General First Impressions

[Bob Loblaw1]

A lot of people are starting to get their phones an I thought we should have a place for everyone to input their first impressions and possibly to discuss the first mods they are making.

For me, I returned my Galaxy Note II today and have obviously moved to the N4. I am in no way an authority on Android and phone reviews in general so I won't try and add too much to the conversation. I'll just say that even after 1 day, I am MUCH happier with the N4.

While the Note II had a beautiful ginormous display, it wasn't always practical as a mobile phone. At times it felt like there was too much real estate. I like to read texts in landscape mode but trying to use Swype on the Note II in landscape mode was completely impracticable as the swypes were just too long. Sure there is always speech to text but that is usually not perfect and you end up having to swype to fix something anyway. So I would end up having to flip it sideways to read, then flip it upright to text. Annoying.

Also, just holding the Note II in a comfortable way provides it's own challenges. I don't have a car dock for either phone so having to hold the Note II while driving and texting, talking, using maps, surfing etc...proves to be more difficult than with the N4 which is much easier to manipulate with one hand. (I know, we aren't supposed to be doing these things while driving and I try not to but in the end, we all do it from time to time).

I can now tether to my iPad (don't hate!) without having to root or pay more money which is something I use almost all day, every day.

Oh yeah, and I can buy an N7 now for my daughter for Xmas with the savings I got from my Note II.

There is also a freak factor to having a phone that big. People see it and inevitably comment that it's the biggest phone they've ever seen and sometimes bring their friends up and ask you to show them your phone. I'm not kidding, I had this phone only a month and that happened 3 different times. If you like that sort of attention then great but it can be a little embarrassing when someone brings a stranger up to you declaring, "show him/her your phone!".

One thing I will miss from the Note II is watching the NFL Sunday Ticket mobile app. That was pretty sweet on that screen

Speeds have been around 10-15mb down on T-Mo. This phone fly's and everything seems smooth so far. No stutters or hicups yet although I haven't exactly put it through it's paces.

 

[annebrooks64]

I get that with the note 2, people always want to look at it. I have no problem tethering it to anything, I use WiFi hotspot on an unlimited data plan. However I believe that a lot of the carriers in the US have disabled this feature making it difficult to tether.
I'm trying to decide at the moment if I should trade in an s3 for the nexus 4, I'm curious about it. Nice write up.

 

[Gareatron]

This phone is just awesome. Coming from an crappy Motorola triumpth to this. Everything does what's its suppose to do fast and quick. Screen is really nice best I've ever seen in a phone.

 

[quantumrand]

Since I've been using Nexus devices for a while now, I'm just going to skip over the first impressions of the software and jump straight into the design.

Initially, I was a little disappointed with the design. The glass backing worries me a bit, and I'd personally prefer the audio jack to be at the bottom. Mostly, though, I'm finding it very difficult to distinguish not only the top and bottom of the phone, but also the front and back.

I actually much prefer the design of the Galaxy Nexus. Its contoured display and tapered silhouette are unique and visually appealing. The Nexus 4 doesn't have much of that going on.

My opinions on it did change slightly after using it a bit, though. Most impressive, I think, is the rounded glass at the edges of the display. It's a really simple design feature that actually makes a HUGE difference in using the device.

It also seems to be very well put together. The composite plastic they use on the sides feels sturdy and is very grippy. The glass on the back makes the phone feel really solid, though it also adds a bit of unneeded weight. The visual effect is nice, I suppose.

Ultimately, I would have loved to see it with an Aluminum or Magnesium casing (or at least skeleton), but I think LG did a decent job overall. I still prefer the design of the Galaxy Nexus, though - even though it did miss that "premium" feel mark by a bit.

If you want my VERY first impression when I opened the box, it was "Shit...it uses a MicroSIM? Dammit, where are my hobby knives?"

 

[desarenezitic]

To the guy above definitely know what you mean about getting the top and bottom mixed up!

Overall I like the design, looks really good and the back doesn't bother me at all. I think the screen is awesome and 4.2 is great, really like the two finger swipe to get the quick settings but have to remember they aren't all toggles! Not much else on first impressions, just a really awesome phone, I'll add more if I think of anything.

 

[sean76]

Since I've been using Nexus devices for a while now, I'm just going to skip over the first impressions of the software and jump straight into the design.

Initially, I was a little disappointed with the design. The glass backing worries me a bit, and I'd personally prefer the audio jack to be at the bottom. Mostly, though, I'm finding it very difficult to distinguish not only the top and bottom of the phone, but also the front and back.

I actually much prefer the design of the Galaxy Nexus. Its contoured display and tapered silhouette are unique and visually appealing. The Nexus 4 doesn't have much of that going on.

My opinions on it did change slightly after using it a bit, though. Most impressive, I think, is the rounded glass at the edges of the display. It's a really simple design feature that actually makes a HUGE difference in using the device.

It also seems to be very well put together. The composite plastic they use on the sides feels sturdy and is very grippy. The glass on the back makes the phone feel really solid, though it also adds a bit of unneeded weight. The visual effect is nice, I suppose.

Ultimately, I would have loved to see it with an Aluminum or Magnesium casing (or at least skeleton), but I think LG did a decent job overall. I still prefer the design of the Galaxy Nexus, though - even though it did miss that "premium" feel mark by a bit.

If you want my VERY first impression when I opened the box, it was "Shit...it uses a MicroSIM? Dammit, where are my hobby knives?"

I agree with pretty much everything you've said! I much preferred the Galaxy Nexus over the Nexus 4 as far ascetics go. To me the size and shape of the N4 are not good, I wasn't overly impressed what so ever, the shape is funny, kind of like a thick Blackberry Bold 9000, the feel is not premium to me as a lot of folks have said...I hate the fake chrome ring around the phone, and overall I'm not a fan of double sided glass phones what so ever. Sorry Google, just not impressed.

 

[tonytouch311]

Compared to my gnex:

Feel gnex camera is way better than n4.
Data speeds much better on n4.
N4 is more fluid with apps and browser than gnex.
I like the build on the n4, I feel the gnex's edges would hurt my hand when holding it.
I prefer the gnex stock browser over the n4.
Also had the n4 in my pocket with keys and a lighter and no scratches at all!

Over I feel like the n4 is a noticeable upgrade over the gnex.

 

[JunBringer]

I was a critic of glass on iPhones in the past, but having the Nexus 4 makes me realize why they do it. It feels like a luxury device, like it costs more than most other phones, which is funny since it's half the price of high end devices. I love the design. I agree with folks above that sometimes you don't know which way is up etc though, but ah well.

 

[sean76]

I was a critic of glass on iPhones in the past, but having the Nexus 4 makes me realize why they do it. It feels like a luxury device, like it costs more than most other phones, which is funny since it's half the price of high end devices. I love the design. I agree with folks above that sometimes you don't know which way is up etc though, but ah well.

I would have preferred black soft touch rubber where that fake chrome is...just my 2 cents.

 

[g_patrick15]

I agree with pretty much everything you've said! I much preferred the Galaxy Nexus over the Nexus 4 as far ascetics go. To me the size and shape of the N4 are not good, I wasn't overly impressed what so ever, the shape is funny, kind of like a thick Blackberry Bold 9000, the feel is not premium to me as a lot of folks have said...I hate the fake chrome ring around the phone, and overall I'm not a fan of double sided glass phones what so ever. Sorry Google, just not impressed.

Despite all of that, you still bought it. Might I ask why? Not trying to go at you or anything, I'm honestly interested in why you even bought (and sold, but will repurchase down the road) the phone to start with.

 

[g_patrick15]

Personally, I love the design, though it's a bit too slippery. The screen is very nice. The only other design issue I don't like is the speaker on the back. It's hard to hear with the phone face up, and my fingernail keeps getting caught in the recessed area. I find the camera to be superior to the Galaxy Nexus, but it's not important to me at all as I'll hardly use it. I love the premium feel that the device has, too. The Galaxy Nexus won't win any beauty contests, and feels cheaper than it already felt in comparison to the 4. The speaker is loud enough, noticeably better than the Galaxy nexus. I had an iPhone 4 for 8 months prior to my return to Android with the Inspire 4G. The only thing I missed was the design. The iPhone 4, to me, was one of the best designed pieces of tech I have ever seen. iOS (on phones) was not my cup of tea, but they can certainly design a product. The Nexus 4, to me, competes well with the best of Apples design aesthetic. I'm in love with the phisical appearance of the phone, and the software only makes that better.

As far as software goes, I am thoroughly unimpressed with the lockscreen widgets. 4.2 absolutely flies on the hardware, though, and I have yet to receive any force closes or lag whatsoever. Call quality, in my limited time with the phone, so far has been excellent.

 

[sean76]

Despite all of that, you still bought it. Might I ask why? Not trying to go at you or anything, I'm honestly interested in why you even bought (and sold, but will repurchase down the road) the phone to start with.

Yes I'm indeed selling my unit on Friday. Honestly, I most likely won't be purchasing another one though.

All my reasoning towards what I like and dislike will be up tonight when I post my review and thoughts about the phone.

 

[acp]

Compared to my gnex:

Feel gnex camera is way better than n4.
Data speeds much better on n4.
N4 is more fluid with apps and browser than gnex.
I like the build on the n4, I feel the gnex's edges would hurt my hand when holding it.
I prefer the gnex stock browser over the n4.
Also had the n4 in my pocket with keys and a lighter and no scratches at all!

Over I feel like the gnex is a noticeable upgrade over the n4.

Are you saying the Galaxy Nexus camera is better than the N4?

Out of 6 things, 2 went to the Galaxy Nexus, but you said the Galaxy Nexus is the upgrade!

I'm confused.

 

[tonytouch311]

Are you saying the Galaxy Nexus camera is better than the N4?

Out of 6 things, 2 went to the Galaxy Nexus, but you said the Galaxy Nexus is the upgrade!

I'm confused.

Sorry meant to say the n4 is a noticeable upgrade!

 

[JunBringer]

Personally, I love the design, though it's a bit too slippery. The screen is very nice. The only other design issue I don't like is the speaker on the back. It's hard to hear with the phone face up, and my fingernail keeps getting caught in the recessed area. I find the camera to be superior to the Galaxy Nexus, but it's not important to me at all as I'll hardly use it. I love the premium feel that the device has, too. The Galaxy Nexus won't win any beauty contests, and feels cheaper than it already felt in comparison to the 4. The speaker is loud enough, noticeably better than the Galaxy nexus. I had an iPhone 4 for 8 months prior to my return to Android with the Inspire 4G. The only thing I missed was the design. The iPhone 4, to me, was one of the best designed pieces of tech I have ever seen. iOS (on phones) was not my cup of tea, but they can certainly design a product. The Nexus 4, to me, competes well with the best of Apples design aesthetic. I'm in love with the phisical appearance of the phone, and the software only makes that better.

As far as software goes, I am thoroughly unimpressed with the lockscreen widgets. 4.2 absolutely flies on the hardware, though, and I have yet to receive any force closes or lag whatsoever. Call quality, in my limited time with the phone, so far has been excellent.

I'll prettymuch second all of this. Feels so nice and by now I'm used to the slipperyness. I don't know what is it about the screen but I just love it. It's gorgeous. The auto-brightness keeps it pretty dim most of the time so I've been turning it off here and there and am just blown away by how gorgeous everything looks, even text.

 

[Tinmania]

Speaking of the speaker (ahem). I sure hope the case I ordered has holes or a cutout for it.

Wish Google had the bumpers in stock. It really looks nice from what I have seen so far.

As for the N4... I am loving it so far. Came from a long line of iPhones dating back to the first one.



Mike

 

[Thats]

I can't believe I am saying this, but I miss the hump on the Galaxy Nexus, if only so that I knew which side was which when I grabbed it in my pocket. I really notice that I hold this phone REALLY TIGHT when I am pulling it out of my pockets, also. Damn slippery glass.

 

[androidpod]

I'm a big fan of simple, clean, and conservative styling. This N4 is everything I had hoped for when it comes to shape, size & design.

Sometimes it's easy to confuse the front from the back when retrieving it from my pocket, yet in no way does that bother me. Since there's almost no difference, the advantage I notice is it's comfortable in my front pants pocket no matter which direction it's in.

Everything else is just like I expected since I believe I've read 99% of all reviews before it arrived. The rare fact (for me) is this is the first of all the smartphones I've owned that has every feature I want, and nothing I don't.

It's a very satifying phone that has no significant downsides from my perspective. Perfect? No, I haven't had or read about a phone that is.

Excellent? Yes! At least for my rather demanding usage, the N4 fills the bill very nicely. So much, that frankly it's almost too good to be true.

 

[desarenezitic]

Oh another thing, don't know if this is because of 4.2 or not but I am really happy we can now delete/remove apps off of the 'All' tab in the Play Store. Can now clear down that list and get rid of any apps I installed and tried but will never use again.

This makes the OCD in me happy.

 

[MartinS]

After a week of ownership, I'm still really happy with the N4. Everything seems to run like lightening (and let's face it, the GNex wasn't bad), the screen is brilliant and finally (since the N1) we have a premium feel on the hardware.

I'm not going moan about micro sim (what's to moan about), lack of SD and none removable battery. I have an N7 with OTG for movies when travelling, iPod which lives in the car for music and plenty of opportunity to top up charge if required.

My only minor gripe is rebooting. This has happened 4 times now in varying circumstances. Today I switched the screen on when I got up and everything was frozen including the clock 4 hours in the past. The phone then promptly rebooted and away we went again.

A minor niggle in a near flawless experience.

 

[JunBringer]

I'm pretty lucky in that I haven't had any random reboots. I had a couple apps crash, like Settings (oddly enough) but that was only a couple times.

 

[Rocco2012]

Phone is awesome. Everything i expected and more. Have not had any reboots.
Only problem is the battery but the phone is still new and i am constantly playing with it. I find myself turning it on for no apparent reason just so i can admire it lol.

 

[JunBringer]

yeah same here, I'll flip through the notification pulldowns and the app drawer and just look around lol

 

[nycnyc]

A little late in posting my first impressions, but here we go.

The phone is lighter than I thought it would be, but it feels plenty solid as well. Love the curved glass and it feels great whenever I'm swiping from side to side. The curved edges of the phone help it fit in the hand really nice and the rubber sides, while not very grippy, provide enough grip to make it feel reassuring.

 

[androidpod]

Just checking in to report that after several very long... intense days of heavy usage for business and personal, I am simply blown away at the reliability, stability, consistency and fun I'm having with my Nexus 4.

Wonderfully devoid of any problems, or annoyances, I could not be happier.

At the risk of "jinxing" my phone... the silly thing is just unbelievable.

This is the phone I've been waiting for, and dreaming of, for a very long time.