I really wanted to like the Galaxy Nexus.

[Codec]

and it turns out i do now

 

[rg7718]

Shame to hear that you're not digging your GN...the camera is fair to middling at best, so I can understand that. But I have to politely disagree about the screen. It was a big selling point to me, IMHO. That and the stock Android experience. I'm sure I'm not alone on that one. In fact, for the first time in couple years, i don't find myself coveting another phone. All bets will be off when the new Nexus is announced, however Hope you have better luck with another device.

 

[Bren S.]

The display is nice and bright on the home screen and menus but once u go into the web browser it darkens and can't increase the brightness on the browser.

The speaker sucks, and I can barley hear it, when you get a call in a crowded area where there is a lot of people you will miss a call.

The camera is terrible, probably the worst I have ever seen in a smartphone, almost as bad as a flip phone camera.

Well I had to vent, and I guess I will exchange this for something else. Hopefully the new nexus will be better, cause I really wanted a google phone. This is is just a disappointment.

Which Nexus did you get the one from the Play Store or from Verizon?

 

[Kookas]

Don't know what you mean with that first point, I personally haven't ever got it myself. The other two points are valid, though the camera is not that bad to be honest. I don't really take that many photos, but when I do, they're generally in broad daylight, where even the shoddiest of phone cameras can produce crisp pictures. Granted, it would be amazing if it were better in low light conditions, but I've found that most phones suck and produce enormous amounts of noise even in moderately low light, even the iPhone, whose camera is often masqueraded as 'the best on any smartphone'. The speaker, like you said, isn't that great either, and it really doesn't help that they've placed it at the thickest point of the phone so it is perfectly muffed by any surface you place it on, but to be honest, it's not that bad that you can't hear it at all in a crowded environment. Perhaps you ought to just choose higher pitched notification tones or something. I'm using Moby's Extreme Ways, which is the soundtrack to one of the Bourne films, as my ringtone right now, and it's got a very high pitched backing track. You really, honestly could not miss a call with that ringtone.

Still, that's perhaps the only area where my crappy old BlackBerry Curve 8520 excelled - the speaker was amazingly loud, and was positioned pretty much perfectly. In fact, putting the phone down actually enhanced the sound because of the reflection.

 

[Codec]

Which Nexus did you get the one from the Play Store or from Verizon?

verizon

 

[BigCiX]

Hope you have better luck with another device.

I hope Google passes the Throne to someone else to make the next Nexus. Id love to see either LG or back to HTC.

 

[NeutralNovice]

^^ Agreed.

My experience with HTC phones has been phenomenal, except for the fact that they are probably not putting enough pressure on VZW to get their dang phone updated to ICS. Also, had a proximity sensor issue in the last two Rezounds (incl 1 warranty replacement).

Other than that, their radios are super strong and I always get a good signal, speakers are nice n loud, and the build quality is pretty darn decent.

I actually just purchased a Galaxy Nexus with the hopes that it has improved significantly in terms of signal reception since I first tried to get it when it was first release, but I am holding my breath since people still seem to have a rough time with phone signal.

When I receive it, I'll still have the option to return it but we'll see... I truly hope that it doesn't have to come to that.

For the record, I'm trying to leave HTC because I'm so tired of waiting for ICS to come on the Rezound. The wait is so ridiculous and the fact that JB is out now already makes the Rez slightly obsolete when it gets ICS.

 

[AntimonyER]

A lot of people are having success with the App Volume + to increase the phone's volume to a more audible level.

 

[Tim K]

1. Is it only the browser that appears dim? I'm wondering if its a display problem with whites being greyed out or something like that.

2. Do you have Auto brightness turned on? I've found that if I have auto brightness turned on..... then switch it to a set level ... every new app I open or switch to, the screen brightens and dims (even though I switched off the auto brightness). Only a reboot corrects it.

3. As posted above, the app Volume+ can address your speaker concerns.

4. The camera is not the best in the world, but its not terrible, bad, or even mediocre. Can you explain the issues you are having with it and perhaps we can solve your problem?

 

[Lucky Armpit]

The display is nice and bright on the home screen and menus but once u go into the web browser it darkens and can't increase the brightness on the browser.

The speaker sucks, and I can barley hear it, when you get a call in a crowded area where there is a lot of people you will miss a call.

The camera is terrible, probably the worst I have ever seen in a smartphone, almost as bad as a flip phone camera.

Well I had to vent, and I guess I will exchange this for something else. Hopefully the new nexus will be better, cause I really wanted a google phone. This is is just a disappointment.

I was in the same boat as you (wanting to like the Nexus but couldn't), but for different reasons. I'm sorry it didn't work out for you but I have to say the screen on the Nexus was drop-dead gorgeous. And the camera performed flawlessly for me. Sounds like you had a defective phone and exchanging it is the right way to go.

 

[pool_shark]

I've never had my screen dim when in the browser, perhaps you're using a 3rd party browser with a brightness feature (dolphin)?

I never had the speaker volume problem, in fact I've had to turn mine down because the notifications were too loud.

I initially thought the camera sucked, so I switched to camera zoom fx and it did get better but still not great.

I installed a MOD that came with the Sourcery ROM that changes the bitrate for the camera and now it takes very nice pics.

 

[Jersey Tom]

Agree on some points. Camera and speaker volume are disappointing. And it's a flagship product. There should be no need to go screwing around with different apps and fixes and crap to get the expected functionality. It should operate at the expected level right out of the box. No excuses.

Mostly though the one-way call muting just makes me increasingly pissed every time I get it - which is daily.

Just unacceptable from all parties involved - Samsung for sub par hardware, Verizon for completely blowing off months of customer complaints on the muting, and Google for allowing the thing to be released and used as such.

 

[KE4NYV]

Other than that, their radios are super strong and I always get a good signal

I have to preface this with I am NOT picking on YOU, but I can't stand when I read statements like the above. Coming from a strong RF background, I know what goes into transmitting and receiving an RF signal. There are so many variables:

1. Antenna is very important. When I say that, I mean the form factor, gain, placement on the device and design has everything to do with it. For starters, there was a day when antennas were actually helical and external to the phone's body. This meant the antenna was in an ideal location for the best pattern. Somewhere along the way, it was decided (probably Nokia started it) that the external antenna was dorky and it needed to be concealed. This meant going to a patch style antenna, while electrically and RF correct, extremely inefficient and limited. They are a trade off. Limited function vs. "It looks cool". The fact that sites are closer together and have a much more dense coverage area in most areas, the manufacturers can get away with this. The same concept would be if I took the AM/FM broadcast antenna off of your car and made you drive your car to within 100 feet of the broadcast tower. No, you don't have an antenna, but it doesn't matter because the signal is so strong, the receiver is going to hear it anyways.

2. The pre-amp in the device's receiver. In almost all cases, the receiver is not just fed a raw RF signal being received over the air. There is normally an LNA or Low Noise Amplifier between the antenna and the receiver. This is essentially a signal "booster" that takes the RF, amplifies it and then sends it to the reciever's front end. This pre-amp can be a make or break component in the system. Failure of this device or poor design can severely hinder the phone's receiving capability.

3. Cell Site "tower" location and antenna array position. In most metro areas, you can just about look up anywhere and find a cellular array on the horizon, building top, water tower, ect. and that means the area is probably heavily covered. This goes back to my comment regarding antenna design/gain. It really doesn't matter. However, if you live in a rural area like I do, antenna and site location is everything. We have a minimal number of sites, covering a limited area. The patch antenna in my GNEX doesn't hold a candle to an actual antenna that could give me a fighting chance at hearing the site. Instead, my phone stays in search mode 50-75% of the day. It's worse when the phone is in my pocket and my body is helping to detune the antenna, as well as the antenna is in the least optimal position.

I could go on and on about this, but I hope you get the idea...

 

[zebug]

A lot of people are having success with the App Volume + to increase the phone's volume to a more audible level.

I got to +1 this, although I do think it sucks that I need a 3rd party app to fix my speaker volume issues, this app is amazing. I went and bought the paid version for more flexibility and it was soooooooo worth it. I can even lay my phone on the bathroom sink, hit play music, jump in the shower and easily here my tunes now.

 

[DannyJSlone]

I love this phone. Before I rooted it I was a bit worried about the volume. After rooting it and now running Jelly Bean I love this phone. The volume is fine no worse than my other phones and the screen is awesome. As for the camera it works good for me. I have found that by tapping the photo before taking the picture it focuses the camera. Then hold down the button to take the picture and release. Don't tap the button or this moves the phone causing it to blur. If you hold down the button and steady your hand and then release I have no issues with the camera at all. And I know some don't lime to root but rooting this phone is so easy that I can't imagine going back to a non rooted phone.

 

[quickaudi]

1. Antenna is very important.

Have you compared the Nexus antenna design to the design of, say, a Motorola product, like the Razr Maxx?
Just wondering if there is something we could do on ours to improve the signal. I'm guessing that we're beyond the point of soldering on a piece of copper wire here, and I know I don't buy the "wrap your battery with pure gold" stories, either...

 

[Codec]

well maybe i was wrong about the display, but for instance when i am on google, when i hit the settings button on the upper right hand side the screen, it gets brighter, and i am like why can't it be that bright all the time, but maybe it's just white backgrounds that see dim, i don't have auto brightness, i will try the volume app, thanks

 

[Sandroidfan]

Have you compared the Nexus antenna design to the design of, say, a Motorola product, like the Razr Maxx?
Just wondering if there is something we could do on ours to improve the signal. I'm guessing that we're beyond the point of soldering on a piece of copper wire here, and I know I don't buy the "wrap your battery with pure gold" stories, either...

Actually I researched and found the antenna layout of both phones on FCC docs back when Razr and Gnex launched last year. I don't have the link at the moment, but it seems to me that cell antenna placement, shape are very similar between two phones. But Razr is known to have better signal than Gnex. So I wonder where is the part that Moto did right as opposed to Samsung did to Gnex.

 

[Codec]

oh wait Volume+ requires root, and it says it only works with gingerbread?

 

[Demache]

oh wait Volume+ requires root, and it says it only works with gingerbread?

It supposedly works in ICS, just some effects don't work like Bass Boost. Jelly Bean has no support at the moment.

 

[Codec]

It supposedly works in ICS, just some effects don't work like Bass Boost. Jelly Bean has no support at the moment.

does it require root?

 

[Demache]

does it require root?

Doesn't appear so. But I never bought the app since I have no need for it so I don't know for sure.

 

[red66charger]

Coming from a strong RF background, I know what goes into transmitting and receiving an RF signal.

Off Topic:

Spoiler

Do you by any chance know of a way to find out where VZW towers are located? I'm dying to know the location of VZW towers nearest me. I have HORRIBLE reception on my GNex and I am told my area is saturated with 4G.

 

[Codec]

Doesn't appear so. But I never bought the app since I have no need for it so I don't know for sure.

well i used it and really can't tell any difference

 

[Codec]

maybe it don't work on verizon nexus