The Nexus S is a great phone offering developers a "pure" Android experience. That purity brings limitations a typical owner may never notice. Here are resources for Facebook Sync, Notification LED, microSD, RAM, Speed Dial, Smart Dial, Lost Photos, Contact Groups, Email Search, 160 Character Text Limit, Camera Zoom, Browser Zoom, Video Formats, FM Radio, Visual Voicemail, HDMI, and Bluetooth.
Facebook Sync: Android devices sync with Facebook but Google "...purposely removed the feature from the Nexus S..." The Nexus S doesn't sync Facebook Profile photos, status, messages, phones, events, birthdays, or notifications. Incoming calls don't pop-up with new profile photos and status.
If you root, Cyanogen can restore Facebook sync. If not, you can manually update some Facebook info:
• [Only registered users can view links. ] (free, [Only registered users can view links. ]) Get Facebook notifications, events, etc. Manually sync contacts & profile photos.
• Manually import Facebook photos to the Nexus S with [Only registered users can view links. ] or [Only registered users can view links. ].
• [Only registered users can view links. ] updates photos and birthdays. ([Only registered users can view links. ])
• [Only registered users can view links. ] creates a file with name, birthday, etc. to import into Google Contacts ([Only registered users can view links. ]). [Only registered users can view links. ] article.
Notification LED: The Nexus S does not have a LED for missed calls, email, texts, or events. Try [Only registered users can view links. ] as a workaround.
• If you are rooted, try the [Only registered users can view links. ] to light up the buttons on a notification.
microSD: The Nexus S has 16GB but no microSD for added music, photos, and movies. Cloud storage options can help if needed.
• [Only registered users can view links. ] stores up to 2GB ([Only registered users can view links. ] for 2.25GB) for free. Open with the [Only registered users can view links. ].
• [Only registered users can view links. ] can store your music to play with the [Only registered users can view links. ] app. [Only registered users can view links. ] can store your doc or xls files for use by the [Only registered users can view links. ] app.
RAM: Androids may have 1024MB of RAM for apps and operating system. If the [Only registered users can view links. ] is an issue:
• Remove apps that you don't use and use an app like [Only registered users can view links. ] to move apps out of the internal memory and onto the internal SD card.
Speed Dial: The Nexus S doesn't have Speed Dial to assign contacts to numbers 1 to 9. Smart Dial: The Nexus [Only registered users can view links. ]. "T9" [Only registered users can view links. ] lets you type a name such as: 2 for B, 7 for R to see names beginning "Br".
There are some good phone apps that can be used in place of the stock Android phone:
• Create a homescreen of dialing shortcuts: Long-press an empty spot > Shortcut > Direct Dial
• [Only registered users can view links. ] lets you dial a middle part of a name or number. For 202-456-1414, you can dial "456" or "1414".
• [Only registered users can view links. ] lets you dial their initials for instance dial 2 for B, 6 for O for Barack Obama.
• [Only registered users can view links. ] & [Only registered users can view links. ] can search contacts for "Pen" for contacts on Pennsylvania Ave or "Wash" for Washington.
• Gallery: Nexus S owners have found relief from the lost photos, wrong photos, and slow photo loading with the [Only registered users can view links. ] app.
[Only registered users can view links. ]: let you group contacts to send a text or email. The Nexus S can't edit contact groups. Workarounds:
• Setup contact groups on your PC at [Only registered users can view links. ]. Use [Only registered users can view links. ] ($1) to setup contact groups from your phone.
• Use a free app like [Only registered users can view links. ] to group contacts (also a smart dialer)
Email: Nexus S Email search is limited and can't [Only registered users can view links. ], Try [Only registered users can view links. ] (Free) or [Only registered users can view links. ] Exchange ($20, free trial).
Messaging: The Sprint Nexus S 4G Message app stops at [Only registered users can view links. ]. [Only registered users can view links. ] or [Only registered users can view links. ] (free) do not.
Camera: The Nexus S Camera lacks [Only registered users can view links. ] but there are many great camera apps that do.
• [Only registered users can view links. ] ($4, [Only registered users can view links. ]), [Only registered users can view links. ] ($4, free [Only registered users can view links. ])
• [Only registered users can view links. ] (free) shots bursts. [Only registered users can view links. ] ($2) is fast. [Only registered users can view links. ] (free) adds more effects.
Browser: The Nexus S browser has [Only registered users can view links. ], and [Only registered users can view links. ] limitations. Consider browsers like [Only registered users can view links. ] or [Only registered users can view links. ].
Video Player: The Nexus S does not play video formats other Android phones play such as DivX and XviD. Android Market offers workarounds:
• [Only registered users can view links. ] to a format the Nexus S can use.
• [Only registered users can view links. ] (Free, [Only registered users can view links. ]), [Only registered users can view links. ] ([Only registered users can view links. ]), & [Only registered users can view links. ] add many formats. [Only registered users can view links. ] is great but adds no formats.
FM Radio: The Nexus S [Only registered users can view links. ] so consider [Only registered users can view links. ] ([Only registered users can view links. ]) for local AM/FM stations. Also try [Only registered users can view links. ], [Only registered users can view links. ], and [Only registered users can view links. ].
[Only registered users can view links. ]: shows the caller photo while playing their message. A slider bar lets you play a certain portion as you would an MP3.
• The Nexus S lacks Visual Voicemail. [Only registered users can view links. ] is a workaround but costs [Only registered users can view links. ].
HDMI: The Nexus S USB port does not serve as an HDMI port but the [Only registered users can view links. ] for wireless HD.
Bluetooth: The [Only registered users can view links. ] is faster and uses less power. The [Only registered users can view links. ]. Use WiFi when you can.
HD Recording: Some Androids record HD Video. The [Only registered users can view links. ]. There is no workaround but is this something you need?
Keyboard: The Gingerbread keyboard is good but some prefer [Only registered users can view links. ], [Only registered users can view links. ], or other Keyboards.
2Likes
Thread Author
#
