Showing posts with label galaxy nexus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label galaxy nexus. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Google's Modular Phone Challenges OnePlus One

The Nexus phone was a breath of fresh air. But I thought the OnePlus One did challenge the Nexus brand. Now I think Google's modular phone is a major challenge to the OnePlus One, and other smartphones in general. My current phone is still Nexus 4. I wish I could get a battery that lasted twice as long, and I wish I could replace my 5 MP camera with a 10 or 13 or 15 MP camera. But other than that, I am quite happy with my phone. And the modular phone is supposed to allow you just such upgrades. You don't ditch the whole phone. You just upgrade a part you want to upgrade. I like that. And I love the price point. $50. Finally a smartphone for the global masses. And, yes, I also want 64 GB. My 8 GB has felt inadequate as soon as I got my phone!

Google’s modular $50 smartphone set for January 2015 release


Thursday, November 08, 2012

Nexus 4: My First Smartphone

Nexus 4 is about to become my first smartphone. So far I have been a Google Voice person (free calling) and my mobile solution has been a Net10 prepaid. I will very much continue with Google Voice. But the Net10 phone is about to be ditched for a Nexus 4 come November 13.

Finally a phone that meets my high standards. $299 is a cute price point.

You buy the phone for $299 and then go shop for a plan. I think I am looking at T-Mobile's unlimited talk, text, web at $50 a month. I get the impression there is unlimited international calling for $10 more. But international better not mean Europe only. I am looking at Nepal and India.

Rumor has it the Nexus 7 tablet will drop to $99 by the end of the year. That would be tempting. Finally a one laptop per child price.

I am a Google fanboy. The iPhone never competed with the Nexus brand in my world.

Now give me gigabit broadband.

Google's Nexus 4: To buy or not to buy?
will likely be as relevant in 10 months as it is today. ..... Nexus 4 is hands-down the best overall Android smartphone experience and value you can get your hands on right now. ..... software integration and upgrades ..... With the Nexus 4, all that stuff is handled completely by Google. ..... With the Nexus 4, Google has taken the best parts of the Optimus G and polished them to near-perfection. ..... You have an awesome display -- quite possibly the best available on any phone at the moment -- along with absurdly fast performance, a great camera, and a distinctive and cool-looking design that's Nexus through and through. Then, of course, what really makes the Nexus 4 a Nexus: its pure Google Android 4.2 software, with guaranteed fast and frequent updates directly from Google in the future. ..... the real kicker: You get all of that for $300 to $350, unlocked and off-contract. That kind of pricing is unheard of for this caliber of device ..... take it to a prepaid provider for 30 to 50 bucks a month ...... This is market-shifting stuff we're talking about here, folks. ...... Maximum HSPA+ speeds in the States -- via T-Mobile's or AT&T's network -- run from 21 Mbps to 42 Mbps, depending on your connection. With the Nexus 4, I'm regularly hitting speeds around the 18 Mbps mark. ..... The phone comes only with 8 or 16GB of internal space and offers no SD slot for external expansion.
Android off-contract: My prepaid journey, 3 months later
T-Mobile's $30-a-month prepaid plan. .... 100 minutes a month along with unlimited texting and unlimited data (with the first 5GB at 4G HSPA+ speeds). A hundred minutes a month isn't much, but thanks to Google Voice and some crafty location-aware call forwarding I have configured on my phone -- in conjunction with Google-based VoIP "phone lines" I have set up in my home and office -- I rarely use more than that
Nexus 4 vs. Galaxy Nexus: Worth the upgrade?
the Nexus 4 is a vastly superior phone in almost every way. ..... the Nexus 4's construction feels far more solid and substantial than the Galaxy Nexus's plasticky build. (The downside, of course, is that the Nexus 4's glass back could increase the risk of breakage if you drop the device.) ..... The Nexus 4 has a gorgeous True HD IPS screen that pretty much puts the Galaxy Nexus's HD Super AMOLED display to shame. ..... After you've had your eyes on the Nexus 4 for a while, you definitely won't want to go back to the Galaxy Nexus's screen. ...... the N4's screen is also easy to see in direct or indirect sunlight, while the Galaxy Nexus becomes almost useless in those settings. ...... a 1.5Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor along with 2GB of RAM ...... The Nexus 4 boots up about 30 seconds faster than the Galaxy Nexus ..... loads Web pages five to 10 seconds faster .... any task you do just feels zippier on the Nexus 4. ..... The Galaxy Nexus's camera was never great ..... it's better in both areas (significantly so with Wi-Fi while moderately so with GPS). ....... The Nexus 4's speaker is noticeably louder and clearer-sounding than its predecessor's
Smartphone service for $30 a month? Yes, please
bring in your own device and use it at prepaid plan prices. Prices like 30 bucks a month -- a flat rate with no sneaky fees or unexpected overages. ..... he's using a Galaxy Nexus on T-Mobile's network, paying just $30 a month for service ...... T-Mobile lets customers use any compatible device with its Monthly 4G prepaid service -- something other prepaid carriers don't allow. ..... For $30 a month, he's now getting 100 minutes, unlimited texting, and 5GB of 4G (HSPA+) data. The closest equivalent on Verizon -- 450 minutes a month, 5GB of 4G data, and unlimited texting -- would cost nearly four times that amount. Even factoring in the unsubsidized cost of the phone, Bowdre's saving nearly $1700 over two years' time. ...... deals with the lower monthly minute limit by using a VoIP app to make calls from work and home; he also keeps an extra prepaid balance on his account so he can use additional cell minutes if he needs 'em. T-Mobile charges 10 cents a minute if you want to go over your monthly prepaid-plan allotment, so you're basically looking at an extra 10 bucks for every extra hundred minutes you use -- all paid in advance, of course
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Friday, November 04, 2011

Galaxy Nexus Has Competition

Galaxy Nexus has competition in my world now.
GigaOm: Republic Wireless to launch $19 unlimited voice, SMS and data service: Republic Wireless ..... will launch a hybrid cellular voice and VoIP service on Nov. 8, 2011. ..... The service, which costs $19 a month, will allow you to make VoIP phone calls over Wi-Fi and will switch to cellular-based calling when a Wi-Fi network is unavailable. Text messages can also be sent via Wi-Fi or cellular networks. The service does require a special Android handset. The plan includes unlimited voice and text messaging. It also includes unlimited data without any bandwidth caps. ...... no different from the Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA)-based service bundled in some T-Mobile BlackBerry devices. T-Mobile also has UMA available on some Android phones. ...... When inside the office or your home or inside a Wi-Fi hot-spot, all phone calls and text messages are sent and received via the Internet. ...... like Kineto Wireless’ UMA that is used by T-Mobile, Republic requires you to buy a special phone that can handle this hybrid calling. The company has built this hardware based on Google’s Android OS. ...... also attractive to those who travel internationally and want to save on calling back to the U.S. ...... the idea of unlimited 3G data with the service for $19 a month
TechCrunch: Republic Wireless: An Android-Powered, VoIP/Cellular Hybrid Carrier That’ll Cut Your Phone Bill In Half
Republic Wireless, a new mobile phone service from Bandwidth.com that will be launching on November 8, and could truly be the phone carrier you’ve always wanted. ...... an alternative to the likes of Verizon and AT&T. ..... Users will not have to manually switch between Wifi and cellular — the phone will figure it out automatically ..... New phones are required because the Hybrid Calling relies on both hardware and software ....... You won’t need to sign up for a contract, so there aren’t any termination fees. No overage fees, either. ..... $19 a month, which will include unlimited voice, text, and data.
Also the Galaxy Nexus has been taking too long to show up.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Galaxy Nexus (3)

Samsung LogoImage via WikipediaGalaxy Nexus (2)
Galaxy Nexus: Why 5 And Not 8 Megapixel?
Galaxy Nexus
Galaxy Nexus Goes Live

Engadget: Samsung Galaxy Nexus gets handled on video
VentureBeat: Samsung’s Android 4.0-powered Galaxy Nexus has everything you’d ever want
Yes I said phone — not tablet. ...... the competition is going to have a hard time keeping up. ...... the exact same resolution as 720p high-definition video ...... Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich”, the latest version of Google’s mobile OS, which the company describes as a total makeover. ...... the usual accelerometer, compass, and gyroscope. But it also includes NFC capabilities, a proximity sensor, and a barometer ...... It’s also strange that once again, Google’s newest Nexus phone seems to be behind the curve when it comes to camera technology. Last year’s Nexus S couldn’t shoot 720p HD video, when most other smartphones back then could. Now with the Galaxy Nexus, Samsung for some reason has included a 5-megapixel camera when competitors, including the iPhone 4S, are sporting 8MP shooters.

Galaxy Nexus (2)

Solar Dynamics Observatory VideoImage by YoTuT via FlickrGalaxy Nexus: Why 5 And Not 8 Megapixel?
Galaxy Nexus
Galaxy Nexus Goes Live

Google Mobile Blog: Unwrapping Ice Cream Sandwich on the Galaxy Nexus
Beaming a video with a single tap or unlocking a device with only a smile sounds like science fiction. ...... takes the smartphone to beyond smart ...... created a new font that’s optimized for HD displays and eliminated all hardware buttons in favor of adaptable software buttons. ...... dramatically improved the keyboard, made notifications more interactive and created resizable widgets. ...... desktop-class browser is significantly faster, featuring a refined tab manager and the ability to sync your bookmarks with Google Chrome ...... the best mobile Gmail experience to date, with a new design that lets you quickly swipe through your inbox and search messages even when you’re offline. Calendar boasts a clean new look and you can zoom into your schedule with a pinch. ...... the new People app, which combines high-resolution photos and updates from Google+ and other social services. It’s also easier to capture and share your life with family and friends. Galaxy Nexus sports a high-end camera with zero shutter lag, automatic focus, top notch low-light performance and a simple way to capture panoramic pictures. Shoot amazing photos or 1080p video, and then edit and share them directly from your phone. ....... Android Beam, which uses near field communication (NFC) to instantly share webpages, YouTube videos, maps, directions and apps by simply tapping two phones together. Face Unlock uses state-of-the-art facial recognition technology to unlock your phone with nothing more than a smile.
Official Page: Galaxy Nexus
Voice typing ...... Watch text instantly appear as you speak with voice input. Touch the microphone on the keyboard and use your voice to instantly type your emails, SMS, or anywhere you want to enter text. ....... With Google+ built in, sharing the right things with the right people is a lot easier. With Messenger, you can bring groups of friends together into a simple group conversation and with Hangouts you can now video chat with up to 9 people wherever you are. ...... Single-Motion Panoramic Camera ..... With Galaxy Nexus you get a high-end camera with zero shutter-lag, automatic focus, top notch low-light performance and a simple, intuitive way to take panoramic pictures. No stitching needed. Take amazing photos or 1080p videos, edit and then share them right from your phone............ Vibrant high-definition display ...... Galaxy Nexus is the world's first phone with a 4.65" high-definition sAMOLED display making text, videos & games look crisp, vibrant and rich. With an edge-to-edge 720p screen high-definition, videos look amazing and the unique Contour Display curves nicely to the shape of your face and makes it easier to hold. ...... Galaxy Nexus runs at 4G (LTE or HSPA+) speeds so you can browse, watch movies, video chat & share without delay. With the 1.2 GHZ dual core processor you can quickly switch between apps and enjoy high-definition gaming and a lightning fast web browser.

Galaxy Nexus: Why 5 And Not 8 Megapixel?

Image representing Android as depicted in Crun...Image via CrunchBaseI am not bothered. 5 megapixel photos are great. But that is one detail that is a little bit of a sore spot. Why could Google not have put a 8 megapixel camera in there?

Other than that it is looking great. It has a bigger screen - no need for tablet - than the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4S does not have 4G like the Galaxy Nexus does. And the Nexus phone is lighter than the iPhone 4S, a little bit, bigger screen but lighter.

Galaxy Nexus
Galaxy Nexus Goes Live

Galaxy Nexus

Galaxy Nexus Goes Live

This Is My Next: Galaxy Nexus versus the competition: by the numbers
Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus might represent the biggest evolutionary leap for Android since it premiered on the G1 back in 2008. The hardware is a pretty big deal, too — 720p displays and LTE radios both represent the very bleeding edge of smartphone capability, and high-quality cameras with 1080p video capture are still a relatively recent innovation. And as a “Nexus” device, Google has gifted the phone with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich — the very first retail device to ship with the new platform, which represents a pretty big shift in user experience from the Gingerbread devices that we’ve become accustomed to over the past year........ the iPhone 4S, the HTC Titan for Windows Phone, and the Galaxy Nexus, Samsung Galaxy S II, Galaxy S II HD LTE, and Motorola Droid RAZR for Android.

Galaxy Nexus Goes Live



TechCrunch: Galaxy Nexus Officially Announced At Hong Kong Event