Nexus S/ thoughts

[Savor]

2.1% failure rate is the only thing I paid attention for in that graph. I've had my iPhone 4 since launch, and honestly can say I rarely have issues with it. I may have the occasional crashes, but it is rare. Far less rebooting than the 2G. What is the use of a "pretty" phone if it doesn't always work for you when you need it? Just becomes a paperweight. The accident rate doesn't bother me much because I have a case for better ergonomics and don't mind it. I've kept other phones mint before and their built quality felt cheap and were far more prone to scratching and damaging.

The more I think about the Nexus S, the more it doesn't bring anything really new to the table. I'm also far more turned off at Sammy than HTC. What makes it anymore revolutionary than the Nexus One or the other Galaxy S phones already available in multiple carriers today? It carries the Nexus brand and that's it. Nexus One will get Gingerbread soon too. I like that they will use Best Buy as another outlet to sell it over just online only, but it still won't sell that well when it is "unlocked" because people prefer to buy phones subsidized. When it is subsidized price, it already is competing with the other Galaxy S phones that are probably cheaper by then since it has been out since last summer. If this phone was released for $299 UNLOCKED to compete with the PMP market like the iPod touch, then I would be interested. There are already Android phones with Froyo that are being sold by Huawei for under $150. Look at the Nintendo Wii. It wasn't even the most technically advanced system in the market and barely more advance than an Xbox 1, but it sold the best in this gen not because of the novelty of motion controls or epic games, but because it was the cheapest out of all the consoles. Price is important, but knowing a $299 unlocked phone can cannibalize Sammy's own phones, I just don't see that happening either.

I still prefer the Nexus One more in both impact to Android's revolution and design. The original trailblazer to all the Android superphones of this year. The first-born of Google. And Nexus One sounds better to say than Nexus S ("Nexuses"). Nexus S is just another Galaxy S phone that we've seen for months now. If you like the Galaxy S, then this could be the best version of it because it will be software supported from Google at a faster rate than any other Galaxy S phone.

The Android phones I look forward to most is the Sharp Galapagos and PlayStation phone. The former can compete directly at 3DS with their 3D screens that they manufactured for Nintendo, and the PlayStation phone can finally bring true hardcore gaming to our phones that the Nokia N-Gage failed to do. Both can leave a lasting impact to the industry. Even the rumored Motorola Olympus which carries the Tegra 2 chip has got me more excited because I know how power efficient Nvidia's chipset can be over Snapdragons. The Nexus S feels more like a rehash of things we already seen before.

I don't even own a Nexus One, but I still have a wallpaper and watch videos of it.

Nexus One wallpaper
http://kszym.pl/img/tapety/google-phone-nexus-one.jpg

Nexus One: The Story - Episode 1: Concept & Design
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2WtBwAL0SE

 

[Savor]

Looks like they are interested in making it dual-core which is the natural progression on where multiple high-end smartphones will be by next year.

Rumor: Original Nexus S scrapped in favor of a dual-core model

Yesterday we were bombarded with Nexus S leaks, concluded with an image of the real deal in the wild and as well as some specs for the device. Today the folks at Android and Me have brought us a new rumor, saying that the original Nexus S was canned by someone "high up" in Samsung in favor of a new model that sports a dual-core processor rather than a single core like the first model. The story reportedly goes like this: the Nexus S was supposed to be unveiled on November 8th and launched on November 11th. After learning that testers were less than happy with the device's performance, though, someone at Samsung yanked the single-core model, which was said to basically be an overclocked Galaxy S. Now a new, dual-core Nexus S is in testing, but it's been delayed because Android 2.3 isn't optimized for dual-core hardware. Now Google, which supposedly finished work on Gingerbread a while ago, is back to optimize 2.3 for dual-core hardware. Despite all of these delays, Google wants to push 2.3 out this year, and Android and Me believes that the Nexus S will still see the light of day this year with a dual-core chip and support for T-Mobile.

This whole Nexus S story is just as much suspense, mystery, and drama as a Hollywood blockbuster, and it's pretty exciting to see how it all will play out. I have a feeling that Google is pretty eager to get Gingerbread out this year, too, especially since they want to push Honeycomb out next year and focus on Android tablets. All of the information about Samsung wanting a dual-core processor in the Nexus S seems like it's legit, too. After all, we expect to start seeing dual-core phones early next year, and neither Samsung nor Google would want a flagship phone like the Nexus S to become that outdated that quickly. Still, we all need to remember that all of this info should be firmly placed in the "Rumor" category for now, so be sure that your salt shaker is nearby. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of the Nexus S saga unfold soon, so stay tuned.

 

[Vegastouch]

All Nexus S is , is a Galaxy S that is running stock Android UI with a bit faster processor(1.2) and will get the updates faster than anyone else.

It will eventually be released to all 4 carriers as well since the Nexus 1 didnt let you buy any other way except from the Google website which wasnt very smart.

 

[Tarzanman]

It's terrible, a new and better phone every week.

Yes, it is horrible. I have nightmares about *not* being forced to wait 12 months to upgrade my hardware. Then, having to choose among 3, 4 or even 5 devices induces severe panic attacks.

Android is so stressful. Its a wonder I'm not going bald with ulcers from using it.

 

[maflynn]

It will eventually be released to all 4 carriers as well since the Nexus 1 didnt let you buy any other way except from the Google website which wasnt very smart.

Google tried that with the N1 and verizon balked. I wouldn't hold your breath for a CDMA version. Maybe things have changed but I'm not sure verizon wants a completely vanilla phone not running their flavor of android

 

[Scuby]

The only thing that bothers me is that people still think of "Android" as being Android - in that they think all Androids are the same. They hear that this new version of Android does X, Y and Z and think "great, i'll have one of those", and are then disappointed when they find that their phone doesn't run the newest version, or it could but the manufacturer decided not to bother supporting the upgrade, or whatever.

Give it another year or so and i worry that people will begin to get annoyed by the fragmentation - or, alternatively, the "Froyo" / "Gingerbread" / etc will become much more important than "Android". Just how now even non-techy people know they computer runs Windows 7 or XP, they will be much more selective over which version of Android they get, and those manufacturers who become known for not updating or updating slowly will lose popularity.

 

[tesilential]

L
How about five? Droid X, Droid Incredible, Samsung Vibrant, Samsung Epic, HTC MyTouch HD. Hmm, so the iPhone 4's build quality is so great that Apple had to give out free bumpers to mitigate the effects of their design flaw?

Have you ever used an iPhone4? If I could not jailbreak my iphone, I would honestly go with Android, because I am a geek and customization is very important to me, as is the ability to tweak endlessly. Fortunately on a jailbroken iPhone4 I can do everything that an Android can do.

My girlfriend's brother has an Evo and a coworker has the Vibrant. Both of them are extremely jealous of my phone, because of all the awesome apps on it. Last time I saw my gf's brother, he said "hey have you seen Angry Birds? It's cool!" Seriously? That's the best game on android right now and it's pretty much a joke game. Look up the game Archetype. It is basically Halo on a freaking phone, it is amazing and way better than anything Android or WP7 currently offers.

My coworker with a Vibrant showed me Avatar on his phone. It looked pretty cool. I showed him the demo for Epic Citadel. He was blown away, my iPhone4 has games with better graphics than his movies.

The gyroscope was mentioned earlier. If you haven't played a game designed for the gyro you are in for a treat! Try Eliminate Gunrange. You move the phone around just as if you were pointing a gun at targets. You don't use any finger swipes, it's entirely based on the position of the phone. In the FPS Archetype (mentioned above) you can now use 1 joystick to move forward/back/left/right and just angle the phone to turn in circles. This makes the game FAR more enjoyable and controllable. In fact, occasionally the gyro setting is turned off in the game, and I find it to be utterly unplayable without the gyro. Just like doomRPG and wolfenstein for iphone. The gyro is REVOLUTIONARY in how it affects games. Racing games like RealRacing incorporate the gyro more subtly, but still it definitely aids in control and you will notice when it's not there. Every phone will eventually have a gyro, and I expect the next iPad to have one as well. If you play games AT ALL you will be blown away by the gyro, plain and simple.

As for apps, I have an app that controls itunes on the PC, for a wireless music remote, a VLC app (LogMeIn) which allows me to remotely view and control my desktop from anywhere, Airmouse, which turns the phone into an Apple Magic Mouse, Facebreak (jb app) which gives me Facetime over 3g, MyWi and Tetherme for wifi and usb tethering, respectively. I have an app that allows me to create and edit any Microsoft Office product, which I've heard used as a selling point for WP7. iPhone has been able to do this for years! I now have skyfire, so I can watch Flash content. My phone works as a WIRELESS USB key.

I hear people say how iPhone's are limited, and stock, they are, but when you jailbreak an iPhone it can do literally everything an Android can, and more. If you disagree then let me know something your phone can do that mine cannot. (besides run custom ROMS, which I have no interest in doing since jailbroken iOS is amazing)

Overall there is a large personal preference factor with smartphones. I personally wish the iPhone4 had a larger screen, since I do a lot of gaming on it. I do love the resolution on the iPhone4 screen though. And tarzanian you make a big deal about build quality and the glass , but even friend's of mine who hate on the iPhone admit that side by side, it makes every other current phone look like a cheap turd.

My jailbroken iPhone4 is most certainly the best current phone/device out there.

edit: forgot to mention, the camera (which is my sole camera) blows away the ones on the evo and vibrant, the latter of which doesn't even have a front camera

 

[UCLAKoolman]

So a spec sheet for a new android phone is leaked... Big deal. Lots of android phones look great on paper, but end up performing sub-par (evo battery life, galaxy s GPS, laggy UI)

 

[Vegastouch]

Google tried that with the N1 and verizon balked. I wouldn't hold your breath for a CDMA version. Maybe things have changed but I'm not sure verizon wants a completely vanilla phone not running their flavor of android

I dont have Verizon so i dont care if they get it. Just stating what i've read.

 

[Vegastouch]

Have you ever used an iPhone4? If I could not jailbreak my iphone, I would honestly go with Android, because I am a geek and customization is very important to me, as is the ability to tweak endlessly. Fortunately on a jailbroken iPhone4 I can do everything that an Android can do.

My girlfriend's brother has an Evo and a coworker has the Vibrant. Both of them are extremely jealous of my phone, because of all the awesome apps on it. Last time I saw my gf's brother, he said "hey have you seen Angry Birds? It's cool!" Seriously? That's the best game on android right now and it's pretty much a joke game. Look up the game Archetype. It is basically Halo on a freaking phone, it is amazing and way better than anything Android or WP7 currently offers.

My coworker with a Vibrant showed me Avatar on his phone. It looked pretty cool. I showed him the demo for Epic Citadel. He was blown away, my iPhone4 has games with better graphics than his movies.

The gyroscope was mentioned earlier. If you haven't played a game designed for the gyro you are in for a treat! Try Eliminate Gunrange. You move the phone around just as if you were pointing a gun at targets. You don't use any finger swipes, it's entirely based on the position of the phone. In the FPS Archetype (mentioned above) you can now use 1 joystick to move forward/back/left/right and just angle the phone to turn in circles. This makes the game FAR more enjoyable and controllable. In fact, occasionally the gyro setting is turned off in the game, and I find it to be utterly unplayable without the gyro. Just like doomRPG and wolfenstein for iphone. The gyro is REVOLUTIONARY in how it affects games. Racing games like RealRacing incorporate the gyro more subtly, but still it definitely aids in control and you will notice when it's not there. Every phone will eventually have a gyro, and I expect the next iPad to have one as well. If you play games AT ALL you will be blown away by the gyro, plain and simple.

As for apps, I have an app that controls itunes on the PC, for a wireless music remote, a VLC app (LogMeIn) which allows me to remotely view and control my desktop from anywhere, Airmouse, which turns the phone into an Apple Magic Mouse, Facebreak (jb app) which gives me Facetime over 3g, MyWi and Tetherme for wifi and usb tethering, respectively. I have an app that allows me to create and edit any Microsoft Office product, which I've heard used as a selling point for WP7. iPhone has been able to do this for years! I now have skyfire, so I can watch Flash content. My phone works as a WIRELESS USB key.

I hear people say how iPhone's are limited, and stock, they are, but when you jailbreak an iPhone it can do literally everything an Android can, and more. If you disagree then let me know something your phone can do that mine cannot. (besides run custom ROMS, which I have no interest in doing since jailbroken iOS is amazing)

Overall there is a large personal preference factor with smartphones. I personally wish the iPhone4 had a larger screen, since I do a lot of gaming on it. I do love the resolution on the iPhone4 screen though. And tarzanian you make a big deal about build quality and the glass , but even friend's of mine who hate on the iPhone admit that side by side, it makes every other current phone look like a cheap turd.

My jailbroken iPhone4 is most certainly the best current phone/device out there.

edit: forgot to mention, the camera (which is my sole camera) blows away the ones on the evo and vibrant, the latter of which doesn't even have a front camera

Cool story bro, but seriously, if your GF's brother thinks Angry Birds is the best game on Android, ....well i just dont know what to say. I mean it is ok and entertaining but the best? There are some others in HD that are pretty damn good ....like Gangstar, which pretty much is Grand Theft Auto.

The App store for Apple has had a 2 year head start so of course there is going to be more apps and beter ones but Android now has surpassed 100,000 so it is getting there. As for the camera, i just dont agree that the iP4 blows away the Vibrant camera. They are both good and even IF the iP4 was better, which is debatable....it surely dont blow it away. To each their own though.

I do not have a iP4 but you cant get a refund from an App you dont like , like you can with Android and i have a JB iPhone and now i cant update some Apps i have on it without buying them....which is fair but that is different so JB-ing in that regard is not as good as it was. Hec Twitterrific wouldnt even log in for me anymore unless i bought the $4.99 version, so i just a free one instead which isnt as good. But, i dont use my iPhone anymore so it really dont matter. Just charged it up yesterday to check something out and noticed those things.

I dont know what you can do on your JB iPhones now but i doubt you can do everything that Android can do stock. Then if you root it, now your taking it to another level as well.

 

[tesilential]

I do not have a iP4 but you cant get a refund from an App you dont like , like you can with Android and i have a JB iPhone and now i cant update some Apps i have on it without buying them....which is fair but that is different so JB-ing in that regard is not as good as it was. Hec Twitterrific wouldnt even log in for me anymore unless i bought the $4.99 version, so i just a free one instead which isn't as good. But, i dont use my iPhone anymore so it really dont matter. Just charged it up yesterday to check something out and noticed those things.

I dont know what you can do on your JB iPhones now but i doubt you can do everything that Android can do stock. Then if you root it, now your taking it to another level as well.

All the camera comparisons I've seen put the i4 over all the other smartphones.

Yes, some jailbreak apps cost money. Pirating is still possible (and evil) if that's what you mean.

What incredible thing's can Android's do stock that you doubt jb iphone's can do?

 

[0dev]

What incredible thing's can Android's do stock that you doubt jb iphone's can do?

Custom ROMs/firmware builds. 'Nuff said.

 

[Vegastouch]

All the camera comparisons I've seen put the i4 over all the other smartphones.

Yes, some jailbreak apps cost money. Pirating is still possible (and evil) if that's what you mean.

What incredible thing's can Android's do stock that you doubt jb iphone's can do?

Off the top of my head.....Multitasking, Swype, App 24 hour trial with refund, barcode scanning to install Apps, Notifications for everything, widgets, voice to text Can hide icons from the screen in the Doc using launcher pro, Full flash not just with Skyfire, and i dont know how the camera works on the iP4 but mine has a full fuctioning camera with many setting like a regular camera.

Im sure im missing some things but thats what i can think of right now. Even Jailbroken, iPhone cant do some things and still isnt as customizable. I have a JB iPhone but it isnt a iP4.

 

[Savor]

There is a couple facets where cell phones could still improve a great deal right now.

-Gaming

-Battery life

A new Nexus phone offers neither one.

Just four years ago, nobody gave a damn about the OS or what apps were. Apple made us care about them just like those times when everybody were obsessed with thin flip phones before the smartphone era. But at some point, you can only do so much with an OS that we start having pointless animated transitions that delays the function. Same with design. Why do all touchscreen phones start to look the same? Because you can only do so much with a slab design. Look at Apple. Wasn't changing it all that much with the design of the iPhone.

This Nexus S whether it has dual-core processor or not still won't improve things I want to see from cell phones. Cool, so it got faster. So what? Many phones after it will have dual-core processors by the middle of next year. That's why the Sharp Galapagos, SE PlayStation phone, and Motorola Olympus intrigues me more than another Nexus phone manufactured by Samsung. Sharp and SE can take gaming into another level with phones and the Moto Olympus using the Tegra 2 chip can greatly enhance battery life.

 

[Vegastouch]

A gaming phone will only be popular with young guys. I dont see those being any kind of phenomenon. The Windows 7 phone is addressing gaming as you will be able to play your Xbox games on it but me not being in my 20's , that really has little interest for me as a cell phone. Battery life is much more of a need imo.

You can only make these phones so big til they are going to be too big. Some already are too big imo like the Dell Streak and the Droid X.

 

[Pez555]

looks ugly, like most android phones. Build quality looks average, plus is has Google pasted on the back of the phone - personally i would hate that.

Going back to those graphs that were posted: whilst accidents may happen, id love to see a chart comparing customer satisfaction upon repairs/replacements compared to accident rates of different manufacturers.

You could bet your ass Apple would top that list.

 

[Tarzanman]

looks ugly, like most android phones. Build quality looks average, plus is has Google pasted on the back of the phone - personally i would hate that.

Going back to those graphs that were posted: whilst accidents may happen, id love to see a chart comparing customer satisfaction upon repairs/replacements compared to accident rates of different manufacturers.

You could bet your ass Apple would top that list.

Is that why they aren't selling as many phones as Android?

 

[Pez555]

i dont care about sales

 

[Vegastouch]

looks ugly, like most android phones. Build quality looks average, plus is has Google pasted on the back of the phone - personally i would hate that.

Going back to those graphs that were posted: whilst accidents may happen, id love to see a chart comparing customer satisfaction upon repairs/replacements compared to accident rates of different manufacturers.

You could bet your ass Apple would top that list.

LOL, Android phones are ugly? And most people use a case so if you dont like Google on the back, it will get covered. I keep hearing about other phones build quality and the quality LOOKS average, but the iP4 glass is breaking rather easily while "looking" sturdy. Not like iPhones arent getting replaced at a rapid rate for getting dropped and glass broken. The iP4 is a china doll. The sturdiest iPhone was the original.

 

[Pez555]

well ive never dropped any of my iPhones so it doesnt really concern me.

the looks of phone is down to opinion, and in my opinion most of them yes, are ugly.

 

[Vegastouch]

well ive never dropped any of my iPhones so it doesnt really concern me.

the looks of phone is down to opinion, and in my opinion most of them yes, are ugly.

Hope you never do because you will need to get it fixed and that is the bottom line when you talk about build quality. As for other phones being ugly.....obviously i dont agree. Sure some are kinda funky but i think most Android phones, or MOST phones period look fine.

But you know, you can make a phone look elegant like Apple but whats the big deal? iP4 is fragile and the newest iPod looks good but the idiots keep putting chrome on the back and it scratches really easy and is slippery as hell. Bad idea if you ask me.
I have a first gen iPod with the chrome on the back and cant believe they are still using it.

 

[Kariya]

This thread has become really dreary

 

[Tarzanman]

This thread has become really dreary

Honestly, that is because of fanboys being insecure about their phone.

If you talk about an iphone on an Android forum, no one really cares. They aren't a big fan of Apple's limitations, but they won't insult you for liking an iPhone and they definitely don't make sh17 up to make their favorite phones look better.

No one really brings up the iPhone over there. That is how much we don't worry about it.

Almost all of the Android threads here are started by iPhone lovers with an axe to grind.

 

[Apple...]

Honestly, that is because of fanboys being insecure about their phone.

If you talk about an iphone on an Android forum, no one really cares. They aren't a big fan of Apple's limitations, but they won't insult you for liking an iPhone and they definitely don't make sh17 up to make their favorite phones look better.

No one really brings up the iPhone over there. That is how much we don't worry about it.

Almost all of the Android threads here are started by iPhone lovers with an axe to grind.

Look who's talking, troll! I don't even know why I bother... but, you're entirely wrong when it comes to talking about the iPhone/ Apple on an Android forum/ Android-related topic. The first time I dropped by an Android forum, I could see, even smell, smoke! Boy, were there flames! The first thread I saw had 'iPhone' written in the heading. For even more proof - I read reviews on Verizon/ AT&T's Android smartphones all the time, and what do I see? iPhone. iPhone. iPhone. It's written all over the place. To say that Android users don't care is complete bull. All I see on either side is bash this, bash that - and you're not helping. Android users do care, just as much as we do.

 

[Vegastouch]

Look who's talking, troll! I don't even know why I bother... but, you're entirely wrong when it comes to talking about the iPhone/ Apple on an Android forum/ Android-related topic. The first time I dropped by an Android forum, I could see, even smell, smoke! Boy, were there flames! The first thread I saw had 'iPhone' written in the heading. For even more proof - I read reviews on Verizon/ AT&T's Android smartphones all the time, and what do I see? iPhone. iPhone. iPhone. It's written all over the place. To say that Android users don't care is complete bull. All I see on either side is bash this, bash that - and you're not helping. Android users do care, just as much as we do.

Well maybe if you went to an Android forum that isnt from a carriers forum it would be different. I dont go to AT&T's forum and didnt even know they had one nor do i go to a Verizon forum which if you ask me, is the reason why there are iPhone flames in there.

I go to two Android forums. Mostly this one www.androidforums.com and www.androidcommunity.com which im not at very often and i agree with Tarzanman. Hardly ever a iPhone mention in those except when somebody is saying they came from an iPhone to Android or they still have an iPhone. Other than that, never see it mentioned.