Nexus 5 Intial Impressions

So after months of aniticipation I finally got my Nexus 5 Wednesday. After immmediately rooting it I restored all my settings and apps from my Galaxy SIII and am up and running. I plan to do a full hands on review soon, but for now I'd like to share my intial impressions.

Opening the box I thought I knew exactly what to expect. There have been so many leaks leading up to the releae of the Nexus 5 that I didn't expect there too be much of a wow factor. I was wrong. I was immediatley impressed after opening the box! I love soft touch plastic and matte black so I am really happy with the finish on the Nexus 5. The black model is pretty much just a  5" display wrapped in a  clean and classy soft touch matte black casing. I am a big fan of the simplistic design of the Nexus 5 and 7. I haven't seen the white model in person yet but I have heard good things about its finish. I'm not a big fan of white phones but as far far as white phones go it looks nice to me. I would have rather seen it white all the way around personally instead of of the half and half design that that seems to be popular with manufacturers.

The first thing that really jumps out as you as you remove the phone from the box is how light it is. Now part of this for me is probably due to the fact that my Galaxy S3 with 4500mah extended battery was a huge brick, but the Nexus 5 is really light and thin! Build quality is great in my opinion, the materials seem well crafted and everything is put together quite solidly. I really dislike the plastic cheap feel of most of Samsung's Galaxy phones, despite how good the phones actually are, but Google did a good job of making plastic feel higher end. 

The next thing that stands out is the crisp IPS+ Gorilla Glass 3 display. There are other displays on high end Android phones that may slightly out perform the Nexus 5, but none that I've seen do so in a significant way. Without the device's being side by side chances are most  won't notice any difference. I'd be surprised if someone didn't like the display on the Nexus 5, I am really impressed! I do think Google needs to tweak the auto-brightness feature though, as it is at times overly/unnecessarily bright, causing unnecessary drain on the battery. Fingers crossed Google addresses this in the rumored upcoming Android 4.4.1 update. Definitely not a deal breaker though and obviously can be tweaked to your liking.

Volume rocker

Power button (and sim card tray)

The Nexus 5 only has a few actual hardware buttons since all navigation buttons are on screens intended by Google (and defiantly ignored by most manufacturers). On the right you have the power button (and sim card tray) and on the left the volume rocker. The buttons are very well  and made of a nice ceramic material. After the cheap buttons on my Galaxy S3, the buttons on the Nexus 5 are a huge improvement, with just the right amount of give when pressed and protruding just enough to be easily found by touch. 

I've only had the phone a few days so I don't want to make any judgement calls on many of the features until I've had more time to test them, but overall I am very pleased with little complaints.

The phone is super smooth and snappy and Android 4.4 KitKat  some nice new tweaks that I'm sure will prove to be more and more noticeable as I use the device for a while. The phone is very smooth and responsive, opening apps and switching between tasks is blazing fast and so far it has handled everything I've thrown at it with no problems. 

The camera, at least initially, seems pretty good. I've only snapped a few shots so I will reserve final judgment for a bit but so far I'm at least satisfied. The new HDR+ takes noticeably more detailed pics, but requires more time to snap and process a photo. I will definitely have to test the camera some more to get a true feel for how it performs, but if you were worried about the camera because of the track record with Nexus cameras, don't be. I'm sure with future updates the camera software will receive additional tweaks and only get better. I've posted a few of the first sample pics that I took really quick while playing with the camera below.

Automatic

HDR+

Automatic

HDR+ (I think I moved while it was still processing)

HDR+

Automatic

Taken in pitch black room

My biggest area of concern is battery life. I was really disappointed that Google only went with a 2300 mah battery. The jury is still out on how this will impact battery performance. The first few days have been ok, but I'll see how it does over the weekend. I work in a cellular black hole (and generally have terrible Sprint service) so any phone struggles with battery life at my job. This weekend will give me a better idea of how  performs in normal coverage conditions. Even with the poor coverage I have gotten about 8-9 hrs of light use these first few days, which at my job is actually pretty decent. Depending on where I am in the building, even my old Galaxy S3 with 4500mah battery that typically lasts 20+ hours under moderate to heavy use, struggles to get through a full day often tapping out around 15-20% or less after 10 hours. So comparatively, the Nexus 5 might have done ok. Again, this is a horrible means to make this assessment so I'll sum it up as initially seeming to be ok, but still needing more time to truly gauge it. 

My only complaint so far honestly is the speaker. It is disturbingly weak! Music is inconsistent and often sounds like a whisper. The speaker (which is actually only one of the grills on the bottom, the other is a mic... Yeah, no stereo speakers) is easily muffled by a misplaced finger making the problem worse. Speaker phone also left a bit to be desired. I've also read about playback inconsistencies where some apps handle audio a bit better than others for no apparent reason. I've been concerned that I won't even hear notifications, but have mostly been on vibrate the last few days so I haven't tested this much yet either. The good news is Google has acknowledged the audio/speaker issues and stated an update to rectify them is on the way. 

I'll have a full review and video soon once I've had more time to test things out, but my initial impressions are very good! The Nexus 5 is a quality device that gives you Android as Google intended at a unbeatable price. It also provides a freedom not many other phones can, supporting the networks of 3 out of the 4 major US carriers (Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T) granting you the power to jump from carrier to carrier and take your phone with you. (Now if the other carriers would follow T-Mobile and drop contracts they might have to to actually compete based on service quality and price). If you're considering the Nexus 5 I can confidently say, go for it! 

Thinking of getting the Nexus 5? Already got one? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments below! 

Google Nexus 5 Finally Officially Announced

This Halloween finally Google gave the Android community the treat they've been waiting on for months. The Nexus 5 was finally announced! Due to the excessive amount of leaks over the last few months there weren't many surprises, but still good to see things officially confirmed. The Nexus 5 has a 5-inch 1080p screen, 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of storage, an 8-megapixel camera (with OIS), 2300 mAh battery and 4G LTE connectivity for a lot of different bands. The $350/399 (16GB/32GB) asking price is for an off contract completely unlocked phone with support for AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile, sorry VZW customers no Nexus love again for you!

The long awaited Nexus 5 announcement is a treat this Halloween for tech-nerds like myself, unfortunately there was a trick in store also. The device sold out in under an hour of being announced! While caught up at work running a stupid graduation test I was unable to place my order the second it went official. By the time I was able to order my black 32GB Nexus 5, the wait was out to 2-3 weeks for 32GB and the 16GB is sold out completely. So as one countdown comes to an end a new one begins and as excited as I am about the phone I'm pissed that the wait continues. Some were lucky enough to get their orders in as soon as it went live have already received shipping confirmations, and a few lucky people have already received theirs. Google said they'd be ready to ship by November 8th for initial orders but with some coming early lets hope that maybe all the orders go out ahead of schedule.

In the mean time I'll be watching Best Buy, Amazon, Radio Shack and Sprint, who have all said they will sell the phone. I've called around a bit and most of these places don't seem to have official info on release dates, prices, or reservation processes yet. Sprint will have the phone on November 8th for $150 on contract (now taking pre-orders online for those buying on contract). I'm hoping that they will also let it go off contract at the same $350/399 price point that Google is selling it for. That will let me buy it with my Sprint account without extending my contract and then finally free me to bail on Sprint for T-Mobile as the one single Nexus 5 US model will work on Sprint, T-Mobile or AT&T. I will be buying it from whoever can get it in my hand first and cancelling my Google Play Store order if necessary. Anyone else planning on grabbing the Nexus 5?! Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Nexus 5 hardware specifications

Screen	4.95” 1920x1080 display (445 ppi) Full HD IPS Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Camera	1.3MP front facing 8MP rear facing with Optical Image Stabilization
Dimensions	69.17x137.84x8.59 mm
Weight	4.59 ounces (130g)
Battery	2300 mAh Talk time up to 17 hours ** Standby time up to 300 hours ** Internet use time up to 8.5 hours on WiFi, up to 7 hours on LTE ** Wireless Charging built in
Audio	Builtin speaker, 3.5mm stereo audio connector
Processing	CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 800, 2.26GHz GPU: Adreno 330, 450MHz
Wireless	Dualband WiFi (2.4G/5G) 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac NFC (Android Beam) Bluetooth 4.0
Networks (North America)	GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz CDMA: Band Class: 0/1/10 WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/6/8/19 LTE: Bands: 1/2/4/5/17/19/25/26/41
Networks (Rest of World)	GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/6/8 LTE: Bands: 1/3/5/7/8/20
Memory	Choose 16GB or 32GB internal storage (actual formatted capacity will be less) 2GB RAM
Ports and Connectors	microUSB SlimPort™ enabled 3.5mm stereo audio jack Dual microphones Ceramic power and volume buttons
Sensors	GPS Gyroscope Accelerometer Compass Proximity/Ambient Light Pressure Hall

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

The highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Note 3 was recently announced and will be released in 140 countries starting at the end of the month. The phone that started the phablet craze will hit US shores beginning  in early October, with most of the US carriers already taking pre-orders. They have kept most of what made the Note line of phones a success and improved on it in almost all areas. The new Note has a larger screen yet manages to fit into a slightly slimmer (but slightly taller package), improved camera, processor, S-Pen functionality, screen, and build quality. In typical Samsung fashion they've crammed in a bunch of new software features and are even launching a complementing smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Gear, to go along with it.

Spec-wise, the Note 3 is shaping up to be a beast of a phone as expected. For $299 buyers will get one of the first phones in the US with the Snapdragon 800 processor, LTE data, 13MP camera and finally a move away from their usual polycarbonate plastic design the Note 3 has a faux leather back that early reviewers all seem to love.

Check out the comparison chart below to see how it stacks up against the GN2 from last year:

Size	152.4 x 78.7 x 8.4 (mm)	151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4 (mm)
Weight	167g	183g
Screen	5.7-inch AMOLED	5.5-inch Super AMOLED
Resolution	1920×1080 pixels	1280×720 pixels
OS	Android 4.3 with TouchWiz UI	Android 4.1 with TouchWiz UI
Storage	32/64GB	16/32/64GB
SD Card	Yes	Yes
Processor	2.3GHz quad-core	1.6GHz, quad-core Exynos 4
RAM	3GB	2GB
Connectivity	Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac), 4G LTE, HSPA+, NFC	Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n), 4G LTE, HSPA+
Camera	Front 2MP, Rear 13MP	Front 1.9MP, Rear 8MP
Bluetooth	Yes, version 4.0	Yes, version 4.0
Battery	3200mAh	3100mAh
Charger	Micro USB	Micro USB
Marketplace	Google Play Store	Google Play Store
Price	$300 with two-year contract	$300 with two-year contract
Availability	October: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon	AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon

For more details and the new software features see the videos below:




Hands on with Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear

Nexus 5 Coming Soon!

The Google Nexus 5 is expected to be released soon and has lately been leaking more and more details. This is the phone I have been waiting on and most likely will be switching to. With my Nexus 7 and now new Nexus 7 I have fallen in love with stock Android. Actually, on my GS3 I run a custom rom based on stock Android. I'm sick of manufactures messing with Android adding their skins, bloat apps, and carrier bloat apps. I want Android as Google made it, as they are making it! Nexus devices get Android updates first and fastest.

Nexus 5 Photoshop Render

With the announcement of Android 4.4 KitKat, video footage of a Google employee holding a new phone was leaked. Since then various renders based on the video have been released as well as what is believed to be a specs list from the FCC and Bluetooth SIG filings. I really like what many are saying looks like a Nexus 7 mini. I love the design of the Nexus 7 and would love a matching Nexus phone. 

The only details given are for screen and processor. The rumored Nexus 5 (code name D820) will have a 4.96 inch screen and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. It was speculated that the new Nexus would have a S600 to keep the price down, but the 800 chip allows for many more LTE bands. As a result it has LTE support for AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint. Verizon isn't listed, this could be from technical differences with their network or just typical Verizon doing things their way and dragging their feet. 

I'm excited to see the S800 chip! I've heard good things about it including good battery life. This helps since I heard the battery will be 2700 Mah which is smaller than I wanted to see with Motorola squeezing huge batteries in normal sized phones. Hopefully the S800 chip and improvements in battery performance in KitKat Android 4.4 will make good use of the provided battery and get us well through a day. 

With the recent $100 drop in price that cleared the inventory for the Nexus 4 (8GB only) and these leaked details along with the announcement of the next big Android update, version 4.4 KitKat the Nexus 5 announcement and release cant be far off. It is likely that the Nexus 10 tablet will come along with it. Hopefully the price range will stay within $300-$400 for the N5. Which is likely following the Nexus family history of being budget price, high quality, unattached devices. 

The Return of the T-Mobile Side Kick!

This was some very shocking news for me but T-Mobile is looking to revive the Sidekick brand! They will be realsing the Sidekick 4G with Android in the place of the throwback Danger Hiptop OS.  The phone will run on T-Mobile's 4G HSPA+ network and should be very interesting if nothing else. I can't wait to see how this one turns out. It'll be interesting to see the once king of mobile communication make its return to the world of smart phones. But is it still a Sidekick if it's running Android? How many of you are going to be copping one of these when they come out?!

Source: Engadget

  

T-Mobile's 4G Galaxy S - Vibrant 4G

In typical Samsung fashion a revised version of their T-Mobile flavored Galaxy S device the Samsung Vibrant will be released toting 4G HSPA+ functionality.  The new Vibrant 4G appears to be very similar to the original Vibrant but adds a front facing camera, 4G, and possibly Android 2.3 Gingerbread.  I for one wouldn't touch a Samsung device with a 10 foot pole, but for those of you in love with the vivid Super-Amoled display and already on T-Mobile this could be the phone for you.  "Upgrades" like this are exactly why I don't like Samsung. Why didn't the original Vibrant have this functionality and why do customers have to buy a new phone to get the latest Android versions?  Any way it should be a good device for those just entering the smartphone market on T-Mobile and a slap in the face to those who just purchased a Vibrant and locked themselves into a contract.

Source: Engadget

  

Sprint's HTC Evo Shift 4G Coming January 9th!

Not too long ago I posted about a leak regarding Sprint's next big phone headed out this month. Well the new HTC Evo Shift 4G will officially be available January 9th for $149.99. Though many are thinking of it as a sucussor to the Evo, I'd say it's more of a sibling; similiar to the Droid 2, Droid X, and Droid Incredible on Verizon. It shows Sprint's decision to launch an Evo line of phones; a smart move in my opinion. I'm loving HTC's phones right now and Sprint's line up was definitely in need of more variety and another  NON-SAMSUNG full qwerty Android device. I am not really feeling Samsung right now for a number of reasons (possibly an entire separate post), so a qwerty device from HTC is definitely welcome.

Not quite the "Evo with a Keyboard" I hoped it to be, the Shift ( as I am dubbing it) is still a really good phone!  It basically takes the Evo, adds a keyboard and a newer snappier processor but reduces the screen and rear camera and removes the front facing camera.  It's actually a lot closer to the the T-Mobile G2 (also made by HTC).

Looking at the Specs might draw a better picture:

HTC Evo Shift 4G	HTC Evo 4G (OG Evo)
800MHz Scorpion (Qualcomm MSM 7230) Processor	1GHz Snapdragon (Qualcomm QSD8650) Processor
3.6 inch LCD screen	4.3 inch LCD screen
4G	4G
512MB RAM	512MB RAM
1GB internal memory	1GB internal memory
Android 2.2	Android 2.2
5MP rear camera	8MP rear camera
X	1.3MP front facing camera
Physical QWERTY keyboard	X

*Forgot to add OG Evo has HDMI out. I don't believe the Shift does

At the end of the day the new Evo Shift 4G will definietely be one of the best phones on Sprint and right at the top of the Android class across carriers.  Priced well at $150 too.  Given my preference for HTC mainly because of their far superior software support and modifications, I'd definitely say it's between the Evo's for Sprint's top smartphone spot.  HTC provides a more reliable stock route to Gingerbread ( Android 2.3), and has proven to respond to software bugs and glitches much more reliably than the Samsung alternatives. 

Check out the video:

Source: WireFly

  

Android 2.3 Gingerbread and the Samsung Nexus S Are Almost Here!

Well it's November 11th and I can smell the sweet smell of Gingerbread.... Not because of the rapidly approaching holidays but because Google is getting closer and closer to officially releasing its next big Android update, Gingerbread.  Samsung has been identified to make the successor to the Google phone produced by HTC the Nexus 1.  It is looking like it will be called the Nexus S and pics are beginning to leak.... Hopefully go will go official soon!

Source: Engadget

Windows Phone 7 Is Here!!!

Microsoft is all geared up and ready for their re-entry into the mobile phone arena and those Windows Phone 7 devices I talked about before are finally hitting the U.S. AT&T and T-Mobile are the only carriers that will be selling handsets at launch with Sprint and VZW to follow early 2011.  Check out my old post for more details about the handsets available. The OS as whole looks promising but not enough to lure me away from team Android and the upcoming Gingerbread update back to Windows.... I still have the bitter taste of Windows Mobile in my mouth.  Anyone taking the dive and going to Windows Phone 7?

  

Samsung Galaxy Tab

The first real Android Tablet competitor to the iPad is among us. The Samsung Galaxy Tab, and it is available in a number of different carrier flavors and is equipped with wifi and varying types of cellular data coverage. I am very excited about Android Tablets in general and I think the Galaxy Tab really gets things heading in the right direction.

Powered by Android 2.2 Froyo, with a 7" screen Samsung emphasizes  it's "portability", I guess implying that other larger screen tablets *cough iPad cough, cough* aren't very portable. I will agree I think I'd prefer the slightly smaller sized screen, but definitely look forward to tablets to come that cover a spectrum of screen sizes. The Tabs only 14oz but I don't know about Sammy's implications that it is pocket-able. Sounds like a great way to waste a few hundred bucks, but it's clearly a bit more hand-sized than the 10" iPad. One feature the iPad lacked that the Tab has that I griped about is a camera; and not just one but two! So unlike iPad which will undoubtly be followed by a slightly upgraded successor with the camera it should've had to begin with, the Tab will allow photo, video and video chat (via front facing camera) out of the box!

Samsung does there best to make it more than just a giant Android powered smartphone. Adding their own app suite to the mix to provide some additional functionality and features.  One I really like is the landscape email app; which allows you to view your inbox list on one side and a preview of a given email on the other.  Apps like this are the things that get me excited about replacing my laptop on daily treks around campus and to work with a tablet of some sort.  It gives you the mobility of a smart phone with the expanded functionality of a more full-fledge computer.  On the flip side Android still has a way to go with its tablet platform as many of the apps are still not optimized for the larger screen experience and it seems that in many capacities it is just a large phone (without phone functionality).  Fortunately Google is on top of this and should be addressing these issues soon with Android 3.0 Honeycomb software update, which will be optimized for tablet devices.

If nothing else I welcome the Galaxy Tab as a worthy competitor in the Tablet arena, and I am very excited to see what is to come. Not just from the Tab but from the upcoming onslaught of Android tablets from a plethora of manufacturers. With the Tablet-centric Honeycomb version of Android on the way we should see a boost on the software/OS side too.  2011 will definitely be an interesting year and we will likely see some exciting changes in the way we use technology, computers and the web.

Check out some Galaxy Tab video footage!


More detail at sources:
Engadget
Samsung

  

The Return of Windows... Mobile

Those of you smart phone veterans definitely remember not too long ago when Windows Mobile held a respectable share of the smart phone market and WinMo phones could be found on the high end of every carrier's shelf. But as time passed and innovation was completely ignored Windows Mobile became a stale, stagnant OS that was sustained primarily by its underground developing community.

Like many WinMo users I jumped ship and helped contribute to the swelling market shares of Apple's iPhone, Googles Android, RIM's BlackBerry and even Palm's (HP's) WebOS.  Well now Windows is back to reclaim its position in the mobile phone arena.  Beginning the end of October and early November Microsoft will unleash its new Windows Phone 7 devices.  Capitalizing on the success of Windows 7, Microsoft has completely re-invented its OS for the mobile arena!

The most impressive part of Windows Phone 7 to me, is the integration of many of Microsoft's various services; most notably, MS Office, Xbox Live and Zune.  Microsoft seems to have put a lot of thought into making a seamless experience across all of its premier products and services. Utilizing what they call "hubs" user will launch into various apps, or interfaces to utilize the devices different functionalities.  At launch Dell, HTC, LG and Samsung will provide devices which will initially be limited to AT&T and T-Mobile with devices coming to Sprint and Verizon in 2011. Check out these devices below plus a little info on the new OS.

• HTC 7 Surround -- The 3.8-inch T8788 with slideout speaker for AT&T and Telus
• HTC HD7 -- Schubert comes of age as a 4.3-inch HD2 cousin for T-Mobile and beyond
• HTC 7 Trophy -- the 3.8-inch Spark headed to international carriers
• HTC 7 Mozart -- another heavily leaked int'l player with 3.7-inch display
• Dell Venue Pro -- 4.1-inch portrait QWERTY slider for T-Mobile we broke as Lightning
• Samsung Focus -- AT&T's 4-inch Super AMOLED slate we broke as Cetus
• Samsung Omnia 7 -- the i8700 is a 4-inch Super AMOLED jobbie for Europe
• LG Optimus 7/7Q -- the E900 is the official 3.8-inch global workhorse
• LG Quantum -- AT&T's 3.5-inch landscape slider first seen as the C900

• HTC 7 Pro -- a 3.6-inch QWERTY slider for Sprint (2011)

Video tour of devices below:



Though I wont be jumping back on the Windows bandwagon any time soon, I have to say I am impressed. It will be interesting to see MS attempts to get back into the hands and pockets of consumers. I really like the AT&T U-verse integration with the ability to control and watch DVR'd content (free for existing customers $10/month for non-U-verse customers), Netflix, and Xbox Live integration. I welcome Microsoft's return to the smart phone arena; more competitors means more competition, which is all win for us consumers! The big question is will it be enough to persuade smart phone users to come back from Android and Apple land?

Check out the impressive Xbox Live integration:


Source: Engadget