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[Q] Give me your long term review of the Nexus S!

Greetings XDA folks! My Nexus One is being passed to my girlfriend, as she broke her Huawei Ideos, so now I'm looking at the Nexus S. I'm based in Taiwan, so I only will get the Super Clear LCD version. Really would like to hear XDA thoughts on this phone and how it has treated them over the course of their ownership...
- Hardware/software issues?
- How it holds up without a case - scratches/wear/tear?
My main concern is reliability in general. I prefer sticking to the stock Android experience and I'm okay with rooting/3rd party ROMs if they're reliable; so if you guys have other phone suggestions please feel free to plug them in! Much appreciated!

24bear said:
Greetings XDA folks! My Nexus One is being passed to my girlfriend, as she broke her Huawei Ideos, so now I'm looking at the Nexus S. I'm based in Taiwan, so I only will get the Super Clear LCD version. Really would like to hear XDA thoughts on this phone and how it has treated them over the course of their ownership...
- Hardware/software issues?
- How it holds up without a case - scratches/wear/tear?
My main concern is reliability in general. I prefer sticking to the stock Android experience and I'm okay with rooting/3rd party ROMs if they're reliable; so if you guys have other phone suggestions please feel free to plug them in! Much appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No complaints, have had the phone since the US release. But if you are in Taiwan, would you like to wait for a galaxy S II or maybe the original galaxy s? The original galaxy s is very rich in roms and performs quite well.
The screen for the nexus is NOT gorilla glass, so I have a screen protector on at all times, the back is very easily scratchable. If you are concern about keeping your phone in mint condition, I would suggest that you get a case or a replacement back cover. Only thing about the back covers though is that they have the NFC in it and so it can be limted or hard to find. Or otherwise get the one without NFC and "cripple" your phone.
Have had both the galaxy S and they nexus s, and I switch between both as my daily phone. If you got any questions, just ask me I will try to answer as best as I can. I wish I could get a new phone too but they wife will kill me

Hey suomaf, I would love to have the SGII, but as of now they have not given a release date here in Taiwan and I really don't want to fork more than 600 USD/415 EUR for import. I looked at the Galaxy S too, but hesitant about its GPS - whereas the Nexus S seemed to address that issue from other reviews I've read; or did they address this issue on a particular version that I'm not aware of? Thanks for your input, it's much appreciated!

Software wise I think its great. Also great if you love flashing ROMs.
I agree that the backcover scratches easily. A lot of cases will even scratch it, I found out the hard way.
Putting on a case protects it but adds bulk. Especially if you are used to using the Nexus One naked. I may give the Incipio Feather case a try next.
Also, you'll probably miss the notification LED. You can get BLN, but it isn't quite the same.
Another thing I miss is the desktop and car dock.
All and all, I think it's a pretty solid device. Just the ideal device for me is a hybid of the Nexus One/S
Sent from some reflashed Android device with Tapatalk

Hey DumbUglyDragon... interesting name... so it sounds like the Nexus S body needs a good amount of protection from visual scuffs. If I remembered correctly, the Nexus S doesn't come with a pouch like the Nexus One, right? I prefer naked phone with pouch, so any pouch options any of you Nexus S owners can suggest (if any)? Thanks!

24bear said:
Hey DumbUglyDragon... interesting name... so it sounds like the Nexus S body needs a good amount of protection from visual scuffs. If I remembered correctly, the Nexus S doesn't come with a pouch like the Nexus One, right? I prefer naked phone with pouch, so any pouch options any of you Nexus S owners can suggest (if any)? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used the pouch that came with my old myTouch 3G (HTC Magic) for a while. It was basically a sunglass pouch. Kept it protected from scratches, but a bit cumbersome to have to open the pouch to pull out the phone every time I wanted to use it. But it is nothing like the ballistic nylon pouch the Nexus One came with

I love my Nexus S so much. Got it in late December; it's had to go in for repair once since then- it would go unresponsive if left asleep for more than a couple hours for some reason. Got fixed and returned by Geek Squad in about ten days. Other than that, it's been all good times. I can't tell you much on your second question; I've had an Invisible Shield and Amzer silicone case on it almost from day one. My mom's seems to be holding up pretty well without a case (she's only had hers for a month). As long as you don't drop the thing, it should be alright without one. I wouldn't trust not having a screen protector on it for any real length of time, though; especially if you aren't the super careful type.

I came from a 'dumb' sony erricson phone, to the Nexus S.
At first i was actually scared to take it out with me (being quite expensive and all), but i buoght a flip case for it so that part was sorted lol.
Definately buy some sort of protection for it though, otherwise it will scratch up.
In all honesty when i first got this phone i was not impressed (first smart phone), but now that ive had it for a few months, i find it simply amazing.
I am running the NS Collab ROM which is based off CM7 with the usual tweaks etc
Basically , you won't be dissapointed!

Only problems I've had with Nexus S have been the poor Google Skymap performance ... it jumps around everyone and is essentially unusable with the compass.
Using pure GPS is fine (so navigation and geocaching not affected) but the compass is poor.
Plus side, the phone is fast and smooth. It gets updates straight from Google, so no waiting for the maker to decide to release an update. It can be easily rooted and ROM'd if you want.
I do not use a screen protector or a case, because they make the phone look ugly. I use a Golla bag (http://www.golla.com/#/en/products/search/category/mobile/) that clips onto my belt and the phone has remained in tip-top condition.
Overall, very please with the phone and have no desire to change it for anything else.

I actually love the nexus s and I also have the original galaxy s. I beloved both perform equally well. You were concerned about GPS with the galaxy s, which CAN be remedied by using a custom rom but then you sacrifice the already low battery life even further. The nexus s has been an awesome phone to me. I would still suggest to wait or save for a 4g compatible phone. I'm not sure of coverage in your area but I was disappointed when I realized my nexus s was not 4g capable and its very similiar device the the original galaxy s.
My .02 cents.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

eatTHESEbullets said:
I actually love the nexus s and I also have the original galaxy s. I beloved both perform equally well. You were concerned about GPS with the galaxy s, which CAN be remedied by using a custom rom but then you sacrifice the already low battery life even further. The nexus s has been an awesome phone to me. I would still suggest to wait or save for a 4g compatible phone. I'm not sure of coverage in your area but I was disappointed when I realized my nexus s was not 4g capable and its very similiar device the the original galaxy s.
My .02 cents.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Custom ROMs / Kernels actually make your phone last longer in terms of battery life.
4G? Can care less.. but HEY! Look at the Droid Charge and Thunderbolt. It's definitely draining your phone's battery at a 4G speed
3.5G (HSDPA) is enough for me.. I'm not using my phone as primary internet.
Source: http://androidandme.com/2011/05/new...-battery-issues-that-haunted-the-thunderbolt/
Personally. I love the Nexus S, great screen, developer support is starting to increase. The only phone I'd consider as a competitor would be the LG G2x. But even then, I committed myself to only getting Nexus phones.

No worries man. I know it's off topic but what is the status of asus transformer stocks like in taiwan?

suomaf said:
No worries man. I know it's off topic but what is the status of asus transformer stocks like in taiwan?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can buy them if you search a bit, there are a few here and there in some smaller retail shops. Online stores, it's more difficult to find. There are a lot of mix bagged feelings for ASUS Transformer for Taiwan folks.

eatTHESEbullets said:
I actually love the nexus s and I also have the original galaxy s. I beloved both perform equally well. You were concerned about GPS with the galaxy s, which CAN be remedied by using a custom rom but then you sacrifice the already low battery life even further. The nexus s has been an awesome phone to me. I would still suggest to wait or save for a 4g compatible phone. I'm not sure of coverage in your area but I was disappointed when I realized my nexus s was not 4g capable and its very similiar device the the original galaxy s.
My .02 cents.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! 4G isn't really pushed too much here in Taiwan, since we have a bunch of public Wi-Fi networks here - "WiFly" service; very convenient for anybody who comes to Taiwan! For the Galaxy S, I tried diving into see the ROMs available, but I'm going to stick with the stock Nexus experience; all the ROMs I see seems to look only beta and ongoing.

(Q)Anyone jumped ship from Note 2

Hello
Has anyone defected from note 2? I am really eager to pull the trigger myself. Getting tired of flashing roms just want pure google stock experience. I am having a tough time letting go of this insane battery life tho as well as the 5.5 screen. How is the camera compared to note 2? Thanks for info!
Sent from SGH-T889v Canadian Wind Mobile

I did but I'm kinda regretting activating my nexus right away because I've lost hotspot now. The speaker Note2 seems louder than the N5. I was having second thoughts about going to a smaller screen but I find it easier to read text on N5. At first the N5 seemed small but they did a good job squeezing a 5in screen in.

I did. Only reason I did though is because my Note 2 screen has been acting up every since I had the glass replaced. I also had the spare battery cradle/charger with the note 2, so going from literally never having to charge my phone (only swap batteries every other day) is going to be pretty rough. Overall I was with you though, tired of flashing roms to get latest android. It is smaller, but definitely not terribly small like some other phones out there. Camera differences are negligible, but I only did a side by side in my room with the light on, so take that for what it's worth.
I'll probably be selling the note 2 on ebay/craigslist once I finally get it fixed. Nexus 5 seems like a solid device, already got some goodies coming for it, including a wireless charging pad.

I'm jumping ship. I'm just tired of having insane specs on a phone just to run TouchWiz. I've tried some AOSP ROMs but seems like there's always a small issue or two that keeps from being a great daily driver. I'm currently on CM 10.1 but still run into issues with GPS and camera.
I'm going to Nexus to run pure Android. I don't need s-pens and cameras watching me watching my phone. My only concern switching is related to Sprint, not N5. Sprint has an awesome visual voicemail feature which doesn't seem to be working well with Hangouts on the Note 2. I'll have to see how voicemail is handled on the N5 since Sprint is hands off.

I am jumping from the Note 2 as well. Just time for something new. I would have gone with the Note 3, but the lack of access to Sprint Spark network was a deal breaker. The size reduction will be welcome, though. Even though I like the Note 2 size well enough, it does get in the way at times.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

I'm jumping ship as well. Don't get me wrong, I love my Galaxy Note 2, but as others have said, I value having the latest version of Android without the bloatware. I also find that when I'm going somewhere where I know I will be heavily surfing the net or otherwise needing a large screen, I take my Nexus 7 or Chromebook Pixel. The need for a phablet, while novel at first, has really just become cumbersome to carry around. I also rarely use the S-Pen. The AMOLED screen always annoyed me too -- way over-saturated (great blacks, though). I look forward to OIS on the N5, as a sharp picture on the Note2 is as rare as hen's teeth. The only things I will really miss are the microSD card, removable battery, and OEM flip cover (with built in back cover).

Wow i didnt expect so many replies in such short time. I agree with most of your comments. The battery might not be that big of an issue. I can buy a spare charger and keep it in my office as well as one in the car and i am covered all the way. Not having to wait for samsung to update the software will be a blessing. Besides 4.3 isnt even out and kit kat will be the last update and it might not even come around till early 2015 the way they are going. They have already decided not to port over all of the note 3 features on the 2. All these years i have been flashing and dealing with bugs and annoyances. Time to get something that works out of the box and gets timely updates.
Sent from SGH-T889v Canadian Wind Mobile

vseslija said:
Wow i didnt expect so many replies in such short time. I agree with most of your comments. The battery might not be that big of an issue. I can buy a spare charger and keep it in my office as well as one in the car and i am covered all the way. Not having to wait for samsung to update the software will be a blessing. Besides 4.3 isnt even out and kit kat will be the last update and it might not even come around till early 2015 the way they are going. They have already decided not to port over all of the note 3 features on the 2. All these years i have been flashing and dealing with bugs and annoyances. Time to get something that works out of the box and gets timely updates.
Sent from SGH-T889v Canadian Wind Mobile
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i was debating between a note 3, g2, and the n5. and it's posts like these that make me glad I waited and am getting the n5. my only other android device is the N4, so bloatware, delayed updates, and bugs with custom roms is something that I thought about, but never put too much weight behind them until i see posts like this

I have a gnii and should get my nexus 5 tomorrow. I am hesitant to goto a smaller screen...I love the gigantic glowing blob of a phone. I have the r950 us cellular note 2...so dev. Is limited. I can wait for the plethora of roms and kernels. The s-pen is cool and all...although i havent ran a stock rom for ages. So i dont think I will miss using it to draw dicks on the snapchats all that much.
have high hopes for the nexus, enough to pay my etf and ditch the contract life. USCC sucks so much. That is another huge reason I'm counting on this new nexus.

PearcePowers said:
I'm jumping ship as well. Don't get me wrong, I love my Galaxy Note 2, but as others have said, I value having the latest version of Android without the bloatware. I also find that when I'm going somewhere where I know I will be heavily surfing the net or otherwise needing a large screen, I take my Nexus 7 or Chromebook Pixel. The need for a phablet, while novel at first, has really just become cumbersome to carry around. I also rarely use the S-Pen. The AMOLED screen always annoyed me too -- way over-saturated (great blacks, though). I look forward to OIS on the N5, as a sharp picture on the Note2 is as rare as hen's teeth. The only things I will really miss are the microSD card, removable battery, and OEM flip cover (with built in back cover).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
QFT. I really liked having a phablet when I didn't have a good small form tablet to turn to. Also, I found that actually writing/drawing on the Note 2 was difficult. I now have a Note 8, which is the perfect size for that kind of functionality. Now I can return to a smaller form factor for my phone.
I, too, will miss the HUGE, removable battery. But those are the breaks. I'm hoping that battery performance for me is at least good enough to approximate my Note 2 use. May be picking up a battery pack at some point, too.

[Q] Guide to choose between Nexus 5 and Nexus 7

Hi,
I am currently using Galaxy Nexus phone and want to buy a device for my emails and other personal stuff on the go.
Thinking about two options --
1. Retain the Gnex and buy new Nexus 7 tab. Then use Gnex for calls only and N7 for rest. I am not sure how feasible it would be to maintain multiple device. If anyone is currently doing same then please share your experiences.
2. Replace Gnex with N5 as a final option.
Please share your thoughts.
Thanks for your time.

Being a former gnex owner, get an N5... You know you want it. If anything you will get a tab with KitKat and just wish your phone performed like it. I loved my gnex so much but it doesn't even compare to the N5. Everyone in the gnex forums who say they don't need to upgrade because their phone runs KK fine and it's just as fast as any phone on KitKat with custom kernel and perfect kernel settings are fooling themselves. Sad to say, but true. Oh you can manage 5hr SoT with the gnex? Yeah with screen locked @ 20%, sync off, NFC off, location off, connected to WiFi/airplane mode, etc. I get 7hr SoT average with all that left on.
I loved my gnex because it was a nexus, my first nexus. The freedom to mod it was unmatched by any other phone I've had before. The members on the gnex forums were awesome and helpful and I learned a lot...
...but that was like 2 years ago. The phone is old and it shows it. I loaded KK on my old gnex after a month+ of using the N5. Gnex can't quite keep up and trying to use it is frustrating for me now.

^^^agreed on all points. Also lets not forget the "B stock" amoled panel on that thing.
good day.

RoyJ said it all perfectly. While I love my N7, and having both devices is great, if I only had the means to own one the N5 would definitely be first choice.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

Neither
==**Team Nexus 5 sucks.**==
Underpowered battery for a 5inch 1080p screen that is non-removable. Weak generic antenna that drops signal. Worst speaker of any device on the market. Weak vibration motor. Power button rattles. Cheap plastic build

^This guy doesn't seem to realize...Nexus phone, $350/450. Any other new phone off contract like $600-800.
Plus all- or at least most of those (non)issues have already been addressed in new batches.
You won't find the battery underpowered. Like I said it craps all over the gnex battery. If you're coming from a gnex, you will most likely praise the battery life of this phone.
Weak generic antenna? I never noticed this. I had crappy service on T-Mobile, but I can walk almost 30ft outside my house and still be connected to WiFi and load pages. No boosters or anything, just normal ATT u-verse modem/router.
The speaker has its issues, granted. There is a hardware mod in the forums to fix this. If you are uncomfortable opening up your device, you could always RMA it for a model that has fixed speakers. New batches address rattling buttons & speakers AFAIK.
Weak vibrate motor... I am not sure about stock, but most, if not all custom kernels over here set the default vibration to 63%... 63/100. Just use your favorite kernel control app to turn it up. If that isn't the case there are reported defects in some N5's with the vibration motor. Again, RMA your device back to Google if you believe you got a defective model.
And oh my cheap plastic build? OK that does it lol. You have got to be kidding me. Did you ever even own a gnex, dice? This phone feels great compared to it. The gnex is a cheap plastic model. I won't even get into this. It makes me question if you have ever even held an N5, or just troll our forums.
Don't let this chump scare you away. It's legit. Tablets are cool I guess, but why carry an almost 2 year old phone + a 7 inch tablet? When the N5 does the function of both!

I think you should get both the N5 and N7 and keep the Gnex live. I have both the N5 and N7, and my Nexus One as a second phone, all running KitKat 4.4.2. It's awesome.
Sent from my Nexus 5

Here's how to deal with dice. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=48726720&postcount=91 Glad to see your having another splendid day in phone hell buddy.
good day.

He's our own little troll under the bridge.

Came from a gnex to the n5 and omg what a difference. Go with an N5. You will never use your gnex again lol
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

If you're still good with the Gnex for just phone duties I would actually say the N7 tablet. N5 is an amazing phone but tablets are just more useable for everything except phone calls and you wouldn't have to have one device to do everything which is when the N5 battery shows it's weakness.

Thanks everyone for your time .. I ordered White Nexus 5 last week to replace my Gnex. Waiting to get my hands on it.
Bhupinder

Nexus 5 Replacement?

It seems like it should have an easy answer but it really doesn't.
I've had the Nexus 1, 3 and now 5. The 5 has been great but now at almost 2 years old the screen is starting to mess up after its been on for a bit. If it wasn't for that I would keep it for longer as the current phones are not grabbing me. Battery is about dead also.
The obvious replacement is the Nexus 6P but I would miss wireless charging quite a bit as I use it at home and at work. I also like the Moto Pure but again no wireless charging.
Really the ultimate phone is about 5.5", wireless charging, sdcard slot and replaceable battery. I'd love to wait for the Snapdragon 820 but I'm not sure my Nexi will make it.
Is there anything coming up thats close besides the 6P and Moto Pure?

Buy another Nexus 5?
Looks like wireless charging is on the way out, and isn't something I've been particularly bothered about. Even when I had the Nexus wireless charger I found I never used it.

I don't think any phone meets your requirements anymore... They are doing that on purpose to get people to continue buying phones. If they made the perfect phone people would be able to use it for 4 years based on how technology advancement has slowed down.

There definitely won't be any phone that meets your "ultimate" needs, or, at least, not a stock AOSP phone. Your best bet might be to just buy another Nexus 5.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

The LG V10 they just announced looks like a really nice phone actually. The only downside is that it's not stock Android.

Yeah I know I'm not going to be able to get the Ultimate Phone. I don't think they have to worry about us keeping a phone forever as my only one that still works perfectly is my Nexus 1. Even my Nexus 3 has the screen looking a funky yellow now. I powered it up the other day just to see if it still would.
I do like my 5 but I'm not going to get another. I want an improvement. I think I'm just gonna keep watching and waiting while my phone screen "mostly" works. I'd love to replace it with an 820 chip. It does seem I'm one of the few that loves wireless charging. Worst case theres the 6P which isn't a bad worst case really.

ZeroLemon 5000 mAh Case Review

I had the opportunity to try out this case upon release in exchange for an honest review. I have not been instructed on whether it has to be a positive or negative review, so this is completely unbiased.
First of all, this is not my first product by ZeroLemon. I had a case from them on an old Galaxy S3 years ago (back when you could take off the back of the phone and slide the extended battery into the back). I loved that case, and I loved the idea of ZeroLemon extending my battery so that I could go 2 days on one charge and not worry about charging during long days away from a charger. So I was very excited to try out this new one for my Note9.
Initial impressions: it does, as you would expect, essentially double your battery life (which is already superb on this Note9). Surprisingly, it never seems to QUITE refill your battery completely, which is odd since the capacity of the case is 20% larger than the capacity of the phone battery. I do like that I can easily go 2 days on one charge, like I could back in the day with my S3. I do like that it has a battery indicator light on the case so you know if it is charged. If battery life is one of your most important features, than this is absolutely a no brainer. It's not a huge case (for an extended battery, that is) compared to some larger ones.
The negatives: the case is sort of bland in terms of design. I like that they offer a blue one to somewhat match the Ocean Blue color of the Note9. Additionally, you lost some functionality that may be important to some: wireless charging, NFC (mobile payments), water resistance (IP68 rating), and the ability to transfer files (only can charge through the case). Now for some people, depending on your usage, this is not a huge deal. For others, it would be detrimental to their phone usage. So it really is up to you! Do you want insane battery life? Or do you need those other features?
Other notes: the case is easy to get on and get off. I have no concerns about damaging the USB C port with this as some have said. The case is slippery, which could be good or bad depending on your preferences.
All-in-all, I think it's a 4-star case. Great for some! Not great for others.

why dont these phone case battery companies just use wireless charging on the cases? A button to turn off/on the charging when necessary.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but they upgraded the note 9 5k mah battery case
https://zerolemon.com/products/galaxy-note-9-battery-case-5000mah-upgraded
Now features pass through and data sync. No need to remove phone out of case.
Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk

Man that sucks. I bought one of these and then they go and update it

soccrstar said:
Hate to be the bearer of bad news but they upgraded the note 9 5k mah battery case
https://zerolemon.com/products/galaxy-note-9-battery-case-5000mah-upgraded
Now features pass through and data sync. No need to remove phone out of case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, they emailed me and offered me 70% off it I'll review the new one, haha. I guess I should do it!

Mine arrived today...the updated version. I had originally purchased another brand on Amazon that didn't support data sync and it was a dealbreaker so I returned it right as ZL released their new version.
Case texture and fit are very good. I had 2 goals with this case....Android Auto compatibility with my Alpine head unit and DeX compatibility with the Samsung dock.
Looks like this case gets me 1 for 1. The case allows Android Auto mode to activate so I can use Waze and Spotify, etc when driving. This was most important.
DeX was a no-go unfortunately. This was less important as I have a Tab S4 with LTE I can take with me. Still disappointed it doesn't work...but nothing in the advertising ever claimed it would. Just FYI for anyone interested.
Small review....I like the case better than I thought I would. It's a keeper.

I like the looks of the case and with the fixes, I think it is a good buy!

On the website I just read about not fitting with full screen protectors. What kind of screen protection did you go with?
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

lost0138 said:
On the website I just read about not fitting with full screen protectors. What kind of screen protection did you go with?
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
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Not sure if you're asking me or OP, but I don't use screen protectors. Maybe someone else will chime in if they are using one.

nateinva said:
Not sure if you're asking me or OP, but I don't use screen protectors. Maybe someone else will chime in if they are using one.
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General question to anyone using the combination, a protector is must for my line of work.
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Thanks for the review.
Following is my own experience:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ga...view-zerolemon-5000-mah-battery-case-t3866841