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fox10078

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 6, 2009
467
86
Wow wow and Wow,

ICS that it came with was super smooth and now I'm on jellybean YOWZA

its truly a beast of a phone, I'm so happy, the navigation is great the Voice integration is great, and all my apps are on Android and they seem quite the same.

And I love the screen quality and size.

Get a nexus if you want an android phone right now.
 

luked14

macrumors 6502
Aug 1, 2010
387
58
I got a Gnex last weekend and I agree with everything you said. Notifications and multitasking are done on Jelly Bean the way they should be. Every time I use my 4S now it feels like a toy. There's really no comparison.
 

fox10078

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 6, 2009
467
86
I got a Gnex last weekend and I agree with everything you said. Notifications and multitasking are done on Jelly Bean the way they should be. Every time I use my 4S now it feels like a toy. There's really no comparison.

Absolutely its so amazing how they notifications are not so "In your face" as iOS yes still don't go unnoticed.
 

soco

macrumors 68030
Dec 14, 2009
2,840
119
Yardley, PA
I made the switch (catchphrase?) to Android for the S3 and was terribly disappointed with the locked bootloader on Verizon, so I went with the Nexus.

Gotta tell ya, I haven't looked back for a second.

I will admit the first unit I got had to swapped because it had a radio issue and would drop it's signal completely every couple of hours. It's a known issue and apparently happens less with the ones that come out of Korea and even still, it's a crapshoot if you get a bad unit.

That aside, this phone is incredible. Battery life, of course, isn't anywhere near what my 4S got, but with LTE running all day and the fact that I haven't yet gotten an extended battery, I'm not complaining.

:D
 

ChazUK

macrumors 603
Feb 3, 2008
5,393
25
Essex (UK)
I sold my Gnex, got the s3 and just had to get a Gnex again.

The S3 with ICS is just fine but the features and performance improvements JellyBean bought have been amazing on the thing. I don't ever think I'll be far away from a Nexus device all the while I use Android.
 

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,185
992
Las Vegas, NV
I sold my Gnex, got the s3 and just had to get a Gnex again.

The S3 with ICS is just fine but the features and performance improvements JellyBean bought have been amazing on the thing. I don't ever think I'll be far away from a Nexus device all the while I use Android.

So with the S3 using a microSim and the GNex not, how did you get it to work? Is there an adapter or did you just call your carrier to make the other sim work instead? Or maybe the GNex is using a microSim and i dont know it :p
 

Sincci

macrumors 6502
Aug 17, 2011
285
65
Finland
So with the S3 using a microSim and the GNex not, how did you get it to work? Is there an adapter or did you just call your carrier to make the other sim work instead? Or maybe the GNex is using a microSim and i dont know it :p

There are microsim adapters like this one:

microsimadapter2.jpg


They cost something like $5.
 

ChazUK

macrumors 603
Feb 3, 2008
5,393
25
Essex (UK)
So with the S3 using a microSim and the GNex not, how did you get it to work? Is there an adapter or did you just call your carrier to make the other sim work instead? Or maybe the GNex is using a microSim and i dont know it :p

Like Sincci said, I'm using a Microsim adapter (also need it for my Pre3 too).

I got mine free from o2 UK who were giving out free Microsims with an adapter. Works perfectly!
 

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treyjustice

macrumors 65816
Jun 14, 2009
1,256
153
TX
Used the nexus for a while it was okay. Speeds were too slow and the camera is horrible. Went back to 4S now using the S3. Better camera and LTE is crazy fast. I do miss untouched android though...
 

ender land

macrumors 6502a
Oct 26, 2010
876
0
I am really surprised there is not more discussion of this phone here.

If you buy it directly from google, you can get prepaid plans which are way cheaper than buying a 2-year contract with a phone (especially since you pay a decent amount for nearly all smartphones now you buy anyways, so $350 initially is not so bad).
 

PhoenixMac

macrumors 65816
Mar 7, 2010
1,009
1
I have a gnex and was excited about it for the first few months now I am just waiting for a LTE iPhone to come out to switch back.
 

entatlrg

macrumors 68040
Mar 2, 2009
3,385
6
Waterloo & Georgian Bay, Canada
I've owned and sold my Galaxy Nexus. I don't get it. But I'm damn near curious enough to go buy one again. I must be missing something.

In my experience the Nexus had weak wifi, weak cellular antenna, poor screen and HORRIBLE battery life, was wide and awkward even in my large hands, looked like a brick in my wife hands and slipped out of her hands like a wet fish.

Some of the posts here state the opposite. I know the guys conversationally at my local Cell shop and they get many returned for the same reasons, mostly battery and wifi reception issues.
 

silentbob007

macrumors regular
Jul 31, 2010
179
29
Little Rock, AR
I've had my Galaxy Nexus for a week and have it hooked up to the Tmobile $30 plan with 100 minutes/unlimited text/unlimited data.

This first week has been mostly getting used to the new OS and phone itself. The only real frustration I had was getting music/playlists onto the phone ... DoubleTwist was a perfect (though pay) solution. Other than that, I'm pretty happy with the phone. It seems perfectly responsive and I like the notifications/background system better than iOS. I'm not a power user (constantly watching video or streaming data), so I can get through two days on a charge.

On wifi ... yes, I've noticed less reception than on my iPhone, but it connects just fine and I don't notice any issues with it.

To be honest, my biggest gripe is that it is not very "loud" out of the box in terms of notifications, etc, but again, this can be fixed with an app.

There have been a few growing pains, but that would be expected after using iOS for 4 years.
 

Dolorian

macrumors 65816
Apr 25, 2007
1,086
0
Is the current Galaxy Nexus worth getting over an S3 at the moment? Or would it be better to wait for the next Galaxy Nexus, which is supposed to come out this year? Does it has a set date?
 

Calidude

macrumors 68000
Jun 22, 2010
1,730
0
Is the current Galaxy Nexus worth getting over an S3 at the moment? Or would it be better to wait for the next Galaxy Nexus, which is supposed to come out this year? Does it has a set date?
I would wait for the next-gen Nexus if you don't need a phone right now. The S3 has great internals but it will annoy the hell out of a lot of people.

I'd say the next Nexus will come out October or November.
 

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,185
992
Las Vegas, NV
I've had my Galaxy Nexus for a week and have it hooked up to the Tmobile $30 plan with 100 minutes/unlimited text/unlimited data.

This first week has been mostly getting used to the new OS and phone itself. The only real frustration I had was getting music/playlists onto the phone ... DoubleTwist was a perfect (though pay) solution. Other than that, I'm pretty happy with the phone. It seems perfectly responsive and I like the notifications/background system better than iOS. I'm not a power user (constantly watching video or streaming data), so I can get through two days on a charge.

On wifi ... yes, I've noticed less reception than on my iPhone, but it connects just fine and I don't notice any issues with it.

To be honest, my biggest gripe is that it is not very "loud" out of the box in terms of notifications, etc, but again, this can be fixed with an app.

There have been a few growing pains, but that would be expected after using iOS for 4 years.

iSyncr is easier and faster than Doubletwist.
 

blackhand1001

macrumors 68030
Jan 6, 2009
2,600
37
So with the S3 using a microSim and the GNex not, how did you get it to work? Is there an adapter or did you just call your carrier to make the other sim work instead? Or maybe the GNex is using a microSim and i dont know it :p

Verizon nexus also uses a microsim like the s3.
 

King Shady

macrumors 6502
Aug 22, 2010
374
134
San Jose, CA
I would go for the S3. On any carrier, there will be strong ROM development because it is such a popular device. Besides why would you want to stick with last gen hardware with the Nexus. If price is an option though, then I can't deny the Nexus is a great value for the money. I've been loving my S3 on AT&T (I've owned a Nexus as well). The Snapdragon S4 is a great chip
 

blackhand1001

macrumors 68030
Jan 6, 2009
2,600
37
I would go for the S3. On any carrier, there will be strong ROM development because it is such a popular device. Besides why would you want to stick with last gen hardware with the Nexus. If price is an option though, then I can't deny the Nexus is a great value for the money. I've been loving my S3 on AT&T (I've owned a Nexus as well). The Snapdragon S4 is a great chip

the nexus performs just as fast in reality and the stock android build really is nice to have. Also ROMs like cyanogenmod mod are generally much more stable on nexus devices and everything works. Also getting updates immediately is very nice.
 

King Shady

macrumors 6502
Aug 22, 2010
374
134
San Jose, CA
the nexus performs just as fast in reality and the stock android build really is nice to have. Also ROMs like cyanogenmod mod are generally much more stable on nexus devices and everything works. Also getting updates immediately is very nice.

No doubt CM and AOKP roms are more stable and smooth on Nexus devices, but still the performance on the Nexus is still far less than the SIII. SIII will devour any game, benchmark, browsing comparison thrown at it. In addition, the SIII has a far superior camera than the Nexus (trust me I had a Nexus and know how bad the camera is). I loved my Nexus when I had it, I just couldn't deal with it's horrible battery life (this was the Verizon version, the gsm is probably decent). The SIII is still a better choice in my opinion, especially for the average user who doesn't care about software modifications or custom roms. I love both though!
 

akuma13

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2006
934
430
Yep pure Nexus phones are the way to go. I bought a Galaxy Nexus on day one. ICS was a vast improvement but still laggy compared to gingerbread. Sold it within 6 months (then dabbled in rim, meego, and iOS).

A month ago bought a Galaxy Nexus with Jellybean and now I believe it's the better OS compared to the current state of IOS.
The camera is not that great-but It's a nice trade for led notifications and NFC.

Only Nexus phones for me whenever I buy an Android phone now.
 

ender land

macrumors 6502a
Oct 26, 2010
876
0
The argument for the gsm nexus is pretty easy ... $350 and no contract. I don't know of another new phone at that price that can touch it.

The no contract ability (and dare I say intent of the phone) is really what makes me interested in this phone.
 

fireshot91

macrumors 601
Jul 31, 2008
4,721
1
Northern VA
I placed an order the other day for a GNexus. From the Play Store, $376. Not bad for an off-contract smartphone.


I really don't like how it doesn't have LTE, though. By the time it was released, LTE was out on quite a few phones.

Eh, it'll hold em over for a few more months until my upgrade.
 
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