Nexus S FAQ's: Please Read Before Posting! UPDATED (4/28/11)

[Baconator]

Nexus S​

Welcome to the frequently asked questions for the Nexus S forum. The page will be updated frequently. If you have any suggestions or want to add additional content please PM me.

Index:
Post #1: Index
Post #2: Nexus S Articles and Launch Information
Post #3: Nexus S Related FAQ's, Known Issues, and Workarounds
Post #4: General Android FAQ's
Post #5: Optimizing Your Phone's Battery Life
Post #6: Task Managers
Post #7: Copying Files to/from Your Computer
Post #8: Performing a Backup

And as always, please use our handy dandy search feature to help find answers to your questions.

 

[Baconator]

Nexus S articles and launch information

Android Central Articles:

1. Nexus S
2. Nexus S Review
3. AT&T Nexus S
4. White Nexus S


Launch Information:

1. Nexus S Specs

• Operating System: Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
• Processor: 1GHz Cortex A8 (Hummingbird) processor
• Memory: 16GB iNAND flash memory
• Display: 4.0" WVGA (480x800), Contour Display with curved glass screen, Super AMOLED
• Network: Quad-band GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900, Tri-band HSPA: 900, 2100, 1700, HSPA type: HSDPA (7.2Mbps) HSUPA (5.76Mbps)
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 n/b/g, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Near Field Communication (NFC), Assisted GPS (A-GPS), microUSB 2.0
• Cameras: Back-facing: 5 megapixels (2560x1920), 720 x 480 video resolution, H.264, H.263 MPEG4 video recording, Auto focus, Flash, Front-facing: VGA (640x480)
• Battery: Talk time up to 6.7 hours on 3G, (14 hours on 2G), Standby time up to 17.8 days on 3G, (29.7 days on 2G), 1500 mAH Lithum Ion
• Size and Weight: 63mm x 123.9mm x 10.88mm, 129g

2. Brief Description

The second-generation Nexus smart phone is loaded with great features and boasts Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), the newest version of Android. Features include built-in mobile hotspot capability, improved voice action, better navigation and popular Google features like Gmail. Its sleek 4" WVGA contour display offers maximized visibility. The 5.0MP digital camera lets you snap great photos to share.

3. More From Google

 

[Baconator]

Nexus S related FAQ's and known issues

Nexus S FAQ's and Known Issues:

Q: Is the Nexus S a "4G" phone?
A: No, the Nexus S is not a "4G" phone, but it does get faster speeds in areas where T-Mobile has deployed HSPA+.

Q: Is the Nexus S dual-core?
A: The Nexus S is not a dual-core device, but it still packs a fast single-core hummingbird processor.

Q:How do I unlock the bootloader?
A: 1. Shutdown the phone
2. Hold down volume up + power
3. Now you are in the standard recovery mode
4. Assuming you have 2.3 SDK installed with fastboot (Google around for that info..), now on terminal/windows or Windows cmd depending on OS type "fastboot devices" to check your device can be seem via USB
5. Assuming you device is seen via fastboot devices, now type "fastboot oem unlock"
6. Accept ... and new bootloader is unlocked...

Q: Is HDMI possible on the Nexus S?
A:The Nexus S doesn't have a HDMI port, so if it were possible it would involve some kind of USB converter.

Q: Does the Nexus S have HD recording?
A: No the Nexus S does not record in HD.

Q: Does the Nexus S have an SD card slot?
A: No it does not, but it does have 16GB of internal memory.

Q: Does the Nexus S come with Swype?
A: No the Nexus S does not come with Swype. You can download it for free HERE.

Q: Does the Nexus S have the Galaxy S GPS issues?
A: The Galaxy S GPS issue is said to have been fixed in the Nexus S.

Q: Will the Nexus S work on AT&T's 3G?
A: There is a version of the Nexus S that will work on AT&T's 3G, it can be bought from Negi Electronics but it has to be the i9020A version. Make sure it has 850/1900 3G frequencies.

Workarounds:

Many of us know that the Nexus S doesn't have some of the hardware or other things that other phones have. For example, a lot of phones have a LED notification light, the Nexus S doesn't. There is a workaround to this and some other missing features. Visit THIS thread.

Known/Common Issues:

1. Random Ringtone Change
2. Disappearing Icons
3. Disappearing Photos
4. Keyboard Double Letter Glitch
5. Random Reboots
6. Launcher Freezes

To learn more about these issues and see what others think HERE is a good thread. You can also help get them solved.

Available OTA Updates:

Current Update: Android 2.3.4 for GT-I9020T (T-Mobile) Nexus S (To get this update visit THIS thread)

Old OTA Updates: Android 2.3.3 (To get this update visit THIS article)

Android 2.3.2 (To get this update visit THIS thread)

Android 2.3.1 ( To get this update visit THIS thread)

 

[Baconator]

General Android FAQ's

Common Android FAQ's:

1. Getting Started with Android - Tips and Tricks.

2. Exporting/Importing contacts from Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Palm and other devices into Android.

3. Android Central's How-To Articles.

4. Wallpapers, Ringtones, and Themes.

5. AC members favorite apps.

6. Sync with iTunes via WiFi.

7. Other iTunes synching methods.

8. Where to store custom notification sounds & ringtones.

9. Converting movies: DVD Catalyst or Handbrake.

 

[Baconator]

Optimizing Your Phone's Battery Life

Optimizing Your Phone's Battery Life


Battery life. It?s one of the most discussed topics in the forums. Most members would agree that battery life on today's modern Smartphone's is not stellar. Is it result of defective hardware, the OS, network connectivity, bloatware, or other 3rd party apps? Instinctively (particularly if you?re new to the world of Smartphone?s) the rapid depletion in battery life - even with light to moderate usage - might lead you to believe the your phone has major problems in this area and your phone manufacturer had better do something to fix it.

I?m of the belief that there are always areas of improvements in how each of the above variables affects battery life. For example, there could be future ROM update that enhances OS efficiency, task management, or tweaks to the user interface. But truth be told the real culprit is that battery technology and capacity have not evolved as rapidly as the power and functionality in Smartphone?s.

That aside, in terms of energy usage, cars are very similar to our smartphones. For example, an Audi S4 has a powerful 352HP V8 engine. It?s a fun car to drive, and provides all the features you might be looking for in a car. However, the 352HP engine comes at a price. It sucks gas like nobody?s business), and like the powerful Inspire requires a source of energy to function. The S4?s source of energy is stored in a 14-gallon gas tank. If you push the car to it?s full potential ? it will get approximately 10 miles per gallon. The S4's baby brother is the A4. It has a less powerful 4 cylinder engine, but averages twice the number of miles per gallon with the same size gas tank. Smartphone?s aren?t any different.

That said here are some of the most common items (based on my unscientific tests of various Smartphone?s) that are the highest consumers of battery life. Most are manageable from a user perspective, some are not. I?ve left out the most obvious one of all ? extended voice call activity. Just remember there's a trade off between performance/features and the amount of power you?re willing to devote to each.

- 3G/4G connectivity/activity by streaming audio/video apps, web browsing, instant messaging apps, and apps that poll the network at regular intervals for updates (Facebook, RSS readers, Friendstream, etc).

See those little data arrows at the top of your screen? When they are light grey in color, network utilization is zero. Contrary, when they are solid white, network usage is occurring. If they are constantly white (as they would be when streaming radio for example) battery consumption is at it?s highest.

- Bright backlight settings: Regardless of backlight settings, the screen is still a major power consumer. Having said that, slight changes in backlight settings can make a dramatic difference in battery consumption. I would recommend avoiding the very brightest setting. My preferred setting is to let Android manage screen brightness, while others have manually enforced a constant low to medium brightness level. The latter will have the greatest positive affect on battery life.

- High CPU, backlight, and network usage by graphics intensive and/or poorly written applications: Graphics intensive programs often consume large amounts of CPU power and RAM, which translates into high battery consumption. Combine this with a network intensive streaming media application; the Incredible is sucking the life from the battery at an extremely high rate. Applications that were not designed for the Thunderbolt, or are buggy by nature, might causing the phone's CPU to be working excessively hard. If your phone is warm to the touch and running particularly slow, there?s a chance that a 3rd party app is to blame.

- Bluetooth: Bluetooth sucks down power. I?ve experienced this on every phone I?ve ever used. The Inspire is no exception. Turn it off when not in use.

- GPS: Like Bluetooth, it consume large amounts of energy while updating coordinates and communicating with satellites orbiting the earth. Combined with turn-by-turn directions and an always-on backlight, in order to see the maps guiding your way, you?re pushing battery consumption to the limits. I often read posts from people who are using the Thunderbolt as a full time GPS device in the car. One common complaint from these users is that USB chargers are only maintaining the current battery level ? or worse ? when GPS is in use. Since a phone limits USB host connections to 500mAh of power input, this is a good indicator of how much GPS consumes. In other words, 500mAh of continuous power to the phone is not enough to charge and take advantage of GPS/turn by turn directions at the same time.

- Signal Strength: Whether 3G/4G, or WiFi, week signal strength can affect battery life.

- CPU/Memory: I often read posts from members who have most of the above features disabled. Yet they still report warm to the touch phones and unusually poor battery life (3-4 hours per charge). In my experience, this is usually caused by 3rd party CPU intensive applications. Many people reach for the nearest task manager. Others can?t imagine which application they?ve installed that would cause such an issue. Regardless, if you reach to other forum members for assistance, please provide the following information that varies from the out of box configuration of the phone:

o Task managers in use (I believe these cause more harm than good ? but there?s a totally different sticky devoted to that).
o A list of all 3rd party applications (including battery percentage widgets & instant messaging applications)
o Update frequency settings for each application in settings > accounts & sync.
o Detailed information from settings > about phone > battery use
o GTalk auto sign in settings
o 3G/4G data arrow activity (frequent solid white arrows?)
o Email configuration (update frequency for Exchange, IMAP, Gmail, POP)
o Type of charger being used (OEM vs. 3rd party) & input/output specs.
o Widgets in use.

The best but least practical solution to battery consumption is to disable every single feature possible that this phone has to offer. My recommendation is to find a balance that works best for you and come to the terms that the attributes that make the Inspire one of the best converged devices available requires increased energy & negatively impacts battery life. This amount of energy available in a fully charged OEM battery is 1230mAh. This is not a design flaw. Instead, it?s the reality of battery technology competing against consumers demand for bigger, faster, and more feature rich devices.

 

[Baconator]

Task Managers

Task Managers

Q: What is a task manager?

A: Task managers typically provide details about running programs and services on your Android device. These programs are called "Task Managers" because they also provide the ability to "Kill" and/or "Terminate" processes and services via the click of a button. In theory this sounds like a good idea, as programs running within Android typically do not include an "exit" or "close" feature. For resource management reasons, users typically turn to these applications as a way of controlling these applications manually.

Q: Do I need a task manager?

A: No, you do not need a task manager on the Nexus S, it has a built in task manager. You can access it by following these steps:
1. Go to your home screen.
2. Push the menu touch sensitive button.
3. Go to manage apps.
4. Go to the "running" tab.
5. Kill the apps that you do not want running by selecting them and then pushing stop.

Q: Why should I NOT use a task manager on Android?

A: For various reasons, task managers are known to cause a variety of problems. Critical services, processes, and applications are often unknowingly terminated, causing undesired behavior. The forums are filled with complaints of "program a" or "program b" not working properly, and half the time it's due to a task manager.

Before you post a question regarding a problem you're currently having with an application or other odd software related behavior, please ask yourself "Am I using a 3rd party task manager?" If the answer is yes, please try uninstalling first, and the try to reproduce your problem.

 

[Baconator]

Copying Files to/from Your Computer

Copying Files to/from Your Computer


1.) Connect the phone to your computer using the supplied USB cable.
2.) When the Connect to PC dialog box appears, tap Disk drive, and then tap Done.
3.) On your computer, the connected phone is recognized as a removable disk.
4.) Navigate to this removable disk and open it.

Then do one of the following:

- Copy the files from the computer to the phone?s storage card?s root folder.
- Copy the files from the phone?s storage card to a folder in your computer or computer desktop.

 

[Baconator]

Performing a Backup

Performing a Backup

Backup options - without root:

Backup to Google Server - To Backup your data to the Google servers all you have to do is go your Settings and go to Privacy. Be sure to check Back up my data.

Backup methods - with root:

Coming soon.