Nexus 6 newbie here

[pigskins87]

Hi all, new here and been happily browsing along. Love it here. I am currently using a Galaxy S3 that I ordered the first day it was available. served its purpose well but time to move on. Found a great deal on a new Nexus 6 (not the 6p) so I pulled the trigger and expect it tomorrow. Based on what I've read it sounds like if I don't activate it on a carrier and start doing updates, it will pull down Marshmallow, is that correct?

Once done I will bring it to the VZW store and get the nano SIM and swap. Wondering what prep I need to do on the S3 before shutting it off to ensure I get everything I need on the Nexus. Since it's been awhile since my last upgrade experience, do the folks at VZW still perform the transfer of contacts?

Will my apps auto-install if I have the Backup box checked on the S3?

I've already found some great recommendations for skins/cases and am shopping. If this goes well, will probably grab another for the wife, she also has an S3.

TY!

 

[yankeesusa]

Yea, that sounds good. Run all the updates before activating on any network. You should get all the updates to 6.0 and all the patches also. Everything is will done automatically like the apps installing. Uninstall the apps you don't need if their are a lot of them. This way the restore doesn't take that long. I also recommend you do the updates to 6.0 without restoring your phone. That way at the end of the updates you can do a hard reset and start fresh. Hopefully verizon doesn't give you a hassle on the phone. Is it brand new?

 

[cpaight]

Your contacts should all be synced thru your Google account....once you sign in on the new phone they should all repopulate.

Does the S3 have NFC? Because beginning with Lollipop, Google added the ability to tap your new phone to your old phone (provided it has NFC) and it will set the new phone up with all of the same apps, homescreen layout, wallpaper and settings. I think there's a relatively easy manual way to do it too if the S3 doesn't have NFC.

 

[pigskins87]

Yea, that sounds good. Run all the updates before activating on any network. You should get all the updates to 6.0 and all the patches also. Everything is will done automatically like the apps installing. Uninstall the apps you don't need if their are a lot of them. This way the restore doesn't take that long. I also recommend you do the updates to 6.0 without restoring your phone. That way at the end of the updates you can do a hard reset and start fresh. Hopefully verizon doesn't give you a hassle on the phone. Is it brand new?

No not brand new, the listing said mint condition, barely used. We'll see. Was looking at Amazon but ended up saving over $50 when factoring in tax.

Should I expect Verizon to get me a hard time? I thought I had read where the 6p owners were having some issues initially but by now not the 6.

 

[MikeCorsten]

Make sure your contacts are tied to your Google account, as Samsung has it's own way of backing up your contacts under its own back- up system. I speak from experience coming from an S4 to the N6.

I missed a few numbers off, but it didn't bother me too much. Now they're all on my Google account.

Is it essential to go to the store to get a sim? Can they not send one in the mail ordering online, save having to wait in line and have them offer things you don't need?

You'll notice that some of the Samsung apps (bloatware) want to install automatically, you can either cancel mid install, or let them install and remove afterwards, like Samsung Wallet etc. unless you use them. You can be free of having them take up valuable space.

Make sure you wipe the S3 if you plan to sell it, once you've backed up everything on that handset

For hard reset, turn the phone off and:
Press and hold Volume Up and the middle Home button.
Press Power until the device vibrates.
Wait for the Android logo to appear and release the buttons.
Select Wipe data/Factory reset with Volume Down, press Power.
Select Yes – delete all user data with Volume Down and press Power.
Taken from Google search phrase factory reset samsung galaxy s3

 

[pigskins87]

Your contacts should all be synced thru your Google account....once you sign in on the new phone they should all repopulate.

Does the S3 have NFC? Because beginning with Lollipop, Google added the ability to tap your new phone to your old phone (provided it has NFC) and it will set the new phone up with all of the same apps, homescreen layout, wallpaper and settings. I think there's a relatively easy manual way to do it too if the S3 doesn't have NFC.

Yes the S3 does have an NFC option, I've never used it.

The last time I tried to restore contacts through my Google account, my phone ended up with all of my Gmail contacts as phone contacts or something strange like that. I'll have to poke around.

 

[cpaight]

Yes the S3 does have an NFC option, I've never used it.

You'll just need to make sure it's turned on in the settings....here's a good walk-thru:
This is the new automatic setup assistant in Android 5.0 Lollipop | Android Central

 

[pigskins87]

I spent a number of hours working through the contacts issue! On my phone (S3) it was not set up to use Google to store contacts. Syncing contacts with Google was not enabled. And in Gmail I had it set up to create a contact each time I entered a new email address. So when I turned sync on, I ended up with over 5000 contacts most of which were just email addresses. Yikes!

After much time I got it to the point where the contacts in Google are now the same as the ones on my phone. In the process I cleared out all of the contacts in Gmail which to me is not as bad as losing over 300 phone numbers!

 

[pigskins87]

It's here! It's got 5.1.1 installed and it already told me there is a system update. I signed in with my Google account and it's installing apps. As soon as it's done I'll try the update and see if I end up with 6.0. I've been putting off this purchase because I was concerned about the size but it feels pretty good.

 

[mimsiesboy]

It's here! It's got 5.1.1 installed and it already told me there is a system update. I signed in with my Google account and it's installing apps. As soon as it's done I'll try the update and see if I end up with 6.0. I've been putting off this purchase because I was concerned about the size but it feels pretty good.

With me when I first got my 6 2 weeks ago I wasn't sure, now it just fits. I am sure this phone is staying around for a while.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[pigskins87]

All of this work for nothing... Verizon won't activate it!

 

[Miamifan13]

Why won't they activate it? What was the reason given?

 

[mimsiesboy]

Go to another corporate store. My wife is on Verizon with a nexus 6. You need a mini Sim. Have you looked into project Fi?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[pigskins87]

First I tried activating online. I ended up finding a nano sim that we had from a previous iPhone 5 that would fit (but I never inserted it into the Nexus thankfully). When entering the ESN it told me it could not be activated. So I called. The first person, some young girl, felt the need to scold me and tell me that when you buy a used phone online, you take a chance that it won't work. I asked to speak to someone more senior. She sent me on to a lady who was at least willing to Google search and determine that I would need to activate a sim in a different android phone, then insert the sim into the Nexus. She was the one who told me the sim from the iPhone would be a bad idea to use. But she at least acknowledged that it could be done if I found a store willing to do it and with an android phone with a nano sim "available" (meaning returned as they won't open a new one to do this). When I started calling around, the official corp store would not answer. The other 3 stores around here are not official corporate stores. They all said they would sell me the sim ($15 or $30) and could do it but I needed to wait until they had a returned android phone available. I finally got through to the corporate store late Friday evening right before they closed. They told me the sim was free and that if I came in late Sat or late Sun the chances of them having a returned phone were pretty good. I went in Sat around 2 PM and they knew exactly what I was trying to do, and had me up and running in 20 mins. While I was there, 2 other people showed up for the same reason. Seems lots of people are noticing the price drop on the Nexus 6 and jumping in.

By the way, the phone they used to activate the nano sim for me was a brand new Samsung Galaxy S6. Someone bought it (full retail), didn't like it, and returned it in the 14-day window for a different model S6 that was over $100 more. I saw the receipt on the phone box, they paid almost $800.

 

[mimsiesboy]

I'm glad it worked out for you. I have had my Nexus 6 for a few weeks and am loving it. Last phone was a droid turbo.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[pigskins87]

Thanks, me too! I was going to get one for my wife but looking on eBay the prices have shot up! I guess it's supply and demand.

 

[udnh]

I am currently using a Galaxy S3 that I ordered the first day it was available.

You are very brave! I had to use the GS3 last December when my phone broke down and I was going mad. Enjoy your Nexus 6, it's a great phone, especially for the price you must have paid!