Yeah, considering that the phone isn't coming out for another 2 weeks, it was weird that this embargo would go down this early for those reviews. You'd think Google would ship them final revisions later but I guess they don't really care about the product as much as we would think....
TheVerge and Engadget reviews disagree over CPU, battery and display
- Thread starter sidamos
- Start date
In 4.1, Google declared war on lag and the current software being used is pre-release. We're still another 10 days from the release of the Nexus 4 in the US, UK, etc and a lot can change between now and then and even moroe so between when the reviews went up and the 13th of November (release date). I spoke to the editor of the Engadget review (Brad Molen) and he said he'd be updating the review once it hits retail for updates and bug fixes and things such as performance improvements, improved battery life. Truth is the battery life is relative. How rigorously did the Engadget editor use it, how rigorously did The Verge editor use it? All I know is that this is my next phone and I KNOW, given the hardware, that all the issues cropped up can be solved with software, so if you're thinking about buying this phone, I wouldn't worry. When the Galaxy Nexus came out first, it was arguably the smoothest Android device of its time, but it only scored 2000 on Quadrant, compared to the Galaxy S II which scores 3000-3500 ON GINGERBREAD. The Nexus 4 should score around the same as the Optimus G (7000-8000), and probably more given it's +.2 Android version.
I know I'm blabbering on but, I may not have seen or used this phone in person, but I know it's a force to be reckoned with in an international market.
I know I'm blabbering on but, I may not have seen or used this phone in person, but I know it's a force to be reckoned with in an international market.
freddyc
Well-known member
Josh uses Android because of Gmail mostly. If iOS had a kick-ass Gmail app, he'd be all iOS because in his opinion it works better and it offers more apps. Not to mention the build attention that Apple gives it's products. His (and most other) reviews are subjective to the person doing the review and their need cases. If he needs LTE because everything else sux in NY, then that's an issue for him. If he's clumsy, then having a glass back is an issue for him (and he has mentioned the iPhone 4's glass back in podcasts being a problem). If there are apps he likes and he can't find them, that's an issue for him and that all reflects in his review (I personally think Garage Band is irrelevant, but he doesn't so he uses that a lot as an example of apps Android doesn't have). Your milage may, and will, vary, but I generally take their reviews with a grain of salt. They're nice to read, but I generally read into sites like Ars Tecnica, and user experiences from Android Central and XDA to determine if the device has issues. What you use your phone for and what I use mine for can be completely different. Things you have a problem with (a glass back, for instance) I could give a smurf about ...
You are totally wrong. I'm a big fan of Engadget, listen to their weekly podcast and the two people that do the podcast Miriam Joire and Brad Molen (the one that did the Nexus 4 review) are totally pro Android. They actually don't have good things to say about iOS.
FYI Josh Topolsky's daily driver is a Galaxy Nexus (I'm also a big fan of The verge)
That hawkward moment when you read Fingas' new editorial over there at "End-Gadgets."
Treknologist
Well-known member
Here is another review to compare, from Wired: Nexus 4 Review - WIRED
I was not surprised by the comments in Endgadget as they are the quintessential crApple fans on that site. In any case, I thought Josh was a little too heavy on the glass backing on the N4 for the same reasons people have stated here. On the Wired review they love how the phone is built and sing praises to the glass back. There is one comment they make that made to sense to me and it was the comparison between screens stating that the retina display on the iPhone 5 was sharper than the N4. The person who wrote the review must have microscopes in their eyes since the difference in pixel density between the two is not distinguishable by the naked eye!
I was not surprised by the comments in Endgadget as they are the quintessential crApple fans on that site. In any case, I thought Josh was a little too heavy on the glass backing on the N4 for the same reasons people have stated here. On the Wired review they love how the phone is built and sing praises to the glass back. There is one comment they make that made to sense to me and it was the comparison between screens stating that the retina display on the iPhone 5 was sharper than the N4. The person who wrote the review must have microscopes in their eyes since the difference in pixel density between the two is not distinguishable by the naked eye!
Jon_Cox
Well-known member
As someone who has bounced from phone to phone, OS to OS, I tremendously value the different reviews that come from the various tech blogs. I am currently using an iPhone 5 and like Josh, I have become bored with iOS. Prior to my iPhone 5 I had a Galaxy S3. Loved the hardware, hated Touchwiz. The Nexus 4, for me, looks to fill in what I was missing with the GS3, namely the pure Android experience. I always try and ignore many of the battery comments knowing that largely they are a YMMV situation. With he GS3 the comments were mostly glowing. With the N4, almost polar opposite. So I'm a little nervous. I'm nervous because I bought a N7 when Google Customer Service was on hiatus, and I've become spoiled by the Apple Store close to my house. I've swapped my iPhone 5 twice, but at least I came home with a working device. With the N4, I'll have to send it back, use my ancient flip phone and pray LG/Google fix the issue and get it back in a timely manner. This requires good Customer Service. So I'm worried about getting what I know could be my favorite device, yet I also hope that Phil's review will be my determining factor. Otherwise, I go back to a GS3.
I got my galaxy nexus from a VZW store and havent set foot in once since. I hardly think this will even be an issue. Ordered my nexus 7 from google and do not foresee myself ever sending it back for any reason.
He's in no way biased. His phone for the entire past year was the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S before that. In all honesty I think he is the least biased reviewer around. Him and Phil are both the most honest people on the web
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
onthecouchagain
Well-known member
Google made a mistake releasing unfinished software in these early review units. It's wrecking havoc with benchmarks and battery tests, giving a huge range of different results across different reviews. What's the point of early reviews if they're going to have such a blemish as "poor battery"?
I think Google made a mistake here rushing. :T
I think Google made a mistake here rushing. :T
They look terrible because of how they are presented. Look at some of the ones popping up on Google + and you'll change your mind. They are presenting 3d material in a flat "strip" and "doing it wrong."
I don't think Google gives a crap because this phone costs 300 dollars unlocked and people buy crappier phones for twice that.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums
There's another element that's being forgotten in this discussion of battery life. Most of these tests involve the phone processing something with the screen on until it reaches zero battery. But that doesn't tell the whole story.
The processor on a cell phone is using up the bare minimum power when it's completely idle. So when you ask your phone to open an app for example, the faster the phone processor(s) can do the calculations necessary, the sooner they are back to their idle state. Which means that hypothetically a quad core phone will use less battery accomplishing daily tasks than the previous standard dual core phones. With that in mind while the Nexus 4 will succeed at burning power quickly when you have all four of it's cores processing continuously - but that's not a very good way of establishing real world battery results. In fact that's going to unfairly punish additional cores.
A more accurate test might be to leave the screen/radio on, but have the phone open and and close random apps once every 10 seconds. That is where the power efficiency of a quad core processor would shine. But I must stress, this is all hypothetical.
The processor on a cell phone is using up the bare minimum power when it's completely idle. So when you ask your phone to open an app for example, the faster the phone processor(s) can do the calculations necessary, the sooner they are back to their idle state. Which means that hypothetically a quad core phone will use less battery accomplishing daily tasks than the previous standard dual core phones. With that in mind while the Nexus 4 will succeed at burning power quickly when you have all four of it's cores processing continuously - but that's not a very good way of establishing real world battery results. In fact that's going to unfairly punish additional cores.
A more accurate test might be to leave the screen/radio on, but have the phone open and and close random apps once every 10 seconds. That is where the power efficiency of a quad core processor would shine. But I must stress, this is all hypothetical.
This could also explain why different people are having drastically divergent battery experiences. Some are giving us their impressions based on real world application whereby a four core processor would preform best. Others are giving us "Stress Tests" that actually punish multicore processing.
ChromeJob
Well-known member
Ab-sol-friggin-lutely. I believe I read a Google designer talking about how the processor "wakes up" to full speed when you touch the screen, to give the best possible performance, then "sleeps" some of the cores once you've launched an app. A stress tool might be keeping all the cores alive 'n kicking, while real world use will allow the OS' power management improvements to stretch and shine.
I tend to like Phil's reviews because he -- IIRC -- actually carries the phone around as his daily driver for a few days. So his perspective is based on how he uses any phone throughout the day. I'd bet he's going to tell us he needed to charge up at some point, but the battery didn't die on him halfway through his day. I've said it before, the first to review isn't necessarily the best review to read.
Why did theverge Nexus 4 give call quality and reception a 6 or 7 when they said in written review of was good?
Sent from my ADR6400L using Android Central Forums
Sent from my ADR6400L using Android Central Forums
once these are available to the public we'll get a better idea of how well it performs day to day. i dont rely solely on tech reviewers for my products since people are people and it can be bias. Its a good reference though to have an idea of what to expect.
LTE Might be the biggest thing since morse code and semaphore but those of us old school, and and generally old remember 28.8kbps modems. No matter how fast the connection or how good the signal Murphy will still be there to slow things down so who cares buy the device that fits your preferences. If you want a closed ecosystem with a ABC work flow and controlled environment we all know who sells the shiny in that category.
Engadget has always been Apple leaning, but benchmarks do support them in many areas when they compare n4 and ip5 but one is $800 and the other is $350.
I've made up my mind, even though I work for a certain amputated fruit.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums
Engadget has always been Apple leaning, but benchmarks do support them in many areas when they compare n4 and ip5 but one is $800 and the other is $350.
I've made up my mind, even though I work for a certain amputated fruit.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums
I decided to just email Joshua from the verge and he marked it down for not having LTE. I find that odd because still said the call quality was good. What does LTE have to do with call quality and reception was he just looking some where knock Nexus 4 down for not having LTE?
Sent from my ADR6400L using Android Central Forums
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