I think google maps does a better job with alternative routes, but looks horrendous on android. Google actually admitted their IOS version looks better than the android version. I think apple maps is the cleanest of them all
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Phones Switching to Nexus 4 - My Experience
- Thread starter slu
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I think google maps does a better job with alternative routes, but looks horrendous on android. Google actually admitted their IOS version looks better than the android version. I think apple maps is the cleanest of them all
Personal preference I guess, but I am still an android Google maps fan. It has not let me down.
I've got tune in radio pro and can pause and use the bar Along the top to scratch backwards with full pause/10 second replay record and stop.
Perhaps its a limitation of the free Android version?
I have been using Executive Assistant for a couple of years now. It could use a visual overhaul, but functionally, is gotten better with every update. It is my one must-have app.
It is totally worth it, IMO.
But here is the free version.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appventive.ExecAssist.ad
Oh really the paid version is that good?
Just checked out the free version just to see how I liked it. Seems cool, but does it have to be there when you hit the sleep wake button? I would like to put it on the home page of my lock screen widgets.
For me at least
.I have the widget on my lockscreen and also my homescreen. In combination with Lightflow, I found that I did not need notifications any more. Other than text messages, all other notifications are turned off. Plus I can reply to text messages from right within the widget, even from the lockscreen, if I choose to enable that feature.
On my lockscreen, I have set the widget to just show just minimum information, like email sender's name and the subject, so that I just need to look at my lockscreen to know if there is anything important.
It really shows how powerful widgets can be when applied properly.
For me at least
I have the widget on my lockscreen and also my homescreen. In combination with Lightflow, I found that I did not need notifications any more. Other than text messages, all other notifications are turned off. Plus I can reply to text messages from right within the widget, even from the lockscreen, if I choose to enable that feature.
On my lockscreen, I have set the widget to just show just minimum information, like email sender's name and the subject, so that I just need to look at my lockscreen to know if there is anything important.
It really shows how powerful widgets can be when applied properly.
Thanks for the info I might just have to give a try
The are two options here to add it to the lock screen. The first is within the app. If you tick "Add to Lock Screen" , it sort of takes over the lock screen. I would not recommend that.
Instead, leave the check box unchecked and add it to your lock screen like you would add any other lockscreen widget.
Attachments
Yup! The paid one was worth it. I only started using it this year after seeing someone talk about it on MR. Problem is that if I didn't stumble upon it on these forums, I probably would never have found it. But it is a great app.
Yeah, another poster determined those features aren't available in the free Android version--shame because they are part of the free iOS version.
I did install the app on my iPhone and confirmed this too (I'll stick with the free version on iOS because of this, with it playing in the background the iAds don't affect things at all)!
Very odd that the free app on iOS has more functionality than the Android version, but it's their prerogative.
Seems to be missing from the Windows Phone app too.
Huge thank you for finding and posting about this app. The notifications aspect of Android on the Nexus 4 has been my biggest disappointment. This brings it up-to-pare with IOS.
So it has been a few days...
Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone for their responses. Every single one was helpful and I really appreciate that this thread has stayed constructive.
I now know that I will be sticking with Android. After getting used to Android this week, I have come to the conclusion that for how I use a phone, iOS and Android are basically the same. Most everything is available for both platforms and once you get used to things being done differently, there aren't many issues.
Initially, I said widgets seem to be a gimmick, but this was until I discovered lock screen widgets. These are an outstanding feature. Especially once I installed "Notifications Widget" as recommended previously in the thread.
Gmail works fine for me. I have my other email address in Kaiten, which I find to be just OK, but I don't use it much, so I don't care.
I like the way my photos workflow goes now. I upload everything to Google+, which is kinda like my photostream, and dropbox. Pics and video get automatically imported to iPhoto and removed from dropbox. To me this is an improvement as I don't need to plug in my phone to transfer videos. Snapseed is fine for on phone photo editing.
Right now, my battery life is pretty poor. I can't make it through the day without charging. I do think I am "overusing" it because it is my new toy and I have all sorts of stuff running, so I am optimistic that with some adjustments to usage and settings I will be generally able to get a day's usage.
I have still been being conservative with apps and only downloading them when I need them, and so far so good basically. I do think app quality is, in general, better on iOS, but it is slightly better. I have no problems with the Play store. Works fine for me.
I still think I prefer browsing on iOS, but I am trying different browsers and I am getting there. My main issue with Chrome is that it is difficult to access bookmarks with one hand. Dolphin does this well, but browsing is a bit flaky for me. Trying Firefox now, which is my main browser on my Mac.
Music is fine for me. I didn't use the stock iOS app. I used a 3rd party app to play from Google Music, so the Play app suits me just fine. I wish Tune-In had the pause feature, but I can just get the Pro version.
I'd really like to use Google Wallet, but I haven't yet found anywhere I can use it.
And finally, I really enjoy the speed of the phone and the size of the screen. My hand has gotten used to the wider phone and now when I hold my wife's iPhone, it seems tiny. The speed improvements over the iPhone 4 are huge, but that was to be expected.
Overall, for me the Nexus 4 is a really good phone.
Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone for their responses. Every single one was helpful and I really appreciate that this thread has stayed constructive.
I now know that I will be sticking with Android. After getting used to Android this week, I have come to the conclusion that for how I use a phone, iOS and Android are basically the same. Most everything is available for both platforms and once you get used to things being done differently, there aren't many issues.
Initially, I said widgets seem to be a gimmick, but this was until I discovered lock screen widgets. These are an outstanding feature. Especially once I installed "Notifications Widget" as recommended previously in the thread.
Gmail works fine for me. I have my other email address in Kaiten, which I find to be just OK, but I don't use it much, so I don't care.
I like the way my photos workflow goes now. I upload everything to Google+, which is kinda like my photostream, and dropbox. Pics and video get automatically imported to iPhoto and removed from dropbox. To me this is an improvement as I don't need to plug in my phone to transfer videos. Snapseed is fine for on phone photo editing.
Right now, my battery life is pretty poor. I can't make it through the day without charging. I do think I am "overusing" it because it is my new toy and I have all sorts of stuff running, so I am optimistic that with some adjustments to usage and settings I will be generally able to get a day's usage.
I have still been being conservative with apps and only downloading them when I need them, and so far so good basically. I do think app quality is, in general, better on iOS, but it is slightly better. I have no problems with the Play store. Works fine for me.
I still think I prefer browsing on iOS, but I am trying different browsers and I am getting there. My main issue with Chrome is that it is difficult to access bookmarks with one hand. Dolphin does this well, but browsing is a bit flaky for me. Trying Firefox now, which is my main browser on my Mac.
Music is fine for me. I didn't use the stock iOS app. I used a 3rd party app to play from Google Music, so the Play app suits me just fine. I wish Tune-In had the pause feature, but I can just get the Pro version.
I'd really like to use Google Wallet, but I haven't yet found anywhere I can use it.
And finally, I really enjoy the speed of the phone and the size of the screen. My hand has gotten used to the wider phone and now when I hold my wife's iPhone, it seems tiny. The speed improvements over the iPhone 4 are huge, but that was to be expected.
Overall, for me the Nexus 4 is a really good phone.
I agree about the browser. Ever since the galaxy nexus stock browser I have been looking for something like it. It was by fare the best mobile browser I have used. My note 2 has a pretty good one to, but still that galaxy nexus one took the cake. If anyone has the apk for please post. Chrome is not my favorite and just use it cause that is what is stock. I have never really liked dolphin that much. Again if you need anything just ask.
As per the dev, Whatsapp does not currently have a third party API. EA does not work with whatsapp, for now.
Glad to hear you enjoy your Nexus 4! It's the first Android phone that had me switch from iOS without looking back.
For my browser, I really enjoy Boat Browser. It's very simple and one of the only other browsers that has a scroll-to-top (and bottom) feature.
Google Wallet can be used essentially anywhere with a PayPass logo. I've always had the tendency to avoid trying to use it because my Amex card has an RFID chip that NEVER works.
For me, I did think the battery life was quite bad in the beginning, but in the past few weeks I've experienced much better results. Either my phone usage changed or CyanogenMod incorporated some battery saving features.
For my browser, I really enjoy Boat Browser. It's very simple and one of the only other browsers that has a scroll-to-top (and bottom) feature.
Google Wallet can be used essentially anywhere with a PayPass logo. I've always had the tendency to avoid trying to use it because my Amex card has an RFID chip that NEVER works.
For me, I did think the battery life was quite bad in the beginning, but in the past few weeks I've experienced much better results. Either my phone usage changed or CyanogenMod incorporated some battery saving features.
I am going to rebuy a nexus 4.
I missed it since selling it. I was looking forward to the One and S4 and then i realized two things after constant research and an in person trial of One at a store:
I cannot like touchwizz no matter what. Sure the features are nice but the whole UI reminds me of the samsung wave which runs bada. No difference. Those huge blocky buttons that samsung uses are a reminder of 2.3 and pre 2.3 era, ugh. No thanks. Nova launcher can fix my home screen, it cannot fix the rest of the UI. It cannot fix the stutter that was non existent on the nexus in my experience at least, and custom ROMs only help for so long.
Sense is better but, it is still no stock and the biggest issue is HTC is favoring low light performance of camera more over the regular all around use. So no go for me.
My brother recently got a nexus 4 and i find myself wanting to play with it more and more and he started complaining lol. Stock is just too good to leave for S-features or ultra pixels
I missed it since selling it. I was looking forward to the One and S4 and then i realized two things after constant research and an in person trial of One at a store:
I cannot like touchwizz no matter what. Sure the features are nice but the whole UI reminds me of the samsung wave which runs bada. No difference. Those huge blocky buttons that samsung uses are a reminder of 2.3 and pre 2.3 era, ugh. No thanks. Nova launcher can fix my home screen, it cannot fix the rest of the UI. It cannot fix the stutter that was non existent on the nexus in my experience at least, and custom ROMs only help for so long.
Sense is better but, it is still no stock and the biggest issue is HTC is favoring low light performance of camera more over the regular all around use. So no go for me.
My brother recently got a nexus 4 and i find myself wanting to play with it more and more and he started complaining lol. Stock is just too good to leave for S-features or ultra pixels
I am going to rebuy a nexus 4.
I missed it since selling it. I was looking forward to the One and S4 and then i realized two things after constant research and an in person trial of One at a store:
I cannot like touchwizz no matter what. Sure the features are nice but the whole UI reminds me of the samsung wave which runs bada. No difference. Those huge blocky buttons that samsung uses are a reminder of 2.3 and pre 2.3 era, ugh. No thanks. Nova launcher can fix my home screen, it cannot fix the rest of the UI. It cannot fix the stutter that was non existent on the nexus in my experience at least, and custom ROMs only help for so long.
Sense is better but, it is still no stock and the biggest issue is HTC is favoring low light performance of camera more over the regular all around use. So no go for me.
My brother recently got a nexus 4 and i find myself wanting to play with it more and more and he started complaining lol. Stock is just too good to leave for S-features or ultra pixels
I currently have a Nexus 4, Im thinking about getting the GS4 tomorrow, Im hoping with Nova Launcher or something I can avoid most of the Touchwiz.
I hope there is a touchwiz based rom that can change the look to complete stock android. I have a seen a couple of those for the s3 and I wouldn't mind running one if it took out all the bloat and added aosp like feel.
Still, touchwiz UI always fails to impress me. The features (not talking about the S-marketed ones) like wifi direct, better stock apps etc are nice to have.
I wonder how long till we see a really good nexus.