[How-to] Nexus S Answers

[Baconator]

No LED notification light
Get NoLED from the Android Market

No 4G
The Nexus S does take advantage of T-Mobile's 4G but can only get speeds up to 7.2mbps.

No SD Card
16GB of internal storage should be enough just sync stuff from one device to your phone. Fast, Easy, Simple. You can also use dropbox.

No HD recording
The Nexus S does not have HD recording because it has stock Android and the stock Android NOW does not allow HD recording. In the future it might but at the current moment it doesn't.

No Zoom
Just download Vignette from the market!

Contact Grouping
Go to your g-mail on your computer and go to your contacts. Check the contacts you want in a group and and click on group and then make a new group. If this does not work then download Clix Groups Manager from the market.

Charging
For a longer lasting battery kill all apps you are not using.
Here are some tips:
1. When charging try not to use the phone a lot.
2. Charge before the phone gets to 20%.
3. If possible turn the phone off to charge, this is preferably done at night if you don't use your phone as an alarm. If you can't do this it is fine.
Here is some more information -> How to prolong lithium-based batteries <-

Download apk. Files
You can download a .apk and put it in your internal storage to install via third party app. Also try app installer.

Convert Video Format
The Nexus S only takes certain video formats and many want to convert certain videos to put them on their Nexus S. Here is a good video converter to help you do so: Freemake Video Converter


If you have any other questions or better answers then please post them here.

Thanks to TrivalTweeter, Grimmy, and Neuromatico for helping with these answers.

 

[TrivialTweeter]

In terms of no 4G, it really isn't a big deal at all. I'll tell you why. I really hope people would stop listing it as an issue, or a reason not to get a Nexus S.

As of right now you'll see the same speeds on a Nexus S as you would on a "4G" G2 or MT4G on T-Mo's "4G network". The Nexus S is able to take advantage of the increased speeds on T-Mobiles networks where HSPA+ has been deployed. The Nexus S' radio supports a max download speed of 7.2 Mbps while the G2 and MT4G have 14.4Mbps radios. That 14.4Mbps radio is what T-Mobile refers to as a "4G" capable phone.

The difference in radio speed doesn't really come into play in current real world situations. The fastest network speeds I have found in my area (L.A.) has been a little above 5Mbps down and close to 2Mbps up. I'm able to get those speeds on both a G2 (4G HSPA+ phone) and the Nexus S.

So, for now, you're going to get the same speeds with the Nexus S as you would with a "4G" HSPA+ phone on T-Mobiles network. At least until they increase the network speeds again. When that happens, the "4G" HSPA+ devices will be in better shape because they'll be able to take advantage of that added bandwidth. However, right now all that is irrelevant.

My Nexus S is 4G Hell, when all the carriers call their networks 4G when they aren't......why shouldn't we all just say that the Nexus S is a "4G" phone. After all, it can handle the full capacity of the current "4G" network.....So doesn't that make it a "4G" device??

I apologize for going on about this issue, but I'm kinda sick of hearing so many people point out this "lack of 4G" and complain like a little girl. I'm perfectly happy with 5-6Mbps downloads on the cell network until I get my next device in a year or so.
/endrant

 

[Baconator]

Thank you for that now we have a answer for a problem that was never a problem lol

 

[onthecouchagain]

The lack of "4G" will be felt greater when it becomes the standard in 2011, as all carriers are pushing for this. The Nexus S just doesn't seem as 'future-proof' as a top branded Android device should be (this is without mentioning the lack of 720p, which is a hardware limitation; lack of camera zoom; etc.)

To essentially say "one doesn't need 4G" doesn't abate the disappointment that it lacks 4G. I'm glad people are happy with their Nexus S, but consumers have every right to be disappointed, and to voice that disappointment, about a device lacking "4G" support (and once again, this is without mentioning other devices on the market already feature this).

 

[TrivialTweeter]

The lack of "4G" will be felt greater when it becomes the standard in 2011, as all carriers are pushing for this.

Agreed, but by the time they roll out the faster "4G" speeds (Nexus S is fully capable of handling the current speeds) the Nexus 3 (or whatever it'll be called) will be released and we'll all be upgrading anyways.

The Nexus S just doesn't seem as 'future-proof' as a top branded Android device should be (this is without mentioning the lack of 720p, which is a hardware limitation

Care to provide a source for your claim about lack of 720P recording being a hardware limitation of the device? I'm 99% certain that it's not a hardware limitation. Especially when its Galaxy S cousins have the ability. I'm pretty sure we'll see 720P recording on the Nexus S at some point. Oh wait a minute...we already have. Remember this article? Interesting the video was shot in 720P, huh? I'm pretty sure well see this feature added in a future update.

To essentially say "one doesn't need 4G" doesn't abate the disappointment that it lacks 4G. I'm glad people are happy with their Nexus S, but consumers have every right to be disappointed, and to voice that disappointment, about a device lacking "4G" support (and once again, this is without mentioning other devices on the market already feature this).

People who are disappointed have really fallen for all this "4G" marketing hype. The only reason I can see the lack of "4G" being a detractor is if you actually plan on using it as your primary phone for more than a year.....Which face it, most of us on these forums won't be doing....just sayin'

 

[Baconator]

Agreed, but by the time they roll out the faster "4G" speeds (Nexus S is fully capable of handling the current speeds) the Nexus 3 (or whatever it'll be called) will be released and we'll all be upgrading anyways.



Care to provide a source for your claim about lack of 720P recording being a hardware limitation of the device? I'm 99% certain that it's not a hardware limitation. Especially when its Galaxy S cousins have the ability. I'm pretty sure we'll see 720P recording on the Nexus S at some point. Oh wait a minute...we already have. Remember this article? Interesting the video was shot in 720P, huh? I'm pretty sure well see this feature added in a future update.



People who are disappointed have really fallen for all this "4G" marketing hype. The only reason I can see the lack of "4G" being a detractor is if you actually plan on using it as your primary phone for more than a year.....Which face it, most of us on these forums won't be doing....just sayin'

I couldn't have said it better! Also there is not a whole lot of an area covered by 4G. Yes there are some people who live in 4G areas but not very many. And 4G being standard? I think that 4G will be standard maybe at the end of 2011 when a larger area of the country is covered, some carriers STILL need to work on their 3G! I'm not saying to some people its a drawback but to most of us it shouldn't be like me I live in NM and we have no 4G!

 

[Baconator]

No Zoom - Solved

Just download Vignette from the android market it should help you zoom. And it wasn't going to be able to zoom!

I am looking for an answer for the no new android market

 

[Baconator]

I sent Samsung an E-mail about the New Android Market

 

[TrivialTweeter]

I am looking for an answer for the no new android market

Go to this thread on your device, and click and install the apk file. I've been running the new market on my Nexus S for the past several days without issue:
Post with link to Market Download

APK Direct Download Link

 

[Baconator]

Ya I did that twice and it still goes back to the original market within the next hour

 

[Baconator]

I sent an e-mail to Samsung regarding the New Market and they sent me the worst reply ever saying ya the Nexus S has a Android Market. I wanted to reply and say DUH!

 

[EAli]

Question

I would like to ask whether .apk files can be installed without the need for an SD card. I will be using the phone outside the US mainly, where there is no access to the Android Market, so can I install apk's without having a Market app like Dropbox, AppsInstaller and the like? Thanks.

 

[Smokexz]

I would like to ask whether .apk files can be installed without the need for an SD card. I will be using the phone outside the US mainly, where there is no access to the Android Market, so can I install apk's without having a Market app like Dropbox, AppsInstaller and the like? Thanks.

A lot of people are just completely baffled at why there is no SD card, however, there is storage! And lots of it. Yes you can download a .apk and put it in your internal storage to install via third party app, its not an issue at all.


Sent from my Nexus S

 

[EAli]

Okay?

Thanks for your quick reply. So what app is best for this?

 

[Baconator]

Try App Installer from the market.

 

[dwaynewilliams#WN]

A lot of people are just completely baffled at why there is no SD card, however, there is storage! And lots of it. Yes you can download a .apk and put it in your internal storage to install via third party app, its not an issue at all.


Sent from my Nexus S

The lack of an sd card doesn't bother me. Nor does the lack of 4G support. What bothers me is that the device is only offered on T-Mobile. That I cannot understand.

 

[EAli]

The thing is that a buddy of mine is getting me the phone from the US. I currently live in a country where Android Market has not yet opened, so is there any other way (without accessing Android Market) to install .apk's from the internal memory?

 

[uansari1]

The thing is that a buddy of mine is getting me the phone from the US. I currently live in a country where Android Market has not yet opened, so is there any other way (without accessing Android Market) to install .apk's from the internal memory?

Ask your buddy to download and install Astro File Manager onto the phone before he sends it to you, which has a built in app installer in addition to being able to manage the files on your storage... or perhaps you can use Android Central's sideload wonder machine.

 

[ihealthcare]

Similar Problem with WiFi
Do you have similar problems?

 

[Baconator]

Actually I have really great wifi! My problem is with EDGE data. I am Contacting T-Mobile about it read this on my thread. Just click HERE