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onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
Yep, another case of my fingers not keeping up with my thoughts. ;)

I believe the initial FCC docs showed it would be compatible with T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint. At least, that's what others with a better understanding of compatible carrier frequencies commented. Considering how historically Verizon likes to meddle with the OS, and the less than stellar Verizon version of the Galaxy Nexus, this doesn't surprise me. Sprint, on the other hand, is desperate for any advantage they can get so if it turns out to in fact be compatible with their network, it wouldn't surprise me if they acquiesced to Google in this case.

My feelings on Verizon? Screw Verizon. :D

----------

thank god they got rid of the glass at the back, it was a BIG fingerprint magnet, always full of smudges...

Not to mention all those horror stories of cracks.

I'm a big big fan of the new soft plastic material of the Nexus 7 (what is it exactly?). This will be great for the N5.

----------

Why is the Nexus 5 back camera considered giant? Everywhere I read, it's "giant lens" "giant camera" etc.

Isn't the ring around the actual lens the only thing that's giant? Can someone enlighten? What's the giant ring for anyway?
 

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,347
4,870
Why is the Nexus 5 back camera considered giant? Everywhere I read, it's "giant lens" "giant camera" etc.

Isn't the ring around the actual lens the only thing that's giant? Can someone enlighten? What's the giant ring for anyway?

I personally find it a non-issue for two reasons:

1). I don't stare at the back of my phone so I really don't care what it looks like. Only one stuck looking at it are those I'm taking pictures of. :D

2). It appears for the most part to be flush with the back (or close to it). I hate devices where the camera protrudes from the back. For instance, the camera is smaller on the upcoming Note 3 but sticks up away from the back--that would bother me far more.

Just my personal preferences, of course.
 

appledes7

macrumors 6502a
Jul 12, 2011
756
0
Why is the Nexus 5 back camera considered giant? Everywhere I read, it's "giant lens" "giant camera" etc.

Isn't the ring around the actual lens the only thing that's giant? Can someone enlighten? What's the giant ring for anyway?

A lot of people just don't know what they are talking about. The Nexus 7's camera isn't fantastic by any means but has a big cutout. Nobody is calling that a big camera.

The LG G2 camera isn't big by any means either. The aperture isn't as wide as the 5S. People just think the cutout makes the sensor bigger.

The only thing that would make actual functional sense to have that big of a cutout is for optical zoom. But it would be unrealistic to actually expect that in the Nexus 5. I think they are just doing it to keep a consistent design across devices. Makes me wonder what the Nexus 10 will look like.
 

JH-

macrumors 6502
Feb 25, 2009
392
2
Yeah... not sure why people keep pointing out the lens is "gigantic" or something.

One if the theories I've read is that the ring is there to aid in light capture for low light photography.

Edit: http://phandroid.com/2013/09/17/nexus-5-makes-appearance-on-gfxbench-benchmark-shows-snapdragon-800-1080p-resolution-display/
 

KentuckyHouse

macrumors 68030
Jan 29, 2010
2,720
992
Lexington, KY.

JH-

macrumors 6502
Feb 25, 2009
392
2

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
I hope whatever Google do - they sort their s*** out and launch the nexus device in more territory's. Still can't buy the nexus 4 here and yet Google is here......
 

Spacial

macrumors 6502
Aug 29, 2013
463
0
Yeah... not sure why people keep pointing out the lens is "gigantic" or something.

I took out my jewelers loupe for a very close inspection of the lens (that looks large) on the back of my 2013 Nexus 7.2.

It turns out by all appearances it may be a scratch resistant clear protector (think UV filter) that looks like the lens. Perhaps that's what people are taking about. If not I may be completely wrong :)
 

Savor

Suspended
Jun 18, 2010
3,742
918
I am mildly interested in the device only because of two advantages Nexus phones have over its competitors -

-Price
-Software updates

Before Galaxy Nexus was dropped to $349 in summer of 2012, Nexus phones were NOT really catered to the mainstream. More of a developer's phone. Limited carriers with same $529+ unsubsidized pricing. Ever since Nexus 4 was released at $299/$349 via Google Play Store last Nov, the sales have increased because of that mass appealing price.

But expect compromises and dont expect it to be a multimedia powerhouse like the other OEM flagships. I expect limited storage, no expandable memory slot since N1, non removable battery since N4, weaker batt life, and a camera that still wont compete against the S4 or iP5s.

I'm starting to prefer proprietary software/skins/exclusives from OEM. I find stock Android to be a bit boring now. But at the same time, I still have a craving for some KitKat.

My Android software history is -
2.3.6 (Gingerbread)
4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
4.1.2 (Jelly Bean)

Time to get a taste of my fav chocolate bar - KitKat.

Software is the really one of the two main advantages of Nexus phones even with some hardware compromises.
 

Ddyracer

macrumors 68000
Nov 24, 2009
1,786
31
Please get rid of java and the dalvik VM. Its been nothing but trouble for Google, and personally I think it contributes to the lag and instability in android.


Its no wonder android isn't fast as it could running a VM.
 

KentuckyHouse

macrumors 68030
Jan 29, 2010
2,720
992
Lexington, KY.
I am mildly interested in the device only because of two advantages Nexus phones have over its competitors -

-Price
-Software updates

Before Galaxy Nexus was dropped to $349 in summer of 2012, Nexus phones were NOT really catered to the mainstream. More of a developer's phone. Limited carriers with same $529+ unsubsidized pricing. Ever since Nexus 4 was released at $299/$349 via Google Play Store last Nov, the sales have increased because of that mass appealing price.

But expect compromises and dont expect it to be a multimedia powerhouse like the other OEM flagships. I expect limited storage, no expandable memory slot since N1, non removable battery since N4, weaker batt life, and a camera that still wont compete against the S4 or iP5s.

I'm starting to prefer proprietary software/skins/exclusives from OEM. I find stock Android to be a bit boring now. But at the same time, I still have a craving for some KitKat.

My Android software history is -
2.3.6 (Gingerbread)
4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
4.1.2 (Jelly Bean)

Time to get a taste of my fav chocolate bar - KitKat.

Software is the really one of the two main advantages of Nexus phones even with some hardware compromises.

I agree with you on pretty much all of this. Google's in a weird position of competing (somewhat) with the same OEMs that have helped Android's explosion. I realize the Nexus program was initially designed with two goals in mind...as a primer for OEMs of what Google's expectations of the Android experience should be...and to put hardware in the hands of developers that would allow them to flash until their hearts are content to expand the capabilities of Android.

I think that started changing with the Nexus 4 (and you could even argue with the Galaxy Nexus since they offered it on a carrier). Google sees a niche market for those of us that love to tinker. I don't think they have any expectations of approaching the sales of Samsung or even HTC, but they realize the more "vanilla" phones they can get in the hands of the consumer, the better it is for Android's bottom line (and growth).

What draws me to the Nexus phones is the same thing that draws others...vanilla Android and timely software updates. But there's another thing. I know when I have a Nexus device, the probability of "bricking" it is almost nil. I can flash and flash, try everything under the sun, and if something goes wrong, I can easily return it to a useable state. The same can't be said of my S4 (and definitely not of my Moto X at this point). With my S4, I'm constantly worried about flashing anything because if I screw something up, I may end up having to restore it to post-MDL software, thus rendering it unable to be rooted...and where's the fun in that??? :D

People that are in-the-know know what they're getting into with a Nexus device, that there are usually trade offs. You're probably not going to get the best camera...the screen isn't "optimized" from the factory...and in the case of the Nexus 5 (most likely), the battery isn't going to be as huge as other "flagship" phones. But for those trade offs, you get the best of what the developer community has to offer. You get TONS of ROMs, tweaks, and forward looking ideas. THAT'S the draw of a Nexus.

Of course, as has been stated here before, Google has said they want to give Nexus users better cameras and even better battery life. To me, that's icing on the cake and I'm hopeful that's what this device will prove. I'm hoping they'll bring the best of what LG has. I don't think they have to worry about siphoning off sales of the G2, as the Nexus appeals to a different sort of user. The people that are walking into carrier stores and buying subsidized phones aren't the same people that are sitting on Google Play on launch day hitting F5 over and over and trying to place an order.

I'm extremely excited for this device. I think it's going to be a powerhouse, probably with a few trade offs, but not as many as years past. And I'll be one of those people hitting F5 over and over on launch day. :p

*edit* Let me also add that I fully expect Motorola to make next years Nexus phone. I would guess that Google thought about doing it this year, but didn't want to appear biased towards the other OEMs, so they chose to go with LG again (and I'm happy about that since I loved my Optimus G). It wouldn't surprise me at all if this is the last non-Motorola Nexus, really. Google sees with Apple's model of controlling the software and hardware can bring great things and I think that's the way they'll move. Who knows? But it wouldn't surprise me at all.
 

DeathTheKid

macrumors member
Aug 12, 2013
77
1
Supposed Nexus 5:
nexus-5-leak-zoom.png


Nexus 7 2nd Gen:
nexus-7-2.jpg


Looking a the leaked photos. It seems the 5 is pretty much a shrunken down version of the Nexus 7 2nd Gen. The camera is different. I wonder if the internals are going to be very much different? I would also say since the N7 2 got "retina" display, the 5 will also follow suite.
 

ChazUK

macrumors 603
Feb 3, 2008
5,393
25
Essex (UK)
I wonder if the internals are going to be very much different?

Rumour has it that it's Snapdragon 800 (we can pretty much say this is a confirmed spec given all the leaks) so it'll be better than the N7 tablet.

Google need to get those invites out soon, the wait is too much!
 

THE JUICEMAN

macrumors 68020
Oct 3, 2007
2,371
1,122
I agree with you on pretty much all of this. Google's in a weird position of competing (somewhat) with the same OEMs that have helped Android's explosion. I realize the Nexus program was initially designed with two goals in mind...as a primer for OEMs of what Google's expectations of the Android experience should be...and to put hardware in the hands of developers that would allow them to flash until their hearts are content to expand the capabilities of Android.

I think that started changing with the Nexus 4 (and you could even argue with the Galaxy Nexus since they offered it on a carrier). Google sees a niche market for those of us that love to tinker. I don't think they have any expectations of approaching the sales of Samsung or even HTC, but they realize the more "vanilla" phones they can get in the hands of the consumer, the better it is for Android's bottom line (and growth).

What draws me to the Nexus phones is the same thing that draws others...vanilla Android and timely software updates. But there's another thing. I know when I have a Nexus device, the probability of "bricking" it is almost nil. I can flash and flash, try everything under the sun, and if something goes wrong, I can easily return it to a useable state. The same can't be said of my S4 (and definitely not of my Moto X at this point). With my S4, I'm constantly worried about flashing anything because if I screw something up, I may end up having to restore it to post-MDL software, thus rendering it unable to be rooted...and where's the fun in that??? :D

People that are in-the-know know what they're getting into with a Nexus device, that there are usually trade offs. You're probably not going to get the best camera...the screen isn't "optimized" from the factory...and in the case of the Nexus 5 (most likely), the battery isn't going to be as huge as other "flagship" phones. But for those trade offs, you get the best of what the developer community has to offer. You get TONS of ROMs, tweaks, and forward looking ideas. THAT'S the draw of a Nexus.

Of course, as has been stated here before, Google has said they want to give Nexus users better cameras and even better battery life. To me, that's icing on the cake and I'm hopeful that's what this device will prove. I'm hoping they'll bring the best of what LG has. I don't think they have to worry about siphoning off sales of the G2, as the Nexus appeals to a different sort of user. The people that are walking into carrier stores and buying subsidized phones aren't the same people that are sitting on Google Play on launch day hitting F5 over and over and trying to place an order.

I'm extremely excited for this device. I think it's going to be a powerhouse, probably with a few trade offs, but not as many as years past. And I'll be one of those people hitting F5 over and over on launch day. :p

*edit* Let me also add that I fully expect Motorola to make next years Nexus phone. I would guess that Google thought about doing it this year, but didn't want to appear biased towards the other OEMs, so they chose to go with LG again (and I'm happy about that since I loved my Optimus G). It wouldn't surprise me at all if this is the last non-Motorola Nexus, really. Google sees with Apple's model of controlling the software and hardware can bring great things and I think that's the way they'll move. Who knows? But it wouldn't surprise me at all.

Very well said. I agree with all of this.
 

onthecouchagain

macrumors 604
Mar 29, 2011
7,382
2
I think I prefer if Google went with Sony next year than with Motorola. The Moto X just doesn't impress me anymore. But who knows what they'd have in store for next year.

Regarding this year's Nexus 5, I'm excited about it but I'm actually not going to pull the trigger right away. At least, I don't think I will. Heh.

Going to let the first few batches go out first since I don't trust LG thanks to my Nexus 4 microphone/call quality issues that I went through last year.
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,676
5,895
I think I prefer if Google went with Sony next year than with Motorola. The Moto X just doesn't impress me anymore. But who knows what they'd have in store for next year.

Regarding this year's Nexus 5, I'm excited about it but I'm actually not going to pull the trigger right away. At least, I don't think I will. Heh.

Going to let the first few batches go out first since I don't trust LG thanks to my Nexus 4 microphone/call quality issues that I went through last year.

you know that launch day excitement will get the best of you. I am not even really interested in the 5s, but the excitement has me drawn to it haha.
 
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