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Thinking of upgrading to GSM Nexus from iPhone 4s. Some input..

I have been a longtime iPhone and Android user and currently I am using the iPhone 4s. It's a great phone, but I tend to miss Android and all that it offers.
Here is my question.. Does anyone think $690 for the GSM Nexus is worth it? I have been going back and forth on it and I think I would really like it, however I can never seem to keep an Android phone because nothing is really new with it.
Here is an example. I had the Verizon Thunderbolt, it was a nice phone, fast and really allowed Android to shine. I then saw the T-Mobile Sensation come out and it was a dual core with nice specs. Another really nice phone. But again, noting super new with Android. Not to mention T-Moble's network blows around here.
I hoped to ATT and I love the coverage and have tried the iPhone 4, 4s (current) and Skyrocket.
So, will Android 4 on the Nexus be new and improved enough to make the switch?

I should pay attention, I see the subsidized Verizon phone still is $300. Maybe $600+ is an ok price.

Honestly I only think paying full price for the GSM Nexus is worth it if you get the $30 Walmart plan on T-Mobile.

I personally have been using my GNex for about a month now and I bought it from one of the on-line retailers (paid $750BTW) and I would do it again in a heart beat. I personally have TMoUSA and the service is good in my area, everyone's mileage will vary. I had the iPhone and have not looked back after going with android

"Worth it" is completely arbitrary based on the person.
For me, it would be worth it. I hate iOS and all it stands for. I also don't being treated like a criminal for wanting root. I also think the iOS theme is butt-ugly.
I'm running pre-alphas of CM9 and they are working flawlessly. This bodes well for the future of the device.

Depends on your budget . I don't think you'll see too much of a difference in terms of performance though... and the GPU isn't that great compared to the iPhone. If you want more input, I suggest you using the search option in this forum and search something along the lines of Galaxy Nexus vs iPhone 4s
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

The Galaxy Nexus is a really good phone, IMO the best Android out there (but then I'd never again buy a non-Google phone -- these are locked worse than the iPhone).
I love the big screen (came to it from a Nexus S) and ICS is a big improvement in terms of UI.
Having said that, the iPhone 4S still offers a smoother and more consistent user experience, IMO.

mycomputerisjunk said:
I should pay attention, I see the subsidized Verizon phone still is $300. Maybe $600+ is an ok price.
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You can get an unlocked 16gb Galaxy Nexus from negri electronics for about $625 shipped nowadays.
No one can tell you how "worth it" it is. Everyone has different qualifications. I'd be inclined to say that if you're going to be staying w/ AT&T and paying through the nose for service, its harder to swallow the ~$625 for an unlocked device.
It becomes more worth it when you go to a prepaid plan and cut your service cost in half every month.
So I would definitely recommend you walk into a Verizon store so you can play with it in person and make your assessment on whether or not you think Android 4 is good enough to justify your payment for the unlocked device. Obviously don't pay attention to the network speeds or anything as you'll be using on AT&T, but its a good idea to see it in person first.

mycomputerisjunk said:
Does anyone think $690 for the GSM Nexus is worth it?
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Click to collapse
I paid $650 ($689 after tax)for a non-subsidized CDMA so I think so.

well coming from the SGS II(epic 4g touch)...........I LOVE THIS PHONE!!!....i got the CDMA(32gb) version with Verizon. Android 4.0 is a HUGE step from gingerbread, you'll love it. I would recommend going with Verizon though

Ye love it too, and the experience is definitely more changed than ever from 2.x to 4.0(eg. better than ever), so by those means, yes it's worth it.
However with an iphone 4s i would probably wait another year before upgrading.

You could watch Swappa if you're interested in trying to save a few hundred and go lightly used. There isn't much on there now, but may be more in the coming months. Beware of people maybe trying to unload their phones due to signal issues (CDMA at least). I've collected very mixed data on CDMA signal issues (I can't speak for GSM). Many people report 0 problems, and some report chronic problems even after phone swaps. I've seen some fixed after a swap, and in my case I had a tech swap my SIM card which helped a lot, and then updating to 4.03 radios *hopefully* fixed the problem.
Assuming my signal issues are fixed now and don't return, this phone is by far the best I've ever owned. A major jump forward coming from a Droid Incredible. CM9 is also amazing.
http://swappa.com/search?q=galaxy+nexus

Apples and oranges.. One is a fancy phone that runs apps, the other is a mini computer.
If you like customizing your phone past wallpapers and folders then it should be a clear and obvious answer
Sent from my Google phone

I mean...
dude i mean i got the gnex the day it came out and it was complete garbage i hated it it sucked so bad i lit it on fire..i mean i come from a rich background so i can afford to do those kinda things..
jk im not queer, but anyways i have the gnex and i love it. i hate ios and apple entirely and when i see all these kids at my school with iphones i just get heated. anyways..if you have the money to use on a gsm version by all means do so

mycomputerisjunk said:
I have been a longtime iPhone and Android user and currently I am using the iPhone 4s. It's a great phone, but I tend to miss Android and all that it offers.
Here is my question.. Does anyone think $690 for the GSM Nexus is worth it? I have been going back and forth on it and I think I would really like it, however I can never seem to keep an Android phone because nothing is really new with it.
Here is an example. I had the Verizon Thunderbolt, it was a nice phone, fast and really allowed Android to shine. I then saw the T-Mobile Sensation come out and it was a dual core with nice specs. Another really nice phone. But again, noting super new with Android. Not to mention T-Moble's network blows around here.
I hoped to ATT and I love the coverage and have tried the iPhone 4, 4s (current) and Skyrocket.
So, will Android 4 on the Nexus be new and improved enough to make the switch?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes...........

The trouble with asking this kind of question in a galaxy nexus forum is your going to get a very biast opinion as everyone here, well mostly everyone here owns one and android users love android and apple love apple products.
Really the best advice is go and use one in a store and make up your own mind and of course watch some youtube videos about ics and gnex vs iPhone 4s. Then you be armed with the knowledge to make the right decisiin for you and your needs.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

I'd suggest going to your local Verizon store and play around with their Galaxy Nexus demo for a bit. I waited and cried about this phone not being released then when it finally was and I picked up I found myself questioning why and what about the phone was I going so crazy for and at the moment I'm a little regretful for not playing with the phone first and just ordering it online.
It's a nice phone and I know I'm a picky person but there was imo more bad than good and the stuff I think is bad may not necessarily be bad but just not as good as it should or could have been for the price and usually when I upgrade, which is once every few years when Verizon grants me a discount, I like to get the best I can get to last me those few years and the Galaxy Nexus isn't the best for me.
To be specific on the things I personally didn't care for were the camera, the battery life which is common in 4G phones but was a little worse in this phone than other 4G phones I've used. The screen was a let down, the colors and grainy banding in low light levels just looked horrible and the whole 4.65" largest screen thing was misleading to me as you hardly ever use the full screen because of the softkeys and worst of all for me was no USB Mass Storage which I used allot in my previous phone but that last one was my fault for not researching the phone more thoroughly prior to purchase.
I've always been an android user so I can't say anything bad about iOS devices although I have and use an iPad 2 and iPod touch 4 I can't imagine them being any worse as a phone.

If you can wait until the Samsung Galaxy S3, it's a beast. IMO, the Galaxy Nexus is already an outdated phone, and it will be more apparent when new phones start rolling out ICS.
Of course, there's a slew of other phones coming out in the next few months, so you'll have lots of options. That's just my opinion.

Only if you promise not to make threads about multi tasking or battery life if you end up not liking it. Which I am very sure you will like it.
Sent from my Nexus in Texas.

I've never owned an iPhone so maybe I'm not qualified to give my opinion, but I have handled various iPhones through the years. My buddy who's owned a couple summed it up best. The iPhone is a beautiful phone with an environment where everything "works." It's a device with a very closed, simple OS but amazing apps, where android is a very powerful, open (if you get something from the nexus line anyway) OS with decent apps. The apps make iPhone and the OS make Android.
If you crave freedom and are a power user, this is the phone for you. I've only owned android devices but I think apple makes a good phone. The problem lies in that if you want it do something that apple hasn't envisioned for the phone, then you are out of luck. Also, the iPhone 4 and up have great screens... but having owned 4inch screen and up phones for the last 2 years, it's pretty much impossible for me personally to go down to something under 4 inches. The thing just feels utterly tiny and limited with that little screen real estate.
As an aside, where Android has caught up with the UI on ICS, they really need to step up the game with their tablets. This is an area the iPad has every Android tablet beat, not even including the horsepower under the hood... device layout! I'm talking about the 4:3 format the iPad uses. Every powerful android tablet is in 16:9, and if you aren't watching movies it's a terrible aspect ratio. It's harder to hold and you give up a lot of usable area in portrait and in landscape. It works for computers with a dedicated keyboard and mouse, but on a huge touchscreen device, it's just awkward.
Edit: Biggest reason I will never own an iPhone is iTunes. Hate the program... huge bloatware on the computer and Apple forces you to use it if you want any sync with your computer. iCloud alleviates it somewhat, but it's just another way to trap you into the Apple ecosystem.

I would like to buy NEXUS... which is good compared to GALAXY S II??

My frends... its over many weeks and days.. I'm looking for a new phone.. I want to know which is the best phone... is it a Galaxy note! Or GALAXY S II or THIS GOOGLE NEXUS ...?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

Well since your asking in the Nexus forum most of us will say the Nexus. If you ask in the Note forum, most of them will say the Note. If you ask in the SGS2 forum, most of them will say the SGS2. It is all preference. I had the SGS2 before this Nexus and I prefer the Nexus. The SGS2 is a great phone, but I prefer Google Phone's so Nexus it is for me. I will probably never buy anything but Nexus from now on. I had the Nexus S 4G and when I upgraded that, I missed the Nexus badly even though I upgraded to a more powerful device. I say get the Nexus. To me the Note is too big and I wouldn't get the sgs2 because the sgs3 is going to be out sometime this year. I would wait on the Galaxy S 3 or get the Nexus if I were you.

I wouldnt get S3 even it is the most powerful ever. I learnt my mistakes getting a non-nexus phones since last 2 years. Got me a Nexus S and now Gnex, its Nexus line for me from now on. All this closed sources from Sammy and others make me stay with nexus all the time.

Well then....THEY ARE ALL THE SAME. Honestly on a day-to-day usage basis you won't be able to see any real significant differences, 2 cores, 1gb of ram, and a good GPU on all of them.
NOW BENCHMARKS
Thats where you'll see the differences.

Nexus all the way!!!
I used to have a SGS (Vibrant). The only thing I hate about Samsung is that they do not provide updates as quickly as they come out. I have to rely on custom roms and such to get the latest OS from Google. That's why I bought the GNex, as long as you are or flash to yakju, then you will get the updates as soon as Google churns them out. And if you have a penchant for flashing ROMs, then the GNex will still serve your purpose.
I say go with the GNex, you can always sell it if you want to. Also, the GNex is the only pentaband phone that's readily available with an Android OS. If you buy the GSM version then you can either use it on ATT or TMobile and still get 3g from both.
Good luck!

i regret buying my nexus, unreliable battery life. if no other phone got my interest between now and iphone w/4g speed, im jumping ship.

All phones are the same....a slab with an OS on it....the question u need to ask is do u want a stock Google experience, or do u want a custom interface? u will not notice any speed differences, or anything like that because the naked eye just doesnt! people say all this crap about quad core and all this, but theres no need for it! these phones are already fast as hell, i just dont get how much faster people expect it to get! What does "fast" mean? its not like u boast around ur benchmarks to people (unless ur on XDA all the time)

I don't think you will notice a huge difference between both phones.
It might be better to wait a few weeks for Galaxy S3.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

" It might be better to wait a few weeks for Galaxy S3. " <= That's correct

im surprised no one mentioned the 720p screen, i think this is the best feature of the gnex over the S2. if you do a lot of browsing or watching videos on your phone you will def notice the difference between the gnex and S2. OS is not as important as hardware esp. if the phone has a strong dev community like the S2. the S2 already has roms running 4.0.3 but if you prefer to stay stock and depend on the carrier or google for updates then the gnex is the way to go.
Even on the hardware side the gnex is behind the S2 in some areas like the cpu(skyrocket) and the 8mp camera. The S2 with ICS is faster than the gnex, there's quadrant benchmarks that put it over 4200 mark with 4.0.3. Some will disagree with me here but i really miss the SD card slot, as i have the gsm gnex it only comes with 16gb. i have about 3 gigs free now and have to delete stuff from my phone more often. I still pick the gnex over the S2 any day for the screen though, 720 x 1280 is a huge jump over 480 x 800 on screens bigger than 4 inches. I can read text on websites without having to zoom on the gnex, just squint a little whereas on the S2 text is just a blur without zoom.

I love design of GNEX than S2

quangvuhee said:
I love design of GNEX than S2
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Click to collapse
yeah me too

I'd wait for the SGS3. The SGS2 is better than the GNEX in ALL but screen and looks department.
Had a play with my GF's GS2 yesterday, and WOW is it faster than my GNEX.
GS3 will blow GNEX into 1990, sod the google experience.

neotekz said:
im surprised no one mentioned the 720p screen, i think this is the best feature of the gnex over the S2. if you do a lot of browsing or watching videos on your phone you will def notice the difference between the gnex and S2. OS is not as important as hardware esp. if the phone has a strong dev community like the S2. the S2 already has roms running 4.0.3 but if you prefer to stay stock and depend on the carrier or google for updates then the gnex is the way to go.
Even on the hardware side the gnex is behind the S2 in some areas like the cpu(skyrocket) and the 8mp camera. The S2 with ICS is faster than the gnex, there's quadrant benchmarks that put it over 4200 mark with 4.0.3. Some will disagree with me here but i really miss the SD card slot, as i have the gsm gnex it only comes with 16gb. i have about 3 gigs free now and have to delete stuff from my phone more often. I still pick the gnex over the S2 any day for the screen though, 720 x 1280 is a huge jump over 480 x 800 on screens bigger than 4 inches. I can read text on websites without having to zoom on the gnex, just squint a little whereas on the S2 text is just a blur without zoom.
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The SAMOLED+ screen on the SGS2 is just gorgeous though. That's what I primarily miss after going to the Nexus. The colors were better, and it was so luminous, that I would have it on minimum most of the time.
I do like the higher resolution I have now, but that isn't everything when it comes to a display.
I also would have liked to have my 32gb SD card carried over here.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

to buy or not to buy: galaxy nexus

hi guys, just wanted a general consensus from you guys regarding the galaxy nexus build quality and i'll explain why. I spend a lot of time travelling and do end up staying in places for months at a time. I'm currently planning on going to india for the next 6-8 months and would be travelling in between as well. Now, since samsung doesn't sell the nexus in india, it would not be covered under warranty as well.
I personally haven't used a phone warranty to the best of my memory and as is the human mind, now thats all I can think about. I've been using a blackberry for nearly 12 years and i'm used to reliability and phones that stand up to some abuse and not fail on me. If I was to buy the nexus, would I be looking at anything failing in the first year? is it known to have certain faults etc? And if it does, is it relatively fixable? I have no qualms about opening up a phone and replacing parts if need be, but i'm not going to start soldering things.
So basically, my question is, is the nexus a problem phone (is there anything I should look for when buying the piece), and if its a real pain, should I just get another android phone? and if so, which one? as much as I would like to get the s3, I can't justify spending that much money and I thought of getting the galaxy note but doesn't seem sensible considering the new update is coming out in sept/oct? Basically my requirements are: reliable phone, best user interface with quick os updates (reason for nexus phones), should have nfc, front facing cam, very good pic quality with no shutter lag, preferably already on ICS, and a phone with worldwide warranty as I do travel a lot, and I think most importantly, it should be future proof for the next year (it should run apps with no lag or difficulty, should be able to multi-task, etc) with very good battery life (more than a day).
thanks for the help guys!

Hmmm, you come to a Galaxy Nexus forum to ask whether to buy a nexus
Worldwide warranty, Nexus don't have that.
If you want the front camera to do video calls over UMTS(Not data), the Gnex can't do it, can only use skype or similar programmes.
And to add on, the Nexus have only been released for 5 Months, don't really have any major hardware issues as far as i know.

Mach3.2 said:
Hmmm, you come to a Galaxy Nexus forum to ask whether to buy a nexus
Worldwide warranty, Nexus don't have that.
If you want the front camera to do video calls over UMTS(Not data), the Gnex can't do it, can only use skype or similar programmes.
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Click to collapse
What he said. I truly hope you didn't come to the Galaxy Nexus forum hoping to be talked out of buying this fantastic phone.
That said, it is a truly fantastic phone. You can't find a better one for the money right now, though you're not going to find a worldwide warranty.

I got mine as a early fathers day gift and I'm so happy I got it soon. Best phone I have had.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Mach3.2 said:
Hmmm, you come to a Galaxy Nexus forum to ask whether to buy a nexus
Worldwide warranty, Nexus don't have that.
If you want the front camera to do video calls over UMTS(Not data), the Gnex can't do it, can only use skype or similar programmes.
And to add on, the Nexus have only been released for 5 Months, don't really have any major hardware issues as far as i know.
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Click to collapse
Well, any video calls I would be making would be through skype. I figured this would be the best place to see if the phone has any major hardware gripes.
I'm currently considering buying the phone from gsmnation for $440 plus an additional $50 for worldwide 1 year warranty.

I haven't had any problems at all, but get the warranty just in case, since you will be out of the US.
Sent from someone's Galaxy Nexus running AOKP + Franco

not worth it. Galaxy S3.

Wait for the GS3 to be released so you can better compare the two.
I think it really comes down to a few things:
1. Vanilla Android vs. Skinned (HTC Sense, MotoBlur, TouchWiz)
2. Hardware
3. Individual software features
For a pure Android 4.0 ICS experience, you will get that with the [GSM] version of the phone. The Verizon LTE version (the one I have) has been through a series of 'episodes' that have soured the community a bit. It isn't as powerful as the GSM version, nor do we get updated as much. In fact, Google dropped it from their developer's list a few months back. So with that said, if you're on Verizon I wouldn't bother. Is it a good fun? Its great, but it could have been better had Verizon not tampered with it.
On hardware, the phone is a few months old, but its still pretty impressive for hardware. The GS3 will have some upgrades under the hood, but not by much. My phone is fast and does what it needs to do. Could it be better? Yes, but it works.
Concerning individual software features, I think the GS3 beats the Nexus here. While I am personally not a fan of all the gimmicky features, others find them to be quite impressive. There's definitely more offered on the GS3 in that department, but if you don't care about S-Voice, S-Dial (I think that's what it is called), and some of the other stuff, then the Nexus will do you just fine.

AppsRUs said:
Wait for the GS3 to be released so you can better compare the two.
I think it really comes down to a few things:
1. Vanilla Android vs. Skinned (HTC Sense, MotoBlur, TouchWiz)
2. Hardware
3. Individual software features
For a pure Android 4.0 ICS experience, you will get that with the [GSM] version of the phone. The Verizon LTE version (the one I have) has been through a series of 'episodes' that have soured the community a bit. It isn't as powerful as the GSM version, nor do we get updated as much. In fact, Google dropped it from their developer's list a few months back. So with that said, if you're on Verizon I wouldn't bother. Is it a good fun? Its great, but it could have been better had Verizon not tampered with it.
On hardware, the phone is a few months old, but its still pretty impressive for hardware. The GS3 will have some upgrades under the hood, but not by much. My phone is fast and does what it needs to do. Could it be better? Yes, but it works.
Concerning individual software features, I think the GS3 beats the Nexus here. While I am personally not a fan of all the gimmicky features, others find them to be quite impressive. There's definitely more offered on the GS3 in that department, but if you don't care about S-Voice, S-Dial (I think that's what it is called), and some of the other stuff, then the Nexus will do you just fine.
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Click to collapse
You do not understand the circumstances regarding Google and Verizon. It isn't updated less, it is just updated slower. It isn't less powerful, they have the same specs.
"Long is the way, and hard, that out of hell leads up to light."

It's a beast phone. Get it. You'll be glad you did.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

I'm sticking with the Galaxy Nexus and here is why:

I know everybody is excited about the Nexus 4 and I'd definitely buy it if I didn't already have a phone, but I'll be sticking with my Galaxy Nexus until at least next year. Why?
1) The Nexus 4 price is enticing, but this is also a precedent set by Google to do this with all of their Nexus phones from now on. I don't feel like I'm missing out on a one time deal. I fully expect Google to roll out another model for the same or similar price next year.
2) I bought my Galaxy Nexus at $349 months ago. I have no buyers remorse at all.
3) The processor/ram on the Galaxy Nexus is sufficient for my needs. I don't play any games so I don't feel the need for more speed.
4) The Nexus 4 is coming out with Android 4.2. I'd rather buy a handset that comes with Android 5.0 since it would have whatever hardware features that debut along with Android 5.0's featureset and that is likely coming by this time next year.
5) I'm not too keen on having a phone with a glass back. Reminds me of looking at the iPhone 4 and dreading how it might break. I'd rather just avoid any issues Nexus 4 users may have with a glass back.
6) Motorola Mobility was bought by Google and it will take months before we start seeing the results of that, just in time for the next Nexus. Motorola's radios + Motorola build quality + Google user-focused design + stock Android = a perfect and likely device for 2013.
7) People are crying their eyes out about the Nexus 4 not having LTE, and while I don't care about LTE myself right now since its not even a standard nationwide much less worldwide, I'd say that in a years time, carriers will be further along with deploying and standardizing LTE and manufacturers will have cheaper, more standard hardware out thus it will be a lot more likely for Google to roll out their LTE-standard Nexus phone in 2013, just in time for my next phone purchase.
8) I don't think quad-core phones are ready for prime-time just yet. Many of the reviews for quad-core phone indicate that they're not as beneficial over a dual-core chipset as people would think just yet. I'd like to get a quad-core chipset that is more mature, power-efficient, and powerful and the 2013 Nexus seems like a good time to expect such a thing.
9) I have my Galaxy Nexus rooted and running Minco with the latest Franco.Kernel. All of the issues with the screen and sound have been fixed with their optimizations, features, and patches. I get battery life that is good enough for me with it, and my phone just gets smoother and smoother every month using that combination. The Minco devs say they will continue to support the Galaxy Nexus for at least another year, so having my phone continue to improve with Android 4.2 and 4.3.X in the coming months will tide me over just fine.
That's my rationale and I'm sticking to it. Anybody agree? Anybody sticking with the Galaxy Nexus for other reasons?

My list is much shorter:
1.) VZW

I'm sticking with my Galaxy Nexus for the exact same reasons
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

Nice points.in happy with my nexus and I'm just going to use the money to get a nexus 7 lol.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

WiredPirate said:
My list is much shorter:
1.) VZW
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Time to dump that crappy company as soon as your contract runs out and go with the freedom of GSM.

I agree with this 100%. This is pretty much exactly what my reasons are.
The only things I really like in the Nexus 4 are:
- Gorilla Glass 2
- IPS panel screen
Other than that I think it's a waste of money IMO. Not to mention 8GB is ridiculous now... I laugh at that since my Droid X2 came with 8GB (and at least has an External SD). The amount of "power" their putting in this is totally unnecessary... Unless your playing a game like GTA then I doubt you'll ever even use all 4 of those cores (I don't even know what 2GB of RAM would even be used for because that ridiculous).
It's a nice toy, but definitely not something I would jump on. If I didn't have my GNex now and I were buying a new phone, then sure, I'd probably choose the Nexus 4 - but I'd definitely go with the 16GB upgrade. (Also, I bought my GNex for $50 about a week or two ago. I have no regrets at all)
EDIT:
Why does everyone have issues with Verizon anyways...? I don't see anything wrong with them or see any benefit of going GSM. Anyone care to enlighten me on the subject? >.>

IAreKyleW00t said:
The only things I really like in the Nexus 4 are:
- Gorilla Glass 2
- IPS panel screen
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Click to collapse
Yeah, those are the only things I care about too. IPS is enticing but you gave me an idea for my 9th point.

IAreKyleW00t said:
EDIT:
Why does everyone have issues with Verizon anyways...? I don't see anything wrong with them or see any benefit of going GSM. Anyone care to enlighten me on the subject? >.>
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Click to collapse
generally you can get cheaper service with a GSM provider. there is also a higher resell market since you can use the phone on any GSM provider.

CADude said:
Time to dump that crappy company as soon as your contract runs out and go with the freedom of GSM.
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Click to collapse
Expensive? Yes. Crappy? Definitely not. I would love to go get a $50/mo prepaid no contract GSM plan, I actually would if I could. But the fact is in my area the GSM carriers have overall poor reception, and extremely poor to no reception at my home and work. So the "freedom of gsm" to me just means my phone will never work because it doesn't have service. So until I can get actual reception and data from GSM networks, I have to refer back to my list:
1.)VZW

Zepius said:
generally you can get cheaper service with a GSM provider. there is also a higher resell market since you can use the phone on any GSM provider.
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Click to collapse
I figured as much, but that seems more beneficial if you were the only user in your phone plan. I got that family plan. ;P Plus, I get great coverage where I am. I'm always connected to 4G wherever I go. I'm pretty satisfied with Verizon... they've never let me down so far. Whenever I've had an issue with a phone they take it back and give me a new one - no questions asks.
I'm sure there's probably A LOT more details about the differences between the two, but it does seem like everyone hates Verizon. xD

IAreKyleW00t said:
I figured as much, but that seems more beneficial if you were the only user in your phone plan. I got that family plan. ;P Plus, I get great coverage where I am. I'm always connected to 4G wherever I go. I'm pretty satisfied with Verizon... they've never let me down so far. Whenever I've had an issue with a phone they take it back and give me a new one - no questions asks.
I'm sure there's probably A LOT more details about the differences between the two, but it does seem like everyone hates Verizon. xD
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Click to collapse
well.. people hate verizon cause they muck with the phones, delay updates, and generally just say "screw you phone" after 6 months
even with me having a family plan with 4 phones, it was cheaper to switch to prepaid plans. i'm currently on straight talk.

CADude said:
I know everybody is excited about the Nexus 4 and I'd definitely buy it if I didn't already have a phone, but I'll be sticking with my Galaxy Nexus until at least next year. Why?
1) The Nexus 4 price is enticing, but this is also a precedent set by Google to do this with all of their Nexus phones from now on. I don't feel like I'm missing out on a one time deal. I fully expect Google to roll out another model for the same or similar price next year.
2) I bought my Galaxy Nexus at $349 months ago. I have no buyers remorse at all.4
3) The processor/ram on the Galaxy Nexus is sufficient for my needs. I don't play any games so I don't feel the need for more speed.
4) The Nexus 4 is coming out with Android 4.2. I'd rather buy a handset that comes with Android 5.0 since it would have whatever hardware features that debut along with Android 5.0's featureset and that is likely coming by this time next year.
5) I'm not too keen on having a phone with a glass back. Reminds me of looking at the iPhone 4 and dreading how it might break. I'd rather just avoid any issues Nexus 4 users may have with a glass back.
6) Motorola Mobility was bought by Google and it will take months before we start seeing the results of that, just in time for the next Nexus. Motorola's radios + Motorola build quality + Google user-focused design + stock Android = a perfect and likely device for 2013.
7) People are crying their eyes out about the Nexus 4 not having LTE, and while I don't care about LTE myself right now since its not even a standard nationwide much less worldwide, I'd say that in a years time, carriers will be further along with deploying and standardizing LTE and manufacturers will have cheaper, more standard hardware out thus it will be a lot more likely for Google to roll out their LTE-standard Nexus phone in 2013, just in time for my next phone purchase.
8) I don't think quad-core phones are ready for prime-time just yet. Many of the reviews for quad-core phone indicate that they're not as beneficial over a dual-core chipset just yet. I'd like to get a quad-core chipset that is more mature, power-efficient, and powerful and the 2013 Nexus seems like a good time to expect such a thing.
9) I have my Galaxy Nexus rooted and running Minco with the latest Franco.Kernel. All of the issues with the screen and sound have been fixed with their optimizations, features, and patches. I get battery life that is good enough for me with it, and my phone just gets smoother and smoother every month using that combination. The Minco devs say they will continue to support the Galaxy Nexus for at least another year, so having my phone continue to improve with Android 4.2 and 4.3.X in the coming months will tide me over just fine.
That's my rationale and I'm sticking to it. Anybody agree? Anybody sticking with the Galaxy Nexus for other reasons?
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1.) Of course you can expect one every year with an attractive price now. That's just how Google rolls now.
2.) Same here (2 months ago), and no buyers remorse also. Still getting the N4 because of the attractive price and the processor murders the mediocre OMAP4460 inside the GNex..
3.) The SoC & RAM is NOT efficient for my needs in the GNex. I'm always low on RAM (below 100MB after use, w/o even playing games!). And the SoC doesn't have enough oomp. So can't wait for some S4PRO PAWAH!! lol
4.) Sounds good also, but the S4Pro will run KLP/(5.0?) just fine.
5.) The glass back is a non-issue. Most will put a slim case anyways for protection like I did with my current GNex. Plus it gave me a better grip. Since my carrier Tmo is an exclusive carrier for the N4, I can use Tmo's insurance to replace the N4 if something happens to it. Couldn't do the with my GNex
6.) Meh on Moto devices. Every one I've seen had crappy performance and crappy screens. HTC or Samsung FTW.
7.) LTE isn't a dealbreaker for me RIGHT NOW since Tmo has DC HSPA+42 which gets an average of 12-20mbps in my area (tested with my GF HTC One S). My GNex with SC HSPA+21 gets 3-7mbps average .. Tmo will have LTE Advance in 2013, and I will get the next Nexus (N5?) should have an LTE radio. So the N4 will be fine for the time being.
8.) Where do you get the the QC thats inside the N4 is not efficient? It's using 28nm+Krait core (Cortex A15 class) which is even better than pre-2012 SoC's using DC+40/45nm+Cortex A9. So the SoC inside the N4 is perfectly fine right now and is future-proofed for a good amount of time.
9.) :good:
WiredPirate said:
My list is much shorter:
1.) VZW
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LOL
IAreKyleW00t said:
I agree with this 100%. This is pretty much exactly what my reasons are.
The only things I really like in the Nexus 4 are:
- Gorilla Glass 2
- IPS panel screen
Other than that I think it's a waste of money IMO. Not to mention 8GB is ridiculous now... I laugh at that since my Droid X2 came with 8GB (and at least has an External SD). The amount of "power" their putting in this is totally unnecessary... Unless your playing a game like GTA then I doubt you'll ever even use all 4 of those cores (I don't even know what 2GB of RAM would even be used for because that ridiculous).
It's a nice toy, but definitely not something I would jump on. If I didn't have my GNex now and I were buying a new phone, then sure, I'd probably choose the Nexus 4 - but I'd definitely go with the 16GB upgrade. (Also, I bought my GNex for $50 about a week or two ago. I have no regrets at all)
EDIT:
Why does everyone have issues with Verizon anyways...? I don't see anything wrong with them or see any benefit of going GSM. Anyone care to enlighten me on the subject? >.>
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Verizon has a massive network, I can't deny that, but it uses CDMA which has some negative. But other than the tech that Verizon uses, the guy above answered a few things negative about Verizon so I won't repeat it, so i'll just write negatives about CDMA.
GSM/HSPA+/LTE>>>CDMA/LTE .. CDMA is crap because:
1.) its not global
2.) No Sim cards (not sure if the CDMA/LTE versions acts the same as G/H+/LTE version where you can pop in your sim card in any compatible phone and it'll work).
And 3.) No simultaneous Talk+Data (No downloading large files/updating apps while a phone call comes in, but I believe LTE fixes that if you have it in your area).
So yea, can't wait for CDMA to be phased out by LTE. GSM will start the phase out starting 2015/16.So HSPA+ & LTE FTW!
As for your original post about the N4, lol, its 8 & 16GB, but hopefully a 32GB version is in the near future. I'm always left with 1GB in my GNex :crying: And 2GB of RAM is great! I'm always around or be 100MB, so 1GB is NOT enough. The SoC inside the N4 is highly need and is a huge upgrade from this crap SoC inside the GNex. With the S4PRO it will allow me to punch threw anything with no worries about slowdowns :victory:

J-Hop2o6 said:
LOL
GSM/HSPA+/LTE>>>CDMA/LTE .. CDMA is crap because:
1.) its not global
2.) No Sim cards (not sure if the CDMA/LTE versions acts the same as G/H+/LTE version where you can pop in your sim card in any compatible phone and it'll work).
And 3.) No simultaneous Talk+Data (No downloading large files/updating apps while a phone call comes in, but I believe LTE fixes that if you have it in your area).
So yea, can't wait for CDMA to be phased out by LTE. GSM will start the phase out starting 2015/16.So HSPA+ & LTE FTW!
As for your original post about the N4, lol, its 8 & 16GB, but hopefully a 32GB version is in the near future. I'm always left with 1GB in my GNex :crying: And 2GB of RAM is great! I'm always around or be 100MB, so 1GB is NOT enough. The SoC inside the N4 is highly need and is a huge upgrade from this crap SoC inside the GNex. With the S4PRO it will allow me to punch threw anything with no worries about slowdowns :victory:
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1) true
2) there are sim cards, and if you pop a sim card into a compatible phone, it works fine
3) talk and data works fine if you're a LTE area OR have a phone that has a SVDO radio.

Point 4 is very good. I however am keeping my Nexus simply because its perfect for my needs and will receive all the latest software updates direct from Google for at least another year. The only time I may change is if the HTC One X5 turns out to be true
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

GNex is still a great device and relevant, not to mention I'm stuck in a Verizon contract. Looking forward to the next Nexus phone.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

It will end up being about $100 for me after selling my galaxy nexus. I was stunned when i heard the price, i expected it to be much higher. As far as the glass back i think a nice case takes care of that problem.

There's pretty much no reason to stick with Gnex, unless you really like the way it looks or prefer samsung. Nexus 4 beats it almost every way.
Nexus 4 all the way. Can't wait.

I am sticking ... and that was before I found out about not having LTE. I still have unlimited and use 4G quite a bit. Plus I just love the GN - front and design over all, though I painted the battery door. The only thing that sounds nice is the wireless powering without any extras and I'm sure the screen is beautiful. Not quite enough to push me. I'll certainly get the next Nexus as well.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

J-Hop2o6 said:
Verizon has a massive network, I can't deny that, but it uses CDMA which has some negative. But other than the tech that Verizon uses, the guy above answered a few things negative about Verizon so I won't repeat it, so i'll just write negatives about CDMA.
GSM/HSPA+/LTE>>>CDMA/LTE .. CDMA is crap because:
1.) its not global
2.) No Sim cards (not sure if the CDMA/LTE versions acts the same as G/H+/LTE version where you can pop in your sim card in any compatible phone and it'll work).
And 3.) No simultaneous Talk+Data (No downloading large files/updating apps while a phone call comes in, but I believe LTE fixes that if you have it in your area).
So yea, can't wait for CDMA to be phased out by LTE. GSM will start the phase out starting 2015/16.So HSPA+ & LTE FTW!
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1. I don't travel around the world so I don't think that matters to me.
2. You can swap out Sim cards.
3. I've never had issues with apps updating or whatever while in a phone call.
Not to mention I'm not the guy in charge of my contract/plan. >.>
I dunno, I've never had issues with Verizon. I'll do some research later on. This is getting off-topic so ill stop this now. :x
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

I'll be sticking with the Galaxy Nexus as well. I still have 2 years left on my contract which is a drag, but that's not the only reason. As of right now, it gets the job done well. It runs smoothly & it can take the games I throw at it. When I get my next phone, I don't want it to be a minor jump from my current one & that's what the Nexus 4 feels like to me. I'm not disputing the power increase, but I'm just saying that I won't use it to it's full potential. I'll wait to see if there's a phone that packs more new hardware features than just power.

[Discussion] Galaxy Nexus vs Nexus 4 - which would you choose today, and why?

I have an opportunity to get a 16GB Galaxy Nexus BNIB (brand new in box), literally never opened or used, for what I consider to be a really good price at this point given the age of the device. I know that as of a few days ago Google posted the 4.3 factory Android image for the Galaxy Nexus and I've been reading up on how it seems to have breathed new life into the previous flagship device for the Nexus smartphone series.
Now, with yesterday's price drop on the Nexus 4 I have to say I'm on the fence as of this moment. I'm not absolutely sure which one to get given I know the Nexus 4 will be $250 (plus tax/shipping, so about $283 and change according to Google Play), and I can get the Galaxy Nexus for $150 - no it's not some online deal, no it's not on eBay, no I can't point you to where they're that cheap, it's literally a one-time thing from a friend that worked for Google last summer and was given the GN and he never even bothered to open it (he's an iPhone person).
I guess I should say that I'm fully aware of the community of support for the Galaxy Nexus, it's huge and it continues to grow even in spite of the age of the device. It's probably only bested these days by the still awesome community of support for the HTC HD2, probably my fave device ever but that one has long since gone off my radar.
So to make a long blah blah blah help me make a decision post short, here's the real question:
If you had the chance to get a Nexus 4 16GB for $250-ish, today, or a Galaxy Nexus 16GB for $150, today, brand new never opened never touched used etc, which would you choose, and if you can say why then say why.
I'm honestly leaning towards the Galaxy Nexus for several reasons:
- I like the build better and the curved aspect of the shape/display
- I'm not a big fan of the backside glass on the Nexus 4 even in spite of it being Gorilla Glass
- the Galaxy Nexus obviously has pretty much the same or similar features as the Nexus 4 overall (meaning from a functionality standpoint)
- the Super AMOLED display (which with this one I'm considering being brand spankin' new means it doesn't have any burn-in whatsoever which does happen with AMOLED displays; I had a Galaxy S Captivate that after 1.5 years finally started showing the burn-in consistently)
- the removable battery which is probably the biggest most amazing plus of all for the Galaxy Nexus
- the pogo dock (using the contacts on the side) for the Galaxy Nexus (I know it's just for audio and charging but even so it saves wear and tear on the microUSB port (yes I'm aware it's insanely expensive but whatever)
and some other reasons as well but that covers it. So, is the Nexus 4 with a slightly increased resolution (1280x768 vs the GN at 1280x720), the quad core CPU (which isn't a big selling point to me, really), and whatever else it features that much of a better buy over the Galaxy Nexus I'm considering?
One thing that worried me about getting a Galaxy Nexus at this point would have been the age, and the wear on the internal Flash-RAM since it doesn't support a microSD card. I know that with Android 4.3 now available and TRIM finally in action, that's part of why some people are saying their Galaxy Nexus devices are "like new again" because TRIM is cleaning things up - with this brand new never used Galaxy Nexus I could buy, it would be even better and last longer because again a) it's never been used and b) I'd put 4.3 on it within an hour of opening the box, so that's a win-win if I've ever had one.
Anyway, I am seriously curious what other people might thing, so instead of asking this in the Nexus 4 forum where people would probably just flat out call me insane to want a Galaxy Nexus over that device, I figured I'd propose the question here where the Galaxy Nexus community lives.
What say you... the Galaxy Nexus brand new for $150 or the Nexus 4 for $250-ish. I really can't commit to either at this moment so I'm still on the fence.
Regarding 4G:
The 4G aspect potential for the Nexus 4 which I know can be put to use (I use the T-Mobile $30/month plan and I'm in Las Vegas where T-Mobile has outstanding coverage now) is not a consideration as I don't care about 4G at all, period, to any degree whatsoever. Obviously the Galaxy Nexus can't support that at all, but it is HSPA+ capable and again, T-Mobile here in Las Vegas has outstanding coverage so in that respect, from the actual provider perspective, the Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus 4 are the same for my intents and purposes.
The potential 4G capability of the Nexus 4 is therefore irrelevant and not a "buying point" for me at all. Just wanted to make that aspect clear in my considerations.
Thanks.

Nexus 4. I love my Gnex but for the price it will last you much longer. The Gnex although going strong is starting to show its age. And with the N4 soooo cheap I'd say go for it.

if you're getting a new phone, get the nexus 4. the extra $100 is worth it.

Guess I missed another aspect of the Galaxy Nexus that I am interested in:
Ubuntu Touch development uses the Galaxy Nexus pretty much as the reference device in terms of smartphones, and I would love to be able to do some work with that too, so that's another plus towards the GN.
Hrmmm... I see that they're working with the Nexus 4 as well, go figure.

br0adband said:
Guess I missed another aspect of the Galaxy Nexus that I am interested in:
Ubuntu Touch development uses the Galaxy Nexus pretty much as the reference device in terms of smartphones, and I would love to be able to do some work with that too, so that's another plus towards the GN.
Hrmmm... I see that they're working with the Nexus 4 as well, go figure.
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Still, you should go for the N4. Even if the Gnex is going strong now it is not going to last forever. It's slow dual core (compared to the new CPUs), slow GPU and 1 gb of ram are already showing their age. Combine that with the already leaving devs and google's now-crap-support and you should have enough reasons to buy an N4.
PS: I love my gnex but if I had the option to buy an N4 or even the N5, which is coming soon, I'd go for the new one

I'm still sad that I got the GNex last August when the N4 was right around the corner for the same price. It has me salivating for an N5 in a couple months!

I recently was in the same situation but was looking at a used Nexus 4 at the time and went with the Galaxy.
What should you do? Well, I think its more of what do you want to do with your phone.
I don't play games that are very demanding on a phone (if any), I mostly use it to browse sites / message when I'm away from a PC.
So for what I need the GNex does it fine.
If you want more power, well this price drop should effect the value of other second hand phones and you could get something better then the N4. (or a cheaper the new N4)

I've still not found a way to keep enough available memory so that my services don't eventually go into restarting loops, necessitating a reboot. My wife just got a GS4 with 2GB of ram (same amount as the N4), and it's much nicer. Haven't seen it pause for 5 seconds to reload the home screen widgets and icons when exiting the browser, that's for sure.

I think everyone with gnex should w8 until nexus 5 come out.
N4 isnt the Upgrade we're all looking for. Performance on gnex is still decent, sure getting aged a bit but still enough to handle everything for our daily needs.
I agree with the memory point, 1 gig isn't enough anymore these days. You simply getting redraws all the time using facebook or chrome.

For me it's gnex, lg can't make quality phones. Besides, the nexus 4 doesn't have lte either, so it doesn't worth "upgrading". But if buying a new phone, I think nexus 4 is better since price wise they are same, why not the newer one.

If you can wait till Nexus 5 but Nexus 4 is much smoother in every aspect. Yes 4.3 made my GN smoother but it even boosted Nexus 4 performance as well.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

Nexus 4 has the better GPU. So I'd choose that.

Get the N4, future proof with 1.8GB of RAM. The 700 on GN is getting cramped. That's the only reason I sold mine last week for surprisingly good 200€ (was without any sings of usage though) and ordered a 250€ 16GB N4 on Play Store via German VPN, so with shipping and all that it'll be 265€ (ordered 2, we're splitting costs).
So you'll be off basically even cheaper. If you worry about the glass back, get a dBrand back sticker, looks great and protects the device.

If the Nexus 4 is still available by the end of the year, i'll get that one (Google recently chopped off 100 Euros off of the price of the N4).
I love my GNex and will most likely not sell it because it has been a very solid performer that still gets the job done.
I don't care all that much for gaming and the like, but the increase in raw processing-power and the amount fo RAM are what does it for me.
Of course, the user-replaceable battery on the GNex is a big plus, but the problem is, that in the future we are going to have to live with built-in batteries (I don't like it either, but that's the way things are looking at the moment).

Strongly considering selling my 2012 nexus 7 and then paying cash for the rest to get the 8gb nexus 4. Its such a good deal at $199.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4

madd0g said:
So you'll be off basically even cheaper. If you worry about the glass back, get a dBrand back sticker, looks great and protects the device.
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Had never seen or heard of those, but that yellow one is awesome (big fan of yellow and black schemes here), thanks for the info.
I'm still on the fence, remarkably, but I think I'm leaning more towards the Nexus 4 at the moment since I do want to participate in that Ubuntu Touch testing and development. The increased horsepower of the Nexus 4 (quad core, 2GB of RAM, etc) just make it the better device even in spite of me ending up paying almost twice as much (since the GN for me would be $150 brand new as noted). And according to that spreadsheet they use for tracking progress, it's the only device that currently is fully functional as far as the aspects they've worked on (Bluetooth doesn't work on anything of course, and some other hardware like the gyroscope, etc hasn't even started development yet).
Decisions, decisions...

I really hate N4... So I choose my Galaxy Nexus....

Nexus 4 no doubt.It has better battery..more rams mean more speed , not to mention the better gpu.And with google chopped off 100 bucks of its price itll be a good deal for you mate.
Sent from my SMART Galaxy S4 i9500 via Tapatalk 2

was going to get an iphone 5 instead of my nexus , but after i knew google dropped down the price on the nexus 4 , i think i will get that ,, what do u think guys ??

Nexus 4, if I can choose straightly without losing anything.
I would replace my GNex for Nexus 4 if I no need to add something else. I know it's impossible.
However, GNex is really an amazing device. Gonna use it for another year and I'll see what's next.