Develop Bugs

[Q] Why bother?

SKIP TO THE BOTTOM FOR THE QUESTION
I really like the idea of the Galaxy Nexus.
I'm a former Nexus One user, I still have it in the box it came in with the Desktop dock and Car dock too. I'm holding on to it for ever!!!
I passed on the Nexus S because I didn't want a Samsung Phone. I love the way HTC makes their phones. I bought into the hype about their phones feeling "cheap" and "plasticy".
I decided to replace my N1 with a Sensation which has been a pretty big disappointment.
When the GN was announced I decided to swallow my dislike for Samsung's phones and go for it. After reading about the specs it seemed like a decent phone, Nothing groundbreaking just decent maybe even a little sub par when compared to some of the top of the line phones. The only really stand out things about it are the software, which most of the top tier phones will be getting upgraded to at some point.
NFC? It's cool but I can't see using it that much. I think I've run into one other person that was using a Nexus phone and I didn't care to swap info with them. I'd probably pay for stuff with it but I still have to carry a wallet so it's not going to replace my debit card.
Camera? 5mp that's less than 8mp seems like a pretty big step down from what every "top tier" phone out there. Hopefully the low light performance will be really good but somehow I'm expecting disappointment.
Big Screen? I love it big, but then I read about the Galaxy Note.
Pure Google? I've been there with everything up to Gingerbread and I have to say it was barren. I'm on sense now and I've tried (a few times) giving it up to use ADW to get that stock launcher experience I didn't last long. Compared to Sense 3 (I think) Gingerbread is VERY ugly and misses out on a lot of niceties that I've grown accustomed to in Sense.
At least it'll probably get updates first.
It seems like every time I turn around some company is releasing a phone that bests the GN in every way, SGSII, RAZOR and today I read freaking LG has got a phone with a killer display more pixels or something like that.
With that in mind how do you keep your excitement up about this phone?

when it comes to phones, its the software that makes the device, not the hardware......with a Nexus device you will always be on the latest and greatest, nothing is more frustrating to me than to be behind 1 or 2 software releases

Megapixels in cameras are not everything.
The support on Nexus phones is unparalleled. Samsung make good phones. I would get over the plastic hate and get the Nexus. You are on the Nexus forum so you clearly want us to talk you into it

That used to be the case. However with the announcement of ICS and the subsequent announcement from HTC, Samsung and others that ICS would be coming to their later phones it seems like the update argument may not be as valid as it used to be.
Even though I don't see that much use it NFC. Going forward, I won't consider a phone without it.

jivemaster said:
Megapixels in cameras are not everything.
The support on Nexus phones is unparalleled. Samsung make good phones. I would get over the plastic hate and get the Nexus. You are on the Nexus forum so you clearly want us to talk you into it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm totally here to be talked into it .
I will totally admit to unfairly jumping on the "Samsung makes cheap feeling phones" bandwagon. HTC phones have weight, Samsung phones are light.
Yes Megapixels aren't everything but they do count for something.

Ironzey said:
That used to be the case. However with the announcement of ICS and the subsequent announcement from HTC, Samsung and others that ICS would be coming to their later phones it seems like the update argument may not be as valid as it used to be.
Even though I don't see that much use it NFC. Going forward, I won't consider a phone without it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course they're getting updated, but they'll be updated 3+ months after the Galaxy Nexus comes out.

That Samsung build quality stigma is FUD. Is all plastic, but my nexus s is the most solid feeling phone I've had. Light and rigid. I've dropped it on tile and wood floor and keep it in my pocket with no protection except that it's by itself. It still looks mint with zero screen scratches since March.
Don't buy into the megapixel myth. The sensor quality and optics are more important. 5mp is more than any cell phone needs, and provides plenty of resolution for larger prints. most use cases are social networking which does not need even a fraction of that resolution. Wait to see camera reviews and comparisons after people get their hands on shipping product.
You do sound a little confused about what phone you want. There's plenty of good products from various manufacturers with good qualities. What you will get from the GN is vanilla Android, timely updates, a solid all-around performer from a hardware standpoint (maybe not the best at any one aspect, but a formidable complete experience), and the warm fuzzies that super geek Android fans get for nexus devices. That may not be right for you, but that's what it is.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

My first android phone was the Droid X, I loved it as am android noob, then I rooted, then I flashed my first ROM, then CM7 came out for the DX, then I dropped it in a puddle... I was pretty disappointed when my insurance sent me an X2 as a replacement, but I've made it the most enjoyable I can by making my own ROM for it. Now I realize Moto will never stop locking their phones and hardware specs aren't everything, its about the software, which is why I'm 90% sure I'm going to be picking up the Gnex when my upgrade comes at the end of January. I've never owned a Samsung phone and am still skeptical about the build quality, hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised when I buy it
Sent from my DROID X2 using XDA App

What do people equate to build quality?
Do you know a phone that people says has the best build quality?
The iPhone 4 and 4s
Do you know what phone when drops shatters?
Thats right the iPhone 4 and 4s.
Judging build quality by feel alone is stupid. Quality means the grade of the materials used and how they are used. A plastic phone using really good plastic is a higher quality phone then a shattering glass phone.

Lil Jones said:
Do you know a phone that people says has the best build quality?
The iPhone 4 and 4s
Do you know what phone when drops shatters?
Thats right the iPhone 4 and 4s.
Judging build quality by feel alone is stupid. Quality means the grade of the materials used and how they are used. A plastic phone using really good plastic is a higher quality phone then a shattering glass phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The iPhone 4 and 4S are extremely high quality. They're just... made out of glass. Obviously they're going to break when you drop them. Just like a window will break when you throw a cinder block at it. That doesn't mean the window is low quality....

Their reinforced glass is not as good as gorilla glass, I heard.

The one aspect that people seem to be taking for granted also is that because of all these specs and the Nexus name. Galaxy Nexus is going to have a much larger developer following for rooted customization. Also, when you are looking for a new product what better way to narrow down what to get than to ask an expert...well, developers largely choose Nexus.
(Before someone attacks me with the typical response "not everyone wants to root ". No not everyone does. This was Simply offered as one more possitive to add to the Nexus checklist. )
When it comes down to it. everyone should buy what they want cause no one else cares.
Sent from my Nexus S using xda premium

You don't buy the Nexus for the hardware. If my Nexus One would have worked on Verizon I would still be using it.

Let's be honest, if you're regularly browsing this site, chances are you're atleast toying with the idea of rooting the device (if not in the, "The thing will be rooted before I get a text" category).
The Megapixel hype is just that. It's kind of like America's fascination with horsepower -- yes your GT500 outputs crazy numbers, but it still can't turn.
-insert flaming-

Nother Sensation owner here waiting to bounce on the GN for dev support. I will run CM9 or a MiUI ICS variant more than likely. I'd prefer to have the most choice for kernels and roms over slightly better hardware. Do we really need 4 cores in a phone?

Ironzey said:
That used to be the case. However with the announcement of ICS and the subsequent announcement from HTC, Samsung and others that ICS would be coming to their later phones it seems like the update argument may not be as valid as it used to be.
Even though I don't see that much use it NFC. Going forward, I won't consider a phone without it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, that still is the case. Even though a manufacture says they will release an update it will never be timely. As manufactures produce more and more models of phones their support goes down the drain. My Samsung Vibrant never got an official update that was promised. The thunderbolt finally got gingerbread.
My G1 was my favorite phone. Great support by htc, google and devs. It always had the latest version of android, even when its hardware could barely run it.
I would rather have a well supported phone than the highest spec phone. While the galaxy nexus appears to have average hardware it will have great android support and dev support.

Availability of developers.
CAN'T STAND OS delays.
Beautiful bezel.
No HD screen + RGB notification combos on Tmo.
That's if this retarded phone ever comes out for Tmo.

Inused to be HTC supporter. But after I got The old Desire, I vowed to not get any HTC anymore. I dislike Sense and replaced with LP pro.
Then I got the Nexus S, and feel really like the design and overal feeling. All blacks, with super Amoled, seems elegant and mysterious.
And it is much lighter as well.
On top of that Qualcomm is not as fast as Hummingbird, Exynos, or now TI Omap.
Nuff said, no HTC anymore.
Nexus phone all the way
Ironzey said:
SKIP TO THE BOTTOM FOR THE QUESTION
I really like the idea of the Galaxy Nexus.
I'm a former Nexus One user, I still have it in the box it came in with the Desktop dock and Car dock too. I'm holding on to it for ever!!!
I passed on the Nexus S because I didn't want a Samsung Phone. I love the way HTC makes their phones. I bought into the hype about their phones feeling "cheap" and "plasticy".
I decided to replace my N1 with a Sensation which has been a pretty big disappointment.
When the GN was announced I decided to swallow my dislike for Samsung's phones and go for it. After reading about the specs it seemed like a decent phone, Nothing groundbreaking just decent maybe even a little sub par when compared to some of the top of the line phones. The only really stand out things about it are the software, which most of the top tier phones will be getting upgraded to at some point.
NFC? It's cool but I can't see using it that much. I think I've run into one other person that was using a Nexus phone and I didn't care to swap info with them. I'd probably pay for stuff with it but I still have to carry a wallet so it's not going to replace my debit card.
Camera? 5mp that's less than 8mp seems like a pretty big step down from what every "top tier" phone out there. Hopefully the low light performance will be really good but somehow I'm expecting disappointment.
Big Screen? I love it big, but then I read about the Galaxy Note.
Pure Google? I've been there with everything up to Gingerbread and I have to say it was barren. I'm on sense now and I've tried (a few times) giving it up to use ADW to get that stock launcher experience I didn't last long. Compared to Sense 3 (I think) Gingerbread is VERY ugly and misses out on a lot of niceties that I've grown accustomed to in Sense.
At least it'll probably get updates first.
It seems like every time I turn around some company is releasing a phone that bests the GN in every way, SGSII, RAZOR and today I read freaking LG has got a phone with a killer display more pixels or something like that.
With that in mind how do you keep your excitement up about this phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I tried to use a SGSII but couldn't live with it. Was coming from a Nexus S and before that I owned a N1. It just didn't feel right. It came shipped with 2.3 then after some time 2.3.4 hit when I sold it a month ago 2.3.5 still wasn't official available. In addition they added a strange bootloader which stopped you from flashing CM7. I don't know exactly what happened there but it was one of the points which led me to sell the phone. I'm using a Desire now until I receive my 100% free GN.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

I'll probably just keep my NS for now. All other smartphones sound lame in comparison to the NS + Voodoo Sound.

Those of you that own a Galaxy-Nexus; are you happy ?

Curious the opinion of real owners of a Galaxy-Nexus, are you happy with your purchase ? Is it your favorite Android phone of all time ? I know only the European owners can tell me about the phone, which is slightly different than the CDMA version coming to the U.S., but overall do you like the new Nexus ?
I am looking to possibly leave the U.S. carrier Sprint, I have their Galaxy S 2, rooted with nice ROM, LOVE this phone, but hate Sprint service. Last few Sprint phones my Wife and Brother have as well, the worst network this year, 3G speeds in Chicago are like 1x Edge speeds at best, texting and receiving pictures is a pain, half don't go through, dropped calls have been happening more often the last couple of months.
So I might make the switch to Verizon, everyone I know with Verizon service swear by it as being rock solid, #1 call service, no dropped calls, very solid network. I use my phone a lot for business, and need a network that is faster and more stable.
And I am a huge Android fan, owned both the Nexus-One and Nexus-S 4G, and those were my favorite Android phones at the time I owned those. But Sprint is killing me.

It's a very solid device! You won't be disappointed!

Yes.
10char

I have had my SGN for a few days now. I got it from Expansys, who provided extremely good service in getting it to me! I am still learning how to use Android (this is my first android so it is slow learning ).
But the large, bright screen, ability to enlarge text (so my weak eyes can read it), ease of use, is a winner for me. So far, I have not run into any problems, so I am real pleased!

Extremely happy! I've been on android since getting the G1 on day one. This is by far the best device I've ever owned. You can look at all the youtube videos and reviews you want but once you get the phone in your hands you'll be blown away!

Love the device.
Hard to know whether it's ICS or the phone itself which stands out. ICS was very good on the Nexus S, but only really played with it as an SDK port. Hopefully will have chance to play with my old S when it officially gets ICS.
The screen (despite the weirdness on low brightness) is stunning, the OS is incredibly smooth and slick - it impresses me MUCH more than iOS which I've always loved for it's transitions and smoothness. Web browsing is also excellent - incredibly fast. Call and Audio quality are also excellent
The only drawback is that it's a little on the large side (sometimes hard to grab the notification bar with one hand)
I've come from the Nexus S, I'm not sure a GSII (once it gets ICS) would be much of a noticeable/fantastic upgrade though. Maybe more a sidegrade - although the shape of the GN, lack of hard/soft buttons & Screen curve do make it look massively pretty. It's also MUCH less common than the GSII & comes with pure Android - definitely a plus!
You won't be unhappy upgrading from a 2.3.x GS2 but as soon as the ICS official or custom ROM's hit it may well be a closer call!

Have had my GN for 9 days now and loving it. I have no regrets on buying it and highly enjoy both the hardware and vanilla android.
I do see what people say if the screen brightness is really low its doesn't look that great but I typically keep my screen set at 50% so its not a issue for me.
If I had to really point out a single thing that is probably the biggest drawback is the damn speaker is so quiet its basically useless unless your in a quiet environment. Driving down the highway with the music on quietly (drive a 08' bmw and its quiet inside) theres only a couple ringtones that are barely audible. My iphone speaker was loud enough to hear in all but the loudest places.

galaxy nexus
Love the screen love the size, the Chrome type browser is fantastic, however there are issues, why would you launch a new phone with no manual.Customer care at Samsung are unaware of the model of phone. The bug volume bug is now fixed but there is no flash which is ridicolous one of the primary reasons you chose android. Also the phone dialler ui is crap its all over the place and its complicated just for the sake if it.. Iam used to htc phones and in my opinion the tweak to the original ui is just the most simplistic thing to use..

I LOVE it! Especially when you can go to Wal Mart and get on a T-Mobile $30/m prepaid plan that gives you unlimited data and texts and 100 minutes with no contract, you'll end up breaking even in no time from Sprint.

It's not perfect but it's a fantastic device. Easily the best I've ever owned. Very happy with it.
I only wish they included gorilla glass. People can laugh at gorilla glass all they want but the fact for me is, my nexus already has 3 scratches on it. While my 1.5 y/o vibrant still looks brand spanking new.

Some who are coming from a GSII are disappointed. But that's really a lateral move, so otherwise, quite fantastic!
Very zippy. A great improvement over my N1 in terms of speed and function. Though I will miss the illuminated LED trackball.

What about voice/call quality!?
For example - huge improvement with a Razr over my ole' Droid Incredible.
What about the GNex?

seanmcd72 said:
What about voice/call quality!?
For example - huge improvement with a Razr over my ole' Droid Incredible.
What about the GNex?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my experience i find it better than the nexus s...

I had a galaxy s II and I enjoy the nexus more..
The Galaxy Nexus feels a lot better in the hand.. and I love the display and I particularly enjoy the lack of capacitive buttons on the front. Just staring at a 4.65" monolithic display with nothing to break up the sleek look.
Ice Cream Sandwich is really what brings it all together for me, though.. it's such a huge improvement over gingerbread.. it's hard for me to use the gmail app on gingerbread now..
This is easily the best android device I've ever owned.. even though the Galaxy S II has better specs, this device feels like it is in another league to me.

How are the network/wifi speeds? Is it 4G capable? Still trying to choose between this and the LG Optimus LTE.

I am really considering getting a Nexus to upgrade from my HTC Desire but I'm not sure if I should wait for a mobile phone with better hardware specifications (e.g. Quad-core processors) to be released if that is the case very soon or if I should just go with the Nexus.
I think it would be a big upgrade from my awesome Desire. The idea of a stock Android Google/Samsung phone makes things very exciting, as well. The only thing holding me back are the reviews going on about how the Nexus is the best Android phone on the market but isn't good enough to be a flagship phone because of it's hardware but it appears to be a wonderful device.
Did anyone here that owns a GSN come from a phone like the HTC Desire at all? I am trying to figure out this years Christmas gift to myself, you see!
Sent from my HTC Desire using xda premium

lathanub said:
I am really considering getting a Nexus to upgrade from my HTC Desire but I'm not sure if I should wait for a mobile phone with better hardware specifications (e.g. Quad-core processors) to be released if that is the case very soon or if I should just go with the Nexus.
I think it would be a big upgrade from my awesome Desire. The idea of a stock Android Google/Samsung phone makes things very exciting, as well. The only thing holding me back are the reviews going on about how the Nexus is the best Android phone on the market but isn't good enough to be a flagship phone because of it's hardware but it appears to be a wonderful device.
Did anyone here that owns a GSN come from a phone like the HTC Desire at all? I am trying to figure out this years Christmas gift to myself, you see!
Sent from my HTC Desire using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
UPGRADE I had an Inspire (a model up i think) and this phone is a HUGE upgrade! besides there wont be another nexus device for a good while yet so you will have less development options on them.

overall yes.
I'm looking forward to a lot of apps being updated to function on ics.
I don't get the same speeds as I was pulling on my skyrocket, but I would never know if I didn't run speedtest. My google music and everything else runs fast and smooth.

no regrets...

I'm very happy. The only bad thing abt the phone. It's written Samsung at the back...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

Early Impressions About T-Mobile Galaxy S4

I have been using mine for a few hours now and decided to write a bit about my first impressions. I hope these will be helpful.
Here are my initial thoughts (I am coming from the iPhone 5 that I had been using for the last 5 mos)
- The phone is light (feels too light for its size), but well made and well balanced in terms of weight. No issues with build quality (except for the one mentioned below). But it's so freaking slippery. I can't wait for my Spigen case to arrive.
- The screen is gorgeous. Large and vibrant. If you don't like AMOLED oversaturation, there is a "Movie" preset that tones down the colors.
- Battery life is the best I've ever experienced. Even compared to the iPhone. I used the phone for about 3 hours and was only down 25% (I understand that the gauge still needs to be calibrated and the battery life so far may not be typical).
- I am not a fan of stock Android, but Touchwhiz is bloated and laggy. With the specs that the phone has, there shouldn't be any choppiness or waiting for stock apps (caller, etc.) to open. But there is. I am hoping that Samsung will optimize the skin's performance in the next update.
- Related: People who put so much non-removable bloatware should be hung by their necks. Why is Flipboard, Chrome, Lookout and tens of other apps non-removable and always seem to run in the background? I'll wait for a verified list of safe-to-remove apps and bye-bye bloatware.
- Overall Touchwhiz is inconsistent. The design of stock apps varies so much. And damn those stupid bubble sounds.
- Camera is amazing in well-lit environments (better than the iPhone's), but not so much in low light (The Night mode fixes the issue for static objects though).
- Call sound quality is great.
- The only minor gripe about the build quality / design that I have concerns the power button. It's small, almost flush, and has very weak, almost non-existent tactile feedback. Just the opposite of what the power button on the iPhone is like. The volume rocker is fine though.
I will update this thread if I discover anything new.
Please, post your mini-reviews and first impressions here as well. Thanks.

Thanks for the early review. I'm getting mine tomorrow, so the wait is killing me.
Which color did you get by the way? And what did you think of that color?
I got black but still have some urge to get white. It might not matter because I also bought the Neo Hybrid case.
It does seem Samsung and T-Mo have put a lot of bloatware into the device - I can't wait for a good ROM to come by.
From my showrooming at AT&T and Best Buy, the display is indeed gorgeous and the design is better. I don't know.
I've seen the HTC One side by side with the S4 in AT&T and Best Buy, and I don't think the S4 is that much worse/cheap-feeling.
I actually found the S4 to be more comfortable to hold, and seems to fit more comfortably into my hand. The HTC One,
with all its aluminium glory, feels more rigid, and certainly not as light as the S4. I don't know.. preference.
I do think one other phone that doesn't get too much love is the Xperia Z. Great build quality, near-stock UI.
They have some nice themes that I'm using on the S3.

Good early review. I do have a question for you. I am thinking of returning this iPhone 5 for the S4. Knowing what you know now, would you advise others like me to hang on and wait it out? or is this a phone that even with its lag problems worth the switch?

GG2012 said:
Thanks for the early review. I'm getting mine tomorrow, so the wait is killing me.
Which color did you get by the way? And what did you think of that color?
I got black but still have some urge to get white. It might not matter because I also bought the Neo Hybrid case.
It does seem Samsung and T-Mo have put a lot of bloatware into the device - I can't wait for a good ROM to come by.
From my showrooming at AT&T and Best Buy, the display is indeed gorgeous and the design is better. I don't know.
I've seen the HTC One side by side with the S4 in AT&T and Best Buy, and I don't think the S4 is that much worse/cheap-feeling.
I actually found the S4 to be more comfortable to hold, and seems to fit more comfortably into my hand. The HTC One,
with all its aluminium glory, feels more rigid, and certainly not as light as the S4. I don't know.. preference.
I do think one other phone that doesn't get too much love is the Xperia Z. Great build quality, near-stock UI.
They have some nice themes that I'm using on the S3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the black mist version and I like it much better than the white. But it's personal preference.
I have already rooted the phone using the Motochopper exploit (very easy; thanks to Dan).
I also find the design much better than the S3 (more "professional", "industrial").
I do like how the HTC looks and feel, but it's not by any means more rigid. None of these phones are rugged.
The Xperia Z is a great looking phone but I personally thing that the screen on the S4 and HTC One are miles better.
With that said, the most important factor for me was the removable battery. It's always great to have a phone that doesn't have a worn battery even after a year or two of use. Plus, the battery itself is the largest one among five-inchers.

ferganer said:
I got the black mist version and I like it much better than the white. But it's personal preference.
I have already rooted the phone using the Motochopper exploit (very easy; thanks to Dan).
I also find the design much better than the S3 (more "professional", "industrial").
I do like how the HTC looks and feel, but it's not by any means more rigid. None of these phones are rugged.
The Xperia Z is a great looking phone but I personally thing that the screen on the S4 and HTC One are miles better.
With that said, the most important factor for me was the removable battery. It's always great to have a phone that doesn't have a worn battery even after a year or two of use. Plus, the battery itself is the largest one among five-inchers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Note 2 has the best battery life by far of any smartphone that is not the Droid Razr Maxx. That thing can last for days, and maybe weeks with the monster Anker extended battery. I hope I can get similar results with the S4, though I'm afraid if I keep a lot of apps, that will drain the battery faster. I have to say the dual speakers on the HTC One really impressed me. I'm wondering why Samsung still hasn't done it this way (or even better, dual front and back speakers). They're already one of the few tablet makers that put the speakers in front, and not the back. I live for the replaceable battery and microSD slot.

oak25 said:
Good early review. I do have a question for you. I am thinking of returning this iPhone 5 for the S4. Knowing what you know now, would you advise others like me to hang on and wait it out? or is this a phone that even with its lag problems worth the switch?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's personal preference. There are advantages for both phones.
iPhone is much more practical to use as a PHONE (smaller size, pocketability). It's much more fluid. However, the screen size and resolution are limiting.
The S4 being a flagship Android device offers great hardware (namely the screen) and customizibility.
I have rooted my phone and installed Titanium. I will remove as much bloatware as possible and see if that fixes the lagginess problem. I will report back.
Overall, I do not regret switching from the iPhone. So far, I am really liking the S4. Let's see if that changes

My wife and I just got ours. We switched from verizon to tmo and I switched from my galaxy nexus and she switched from an iphone5. I was really nervous that she wouldnt like it but so far she loves it and hasnt put it down in few hours. For me it wasnt that big of a change... but for her it is like the first time she picked up a smart phone. The screen i think is what she likes the best... it is big but the phone doesnt feel massive. I think it actually feels smaller in hand than my gnexus. And she really likes the camera (not talking quality just the options). It is going to take me some time to get use to touch wiz but I will probably unlock the bootloader and install cm 10.1 whenever it is available for it.
If anyone else is interested in any other details let me know.
I would have no problem recommending this over an iphone5 to anyone. I probably would never have said that about any other phone before (i made my mom get the iphone4s when it came out). Now when the next iphone (5s/6) comes out that may be a different story (but we will have to wait until apple lets us know what they are doing next).

ttrevorr said:
My wife and I just got ours. We switched from verizon to tmo and I switched from my galaxy nexus and she switched from an iphone5. I was really nervous that she wouldnt like it but so far she loves it and hasnt put it down in few hours. For me it wasnt that big of a change... but for her it is like the first time she picked up a smart phone. The screen i think is what she likes the best... it is big but the phone doesnt feel massive. I think it actually feels smaller in hand than my gnexus. And she really likes the camera (not talking quality just the options). It is going to take me some time to get use to touch wiz but I will probably unlock the bootloader and install cm 10.1 whenever it is available for it.
If anyone else is interested in any other details let me know.
I would have no problem recommending this over an iphone5 to anyone. I probably would never have said that about any other phone before (i made my mom get the iphone4s when it came out). Now when the next iphone (5s/6) comes out that may be a different story (but we will have to wait until apple lets us know what they are doing next).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your input. Unfortunately, Tim Cook stated that we shouldn't be expecting a larger size/resolution screen iPhone any time soon. So, if screen size matters to you, the S4 is indeed a better option.

Phone is great. Lag is minor. But I do notice top of screen can get hot fairly quick from not too much intense tasks.. not to bad though. Amd an update will surely adress these things
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app

I made a unbagging (because Tmo shipped my GS4 in a polybag rather than a box), unpackaging, setup, and initial impressions video.
http://youtu.be/6aaJ_pAlFZw
Since I've filmed this, I wanna add this:
Basically, I believe this launch was less than stellar. Not only did Samsung tease the S4 over the last few months, but there's the locked/verifiable bootloaders (again I add verifiable because from my understanding on AT&T and most likely Verizon too, there's checks to make sure you have a legit recovery and boot image for those particular carriers, and if it fails, brick), little availability for 32GB (ironically the only carrier to have a 32GB version is the locking down AT&T); ZERO 64GB when they claimed that 16, 32, and 64 GB versions would be available, and as I expected, Sixaxis and Wii Remotes DO NOT work out of the box (mostly because it uses Android 4.2.2 and from past experience with my Nexus 7 it does NOT play nice with sixaxis or wii remotes for whatever reason).
Oh well, at least I did showcase the Motochopper root method at the time of filming and some time after I filmed, T-mobile's version of the bootloader can indeed be unlocked. (Sprint's is unlocked from the start, btw.)

adventure_of_link said:
I made a unbagging (because Tmo shipped my GS4 in a polybag rather than a box), unpackaging, setup, and initial impressions video.
http://youtu.be/6aaJ_pAlFZw
Since I've filmed this, I wanna add this:
Basically, I believe this launch was less than stellar. Not only did Samsung tease the S4 over the last few months, but there's the locked/verifiable bootloaders (again I add verifiable because from my understanding on AT&T and most likely Verizon too, there's checks to make sure you have a legit recovery and boot image for those particular carriers, and if it fails, brick), little availability for 32GB (ironically the only carrier to have a 32GB version is the locking down AT&T); ZERO 64GB when they claimed that 16, 32, and 64 GB versions would be available, and as I expected, Sixaxis and Wii Remotes DO NOT work out of the box (mostly because it uses Android 4.2.2 and from past experience with my Nexus 7 it does NOT play nice with sixaxis or wii remotes for whatever reason).
Oh well, at least I did showcase the Motochopper root method at the time of filming and some time after I filmed, T-mobile's version of the bootloader can indeed be unlocked. (Sprint's is unlocked from the start, btw.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's funny because AT&T keeps claiming "soon" for the 32 GB version yet no one knows (and AT&T will not say anything about) when "soon" is. So, although it could happen, AT&T doesn't have the 32 GB yet (and I think may never).

adventure_of_link said:
T-mobile's version of the bootloader can indeed be unlocked. (Sprint's is unlocked from the start, btw.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not "can be unlocked", is unlocked. Period.

GG2012 said:
The Note 2 has the best battery life by far of any smartphone that is not the Droid Razr Maxx. That thing can last for days, and maybe weeks with the monster Anker extended battery. I hope I can get similar results with the S4, though I'm afraid if I keep a lot of apps, that will drain the battery faster. I have to say the dual speakers on the HTC One really impressed me. I'm wondering why Samsung still hasn't done it this way (or even better, dual front and back speakers). They're already one of the few tablet makers that put the speakers in front, and not the back. I live for the replaceable battery and microSD slot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I sold my razr maxx to someone and bought a galaxy nexus.I will never again buy a phone with a non removable battery. With my gnex I love carrying an extra fully charged battery in case of emergency or if I just run out of juice
GNex // Toro // CodeX // AK exp // Hue

scott14719 said:
It's funny because AT&T keeps claiming "soon" for the 32 GB version yet no one knows (and AT&T will not say anything about) when "soon" is. So, although it could happen, AT&T doesn't have the 32 GB yet (and I think may never).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im sorry man but this has to be the worst video i have seen in my life
Sent from my Nexus 4

dkotoric said:
Im sorry man but this has to be the worst video i have seen in my life
Sent from my Nexus 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ROFLMAO!
The best part is we get to see his feet and crusty toes roflcopter! (just kidding man)
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

Charlie Brown said:
ROFLMAO!
The best part is we get to see his feet and crusty toes roflcopter! (just kidding man)
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahahaha, I had to do anything I could to get that darned bag open (and on that note, is probably yet another reason I need to seriously consider getting the tripod for my S4... EDIT 5:45 PM: Just ordered the tripod. Use SPRINGACC up till May 15th to get 20% off on Accessories at T-mobile)
dkotoric said:
Im sorry man but this has to be the worst video i have seen in my life
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, in all fairness I accidentally made it all wordy, but it's the first unpackaging video I ever made..

adventure_of_link said:
hahahaha, I had to do anything I could to get that darned bag open (and on that note, is probably yet another reason I need to seriously consider getting the tripod for my S4... EDIT 5:45 PM: Just ordered the tripod. Use SPRINGACC up till May 15th to get 20% off on Accessories at T-mobile)
Okay, in all fairness I accidentally made it all wordy, but it's the first unpackaging video I ever made..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL I'm just giving you shlt cause I'm jealous I don't have one. LOL

What made YOU choose S4?

What made you choose this device instead of others? Will you select your next smartphone based on the same criteria or do you care more about some other spec?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2

I'm a Samsung fan boy, I've liked Samsung as long as I can remember and it was a shame I was never able to get a Samsung phone, I wanted the sgs1 but got the Evo instead, wanted to upgrade to the sgs2 but samsung wouldn't announce when it would come out and ended up getting a Motorola phone, and when the sgs3 came out I was broke... now come the SGS4 around, I bought it on launch day and it came to me the 30th I was really really happy... I'm going to get every reiteration of the phone as long as my pockets allow it...
Sent from my SGH-M919

I've been using iphones since it first released. Iphone2g, iphone 3g, iphone 3gs, iphone 4 then iphone 4s.
Over the years, I've grown tired of apple locking their firmwares to limit user customization; and the only way around was to jailbreak- a major pain in the behind. So the first reason is ease of personal customization.
Second, the screen size and ppi.
Third, the option to expand memory and switch battery.
And lastly, the popularity of S3.

a few reasons actually :
1) expandable storage
2) removable battery
3) community/developer support
a) why I picked Snapdragon > Exynos
4) Generally positive experience from past Samsung purchases. I've owned a few HTC devices and felt really burned in the past by how poorly they support their products in the long-term, haven't heard many good things about LG (other than the Nexus 4). Although I like Apple's stuff, and own an iPod I like Android's openness and flexibility to switch between Stock and AOSP

Copypasta from another thread:
This was my very first smartphone purchase, so I had to weigh all the factors. In the end, I went with the S4 because....
-It has removable/expandable memory. I plan on using my phone for a LOT of media consumption, and depending on the cloud to store all my stuff won't do it for me since I'm going to use T-Mobile on a 5GB/month data plan. Spotty coverage and limited data means cutting down on cloud usage.
-Removable battery. I figure carrying a spare battery ensures I can go a whole day of heavily using all these awesome phone features and apps without worrying about getting tied back down to a wall outlet.
-Better hardware like the CPU, RAM, Camera (for the most part it seems), and sensors.
-More software features. I can't wait to try out stuff like dual-shot and air view!
-The S4 has Mobeam, which should ensure I can largely replace my wallet and a lot of physical membership cards and just use the IR on my phone to purchase items and get discounts.
-It has a bigger screen while still maintaining a fairly small profile and a high pixel density.
-I prefer AMOLED/OLED to LCD on my TV's. All the issues not withstanding, I love the contrast ratios, the rich colors, and the saturation. It makes watching movies a blast. So I'll naturally prefer the same on the phone.
-From all the video reviews and articles I read, I think I'll end up preferring TouchWiz to sense. Once I use the fixes people have posted here and elsewhere to clear up the lag, the phone should be snappy. It will probably feel really snappy to me anyway since I've never owned a smartphone before.
Overall, as someone who is just entering the big boy league of the mobile phone market, it seems I couldn't have arrived at a better time. The S4 seems like the device for me to start with. If it turns out to be all that and more, I could see myself getting an S5 or whatever is the big kahuna next year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And I actually just got my S4 today and I'm completely blown away. I've been busy downloading apps on my home wi-fi and playing with the device most of the day. I feel like a caveman who just discovered my first computer.

For me, its just has swag!
Sent from my GT-P5113 using xda premium

1) Expandable battery. After having an extended battery on my GS2, I can't fathom having a phone that I really have to hope can last all day.
2) Even with custom ROMs, hearing all the crap HTC owners had to deal was a major negative due to lack of support from HTC.
I really wish I could get those awesome speakers on the GS4 though.

thehelios said:
1) Expandable battery. After having an extended battery on my GS2, I can't fathom having a phone that I really have to hope can last all day.
2) Even with custom ROMs, hearing all the crap HTC owners had to deal was a major negative due to lack of support from HTC.
I really wish I could get those awesome speakers on the GS4 though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup same reasons and same regret also
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

I've had HTC phones up until now and I've been pretty happy with them.
I've had to replace the battery in my EVO 3D, as well as my wife's Mytouch 4G. So, for me, a removable battery is a really important feature. Also, I wanted to have expandable storage and put large apps and pics on the SD card, so the S4 won easily over the HTC One.
The aluminum body of the One does nothing for me...I put a case on every phone I own anyway. But the One's speakers seem nice.
For my next smartphone, I think I'll still look for the same things.

I switch to the s4 because T Mobile gave it to me absolutely free no $20 a month fee completely free. I had to complain to retention quite a bit because I was having issues with my galaxy s2 and they caved in and said I'll go ahead and give you one for having so many issues with your phone and I don't want to lose your business.
works every time
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium

Spastic909 said:
I switch to the s4 because T Mobile gave it to me absolutely free no $20 a month fee completely free. I had to complain to retention quite a bit because I was having issues with my galaxy s2 and they caved in and said I'll go ahead and give you one for having so many issues with your phone and I don't want to lose your business.
works every time
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude, teach me lol. I tried doing that when the S3 came out because I was having a lot of problems with my s2 but all i got was a credit lol
Sent from Flip's Galaxy S4

got mine s4 just because i wanted to get a new phone, and i wanted to switch to unlimited data plan.. i was thinking first of getting xperia Z (about $525 cash) but there was some complaints about earpiece volume from users, so i decided to get a contract tmobile with S4
Basically the loudness of earpiece of Xperia Z made me choose the S4.. (i had an Xperia ION and earpiece on this phone was horrible, i could not hear anyone in loud places... )

Basically I got sick of HTC and sense.

Confessions from a Nexus 5/former Galaxy Nexus User

When I got my Galaxy Nexus (GN) it was sheer happiness. I was using a legacy Nokia Symbian candy bar and this was my first foray into unmolested Android. While all was not perfect with the GN, I was still mostly pleased. Then the fateful day occurred when I dropped the GN a little too hard and the screen shattered even though the phone was protected by a Diztronic TPU case. I now needed a new phone, but I knew the Nexus 5 (N5) would be out soon, so I kept using my shattered GN until the N5 was available and when it arrived, I realized cracking my screen was a blessing in disguise.
Without further ado, my quick major comparisons to the GN:
The N5 is FAST. REALLY FAST. It makes my GN feel like an unfinished prototype/research model that should have never been brought to market.
The N5’s GPS locks on quickly. REALLY quickly. My GN could take a minute or more at times to get a lock and, by then, my wife, annoyed, would whip out her iPhone and tell me my phone sucks.
The N5 has “awesome battery life.” While its battery life is average in general, compared to the GN it is legendary. The GN’s screen and data connection would kill the battery and it would rarely last till the afternoon if I frequently used both. With the N5 I can make heavy use of my screen and data connection and my battery will likely last the day.
Qi support. This makes number 3 above even better and there’s no jamming of Micro-USB ports into the phone and hoping I didn’t have the port upside-down (particularly when it’s dark/at night). When I’m at my desk, my phone is always charging. When a call comes in, I simply pick up the phone and then put it back down to charge when I’m done—nothing to plug in/I’m untethered. When I leave my desk for an hour or three, I have no fear of using or pushing the phone as hard as I’d like as I know I’m probably fully charged, because the phone was sitting on the charger, and I’ll have more than enough battery life for whatever I might encounter. Qi is simply elegant and something the iPhone can’t do.
LTE. While I got decent “4G” speeds on the GN—around 8Mbps down—the 20+/30+Mbps I get now alongside far better PING times is a great improvement.
The N5 has almost zero lag. It’s really that fast. My GN was almost all lag. Project Butter improved things, but the GN still has lag all over the place. I’m sure the N5 will start to slow down as newer software makes greater demands of the hardware, but, for now, this thing flies.
If you’re still using a GN, stop. It sucks, particularly when compared to a modem smart phone. Get the N5 and stop having your wife/girlfriend tell you your phone sucks, because it does.
Cheers.

GN sucks? Off course if you are comparing it to a 2 year newer phone with much better specs... Compare the Galaxy Nexus with Galaxy S2 (similar hardware) or even with newer phones but without those overwhelming specs and GN still rocks.
Maybe not everyone is rich and can affort paying up to 300$ per 2 years for a new phone... We all know that Nexus 5 is better than Galaxy Nexus in everything, I would like to say "Thank you mr obvious".
The point is, I'm happy with my GN, it has poor batery, awful speaker sound and s*tty Wi-Fi antenna but aside that it is a great phone which doesn't lag at all if you equip it with a good kernel and a stable rom. Well, it lags in heavy games or apps but I'm sure a bad optimized app will also lag in the Nexus 5.

I agree with Rayaxe. Of course the Nexus 5 is a much better phone in every aspect, but why does that suddenly mean the Galaxy Nexus sucks?
And I can say, aside from games (I don't really play very demanding games, so I wouldn't know), my phone with KitKat and Mpokang flies. It hasn't lagged at all, not once, and I can multitask without problems (in 4.3 it was painful, compared to 4.4). So I also agree that with a good ROM and kernel that's not an issue.
I still want to get a Nexus 5 (which at the moment is a bit difficult for me, because of my country's massive currency devaluation), but certainly not because I got tired of my GN or feel that it's old/sucks, etc.

AnnS said:
I agree with Rayaxe. Of course the Nexus 5 is a much better phone in every aspect, but why does that suddenly mean the Galaxy Nexus sucks?
And I can say, aside from games (I don't really play very demanding games, so I wouldn't know), my phone with KitKat and Mpokang flies. It hasn't lagged at all, not once, and I can multitask without problems (in 4.3 it was painful, compared to 4.4). So I also agree that with a good ROM and kernel that's not an issue.
I still want to get a Nexus 5 (which at the moment is a bit difficult for me, because of my country's massive currency devaluation), but certainly not because I got tired of my GN or feel that it's old/sucks, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but the Galaxy Nexus does suck.

I'm agree with your comparison. Nexus 5 is much much better than GNex.
But I think it's rude to say GNex sucks.
When GNex just launched, it's also great, isn't it?

Nexus 5 will be in a same position I believe, when the newest Nexus will get launched in the year 2015!

I still love my GNex. Gonna use it for 1 more year.

My wife is still under GN contract and the GN is still nice and getting it done.

This is like the most stupid sentence you could write.
It's like, I remember, when the Game Boy Advance came out and in the shop where I went to buy it a guy told me for 10 minutes how it was the best console ever, how awsome it was etc.
Two years after the Game Boy SP came out and the same guy told me that this was the best console ever and blablabla.
I mean, it's obvious, the upgrade of a phone has to be better than the old version (if it wasn't what kind of upgrade would it be?!), but this doesn't mean that the previous version then sucks.
And maybe you were saying the same about the N1 when the GN came out...

Thank you all for the support of GNex in this forum. I have also switched to N5.

Are you serious? I have a newsflash for you: the Xbox one is better than the Xbox 360. This is just dumb to say dude, no offence. I still love my gnex, it rocks. Its flying and of course it wont play asphalt 8 on max. But its a 2 year old phone.. This is a stupid comparison and a bad conclusion. Sorry to say that.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium HD app

I think you should buy an I-Phone 5S

mrgnex said:
Are you serious? I have a newsflash for you: the Xbox one is better than the Xbox 360. This is just dumb to say dude, no offence. I still love my gnex, it rocks. Its flying and of course it wont play asphalt 8 on max. But its a 2 year old phone.. This is a stupid comparison and a bad conclusion. Sorry to say that.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
, I can play Asphalt 8 with graphics on Low without any lag (in medium it laggs a little bit) and I don't notice any difference in graphics (maybe some lights but irrelevant), the gameplay isn't affected even a bit so why should I care? I am not playing in a TV to tell the difference, in a small screen with a large resolution for its size (like GN) the graphics will always be good for the eye (at least for me and I'm not blind).
Asphalt 8 with Low Graphics > PSP Graphics... so, our Galaxy Nexus can preform really well in gaming, it's not that crap.

I think it's hypocritical to be a fan of the Nexus philosophy and upgrade every year cause of the specs. The original intent of the Nexus line was to show that it isn't about the hardware but the software ultimately delivers. That's why every Nexus phone up to the Gnex had subpar specs, and why people chose to buy Nexus devices cause of the philosophy. The only way I'm changing phones is when this one croaks and I haven't felt limited enough to ditch this phone for my uses. Especially over specs when realtime usage besides gaming is only milliseconds apart from $150 phone vs a $350-$700 phone. Anything, KitKat shows there's still potential to tap. Our brothers with the Nexus S, the HD2s would agree as much.

This thread is stupid. Gnex<3
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium HD app

lonestrider said:
I'm agree with your comparison. Nexus 5 is much much better than GNex.
But I think it's rude to say GNex sucks.
When GNex just launched, it's also great, isn't it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought this phone due to it's hype. And frankly the S2 I feel is a better phone till today. And from launch this phone had lag issues on ICS and also grainy displays.
Battery life was also rubbish from day 1. I didn't feel it back then because I had no data plan. Speaker is also another lousy aspect of this phone. I've also had stock 4.0.1 totally made me go into a bootloop.
I went through 2 screen replacements, a battery and motherboard replacement. And today my phone reboots after using 3-5 GB of space. Does it suck? I'm afraid it sucks hard.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

I came from an iPhone 4 to a gnex when it first launched, I have to say I loved the large screen of the gnex at first because iPhones always feel tiny an narrow in comparison an still do to this day but everything else sucked about gnex.

Wow. I didn’t expect all the negativity and blind support for the GN, but I’m glad to see many here also agree with my assessment of the GN’s performance. My intention wasn’t to create a “GN sucks” thread, but, rather, to share my experience as a GN owner and enlighten my fellow GN owners as to how taken aback I was and how much better the smartphone experience is with the N5. I didn’t realize how good Android could be/how poor of a performer the GN is until I received the N5. Yes, one should expect the latest and greatest to perform better than an older model, but I chose to share my experience with the community because I am a part of the community and I wanted my fellow GN owners to know how significant this was for me, a GN owner.
As for the GN zealots, I apologize if I insulted you—feel free to keep your legacy device/I won’t make further commentary on this—but, again, the smartphone experience of a GN, compared to the N5, well, sucks, and after using the N5 I feel I was fortunate to have the display of my GN crack. Maybe you’ll get lucky as well .

you're comparing the n5 to a 2-year old phone. of course it will suck in comparison to the n5. the n5 will probably suck in comparison to whatever device is released this time in 2015.
on a tangent, though, i really wish these phones wouldn't get so big. i'd actually like a high-end phone that's not 5" or some craziness like that. i really wouldn't want to have to get an iphone just to get a high-end phone that is around the size i prefer.

naturalblue said:
on a tangent, though, i really wish these phones wouldn't get so big. i'd actually like a high-end phone that's not 5" or some craziness like that. i really wouldn't want to have to get an iphone just to get a high-end phone that is around the size i prefer.
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Click to collapse
If I didn’t get the N5 I would have gotten the Moto X, which it probably as close as you’ll get to a modern Nexus with a smaller screen.