2 Weeks With the Nexus 4

[Citizen Coyote]

Yes, this is a known issue - CHROME SUCKS. But that's not a problem! Install either Firefox or Dolphin and you'll have a great browser. And then set it as the default and all your links will be handled by that instead of Chrome!



Yes, the camera sucks. Again, here's where Android shines, replace the camera app! 12 Best Camera Apps



I can't help you there but it could just be a bad device. Remember, Apple's had the same issues. People have had yellowed screens, pre-scratched iPhone 5 bezels/corners, antannae problems - it happens.

I hope this helps!

Note to everyone here who yelled at OP and called him a troll: isn't this forum supposed to be where we help each other and offer useful information?

Thank you, I was going to say that for whatever reason, Chrome on Android is subpar. Odd considering the Chrome desktop browser is great, and both it and Android are made by Google. But there are other options, so while that's a strike against the phone it's a pretty minor one. The camera in stock Android has gotten decidedly better over the years to the point where it's decent. It's not the best, and I don't recall ever seeing one review that said it was better than the iPhone's camera.

As for build issues... well, there are lemons in every batch. I think you (the OP) are the first person I've heard of complaining about any kind of separation like that. Yet, there were plenty of stories of people opening their brand new iPhone 5 and finding marks, scratches, and gouges in the aluminum. Does that mean the iPhone 5 has crappy build quality? No, it means some people were unlucky. My wife's iPhone 5 was pristine (as was my Nexus).

To the OP, it's a shame you're not willing to explore Android some more to see what it has to offer. Your gripes about particular apps come across as looking for things to complain about. That said, if you're not willing to explore other options to overcome what you see as deficiencies and instead want a one-size-fits-all phone, then Android probably is not for you. You'll be happier with your iPhone.

 

[enekomh]

I can't understand how some OS can be confusing when you have everything in its place.
BTW, saying that you're a web developer doesn't make you tech savvy. I am a web developer myself and I have got work mates that don't even know how to set up a printer.

 

[greydarrah]

Android and all it's apps are neither " poorly designed" nor "a pain to navigate," they are just different from what you're used to. If you don't want to figure out how to make it work for you, go back to the iphone. It's a great device as well. Most of us here just prefer the to have more control over how our phones function and Android provides the best OS for customization.

 

[minnemike]

I can't understand how some OS can be confusing when you have everything in its place.
BTW, saying that you're a web developer doesn't make you tech savvy. I am a web developer myself and I have got work mates that don't even know how to set up a printer.

Yeah no kidding. Most programmers I know are the worst with setting up anything hardware. They are too occupied with code.

 

[EVO28312]

Seriously!? My mother who just discovered how to navigate the internet is using a nexus 7 and has no problem using the device. Lol and your calling your self "tech savvy" pretty pathetic. I guess its to hard to swipe Lt/rt figure out the middle buttons takes you home and the endless of app alternatives you have. Well I guess when your confined to apples walls you become incompetent to the rest of the world. Look, this might seem harsh to you seeing all these comments but read what your saying. I can bet if anyone went over to iOS sites and said what you said there would be endless of negative comments. So suck it with peoples replies including my own.

 

[nokia4life]

I didn't create this thread to 'bash' Android, nor to 'troll.' I was expressing my feeling about the phone, if you don't like what I write, move on. I'm not here to please anyone - just to give my experience with the Nexus 4.

Dude it seems if your opinion is not in the majority you get labeled as a troll. I for one did not take your post as bashing you simply stated what you did not like about the phone and the OS. To me folks should not attack you but reach out and ask how they could help with certain dislikes that you may have, that would make the OS experience a little better. Some folks here are good others take it as if you have personally called them out instead of LG And Google. I am fan of both operating systems have had every iPhone and lets see every nexus outside of that first one. Both have good things to offer maybe give it another week download some apps to customize your nexus. I personally am waiting for my note 2 to arrive since google canceled my nexus order without a valid reason.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

 

[nokia4life]

I respect your opinion on the nexus 4 and android but all this problems your having can be fixed easily by going to the play store and getting your needs..if i learned one thing from ios users is that a lot of them do not have a good IQ at least when it comes to tech and can only handle iphones simplicity.android is proven to be more advanced so it takes a bit more to learn ..i am not trolling on you, just give it at least a month and try to customize it to your liking.if you still dont like it than you can sadly go back to your simple ios ....

Wow..........


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

 

[pespule]

So, I received my Nexus 4 two weeks ago - I am not happy. The phone's pricing is amazing, and for $300 I wasn't expecting much, however, coming from an iPhone, build quality was my biggest concern. I plan on returning my phone tomorrow, as it's day 15. The Android OS is ugly, and confusing.

I stopped reading here. Android isn't iOS and never will be, get over it.

 

[SteveISU]

Some people need to have their hands held and be spoon fed by Apple, it's all good. It's what I'd give my grandmother if she knew what a smartphone was.

 

[Rezorate]

Two weeks with the phone and you couldn't figure out that you don't have to use the apps that come pre-installed? You spout off about the Music and Chrome app being poorly designed as if your stuck with them. There are LOADS of alternatives.

Also, you talk bad about the build quality but you said you marveled at it when you unboxed it. I also don't get how ANYONE could not like the build quality of this phone. Yeah the trim is plastic but thats irrelevant compared to the OVERALL build of this phone from the rubberized grip and the premium back glass to the beautiful screen. Build quality is one of the things everyone praised about this phone across the board.

So take away your argument about the apps and the build quality, you're left with your subjective OPINION on the look of Android (if you think Jellybean android is ugly, look at Gingerbread and then look back at it) and your gripe with the camera. The camera isn't the best in the world (which if you read any review before you bought this phone, you would've known that) but its definitely serviceable. In the right settings I've gotten wonderful pictures. Play around with the exposure or try HDR mode. Check out the pictures thread here on AC and you'll see some great photos out of this thing. BUT, if all of that is too hard or complex for you then just get a different phone. Your tech savvy, right? I don't know how you didn't do your homework on this device before you bought it but hey, you tried it and didnt like it so move on.

The hostility on this forum astounds me. I know I can use apps from the Play store instead of pre-loaded ones, I was commenting on what came with the phone. At first glance I didn't see the gap in the bevel, or feel the cheap plastic buttons. I'd love to see anyone say outright that the Nexus 4 has superior build quality compared to the iPhone 4/4S/5. I read plenty of reviews and knew what I was getting myself into, though I was surprised at how real the flaws pointed out in them were. I didn't study up for weeks over a device that costs $300 - I don't know if you're 12 and had to save your allowance for a year to get it (it wouldn't surprise me, judging by your avatar.) - but in the real world a $300 device doesn't deserve that sort of grueling intense research. Please go elsewhere with your ing.

 

[SteveISU]

The hostility on this forum astounds me. I know I can use apps from the Play store instead of pre-loaded ones, I was commenting on what came with the phone. At first glance I didn't see the gap in the bevel, or feel the cheap plastic buttons. I'd love to see anyone say outright that the Nexus 4 has superior build quality compared to the iPhone 4/4S/5. I read plenty of reviews and knew what I was getting myself into, though I was surprised at how real the flaws pointed out in them were. I didn't study up for weeks over a device that costs $300 - I don't know if you're 12 and had to save your allowance for a year to get it (it wouldn't surprise me, judging by your avatar.) - but in the real world a $300 device doesn't deserve that sort of grueling intense research. Please go elsewhere with your ing.

You may have gotten a bad phone. Much like I got when my iPhone 5 came and it looked like a Chinamen played soccer with it. People had bent iPhones, not even apple is immune to a bad phone getting out. When you rely on slave labor and the lowest bidder to mass produce them, it's bound to happen.

 

[Rezorate]

Dude it seems if your opinion is not in the majority you get labeled as a troll. I for one did not take your post as bashing you simply stated what you did not like about the phone and the OS. To me folks should not attack you but reach out and ask how they could help with certain dislikes that you may have, that would make the OS experience a little better. Some folks here are good others take it as if you have personally called them out instead of LG And Google. I am fan of both operating systems have had every iPhone and lets see every nexus outside of that first one. Both have good things to offer maybe give it another week download some apps to customize your nexus. I personally am waiting for my note 2 to arrive since google canceled my nexus order without a valid reason.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

Thank you very much for not being rude to me. I am honestly amazed at the hostility on this forum, as I thought it was made up of a more mature, less-touchy adult group. I think I will give it a few more days and see if I can get it to where I like it. OCD is my main problem when it comes to phones, which is, I believe, why I love Apple's phones so much. I hate it when my device seems 'cluttered' - which, as you can see, is sort of what the Android ecosystem is when compared to iOS.

 

[Woodsy]

...I mean its not bashing if it's a fact...

Sent from the greatest phone in the world, The Galaxy Note 2 on Verizon.

 

[Rezorate]

Seriously!? My mother who just discovered how to navigate the internet is using a nexus 7 and has no problem using the device. Lol and your calling your self "tech savvy" pretty pathetic. I guess its to hard to swipe Lt/rt figure out the middle buttons takes you home and the endless of app alternatives you have. Well I guess when your confined to apples walls you become incompetent to the rest of the world. Look, this might seem harsh to you seeing all these comments but read what your saying. I can bet if anyone went over to iOS sites and said what you said there would be endless of negative comments. So suck it with peoples replies including my own.

Alright, I'm getting a little pissed off. Grow the up, and stop insulting people over the internet. Did I say I couldn't navigate the phone? No. Did I say it was confusing? Yes. There is an enormous difference between the two.

"So suck it with peoples replies including my own." -- are you kidding me? Are you a middle-schooler?
"Well I guess when your confined to apples walls you become incompetent to the rest of the world." -- So, working with and programming on 3 different computer OS' is impotent? I'd love to see your example of being capable.
"Look, this might seem harsh to you seeing all these comments but read what your saying." -- What I said was my ing opinion. Am I wrong to state how I feel about something?

 

[Rezorate]

I can't understand how some OS can be confusing when you have everything in its place.
BTW, saying that you're a web developer doesn't make you tech savvy. I am a web developer myself and I have got work mates that don't even know how to set up a printer.

I know what you're saying, but I'm pretty sure if I can build a desktop, I know how to how to make my way around technology.

 

[VertigoM]

Rezorate, Android is not necessarily designed to appeal to everyone straight out of the box. The beauty with Android is the amount of customization that you can do to tailor the device to your own particular needs and preferences. That is the difference between Android and iOS. Apple's philosophy is to design something to appeal to the masses while limiting the amount of customization that can be done. Android provides a platform for everyone to tweak and adjust as you please.

Before you "give up" on Android, try experimenting with some of the different options that are available with 3rd party apps and launchers. You'll be amazed at just how much you can do with it.

As for build quality, it looks like you have unfortunately received a device with a manufacturing defect. Personally, I find the build quality far exceeds most of the devices on the market that are selling at TWICE the price. Is it the best there is? No, it's not. Is it excellent value for the money? Yes, I strongly believe it is.

 

[FYourProblems]

This is what happens when you disagree with the hive-mind.

 

[Dr0me]

Thank you very much for not being rude to me. I am honestly amazed at the hostility on this forum, as I thought it was made up of a more mature, less-touchy adult group. I think I will give it a few more days and see if I can get it to where I like it. OCD is my main problem when it comes to phones, which is, I believe, why I love Apple's phones so much. I hate it when my device seems 'cluttered' - which, as you can see, is sort of what the Android ecosystem is when compared to iOS.

ok now i have had it. if there is one thing android is not it is cluttered. Every one who owns an iphone has a grid of icons or folders on their homescreen. that is the ugliest thing to look at when first picking up your phone. In current android you have a home screen which you can make extremely minimalistic with folders or very few icons and one clock widget then keep all other apps on a separate screen or in the app drawer.

compare

to

While i do agree withe the fact that the power button creaks, mine does as well. The rest of the build quality of this phone is stunning. Even my iphone friends marveled at how nice it feels in hand and how "this is the first android phone they have seen that they would consider owning"

chrome has been sluggish on other devices but i can honestly say it does not lag on the nexus 4 since it has the ram and processor speed to support it. I personally use dolphin since you can use flash with it but save that one fact i would definitely be using chrome.

The camera on the Nexus 4 is great in my opinion. Especially when you consider the HDR mode, landscape, photosphere and radial menus. I have not owned an iphone so they may have better cameras but my phone has been capturing some amazing shots.

I think you are just better suited for an iphone. It sounds pretty clear that you want something to "just work" out of the box like most iphone users do. That is fine. But android provides a different experience that every one on this forum loves. We love it because it is open and we have control to do what we want to our phones to make them exactly how we want them. We are passionate about these things. So when you come here to trash a phone and os that so many love you should expect people to bash you. Especially if your points are unfounded and just opinions of an apple loyalist with confirmation bias.

you wouldnt go to a exotic car forum and say cars are small and lame i love trucks would you? you werent seeking for help from us. you wanted to trash android.

 

[drewfus0929]

Alright, I'm getting a little pissed off. Grow the up, and stop insulting people over the internet. Did I say I couldn't navigate the phone? No. Did I say it was confusing? Yes. There is an enormous difference between the two.

I would be interested to hear what you found confusing in the interface. I switched from the Galaxy Nexus to the iPhone 5 purely because of the battery life issues. I personally cannot stand iOS, and find it far less intuitive then Android. The 3 main differences that I see:

1. Navigation
iOS: "Back" button, always in the top left corner of the app. Home button: giant circular button on front of the phone.
Android: Back Button: literal back arrow at bottom of the screen. Home button: Home button at bottom of screen.

I think some of the confusion comes in when apps are ported to Android from iOS, and carry over the in-app back button. It can be confusing to be able press the actual back button, or the in app one. Otherwise, I think ease of OS navigation is pretty much a wash between the 2.

2. App settings
iOS: This drives me crazy. Some apps have specific settings that you can adjust in the app, whereas the phone specific app settings (location permissions, notifications, etc...) are located in the separate, stand-alone general settings app. I hate wanting to adjust a setting for an app in iOS, and having to completely exit it, and then enter another app.
Android: Almost all specific app settings are contained within the app. Makes much more sense to me, you want to adjust settings for an app, you do so inside of the app.

3. Homescreen layout
iOS: You can change your wallpaper, the locations of apps, and place them in folders. Super simple, but also extremely limited.
Android: This is the main difference that I see between Android and iOS. Widgets! Launchers! Adjustable app icons! Gestures! App drawer! I can see how this would be more confusing then iOS. But, you also get unparalleled flexibility.

Those are just some of my thoughts. What is it exactly that you find confusing?

 

[EVO28312]

Alright, I'm getting a little pissed off. Grow the up, and stop insulting people over the internet. Did I say I couldn't navigate the phone? No. Did I say it was confusing? Yes. There is an enormous difference between the two.

Lol this guy... You brag about being a programmer yet your having difficulties or excuse me let me correct myself your "confused" on how to swipe and push a button with your finger to look through the play store . So yes I'd say your incompetent.

"So suck it with peoples replies including my own." -- are you kidding me? Are you a middle-schooler?
"Well I guess when your confined to apples walls you become incompetent to the rest of the world." -- So, working with and programming on 3 different computer OS' is impotent? I'd love to see your example of being impotent

Man... You keep making it worse for yourself.

"Look, this might seem harsh to you seeing all these comments but read what your saying." -- What I said was my ing opinion. Am I wrong to state how I feel about something?

No your not wrong at all! See as your free and open to say what you want so are we. This will happen 10/10 times so get over it and take it like a man or take it like a isheep