Nexus S Facebook, LED, microSD, Email, Text, & Camera Workarounds

milominderbinde

Well-known member
May 25, 2010
2,163
1,179
0
Visit site
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 [Facebook Sync] feature from the Nexus S and all future 'googlephones'..." 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:
Friendcaster (free, $5: no ads) Get Facebook notifications, events, etc. Manually sync contacts & profile photos.
• Manually import Facebook photos to the Nexus S with SyncMyPix or Easy Sync.
Google Contact Sync updates photos and birthdays. (Facebook app)
Friends to Gmail creates a file with name, birthday, etc. to import into Google Contacts (FAQ). LifeHacker article.

Notification LED: The Nexus S does not have a LED for missed calls, email, texts, or events. Try NoLED as a workaround.
• If you are rooted, try the BackLightNotifications Mod 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.
Dropbox stores up to 2GB (referral link for 2.25GB) for free. Open with the Dropbox app.
Google Music can store your music to play with the Google Music app. Google Docs can store your doc or xls files for use by the Google Docs app.

RAM: Androids may have 1024MB of RAM for apps and operating system. If the Nexus S 512MB is an issue:
• Remove apps that you don't use and use an app like Apps2SD to move apps out of the internal memory and onto the internal SD card.

Messaging: The Sprint Nexus S 4G Message app stops at 160 character. HandCent or ChompSMS (free) do not.

Speed Dial: The Nexus S doesn't have Speed Dial to assign contacts to numbers 1 to 9.
Smart Dial: The Nexus lacks smart dial. "T9" smart dial 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
Go Contacts lets you dial a middle part of a name or number. For 202-456-1414, you can dial "456" or "1414".
TouchPal Dialer lets you dial their initials for instance dial 2 for B, 6 for O for Barack Obama.
Go Contacts & TouchPal Dialer can search contacts for "Pen" for contacts on Pennsylvania Ave or "Wash" for Washington.

Visual Voicemail: shows the caller's photo. A slider bar lets you play a certain portion as you would an MP3.
• The Nexus S lacks Visual Voicemail. Youmail is a workaround but costs $10/month for full features.

Gallery: Nexus S owners have found relief from the lost photos, wrong photos, and slow photo loading with the QuickPic app.

Camera: The Nexus S Camera has only a 2x zoom and no Timer, Anti-Shake, Blink detection, or Guidelines. Consider:
Vignette ($4, free demo), Camera Zoom FX ($4, free attachments)
Action Snaps (free) shots bursts. Fast Camera ($2) is fast. Photoshop (free) adds more effects.

Calendar: The Nexus S Calendar does not let you choose the Default view, time zone, or first day of week. To add these features and more try Jorte-free (Review), Business Calendar Free ($6 Full) (Review, Developer), or Smooth Calendar.

Clock: The Nexus S Clock does not include a Timer, Stopwatch, World Clock, etc. Consider one of these Clocks.

Email: Nexus S Email search is limited and can't move deleted email to inbox and does not allow an automatic cc or bcc. Try K-9 Mail (Free) or Touchdown Exchange ($20, free trial).

Browser: The Nexus S browser has pan, zoom, and text reflow limitations and does not show browser windows as thumbnail cards. Consider browsers like Dolphin or Opera.

Home Screens: The Nexus S has 5 Home screens while 7 is common today. Use LauncherPro ($3 full), ADW.Launcher ($3 full), or GO Launcher EX (free) for more home screens and customization without rooting.

Music Player: The Nexus S does not have an Equalizer, Surround Sound effects, can't show lyrics, and is limited in showing album art. Consider:
Music PlayerMeridianTuneWiki

Video Player: The Nexus S does not play video formats other Android phones play such as DivX and XviD. Android Market offers workarounds:
Convert your videos to a format the Nexus S can use.
Vital Player (Free, Pro $4), Vplayer (Full: $5), & MoboPlayer add many formats. mVideoPlayer is great but adds no formats.

Android Contact Groups: 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 www.gmail.com. Use Clix Group Manager ($1) to setup contact groups from your phone.
• Use a free app like Go Contacts to group contacts (also a smart dialer)

FM Radio: The Nexus S lacks an FM Radio so consider TuneIn (Pro) for local AM/FM stations. Also try Pandora, Slacker, and iheartradio.

HDMI: The Nexus S USB port does not serve as an HDMI port but the Nexus S has DLNA for wireless HD.

Bluetooth: The 2009 Bluetooth 3.0 standard is faster and uses less power. The Nexus S is 2.1. Use WiFi when you can.

HD Recording: Some Androids record HD Video. The Nexus S is 480p. There is no workaround but is this something you need?

Keyboard: The Gingerbread keyboard is good but some prefer SwiftKey, Swype, or other Keyboards.

See the Getting Started guide and Phone Comparison for more. This information was drawn from many gurus including igotsanevo4g,
ragnarokx, and especially Baconator 's thread [How-to] Nexus S Answers. Thank you! Also see the Nexus S 4G Limitations.
 
Last edited:

AndroidOne

Well-known member
Jun 5, 2010
803
36
0
Visit site
No I do not know how to do this but someone must. There are dozens of posts asking how to do this.

I have seached and find nothing short of rooting.

Please give the answer and I will post it in this opening post. If the only answer is to root, please tell what to do and what ROMS work.

Thanks!

You can read all about it here.
 

milominderbinde

Well-known member
May 25, 2010
2,163
1,179
0
Visit site
Yeah, I know that mom and dad are not talking. Three questions.

1. If you are rooted, can you just use a different ROM? Which ones?

2. That article says that future devices would not have Facebook sync either. Do Honeycomb devices have Facebook sync?

3. Are the OEM's just putting the sync in themselves on all the other phones?
 
Last edited:

milominderbinde

Well-known member
May 25, 2010
2,163
1,179
0
Visit site
Go to go app market and download syncmypic
Thanks.

That is the only piece of the puzzle that I can find as well. That way you can manually sync profile photos but not status updates or facebook events and birthdays into the calendar.

Is the Xoom locked out of facebook sync as well? Future devices as well?

Are there any ROMs for the Nexus S 4G that bring Facebook sync back?
 

DeCourseyyy

Well-known member
May 9, 2011
169
9
0
www.facebook.com
My Method.

You cannot Sync directly with FaceBook. You are forced to manually put in your contacts (using Google Contacts online is actually really fast). After that, you can use the app "syncmypix" to bring down all your friends' pictured from FaceBook.
 
Last edited:

milominderbinde

Well-known member
May 25, 2010
2,163
1,179
0
Visit site
Thanks to everyone who has offered help so far!

Since this is the only thread I can find on How to Sync Facebook Contacts to the Nexus S 4G, I am going to ask that it be stickied. Facebook sync is integrated into contacts, dialer, messages, calendar, and other apps. Until the Nexus S and Nexus S 4G.

I have found one key new workaround to import Facebook contacts directly into Google Contacts. Google Contact Sync creates a csv file from your Facebook Friends names, phones, birthdays, etc. to import into Google Contacts. (Facebook app)

The Opening Post is updated.

Can anyone answer the remaining questions in the opening post?
 
Last edited:

KSmithInNY

#winning
Oct 7, 2009
3,538
1,441
0
Visit site
Remaining question #1 is yes. FB contact syncing still works in various 3rd party roms such as cyanogen. Regarding other roms, I can't answer that. The developer would need to say if they decompiled contactsprovider.apk and added Facebook back in. It's a 2 minute process so I'd imagine everyone would be doing it but you know what happens when we ass-u-me ;)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: milominderbinde

vansmack

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2010
547
17
0
Visit site
  • Like
Reactions: milominderbinde

slr29er

New member
Jun 23, 2011
1
0
0
Visit site
Google Contact Sync creates a csv file from your Facebook Friends names, phones, ....

I'm trying to choose between a Nexus S and an Evo, and one of the downfalls of the Nexus S seems to be the inability to sync up with FB contacts to get phone numbers. You mention that you can sync up phones, but I'm seeing contradictory info elsewhere. Have you seen this work personally? I want to be sure my pro/con list has current info.

Thanks!
Stephanie
 

NOMster

Well-known member
Nov 11, 2010
225
11
0
Visit site
Re: How do you Sync Facebook Contacts to the Nexus S 4G?

using the tmobile social network services app works to provide at least basic info. still no birthdays, but pics and locations.
 

milominderbinde

Well-known member
May 25, 2010
2,163
1,179
0
Visit site
Re: How do you Sync Facebook Contacts to the Nexus S 4G?

I'm trying to choose between a Nexus S and an Evo, and one of the downfalls of the Nexus S seems to be the inability to sync up with FB contacts to get phone numbers. You mention that you can sync up phones, but I'm seeing contradictory info elsewhere. Have you seen this work personally? I want to be sure my pro/con list has current info.

Thanks!
Stephanie
There is no way to sync a stock Nexus S with Facebook. Google has removed this functionality.

What these workaround do is give you a manual way to put some of your Facebook Friend info into Gmail contacts.

But you will not see their status update in the Contacts list or caller ID when they call. If they change their profile picture, you will still have the old one from when you manually did the work-around.
 

RC46

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2009
108
4
0
Visit site
Re: How do you Sync Facebook Contacts to the Nexus S 4G?

With the release of Google+, Google's anti Facebook strategy is becoming much clearer.:D
 

cdbillups

Active member
Apr 26, 2011
27
2
0
users.adams.net
Re: How do you Sync Facebook Contacts to the Nexus S 4G?

using the tmobile social network services app works to provide at least basic info. still no birthdays, but pics and locations.

Maybe it's because it's still syncing but I'm not seeing email or phone numbers either. Just pics and locations.
 

Jordan2348

Active member
Jun 10, 2010
40
1
0
Visit site
Re: Nexus S Facebook, LED, microSD, Email, Text, & Camera Workaro

Hey guys, there's a third party Facebook app called Friendcaster which just added contact syncing and works well on NS4G and as a bonus the app is free plus the notifications actually work unlike the Facebook app.
 

milominderbinde

Well-known member
May 25, 2010
2,163
1,179
0
Visit site
Re: Nexus S Facebook, LED, microSD, Email, Text, & Camera Workaro

Hey guys, there's a third party Facebook app called Friendcaster which just added contact syncing and works well on NS4G and as a bonus the app is free plus the notifications actually work unlike the Facebook app.
Thanks!

I will add a link to Friendcaster:
______________________________________
? Friendcaster (free, $5: no ads) Get Facebook notifications, events, etc. Manually sync contacts.
______________________________________

Does Friendcaster automatically update profile photo and status in your contacts list?

When a friend calls, does Friendcaster make it so that you see their updated profile photo and status?

Does Friendcaster link your Facebook contacts in with yout Google contacts?

If you only have a contact in Facebook, can you send them an email using your stock email app? Or do you have to have a Google contact for them as well?

Can some others with Nexus S phones try this?

Jordan, thanks for the great find on the manual sync and the notifications! I am hoping it addresses some of the other things too.
 

Trending Posts

Forum statistics

Threads
942,408
Messages
6,913,957
Members
3,158,401
Latest member
SandiR