

The Nexus 4 is a dud - nkoren
https://plus.google.com/101823054067706876820/posts/h2SdJQuBotw

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suhailpatel
Interesting post but one I completely disagree with:

1\. Some don't like the LCD screen on the Nexus and prefer the OLED screen of
the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Nexus. Personally I don't like the OLED screens
because the colours just feel wrong to me (oversaturation on the greens
especially). I absolutely love the screen on the Nexus 4

2\. I haven't had any issue with Data connectivity. I've been testing
alongside an iPhone 4 on the same network (o2 which some claim has the best
coverage in the UK) and haven't had any issue with real time connectivity
except a couple times when the train goes into a tunnel.

3\. Battery life initially for my use was really poor but I then realised that
it was because I was using my Nexus a lot more (discovering apps, playing
games for long periods of time etc.). Once i'd settled with the device for a
couple days, the battery usage was similar to that of the iPhone 4. This
includes full data sync, 3G & WiFi enabled and everything and brightness set
to auto. It really depends on usage in my opinion

I switched from an iPhone 4 to a Nexus 4 and couldn't be happier. I tried the
Galaxy Nexus for a brief stint but the battery life was poor in standard usage
and the screen always felt off. I was a major iPhone fanboy but my switch to
the Nexus 4 has been nearly flawless (the ordering process was a bit of a
faff)

~~~
pkulak
It sounds to me like he's on AT&T and doesn't have it set up correctly. I
heard you have to do some APN weirdness to get it working properly on that
network. Could be wrong though.

~~~
elemeno
His G+ says he lives in London so it's pretty unlikely he's using AT&T! Other
than some slight differences in coverage, all of O2, Vodafone and EE (aka
Orange + T-Mobile) should be roughly equivalent when it comes to not needing
any tweaking to get your phone working properly.

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kenjackson
I get that people like traffic and use linkbait, but I do think that this
title looks like hyperbole. Is the Nexus 4 a perfect device? No. Is it even a
great device -- maybe not. But it at the price point it may well the best
device for some non-trivial subset of population.

Google and LG impressed me with this device at the price it's at. Is it the
device in my pocket? No... I'm rocking the Lumia 920. But when I look at the
short list of phones I'd recommend (depending on various factors of who I'm
recommending to) the Nexus 4 is probably quite often on the list.

~~~
Evbn
You are impressed by the marketing and specs, but OP has a least put the phone
to real world use.

~~~
jpravetz
And so have I (put it to real world use). I'm getting 2-3 days of battery life
(not much actual talking on the phone), love the display, love the OS and all
the interconnected s/w features, and love the responsiveness, and find the
data performance is adequate for my needs. I wish it had a better camera.

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ginko
> An emissive display ought to be able to capture the full gamut of human
> visual perception. The old Nexus Galaxy could;

No it couldn't. Not by a long shot.

~~~
rdl
Are there _any_ displays for computers/phones/etc. which "capture the full
gamut of human visual perception", or even close to it? It basically goes sRGB
< Adobe RGB < NTSC, and there are plenty in CMYK which aren't in NTSC.

~~~
jsz0
IIRC the iPhone 5 (and probably others) are sRGB. I'm sure the N4 is an
upgrade to the Galaxy Nexus though which cannot display any color without
awful pentile distortions.

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Rudism
I'm surprised there isn't more negative backlash against the lack of a user-
replaceable battery in the Nexus 4. I switched from an iPhone 4 to a Galaxy
Nexus about a month before the Nexus 4 was released, and the ability to pull
the battery for a quick reboot has been invaluable to me since I went kind of
nuts with the rooting and playing with custom ROMs and kernels (being my first
Android after living under Apple's iron fist for so long I just couldn't help
myself--I've since calmed down a bit and am sticking with an unrooted stock
ROM).

I would think that a replaceable battery also extends the life of the device
in general for people who don't necessarily need the latest and greatest every
year or two, since it's easy to just buy a new one and pop it in when the old
one starts to lose its ability to hold a charge.

~~~
w1ntermute
Yeah, this and the move towards MTP for storage (rather than an SD card) has
turned me off the Nexus line. My biggest complaint about the Galaxy Nexus has
been MTP - it only works half the time, requires the phone to be unlocked
sometimes, can freeze up the file browser (happens in both Linux and Windows),
isn't compatible with many other pieces of software (like if I want to FTP a
file from a server, through my laptop, to my phone via USB using FileZilla),
and transfers files extremely slowly.

Since I can't get a new phone on contract again (don't want to lose unlimited
data on Verizon), I'll probably buy a used Galaxy S3 some time next summer -
by then it'll hopefully be $100-200 for one that's in good shape. The Galaxy
S3 has a strong modding community around it, so I can just install a stock
Android ROM and things will be fine.

> I would think that a replaceable battery also extends the life of the device
> in general for people who don't necessarily need the latest and greatest
> every year or two, since it's easy to just buy a new one and pop it in when
> the old one starts to lose its ability to hold a charge.

Don't forget about the option of getting a bigger battery when it can be
removed, for those who need their phone to last longer.

~~~
marshray
No more USB mass storage? Darn, that was one of the main reasons I ordered a
Nexus after trying another phone OS. Well, it's Linux so I suppose I can port
Samba or NFS to it or something :-)

~~~
ineedtosleep
I actually looked into this once I found out the same about my Nexus 7. The
workarounds all seem annoying at best. I just ended up installing a Windows 7
VM in order to make it less painful.

~~~
w1ntermute
There _is_ mtpfs, which mounts the storage over MTP using FUSE, but it's
finicky. Since I have problems in Windows as well, I've been using FTP over
Wi-Fi as much as possible, but it's quite slow compared to wired file
transfer. So for large files, I'm still stuck hoping that it'll somehow work.

~~~
solnyshok
I use "Folder Sync". It runs on the phone, can be configured to start when on
charger and on home wifi. will keep your phone synced with designated network
shares.

~~~
w1ntermute
That sounds like a good idea. The only issue would be that I'd have to get/set
up Tasker/Locale with a wifi geofence, since I rarely bother connecting to my
home wifi (instead of using 4G).

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DrKurwa
This guy is the 1st person I've seen who praises the Galaxy Nexus camera, when
it's been almost universally panned. My bro has a Nexus 4 and it seems like a
fantastic device overall. Yes, the colors are more toned down than AMOLED but
it does not look horrible like the OP implies.

~~~
Riesling
> This guy is the 1st person I've seen who praises the Galaxy Nexus camera

I was wondering about that too.

After having owned a Galaxy S2 I was really disapointed with the Nexus camera.

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phamilton
OK. There are pros and cons to every device. The Nexus 4 isn't the greatest
android phone ever built. But I'd wager to say it is the greatest android
phone that launched at less than $300 off contract. Remember the S3 costs
twice as much. Is it twice as good?

~~~
Tloewald
Perhaps Google shouldn't have switched from using the nexus brand for flagship
models to cheap and cheerful.

The whole twice as much twice as good thing is a straw man argument — would
you rather pay twice as much for two phones or one phone with 50% better
battery life, for example?

~~~
Evbn
Google's expertise has always been cheap and cheerful. It is good they stopped
trying to compete with iPhone and failed claims of build quality and real
world hardware performance.

Google differentiates on their "free and cheap stuff paid by ads" model, which
is nice for billions of people, and highly cost effective. But it isn't
premium.

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neya
This article is just full of shit - It's just a rant about a guy unhappy with
his phone, as with any other phone. Gone are the 5 precious minutes of my
life.

~~~
hyperbovine
You were expecting... five life-changing minutes from a blog post about a cell
phone?

~~~
neya
For a person who was considering buying a nexus 4, yeah! It takes less than a
minute to decide things you know...

If I had just sat idle doing nothing, would have been better off.. #rant

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phishphood
If he is so unhappy he should sell it on ebay, they go more than double the
asking price at the moment.

I am absolutely happy with mine, simply blown away not just by the quality of
the phone (its outstanding) but by how nice the stock android really is. No
more bloatware and "enhanced" UI for me

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baggachipz
I would say the data connectivity issues are more a symptom of the 4.2 OS, as
my Galaxy Nexus has gone way downhill from 4.1... connectivity included. 4.2
has turned my very good phone into a slightly poor one.

~~~
tdfx
I've noticed Google voice search is taking much longer now than I remember it
taking on 2.3. Not always, but like 1 out of 3 times it will hang for up to 60
seconds on simple commands like "call Mom".

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danso
So the OP goes on and on about how terrible the screen is...I know he has
other complaints but the display is clearly his biggest anger point.

According to verge, the screen is a "big upgrade" though it concedes that the
colors look washed out in comparison to other phones
[http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/2/3589280/google-
nexus-4-rev...](http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/2/3589280/google-
nexus-4-review)

Ars says the display emits "bright, pure colors"
[http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/11/nexus-4-two-thirds-
of...](http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/11/nexus-4-two-thirds-of-a-great-
phone/)

Both publications say the camera on the 4 is great.

Given the opinions of two well read publications that provide photographic
evidence, and a blogger who provides his Instagram feed, it's hard to go with
the latter

~~~
bitcartel
Not sure how to link to his comment in the post, so I'll copy below. Turns out
he's not just any old 'blogger'.

"Note that my standards for camera phones are high. I'm a co-owner and co-
founder of Imatest (<http://www.imatest.com/>), which is the standard software
used by the industry to quantify the quality of digital imaging. I'm not
actively involved in the company anymore, however, so haven't had the test to
put the GNex and the N4 through rigorous side-by-side testing. I've developed
a good eye for these things over the years, however, and can say with
considerable assurance that the latter is subtly but definitively worse."

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css771
OK that's a terrible linkbait title. This is a personal opinion of one person.
Every review I've read says the Nexus 4 is much improved in every respect over
the Galaxy Nexus. Just because of one person's opinion, that does not make it
a dud. Please change your title.

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jcomis
Can't believe the linked article describes the Galaxy Nexus strength as the
camera. It's arguably the weakest part of the device. It was an under-
performing camera compared to others when the phone was announced, now it is
left in the dust.

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droithomme
OK, so he hates the new phone's screen, battery life and camera but likes its
case. He hated the old phone's case and UI "improvements" by Samsung, but he
liked its battery life. He compares these to the iPhone, which he says is
better than both of them.

So basically, this article is saying he thinks the iPhone is the best. The
only strange part is where he doesn't get the iPhone he craves at the end, but
gets instead a model that he is unhappy with.

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iuguy
This post is the epitome of first world problems. Think about it. It's a phone
that runs Android 4.2, one of the most advanced mobile operating systems out
there. It's got access to the Google Play store where you can get apps that
can do almost anything and it offers the kind of computing prowess people were
used to in high end desktops 10 years ago, if not sooner.

I'm not saying that OP is wrong to highlight his problems with the Nexus 4,
but I think a little perspective may be in order. Heck, the fact that a phone
exists that doesn't suck like nearly every smart/feature phone from 2000-2005
is proof enough for me that we're genuinely living in the future, flying cars
be damned!

~~~
Groxx
So, "get off my porch" and "when I was your age".

I call bullshit. Your car is probably _far_ safer than the ones produced
during the muscle car phase, prior to airbags and good crumple zones. Does
this mean anyone who complains that car X kills 50% more people in crashes
than car Y is simply wrong, and should suck it up and be glad it doesn't kill
three times as many?

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mohamedmansour
I agree about his point that one year Nexus is Samsung, another is HTC, and
another is LG. Every experience is different, you are not guaranteed that the
experiences will improve from one manufacturer to another. In my opinion the
Samsung S3 looks better than the Nexus 4.

Anyways, I was a 4 year old Android user, but this year I bought a Nokia Lumia
920, and I absolutely love it. I even got reception for the very first time in
the elevator! And the user experience blown me away. Some apps needs
improvement, but the core apps keep me addicted.

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pacomerh
I already saw the camera and i liked it, less shiny, closer to the matte look
i like, so article dismissed. Btw linkbait alert, really not enough
substantial material in the article to consider it.

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joonix
Glad I didn't wait and sprang for the Note II. Fantastic display and most
importantly, for me, the battery life is incredible. This week I went over 40
hours on a single charge. That includes 4G use, as well as streaming a full
length show on Netflix on maximum brightness. To top it off, when the battery
stops holding a charge, I can simply pull it out and replace it with a new one
for a few bucks.

~~~
jerrya
That's interesting thank you. I have a Galaxy SII which works just fine, but,
... so

I am debating

    
    
      * do nothing, wait a year
      * buy Nexus 4
      * buy Galaxy Note II
      * buy Nexus 7, possibly with HSPA, use GrooveIP
    

My hesitation on the Galaxy Note II is that I appreciate the rapid rollout of
releases and patches for the Nexus line.

~~~
joonix
Well, before the Note II, I used an iPhone 3GS for 3.5 years. I was trying my
hardest to make it last as long as possible, because I like making things last
as long as possible -- it's a win win because technology gets better every
month and your cost of ownership declines. But the battery was giving out and
it wasn't worth it to spend $80 replacing the iphone battery.

When I surveyed the field I basically narrowed it down to the Note II and the
Nexus 4. I didn't want to wait any longer since I needed a phone now, so I got
the Note. At $199 for a 2yr contract upgrade on Amazon, you're getting a lot
of value for the money. There's a video out there of a guy hooking up the Note
II to a TV and easily using it as a desktop computer. It's quite powerful. And
LTE is great ... I speed tested it at 48 mbps the other day, and this was 12
miles from downtown.

The delayed updates are indeed a downside. Samsung's keyboard and predictive
text are crap compared to the iPhone's (yes, you get Swype, but I don't always
want to do the swiping).

If you're a heavy mobile user, lots of apps and media consumption, get the
Note II. If you're a moderate user, mostly phone and email, I'd say do
nothing, wait a year. The longer you wait, the better the products get, and
you experience more "wow factor" when you finally do make the switch from your
old dinosaur to the newest offering.

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alanctgardner2
Want to send it to me? No, seriously. I ordered one the day they came out, it
still hasn't arrived. Spent about an hour total on the phone over the past
couple days, was escalated twice. Still nothing. If this guy wants to ship me
his phone, he can have my $350 and I can be done with Google.

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habosa
I can't trust the review of anyone who thinks the Galaxy Nexus has a good
camera. I have the GNex and it's objectively one of the worst cameras on a
high end phone in a long time. Most reviews of the GNex agree. I think this
person just felt like hating.

~~~
ecspike
The GNex camera isn't awesome but it isn't awful. Several folks have commented
on improved quality of the photos I've taken post JB.

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rdl
Why do manufacturers (vs. carriers) customize Android? I know carriers get
paid to put crappy bloatware on handsets (often a lot of money), but I don't
think manufacturers do.

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shannonbailey78
Mine is coming soon should I send it back?

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mladenkovacevic
Absolutely not. I had a Galaxy Nexus (which I gave to my dad) so I can compare
the two directly.

Screen: The Gnex has more saturated colours but the Nexus 4 screen is also
gorgeous with accurate colour representation and insane viewing angles. Whites
are brilliant and everything looks like it's printed on paper.

Connectivity: I really have no idea what he is talking about here. I am on a
shitty cheapo unlimited everything carrier in Canada and at the ground floor
of my house I would get 0-1 bars of reception on the Gnex while now on the N4
I get a consistent 2 bars. Just one example but this might vary user to user.

Battery Life: this is a huuuge huge win for the Nexus 4. My Gnex would last
until about 6pm with about 1.5 hours of screen time while with the Nexus 4 I
go until midnight on over 2 hours of screen time (I say over because I've
never put it back on the charger with less than 14% so far - also I play
Ingress). I think anecdotally there are phones with even better battery life
(razr maxx, iphone5, htc one x) but to say that Nexus 4 is a step down from
the Gnex is absolutely false.

Here are a couple of things that I do like better on the Gnex: It is more
comfortable to hold. While the Nexus 4 looks a little sexier with the straight
edges and flat black glass surfaces.. the Gnex was a little thinner and a
little curvier in just the right places to ensure that my hand is not
straining at all in order to hold it comfortably.

Buttons were more solidly built on the Gnex. The volume and power button on
the N4 seem cheaper and squeakier than the Gnex. I imagine HTC and iPhones are
even better in this regard.

I say accept your new phone and use. Then if you don't like it don't send it
back but instead sell it back on Ebay. In the first few weeks of the N4 being
available (or rather unavailable) people were making $50-$100 of profit on
extra phones they bought by mistake from the Play store.

~~~
shinratdr
> I think anecdotally there are phones with even better battery life (razr
> maxx, iphone5, htc one x) but to say that Nexus 4 is a step down from the
> Gnex is absolutely false.

It's no anecdote, most high-end smartphones crush that statistic even in
objective tests. If 2 hours of usage is "good battery life" for you, then your
standards are way too low. Just checked my iPhone 5, with LTE, Location
Services, WiFi, and Bluetooth enabled. On a Canadian carrier that doesn't
support LTE connections for calls (meaning the 3G radio is running all the
time too).

3 hours and a minute of usage according to my phone, as well as 8 hours of
standby. It's still at 60%. 2 hours is like a bad netbook. I don't know how
you even stand a phone like that. I've had Bluetooth earbuds with better
battery life. However it does explain why every time I've wanted to try out
someone's Android device they had to enable data for me.

No wonder. I would disable data too if my phone didn't even outlast my
commute. I think we have also discovered another reason it doesn't have LTE.
Only two hours of usage with 3G is beyond ridiculous.

~~~
mladenkovacevic
I say anectodally because I've heard both good and bad about every phone out
there. A friend at work with an iPhone 4s can't get through a full day without
also charging his phone at work. Then I hear about the 5 having similar
battery life to the 4s. Same for the Galaxy S3, I've heard both praises and
horror stories. A lot of it depends on the network you're on too. Anand does
good objective tests and the Razr and the iPhone blow everyone away in those
but again they do not take real life use into consideration. I also have an
old Nokia phone that I could play snake on for days on end but now I have
slightly higher demands out of my phone. My comparison was limited to the
Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus 4 (all other things being equal including the
carrier) and saying that the OPs battery claims are false in my opinion. I
just came back home at noon with 12% of battery life after having taken my
phone off the charger yesterday at 6:30am. But I only had the screen on for an
hour and 40 minutes... that doesn't mean I have 1:45 hours of battery life.
But thanks for adding your experiences to the mix. What is usage time by the
way? Is that like screen time?

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Evbn
His old Nexus completely failed after 1 year, (as do so many Nexus phones) but
his complaint is that the _new_ one is shoddy?

He thought his old camera was good?

Seems like he forgot what his old phone did, and he is wishfully comparing
Nexus to iPhone.

Previously, Nexus was oversaturated to make UI more bright, but ruining photo
colors. Glad they finally stopped faking it. Tebold way was again to using
loudness hyper boosting on a CD at expense of dynamic rangem

~~~
shinratdr
That's what I love about the new Nexus release. We get to hear all the things
that sucked about the previous Nexus that Android fanboys refused to admit
while it was the flagship device.

Of course THIS Nexus, this is the one to turn it all around. Not like that
Nexus One, or Nexus S, or Galaxy Nexus. They were cut-rate devices with cut-
rate build quality and features to match a low un-subsidized price point.

When will people learn that Google has no choice but to cut corners if they
insist on competing primarily on price? You're not going to get an unlocked
iPhone for 300, you're going to get a phone Google can sell for 300 unlocked
without going bankrupt. That means, parts of it are going to be bad.

Whether it's digitizer of the Nexus One, the underpowered chipset of the Nexus
S, the low-quality screen & camera of the Galaxy Nexus, or the lack of LTE in
the Nexus 4. There will always be something. It's worth letting others buy
first, if only to determine what "thing" it will be this time.

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JimmaDaRustla
Swwweeeet...Google+ page.

~~~
dioman
I noticed that screen sensitivity in N4 is much lower than S3. This is quite
irritating.

