Advice? Should I get/would you recommend the Nexus S 4G?

[AndroidOne]

So the OP doesn't get lost on the arguments lets recap here...

1. Coming from a Pre, any new smartphone will be a MAJOR upgrade... believe me, I had one myself so I understand your pain.

2. The $10 dollar premium data charge will apply no matter which smartphone you upgrade to 4g or not. The only way to avoid it at this point are to select a dumb phone or to purchase the phone with no subsidy so your contract is not renewed with the activation.

3. Buying a new phone IS NOT a difficult thing. Go to the store and play with all the ones that you are considering. Then go ahead and pick one and take it for a spin... remember, with Sprint you have a 30-day evaluation period during which you can return the phone back, no questions asked. Sprint stores do charge a restocking fee - around $35 if I recall - for phone returns.

4. For a portion of users - myself included - there are some data signal issues with the Nexus, I am not 100% sure is only the phone's fault as there is some signal problem with Sprint as of late. There is a rumored update comming this Monday that apparently addresses this and some other issues on the Nexus. If it comes through, then the Nexus will certainly be an excellent phone for today and years to come.

5. Multi-core processors are the future of smartphones, and the Nexus is a single core device unlike the Evo 3D that is dual core. As someone else mentioned, the Evo is slower compared to other dual core devices on the market at this point and I suspect is do to the new Sense... way too much if you ask me. So if your priority is being on the "bleeding edge" of technological evolution, the Evo 3D may be a better fit for you. Having said that, the Nexus is hands down the snappiest phone on stock ROM that I have owned to date. Doubt there is much the dual core devices can do today that the Nexus can't.

6. In regards to updates, there are two different types of updates that people are confused about. One is the bug and device performance updates to the phone, those will come at about the same speed as other phones in the network. The other is the OS updates that come from Google, those will likely be pushed to the Nexus well before any other phone gets them officially. The reason for that is the lack of OEM enhancement on the Nexus that make it easier to port the new OS immediately... this brings me to...

7. One big difference between the Nexus and other phones is the lack of OEM customizations. If you get an HTC (or Moto, Samsung) you will have a custom skin built into the phone that goes over the OS and provides additional customizations and enhancements such as cool widgets, enhanced core applications (i.e., dialer, SMS, mail, browser, etc.) and a number of proprietary programs and processes built into the phone by the manufacturer (such as Facebook integration which is no longer available on the Nexus). Those skins come at a price in terms of higher memory/resource requirement and slower performance. Nonetheless, if you are the type that wants maximum functionality out-of-the box, the Evo 3D may fit you better. If you are like me, one who wants a barebones device that allow me to add what I want/need with no extra candy, then the Nexus deserves significant consderation. If you choose the Nexus, you will need to invest time and energy looking for apps that will perform all the functions that you want. Fortunately, most of us have been there and done that already, so a few questions here can provide you with tons of great suggestions to start you with.

8. Last but not least, if tweaking the inner workings of your device is what rocks your boat, there is no better phone to do that in the Android world than the Nexus line. These are by design, developers phones and are extremely easy to root and modify. You won't have to wait for a complicated root exploit to be discovered, or suffer with a signed bootloader... the Nexus is a fully open device for those that like to tweak. You need to download and install the Android SDK (Software Developer Kit) and from there a simple command unlocks the Nexus... doesn't get any easier than that.

So there you have it, now is decision time for you. My recommendation, turn off the computer now and go the your nearest Sprint store today and start playing with the phones.

 

[crzycrkr]

I don't mean to hijack your thread, but this is something I've been contemplating after owing the 3D for a week. My 30-day trial period is up in a good two weeks, so I need to decide soon.

The 3D is probably the overall better device as it is more powerful/modern, but the size, sleekness, free tethering, and battery life of the Nexus S have me considering switching more and more everyday. My only problem is being on old hardware until the end of the two-year contract (2013, damn Sprint changing the yearly upgrade policy). I mean, the Nexus One is a year old and it can still hold it's own (with rooting, of course).

I might wait until after the update to see if Sprint decides to remove the free tethering to decide. I hope not.

I was waiting for the 3d and was so disappointed with it. The Nexus is a better device right now, hands down. That may change in the future, but I don't see the 3d outpacing it by too much.

I lost my yearly upgrade when I went in on a family plan. A good way to keep the yearly upgrades going is keeping your current phone in good shape. When you want a new one, just buy it off contract. The marketplace here is pretty good, or Craigslist. Sell yours at that point and you are around the same price point as the yearly upgrade. I just bought my Nexus brand new on these forums for $335. Sold my beat to hell EVO back to Sprint for $150 credit. If another phone I want comes out I'll do the same. I'm taking better care of the Nexus though. The EVO was too damn bulky to wear a case all the time. Good luck.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[wordweaver]

I don't mean to hijack your thread, but this is something I've been contemplating after owing the 3D for a week. My 30-day trial period is up in a good two weeks, so I need to decide soon.

The 3D is probably the overall better device as it is more powerful/modern, but the size, sleekness, free tethering, and battery life of the Nexus S have me considering switching more and more everyday. My only problem is being on old hardware until the end of the two-year contract (2013, damn Sprint changing the yearly upgrade policy). I mean, the Nexus One is a year old and it can still hold it's own (with rooting, of course).

I might wait until after the update to see if Sprint decides to remove the free tethering to decide. I hope not.

Sprint changed the yearly upgrade policy? I'm a Premier customer and that has always been the "reward" for staying with Sprint. Not sure I got that memo. Anyway, you have all made me feel much more confident that the Nexus is the phone I want. I was already "right there" in terms of wanting the device before my op. While I would be lying if I told you that the signal issues don't leave me somewhat concerned, I think that overall, the phone is the very best device that Sprint offers. I have upgrades available on two lines. I think I will upgrade one (with the Nexus) and leave the other open for a while to see if anything new/better comes out (did I hear rumors of the next Nexus by fall? If that happens, my kid will get my NS4G and I'll pick up the new device.

One more question: Any rumor that the next gen. Nexus might be a World phone? I plan to travel next summer and this is a serious consideration. It's not a deal-breaker, though.

Thanks for all of the feedback. Amazon? Best Buy? Sprint Store? Hmmm. Looks like I am about to place my order

 

[piaband]

I have upgrades available on two lines. I think I will upgrade one (with the Nexus) and leave the other open for a while to see if anything new/better comes out (did I hear rumors of the next Nexus by fall? If that happens, my kid will get my NS4G and I'll pick up the new device.

This is exactly what I am doing except with my girlfriends phone. She doesn't care so she gets a year old evo4g off ebay

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[mattg67]

Sprint changed the yearly upgrade policy? I'm a Premier customer and that has always been the "reward" for staying with Sprint. Not sure I got that memo. Anyway, you have all made me feel much more confident that the Nexus is the phone I want. I was already "right there" in terms of wanting the device before my op. While I would be lying if I told you that the signal issues don't leave me somewhat concerned, I think that overall, the phone is the very best device that Sprint offers. I have upgrades available on two lines. I think I will upgrade one (with the Nexus) and leave the other open for a while to see if anything new/better comes out (did I hear rumors of the next Nexus by fall? If that happens, my kid will get my NS4G and I'll pick up the new device.

One more question: Any rumor that the next gen. Nexus might be a World phone? I plan to travel next summer and this is a serious consideration. It's not a deal-breaker, though.

Thanks for all of the feedback. Amazon? Best Buy? Sprint Store? Hmmm. Looks like I am about to place my order

I tend to stick with buying from the carrier less issues if you need support.

 

[LuckyLucky]

I was waiting for the 3d and was so disappointed with it. The Nexus is a better device right now, hands down. That may change in the future, but I don't see the 3d outpacing it by too much.

I lost my yearly upgrade when I went in on a family plan. A good way to keep the yearly upgrades going is keeping your current phone in good shape. When you want a new one, just buy it off contract. The marketplace here is pretty good, or Craigslist. Sell yours at that point and you are around the same price point as the yearly upgrade. I just bought my Nexus brand new on these forums for $335. Sold my beat to hell EVO back to Sprint for $150 credit. If another phone I want comes out I'll do the same. I'm taking better care of the Nexus though. The EVO was too damn bulky to wear a case all the time. Good luck.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

Seriously, I think I'm just gonna go ahead and jump ship. Battery life, size and free tethering(which will hopefully stay) mean so much more to me right now. Having up-to-date tech is great...but I don't care about it as much as I thought I would.

Question to all Nexus S 4G owners: Is the battery life as good as I've been reading about (without rooting)? How many hours of battery life , with what you consider to be heavy usage, do you get

Thanks

 

[crzycrkr]

Seriously, I think I'm just gonna go ahead and jump ship. Battery life, size and free tethering(which will hopefully stay) mean so much more to me right now. Having up-to-date tech is great...but I don't care about it as much as I thought I would.

Question to all Nexus S 4G owners: Is the battery life as good as I've been reading about (without rooting)? How many hours of battery life , with what you consider to be heavy usage, do you get

Thanks

I really can't comment on battery life accurately yet. I just hooked mine up yesterday, and I'm working in an old house that seems to murder cell signals. Big think there is another post here discussing battery life. Plus, I'm rooted with custom kernel.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[LuckyLucky]

I really can't comment on battery life accurately yet. I just hooked mine up yesterday, and I'm working in an old house that seems to murder cell signals. Big think there is another post here discussing battery life. Plus, I'm rooted with custom kernel.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

That thread makes me happy
Nice to see so many people with such great battery life

 

[splmonster]

Thanks for all of the clarification! However, I have a Palm Pre with unlimited Data and if I switch to any 4G device on Sprint, I have to pay an extra $10 a month. It is not for data -- it *is* for the 4G. I have checked, re-checked, and called corporate to beatch about it because it is cr@p to charge for something that is not available in our area. Sprint does not budge though. So, if you get the 4G device and live in a 3G area, you have to pay the "tariff." I think that after reading the message boards here, that I will definitely get the Nexus. With the updates I am sure that any signal issues will be resolved. I can't think of another phone that might work better for what I need (Photon? maybe just because it's a World phone). But, I need a phone now, not a month or two from now. Just wondering if I should order from Amazon? (Amazon has Nexus 4GS cheaper than anywhere else I have seen it). I have heard good things about getting phones from them, just not sure if Sprint would honor the 30 Day policy. They would have to, right? :-$

Again it's not for 4G. It has never been for 4G, that was misinformation from consumers. They got that idea because this $10 charge came out right around 4G starting deploying. It's to have an unlimited data cap. I have enough friends, and sources that work for Sprint who say otherwise. The contract also states this. This charge is also on devices without 4G capability.

 

[Zerocool84]

I would not recommend the Nexus S to everyone because obviously many people want different things. I definitely love the phone though.

 

[mikevo]

My wife loves her NS4G. I have an Evo 4G and I'm waiting for the third generation nexus to come out with Ice Cream Sandwich. You shouldn't ever run out of space w/16 gb built in.

Fyi no zoom on the camera.
sent from my unrooted supersonic using the tapatalk app. being unrooted sucks!!!

 

[Mario godinez]

gentlemen....the $10 is for unlimited premium data.....The only smartphone that is not required to carry this charge is the Samsung Replenish as one of the guys above said...this does not matter if you are in a 4g market or not...

it is a much better deal than what other carriers are offering for data...I believe VZ has now caved to data plans starting at 30 bucks for 2gbs..i think 10gbs at 80....Tmob has unlimited data...but throttles you when you go over 2gb...at&t similar restrictions....

hopefully sprint stays smart and stays with unlimited data for 10 bucks...main reason why i dumped tmob...halfway through the billing cycle and my data is throttled....

the free tethering is nice..its not the fastest but works well enough...im guessing it will work better with the new update since that addresses signal issues...but not complaining because its free....rather than having to pay for the service...

if you can get used to the fact it has no led notification and the camera doesnt zoom....then this is the device for you....although i was bummed by the lack of led...i dont even care anymore...in fact its nice not knowing sometimes someones texting....just train yourself to look at your phone every 10 mins or so

with the camera zoom...you can zoom in on your photo after taken...other than that...i would recommend...dont forget to dwnld beta.swype...will make your life easier

*Just download the free app "No LED" from the market!

 

[wordweaver]

So the OP doesn't get lost on the arguments lets recap here...

1. Coming from a Pre, any new smartphone will be a MAJOR upgrade... believe me, I had one myself so I understand your pain.

2. The $10 dollar premium data charge will apply no matter which smartphone you upgrade to 4g or not. The only way to avoid it at this point are to select a dumb phone or to purchase the phone with no subsidy so your contract is not renewed with the activation.

3. Buying a new phone IS NOT a difficult thing. Go to the store and play with all the ones that you are considering. Then go ahead and pick one and take it for a spin... remember, with Sprint you have a 30-day evaluation period during which you can return the phone back, no questions asked. Sprint stores do charge a restocking fee - around $35 if I recall - for phone returns.

4. For a portion of users - myself included - there are some data signal issues with the Nexus, I am not 100% sure is only the phone's fault as there is some signal problem with Sprint as of late. There is a rumored update comming this Monday that apparently addresses this and some other issues on the Nexus. If it comes through, then the Nexus will certainly be an excellent phone for today and years to come.

5. Multi-core processors are the future of smartphones, and the Nexus is a single core device unlike the Evo 3D that is dual core. As someone else mentioned, the Evo is slower compared to other dual core devices on the market at this point and I suspect is do to the new Sense... way too much if you ask me. So if your priority is being on the "bleeding edge" of technological evolution, the Evo 3D may be a better fit for you. Having said that, the Nexus is hands down the snappiest phone on stock ROM that I have owned to date. Doubt there is much the dual core devices can do today that the Nexus can't.

6. In regards to updates, there are two different types of updates that people are confused about. One is the bug and device performance updates to the phone, those will come at about the same speed as other phones in the network. The other is the OS updates that come from Google, those will likely be pushed to the Nexus well before any other phone gets them officially. The reason for that is the lack of OEM enhancement on the Nexus that make it easier to port the new OS immediately... this brings me to...

7. One big difference between the Nexus and other phones is the lack of OEM customizations. If you get an HTC (or Moto, Samsung) you will have a custom skin built into the phone that goes over the OS and provides additional customizations and enhancements such as cool widgets, enhanced core applications (i.e., dialer, SMS, mail, browser, etc.) and a number of proprietary programs and processes built into the phone by the manufacturer (such as Facebook integration which is no longer available on the Nexus). Those skins come at a price in terms of higher memory/resource requirement and slower performance. Nonetheless, if you are the type that wants maximum functionality out-of-the box, the Evo 3D may fit you better. If you are like me, one who wants a barebones device that allow me to add what I want/need with no extra candy, then the Nexus deserves significant consderation. If you choose the Nexus, you will need to invest time and energy looking for apps that will perform all the functions that you want. Fortunately, most of us have been there and done that already, so a few questions here can provide you with tons of great suggestions to start you with.

8. Last but not least, if tweaking the inner workings of your device is what rocks your boat, there is no better phone to do that in the Android world than the Nexus line. These are by design, developers phones and are extremely easy to root and modify. You won't have to wait for a complicated root exploit to be discovered, or suffer with a signed bootloader... the Nexus is a fully open device for those that like to tweak. You need to download and install the Android SDK (Software Developer Kit) and from there a simple command unlocks the Nexus... doesn't get any easier than that.

So there you have it, now is decision time for you. My recommendation, turn off the computer now and go the your nearest Sprint store today and start playing with the phones.

Thanks so much for the informative overview. It helped. I took your advice and went over to our local Sprint Corporate store and played with all of the phones. I have to say that the Evo 3D is a HUGE disappointment. People were looking at it, but whenever anyone looked at the photo gallery they were like EWE! It was absolutely terrible, imo. I had a sales girl try to sell me on the Evo 4G "because it's only $99." But, to me, that huge phone could double as a door stop. Talk about a brick! Overall, it is a nice-ish phone. Quite powerful, nice camera specs. But, it is so burdened by all of the Sprint bloatwear that I really could not consider it. She then tried to get me to buy an EPIC. Can you imagine?

Needless to say, I left the Sprint store with a gorgeous new Nexus S 4G

After dealing with the very nice but knowledgeless sales girl, I did wind up with the phone getting set up by a guy who actually has one. He showed me a few shortcuts on the device and set up all of my googlevoice stuff fo me which was convenient. I have to say, all I have done is load a few essential apps Google +, etc. but so far, I am totally loving this device! Especially after coming off of the horrific Palm Pre, because OMG -- there is just no comparison. Of course, I have had the Galaxy Tab as a bridge device in between, so that makes it a little easier since I understand how Android works already. I am sure that I will have a million questions as I familiarize myself with the NS4G, but I know where to come for the answers. You guys are awesome! Thanks for the advice and support as I made my decision

 

[crzycrkr]

Congrats, I'm sure you'll love it

 

[Tenebrous]

I don't mean to hijack your thread, but this is something I've been contemplating after owing the 3D for a week. My 30-day trial period is up in a good two weeks, so I need to decide soon.

The 3D is probably the overall better device as it is more powerful/modern, but the size, sleekness, free tethering, and battery life of the Nexus S have me considering switching more and more everyday. My only problem is being on old hardware until the end of the two-year contract (2013, damn Sprint changing the yearly upgrade policy). I mean, the Nexus One is a year old and it can still hold it's own (with rooting, of course).

I might wait until after the update to see if Sprint decides to remove the free tethering to decide. I hope not.

Yeah, I am in a similar situation - except, my 30 days runs out on the 10th. I am about 99% percent sure that I will stick with my Nexus S 4g. If they remove free tethering, I am sure there will be one (a thread*), if not more, threads about it - if not, I will make one.

 

[Tenebrous]

Thanks so much for the informative overview. It helped. I took your advice and went over to our local Sprint Corporate store and played with all of the phones. I have to say that the Evo 3D is a HUGE disappointment. People were looking at it, but whenever anyone looked at the photo gallery they were like EWE! It was absolutely terrible, imo. I had a sales girl try to sell me on the Evo 4G "because it's only $99." But, to me, that huge phone could double as a door stop. Talk about a brick! Overall, it is a nice-ish phone. Quite powerful, nice camera specs. But, it is so burdened by all of the Sprint bloatwear that I really could not consider it. She then tried to get me to buy an EPIC. Can you imagine?

Needless to say, I left the Sprint store with a gorgeous new Nexus S 4G

After dealing with the very nice but knowledgeless sales girl, I did wind up with the phone getting set up by a guy who actually has one. He showed me a few shortcuts on the device and set up all of my googlevoice stuff fo me which was convenient. I have to say, all I have done is load a few essential apps Google +, etc. but so far, I am totally loving this device! Especially after coming off of the horrific Palm Pre, because OMG -- there is just no comparison. Of course, I have had the Galaxy Tab as a bridge device in between, so that makes it a little easier since I understand how Android works already. I am sure that I will have a million questions as I familiarize myself with the NS4G, but I know where to come for the answers. You guys are awesome! Thanks for the advice and support as I made my decision

Congrats on your new phone! Yeah, I played with the Evo 3d too while struggling with a decision, but the 3d effect hurt my eyes; the original Evo is a nice phone, but Ns4g is better.

PS

I also had a Palm Pre, absolutely loved webOS and the touchstone, but there was no support for the phone. Sad really and after HP bought Palm, things went from bad to worse.

 

[Citizen Coyote]

Thanks so much for the informative overview. It helped. I took your advice and went over to our local Sprint Corporate store and played with all of the phones. I have to say that the Evo 3D is a HUGE disappointment. People were looking at it, but whenever anyone looked at the photo gallery they were like EWE! It was absolutely terrible, imo. I had a sales girl try to sell me on the Evo 4G "because it's only $99." But, to me, that huge phone could double as a door stop. Talk about a brick! Overall, it is a nice-ish phone. Quite powerful, nice camera specs. But, it is so burdened by all of the Sprint bloatwear that I really could not consider it. She then tried to get me to buy an EPIC. Can you imagine?

Needless to say, I left the Sprint store with a gorgeous new Nexus S 4G

After dealing with the very nice but knowledgeless sales girl, I did wind up with the phone getting set up by a guy who actually has one. He showed me a few shortcuts on the device and set up all of my googlevoice stuff fo me which was convenient. I have to say, all I have done is load a few essential apps Google +, etc. but so far, I am totally loving this device! Especially after coming off of the horrific Palm Pre, because OMG -- there is just no comparison. Of course, I have had the Galaxy Tab as a bridge device in between, so that makes it a little easier since I understand how Android works already. I am sure that I will have a million questions as I familiarize myself with the NS4G, but I know where to come for the answers. You guys are awesome! Thanks for the advice and support as I made my decision

Congrats on your new phone! I was going to suggest looking at the original Evo, but it looks like you made the perfect choice for you. It's threads like this one that are pushing me closer and closer to switching to the NS4G myself (the "no root" on the current Evo software makes me sad).

 

[AndroidOne]

Thanks so much for the informative overview. It helped. I took your advice and went over to our local Sprint Corporate store and played with all of the phones. I have to say that the Evo 3D is a HUGE disappointment. People were looking at it, but whenever anyone looked at the photo gallery they were like EWE! It was absolutely terrible, imo. I had a sales girl try to sell me on the Evo 4G "because it's only $99." But, to me, that huge phone could double as a door stop. Talk about a brick! Overall, it is a nice-ish phone. Quite powerful, nice camera specs. But, it is so burdened by all of the Sprint bloatwear that I really could not consider it. She then tried to get me to buy an EPIC. Can you imagine?

Needless to say, I left the Sprint store with a gorgeous new Nexus S 4G

After dealing with the very nice but knowledgeless sales girl, I did wind up with the phone getting set up by a guy who actually has one. He showed me a few shortcuts on the device and set up all of my googlevoice stuff fo me which was convenient. I have to say, all I have done is load a few essential apps Google +, etc. but so far, I am totally loving this device! Especially after coming off of the horrific Palm Pre, because OMG -- there is just no comparison. Of course, I have had the Galaxy Tab as a bridge device in between, so that makes it a little easier since I understand how Android works already. I am sure that I will have a million questions as I familiarize myself with the NS4G, but I know where to come for the answers. You guys are awesome! Thanks for the advice and support as I made my decision

Congratulations on a fine choice and welcome to our community.

To get you started, here is some reading material for you:

Best Apps on Android

Best SMS Apps

P.S. Don't forget to grab the latest versions of the installed Google apps from the Market. There are newer versions for GMail, Maps, Earth, Books, Music, Search, Voice Search and others. If you want to see all the Google apps available, just go to the Market page of any of these apps and scroll down to View more applications and tap there. Enjoy...

 

[Tenebrous]

This may be a real silly question, but of curiosity, why do you need to install apps from the market that are already on the phone? Seems odd to me. Why don't the pre-installed apps simply update themselves as other apps do?

 

[dwaynewilliams#WN]

This may be a real silly question, but of curiosity, why do you need to install apps from the market that are already on the phone? Seems odd to me. Why don't the pre-installed apps simply update themselves as other apps do?

Because there may be newer versions of those apps in the market.