Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4S

[onthecouchagain]

Honestly, the best use of widgets on an Android are the small simple things that go a long way. For example: Toggles. Being able to toggle on/off the lock screen (for use when outdoors and at home), or toggling loud/vibrate/silent settings on the fly is very handy. Ditto for things like GPS, WiFi, networks, etc.

 

[BaldiMac]

But the info is only what Apple wants to provides and only on the notification screen.

Any app can push notifications to the notification center.

Android opens up the entire screen to any application for widgets of any size or shape.

Yep.

 

[mysterioustko]

But the info is only what Apple wants to provides and only on the notification screen. Android opens up the entire screen to any application for widgets of any size or shape.

Exactly!

I understand your point. I understand that widgets are different than notifications. I'm saying the same information that you posted in your screenshot is available within one swipe of the iOS homescreen.

And with notifications, you can get all the latest headlines from your favorite source, and they are scrollable. Same information. Different ways to access it.

The weather widget in the iOS notification center shows the same information as your weather widget. One click gets you the latest forecast. Push notifications get you the severe weather alerts.

The difference is the same information readily available when I want it versus having to go seek out that information (in an app) and then wait for everything to download. Like I said, everything is readily available already there on my device as soon as I turn it on. No need to open different apps for different things, no need to download anything, it's all already there. The solution you just named is clumsy and cumbersome. For what you just stated, I'd be going to different places throughout the phone to get the same information that I get a at a glance on one screen. Bear in mind, if I'd like to I can add other things also. So I can have whatever information or controls are important to me right there readily available versus having to go into different apps and menus just to achieve the same thing I can at a quick glance. So no that isn't the same. Bear in mind I didn't even mention my other pages that have things like power controls to toggle different features, control pandora, control my music that streams from the cloud, emails, and google voice controls. All this information and controls are all conveniently placed in quickly accessible places on my home screens. In the time it takes you to open an app and do just one of those things, I'm done addressing everything that I want to. That's the difference that customization makes.

There are numerous weather apps that have the temperature as an icon for you to see. Just because Android does things differently, doesn't mean the iPhone has no functionality.

Are you Android fanboys so insecure as to your OS of choice that have you have to do this day in and day out? Nobody gives a ****. If people, like me, who have used Android and the rest and hate them, don't let that keep you up at night.

The temperature as an icon is nowhere near the same thing.... Also why does a person have to be a "fanboy" because they do see things the same way you do? The topic of customization was brought up, some people tried to minimalize it, and I'm simply making the point that it is indeed useful and adds to the user experience. If you can't seem to understand that I can make a point without being a fanboy then I don't know what to tell you. I've owned lots of high end gsm phones INCLUDING the iPhone, and the bottom line is I find the iPhone to be an inferior device TO ME due to it's shortcomings. I buy and sell iphones all the time on the side but I don't find it to be adequate enough to be my daily driver (for a number of reasons). Everyone that doesn't agree with you isn't a fanboy. Don't like that my perspective isn't the same as yours? Get over it. We still have iPhones in the family so I will continue to use this site and I will continue to offer my perspective where appropriate.

 

[shikari89]

I went down the the Verizon corporate store this morning to play with the Nexus. I have wanted this phone since it was announced, but all the delays made me lose interest. The phone itself is pretty awesome. Its very fast and a lot smoother than other android phones I've used. ICS is very nice looking as well. Everything from the browser to multitasking was great. The 720p screen was flawless. Ok now I'm done praising.

One of the first things I noticed when picking it up was the battery door popping off. Sure it was tied down with an alarm, but there was not much force on the back of the phone. It just felt cheap.

I unplugged it the moment I started playing with it to get an idea of how the battery would hold up. In a little more than 30 minutes, it dropped from 100 to 83%. I don't even want to know how fast the battery would drain on 4g.

There are a lot of things I like about android like free navigation, and larger screens. It is not enough to steer me away from iOS. I did order a 64GB white iPhone 4S while I was at the verizon store. Totally worth the trip.

 

[BaldiMac]

Exactly!

Even if it's not true.

The difference is the same information readily available when I want it versus having to go seek out that information (in an app) and then wait for everything to download. Like I said, everything is readily available already there on my device as soon as I turn it on. No need to open different apps for different things, no need to download anything, it's all already there. The solution you just named is clumsy and cumbersome. For what you just stated, I'd be going to different places throughout the phone to get the same information that I get a at a glance on one screen. Bear in mind, if I'd like to I can add other things also. So I can have whatever information or controls are important to me right there readily available versus having to go into different apps and menus just to achieve the same thing I can at a quick glance. So no that isn't the same. Bear in mind I didn't even mention my other pages that have things like power controls to toggle different features, control pandora, control my music that streams from the cloud, emails, and google voice controls. All this information and controls are all conveniently placed in quickly accessible places on my home screens. In the time it takes you to open an app and do just one of those things, I'm done addressing everything that I want to. That's the difference that customization makes.

You are just using more words to say the exact same thing. I'm aware of the functionality of widgets on Android. I understand that they do things that can't be done on iOS. This isn't difficult to grasp.

All that I am saying is that the same information that you posted in your screenshot can be available within one swipe of the iOS homescreen. Why is that hard to accept?

As an aside, you are continually misstating the capabilities of iOS.

 

[PlatinuM195]

I've been considering a Galaxy Nexus however since my bad experience with the GS2 I've been wondering if this particular feature has been implemented.

In iOS I can control the type of notification for every app at a single source, in the iOS settings. I couldn't seem to find how to do this on the GS2.

For example, for SMS messages sometimes I might want them as a banner and sometimes I might want them as a popup. Sometimes I might want them on the lockscreen, sometimes I might not.

This doesn't only apply to the SMS app though since in the settings I can control this for every app. Does the Android notification system offer this level of control?

 

[Shockwave78]

Got my nexus this morning and there was about 20 people in line when I got there!

Anyway...I can say after waiting for this phone for at least 3 months now that it does live up to the hype. Every android phone I have tried is laggy or just cumbersome to use. The nexus is upping the game 100% IMO.

I am a iPhone user since they originally came out and I can say ICS is 98% as smooth as ios is. There are little things here and their that are different from what we are used to doing on the 2%.

LTE IS FRIGGIN FAST!!! usually you here all these advertised speeds and you get maybe a 1/4 of that.

I have pulling in 20mb down and 10mb up all day across multiple towns spanning 20 miles or so.

If you have any direct Quesitons pm as I probably won't be here much anymore except for the iPad

 

[tegedrex]

Got my Nexus as well this morning. So far the learning curve is not nearly as bad as others have made it out to be. ICS seems really cool and very intuitive. The hardware is great to look at and responds as fast if not faster than the 4s I have been using.

 

[djstile]

It's also alsot smoother, no lag where there is alot of with the galaxy. Quicker opening apps and Internet speed it's pretty even.

Well the Galaxy Nexus is an LTE phone so assuming you have LTE where you live, it is literally 10-15MPS faster than an iP4 (or 4S).

 

[sk1wbw]

Exactly!


The difference is the same information readily available when I want it versus having to go seek out that information (in an app) and then wait for everything to download. Like I said, everything is readily available already there on my device as soon as I turn it on. No need to open different apps for different things, no need to download anything, it's all already there. The solution you just named is clumsy and cumbersome. For what you just stated, I'd be going to different places throughout the phone to get the same information that I get a at a glance on one screen. Bear in mind, if I'd like to I can add other things also. So I can have whatever information or controls are important to me right there readily available versus having to go into different apps and menus just to achieve the same thing I can at a quick glance. So no that isn't the same. Bear in mind I didn't even mention my other pages that have things like power controls to toggle different features, control pandora, control my music that streams from the cloud, emails, and google voice controls. All this information and controls are all conveniently placed in quickly accessible places on my home screens. In the time it takes you to open an app and do just one of those things, I'm done addressing everything that I want to. That's the difference that customization makes.


The temperature as an icon is nowhere near the same thing.... Also why does a person have to be a "fanboy" because they do see things the same way you do? The topic of customization was brought up, some people tried to minimalize it, and I'm simply making the point that it is indeed useful and adds to the user experience. If you can't seem to understand that I can make a point without being a fanboy then I don't know what to tell you. I've owned lots of high end gsm phones INCLUDING the iPhone, and the bottom line is I find the iPhone to be an inferior device TO ME due to it's shortcomings. I buy and sell iphones all the time on the side but I don't find it to be adequate enough to be my daily driver (for a number of reasons). Everyone that doesn't agree with you isn't a fanboy. Don't like that my perspective isn't the same as yours? Get over it. We still have iPhones in the family so I will continue to use this site and I will continue to offer my perspective where appropriate.

Sorry dude, you need to get past the "customization is better" mentality. Would you say one of those Souls or a Honda Civic is a better BETTER car than a Cadillac or an Aston Martin because there are more customization parts to them? Customizing something doesn't make it better. Just different.

 

[mysterioustko]

Sorry dude, you need to get past the "customization is better" mentality. Would you say one of those Souls or a Honda Civic is a better BETTER car than a Cadillac or an Aston Martin because there are more customization parts to them? Customizing something doesn't make it better. Just different.

You analogy isn't applicable to this scenario. I don't know why this is so hard for you to understand. But since you like car analogies how about this, a stock standard cd player being replaced with a dual din touch screen stereo with a2dp and gps nav would be a customization that makes what you have better.... Get it now? Being able to customize something can give you the ability to enhance your user experience (GNex) more so than what you would experience had you not been able to (iphone). I'd much rather be able to add additional functionality and usefulness than being stagnated with having to deal with only what something can do out of the box.

You are just using more words to say the exact same thing. I'm aware of the functionality of widgets on Android. I understand that they do things that can't be done on iOS. This isn't difficult to grasp.

All that I am saying is that the same information that you posted in your screenshot can be available within one swipe of the iOS homescreen. Why is that hard to accept?

As an aside, you are continually misstating the capabilities of iOS.

No, I am not mis-stating anything. You cannot get two different news feeds that are already downloaded and ready AND have a full forecast all with one swipe. You and I both know that is not the case. Those things aren't even in the same place.... On the other hand, I don't have to swipe anything to get to it. I don't have to open a single app. I never have to leave my 1st screen. By the time you pull up the news and wait for it to download what's going on, I'm already done going over what's there AND have looked at the forecast and have went on about my business. That's the difference, I don't see why you can't understand that. You are overstating what iOS can do..for whatever reason. Matter of fact since you say you can do all that in one swipe, show me.

 

[Dmunjal]

Interestingly, you need an app called iPhone Notifications to do it

 

[sentinelsx]

No, I am not mis-stating anything. You cannot get two different news feeds that are already downloaded and ready AND have a full forecast all with one swipe. You and I both know that is not the case. Those things aren't even in the same place.... On the other hand, I don't have to swipe anything to get to it. I don't have to open a single app. I never have to leave my 1st screen. By the time you pull up the news and wait for it to download what's going on, I'm already done going over what's there AND have looked at the forecast and have went on about my business. That's the difference, I don't see why you can't understand that. You are overstating what iOS can do..for whatever reason. Matter of fact since you say you can do all that in one swipe, show me.

Actually on my jail broken iPhone 4 using lock info i have my weather, RSS feeds and other info ready to be seen as soon as i swipe down. So saying "iOS is incapable of storing information ahead of time and not able to show it all in one swipe" is incorrect. Saying "Apple likes to control this and has not allowed news and RSS in the notification centre yet" is correct.

And yeah i have used those news widgets too. Especially pulse. But they drained battery and since i have a habit of opening the app to read the full news story anyway, i turned them all off.

 

[nraudigy2]

What pulled me away from android is the amount of bugs and app force closes.
My G2X and Galaxy S2 aren't laggy, just occasional one or two second freeze. I can live with that. Quality apps on Android leave little to be desired compare to iOS. The Sleep Cycle app I use on 4S works every single time but the Gentle Alarm on Android, sometimes it won't go off and I have used it on all of my android phones (MyTouch 3G, Galaxy S, Tmo G2X, Galaxy S2)

http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/list

 

[mysterioustko]

Actually on my jail broken iPhone 4 using lock info i have my weather, RSS feeds and other info ready to be seen as soon as i swipe down. So saying "iOS is incapable of storing information ahead of time and not able to show it all in one swipe" is incorrect. Saying "Apple likes to control this and has not allowed news and RSS in the notification centre yet" is correct.

And yeah i have used those news widgets too. Especially pulse. But they drained battery and since i have a habit of opening the app to read the full news story anyway, i turned them all off.

No this was about customization. Their argument was that it wasn't needed and that it doesn't add anything and that he can already do all of those things (according to him). I'm aware that you can certain features via jailbreaking (though I've never been a fan of having to jailbreak just to get basic features..but to each their own). I do however appreciate the input you just gave because what you said has very solid merit. You customized your phone to add functionality. I don't necessarily care for the way that you have to go about it to achieve it, but the bottom line is you were able to customize your device to improve your experience. That is what I am trying to get those other two guys to understand. They are minimalizing the benefit of customizing your device for whatever reason (agenda maybe?). Obviously, you understand the benefit of doing so, hence why you do it.

 

[BaldiMac]

No, I am not mis-stating anything.

Sure you are.

These statements are all incorrect:

For what you just stated, I'd be going to different places throughout the phone to get the same information that I get a at a glance on one screen.

Here is the information from your screenshot:
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/14006315/

Latest Headlines
Current Weather
High and Low Temp
Time

All are available from the notification center.

No. The lock screen does not have a news ticker that updates with current news.

Sure it does. If you set up push notifications for the latest news from your favorite source, they appear on your lock screen.

Nor does it give severe weather alerts,

Again, you already contradicted yourself on this point.

and none of that is one swipe away.

Yes, the notification center is one swipe away from the home screen.

For one, when I do open an app to read current news I have to wait for it all to download as opposed to it already being ready for me as soon as my phone is turned on. There is no functionality like that available due to the fundamentals of iOS.

As I pointed out, this functionality is available through Newsstand.

You cannot get two different news feeds that are already downloaded and ready AND have a full forecast all with one swipe. You and I both know that is not the case.

Sure, but I never said you could.

Those things aren't even in the same place.... On the other hand, I don't have to swipe anything to get to it. I don't have to open a single app. I never have to leave my 1st screen. By the time you pull up the news and wait for it to download what's going on, I'm already done going over what's there AND have looked at the forecast and have went on about my business. That's the difference, I don't see why you can't understand that. You are overstating what iOS can do..for whatever reason. Matter of fact since you say you can do all that in one swipe, show me.

You are just not reading what I posted. I made a comment specifically about the information in your screenshot. Nothing about the functionality of the widgets. I've already acknowledged multiple times that widgets have more functionality than notifications.

 

[iphone4s64gb]

iphone is the best phone in the world now , 6 billion people on the earth total , now over 2 billion got iphone , so , we already know why iphone number one .......

 

[mysterioustko]

1. Sure it does. If you set up push notifications for the latest news from your favorite source, they appear on your lock screen.


2. Yes, the notification center is one swipe away from the home screen.



3. As I pointed out, this functionality is available through Newsstand.



4. Sure, but I never said you could.



5. You are just not reading what I posted. I made a comment specifically about the information in your screenshot. Nothing about the functionality of the widgets. I've already acknowledged multiple times that widgets have more functionality than notifications.

1. A push notification is not even remotely close to the same to the same functionality as having a news ticker. That's just a rigged up attempt and trying to match function. This doesn't even come close to accomplishing that. If a notification comes through while you're using the phone then what? What if you choose to use the phone but not read the news right then? Then what? See, what you suggested is not even close to being the same thing. The same is true with severe weather alerts.

2. Again as I stated, your solution involves going to different things to seek out the same information. You've already suggested two different things (one of which extremely poor and clumsy).

3. Now we add a 3rd thing into the equation. Which again, I'd still have to wait for my content to download. Now while you're going through checking lock screen alerts (assuming the alert is still there), and then checking notification centers and then going into newstand and then waiting for the content, I'd have long already been finished doing what I wanted to do.

4. Yes you did. You said "I understand that widgets are different than notifications. I'm saying the same information that you posted in your screenshot is available within one swipe of the iOS homescreen."

5. No, I read exactly what you stated and responded accordingly. My whole point is that being able to customize my device adds a level of usefulness and functionality that I cannot get on iOS. You countered by coming with this patchwork method of getting the information, which is nowhere near being the same thing. Sure you can get the same information, but you have to go out of your way to make some very deliberate actions to seek out the information, whereas all I have to do is turn on my device and it's all there in one place waiting for me. Push notifications with lockscreen notifications doesn't begin to mimic this functionality. For one if the alerts you're referring to come in while you're using the device you will not get a lockscreen notification nor while you get a static reminder that you have something you need to address, so if you forget about it then oh well (kind of defeats the purpose). Furthermore, I don't need to be alerted for every single news story every time a headline comes across. That makes no sense. It makes much more sense for me to be able to skim over what's in that feed and see what information is relevant to me. That only takes me a few seconds to do. No reason for me to get getting alerts all day long. BTW, that widget is not just high and low temp, but also a full forecast is tapped (but notice I didn't bring that part up either.) All in all, I think it's pretty clear that the functionality that I demonstrated cannot be mimicked using your method. The only way for you to do that would be via jailbreak. But then that goes back to what I was saying about customization adding to the user experience of a device.

 

[aeaglex07]

TBH the only thing holding me back from any Android phone is the quality of available apps. Sure, Apple's app store is full of stupid worthless apps but its much worse on Android.

Im hoping ICS may change things but we shall see.

 

[nizmoz]

I went down the the Verizon corporate store this morning to play with the Nexus. I have wanted this phone since it was announced, but all the delays made me lose interest. The phone itself is pretty awesome. Its very fast and a lot smoother than other android phones I've used. ICS is very nice looking as well. Everything from the browser to multitasking was great. The 720p screen was flawless. Ok now I'm done praising.

One of the first things I noticed when picking it up was the battery door popping off. Sure it was tied down with an alarm, but there was not much force on the back of the phone. It just felt cheap.

I unplugged it the moment I started playing with it to get an idea of how the battery would hold up. In a little more than 30 minutes, it dropped from 100 to 83%. I don't even want to know how fast the battery would drain on 4g.

There are a lot of things I like about android like free navigation, and larger screens. It is not enough to steer me away from iOS. I did order a 64GB white iPhone 4S while I was at the verizon store. Totally worth the trip.

I watched some review on the Nexus and they guy said it only took one drop for his rear door to never be the same and it would no longer snap back down. Like the phone was warped.

I personally think the Skyrocket is a better phone over this one. Has a better camera too. 5mp camera? Come on Samsung.

 

[jeffrey23]

Ok so I have been trolling this form for a few weeks now because I recently got rid of my android (HTC Desire) and went with the 4s this time around and I joined so I could just comment on the customization argument that's going on.

Can we not just say that both phones do the same things but in different ways????? I mean this is getting a bit ridiculous lol. I had an android and I know that yes widgets themselves are good but if you load up a lot of widgets, constantly updating, your battery will get crushed, that's what I found at least. In order to fix that I would decrease the update frequency to like 1 hr or longer and at which point I realized that if I only update very hour or longer then what's the point of the widget, I might as well just click on the app at this point. By the end I determined that calendar widgets and todo type widgets are nice cause you can see what's going on without opening an app but the rest where pointless and just ate up battery.

More importantly, everyone likes different things and people like to do things differently so it really depends on how you use your phone, it's a personal preference. Both phones do the same things but in different ways. Enjoy your toys!!!

 

[b24pgg]

Both phones do the same things but in different ways.

This is a nice sentiment but unfortunately not true.

Can the iPhone 4S do free wireless tethering? Can the iPhone 4S download at 4G speeds? Can the iPhone 4S give me free Google Navigation? Can the iPhone 4S install non-App Store apps? Does the iPhone 4S have an LED notification light?

 

[jeffrey23]

This is a nice sentiment but unfortunately not true.

Can the iPhone 4S do free wireless tethering? Can the iPhone 4S download at 4G speeds? Can the iPhone 4S give me free Google Navigation? Can the iPhone 4S install non-App Store apps? Does the iPhone 4S have an LED notification light?

Ok, I'll bite.

Yes I can tether and I don't pay extra, I was using it one day ago. Free google nav no, free mapquest nav yes (same thing, I've used both). Installing non app store apps is a choice and if you want that you can jailbreak but not everyone wants to install non app store apps, just like android there is a choice but apple makes it more difficult doesn't mean it can't be done. Actually it does but it sucks it's on the back cause it uses the camera flash but not all androids have led notifications. Samsung doesn't and the nexus just got one (previous models did not). As for 4G if you mean real 4G ie LTE there aren't a lot of phones that can do that and since it's new the battery life is terrible. If you think the nexus is 4G you got anther thing coming its max is HSDPA 21 Mbps while the 4s is 14 Mbps, in real life you won't notice I bet (except for Verizon, I think that's LTE but the more popular version will be the gsm model around the world)

Same things just different ways. The way you think is better to do things will ultimately make that phone better for you and you will say it is better but they do the same stuff in different ways.

 

[mattraehl]

This is a nice sentiment but unfortunately not true.

Can the iPhone 4S do free wireless tethering? Can the iPhone 4S download at 4G speeds? Can the iPhone 4S give me free Google Navigation? Can the iPhone 4S install non-App Store apps? Does the iPhone 4S have an LED notification light?

Those almost all fall under "how" the phone does things, not "what" it does.

Speed, price, and where apps come from are not actual functionality. You're right about LED notifications though.

iOS and Android place different value on different "hows".

 

[Stealthipad]

iphone is the best phone in the world now , 6 billion people on the earth total , now over 2 billion got iphone , so , we already know why iphone number one .......

This is a nice sentiment but unfortunately not true.

Can the iPhone 4S do free wireless tethering? Can the iPhone 4S download at 4G speeds? Can the iPhone 4S give me free Google Navigation? Can the iPhone 4S install non-App Store apps? Does the iPhone 4S have an LED notification light?

I agree with you but with people like in the top post you can see that have had way too much arsenic laden apple juice!