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Is this a Good Phone

Im looking into buying a nexus s and just wanna see what ppl on these forums have to say about it. Overall is it a good phone? how's the rooting process hard? Does rooting vastly improve it like it did my hero? General opinions on the phone?
Thanks for any input

Like you, I came from a HTC Hero. Rooting isn't necessary to squeeze more performance from the nexus s compared to the hero. Having said that, it is strongly recommended to root it because it allows you to do so much more on the nexus s. In terms of performance wise, rooting does not "vastly" improve the performance.
General opinions of the phone are its great! Go get it.
The rooting process is extremely simple. Go do a quick search on the forums.

Great phone. Fairly easy to root. The guides available are great as long as you follow it verbatim. The phone itself is fast as is and has large internal memory for apps. Rooting is worth it IMO. The extra overclock and undervolt keeps the phone always running fluid and increases battery life significantly.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Thanks for the input guys...REALLY looking forward to gettin this

Im getting another one this will be my 3rd. Its def a keeper. Vanilla and constant updates 1st
Sent from my Sensational Phone using XDA Premium App

Yeah hero is probably the worst effin phone ever made in the history of all phones so any upgrade is a blessing.
And yes, the hero sucked so many balls. The slowest laggiest POS ever.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App

fraspas said:
Yeah hero is probably the worst effin phone ever made in the history of all phones so any upgrade is a blessing.
And yes, the hero sucked so many balls. The slowest laggiest POS ever.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App
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I actually thought Hero sent the trend on how Android devices should look and function.
Anyway, imo, nexus s is the best android phone, I just got one yesterday, samoled version (dislike slcd), I love everything about the phone. It even performs better than my brother's HTC Sensation even with its dual core.
my next phone will either be the next nexus or galaxy s3.

Please delete this post.

I have the galaxy s vibrant. Would you guys still recomend me to get the nexus s? I can get one at a very good price.. But im wondering if its worth the change. Any input is welcome
Edit: sorry for the thread highjack, thought of posting here rather than creating a new thread.
Sent from my GT-I9000M using Tapatalk

bimmerboii said:
I have the galaxy s vibrant. Would you guys still recomend me to get the nexus s? I can get one at a very good price.. But im wondering if its worth the change. Any input is welcome
Edit: sorry for the thread highjack, thought of posting here rather than creating a new thread.
Sent from my GT-I9000M using Tapatalk
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I love my Nexus S (coming from an HTC Magic), but if you already have a Galaxy S, I don't think it's worth the trouble: they have pretty much the same hardware inside. In addition, IIRC, Galaxy S has Gorilla glass, a SD card slot, FM radio and 720p recording.
The best thing about the Nexus S is that it's vanilla Android, constantly updated and officially supported by Google. It has NFC, which the Galaxy S doesn't have, and gets better support from app developers as well. I didn't need all those hardware features the Galaxy S had: I just wanted *the* Google phone :-D.
Basically, the Nexus line is much better supported than the Galaxy S line, but if you're in XDA, I guess you won't mind flashing a vanilla ROM to your Galaxy S.

Thanks for your reply. You made good points on my deciding factor. But even if im on xda, i hate having to flash my phone all the time (my sgs is stock). I just want the latest version of android.
Here's the thing.. Someone wants to buy my sgs for $300. I have credits on my account and could get the nexus s for $308 all in. Or i can just save my credits and let it accumulate over the next few months to buy a better phone. But im really itching for a stock vanilla android phone. Decisions decisions...
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Stay with Galaxy S. As soon as you go to Nexus S, you will miss your Galaxy S. IMHO, Nexus S is a downgrade from Galaxy S. I did this mistake but within 2 weeks gladly came back to Galaxy S. But if you are too itchy, buy Nexus S and compare both head on head. Know the difference yourself and get rid of the one you find inferior compared to the other.
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rdbhalla said:
Stay with Galaxy S. As soon as you go to Nexus S, you will miss your Galaxy S. IMHO, Nexus S is a downgrade from Galaxy S. I did this mistake but within 2 weeks gladly came back to Galaxy S. But if you are too itchy, buy Nexus S and compare both head on head. Know the difference yourself and get rid of the one you find inferior compared to the other.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
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I dont think it is a downgrade, i think the point in android world is " you cant have everything"... sure, sgs has a lot of features that we dont have in nxs, but nxs also has some things over sgs... and you need to decide what you are looking for, what comes first for you...
I came from a desire hd, that in specs is worse of nxs, and i am pretty much satisfeid with it. I guess the point is: it's good to look specs, but it is only half part, the other half is about daily usage.
Back to the question, if i were you i would wait a little bit more, swap for a nealy phone, more than 6 months old... maybe you can get a sgs II or wait for the new nexus prime, i just dont know if it a good idea.. =o)
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

thiagodark said:
I dont think it is a downgrade, i think the point in android world is " you cant have everything"... sure, sgs has a lot of features that we dont have in nxs, but nxs also has some things over sgs... and you need to decide what you are looking for, what comes first for you...
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I think the only additional thing Nexus S has is flash. I have my own reservations about the quality of HTC phones after using HTC Desire for few weeks. But if the choice is between SGS and NS, SGS clearly has an edge. But again, its individual's choice. Whatever works the best for you.
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Absolutely disagree. I've had the vibrant for the last 9 months and thought it was awesome but then the lag gets unbearable because of the file system. I went in with my brother and dad and got a family plan and we got the nexus s since I thought that would be the best (hulu, Netflix, etc all came out first for it) and you get software updates first too from Google. And the phone is wicked fast. I thought I would miss touchwiz and all the quirks but you know what I did for like 3 days. And the battery life on this sucker is amazing. I think its a great buy especially for me. But each his own. People have different wants and needs and everybody needs to do their research before buying and investing in something so expensive.
rdbhalla said:
Stay with Galaxy S. As soon as you go to Nexus S, you will miss your Galaxy S. IMHO, Nexus S is a downgrade from Galaxy S. I did this mistake but within 2 weeks gladly came back to Galaxy S. But if you are too itchy, buy Nexus S and compare both head on head. Know the difference yourself and get rid of the one you find inferior compared to the other.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Well I do not disagree. Galaxy S does need a little bit of tweaking to get the full performance out of it. All I did with my SGS was to install JVO 2.3.4, root it and this changed it to a totally different phone. Yes, I use stock gingerbread launcher and keyboard instead of touchwiz or Samsung keyboard. All of this takes hardly 30 minutes.
Nexus S is definitely fast out of the box. But gorilla glass, FM radio, expandable memory slot, better video recording give SGS an edge over NS. SGS just needs half an hour more to reveal its potential.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

I wrote a review to answer this first post.
Here is a review I put together as I had same initial questions. Hope it helps.
My first experience with android was rooting a Hero, since then I enjoyed a year with a rooted EVO, but after several boot-looping experiences which I was unable to correct, the phone had become unusable, and I was forced to choose a new phone a little more premature than I would have liked. I had my heart set on the specs of the Galaxy S II but after enjoying two HTC phones and how easily they were rooted I also leaned toward the EVO 3D. I will admit here, that I was a “flash-aholic” when it came to trying out new ROMs and kernels, and would probably continue to have been so if it weren’t for the boot-loop and force closing problem I was having.
I decided to go ahead and get a Sprint Nexus S 4G instead of waiting another ten days for the EVO 3D, knowing that if I didn’t have a good experience with the Nexus, I could return it within the 30 day trial period. The Sprint rep. was very helpful and honest with his assistance, he showed me that the Nexus even in the store was not picking up as good a signal as the EVO 4G, and I expressed concern about receiving signal at my residence, as frequently I had to step outside in the back yard to have a phone conversation using the EVO.
Initial setup of the Nexus was surprisingly easy, but just as suspected the signal at home was weak, though not any worse than the EVO. A call to Sprint tech support the next day helped when they offered to send me an Airave unit, which I received in only one week and found a dramatic improvement for not only my phone but my wife’s EVO as well. Thank you Sprint!
My next adventure was whether or not to root this phone, as I held off until I decided I was going to keep it. It was a little bit of a challenge for me to set up adb capabilities on my computer but worth the research. So I was now set up to make the root possible, however, reading up on the Nexus didn’t convince me that rooting was to my best advantage at this time, so I have held off. The signal problem had been resolved, my battery life has been great, my phone is extremely fast, and tethering works right out of the box, most importantly is everything works well without bugs or any other problems. This doesn’t mean I won’t root when I see a clear advantage in the future, and fortunately rooting the Nexus is as easy as it can get.
Instead I have used ADW EX customizations to optimize this phone for my best android experience, and it is this point convincing me to keep it. The Nexus S has none of the Sprint bloat-ware profligation, and none of the manufacturer skin-ware. Using ADW EX and android widgets, I was able to customize my Nexus to suit my needs perfectly. The best part of the experience is that I got to choose how my phone worked, and my phone now operates exactly how I want it to, I might also mention that Launcher Pro would work very well also. Ah, the beauty of android.
Later the next week I went into a local RadioShack to have hands-on time with the EVO 3D to make certain I had made the best choice. I did that Sense 3 twirl thing and the rep mentioned the limitations of Nexus screen scrolling, I showed him that my phone also had infinity scrolling. He was surprised and didn’t go any further.
Sure the latest summer phones have better specs, more powerful hardware, and unique features (3D), but for me at least, they don’t really make for a better android experience than a Nexus. Here is a list of widgets I have included on my screens.
Agenda widget keeps an excellent display of my appointments.
Springpad for notes and general organization uses.
Google+ widget, as well as android system widget for general phone info.
I use Jorte calendar to fill up one entire screen.
The control widget for quick access to phone controls.
The Starbuck coffee widget cause I gotta admit, I like my coffee.
Skype video calls work excellently and I use it frequently since most phone users still don’t have Google Talk video. I have combined Facebook with Twitter using Tweetdeck, and this app I keep in an easily accessible hidden dock which contains many of my frequently used apps, one of the best features of ADW EX and used by many ROMs such as Cyanogen.
The overall flow and performance of the phone is flawless, handling multi-functioning easily, Bluetooth works very well, wi-fi at home and at my local Starbucks is good, pictures are adequate and the general feel of the phone is sleek without giving up that much on size coming from an EVO slab phone user. The idea that updates get pushed out to Nexus phones before anyone else will keep me a happy user for some time to come as the Nexus is a developer’s phone hence new applications often come to this phone first, the recent case of Skype video calling is a great example.
What do I miss most, or wished improved? I must admit I do miss that EVO kickstand, which was a nice feature though I can’t help but think it would mess with the sleekness of the Nexus. The missing sd card hasn’t been an issue for me, but I suppose it could be for others. There are times I still miss the LED notification light, though that is minor thing. I have read others complain of the back being slick and a fingerprint magnet, but I stuck an Egrip strip with a cool image to help in handling the phone better and reduce the space for smudges.
Are there better phones out there this summer? Sure, if you go by hardware specs, so if photo quality is important to you with a better camera and more features such as 3D, or if you just can’t live without that LED notification light, the Nexus may not be for you. A dual core phone is slightly faster, but hardly noticeable and does 1 second or less really make that much difference? Do they make better use of the android system though? In my opinion this is where the Nexus excels and for me that is the true strength of this phone and why I suggest giving it a serious consideration.

I would probably keep the galaxy s in favor of the nexus s, mainly because of the browser-lag issue in the nexus. It is a great phone, but I don't think vanilla android brings to the table that much you should sell your galaxy. Hardware wise you would be gaining nothing.
You almost might as well wait for the next nexus that probably will come at the same time as ice-cream sandwich (Q4). Nexus is nice because you get the updates almost immediately, but Google has indicated that there will be no major updates before the launch of ICS. So why not wait for the phone that launches with ICS?

i just LOVE nexus s... Fast smooth amazing battery life, bought it two days ago and i completely fell in love with it. Coming from htc sense i thought vanilla would feel a little "vanilla" but no sir, the speed and the battery pays off sure if ur a guy who likes to use camera a lot then sgs might be a better option, but for all other things i believe sns is better. plus the curved screen is sexy

of course, most people here recognize this phone as good one. you know this phone even been to Space. how great.. haha

[Q] Who else is returning there ATT One X ?

I went from IPhone 4s to the ATT One X for the larger screen and wanted to get back to root and roms etc.. ( had rooted infuse b4 4s) but with the boot loader locked etc... I am really wanting to return it on the 28th day and wait for the Samsung G3.... thoughts?

There will be a work around just give it time but I'm not very impressed with the samsung galaxy s 3
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

but we have such beautiful things to look forward to!!! Plus whats going to be better about the gs3, besides perhaps battery life and memory expandability. this is a much better looking phone with a better camera
http://youtu.be/4XwaI2xhx5Q?hd=1

Well, if you really in love with one X designed, you need to be more patient. Sooner or later the bootloader will be cracked. Otherwise, go for GS3 and start flashing by next month
Sent from my Incredible S using XDA

I moved from an iPhone 4s to this phone. Out of the box with no mods it's streets ahead of the 4s. Thing will only get better with time. I'm in for the long haul. I predict that only even number Galaxy releases will be worth a crap anyhow. Galaxy S Captivate= bad
SGS II was great.
SGS III designed by lawyers. No thanks

Not having the ability to command the phone via Bluetooth has me seriously considering returning it. Once I got my Android tablet my iPhone 4 was barely used for anything but music and phone calls but at least I could dial out without looking at the phone, an important feature for me since it's illegal here to operate a cell phone while driving a vehicle without using a hands free device.
Sent from my SCH-I905 using Tapatalk 2

The ONE thing that may cause me to take this phone back is the completely crippled multitasking. I'm tempted to keep it for the hardware, but it's virtually useless when I can't even multitask between two apps without the state being saved.

I did use siri a lot in the car, and I think the 4s takes better pictures. But the screen on the one x is a lot better for my old eyes. The SG3 with the voice app, removable battery and SD card storage along with the whole ATT not letting HTC unlock the boot loader makes me want to return and switch. I have also read that the SC3 will get updates a lot faster than HTC and that Samsung is a lot easier to root/flash

Agree, coming from the iPhone 4 the additional screen real estate is fantastic. I loathe itunes and many things Apple does differently so I seriously don't want to go back but commuting without voice command is going to be painful.
Sent from my SCH-I905 using Tapatalk 2

kumiteking said:
I did use siri a lot in the car, and I think the 4s takes better pictures. But the screen on the one x is a lot better for my old eyes. The SG3 with the voice app, removable battery and SD card storage along with the whole ATT not letting HTC unlock the boot loader makes me want to return and switch. I have also read that the SC3 will get updates a lot faster than HTC and that Samsung is a lot easier to root/flash
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Click to collapse
Don't be on samsung pushing fast updated. I had the galaxy2 and it took forever to get updates from sammy. Also their hardware was always an issue. Poor gps, poor radios etc. I might return my OneX due to the multi tasking issue but I would not got the III.

The wifi, push email, multitasking, and app association (youtube and market links open up in browser, not the app) issues all bother me greatly. I'm planning to install the 1.82 RUU update and see if it fixes at least wifi and push email. If it fixes both of those, I will probably keep it and just deal with the multitasking and app association stuff. But right now I'm definitely planning to return if wifi and push email aren't fixed soon.

Oh no bugs.. I must return nows
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

expertzero1 said:
Oh no bugs.. I must return nows
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
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LOL....Hell no mine isn't going anywhere! Best phone I've used hands down.

I agree. Best phone I've had to date. I just came from the galaxy note. That was a laggy phone. before that I had a iPhone 4s. I wouldn't go back.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

side808 said:
I agree. Best phone I've had to date. I just came from the galaxy note. That was a laggy phone. before that I had a iPhone 4s. I wouldn't go back.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
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I bought an iphone 4s in the beginning of March, took it back in less than 3 weeks. Maybe it's me, I don't get the hype. I'v had an infused, Atrix 1 and 2
and I tried the Nokia Lumia, which honestly wasn't a bad phone, just lacking in apps. This phone will be here for the long haul!!!

Love the One X..better than Vivid even and I loved my Vivid...Inspire before that, which was good for the time period..Samsung is OK but feels cheap when you hold it..
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

It's Their, not there. There is a place. Their is an object that someone usually owns or possesses.
Simple 3rd grade english.
And no, I'm not taking mine back. Not sure why anyone would. It's the best phone on the market right now, and for the foreseeable future.

Don't be a supercilious, condescending, and annoying grammar nazi. It's the internet, mistakes ARE allowed.
Truthfully, I can live with this phone being locked for the rest of my possession of it. So there's no reason for me to turn it back in for a sub-par display and design when I'll eventually get the experience I want with the One X.

Trading mine for a white nexus. I love this phone no doubt but stock AOSP feels right.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

kumiteking said:
I went from IPhone 4s to the ATT One X for the larger screen and wanted to get back to root and roms etc.. ( had rooted infuse b4 4s) but with the boot loader locked etc... I am really wanting to return it on the 28th day and wait for the Samsung G3.... thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya I'm with u this htc is sooooo slow compaired to my Galaxy nexus AND both my G2's , unless someone can get this boot loader hacked this phone is a joke at current stock settings, guess ill throw into a drawer and wait for hack, I have 30 days to return right? Personal opinion, this is the last time I stray away from Samsung that galaxy 3 is going to be way better phone + hacker / dev friendly .
MY OPINIONS YELL AT ME IF U WANT TO; ) but I do have 12 androids I'm compairing 2 so ......

Your opinion on the S3

Hello all,
I currently have a HTC Thunderbolt on an unlimited data plan with Verizon. My phone is getting old, and is having a few problems. The screen has a few scratches on it, the battery life is poor, and I'm noticing that the speed isn't what I used to think it was. Consequently, I am thinking of purchasing a new phone and have given the Samsung Galaxy SIII some thought. I was wondering what you all thought about your phone and if there was anything you specifically disliked about it. I have been weighing my options, but have not made up my mind. Also, are there any other phones that you would suggest for me to investigate?
Thanks!

It's a good phone but I myself and my wife's phone suffer from poor signal reception and poor wifi signal. Not everyone experiences poor signal from what I've read on here and people I have talked to. Personally I'm about to leave Verizon or get another phone that's how bad the s3 signal reception is for me I can't speak for everyone else. If I can't make or receive phone calls or use my data, when where I had my HTC and Motorola devices i would have 2 to 3 bars more signal. I know a lot of people will come in and say that I'm full of crap but I'm just telling you my personal experience
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

nothing but good things to say here. people complain about the reception, but i nor anyone else i know in person has these issues. ive the same or better service with the S3 versus my MOTO and brothers HTC phone.
does verizon still do 14 day test drives on phones? can see if it effects you or not.

I'm not sure if they do or not. I'm actually on my friend's plan (he added a line to his plan that I pay for) so that I could get the unlimited data option. So, I have to actually find out if I can "upgrade" or not. I was kind of planning on just buying the phone on ebay and then setting it up to use it on the account/network. Can I ask where you guys are located that you are or are not receiving signal?

GS3 on Verizon is a great phone. No signal or wireless radio issues for me. It's a little better than my previous Razr Maxx radio which surprised me.
It's still a beast phone though it's dual core. Don't get too caught up in how many cores the phone has. I've played with both the DNA & Note 2 and I saw tiny bit of lag. Wouldn't think I did with quad core processors and project butter Jelly Bean. I feel it's fluidity, speed, functionality is more about how the software is optimized with the hard ware that's running it.
If the Note 2 isn't too big for your liking, I'd get that but the S3 is still a boss. I think some people who have radio problems may be having defected hardware or something where they live is blocking or affecting the phone's signal.
I'm leaning more towards they received a GS3 with bad hardware, antenna, something of that nature. Samsung has been known to make crappy wireless radios on a couple phones like the Epic Touch (GS2) and I heard Galaxy Nexus had a bad one too.
I don't think the S3 has a bad one though? I good great service on mines. Maybe I live near good towers? But then again even when I go places and I'm not home I get good reception. But like I said maybe Samsung did produce some with poor or defected radios?
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

Thank Me Later said:
I heard Galaxy Nexus had a bad one too.
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Click to collapse
The Galaxy Nexus had a terrible 4G radio in the ones I owned, so I can attest to that. GS3 though has been great reception-wise, so it sounds like the reception issues others have seen is most likely hardware-related.
I have a GS3 for work and I really enjoy it. I'd say go for it.

Go with the GS3 dude! U won't regret it. I heard the DNA was locked down so I'd either go with the GS3 or Note 2. If you want something managable when in comes to phisical size, I have the GS3 with an otterbox commuter case and it fits nicely in my pocket and I can easily navigate with one hand, the Note 2 may be a bit more difficult
. The stock software is excellent although I highly reccomend unlocking and rooting. Its a kickass phone no doubt!
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Came from the g nex and the s3 is better in every aspect
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infinit22 said:
Came from the g nex and the s3 is better in every aspect
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+1
Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk.

Shibby87 said:
Go with the GS3 dude! U won't regret it. I heard the DNA was locked down so I'd either go with the GS3 or Note 2. If you want something managable when in comes to phisical size, I have the GS3 with an otterbox commuter case and it fits nicely in my pocket and I can easily navigate with one hand, the Note 2 may be a bit more difficult
. The stock software is excellent although I highly reccomend unlocking and rooting. Its a kickass phone no doubt!
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
The note2 is also locked down...still much better choice than the DNA.

I personally would go with the DNA. I'm getting rid of my S3 for the DNA.
It has no SD slot and you can't remove the battery but I don't need those options.
The DNA is an amazing phone.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

I'm coming from a droid x & my GS3 is light years ahead of it!! No reception problems or anything bad to report at all. This baby only has a dual core processor but yet it smokes my Transformer Prime that had a quad processor! So yea cores mean nothing in most cases..found that out the hard way lol. As far as the DNA goes I hear the screen is nice but I also read on another site that the Samsung Galaxy 4 will supposedly be out Feb 2013.. Rocking a 13mp camera,1080p screen & a quad core processor. I was originally going for the note 2 but I'm absolutely loving the GS3...& I'm not even rooted yet lol.

I saw a DNA today at the verizon store. Not really impressed. S4 is going to blown it out the water.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

The only issue I have had with the S3 was it would take forever to refresh my widgets when I restarted the phone. After spending some quality time with a Verizon tech who was actually very knowledgeable and helpful, we figured out setting Power Saving to "off" solved the problem. I am now using Clean Rom 4.5 (soon to be 5.0) and I can set Power Saving to "on" without a problem if I want. Weird.
My daughter is having issues with her current phone on Verizon and spoke to a couple Verizon staff on what they would recommend for a reliable phone. They all said Galaxy S3 was their top recommendation. Since they knew they weren't selling her a phone (they told her she should go through support and get a new phone for free given her continuing issues) I think they were being very honest with her.

I'm gonna laugh so hard if the S4 has no SD slot and a non removable battery. I can see them going that route to make the phone thinner and more durable
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josh995 said:
I'm gonna laugh so hard if the S4 has no SD slot and a non removable battery. I can see them going that route to make the phone thinner and more durable
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Click to collapse
And if they don't go that route?
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I came from the Galaxy Nexus and the only issue I had wiht that is battery life which was managable but don't expect to go more than 8-10 hours with it. Even still it was worth it to have a pure google phone. I got the SGS3 only because I got a killer deal on it off contract. So I'm rocking that now. If anything I would say go this way:
Galaxy Nexus (Cheap and Pure Google Experience with Roms)
Galaxy S3 (Great Battery Life all around great phone)
Galaxy Note 2 (If you don't mind the screen and want Quad Core)
Wait for Galaxy S 4 which should be out sometime next year if you can wait.
I haven't had poor reception with my GNex or my S3 so all is good there. Depending on how much money you have either of the above will be great phones.

blestsol said:
And if they don't go that route?
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Click to collapse
If they don't then I won't be upset
If they want to make the phone thinner, however, those 2 options are things that would help big time.
If they do get rid of the SD slot, they should be smart enough to offer high internal storage, but you know that Verizon will try and stop them.
Verizon is most likely the reason the DNA doesn't have an SD slot, they want people to use more data to stream and download
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

Honestly this will probably be my last Samsung product.
The amount of bugs on this phone is inexcusable. On stock ICS TW:
- Can't use aux input with Bluetooth calls. This means if I was listening to music in my car through aux input and I got a Bluetooth call, I'd have to yank out the audio cord in order to hear the caller. Seriously, what the hell. I had this functionality working perfectly on a two year old phone.
- Google Music oddities. Sometimes when changing tracks the music stops playing. Turning on the screen resumes playing though. On the JB leaks this bug manifests in an even worse way and I have my doubts that it will be fixed for OTA.
And this isn't really a bug, but there's no way to disable the volume reduction upon plugging in an aux cable and that makes me sad.
So the answer lies in AOSP... thank god for our African Canadian sock monkey friend for leaking our unlocked bootloader... only...
- IMEI loss. Seriously Samsung? This is a huge oversight and is NOT the first time a bug like this has escaped their QA testing. Samsung products have been riddled with stories of bricks and poor code management across many of their devices, as one CM dev recently talked about.
- Real Time clock is oh-so-wrong. We're making CWM backups in the 70s! This one isn't too bad but its still annoying. Again, Samsung is to blame here.
- CM10 still early in development. I don't really know whose fault this is, whether it be Samsung for making things hard for CM devs to get things working on AOSP or a lack of attention for our device. Despite having a "stable" release, CM10 still has a number of known issues that I won't go over here. I still use CM10 and am eternally grateful to the person who pours their free time into giving our device AOSP (I love you, whoever you are) because those aforementioned issues are better than the alternative. It's still a situation where no matter which way I turn I have a buggy phone.
On my O.G. Incredible the only choice I had to deal with was having TV-Out and 720p video recording support or having ps3/Wii controller Bluetooth support. No matter which ROM I chose (AOSP or Stock) everything WORKED. With this phone I have to weigh the evils of each path and simply choose the lesser one.
I'm not really impressed with the DNA either. They do have an unlock (a very brick-prone one at that) but the hardware itself is riddled with issues (No SD card or removable battery, power button hard to press and is on the top of the very long device).
I'll probably get a lot of flak for this post, but its just my opinion. Aside from what I mentioned, I do enjoy the GS3. I just feel I could do much better
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Everyone has their needs. This phone doesn't fit yours. Good luck with whatever you choose in the future!
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda premium

Anyone regret getting the S4?

As the title suggests, has anyone gone past their 14 day exchange policy and regretted getting the S4? I'm just curious as I have about 3 days left of my 14 days and am not completely sold on it yet.
Just to get it out of the way, I'm not a fan of aosp. Not to go into details, but I prefer touchwiz roms. With that being said, even custom roms and kernels can't completely take away some of the annoying lag and stuttering of this phone.
The only other phone I would consider is the HTC One. I can obviously pay the $35 restocking fee to get one or I have a guy locally who will do a straight trade with me. I just wanted some opinions, what do you think?
Sent from my SGH-i337 using xda premium

I am regretting it!
WizeGuyDezignz said:
As the title suggests, has anyone gone past their 14 day exchange policy and regretted getting the S4? I'm just curious as I have about 3 days left of my 14 days and am not completely sold on it yet.
Just to get it out of the way, I'm not a fan of aosp. Not to go into details, but I prefer touchwiz roms. With that being said, even custom roms and kernels can't completely take away some of the annoying lag and stuttering of this phone.
The only other phone I would consider is the HTC One. I can obviously pay the $35 restocking fee to get one or I have a guy locally who will do a straight trade with me. I just wanted some opinions, what do you think?
Sent from my SGH-i337 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am.. I came from Verizon Galaxy Nexus and have been on the S4 for 2 full months... There are some nice features on the S4, but some quirky things that REALLY drive me crazy. Given the opportunity, I would go back to my Nexus and wait for something else

I bought the GS4 very soon after it was released and wish I had waited... There arent many other phones out there as powerful as the GS4 but the new Moto X looks like and I also like the GE GS4 as I already own a 1st gen Nexus 7.. Im just glad that they figured out a root for the new MF3 firmware...

WizeGuyDezignz said:
As the title suggests, has anyone gone past their 14 day exchange policy and regretted getting the S4? I'm just curious as I have about 3 days left of my 14 days and am not completely sold on it yet.
Just to get it out of the way, I'm not a fan of aosp. Not to go into details, but I prefer touchwiz roms. With that being said, even custom roms and kernels can't completely take away some of the annoying lag and stuttering of this phone.
The only other phone I would consider is the HTC One. I can obviously pay the $35 restocking fee to get one or I have a guy locally who will do a straight trade with me. I just wanted some opinions, what do you think?
Sent from my SGH-i337 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. In fact more I use, more I feel good about this phone. And also glad that I chose this one over others. Some of the widely used the so called gimmicky features I like using all the time is smart stay, blocking mode, and ofcourse most of the features of TW stock camera. This camera takes the best panorama, period. I have Nexus camera app to take photosphere shot and now I don't miss the Nexus experience at all. But as you know no 2 individual are same, therefore its up to you whether you like this phone or not. After all you are paying to own the device therefore if you are not happy with this go for the one you think is 'money well spent'
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda premium

I got mine completely free as do most my other phones. Definitely best smart phone I've ever had and well worth every theoretical penny I spent on it.

I returned mine... just did not like the screen. I have an Active and I'm happy

WizeGuyDezignz said:
As the title suggests, has anyone gone past their 14 day exchange policy and regretted getting the S4? I'm just curious as I have about 3 days left of my 14 days and am not completely sold on it yet.
Just to get it out of the way, I'm not a fan of aosp. Not to go into details, but I prefer touchwiz roms. With that being said, even custom roms and kernels can't completely take away some of the annoying lag and stuttering of this phone.
The only other phone I would consider is the HTC One. I can obviously pay the $35 restocking fee to get one or I have a guy locally who will do a straight trade with me. I just wanted some opinions, what do you think?
Sent from my SGH-i337 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally have not experienced any more lag or stutter than I have on other android phones (actually experience much less). I upgraded from a Galaxy Nexus i9250. That phone was slow as hell even with custom roms. The screen was **** too (after a ski trip, the cold did something to the screen and its filled with lines now. GS4 is way better.

I like the phone. I do run it rooted and stock. After getting rid of the bloat I don't think it lags that much. I love the camera and the remote function. I wanted a larger screen and this was a good compromise since I was looking at the Note II. I do have better service than my htc.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

dvsdlite said:
I like the phone. I do run it rooted and stock. After getting rid of the bloat I don't think it lags that much. I love the camera and the remote function. I wanted a larger screen and this was a good compromise since I was looking at the Note II. I do have better service than my htc.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love mine, is rooted and also get a lot battery life and removed all bloatware to make it faster:good:

Thanks for all of the responses guys! So none of you wish you had gotten the One? I don't know why the phone is so stuck in my head right now. Thoughts?
Sent from my SGH-i337 using xda premium

it's a nice phone and I don't regret buying it. I however prefer my Note 1 over it though. the screen was much better (though a lower resolution), no button on the front and tbh I spent more time on stock with the I717 than I did with the I337. I still have my 717 and when this S4 breaks as I'm sure it will, I'll swap back to the 717, get my squaretrade warranty for the S4 and just sit on the cash until something else comes out that suits my fancy. Hopefully something without a locked bootloader.

WizeGuyDezignz said:
Thanks for all of the responses guys! So none of you wish you had gotten the One? I don't know why the phone is so stuck in my head right now. Thoughts?
Sent from my SGH-i337 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
I have some reverse insight to add for you, because I initially picked up the One and then swapped it out for the GS4. Every phone has its quirks, and as a previous GSII and GSIII user, I couldn't live with the One's quirks:
The button placement was awkward for me. As a right-hander, I like having the power button at my thumb and the volume rocker at my index and middle finger. The One has the volume rocker lower on the right, and the power button up top.
Without a physical home button, the position of the power button makes the task of quickly checking your phone for the time etc a little more annoying.
The screen stops at the speakers, as opposed to the Galaxy series' glass fronts which go all the way. Doesn't seem like a big deal, but I would almost always get my finger caught in the nano-difference in height between where the speakers end and the screen starts while swiping down for notifications.
On the plus side, build quality on the One is excellent and the speakers just blow the S4 out of the water. The screen, while smaller, looked sharper and less saturated than the GS4's. If those are important to you, definitely check out the One. I was too used to the Galaxy series and decided to switch back to the S4 - couldn't be happier. Hope that helps!

I'm currently on my 3rd month of being a 7 year iPhone convert. I traded my iPhone 5 for a Note 2, then traded the Note for an S4. I like it. I like the feel of it in my hand despite the plastic. Screen is beautiful and the camera is excellent, My only problem is that every single AOSP ROM I flash crashes my phone like crazy. I've gone through at least 6 different AOSP ROMs to no avail. Almost like its just not meant to be. I've used CleanROM since the beginning with the KT kernel overclocked to 2.16GHz, UV'ed -50, Greenified, & Viper audio and on Saturday beat the battery life I was getting on my Note 2 with a 26hr charge. Am I happy? Yes. Can it still be improved on? But will I eventually trade it for a Note 3 when its out? Yes.

jedimyndtryx said:
I'm currently on my 3rd month of being a 7 year iPhone convert. I traded my iPhone 5 for a Note 2, then traded the Note for an S4. I like it. I like the feel of it in my hand despite the plastic. Screen is beautiful and the camera is excellent, My only problem is that every single AOSP ROM I flash crashes my phone like crazy. I've gone through at least 6 different AOSP ROMs to no avail. Almost like its just not meant to be. I've used CleanROM since the beginning with the KT kernel overclocked to 2.16GHz, UV'ed -50, Greenified, & Viper audio and on Saturday beat the battery life I was getting on my Note 2 with a 26hr charge. Am I happy? Yes. Can it still be improved on? But will I eventually trade it for a Note 3 when its out? Yes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That undervolting might be one of the reasons you're always getting crashes. Liquid smooth 2.9 is by far the best aosp rom I ever ran. Gave me amazing performance with no hiccups on the stock kernel and better battery life than any other rom I ran. Almost 7 hrs of on screen time.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app

marcoxx626 said:
That undervolting might be one of the reasons you're always getting crashes. Liquid smooth 2.9 is by far the best aosp rom I ever ran. Gave me amazing performance with no hiccups on the stock kernel and better battery life than any other rom I ran. Almost 7 hrs of on screen time.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WoW tha'ts great battery life, I need to give a try

I agree with all posts to date. And, yes aosp is not quite ready for prime time on most S4 phones. Esp 4.3. Seems like some of the older issues are still there.
I am on Omega v9 and Wicked. They are buttery smooth and lightning fast--flashed correctly of course--
I mainly got the S4 over One for screen size when web browing. And did not like the button placement either. I came from 2 rooted HTC phones, so nothing against HTC.
Luckily we have so many choices--:good:

I didn't get HTC One, because it lacked micro SD card slot. Though it also lacked removable battery option but I could have trade off of that thing. But then again HTC has shown the middle finger with the updates on their so called flagship phones. Next year when they'll release yet another flagship phone, they'll forget about HTC One even exist.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda premium

krips2003 said:
I didn't get HTC One, because it lacked micro SD card slot. Though it also lacked removable battery option but I could have trade off of that thing. But then again HTC has shown the middle finger with the updates on their so called flagship phones. Next year when they'll release yet another flagship phone, they'll forget about HTC One even exist.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^^This Too^^

I first got the S4 Active, because I thought it was an S4 that was waterproof... that phone was a big disappointment!
Lacked the SuperAMOLED display
Lacked the more powerfull CPU
and it lacked the Gen3 Gorilla glass...
(these were the dealbreakers for me)
I then traded it in for the Full S4, and loved it!
I just wish I could have kept MDL on it, (yeah, I was stupid, and took the MF3 OTA)
I did have a week + of full root+recovery, and managed to play with a few custom OS' before I reverted back to stock...
even though I am no longer able to use a custom recovery, I am very happy with the S4 and would only trade it for a MDB/MDL phone at this point.

I've bought the S4 a couple times since its been released. Even upgraded to it a few times before taking it back. Finally decided to pick a brand new one up on eBay after thoroughly checking the IMEI number. I do not think the phone is worth a full upgrade. That's why I got mine for a song brand new on eBay. One shouldn't have to root and flash a custom rom because the original phone software is way too laggy.
I don't regret getting the S4, but I know I won't be sticking with it as long as I planned. It's a great phone, but I'd like to see what the next iPhone brings to the table and the Note 3.

Considering switching to N5

So... Can anyone appreciate the N5 coming from a note 2?
How's the battery life for people ?
I wasn't impressed with the Nexus 4 much..
But I want something different. . Ive had LG g2 htc one and s4.
My main concern is batt life .
And is the camera decent ?
Rooting easy with no trip ups?
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app

Rooting is a doddle.
With regards to battery life that is subjective. I can get 5 hours SOT easily with Franco kernel and cata ROM. Now to me that ain't half bad but your comparing a phobe with a bigger battery.
Camera is not really something I have paid much attention to, I have taken a few shots and have no complaint about the quality.
All in all I love the N5 it is leaps better than the N4 imo
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

lojak29 said:
So... Can anyone appreciate the N5 coming from a note 2?
How's the battery life for people ?
I wasn't impressed with the Nexus 4 much..
But I want something different. . Ive had LG g2 htc one and s4.
My main concern is batt life .
And is the camera decent ?
Rooting easy with no trip ups?
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got the same concern. I want to get the N5 but I'm coming from the Note 2. I use the spen a lot so I am it sure if this is the best move.

Well I already know coming from the battery life part of this phone is going to be missed..
I just don't see why the new l_g nexus phone can atleast get the same if not better than s4 or htc one..the sealed battery is sealed just like htc one ... Most manufacturers that make the sealed battery phones tend to have to make them right the first time which HTC did very well and so did LG G 2 I don't understand why its alwaya nexus that can't get it together with the battery life issue.
I think if Nexus was a Samsung product or HTC products it would be really sweet
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app

lojak29 said:
Well I already know coming from the battery life part of this phone is going to be missed..
I just don't see why the new l_g nexus phone can atleast get the same if not better than s4 or htc one..the sealed battery is sealed just like htc one ... Most manufacturers that make the sealed battery phones tend to have to make them right the first time which HTC did very well and so did LG G 2 I don't understand why its alwaya nexus that can't get it together with the battery life issue.
I think if Nexus was a Samsung product or HTC products it would be really sweet
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They've already used samsung and htc to make nexus devices already...
I'm really impressed what Lg did with nexus phones:good:

lojak29 said:
So... Can anyone appreciate the N5 coming from a note 2?
How's the battery life for people ?
I wasn't impressed with the Nexus 4 much..
But I want something different. . Ive had LG g2 htc one and s4.
My main concern is batt life .
And is the camera decent ?
Rooting easy with no trip ups?
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life is relative, I get about 16 hours out of mine using it quite frequently
Nexus 4 has its place
That is a lot of phones seems like you can't make up your mind, the nexus 5 will be similar to the g2 minus the back volume deal, and .2 less inch display,
Camera is decent after recent updates
Rooting a nexus phone is probably the easiest thing to do

I had a Samsung GS3 and I switched over to the Nexus 5 16GB black version. I have no regrets. I use my phone heavily (calls, music, messages, games, wifi, data, etc..) and I still have 20-30% of juice at the end of the day and on average, almost 4h SOT (Screen on time).
Sure the battery could last a little longer, but with the punch it packs, you can't really go wrong with the nexus 5 if you want always the latest updates, for example.
Using stock 4.4.2 ROM and stock kernel.

Note 2 battery life is way better
Sent from my Nexus 5

I posted this recently:
A couple of weeks ago, I decided to get a new phone. My Note II was almost a year old! I narrowed down the possibilities to the Note 3, HTC One Max, and Sony Xperia Z Ultra. I'm into big screens because I use the phone for everything, including, a lot of surfing and watching movies. I researched the specs, read the reviews, and tried to make an informed decision.
Before long, I heard that Google was going to release the Nexus 5. I wanted to wait and add it to my list of candidates. My first modern smartphone was the Nexus One, and it's always been my favorite. The only drawback to the N5 was the smaller screen. I needed one device to do it all.
After the Nexus One, I went Samsung. Galaxy SIII then Note II. I flashed, modded, themed, and tweaked the heck out of the Note. I tried a couple of hundred apps, fooled with the S-Pen, and generally had a good time. After the novelty wore off, I spent most of the time stripping down the phone to look and act like the Nexus One.
Back to the present. I couldn't decide what to get and I was sick of researching and reading and talking to people about the phones currently on offer. I rethought the big-screen thing. Tried to think outside the box. Still couldn't chose.
One day, fed up and rash, I went over to T-Mobile and bought the Note 3. When I got home, I began the process of configuring the phone. Although somewhat intrigued with Samsung's bells and whistles, I rooted, flashed CM, and started stripping down to pure Android.*
At some point, it stopped being fun. I think I got tired of spending countless hours trying to change almost every aspect of the device so it would be just like my old N1. It wasn't working, anyway. I just didn't like the phone.
I had made a mistake. I returned the phone to stock, packed it up, and returned it, and even paid a $50 restocking fee. I just wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible. I felt somehow disgusted by it and totally turned off to Samsung. It was weird.*
I walked out of the store, took a few breaths of fresh air, and felt better. Actually, I felt free. Liberated. I was elated. No more Samsung!*
Then, I realized that I didn't have a phone. I turned towards the store and thought about all I had learned about the other phones during my research. Despite the fantastic features and formidable specs of all of them, I was simply uninspired.
I went home, got out my N1, went back to T-Mobile, and activated it. For a week, I happily flashed and modded away. It was great. But I knew that I still wanted a new phone.
Did I really need a phablet? What if I got a phone AND a tablet? Maybe I need three devices; phone, tablet, and PC. It made sense. One device can't, and shouldn't be expected to, do everything. OK, new plan. Get phone first. N5.
I started playing the waiting game. Day after day, I checked for news of the N5's release, wading through the rumors. Then, all of a sudden, bam it was available. Then, bam, out of stock. Three to six weeks on Google Play.
Well, that's not happening. So I paid a higher price on eBay, and even sprung for extra, extra fast shipping. I wanted it completely unlocked, unbranded, unaffiliated, and unadulterated. No problem, I'm on the uncarrier.*
The N5 isn't perfect, but it is awesome. I love it. Pure android. I rooted it and put on Nova, and am going to update to 4.4.1 as soon as I find out how. Then, on to roms.
I got the N7, too. It's awesome.
Life is good.
Sent from my Nexus 5