Phones Anyone here tried out a Galaxy Nexus

[ugahairydawgs]

With the new iPhone a few months away and all of the hubbub out there about Jelly Bean, I decided to take the plunge and try out Android and the Galaxy Nexus. It got here today and I have been acclimating myself to it for the past little bit.

Extra screen size is nice, but it makes the phone kind of awkward feeling to hold. Being used to the iPhone and easy one handed use this is the thing that is probably causing the most problems. It almost becomes second nature to take your iPhone out of your pocket and in the same motion hit the home button and slide to unlock so that by the time your phone hits eye level its unlocked and ready to go. With the GN being as big as it is and the fact that the power button is on the upper right side it causing me some issues in getting the phone unlocked quickly. Anyone else make the switch and run across this? Did it become easier? Also with the lock button pretty much on line with the volume rocker I change the volume on the phone about as often as I successfully lock it when trying to use the phone one handed.

Say what you want about the iPhones tiny screen, but that tiny screen seems to make the ease of use factor go up exponentially.

Outside of that I'm not really seeing how this OS is exponentially better than iOS like many have been making it out to be. Are there parts of it that I wish were accessible in iOS (i'm looking at you notification center pulldown , access from the lock screen), but so far there is no night and day difference that I see. I'm still trying to figure out a way to get rid of all of these extra unused home screens I have.

Any suggestions on what to try with this thing to try and differentiate between it and my 4S?

 

[nuckinfutz]

Extra screen size is nice, but it makes the phone kind of awkward feeling to hold. Being used to the iPhone and easy one handed use this is the thing that is probably causing the most problems. It almost becomes second nature to take your iPhone out of your pocket and in the same motion hit the home button and slide to unlock so that by the time your phone hits eye level its unlocked and ready to go. With the GN being as big as it is and the fact that the power button is on the upper right side it causing me some issues in getting the phone unlocked quickly. Anyone else make the switch and run across this? Did it become easier? Also with the lock button pretty much on line with the volume rocker I change the volume on the phone about as often as I successfully lock it when trying to use the phone one handed.

Say what you want about the iPhones tiny screen, but that tiny screen seems to make the ease of use factor go up exponentially.

Outside of that I'm not really seeing how this OS is exponentially better than iOS like many have been making it out to be. Are there parts of it that I wish were accessible in iOS (i'm looking at you notification center pulldown , access from the lock screen), but so far there is no night and day difference that I see. I'm still trying to figure out a way to get rid of all of these extra unused home screens I have.

Any suggestions on what to try with this thing to try and differentiate between it and my 4S?

I really don't want a phone much larger than 4.3". If the next iPhone is 4" i'm totally cool with that for the reason you mention. iPhone users have grown accustomed to being able to do movements like you've mentioned with one hand without even thinking.

As for the notification center from the lock screen. I look at it like this.

Say you're Tony Soprano. Your wife is watching you like a hawk but you're smart and you're phone is always locked when it's not being used. If your notifications are available from the lock screen Carmella would be able to see who or what's going on without your approval and the Big Boss can't have that.

So I understand Apple's point here.

 

[nfl46]

Please move this to the Android section of the forums. :-/

Thanks.

 

[batting1000]

Yeah, this is just gonna turn into another debate. I can see it now...

Move it before it starts...

 

[ugahairydawgs]

Yeah, this is just gonna turn into another debate. I can see it now...

Move it before it starts...

Nothing wrong with a little debate, provided folks can be grown up about it.

I look at it this way, as a pretty wide net Apple user (in my house there is a MBA, Mac Mini, iPad, 2x iPhones, 2x ATV2, and a ton of content purchased through App Store/iBooks/iTunes Store) I think it is important to know why you stick with the platform you use for reasons other than just inertia. If there is something another company (in this instance Google) is doing that is worth looking at I don't think there is any harm in doing so and discussing it.

That's all this is. Sure some people have a hard time being grounded in stuff like this, taking up for their particular brand preference like you were talking about their mama, but hopefully we can do our best to ignore those guys.

 

[Vizin]

.

 

[cynics]

You're not used to to handling the device and knowing everything its capable of in an entire portion of one day? I'd send it back!

 

[nuckinfutz]

Please move this to the Android section of the forums. :-/

Thanks.

You mean the trash can? LOL

 

[The iGentleman]

Samsung Nexus is obsolete technology

HD screen - check
NFC - check
Dual Core Processor - check
Newest Version of Android - check

If that's obsolete, then I'm sure you find the 4S to be quite antiquated then right?

 

[batting1000]

HD screen - check
NFC - check
Dual Core Processor - check
Newest Version of Android - check

If that's obsolete, then I'm sure you find the 4S to be quite antiquated then right?

iPhone 4S:

HD screen - check
NFC - no
Dual Core Processor - check
Newest Version of iOS - check

 

[depths]

IPhone 4s and Galaxy Nexus both released around the same time, same score on theverge, both flagship phones but Google's is obsolete because this is an Apple forum.

**** objectivity right?

 

[The iGentleman]

iPhone 4S:

HD screen - check
NFC - no
Dual Core Processor - check
Newest Version of iOS - check

...The 4S does not have an HD display buddy... 960x640 ≠ High Definition
For reference, 720p is 720x1280.

Anyway, to my point, I'm saying if he thinks the GNex is obsolete tech, then he must certainly think so about the 4S too (though he's wrong).

 

[Stuntman06]

After using a 3.7" screen for over a year and a half. Anything bigger than 4" feels huge to me. Even the 4.3" screens feel huge. I'm just used to the screen size of the phone I've used for such a long time. If I had to get a new phone with a larger screen, I'm sure I can get used to it after a while.

Please move this to the Android section of the forums. :-/

Thanks.

There's an Android section? I can't seem to find it.

 

[xnickitynickx]

There's an Android section? I can't seem to find it.

Exactly.

 

[sentinelsx]

Am using one now. I still have my iPhone 4 though as backup.

It is a good device. To be honest coming from the iPhone and trying many android phones including the one x, i cannot settle on anything but the nexus. It is the "iPhone of the android world" IMO in terms of pure software. Works great out of the box. Not rooted or no ROM loaded on it because frankly there is no need.

But would i recommend it to you? Well if you like android, sure go for it. I can't debate iOS vs. android because to me they do basic things the same way but follow different philosophy and it depends on what you like so try it out and decide. I don't use the nexus because the iPhone is bad, i just like stock android more and that is me. iPhone and iOS are great devices and OS for people who are interested in them. One great advantage is if you use a mac, the integration is very good. Perhaps the only good option if you want every thing from one company until MS gets the W8 project going later this year.

Oh, and i vote for a separate comparison section too for forums!

 

[thadoggfather]

I have the GNex as well (GSM Unlocked)

I've had every iPhone gen before then (yes, all 5) and modded them all since pretty much day 1. I can't live with stock iOS for long without getting bored and longing for extra customization that just makes my life easier.

When the price dropped to $349, and Google announced Jelly Bean at I/O, being fluid and all, and the developer preview leaking, I had to give it a whirl.

I kept my 4S by my side.

After a few days, of playing with my GNex, and loading Jelly Bean the day after getting my phone (after deliberating whether or not to even open the package since Google charges 15% restocking, and thinking that I wouldn't like android at all being an iPhone long time user)... I sold my 4S (after unlocking through AT&T, I made enough to cover the unlocked Nexus and almost all of the next iPhone's subsidized price haha). I will miss the camera on that, but the GNex camera isn't bad at all outdoors, but it in inadequate lighting and indoors it leaves something to be desired.

I like the phone quite a bit. Especially with my grippy tpu case, it makes its size more manageable (and swype keyboard as well, love this)

I then was looking around for a 4S, feeling that i was missing out again, because every one in my family uses an iPhone, and I have for years, but I realized that there's almost nothing that really brings me back to 4S. Sure iPhone does some things better, but I dunno. This is a fun change. They both have their pros and cons, as with anything. Just depends which pros you value more or which cons you can't live with. Yadda yadda Plus, a new iPhone will be out soon and I am eligible for an upgrade (got 4S through craigslist via 4+cash trade back in January, and nexus from Google direct)

I say give it a whirl if you're curious enough. Nothing wrong with trying a new platform, to appreciate the one you're on more, or to get acquainted with something else.

I love my iPad3 though. iOS feels more right on a tablet to me.

Also, One X and GSIII look great. Especially with both getting jelly bean ports and a decent amount of mods tossed their way due to popularity. But I didn't feel like touching my contract just yet (if at all) nor getting a second hand Android for fear that I wouldn't be able to easily resell it or knowing what to look for when getting it (i know iPhones -- liquid damage and serial numbers and 3rd party modifications physically). And I have an issue with capacitive buttons. Zephyr is perfect and on screen buttons on my GNex.

And GSIII is superior hardware, but Gnex curve feels better to me, and its black sheet appearance without "Samsung" or "HTC/at&t" above its screen. And because GNex is Google's baby, and due to the humongous mod community, I don't see this phone becoming a slow, dated beast any time soon despite not having the same bleeding edge according to android h/w specs as the previous two. it's certainly in the same league.

 

[Calidude]

I have one. Not as powerful as the GSIII, but it feels better in my hand and has overall better build quality.

I'll wait for the Nexus coming later this Fall, and probably buy that when it also drops to $400 in 2013.

The Nexus is the iPhone of the Android world. I'm gonna be using them exclusively now.

 

[Meanee]

As for the notification center from the lock screen. I look at it like this.

Say you're Tony Soprano. Your wife is watching you like a hawk but you're smart and you're phone is always locked when it's not being used. If your notifications are available from the lock screen Carmella would be able to see who or what's going on without your approval and the Big Boss can't have that.

So I understand Apple's point here.

Add a lock to your phone and you won't be able to pull notification curtain down if phone is locked.

 

[daechi]

Wow. People are getting ridiculously impatient and lazy.

 

[blakjak220]

With the new iPhone a few months away and all of the hubbub out there about Jelly Bean, I decided to take the plunge and try out Android and the Galaxy Nexus. It got here today and I have been acclimating myself to it for the past little bit.

Extra screen size is nice, but it makes the phone kind of awkward feeling to hold. Being used to the iPhone and easy one handed use this is the thing that is probably causing the most problems. It almost becomes second nature to take your iPhone out of your pocket and in the same motion hit the home button and slide to unlock so that by the time your phone hits eye level its unlocked and ready to go. With the GN being as big as it is and the fact that the power button is on the upper right side it causing me some issues in getting the phone unlocked quickly. Anyone else make the switch and run across this? Did it become easier? Also with the lock button pretty much on line with the volume rocker I change the volume on the phone about as often as I successfully lock it when trying to use the phone one handed.

Say what you want about the iPhones tiny screen, but that tiny screen seems to make the ease of use factor go up exponentially.

Outside of that I'm not really seeing how this OS is exponentially better than iOS like many have been making it out to be. Are there parts of it that I wish were accessible in iOS (i'm looking at you notification center pulldown , access from the lock screen), but so far there is no night and day difference that I see. I'm still trying to figure out a way to get rid of all of these extra unused home screens I have.

Any suggestions on what to try with this thing to try and differentiate between it and my 4S?

You're not gonna see the benefits of Android in one afternoon of playing with the phone....
The fact that you say you're still trying to figure out how to get rid of extra homescreens means that you really just haven't had time to figure things out and see what it can do. BTW, if you haven't figured out, just pinch the screen and when the screen preview comes up long-press on one and drag it to the trash can.. easy as pie. At least keep it for a couple weeks and see what you think then.

 

[depths]

BTW, if you haven't figured out, just pinch the screen and when the screen preview comes up long-press on one and drag it to the trash can.. easy as pie. At least keep it for a couple weeks and see what you think then.

That's a feature in custom launchers, not stock.

 

[Seiga]

iphone 4s and galaxy nexus both released around the same time, same score on theverge, both flagship phones but google's is obsolete because this is an apple forum.

**** objectivity right?

qft.

 

[kdarling]

With the GN being as big as it is and the fact that the power button is on the upper right side it causing me some issues in getting the phone unlocked quickly. Anyone else make the switch and run across this?

The first thing I install on an Android phone is an app called "No Lock" to get rid of the slide-to-unlock.

Instead, any key (power, volume) turns it on, ready to go. You'd think that'd cause a problem, but I've never had one. Try it.

 

[w00t951]

With the new iPhone a few months away and all of the hubbub out there about Jelly Bean, I decided to take the plunge and try out Android and the Galaxy Nexus. It got here today and I have been acclimating myself to it for the past little bit.

Extra screen size is nice, but it makes the phone kind of awkward feeling to hold. Being used to the iPhone and easy one handed use this is the thing that is probably causing the most problems. It almost becomes second nature to take your iPhone out of your pocket and in the same motion hit the home button and slide to unlock so that by the time your phone hits eye level its unlocked and ready to go. With the GN being as big as it is and the fact that the power button is on the upper right side it causing me some issues in getting the phone unlocked quickly. Anyone else make the switch and run across this? Did it become easier? Also with the lock button pretty much on line with the volume rocker I change the volume on the phone about as often as I successfully lock it when trying to use the phone one handed.

Say what you want about the iPhones tiny screen, but that tiny screen seems to make the ease of use factor go up exponentially.

Outside of that I'm not really seeing how this OS is exponentially better than iOS like many have been making it out to be. Are there parts of it that I wish were accessible in iOS (i'm looking at you notification center pulldown , access from the lock screen), but so far there is no night and day difference that I see. I'm still trying to figure out a way to get rid of all of these extra unused home screens I have.

Any suggestions on what to try with this thing to try and differentiate between it and my 4S?

Sorry about quoting this entire chunk of text, but MR Mobile is terrible at editing text. Anyway, ICS and + have a "none" option in the security lock section. The power button turns the screen on and you're ready to go.

 

[depths]

There's also PGM Nexus which allows you to wake the phone with a swipe or double tap on the screen.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/...=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_term=pgm+nexus