Develop Bugs

[Q] Galaxy Nexus Why all the anticipation ?

After seeing all the specs on this phone, and some hands on video, I am pretty dissapointed with the wait. There are phones out now that pretty much rival all aspects of the Nexus - except the ICS. In a month or so, ICS will be available to the the other phones. When it is, it will put the Nexus on par with them (or a notch below).
Whats all the hype about ? It seems like it is all around ICS, and a device we cannot yet get our hands on.

Ics. Duh.
I invented cyberspace. You're trespassing.

Why ?
Because of the ****ty carrier update system.
Personally Id by an Amaze 4g today if the stupid piece of crap carrier and HTC werent in the way of me getting Android 4.0. As it stands pretty much the only way you get to use it is by getting a GN or waiting 2-3 months for decent roms to come out.
Again. Since Google refuses to mandate min. time frames for carrier/OEM updates this means noone has a clue when they can get a major OS update. Making GN the only choice for months.
The HD screen is the second biggest factor , I havent seen any comparison to a QHD screen so dont know if its as big a deal as Im making it out to be.

The display, the OS, and the fact that it's a Nexus device. Win/Win/Win.

For me it's not having an annoying overlay. Touchwiz and Sense are ok, but I'd much rather have vanilla Android.

randypurcz said:
After seeing all the specs on this phone, and some hands on video, I am pretty dissapointed with the wait. There are phones out now that pretty much rival all aspects of the Nexus - except the ICS. In a month or so, ICS will be available to the the other phones. When it is, it will put the Nexus on par with them (or a notch below).
Whats all the hype about ? It seems like it is all around ICS, and a device we cannot yet get our hands on.
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The Nexus line is not suppose to be "top of the line" spec phones.
But to answer your question, the Galaxy Nexus comes with ICS, that's why everyone wants it.
To put things into perspective. I bought my G2x a few month ago, and it shipped with Froyo, with a promised update to Gingerbread. This was many, many months after Gingerbread was released.
Typically, phones won't see the latest android OS a few month after the OS has been announced. So if you want the latest OS, you need to go with a Nexus device.

1.) ICS
2.) Likely to have a huge developer base
3.) Hardware fairly optimized for software (and according to: http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/17/2568348/galaxy-nexus-review , its blazing fast)
4.) 720p HD Screen (again according to the above link and also http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/11/17/galaxy-nexus-review-part-1-hardware-overview-video/ although the screen is pentile, it still is amazing)
5.) Vanilla Android
6.) ???
7.) Profit
Now, I can see why some people might not want to buy this phone because of the following three reasons:
1.) Low-standard GPU - could become obsoleted fairly quickly (really old GPU) and I highly doubt a lot of games in the future could run on this device
2.) Although the hardware is fast now, in a few months from now it may not be as fast in comparison to other devices. (Remember CES 2011 with the introduction of dual core smartphones? From then on, the single core processor phones were essentially obsoleted + it is rumoured that there will be quad core phones later this year - http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/11/15/r...ndroid-4-0-with-a-2-5ghz-quad-core-processor/)
3.) The battery life may not be great with this phone

randypurcz said:
Whats all the hype about ? It seems like it is all around ICS, and a device we cannot yet get our hands on.
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that's exactly what it is a Developer reference phone for ICS
that's why you no longer see the state of the art hardware included anymore since Nexus S

I see all your points.
I guess I think Google/Samsung/Verizon, just dragged thier feet too long on getting it to market IMO. I think higher spec phones are just months away, so the only thing cutting edge here is ICS. Just my opinion.
Now, I do have the Nexus on the way, but I am just not going to be sleepless over it. I just sold my Galaxy Note (too big to function as a phone for me, but one hell of an information device), but I will always wonder how it would have performed with ICS versus GB.

mohitrocks said:
1.) Low-standard GPU - could become obsoleted fairly quickly (really old GPU) and I highly doubt a lot of games in the future could run on this device
2.) Although the hardware is fast now, in a few months from now it may not be as fast in comparison to other devices. (Remember CES 2011 with the introduction of dual core smartphones? From then on, the single core processor phones were essentially obsoleted + it is rumoured that there will be quad core phones later this year - http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/11/15/r...ndroid-4-0-with-a-2-5ghz-quad-core-processor/)
3.) The battery life may not be great with this phone
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hmmm... methinks you didn't give your cons much thought as they all contradict. each other.

oilfighter said:
The Nexus line is not suppose to be "top of the line" spec phones.
But to answer your question, the Galaxy Nexus comes with ICS, that's why everyone wants it.
To put things into perspective. I bought my G2x a few month ago, and it shipped with Froyo, with a promised update to Gingerbread. This was many, many months after Gingerbread was released.
Typically, phones won't see the latest android OS a few month after the OS has been announced. So if you want the latest OS, you need to go with a Nexus device.
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I think the nexus phones are developer phones so are set at being what google expect the average phone to be in the middle ics lifetime. After all theres no point developing on a phone when no other phone comes close to the specs. The only benefit really is it gets the latest android first rather than waiting for manufacturer releases or even later for mobile operator releases.
Personally I'm still undecided and also considering the RAZR or waiting to see what comes out in the next few months. There is no phone which makes me think I must have it at all costs at the moment. SGS2 is meh, HTC XE looks nice but doesn't excite, only RAZR and Nexus I'm considering though I'd consider the rezound if it was available in the uk.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

pukemon said:
hmmm... methinks you didn't give your cons much thought as they all contradict. each other.
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How so? I don't believe I did.
---------- Post added at 03:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:54 AM ----------
gbroon said:
I think the nexus phones are developer phones so are set at being what google expect the average phone to be in the middle ics lifetime. After all theres no point developing on a phone when no other phone comes close to the specs. The only benefit really is it gets the latest android first rather than waiting for manufacturer releases or even later for mobile operator releases.
Personally I'm still undecided and also considering the RAZR or waiting to see what comes out in the next few months. There is no phone which makes me think I must have it at all costs at the moment. SGS2 is meh, HTC XE looks nice but doesn't excite, only RAZR and Nexus I'm considering though I'd consider the rezound if it was available in the uk.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't go for the RAZR, as many reviews I have seen put it on a bad place compared to the Nexus (E.g. www.theverge.com)

For me it's the screen and ICS ....Why the crappy gpu and only 5meg camera and sub par audio is beyond me.....I don't play many games but the gpu in the s2 woulda been nice..I sold my Vibrant and need a phone now might not wait and just get gs2..The gpu in the nexus is very dissapointing ...Why the newer high end device would be speced lower than the older s2 is just dumb imo.
I did find a store that imports them and is expected the 28th for $749 shipped......The gs2 will cost me $444 local tmo.....Decisions Decisions!

Until the quad cores come out much later in 2012 the galaxy nexus will mostly be top dog. The next batch of devices will all be dual core 1.5ish ghz, some will get some version of 720p screens some will not. We should see that clear through summer until the galaxy hd/3.
That's a pretty good run for a device add to it the google experience and well it should hold its own for two years easily. IMO the only people getting screwed are the people buying the gs2 now.
As long add it's out before the end of January on AT&T (unlikely) I'll buy the galaxy nexus otherwise I'll wait for summer.

Well now it looks like the GS2 has already been ported, so maybe months of wait will be reduced to weeks to get a usable ICS rom on some of the better devices. Cancelled my preorder(Nexus) and am thinking of purchasing another Note !

STi489 said:
For me it's the screen and ICS ....Why the crappy gpu and only 5meg camera and sub par audio is beyond me.....I don't play many games but the gpu in the s2 woulda been nice..I sold my Vibrant and need a phone now might not wait and just get gs2..The gpu in the nexus is very dissapointing ...Why the newer high end device would be speced lower than the older s2 is just dumb imo.
I did find a store that imports them and is expected the 28th for $749 shipped......The gs2 will cost me $444 local tmo.....Decisions Decisions!
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Click to collapse
I'd like to refer you to here where they go beyond speculation and actually have the device so aren't pulling things out of thin air like 99% of the people here.
For people who tl;dr:
"Before we received the device, what troubled us was the idea of a last-generation GPU pushing 1280×720 pixels of the Galaxy Nexus’ screen — we can now say that fear is unfounded. We picked up and played a few games of Wind-up Knight and found it performed better in its native resolution than did the Motorola RAZR at 960×540. The RAZR uses the same GPU at a slightly slower speed, but has 40% fewer pixels. Google has done some serious tweaking to the graphics drivers to achieve such amazing results."
Just like how we don't compare ATI and Nvidia cards by their GFLOP's nor triangles per second, we should keep in mind that performance is dependant on both hardware and drivers - and varies with games just as some games naturally play better with Nvidia cards and some perform better with ATI/AMD cards. Drivers make a world of difference. Looks like Google/PowerVR/TI have done their job.

STi489 said:
For me it's the screen and ICS ....Why the crappy gpu and only 5meg camera and sub par audio is beyond me.....I don't play many games but the gpu in the s2 woulda been nice..I sold my Vibrant and need a phone now might not wait and just get gs2..The gpu in the nexus is very dissapointing ...Why the newer high end device would be speced lower than the older s2 is just dumb imo.
I did find a store that imports them and is expected the 28th for $749 shipped......The gs2 will cost me $444 local tmo.....Decisions Decisions!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once again, MP means jack **** EXCEPT picture size. Do your research before you comment. As some comparisons have said its only a little below the iPhone 4s in quality, and guess what? That's not due to MP.
Sent from my Xoom using xda premium

That review was pretty good.

[Q] Samsung Galaxy Nexus OR Quad Core Phone

Im deciding between getting the Galaxy Nexus for Verizon or a quad core phone. I was originally 100% going to get the Nexus but now that it is only 16 gigs and no expandable storage, I dont feel so safe getting it.
I like the whole concept of the cloud but what about when your on a plane or out of the country and do not have service or wifi. Other things that are causing me to stray from this device are the screen is RGGB (Pentile) and not RGB (Regular one), the top and bottom bezels are huge, its an OMAP processor (not the faster Exynos), and the processor is slower than the one in the Samsung Galaxy S2 (even though its overclocked). Things I like about this phone are that its going to get updates quickly, its stock vanilla android (no manufacturer skins), it has an ENORMOUS battery, and it has 4G LTE. When quad core phones come out, they will lose the bottom android buttons, have longer battery life, most likely better screens, 4G LTE, and also will be just as thin. If the quad core phone is made by samsung, than i plan on buying it immediately because TouchWiz is the least intrusive manufacturer skin, they are usually on the thin side, and have AmoLED screens.
I have an upgrade right now which i can give to my mom and i have another one in March. What should i do. I also want a quad core phone that has an unlocked boot-loader just incase i want to run a stock vanilla android rom (Verizon usually doesn't do this, just the nexus has an unlocked boot-loader). Please help
P.S. Im not buying anything thats not 4G LTE and im not buying anything off contract.

Wait for dual quad core phone better

Obvious answer is obvious.
Dual Core Padfone.

If you have an upgrade now and in March, why not get the Galaxy Nexus now and then upgrade to quad core next year (and give the GN to your mum)? Do you really need quad core? Are you really going to use a first gen quad core or might it be more sensible to wait until the issues are ironed out (such as battery life, app compatibility and who knows what else).
You can always for the next gen gadget .... but then you will never have any at all!

1.) Do you really need more than 16 GB?
2.) If you read a lot of the reviews and asked people on XDA, a lot of them said they don't notice any pixels and the screen looks great
3.)With the hardware acceleration and the optimization between hardware-software, many people are saying it is considerably faster than the Samsung Galaxy S 2
4.) As far as my knowledge goes, it isn't overclocked but its actually underclocked from its original 1.5GHz
5.) Good luck getting more than 4 hours of juice with a quad core phone with standard battery technology unless battery technology is SERIOUSLY revamped
6.) You seriously would compromise having Ice Cream Sandwich first AND vanilla android for a faster phone with the touchwiz launcher?
7.) As far as I'm concerned, dual core technology is good enough for a phone. I don't need a quad core proccesor in my phone as I have a desktop and a laptop at home. (Also, what do you really need that uses quad core technology?)
8.) The bootloader might not be unlocked with some of these other phones, the developer base will not be huge, and it'll take a long time for the software to be obsoleted on this phone, as it is a phone in the "Nexus" line by Google and as mentioned earlier, there is a huge developer base so custom roms would be built fast and I would say probably be one of the most functional
Note: This is biased as I already pre-ordered my Galaxy Nexus so some points may be exaggerated
Note 2: I feel that a dual core phone would suffice as right now as I have a Motorola Milestone (International version of the Droid), so also keep that in mind when reading my points

What are you talking about? It's already been confirmed that the Verizon LTE model comes with 32GB...
Besides, it'll be late-2012 before the quad-core phones start coming out.

If Kal'el does what Nvidia states just having that processor alone would increase battery life. Most of the work would be done on the companion core unless you need more power. We won't know exactly how well it works until we see it running in the real world.
I have to add the Nexus is UNDERCLOCKED for battery life.
Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk

hotleadsingerguy said:
What are you talking about? It's already been confirmed that the Verizon LTE model comes with 32GB...
Besides, it'll be late-2012 before the quad-core phones start coming out.
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Click to collapse
nothings confirmed at all....their website actually changed to 16GB

The website has been updated a second time...
http://www.google.com/nexus/#/tech-specs
says 32GB and not 16GB

I hear Verizon's version will be 32gb LTE with bigger battery for $299. Sounds perfect.
My PC is only a dualcore Intel, kinda weird with a quad core phone. Aside from gaming, not much will use all that power. Plus quads wont be start hitting until more summerish... with US carriers getting them starting Christmas. I don't think there is a need for quads ATM.
Plus I'd rather buy a quad tablet vs a phone.... that's where I do most of my gaming and core work.
Pick up the Nexus and the Quadcore Tegra3 Asus Transformer Prime. Perfect combination. Asus puts out updates as fast as Google does. Easily hand them my money in the future.
G2x - 2.3.7 CM7
Transformer - 3.2 Revolver OC/UV

OP, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1357321 says now the web site list 32 GB only... Trolling or not, we don't know for sure

Ladrero said:
Wait for dual quad core phone better
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Click to collapse
wait until octo core phones, those are the ones to wait for

POQbum said:
wait until octo core phones, those are the ones to wait for
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Click to collapse
Sweet! Can't wait to run [email protected] on all my idle cores.

I've said this numerous times and will probably continue to say it several more times throughout the rest of this year and all of next year but whatever...
I respect the whole bigger better faster processor thing but seriously what game or application is out there that is seriously compelling enough to actually use all that power? Sure you can get a quad core Tegra 3 summer next year but I'd put any amount of money on it that summer 2013 people will be wanting Tegra 4's with higher clock speeds or additional cores and for what? There are a few games out there that will benefit from the added power but being that they'll have a high development cost and those developers want to sell as many of their games as they can every last one of them will be able to run at satisfactory levels on this phone which begs the question: are you really going to spend hours upon hours upon hours of your life playing whatever cell phone games make use of that awesome processor or do you just want it so you can show people your benchmark results?

You do really think a quad core processor is being made in the phones to just play games? Maybe you should do some more research on the actual benefits of a quad core phone. So many people are mis informed it's not even funny.
First, the quad core processors are MADE for more effecient battery life. The Tegra 3 actually has 5 cores, one companion core which runs at a very low clock rate and the numbers of cores being used changes due to the demand of the user.
Second, the 28nm gpu's will also be a lot more effecient on battery life. Still gotta read up on that. And the next generation LTE chipsets, for all you verizon folks, is going to be a lot more effecient as well.
I'm sick of people thinking that quad core processors are going to destory battery life without actually researching them.

graymonkey44 said:
You do really think a quad core processor is being made in the phones to just play games? Maybe you should do some more research on the actual benefits of a quad core phone. So many people are mis informed it's not even funny.
First, the quad core processors are MADE for more effecient battery life. The Tegra 3 actually has 5 cores, one companion core which runs at a very low clock rate and the numbers of cores being used changes due to the demand of the user.
Second, the 28nm gpu's will also be a lot more effecient on battery life. Still gotta read up on that. And the next generation LTE chipsets, for all you verizon folks, is going to be a lot more effecient as well.
I'm sick of people thinking that quad core processors are going to destory battery life without actually researching them.
Click to expand...
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Exactly. Quads will have there place but is it reasonable to skip the Nexus now and wait... my answer is no.
Unless you have a late model phone already, the SGN seems a good buy right now.
G2x - 2.3.7 CM7
Transformer - 3.2 Revolver OC/UV

This is something where one could say that "if you could wait then wait until the 16 core phone comes out" ... obviously quad core phones are not available at this moment ... if you want to wait then there is always something better in the works.
With no quadcore phones available or announced yet ... I would say that go with GN LTE even though I would still wait to read some reviews and check developer base support because in the end LTE and battery are not friends and verizon is known to mess things up with the handsets. Like preloading bloat on a Nexus device. If custom ROMs is your thing (which I hope it is as you are here on XDA ) then wait for the reviews to come out.

Please do us all a favor and wait for the Quad-Core phone to come out, and then once the Quad-Core phone comes out in about 6 months, please come back to tell us that you're debating wether you should wait for Hexa-Core!
More Nexi available for us!

Edit: eh, way too sarcastic and nonsensical. I'm in a better mood now anyway. 4g is a good idea, that's majorly expanding next year. Quad cores will take a little time to impliment. Who *really* needs one anyway? Hell, I just got my first dualcore and ICS will be the only android thus far even able to begin utilizing it. Honestly, ill go out on a limb and say that the mobile phone market is the fastest developing consumer electronics sector on the planet. If you wait, something new will be just behind it. Play with the phones in the store, find one you really like and buy it. I like my rezound-defects aside-but I risk the possibility of no s off. if that's important get a phone that works within your constraints.

frostyllama said:
Edit: eh, way too sarcastic and nonsensical. I'm in a better mood now anyway. 4g is a good idea, that's majorly expanding next year. Quad cores will take a little time to impliment. Who *really* needs one anyway? Hell, I just got my first dualcore and ICS will be the only android thus far even able to begin utilizing it. Honestly, ill go out on a limb and say that the mobile phone market is the fastest developing consumer electronics sector on the planet. If you wait, something new will be just behind it. Play with the phones in the store, find one you really like and buy it. I like my rezound-defects aside-but I risk the possibility of no s off. if that's important get a phone that works within your constraints.
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Unfortunately I couldn't quote reply this in its original all be it creative form. As I read it right before going to sleep. Strange nightmares about long fingered zombies. Back OT you should just wait for quad cores, because once that baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're gonna see some serious...
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk

nexus vs. droid 4?

looking to switch from an epic 4g to either a nexus or droid 4 (both are only $99). Can anyone give input on which you think would be the better of the two and why? The phone is used for calls, a few apps here and there but mainly for email and internet surfing (and tethering from time to time).
I do like having the full slide out keyboard, but it's not something that would kill me if it was missing as I have to use the on screen keyboards for my work iphone... It is handy but not a deciding factor - any info is appreciated!

Nexus all the way! Bad ass screen and ICS!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

If you don't need the hardware keyboard, I don't see how you ever consider the Droid 4 over the Galaxy Nexus. The Nexus absolutely crushes it.
Honestly if you're gonna compare a Moto device to the GN you should be comparing the RAZR MAXX to the Galaxy Nexus.

i don't think there are any other phones with slide out keyboards worth a crap on verizon other than the droid, is there? The samsung stratosphere, but it looked to be old technology.
if anyone can, could you check out the phones listed for verizon on wirefly.com and tell me which one is the best model? i work in the IT field with double bachelor's degrees, but couldn't tell you the first thing about these damn phones other than elementary specs because every time i turn the computer on there are new ones coming out.
The sprint lady said we had until March 13th or 14th iirc to get out of the contract with no termination fee so whatever we decide on, it has to be done before then

selfinfliction said:
i don't think there are any other phones with slide out keyboards worth a crap on verizon other than the droid, is there? The samsung stratosphere, but it looked to be old technology.
if anyone can, could you check out the phones listed for verizon on wirefly.com and tell me which one is the best model? i work in the IT field with double bachelor's degrees, but couldn't tell you the first thing about these damn phones other than elementary specs because every time i turn the computer on there are new ones coming out.
The sprint lady said we had until March 13th or 14th iirc to get out of the contract with no termination fee so whatever we decide on, it has to be done before then
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I said above, if you don't need the keyboard, the Nexus is the winner all the way. The only reason to get the Droid 4 is the keyboard honestly. Because if you didn't need the keyboard it'd be between the RAZR MAXX and the GN, and even then unless you need the battery, the GN wins again.

Droid 4 has terrible ghosting when it comes to their screen. Check the Androidpolice review of the D4. It has a video demonstrating it.

Galaxy Nexus is a pretty bad ass device. I was coming from an Epic 4G Touch on Sprint and while that phone spec wise is better then the GN, there is just something about this phone that just makes it a winner.
The GN was was to big of a device for my wife so I got her an HTC Rezound. Still a little big for her but definitely better then the GN. The Rezound has a dual core 1.5ghz processor and a 720p screen resolution. Camera is also pretty good on that phone.
This is my first Nexus device and I must say I am liking the pure Android experience.

after some more research, i think we're going to hold off. we were looking at the specs of current phones compared to our epic's from 2010 and there isn't much that has changed other than the addition of dual core cpu's. it would really be a waste for us to get new phones now and be stuck with them for two years when the galaxy s3 and a few other quad core phones with possibly 16mp cameras will be coming out this summer.
having an original ICS phone would be good, but not enough to make us sacrifice getting outdated hardware for it. I was actually really surprised to see the nexus to have such low specs with all of the anxiety they produced in december.

martonikaj said:
If you don't need the hardware keyboard, I don't see how you ever consider the Droid 4 over the Galaxy Nexus. The Nexus absolutely crushes it.
Honestly if you're gonna compare a Moto device to the GN you should be comparing the RAZR MAXX to the Galaxy Nexus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said.

selfinfliction said:
after some more research, i think we're going to hold off. we were looking at the specs of current phones compared to our epic's from 2010 and there isn't much that has changed other than the addition of dual core cpu's. it would really be a waste for us to get new phones now and be stuck with them for two years when the galaxy s3 and a few other quad core phones with possibly 16mp cameras will be coming out this summer.
having an original ICS phone would be good, but not enough to make us sacrifice getting outdated hardware for it. I was actually really surprised to see the nexus to have such low specs with all of the anxiety they produced in december.
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Click to collapse
While the genex doesn't have the greatest hardware specs, it will have the longest support life. Most phones are lucky to get one software update, the nexus line will have software updates to the latest version of android for quite some time. Plus ICS is optimized for the genex hardware.
By far the best phone I have had, even with the stock rom.

As someone who's used both, the ONLY thing the D4 has is it's physical keyboard. The functionality of the Nexus versus the D4 isn't even in the same league! I switched over from the DROID series to the Nexus just recently and couldn't be any more satisfied.

selfinfliction said:
after some more research, i think we're going to hold off. we were looking at the specs of current phones compared to our epic's from 2010 and there isn't much that has changed other than the addition of dual core cpu's. it would really be a waste for us to get new phones now and be stuck with them for two years when the galaxy s3 and a few other quad core phones with possibly 16mp cameras will be coming out this summer.
having an original ICS phone would be good, but not enough to make us sacrifice getting outdated hardware for it. I was actually really surprised to see the nexus to have such low specs with all of the anxiety they produced in december.
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Click to collapse
Would love to know what you will be able to due with a quad core phone that you cannot do with a dual core phone. How much faster do we really need these processors? These are mobile operating systems that don't even take advantage of dual cores none the less quad cores.
My wife has a Rezound, dual core 1.5ghz processor and an EVO View Tab single core 1.5ghz processor. Do you think her Rezound does anything her tab can't? Do you think one feels faster then the other? I am not even sure they benchmark any differently although I haven't tested them up to each other.
Bottom line, single cores can get the job done plus when quad core phones get released you will start hearing about octo cores or something.
Do you think a webpage will open up quicker with a quad core device? Nope...The only thing it might help with is 3D gaming but no developer is going to limit their games to only quad cores anyway because that would take away from there profits of everyone else who does not own a quad core phone.

axion68 said:
While the genex doesn't have the greatest hardware specs, it will have the longest support life. Most phones are lucky to get one software update, the nexus line will have software updates to the latest version of android for quite some time. Plus ICS is optimized for the genex hardware.
By far the best phone I have had, even with the stock rom.
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i'm sure it is a great phone, but these are some of the same camera specs that were on phones literally from 2010 and if i buy something that already has antiquated hardware this year, then i'll be stuck with it until 2014 and that's just not a good decision on my part.

Coming from a Droid X that has ran everything from Apex to Tranquility. Simply put, the Galaxy Nexus is the best phone on the market because of Ice Cream Sandwich. It is everything people make it out to be. I've only had the phone for about a week, and I will only buy Nexus phones from here on out. I'm running Android 4.0.4 unlocked and rooted. You do not need to change kernels or Rom the phone. ICS is perfect. I might consider overclocking in the future as I've read that the CPU in the Galaxy Nexus was underclocked from factory.

selfinfliction said:
after some more research, i think we're going to hold off. we were looking at the specs of current phones compared to our epic's from 2010 and there isn't much that has changed other than the addition of dual core cpu's. it would really be a waste for us to get new phones now and be stuck with them for two years when the galaxy s3 and a few other quad core phones with possibly 16mp cameras will be coming out this summer.
having an original ICS phone would be good, but not enough to make us sacrifice getting outdated hardware for it. I was actually really surprised to see the nexus to have such low specs with all of the anxiety they produced in december.
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Laughable, you don't the deserve a great device like the Galaxy Nexus.
Let me give you a few hints too:
1. The Galaxy S 3 doesn't have to be quad core, we have already seen Qualcomm's Krait destroy Tegra 3, quad core is just a gimmick.
Samsung are making dual core Exynos processor which might or might not appear in the Galaxy S 3.
2. The part where you said 16 megapixel camera was very funny.
I highly doubt you would ever print anything that big, not that your printer would be big enough anyway, also there would be no benefit of having that resolution on the phone.
But I guess it's ok if you like big useless numbers?
---------- Post added at 12:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 AM ----------
[email protected] said:
Would love to know what you will be able to due with a quad core phone that you cannot do with a dual core phone. How much faster do we really need these processors? These are mobile operating systems that don't even take advantage of dual cores none the less quad cores.
My wife has a Rezound, dual core 1.5ghz processor and an EVO View Tab single core 1.5ghz processor. Do you think her Rezound does anything her tab can't? Do you think one feels faster then the other? I am not even sure they benchmark any differently although I haven't tested them up to each other.
Bottom line, single cores can get the job done plus when quad core phones get released you will start hearing about octo cores or something.
Do you think a webpage will open up quicker with a quad core device? Nope...The only thing it might help with is 3D gaming but no developer is going to limit their games to only quad cores anyway because that would take away from there profits of everyone else who does not own a quad core phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah, even 3D gaming wouldn't benefit too much from a quad core, only if the game was physics or AI heavy.

At this point waiting for the galaxy 3 would be smart. Especially with the simultaneous release rumors.

dario3040 said:
Laughable, you don't the deserve a great device like the Galaxy Nexus.
Let me give you a few hints too:
1. The Galaxy S 3 doesn't have to be quad core, we have already seen Qualcomm's Krait destroy Tegra 3, quad core is just a gimmick.
Samsung are making dual core Exynos processor which might or might not appear in the Galaxy S 3.
2. The part where you said 16 megapixel camera was very funny.
I highly doubt you would ever print anything that big, not that your printer would be big enough anyway, also there would be no benefit of having that resolution on the phone.
But I guess it's ok if you like big useless numbers?
---------- Post added at 12:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 AM ----------
Nah, even 3D gaming wouldn't benefit too much from a quad core, only if the game was physics or AI heavy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are you 15 years old? I don't "deserve" to have a specific phone? that's such a childish comment, the rest of your post doesn't even deserve an acknowledgement by dissecting it and providing the proper information.

[email protected] said:
Would love to know what you will be able to due with a quad core phone that you cannot do with a dual core phone. How much faster do we really need these processors? These are mobile operating systems that don't even take advantage of dual cores none the less quad cores.
My wife has a Rezound, dual core 1.5ghz processor and an EVO View Tab single core 1.5ghz processor. Do you think her Rezound does anything her tab can't? Do you think one feels faster then the other? I am not even sure they benchmark any differently although I haven't tested them up to each other.
Bottom line, single cores can get the job done plus when quad core phones get released you will start hearing about octo cores or something.
Do you think a webpage will open up quicker with a quad core device? Nope...The only thing it might help with is 3D gaming but no developer is going to limit their games to only quad cores anyway because that would take away from there profits of everyone else who does not own a quad core phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh i agree that phones now do a decent job, heck i'm still happy with my epic 4g that's nearly 2 years old. but the thing is, why would i pay the same price for antiquated equipment now (the nexus) when I know for a fact that much better stuff is coming out in a few months? That's like going to a car lot and buying a 2009 camaro for $45,000 when you can wait a few months and buy a 2010 corvette for $45,000. see what i mean? it just doesn't make good sense when i've got a phone that already works for what i need it to do.
but there is something that no one is considering here, what everyone keeps comparing these quad core phones to is dual core and single core processors running SINGLE THREAD applications, because there are not that many multi-threaded apps out for phones yet. I'm going to be stuck with whatever I get for 2 years out, and will guarantee that by the end of this year as apps get more complex and programmers get deeper into their thing, they will start using multi threads on most stuff, especially the droid OS itself.
i'm not sure how old you are(you may have seen this develop as well), but i've been working in the computer industry for over 13 years now and this is the identical issue as what happened when multi-core cpu's came out for computers. people were screaming bloody murder and how senseless multiple cores were on a computer and now i don't even think the cheapest cpu's are single core. I couldn't tell you how many times that people were hating on the multi-core cpu's talking about how their single core p4's were the best. As soon as they started programming multi-thread applications, those guys put their heads back in the ostrich holes because they knew they were wrong

selfinfliction said:
oh i agree that phones now do a decent job, heck i'm still happy with my epic 4g that's nearly 2 years old. but the thing is, why would i pay the same price for antiquated equipment now (the nexus) when I know for a fact that much better stuff is coming out in a few months? That's like going to a car lot and buying a 2009 camaro for $45,000 when you can wait a few months and buy a 2010 corvette for $45,000. see what i mean? it just doesn't make good sense when i've got a phone that already works for what i need it to do.
but there is something that no one is considering here, what everyone keeps comparing these quad core phones to is dual core and single core processors running SINGLE THREAD applications, because there are not that many multi-threaded apps out for phones yet. I'm going to be stuck with whatever I get for 2 years out, and will guarantee that by the end of this year as apps get more complex and programmers get deeper into their thing, they will start using multi threads on most stuff, especially the droid OS itself.
i'm not sure how old you are(you may have seen this develop as well), but i've been working in the computer industry for over 13 years now and this is the identical issue as what happened when multi-core cpu's came out for computers. people were screaming bloody murder and how senseless multiple cores were on a computer and now i don't even think the cheapest cpu's are single core. I couldn't tell you how many times that people were hating on the multi-core cpu's talking about how their single core p4's were the best. As soon as they started programming multi-thread applications, those guys put their heads back in the ostrich holes because they knew they were wrong
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mr been in the industry for 13 years... I been in it for like 4 years and even I know that about the only multithreaded mainstream programs used in desktops are computer games and even then its rare

TheRiceKing said:
Mr been in the industry for 13 years... I been in it for like 4 years and even I know that about the only multithreaded mainstream programs used in desktops are computer games and even then its rare
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there are plenty of database applications that utilize multi-threads, we actually have a couple of GIS mapping programs and plugins that use 16 cores at a time. ( you'd be surprised how processing intensive 500-1000mb maps with 50 or 75 layers is ) I can't get into the specifics of it, but there are hundreds if not thousands of every day applications that take advantage of simultaneous multithreading. what i manage is just a microscopic amount of what is available.
You'll have to forgive me because i'm not up on phones too much but i would say i'm fairly decent with computers, after all i do have an associates in network systems, a bachelors in information systems security, and am finishing up with my masters of information systems in June. Just these damn phones change so much and i don't have time to keep up with anything that doesn't have to do with school or work.
I really didn't mean to offend anyone about their nexus if this is where the thread is going, just because i don't think it's a good deal for me, doesn't mean it's not a good deal for someone else. heck, i've really been super happy with my epic since i switched it over to ICS, that makes a world of difference even on an old phone so i'm sure it runs great on the nexus as well.

[All Carriers] How long until...

How long until you believe this phone becomes obsolete? I hear a lot of people (and read them, too) say that this is probably the first phone they'd go the full 2 years with...however, being realistic, when was the last time you made it two years with the same device? I haven't gone two years with the same device since the original Razr was in style.
I know, I know, at 2gb ram, dual core, etc, this phone is far from becoming obsolete, so I'll rephrase that question for you: What feature on a future phone would make you make the switch from your Galaxy S3? Or are you confident enough that there will be no other phone in the next two years that can replace it?

When they release phones with 16 core Opterons in them
In the wise words of amd..:
MOAR CORES!!!!!
/sarcasm

My old s1 still works great
And really do we need to be able to play skyrim on a phone
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium

I've actually been impressed with mobile gaming...never was big on it but I have played 3D Spiderman, GTA 3, Fifa12, PES 2011 and 2012, NBA Jam, etc...been a great experience recently
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

gtuansdiamm said:
My old s1 still works great
And really do we need to be able to play skyrim on a phone
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

I don't know that I have a feature that I would jump ship for at this time ... but I wonder if, in 2 years, the size and use of applications will make even 2 gb of ram obsolete?
I'm in the camp that I can see keeping this phone throughout contract, but it is hard to tell if, in 1.5 to 2 years time, 2 GB of ram is actually not enough to keep up with programs/OS requirements. I don't necessarily think so, but remember back when 256MB of ram was a lot? That wasn't TOO long ago.
But, since I don't use my phone for intense gaming, I see this phone in my future for a long while - at least until the sandwich-making feature phone is announced.

I don't think it being obsolete would be the problem. I'll just want something newer at some point before two years. My Evo 3D could have easily lasted another year for my uses, but I still got a GS3.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

banzaiwolfe said:
I don't think it being obsolete would be the problem. I'll just want something newer at some point before two years. My Evo 3D could have easily lasted another year for my uses, but I still got a GS3.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You and I think alike. Also had Evo 3D, Razr, GNex, but still had to have the S3 and more than likely getting the Note 2 when it comes out
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

Ill keep mine the whole 2 years (well 20 months or whatever it is) just like I have done with every other phone. While there may be something new and better out if you are always waiting for that you will never have a phone. That and the cost to buy phones off contract now are more than I want to spend.

Sccrluk9 said:
Ill keep mine the whole 2 years (well 20 months or whatever it is) just like I have done with every other phone. While there may be something new and better out if you are always waiting for that you will never have a phone. That and the cost to buy phones off contract now are more than I want to spend.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's why you make a friend who works for AT&T and gets all the new phones free who can turn around and sell em to u for 100-150...lol
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

It will become obsolete sometime between Q4 2012 & Q2 2013. Qualcomm are already prepping the S4 QUAD for tablets this year and its performace is roughly x2 the Dual S4, and far exceeds the Exynos 4212+Tegra 3 if I read correctly. Technically the GPU in all Android phones are obsolete or slow in comparison to Apple's latest offerings(Imaginations is like a high-end Nvidia in the mobile-space, Adreno mid, and Tegra mid-high).
For some reason I feel someone is gonna make a 1080P phone, which is useless btw--just had to throw that out there for those that were unaware. Cores cores and more cores will probably be one of the more popular acts we see though, and 2GB-4GB Ram will be standard. Unfortunately I wish these companies would realize they need to relax b/c optimizations are practically nonexistent with Stock Android phones. I hate to constantly reference Apple & WP7/8, though it's a must. When i hear people telling me stuff like the HOAX or S3, or whatever dual/quad lags--lag. Seriously, these phones are using CPUs that theoretically should outperform the 4S/iPd3, but that's normally not the case. We are getting to a point where everyone is rushing to get out the latest and greatest, however all the hardware don't mean **** when the software can't match it.
P.S. Sorry about going off on a rant.

Ace42 said:
We are getting to a point where everyone is rushing to get out the latest and greatest, however all the hardware don't mean **** when the software can't match it.
QUOTE]
I've said it before and I'll say it again here, I love Android OS but in terms of refinement iOS is better put together overall (speed, battery life, overall smoothness). Thats just my opinion.
and yes, quad core, 2GB RAM-LTE device is already out there in Korea... it wont be long until our dual core, 2GB RAM, LTE gets outdone hardware-wise down here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I have been so disappointed with the radio in my t-mobile s3 because I cannot stream music without it cutting out constantly. I am actually going to demand a microsim adapter from them and return to my vibrant. If my data sucks so bad that I cannot consistently stream music in the car, what's the point of owning this without calling it just a pda.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

p3rljam said:
I have been so disappointed with the radio in my t-mobile s3 because I cannot stream music without it cutting out constantly. I am actually going to demand a microsim adapter from them and return to my vibrant. If my data sucks so bad that I cannot consistently stream music in the car, what's the point of owning this without calling it just a pda.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are u streaming? And what coverage do you have? 3G? H+?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

cue_32 said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again here, I love Android OS but in terms of refinement iOS is better put together overall (speed, battery life, overall smoothness). Thats just my opinion.
and yes, quad core, 2GB RAM-LTE device is already out there in Korea... it wont be long until our dual core, 2GB RAM, LTE gets outdone hardware-wise down here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And it only took around 2 months for it to become obsolete then, not ideal in the world I would prefer, but I suppose it can't be helped. This phone could had been so much more if Samsung stuck with the SGX instead of adopting the Mali-400. It would had been so cool to have the CPU part of the S4 combined with a dual/quad SGX543/544 like the ipad/iphones. Those GPUs outperform even the silly Tegra 3 & its fancy 16 cores(which are just 16 weak cores throw together ). I don't know what Sammy or Qualcomm were thinking about. Everyone is just dropping the ball all over the place these days.

I'm not really sure, mainly because I'm not entirely vested in this phone as it is, so it probably wouldn't take much, provided I could sell this one and cover the majority cost of a replacement phone.
I think something with sufficient horsepower to run some things which even this phone can't, but that remains to be seen. One thing that could almost definitely sell me is a flagship phone like this one that has a hardware keyboard. The problem is that I'm in the minority, so a flagship Galaxy S or Nexus phone is highly unlikely to have one, and I care ever so slightly more about the fact that flagship phones have thriving development communities, whereas one-off phones, which I may like more, won't get the same kind of attention from either developers or manufacturers.

I'll keep my phone until my contract is up. I always have (except for my BB Storm which I *****ed about until they upgraded me). My OG Droid Inc lasted for 2 years until I got this S3 and it was still in like new condition. I was tired of the small screen, but the devs here kept the phone fresh.
Hell, part of me misses my Inc. (Love this phone, though.)
Sent from an overpriced Verizon tower.

Ace42 said:
Technically the GPU in all Android phones are obsolete or slow in comparison to Apple's latest offerings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean the dual core 800MHz in the 4S? That is Apple's current offering.
Since the definition of obsolete is...
1. out of use or practice; not current
2. out of date; unfashionable or outmoded
An old Startac is obsolete because it It can no longer be used. My old Motorola RAZR is not obsolete because I can still use it
for it's intended purpose.
I would say the phone will not be obsolete for many years to come. How can a device me considered obsolete if there is a phone
with a faster CPU or more memory? The phone can still be used for it's intended purpose.
My S3 can not do anything my Vibrant couldn't (with the same mechanicals), it only does it better.
Ian

w98seeng said:
Do you mean the dual core 800MHz in the 4S? That is Apple's current offering.
Since the definition of obsolete is...
1. out of use or practice; not current
2. out of date; unfashionable or outmoded
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually when I said latest offering I was referencing the iPad 3. And actually I stated the GPU in Android devices are all obsolete(as in not current in terms of power). The Legendary SGX543 MP4 in the iPad 3 mops the floor of every single Android device to ever touch this world, even the soon to be made Adreno 320 in the new S4 QUAD(snapdragon) fails to match the creature. Even the 4S' SGX543 MP2 is barely phased by the Mali 400, Adreno 225, and Tegra 3's laughable 16 core toy. I have no doubt that the S3's CPU is superior at all.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6022/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-review-att-and-tmobile-usa-variants/4
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6112/...agon-s4-apq8064adreno-320-performance-preview
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6054/google-nexus-7-mini-review
^Just look there, every time Apple makes everyone look like a joke. As much as I dislike Apple's methods and price gouging what I say it true.

Ace42 said:
It will become obsolete sometime between Q4 2012 & Q2 2013. Qualcomm are already prepping the S4 QUAD for tablets this year and its performace is roughly x2 the Dual S4, and far exceeds the Exynos 4212+Tegra 3 if I read correctly. Technically the GPU in all Android phones are obsolete or slow in comparison to Apple's latest offerings(Imaginations is like a high-end Nvidia in the mobile-space, Adreno mid, and Tegra mid-high).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Obsolete (by my definition) doesn't mean that a newer/better product exists. Every device would be a obsolete within a few months if that were the case. To me obsolescence means that it either doesn't perform modern tasks acceptably or a new product feature is so desirable that you simply don't want your old device anymore.
We all know the S3 will handle Jelly Bean beautifully. I'm pretty confident it will be good for Key Lime Pie as well. I got close to 2 years from my OG Epic (Galaxy S1) and only upgraded short of 2 years because I could. With the strong CM/AOKP support this phone has, I'm fully confident I'll have this phone the full 2 years. Unless I break it, heh.

How long do you think before the Note 2 gets/feels outdated?

Im sure this question doesnt really get thrown around alot considering the Note 2 is still a relatively new release. However, im curious to know how long before it starts to feel "outdated" just like the Galaxy S3. Im sure im not the only one who feels that way towards the S3 Int version. I mean one of the reason i switched to a Note 2 was because of the bigger screen and the extra 1GB Ram...feels like this could be future proof atleast for some time but thats also what i felt about the S3 when i first got it until they started releasing phones with 2gigs and full HD screens. What do you guys think?

When samsung releases note 3 I think.. and thats about 3rd to 4th quarter next year..
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
---------- Post added at 07:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:02 PM ----------
And also not so many apps today optimize quad core processor.. and when that time comes note 2 is still running smoothly because what you are holding right now is not yet fully optimize.. wait until all developers optimize their apps and you will see the real note 2..
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
Just hit thanks its free anyway

I'd say when the Note 3 comes out or a worthy equal from a competitor
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Yeah but doesn't it put you off sometimes when your phone hasn't even been through half of its product cycle and already you start seeing leaks of its successor and then suddenly all the spot light is taken away from your current device. I'm proud of showing my friends how much better is the note 2 compared to his one x and the spot light helps.
Sent from the Rabbit Hole

bushako said:
Yeah but doesn't it put you off sometimes when your phone hasn't even been through half of its product cycle and already you start seeing leaks of its successor and then suddenly all the spot light is taken away from your current device. I'm proud of showing my friends how much better is the note 2 compared to his one x and the spot light helps.
Sent from the Rabbit Hole
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is just a device and it is all in your mind. Get over it.

I think its already outdated...
I keep trying to reassure myself by telling myself that the software support in xda is awesome...
I guess I will have to stick to this device a little longer...
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

bushako said:
Yeah but doesn't it put you off sometimes when your phone hasn't even been through half of its product cycle and already you start seeing leaks of its successor and then suddenly all the spot light is taken away from your current device. I'm proud of showing my friends how much better is the note 2 compared to his one x and the spot light helps.
Sent from the Rabbit Hole
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have both note 2 and one x as well as an s3, and the hox screen is by far the best amongst the 3 in terms of crispness in my opinion.
But back on topic haha, i think it is good that technology is moving so fast. Just means better stuff for us to upgrade to in a year. The note 2 is powerful enough to withstand the changes that will occur in the next 12 months at the very least.
Try not to look at it as being in the spotlight, because regardless of what samsung or anyone else bring, the note 2 is still so unique that it can stand on it own until something else of similar size and with a stylus comes along
Sent from my GT - N7100 using xda premium

gpgalanis said:
It is just a device and it is all in your mind. Get over it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wish it were true for everyone but fortunately not everyone thinks alike. I see it a bit more than just a device..It should be able to work as fluidly as it was when I first had it at least for the few years ahead, and keep up with newer apps that demand more hardware resources. I like to have the greatest and the latest or at least try, but that's me
edwinpang said:
I think its already outdated...
I keep trying to reassure myself by telling myself that the software support in xda is awesome...
I guess I will have to stick to this device a little longer...
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yupe I tell that to myself too from time to time...
Sent from the Rabbit Hole

Now and for some time in the future, the specs of our devices should suffice. Get a new battery in a year, keep installing new updates and enjoy your awesome phone

bushako said:
Im sure this question doesnt really get thrown around alot considering the Note 2 is still a relatively new release. However, im curious to know how long before it starts to feel "outdated" just like the Galaxy S3. Im sure im not the only one who feels that way towards the S3 Int version. I mean one of the reason i switched to a Note 2 was because of the bigger screen and the extra 1GB Ram...feels like this could be future proof atleast for some time but thats also what i felt about the S3 when i first got it until they started releasing phones with 2gigs and full HD screens. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've used the note (1) for almost a year and wouldn't have bought note 2 if it wasn't for my kid needing a new phone (my note 1). As I still feel the Note 1 is still in the game, especially when JB is released, I don't think I will feel my note 2 being outdated for atleast 2 years.
Skickat från min Nexus 7 via Tapatalk 2

Adde79 said:
I've used the note (1) for almost a year and wouldn't have bought note 2 if it wasn't for my kid needing a new phone (my note 1). As I still feel the Note 1 is still in the game, especially when JB is released, I don't think I will feel my note 2 being outdated for atleast 2 years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehe. In my case it was Mom who got my old HTC Desire. (She loves it.)
The Note 2 has just the right size for me and - compared to the Desire - more space than I'd even know what to do with, so my guess is I'll still be happy with it in 2 years. But who knows what they'll throw on the market in the near future...

When the s4 is released, my note 2 will probably become a secondary device.....depending on the actual specs released on the s4.
Sent From An Incognegro Galaxy Note 2

Until Note 2 keeps getting updates and new features I'll be more than happy to be with it.
The moment ,say Key Lime Pie(unlikely) or a later version, is not released for us, the phone will feel outdated. Cause the quad core specs should hold up for a couple of years and all that is needed are constant updates giving way to new features.
Thats what i feel.

It will probably be awhile before we start seeing more cores utilized properly aside from games. There aren't that many heavy duty apps for mobiles. Even apps that take up a lot of ram don't need a lot of horse power. We need some distributed networking stuff and some real Photoshop and video/audio conversion apps to utilize the cores.
Sent from my GT-N7100

@rbiter said:
It will probably be awhile before we start seeing more cores utilized properly aside from games. There aren't that many heavy duty apps for mobiles. Even apps that take up a lot of ram don't need a lot of horse power. We need some distributed networking stuff and some real Photoshop and video/audio conversion apps to utilize the cores.
Sent from my GT-N7100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My thoughts exactly.

There are a few aspects which I consider when buying a phone, and for determining if a phone is outdated or not.
I'll give you my thoughts on when the Note II will be "outdated" - keep in mind this is relative and subject to your own opinion.
The Note II is a great device and in my opinion, it will still be great to use for the coming 2 years (which is standard contract length).
The following aspects are which I use to determine if a phone is outdated:
Battery
The Note II has a decent battery, 3100 mAh is very good for any phone. But the capacity is relative to the hardware of the phone; because of the screen size and quad-core CPU you cannot compare this 1:1 with, say, a 4 inch dual-core phone. The hardware of the Note II drains alot more battery capacity than a 4 inch dual-core phone would. Nonetheless, you can get 36-40 hours out of the battery, which still is better than most phones nowadays.
Screen
The screen of the Note II isn't it's strongest aspect. Sure, the 5.5" 1280x720 screen is nice, but what is important is the ppi (pixels per inch). The Note II has 267 ppi. In a few months there will be some phones with a 5" 1920x1080 screen, resulting in 443 ppi. This is alot better than the Note II. For now the Note II has a good screen, but it will be less attractive once the 5" 1920x1080 phones are released.
The screen won't be damaged by normal use, which is good.
CPU
An Exynos 4412 quad-core CPU at 1.6 GHz is a very good CPU. One of the best at the present moment. However, the coming Intel CPU's in Android phones will give it a run for it's money.
GPU
The Note II comes with a quad-core Mali-400MP GPU clocked at 400 MHz. This will provide the Note II with all the graphics processing power it needs and won't be surpassed soon. It's supposed to render as well as the PS3 and XBox 360. However, NVidia's Tegra 4 (not released yet) will be better.
Memory
2 GB RAM is very good, and any phone won't need more for quite a while.
Build quality
It might feel a little cheap, but it is quite strong and well-made. I am using it without a case (but with flip cover) and after about 2 months, it is still undamaged. This may vary between users but for me, it's a plus.
Development possibilities
The Note II is easy to root and there is active development going on. No downside here besides the fact that once rooted on stock ROM, you can no longer recieve OTA updates from Samsung.
Camera
The 8 MP camerica is ok. There are already better camera's in some other phones, but alot of the currently available phones have worse camera's.
Update likeliness
Samsung will surely keep the phone updated with the latest Android versions available. No worries about not being able to have the latest Android version on your phone - and if Samsung decides to stop updating, the active development community will probably provide you with a custom ROM of the latest version.
In conclusion: in the coming few months the Note II will be surpassed by other phones. However, it is a decent phone and can surely last you 2 years without losing much of it's power. So, yes, in terms of specifications, it will be outdated by the end of 2013. However, it will still be a great device and in terms of consumer satisfaction, it will not be outdated for atleast 2 years.

@rbiter said:
It will probably be awhile before we start seeing more cores utilized properly aside from games. There aren't that many heavy duty apps for mobiles. Even apps that take up a lot of ram don't need a lot of horse power. We need some distributed networking stuff and some real Photoshop and video/audio conversion apps to utilize the cores.
Sent from my GT-N7100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im curious though, since when was dual core never enough that they had the need to increase the number of cores. Not that im complaining but isnt the main issue with experiencing some sluggishness is due to the apps running in some sort of a virtual environment( forgive me if i use the wrong terms here)? I figured why not just increase the clock speed and improve the OS to be able to fully utilize what resources are available from the hardware to its maximum potential. The way i see it...hardware wise they have taken huge leaps where as software needs alot of catching up to do...and that gap is still ever increasing.

bushako said:
Im curious though, since when was dual core never enough that they had the need to increase the number of cores. Not that im complaining but isnt the main issue with experiencing some sluggishness is due to the apps running in some sort of a virtual environment( forgive me if i use the wrong terms here)? I figured why not just increase the clock speed and improve the OS to be able to fully utilize what resources are available from the hardware to its maximum potential. The way i see it...hardware wise they have taken huge leaps where as software needs alot of catching up to do...and that gap is still ever increasing.
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Same goes for x86 architecture. There are a lot more apps that use it, that really benefit from it too, but some of the lesser apps that utilize use it in a faux way that doesn't really benefit from it. A lot of it is education and engineering but the other part of it is storage is still the bottleneck. Ssd's are still kind of slow unless utilized in good raid array. The current Intel core CPU's can decimate all the bits thrown at it in most mainstream systems.
Sent from my GT-N7100

I got a note 2 for myself and an S3 as a present to my mom (she didn't want the big size at all) for me the note 2 specs are top notch.
For CPU I think the exynos 4412 quad is the best second to that is probably the snap dragon s4 quad
Ram 2 gigs is pretty much the standard for smart phones now and don't think will change in quite some time.
screen is beautiful. Tbh when you look closely with note 2 and s3 side by side the s3 is better but that's because of the higher ppi
Don't forget the s pen is a huge selling point no other phone except the note 1, 2 has it. Especially with all the awesome Features of It.

@rbiter said:
Same goes for x86 architecture. There are a lot more apps that use it, that really benefit from it too, but some of the lesser apps that utilize use it in a faux way that doesn't really benefit from it. A lot of it is education and engineering but the other part of it is storage is still the bottleneck. Ssd's are still kind of slow unless utilized in good raid array. The current Intel core CPU's can decimate all the bits thrown at it in most mainstream systems.
Sent from my GT-N7100
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So in other words unless there aren't many apps being developed that require more powerful processors and ram then there's really not that much to look forward to with the upcoming s4 performance wise other than an increase in display size, pixel density and perhaps battery life... I can't imagine how much more improvements can be done over the current performance of the note 2. This thing is literally by far the best phone experience since my last iphone device.
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