Advantage of unlocked Nexus from Google?

**zrxoa1** · 07-12-2012, 02:32 AM

I mean besides the obvious of choice of carrier, prepaid, etc.?

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**jpr** · 07-12-2012, 02:51 AM

Updates straight from Google instead of delayed and modified updates through carrier. No carrier bloatware. Cheaper retail price.

**e2ackbar** · 07-12-2012, 04:35 AM

Originally Posted by jpr

Updates straight from Google instead of delayed and modified updates through carrier. No carrier bloatware. Cheaper retail price.

JB in itself is worth it. ICS is great, but the improvements are remarkable. Only the Nexus line will have this user experience.

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**chris mart** · 07-12-2012, 04:37 AM

New updates first comes to the unlocked devices, after that looked phone. Also unlocked phones give pure android experience.

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**fender7217** · 07-12-2012, 11:18 AM

The purest of pure Android experience. This is exactly how Google intended their OS to work.

**1088933** · 07-12-2012, 11:24 AM

No bloat ware, no carrier enhanced skins, etc. You get Vanilla Android, and you can do whatever you want with it.

**stonefeet** · 07-12-2012, 11:31 AM

best $350 i've ever spent.

the advantages are almost endless.

**project.in.process** · 07-12-2012, 11:40 AM

i'm counting down the days until i can buy mine (29 to go!)
Vzw has been a horrible experience for me, which contractually i must endure until March of 2013.

my reasons for the upcoming purchase are, as previously stated by others: faster OS updates without carrier bloatware & no contracts to sign--which give me the freedom to choose my carrier month to month if i feel like it or my financial situation dictates it to be so, and the easiest Unlockability for flashing ROMS/kernels/patches/radios.

now if Google wants to be superhappyfuntime-awesome and lower it to $299 that would just be fine with me.

**1088933** · 07-12-2012, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by project.in.process

$299 that would just be fine with me.

Same with me, since I paid a little over 700 for mine. :P

**hodan** · 07-12-2012, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by zrxoa1

I mean besides the obvious of choice of carrier, prepaid, etc.?

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Uh....it makes you cooler.

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**legalninja** · 07-13-2012, 02:01 PM

What about the difference between HSPA+ and LTE? Will that play a role in the near future?

**eagle63** · 07-13-2012, 03:08 PM

I'm about to switch to tmobile (from sprint) and if I go through Costco I can get the galaxy s 3 for about the same price as the nexus. As much as I want the stock google experience it seems like a bad idea to pass up on brand new hardware when the price is virtually a wash?

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**font1975** · 07-13-2012, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by legalninja

What about the difference between HSPA+ and LTE? Will that play a role in the near future?

No one really knows. LTE, even though it seems to be an evolution of GSM, is still very much carrier specific. At this point in time, there are no universal LTE phones that I know of. A verizon LTE phone only works on Verizon, etc.

Only time will tell if it will get to the same level of ubiquity that GSM phones have enjoyed for the last 15 years or so.

I'm not too worried, myself, as 3G/HSPA+ is plenty fast for me. And universal LTE coverage is probably still 2 years away, or longer.

**zrxoa1** · 07-13-2012, 07:54 PM

So are you saying that once the global abilities of the Rezound is unlocked, it will not function on say, att 4g LTE? Just 3g or hspa+ or what?

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**dr4stic** · 07-13-2012, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by minsc

I'm about to switch to tmobile (from sprint) and if I go through Costco I can get the galaxy s 3 for about the same price as the nexus. As much as I want the stock google experience it seems like a bad idea to pass up on brand new hardware when the price is virtually a wash?

Don't forget, the Gnex would be on prepaid. I'm on the $60 w/ taxes prepaid plan, the equivalent contract plan (unlimited everything, 2GB high speed) is $80 + taxes. That $20+ difference becomes more than $500 ($480 + your cell taxes) after your 2 years is up.

Costco shows me the T-Mobile S3 at $200 on contract, that places you at $700 all in, or twice as much as the GNex. And with the GNex you can end your service whenever you like, or switch to a cheaper plan, etc. Not so much so with the S3 on contract, you'll have to pay ETF's.

If this were the S3 w/ the quad core and 2GB RAM, then it might be worth it, but it isn't. A wash? I don't think so.

**giograves** · 07-13-2012, 08:16 PM

Most people with skinned phones, well particularly Samsung w/ touchwiz, barely notice the difference version to version of Android. And frankly most don't care.

But if your the type to watch the whole 2 hour Google IO intro speech and go "oooooooo and ahhhhhh" then at some point your going to want to experience stock android.

**still1** · 07-13-2012, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by minsc

I'm about to switch to tmobile (from sprint) and if I go through Costco I can get the galaxy s 3 for about the same price as the nexus. As much as I want the stock google experience it seems like a bad idea to pass up on brand new hardware when the price is virtually a wash?

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wait for the next Galaxy nexus!!! trust me you wont regret your purchase.

**covac8** · 07-13-2012, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by dr4stic

Don't forget, the Gnex would be on prepaid. I'm on the $60 w/ taxes prepaid plan, the equivalent contract plan (unlimited everything, 2GB high speed) is $80 + taxes. That $20+ difference becomes more than $500 ($480 + your cell taxes) after your 2 years is up.

Costco shows me the T-Mobile S3 at $200 on contract, that places you at $700 all in, or twice as much as the GNex. And with the GNex you can end your service whenever you like, or switch to a cheaper plan, etc. Not so much so with the S3 on contract, you'll have to pay ETF's.

If this were the S3 w/ the quad core and 2GB RAM, then it might be worth it, but it isn't. A wash? I don't think so.

what carrier is your $60 plan with?

**d2globalinc** · 07-13-2012, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by minsc

I'm about to switch to tmobile (from sprint) and if I go through Costco I can get the galaxy s 3 for about the same price as the nexus. As much as I want the stock google experience it seems like a bad idea to pass up on brand new hardware when the price is virtually a wash?

OR.. you can get a Galaxy nexus now, then when the new Nexus phones (rumored to be more than 1) come out towards the end of the year, you can ebay your UNLOCKED Galaxy Nexus for a decent amount and get a cheap upgrade to the latest nexus.. WITHOUT having to sign another two year contract, etc.

Nexus with JB to me seems like a better deal than S3 w/ ICS.. S3 is a good phone / has a great camera, etc.. but.. You KNOW you would want JB on it ASAP, and the time spent trying to hack it into that, w/o functional hardware, etc. - you mightas well just get a nexus and enjoy REAL and the latest Android

**highfrequency** · 07-13-2012, 09:21 PM

Better Battery Liffe

I had a VZW Nexus and a Play Store Nexus on T Mo for a week to compare the phones and performance

The thing i have noticed the most is the the Play store GSM version has better battery performance hands down better than VZW Nexus.

These two phones set side by side every where i was all the same apps installed and running. I would performed about the same amount of talk time on both.

Verizon Wireless Nexus LTE (OEM Extended Battery)

GSM Nexus on T Mobile (Standard Battery)

**dr4stic** · 07-13-2012, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by covac8

what carrier is your $60 plan with?

I'm on T-Mobile's $60 Monthly 4G plan (the post I quoted mentioned going to T-Mobile). This includes taxes, although if you pay with your credit card they will charge state taxes on top of that for buying "credits" I suppose. You can get around that by buying refill cards on eBay (I usually find $100 cards for $98 or less).

Been happy with the service. Only had to give up conditional call forwarding, but I can live with that for $250 a year :-)

**mbj8448** · 07-13-2012, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by minsc

I'm about to switch to tmobile (from sprint) and if I go through Costco I can get the galaxy s 3 for about the same price as the nexus. As much as I want the stock google experience it seems like a bad idea to pass up on brand new hardware when the price is virtually a wash?

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I just did this about 2 weeks ago. Left Sprint after 9 years for TMo. The data speeds are MUCH better and the plan itself is cheaper but the main reason I did it is in anticipation for the next Nexus (Nexii?). I'm ready to go stock Android but I just couldn't do it with the mediocre camera on the Gnex. I bought the GS3 from TMo and I will sell it and buy a Nexus later this year. That way I can just switch the SIM card right over. Loving the GS3 but I'm excited to go Nexus later this year.

**dadds27** · 07-13-2012, 09:59 PM

I use straight Talk with at&t and service has been great. Also 45 a month is nice

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**Acelx** · 07-13-2012, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by zrxoa1

So are you saying that once the global abilities of the Rezound is unlocked, it will not function on say, att 4g LTE? Just 3g or hspa+ or what?

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Any phone on any carrier today will not work on a different carrier other than its own. You can take a T-mo phone and use it on ATT but u wont get 4G.. and vice versa..

a VZW LTE phone will not work on Sprint LTE network..

Same goes for ATT and vice versa..

The only way you that would be possible is on a Pentaband phone.. a phone with all network bands.. or just a many of the popular ones like the galaxy nexus has..

we have phones with GSM and CDMA radios in them (Blackberries for exp) But the GSM bands mostly only use EDGE..

i would love to see someone make a universal phone other than the galaxy nexus

**dr4stic** · 07-13-2012, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by youngaceatlanta

Any phone on any carrier today will not work on a different carrier other than its own. You can take a T-mo phone and use it on ATT but u wont get 4G.. and vice versa

i would love to see someone make a universal phone other than the galaxy nexus

The blaze 4g is quadband hspa, supporting hspa on both t-mobile and at&t... AND it has a faster radio than the gnex.