24 hours with my Nexus 4: my complaints/Qs

[sepandee]

Don't get me wrong, I love it. I feel like I'm cheating on my wife or gf though, because my previous phone was a BlackBerry 9700 and while it eventually descended into a piece of s**t, I am Canadian, and so was my blackberry. I feel guilty for not getting the z10. Oh well...

This is the first time I've been on an Android. I've noticed that my brother's Galaxy S3 has some key and cool features that my phone doesn't have:\

1. Favorite contacts list: what I love about phones with keyboards is speed dial. Touchscreen favorites list for contacts is not exactly the same, but it will do. My Nexus, however, is missing this key feature. Yes, I know, I can make direct dial widgets of my contacts, but I'd still appreciate a favorites list in the phonebook.

2. Sending text messages by swiping on the contact: my brother showed me this cool feature that allowed him to send a text message to a contact by swiping a contact to the left or maybe right. Swiping in the opposite direction would do something else. That was pretty neat. It's missing on my Nexus 4 though.

3. Pressing OK after entering pin to unlock the phone: it's really annoying! I've switched to pattern for now, but I'd like to go back to pin if I can figure out how to get rid of the unnecessary step of pressing OK.

There were a few more items, but I can't recall them at the moment.

So, anyone knows a way to address those concerns of mine? Thanks. I would also appreciate any tips/tricks/recommendations you might have for an Android newbie and a new nexus 4 owner.

 

[erjennin]

Don't get me wrong, I love it. I feel like I'm cheating on my wife or gf though, because my previous phone was a BlackBerry 9700 and while it eventually descended into a piece of s**t, I am Canadian, and so was my blackberry. I feel guilty for not getting the z10. Oh well...

This is the first time I've been on an Android. I've noticed that my brother's Galaxy S3 has some key and cool features that my phone doesn't have:\

1. Favorite contacts list: what I love about phones with keyboards is speed dial. Touchscreen favorites list for contacts is not exactly the same, but it will do. My Nexus, however, is missing this key feature. Yes, I know, I can make direct dial widgets of my contacts, but I'd still appreciate a favorites list in the phonebook.
There is a "favorites" in the phonebook. When you hit the phone icon and go into the dialer, the icon on the far top right is your favorites. I've used andriod forever so I set these up a long time ago by "starring" these contacts as favorites in my GMail contacts list. Somebody else on here might have a better way of doing it, but that how I did it.

2. Sending text messages by swiping on the contact: my brother showed me this cool feature that allowed him to send a text message to a contact by swiping a contact to the left or maybe right. Swiping in the opposite direction would do something else. That was pretty neat. It's missing on my Nexus 4 though.
That feature was a Touchwiz feature only. I use the stock messaging client, but I assume this feature is available in a third party text messaging app. Perhaps someone else on here has a suggestion.

3. Pressing OK after entering pin to unlock the phone: it's really annoying! I've switched to pattern for now, but I'd like to go back to pin if I can figure out how to get rid of the unnecessary step of pressing OK.
Got nothin' for ya on this one.

There were a few more items, but I can't recall them at the moment.

So, anyone knows a way to address those concerns of mine? Thanks. I would also appreciate any tips/tricks/recommendations you might have for an Android newbie and a new nexus 4 owner.

 

[bkorver]

As far as favorites go, mine has it. Open up your dialer by pressing the blue phone on your home screen. top right you should see what looks like a head and shoulders type icon. press that and on my phone I see my favorite contacts, under that my most frequently used...

 

[ecpolo521]

I've been using exDialer. It has T9, a list view of favorites, and you can swipe left or right for SMS/call.

 

[sepandee]

Nope, I don't see a favorites list. When I click on the "head and shoulders" icon on the top-right corner, it brings me to a list of 6 contacts under "frequently called." I assume this list can change depending on who gets called how many times relative to other contacts. Under that list is a list of all contacts with phone numbers. So no, no favorite list.

I'll get exDialer a try. Thanks

 

[planoman]

That is the touch wiz skin that Samsung incorporates into android. A Google device is pure android, so it will not have those features built in and you will have to find an app to do those things if you want them.

Lots of people slam touch wiz and in my first several Galaxy phones, I used a launcher too, but then touch wiz became pretty user friendly and I started using stock for the nice features. I still use my Note 2 stock and miss some of the touch wiz features on my Nexus 4 but the advantage will be on updates and pure customization.

And 12-15 apps of bloatware!!!

 

[wunderbar]

For the pin lock screen question. That's actually a security feature. a PIN can be however many characters you want so making you press OK when you're done is part of the security. When guessing you have to know how long the PIN is along with the actual PIN itself.

And really, is having to press OK that big a deal?

 

[tpain7765]

Nope, I don't see a favorites list. When I click on the "head and shoulders" icon on the top-right corner, it brings me to a list of 6 contacts under "frequently called." I assume this list can change depending on who gets called how many times relative to other contacts. Under that list is a list of all contacts with phone numbers. So no, no favorite list.

I'll get exDialer a try. Thanks

When I tap the "head and shoulders" icon. I get the same results as you....except, above all of that, yup I see my favorites. So yes, yes there is a favorites list. If you want to add somebody to your favorites list, you have to go to their contact card, and press the star at the top. If you haven't indicated any favorite contacts, what we're you expecting to see?

 

[S-Doo-1965]

Another missing feature from Touch-wiz is assigning ring tones to groups.

why would you not get a Nexus device?

 

[sepandee]

And 12-15 apps of bloatware!!!

Yeah, that I knew.

And really, is having to press OK that big a deal?

No, not really. Just a first-world, spoiled brat type of complaint.

If you haven't indicated any favorite contacts, what we're you expecting to see?

Haha. But in iOS, you have a dedicated favorites list that's there even if there are no contacts in it. But now that I saw the star button, my favorite list is there. Unfortunately, it's in GIANT ICON mode, which defeats the whole purpose as I can't fit more than 4 + 2 x 1/4 contacts on the screen.

 

[gone down south]

The beauty of the N4 is that you can install any one of dozens of third party dialers that behave exactly how you want them too!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[cpolism]

For the pin lock screen question. That's actually a security feature. a PIN can be however many characters you want so making you press OK when you're done is part of the security. When guessing you have to know how long the PIN is along with the actual PIN itself.

And really, is having to press OK that big a deal?

I actually think it is a big deal. Especially if your last number of the PIN is a 1,2, or 3. Because then you have to come all the way down to press OK. Just hard when you're doing it one handed. However, I'll say this. When I had the nexus s with AOKP, that was something you could change in the settings.

 

[srkmagnus]

@OP, there definitely will be features the S3 has that are not included with the N4. It's a good thing there are plenty of third-party solutions to get some of those features. I know it's frustrating to not have some features out of the box. But keep in mind, the N4 is based on a pure stock Google experience which you can enhance with third-party solutions. The S3 has a UI and features not present in stock Android because Samsung takes the time to incorporate these features deep into the phone.

Be patient and give it some time. You'll find solutions and be happy with the N4 in the long run.

 

[Fairclough]

With having to press ok, I reckon its a great idea because if someone guesses it right it won't automatically log in... they have to guess how many characters too!

 

[thisfnguy]

I know what you mean why should i have to press Ok when i enter my pin? it also infurates me that i have to hit send after i type a text.

 

[jeffepops]

Inconvenience of having to press "OK" -- especially after the number 1 -- First World Crisis Alert!!

 

[NotJustAPhone]

Please keep the discussion civil and on-topic. Thread has been cleaned up.

 

[sepandee]

Inconvenience of having to press "OK" -- especially after the number 1 -- First World Crisis Alert!!

I know what you mean why should i have to press Ok when i enter my pin? it also infurates me that i have to hit send after i type a text.

All good and "funny" to be judgmental, but my complaint about pressing enter is perhaps only due to coming from iOS and BlackBerry OS where just pressing the 4 digits was enough. It's more an issue that has to do with habit, not laziness. It's similar to the difference between receiving text messages on the two platforms: in iOS, for example, you get a counter on your viber, text message, facebook, and similar icons when you get a message. That feature is missing from Android apparently, and I'm really used to seeing it and find the lack of it inconvenient. But I'll get used to it soon and it'll stop being an issue.

 

[thisfnguy]

i like the fact my pin isnt restricted to 4 digits

 

[KarlDag]

All good and "funny" to be judgmental, but my complaint about pressing enter is perhaps only due to coming from iOS and BlackBerry OS where just pressing the 4 digits was enough. It's more an issue that has to do with habit, not laziness. It's similar to the difference between receiving text messages on the two platforms: in iOS, for example, you get a counter on your viber, text message, facebook, and similar icons when you get a message. That feature is missing from Android apparently, and I'm really used to seeing it and find the lack of it inconvenient. But I'll get used to it soon and it'll stop being an issue.

Get Nova Launcher Prime, it's 4 or 5 bucks and includes badges (those numbers for unread messages on apps' icons). It also, of course, opens up your tweaking abilities a lot.