next year.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app

You said you were a AOSP lover? Aren't those issues caused by AOSP rom? In Portugal CM7 and MMS receiving is broken for example I need to reboot phone, turn data off and back on and then send myself a MMS to force the phone to receive the one someone sent me lol
And from what I recall, from 7 years ago, when I lived in the UK the 3 network sucked bad on pretty much every phone but I guess it would be better by now.
(Just noticed, I'm defending you to keep a HTC over a Samsung phone and I have 3 devices all of them Samsung, just check my sig lololol)

Stilm said:
Explain to me, as if I am very dumb...what's the point on that switch? Both mobile phones are pretty much the same, one is better here the other there. But it's just my opinion. As far as ROM goes, I would be running CM anyway or AOKP or PA and the sorts...so on that point they would be exactly the same.
What I'm saying here is that people worry too much for things like 30mins extra battery and the sorts. My device has one of the worst batteries ever (Galaxy Ace) and still does it's job. With that said...I'd kill for a HTC OneX and I'd buy the HTC over the S3 any day. And let's get real here...There's this thing called Nexus 4 coming soon...I'd buy that XD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1. A friend of mine has a HOX and every time I see it I'm jealous of how beatuful and well made it looks. It also has the best sceen available on a phone right now (htc butterfly doesnt count as it is Japan exclusive) and sense looks better than TW. My GS3 is faster (both are on custom Roms, stock kernels and both are blazing fast but the GS3 is faster and smoother ), TW has more features than Sense, camera and speakers are better, micro SD and removable battery, much better battery life and the Bootloader is unlocked (maybe the most important part for me). Both phones are excelent and I wouldn't switch from one to the other ( even if I had the HOX ). If you have to leave the HOX for something else I would suggest the Note II for its great features, the Nexus 4 if you want stock Android or wait for the international version of the HTC Butterfly.

Faster Exynos 4 processor, Bigger screen, Believe it or not but the S3 feels lighter... And if your not a flash addict Touchwiz is better than Sense.
Plus Exynos 4 documentation coming soon, even tho the Tegra already had that but development here is about to get a whole lot better.

Expandable memory, removable and bigger battery, bigger screen.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium

nope i have had these probems with my network from day one even with sence

I switched from HOX to SGS3 a month ago and I didn't regret even for a second. GS3 is a way better for me.

I have a friend that has an HTC One X and i can't understand the "beautiful" compliments, it is nice looking but nothing really "awesome" about it, the edges are rough, the screen is slightly smaller, (I hate LCD's, love punchy colors of Amoled displays and true blacks), Sense is fine but i (personally) like touchwiz a little better, No SD Card (LOL @ HTC, why.. seriously.. why?) and no removable battery.. (Batteries die, yep they lose their hold after a few months / year, and you can't replace it on a One X, you can't even do a quick swap for a backup battery).
All this got me to the conclusion of getting an S3 instead, now got a Note 2, an S3 and soon a Nexus 10 (tablet).

Nike: Just do it!

READY...?
Canadian Rogers Version i7747m is what I have.
I wanted the HOX bad. Loved the look. LCD whites are WHITE. Form factor and unibody are great especially if you plan to NOT use a case. Yet the S3 won 51% to 49%.
But having owned this i747m for 3 months now, stock rom, rooted, some framework mods for extra features and cosmetics....I am absolutely floored. (minus a few super minor non issues)
- 32gb +32gb = 64gb storage
- removable battery
- light and thin...so getting a case is not a bulk builder. With case it's still lighter than my old trusty HD2
- 2gb ram with up to 50 background apps in memory (Ask Zeppelinrocks Dev about this....it's a NEW record for a stock device) Wicked Multitasking as we say it.
- Fast, great standby drain, no SOD or Hot Reboots etc.
- Touchwiz....MEH...tried it for a week and ditched that ui for Go Launcher EX which has infinitely better and more custom options.
- Replaced some stock apps with IMO...superior apps (Handcent, Kaiten Mail, PowerAmp)
- my Super Amolded screen shows whites as very close to white and looks incredible playing games or watching movies.
- LED notification is fat and not too bright. It's a warm light and multi colored....and WORKS.
- camera and camcorder are great. Just took a video tonight of some backyard ground fireworks and it came out great...sound and all. Camera is very fast, burst shots...powerful flash etc. Some issues with low light conditions.
- LTE...for us here...is smoking fast data speeds even on 1 bar signal.
- usb can also output analogue and digital audio.
- physical home button. I learned that I prefer this especially to turn the screen on. It's most natural.
- development is aggressive...especially European models. I don't care much about this anymore...since for the first time since froyo, I have a near 100% working device without issues. I can't believe it. I am a stickler for details.
If I was living in Europe, I would get the i9305. I would not even think about getting a device with less than 2gb ram. I could write a book on it.
Like DeadSOL says, and Nike....and ..even Ben Stiller....Juz Doooow eet !!!

If you're an AOSP lover you should stick with a nexus 4 but, keep in mind that the on screen buttons will take up some of the screen real estate.
Oh by the way I have both the one X and the s3 and if you do make the switch you'll be dissapointed by its cheap plasticy feel but you'll be amazed by its battery life.
Sent from my GT-I9300.

Switch to nexus 4
Sent from my GT-I9300 with a BIG

Reason not to sell the S3 for the Nexus 4

Ok seems alot of people in here are planning on selling their GS3 for the Nexus 4, I personally won't be here why.
First up storage 8 or 16GB just isn't enough full stop, I use my S3 for alot of things & i can tell you now 16GB fills up quickly, you have to be very selective on what you use your N4 for.
Camera, I love the camera on the GS3 as it got plenty of feature's, plus recording things in either 720p or 1080p looks good even without modding the camera software, upto now some reviews on the camera on the N4 seem to put it behind the S3 ie slow to focus, and noise from the lens when it focus when recording video, pocket lint seem to have this problem with 2 devices they tested.
Sound Wolfson DAC, the N4 doesn't have one, I love my music and was gutted when the GS2 had crappy audio, compared to the GS1 which was superb, even if the sound is decent again storage on the nexus 4 is a problem.
Removable Battery, I have 2 Samsung Batteries for my phone, now i do alot of walking in some very remote places last thing i need is for my battery on my phone to go dead and stuck without a phone, I take alot of pictures and video with my GS3 when out and about so it eats into the battery alot, plus if i ever have an serious accident while out having that extra spare battery with me could be a lifesaver hence why i always like to carry a spare, might even buy another just to be on the safe side.
Features i'm a fan of touchwiz, it brings to the GS3 alot of useful features ya don't get on stock android like smartstay, camera software ect ect.
Hardware, this to me is what alot of people are planning on selling the GS3, because the N4 has 2GB of ram & the latest quadcore processor at 1.5GHz, I've never yet encountered a problems using my GS3 with 1GB of ram running anything, and by the time it does start running into problems i'll be on either a GS4 or GS5 which in the case of the GS4 will be 2GB anyroads, yeah 2GB of ram on the N4 will come in handy at some point, when the next proper update is released IF you keep you N4 that is, which i know alot on here won't & as soon as the GS4 or whatever else next year is released, the N4's that you sold your GS3 for will be up for sale again.
All in all i still think the GS3 is a better smartphone than the N4 if you look beyond specs alone, and i certainly won't be getting shut of mine for the N4, my next upgrade will be the GS4. :good:

ixon2001 said:
Ok seems alot of people in here are planning on selling their GS3 for the Nexus 4, I personally won't be here why.
First up storage 8 or 16GB just isn't enough full stop, I use my S3 for alot of things & i can tell you now 16GB fills up quickly, you have to be very selective on what you use your N4 for.
Camera, I love the camera on the GS3 as it got plenty of feature's, plus recording things in either 720p or 1080p looks good even without modding the camera software, upto now some reviews on the camera on the N4 seem to put it behind the S3 ie slow to focus, and noise from the lens when it focus when recording video, pocket lint seem to have this problem with 2 devices they tested.
Sound Wolfson DAC, the N4 doesn't have one, I love my music and was gutted when the GS2 had crappy audio, compared to the GS1 which was superb, even if the sound is decent again storage on the nexus 4 is a problem.
Removable Battery, I have 2 Samsung Batteries for my phone, now i do alot of walking in some very remote places last thing i need is for my battery on my phone to go dead and stuck without a phone, I take alot of pictures and video with my GS3 when out and about so it eats into the battery alot, plus if i ever have an serious accident while out having that extra spare battery with me could be a lifesaver hence why i always like to carry a spare, might even buy another just to be on the safe side.
Features i'm a fan of touchwiz, it brings to the GS3 alot of useful features ya don't get on stock android like smartstay, camera software ect ect.
Hardware, this to me is what alot of people are planning on selling the GS3, because the N4 has 2GB of ram & the latest quadcore processor at 1.5GHz, I've never yet encountered a problems using my GS3 with 1GB of ram running anything, and by the time it does start running into problems i'll be on either a GS4 or GS5 which in the case of the GS4 will be 2GB anyroads, yeah 2GB of ram on the N4 will come in handy at some point, when the next proper update is released IF you keep you N4 that is, which i know alot on here won't & as soon as the GS4 or whatever else next year is released, the N4's that you sold your GS3 for will be up for sale again.
All in all i still think the GS3 is a better smartphone than the N4 if you look beyond specs alone, and i certainly won't be getting shut of mine for the N4, my next upgrade will be the GS4. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have to agree......removeable battery (lots of times battery pull was lifesaver for me)+removable storage+touchwiz with its features-still with option to install aosp rom (on n4 you are going to be stuck with aosp or miui-which most wont even try)...that outweights those on-paper-superior stats of n4
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app

I was thinking of getting a nexus 4 but saw a review video on engaged and he had drop it the back was cracked that's what has put me off selling my s3 to get a nexus 4

Agreed with the storage and battery parts for sure..those are also the reasons i chose the S3 over the N4.
16GB just doesn't cut it in these times when you have music, high quality video etc.
The S3 and other Samsung's also get a lot of flaming over being plastic and all, but tbh i would rather prefer plastic over glass and metal. At least plastic doesn't break like glass or get scratched like metal

Just wondering why does this deserve its own thread?
Testing JKay alpha on GT-I9300

Krigsko said:
Agreed with the storage and battery parts for sure..those are also the reasons i chose the S3 over the N4.
16GB just doesn't cut it in these times when you have music, high quality video etc.
The S3 and other Samsung's also get a lot of flaming over being plastic and all, but tbh i would rather prefer plastic over glass and metal. At least plastic doesn't break like glass or get scratched like metal
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I personally do hope their improve the quality than just deliver plastic. Plastic is very Terrible and felt like not premium. Even though I like s3, but I really do hope they will improve their quality, plastic is very bad taste.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium

I will keep my S3 and use it as my main phone. I have already pre ordered myself a LG Nexsus 4 just cuz it is cheap. I will use that when i feel like it so all i will do is swap sims for the day or a week lol..

Totally agree.

I myself was a nexus user through and through until i finally jumped ship and went for the GS3 (didnt wait for the N4). I thought about it for a sec (buying the new N4) then these points just came up and i forgot about it:
1) The Nexus line has always been behind the hardware specs when it came to Samsungs' Galaxy line, poor camera on Gnex etc.
2) i wouldn't change the S3 for the N4 simply because of the 8-16GB space and the non-removable battery is a no no for me.
3) sure benchmarks are all well and truly good on the N4 but the GS3 is right up there in performance.
4) another thing i saw on the N4 is the 4.6" screen instead of the 4.85" on the S3, its not much but definitely a downgrade from your usual viewing space.
5) Great camera on the GS3 and touchwiz is not that bad
6) LG, Yeah Google sends out the updates but never been a fan of LG.

+ I read article (not completely sure, but i think it was from xda) in which nexus4 hardware is examined from two pics, writer found out that even samsungs bad build quality is better than lg4s, there was lots of things that could get loose or lose contacts after change of temperature, age.......
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app

BRAVO! what i wanted to say

Dsnt worth an upgrade the gs3 is amazing
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

Reasons to buy
CyanogenMod+AOSP = 2 x speed of light + efficient CPU usage with S4 [S4-quadcore+1,5GHz >>>>>>> Exynos]
Opensource
Fast [or even leaked] Android upgrade
More life time
ps: S4 isn't better then Exynos just because of 1,5GHz, it's also because it's opensource, making it more efficient when modding, improving battery life, performance, everything at the same time.
About design: I think that the design is better. The S III looks like a fat boy, if you look at the screen. the corners aren't a perfect line, and I think it's ugly. Looks like a really big phone.
Well, I guess it's enough to convince me to buy N4, but I probably need to wait 5-4 months to launch here and even wait for it to low the price. So it should take about a year...
oh, it's also faster, I'm sure about that. Even the Galaxy Nexus + JB is faster and smoother. Even minecraft runs better [much better, at probably 60fps] on the Galaxy Nexus than the SIII [way lower FPS]

marcellocord said:
Reasons to buy
CyanogenMod+AOSP = 2 x speed of light + efficient CPU usage with S4 [S4-quadcore+1,5GHz >>>>>>> Exynos]
Opensource
Fast [or even leaked] Android upgrade
More life time
ps: S4 isn't better then Exynos just because of 1,5GHz, it's also because it's opensource, making it more efficient when modding, improving battery life, performance, everything at the same time.
About design: I think that the design is better. The S III looks like a fat boy, if you look at the screen. the corners aren't a perfect line, and I think it's ugly. Looks like a really big phone.
Well, I guess it's enough to convince me to buy N4, but I probably need to wait 5-4 months to launch here and even wait for it to low the price. So it should take about a year...
oh, it's also faster, I'm sure about that. Even the Galaxy Nexus + JB is faster and smoother. Even minecraft runs better [much better, at probably 60fps] on the Galaxy Nexus than the SIII [way lower FPS]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bad built quality..i had 2 lg phones before and they both had problems with the built quality

So these are your reasons, thank you for sharing. Next time try to put in objective reasons.

moroninc said:
I myself was a nexus user through and through until i finally jumped ship and went for the GS3 (didnt wait for the N4). I thought about it for a sec (buying the new N4) then these points just came up and i forgot about it:
1) The Nexus line has always been behind the hardware specs when it came to Samsungs' Galaxy line, poor camera on Gnex etc.
2) i wouldn't change the S3 for the N4 simply because of the 8-16GB space and the non-removable battery is a no no for me.
3) sure benchmarks are all well and truly good on the N4 but the GS3 is right up there in performance.
4) another thing i saw on the N4 is the 4.6" screen instead of the 4.85" on the S3, its not much but definitely a downgrade from your usual viewing space.
5) Great camera on the GS3 and touchwiz is not that bad
6) LG, Yeah Google sends out the updates but never been a fan of LG.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nexus 4 = 4.7"
Galaxy S 3 = 4.8"

I wonder if the n4 has zero shutter lag and smart stay
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

You guys know why I won't buy an n4? Because if you told lg to make a phone that cost the Consumer $300 and put these specs in it, well your gonna have some cheap parts for the rest. Lg sucks and that's the only reason enough to not buy one
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium

fahadsul3man said:
I wonder if the n4 has zero shutter lag and smart stay
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Zero shutter lag first debuted on the galaxy nexus, it was an ICS feature. So yes, of course the N4 has it.
Smart stay is a stupid feature.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

nodstuff said:
Zero shutter lag first debuted on the galaxy nexus, it was an ICS feature. So yes, of course the N4 has it.
Smart stay is a stupid feature.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
b-but the phone understands you.
There isn't a single samsung feature that is useful for me.

Any S3 users who went to the Nexus 4?

I dont have the dough to buy a Nexus 4 but two things I was curious about since my cousin bought one.
1. How's the battery life and how do you like the screen? Which phone is crispier, oversatured, brighter , more colored, warmer?
2. My cousin who is crazy about rooting was like it comes as plain as google makes it and didn't want to even root it. That's amazing, but don't you guys miss the custom roms and the independence and development of settings they give you? One thing I've doubted has been google's ability to follow up great product releases with good updates like independent developers do, does google really roll out good updates to make it a comparison between indie roms and their OS?

One thing I've doubted has been google's ability to follow up great product releases with good updates like independent developers do, does google really roll out good updates to make it a comparison between indie roms and their OS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dafuq you talking about?

zetsui said:
I dont have the dough to buy a Nexus 4 but two things I was curious about since my cousin bought one.
1. How's the battery life and how do you like the screen? Which phone is crispier, oversatured, brighter , more colored, warmer?
2. My cousin who is crazy about rooting was like it comes as plain as google makes it and didn't want to even root it. That's amazing, but don't you guys miss the custom roms and the independence and development of settings they give you? One thing I've doubted has been google's ability to follow up great product releases with good updates like independent developers do, does google really roll out good updates to make it a comparison between indie roms and their OS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bought the Nexus 4 coming from the S3, GT-I9300 Model. When I got the N4 I sold my S3 without thinking twice, and I even had money to spare! In terms of the build quality, the S3 felt like a piece of cheap plastic that I can break with my hands, on the other hand, the N4's build quality is excellent and premium.
Before I got the N4 I had an S2 and an S3, which both sported a Super Amoled screen. Now, when it comes to the argument between LCD and Amoled, it all comes down to your opinion, it took me half an hour to get used to the N4's screen and when I looked at the S3 again, I hated it's over saturated look. The thing I do miss a little from Amoled are the blacks, the N4 blacks aren't as dark.
In terms of software, I am free from Touch-wiz!!! Wow, what a relief, finally android at it's best. The N4 is miles faster than the S3, it is smoother, snappier and project butter clearly has a major effect on smoothness (Samsung basically canceled project butter in their JB updates...).
I rooted my N4 and flashed CM 10.1 on it and I am happier with that than stock, but the need to root and flash ROMs on the N4 is only for people who like doing it for fun, because stock android is very close to perfect already. When Android Key Lime Pie is released, I am sure it will be a great update and the N4 will receive it right away.
Last thing - battery. The S3's and the N4's battery life are pretty much the same so I'm not going to go into that much. Just like in the S3, if you want to improve battery life, you UC and UV using a custom kernel or you disable some apps and etc...
To sum up, I believe there is no reason for anyone who has an S3 to keep it, they can sell it, buy the N4, and still have money to spare! Besides, the N4 is definitely the superior handset.

Coming from the S3 and Note 2 and now enjoying the Nexus 4 for a week i must say it is a magnificent device. It is smooth, responsive and i xperience no lags at all. Running CM10.1 nightlies with Franco kernel. And finaly software without a manufacturers shell (Touchwizz).
Realy happy with the device so far, and will keep this one till something better comes along ( Oppo Find5 i hope).

Coming from the sgs3 I'm really enjoying my nexus. Idk to me the performance is pretty much on par (slight edge to nexus). Idk about performance on games since I'm not really into that. But I do miss having the external SD and some tw features.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

I love my nexus.
The physical phone itself is definitely much nicer than the galaxy, which I am now looking to sell. It looks sexy and feels solid, the galaxy looks and feels cheap and plastic.
I used to like the screen on the s3 but after using the Nexus for a week, the AMOLED screen is definitely less crisp (due to the pentile matrix I suspect) and the colours do look a little over saturated.
Speed wise stock android 4.2 on the Nexus is noticeably faster than the S3 running Android 4.1.2 with the Touchwiz overlay. The S3 is still a very quick phone, it's just not as quick as the N4. Also switching between apps is faster on the N4 thanks to the extra RAM.
There are pros to the S3 though. It has better battery life for some unknown reason, more storage capacity and a removable battery. If I wanted to use my phone for a lot of multimedia functions such as playing and watching music and videos, I would have kept the S3. I don't though so I'm selling it.
Apart from getting the updates first, the Nexus is the first to get fully functional versions of custom aosp roms like Cyanogenmod and AOKP. On other phones such as the S3 they usually have a lot of bugs at first.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

I had an S3 before purchasing the Nexus 4. When i received my Nexus 4, i compared both phones side by side (browser, UI, benchmarks and more)... The nexus 4 came out ahead of Samsung in almost every aspect except the picture quality of the Camera app. S3 still has the upper edge with pics.
However, the nexus 4 UI was more fluid(no lag at all) and the screen was way brighter than that of the S3
The Nexus 4 is the best and fastest device i have ever owned and the 2gb ram included is more optimized for the device than the Galaxy s3

What dothese updates look like or mean since I flashed my gs3 the day I got it
Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

You don't have to worry about lack of development for this phone. There are plenty of Roms to choose from for this phone. Hell, I flash between 5 different Roms daily and they are all very stable. Also I don't see how you can be doubting Google in updating their nexus line. Nexus 4 will be one of the first to get the next iteration of android, key lime pie if that does end up being its name.

m3lover1 said:
You don't have to worry about lack of development for this phone. There are plenty of Roms to choose from for this phone. Hell, I flash between 5 different Roms daily and they are all very stable. Also I don't see how you can be doubting Google in updating their nexus line. Nexus 4 will be one of the first to get the next iteration of android, key lime pie if that does end up being its name.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And is a AOSP supported device. Therefore, you'll be ensured that custom ROMs will be highly stable as everything would be working out of the box. No bugs such as loss of functionality in WiFi, Bluetooth, Cellular data etc whereas other phones will have problems and will need to be fixed.
Development shouldn't even be a issue.

zephiK said:
And is a AOSP supported device. Therefore, you'll be ensured that custom ROMs will be highly stable as everything would be working out of the box. No bugs such as loss of functionality in WiFi, Bluetooth, Cellular data etc whereas other phones will have problems and will need to be fixed.
Development shouldn't even be a issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely. Development on this phone is heaven. I used CM back when I had the evo 4g lte and it was very buggy. Given over time it did become pretty darn stable, credit to the devs there. But with this phone which is already aosp development is much quicker and bug free

Soon to be Nexus 4 Owner , Any tips?

First of all Hello to all of ya Nexus'ers , How are ya's?
As the title says ,i've just ordered my 16GB Nexus 4 and its on its way to my place XD Expecting it in 3-5 business days (According to Play Store)
And i must admit...i really cant wait...this is gonna be me first real Top-Notch smartphone (As you can see in my signature, my earlier models werent exactly gutsy).
I've always been a Xperia user so im pretty much used to how that phone worked (Rooting,Recovery,CWM etc) but judging by a few posts i've seen around the N4 is going to be a whole new diferent world me.
Any of ya's got any tips for me to use my phone efficiently and get the most out of it ? (Or avoid doing something for w/e reason?)
Yeah it sounds like quite a newbye question (Which i dont think i am) but sometimes very few small tips avoid future major issues or damage.
Thanks in advance chaps ,
Respect.
EDIT : Tips so far from all of the awesome N4 users around :
-Buy : Case + Protector
-Mod : Unlock BL + Root + Flash ROMs or Kernels.
-Possible Issues : Rear Glass is very sensible.

The nexus 4 is my 7th android phone. I rooted and rom'd every one of them until now. For me, it is just that rock solid. I may eventually root for the permissions. But I haven't been tempted to replace the ROM. My suggestion is to just enjoy the stock android goodness!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

rogerski1 said:
The nexus 4 is my 7th android phone. I rooted and rom'd every one of them until now. For me, it is just that rock solid. I may eventually root for the permissions. But I haven't been tempted to replace the ROM. My suggestion is to just enjoy the stock android goodness!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all thanks for the tips!
Yeah i've been looking around and i could see that besides benchmark scores...the diference between the diferent ROMs around isnt significant ,mostly just styling. So yeah i am thinking of just keeping the stock ROM not only for the Warranty but also the fact that i've always been fighting to get a stock AOKP/AOSP feel in my Xperias...and here it just comes by default XD.
Btw,can this phone be rooted without unlocking the bootloader ? And also will Rooting void the Warranty?
What about Hardware stuff ? As in...something i should know about the phone casing or interior issues?
Respect

You need to unlock bootloader to root.
More tips: this phone has a /sdcard partition. It won't get wiped when you factoy reset. It's a good thing to know.

don't RMA for stupid reasons.

@aba Oh alright ,hmm thats making me think if i should unlock the bootloader or not.
@m4r0v3r No worries mate, unless there is a important and/or noticeable issues ,i'm not planning to RMA it.

xtrmshadow said:
@aba Oh alright ,hmm thats making me think if i should unlock the bootloader or not.
@m4r0v3r No worries mate, unless there is a important and/or noticeable issues ,i'm not planning to RMA it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
good stuff, I guess unlock, root, and flash another kernel on is the first thing to do, personally I prefer Matrixes kernel and trickster mod to tame the beast. Roms wise I've used Paranoid Android and CM10.1, really it was all for the PIE feature and I prefer the one on CM10.1. Your choice really, but that's the only reason am not on stock rom because that thing is pretty damn good.

Like someone suggested, unlock and root, then play with stock for a while. It will be a similar to your past cm10.1 experience. But just see how it works for you. Then, go ahead and flash away.
I've had cm on mine for months, but then I had to flash the factory image to fix the storage issue and I've stayed with it for the last week.
No matter what, enjoy it!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

Unlock the bootloader so if you decide to root or flash custom roms you can do so without fully wiping your device allowing you to back up your data before
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Get a case, and screen protector.
I like Cruzerlite. The back of the phone is glass. I would set up some cloud apps if you already haven't. Adrive and box gave me 50gb each. I stayed with stock for some time, but I didn't know what I was missing out on. I stayed stock for so long, because my last phone only had cm9.I wanted to feel jelly bean. I couldn't stand the bottom three buttons and pie control has taken care of that. I use razbeanjelly rom with Franco kernel. With the new kernel my battery life is so much longer.
Look up what your new phone can do and iPhone can't.
Have fun
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

I agree. Get a case to protect your investment and from accidental falls. So yeah you must be unlock in order to root the device.
And don't ask what rom or kernel is the best. Lol.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Just want to give my experience - better to unlock as soon as you get it, I regret not doing that because I had to do a full wipe after using the phone for a few weeks!

So I'm toying with the idea of getting a new phone. Currently using an SGS3 and I'm getting bored of it. I've gotten really used to using CM10.1, and have been wanting a more native experience that is akin to what I have on my N7. The problem is, on my SGS3 I'm having issues with various roms either not giving me good enough battery life, or there are stability issues (current ROM is actually experiencing both right now).
I've been toying with the idea of going entirely new, either HTC One or SGS4, but the downside to either is that the community for both are infantile, and I don't really want to wait. Both phones have some fantastic qualities, and either would be great. However, going back to what I originally said, I'm really liking the base Android feel, without any junk overlaid (TouchWiz or HTC Sense, though Sense 5 is kind of pretty).
I guess that leads in to a couple of questions. First, would anyone recommend NOT switching from SGS3 to an N4? Would I be prudent to wait for Google I/O before going with an N4 in case they release new hardware revisions? And finally, if given a choice between the 4 devices listed (SGS3, SGS4, HTC One or N4), what would be the pick? I know they have a laundry list of differences, but I'm thinking a more overall picture. The only phone listed that I haven't actually physically used is the SGS4 (for reasonably obvious reasons). I've been really leaning towards an N4, but are there any major downsides that I might want to know about? The biggest thing is whether or not I should go with the brand new or with something that is somewhat more established.
Sorry for the slight hijack.

toxictaru said:
So I'm toying with the idea of getting a new phone. Currently using an SGS3 and I'm getting bored of it. I've gotten really used to using CM10.1, and have been wanting a more native experience that is akin to what I have on my N7. The problem is, on my SGS3 I'm having issues with various roms either not giving me good enough battery life, or there are stability issues (current ROM is actually experiencing both right now).
I've been toying with the idea of going entirely new, either HTC One or SGS4, but the downside to either is that the community for both are infantile, and I don't really want to wait. Both phones have some fantastic qualities, and either would be great. However, going back to what I originally said, I'm really liking the base Android feel, without any junk overlaid (TouchWiz or HTC Sense, though Sense 5 is kind of pretty).
I guess that leads in to a couple of questions. First, would anyone recommend NOT switching from SGS3 to an N4? Would I be prudent to wait for Google I/O before going with an N4 in case they release new hardware revisions? And finally, if given a choice between the 4 devices listed (SGS3, SGS4, HTC One or N4), what would be the pick? I know they have a laundry list of differences, but I'm thinking a more overall picture. The only phone listed that I haven't actually physically used is the SGS4 (for reasonably obvious reasons). I've been really leaning towards an N4, but are there any major downsides that I might want to know about? The biggest thing is whether or not I should go with the brand new or with something that is somewhat more established.
Sorry for the slight hijack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Between the 4 devices, I would pick the N4, simply for the fact that vanilla Android is just so much prettier than Touchwiz and Sense. Plus, the Nexus looks better that the One and the S4, in my opinion.
To find flaws for the other devices, the One only has a 4mp camera, and, although they say it's still a very good camera, I have my doubts. The SGS4 is the live proof that Samsung has run out of ideas for their phones. Why would anyone need two processors on a phone , running alternatively, just for battery life? They could have done something else with that unused space.

abaaaabbbb63 said:
Between the 4 devices, I would pick the N4, simply for the fact that vanilla Android is just so much prettier than Touchwiz and Sense. Plus, the Nexus looks better that the One and the S4, in my opinion.
To find flaws for the other devices, the One only has a 4mp camera, and, although they say it's still a very good camera, I have my doubts. The SGS4 is the live proof that Samsung has run out of ideas for their phones. Why would anyone need two processors on a phone , running alternatively, just for battery life? They could have done something else with that unused space.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The camera on the One is a big downside for me. I've seen some comparisons and it definitely has visible differences. While I don't take a lot of pictures, when I do, I want them to look good. Fortunately the 8MP camera in my SGS3 has been good, and I don't necessarily think that the N4 would be a whole lot different.
I agree that the vanilla Android look is awesome. It is currently a big reason why I'm looking to get away from my SGS3 like I said. I've been using a CM10.1 based ROM on it, and I can't go back to TouchWiz at all. Obviously my N7 is using vanilla Android as well, and I'm just so used to it now that anything else is bleh. It really feels better, having used a few different interfaces on Android phones (my first was an HTC Desire using some version of Sense, obviously TouchWiz, and I've played with Sense 5, none of them appeal to me any more).
I'm trying to price an N4 right now so that I might just head out tomorrow and get one.
I know there are some threads on it, but how obvious is the heat throttling on the N4? I do play some games that generate heat (for example, the last Kairosoft game I played causing my tablet to become almost uncomfortably warm, and I do play Ingress with tends to make my SGS3 pretty warm as well). If I have any reservations about the N4 aside from lack of expandable storage (easily solved with USB OTG though, which I do with my N7 anyway), its the throttling and battery life.

toxictaru said:
The camera on the One is a big downside for me. I've seen some comparisons and it definitely has visible differences. While I don't take a lot of pictures, when I do, I want them to look good. Fortunately the 8MP camera in my SGS3 has been good, and I don't necessarily think that the N4 would be a whole lot different.
I agree that the vanilla Android look is awesome. It is currently a big reason why I'm looking to get away from my SGS3 like I said. I've been using a CM10.1 based ROM on it, and I can't go back to TouchWiz at all. Obviously my N7 is using vanilla Android as well, and I'm just so used to it now that anything else is bleh. It really feels better, having used a few different interfaces on Android phones (my first was an HTC Desire using some version of Sense, obviously TouchWiz, and I've played with Sense 5, none of them appeal to me any more).
I'm trying to price an N4 right now so that I might just head out tomorrow and get one.
I know there are some threads on it, but how obvious is the heat throttling on the N4? I do play some games that generate heat (for example, the last Kairosoft game I played causing my tablet to become almost uncomfortably warm, and I do play Ingress with tends to make my SGS3 pretty warm as well). If I have any reservations about the N4 aside from lack of expandable storage (easily solved with USB OTG though, which I do with my N7 anyway), its the throttling and battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't had any heat problems with the N4. Those were new android users that thought that a 40 degree Celsius processor is an overheating one

Had mine for like two+ months now. It's my seventh android phone. I rooted it and changed it as soon as I opened the box. I have since played with stock ROMs and while they are nice I don't see the point in not running a faster and smoother ROM with more features. Its what nexus is all about IMO.
Enjoy it. I do.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

the htc one goes for $800 on ebay. .the nexus 4 can be had for $300. So if you pay the same price for both, get htc > sell > buy nexus 4 > have leftover cash.
I just ordered 2 nexus 4. here are some issues to look out for.
creaking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbx825UGZWw
yellowing tint (can't find link)
gap in bezel
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2129337
thread listing a bunch of possible issues
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2146600

As some one above mentioned,unlock the bootloader before installing any thing.This would save a lot trouble later if you want to switch to custom ROM.
I would suggest try Paranoid Android or CyanogenMod,they would serve the need of the most.

bob13bob said:
the htc one goes for $800 on ebay. .the nexus 4 can be had for $300. So if you pay the same price for both, get htc > sell > buy nexus 4 > have leftover cash.
I just ordered 2 nexus 4. here are some issues to look out for.
creaking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbx825UGZWw
yellowing tint (can't find link)
gap in bezel
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2129337
thread listing a bunch of possible issues
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2146600
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wish I could get them for the same price, but no such luck.