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Galaxay Nexus vs Droid Razr

Hello, I recently just bought a Droid Razr and can't tell if I made the right decision. The store clerk told me the nfl mobile was never coming to the nexus and stuff like that kind of turned me away without really looking into it... My second guessing found that information to false, but I also found nice things about the razr. If you guys could shed light on me, I would appreciate it. I have never had a smart phone before, so I don't really know what rooting or using a kernel is, and don't know really what motocast which seems like a huge plus for the razr. Also im using smart actions to save battery, and it has worked tremendously, but I feel like the nexus has it own version. Another concern is the signal strength. I live in the middle of nowhere. I had terrible reception with a samsung before, but that was on tmobile. I have great with this Razr and was wondering how the nexus compares cause i hear it is worse. It is a concern, but I go to school at Drexel University in Philadelphia, so reception is not my biggest worry. Also just wondering how ICS might compare on the nexus vs the razr, is the nexus's screen really that much better, and is the nexus volume really that soft? I appreciate all of your responses. I still have a week to exchange if I want, but i just don't know!
 
I say if you like the Razr, stick with it... Motorolas have great radios and it will happen in problem/low signal areas in your area. Plus the Razr will be upgradeable to ICS in due time anyway. It's all in your preference. Seems like you've taken a liking to the services offered on Motorola anyway.
 
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I would tell you go with the nexus because I think it will have a MUCH longer life. Its going to be supported by updates from Google for like 18 more months.. The Razr simply will not. Both phones have good points and bad points. Its personal preference.

The Nexus is pure google.. There is no Moto skin on it, but everything can be done with apps off the market.

The Nexus has a better screen. It has a removable battery so you can swap them out if the battery gets low. look around.. there are other threads on this already all over the place. Here, XDA and others.
 
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Op:

I'd place more priority on the device which you physically like better. For the vast majority of users I know, the software on both devices will serve them well, and as stated, the Razr will eventually get ICS. Without any real basis for needs or perspective, the differences between the two won't mean much.

Beyond that, I'd say the Galaxy Nexus is the more future-proof device, given it's a Google experience unit, but by itself, that shouldn't sway your decision.

not sure you are the right demographic for a nexus device
I'm honestly curious, but what demographic is that?

I'm not sure if you're referring to it being a dev device or not, but the GN is just as capable a smartphone to a casual user, as it is a tool to a developer.
 
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^ I agree. The nexus software benefits are balanced against the Samsung hardware shortfalls. It sounds like the software isn't much of a concern for you, so it seems foolish to use it as a deciding factor.

Hundreds of Millions of people have NON-nexus smartphones and don't suffer from a lack of updates. Only geeks (like myself) in forums like this get twisted up around that.

I say enjoy your RAZR.
 
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motocast is similar to zumacast for iphone, streaming media from pc./cloud to your device.
plex apps do same for other android (i have it on me and love it)

anywa i'd rec'md gnex, since you are new to android, you will get used to razr then get tired of blur then root it (in most cases for young ppl) then it gets ICS update then u gonna have to get used to ics again.
so you will end up in ics, so why not skip that and just get ics now.

new features for NFC is awesome as well, google wallet and it works on electric door lock.
 
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I'm honestly curious, but what demographic is that?

I'm not sure if you're referring to it being a dev device or not, but the GN is just as capable a smartphone to a casual user, as it is a tool to a developer.

Part of it is being a developer's device

Part of it is that ICS isn't a finished product yet and for someone who is getting their 1st smartphone, I'm not sure that's the easiest transition.

So why not stick with the Razr, Blur (which may or may not help a 1st time smartphone owner), and avoid the $35 restocking fee?
 
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I appreciate all of your swift replies, it helps me to feel a bit easier about my decision. But could you maybe give me an example of these updates that nexus would get that razr wouldn't. Just wondering cause I see all over the place, but I really don't know it is referring to.

Future unannounced versions of Android. No one knows what new features it will bring.

ICS will be the most significant upgrade to Android for years. Other versions will likely be more incremental and unless you are a big Android geek, you won't be missing much.

As long as you get ICS, your phone will be relevant for 2 years when you are eligible to upgrade again.
 
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Part of it is that ICS isn't a finished product yet and for someone who is getting their 1st smartphone, I'm not sure that's the easiest transition.
I'd have to respectfully disagree. My Wifi Xoom was an obviously rushed and unfinished product, when it was running Honeycomb. It had multiple unfinished aspects to it, one of which was the lack of SD card support. I actually consider ICS to be more polished and more than functional.

It will still receive it's share of incremental updates, but I'd recommend the GN to pretty much any of my peers, in its current form, whereas I wouldn't have recommended my Xoom.

That said, I'd still say any of the premium devices on VZW's network are worth their place atop the android mountain.
 
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I appreciate all of your swift replies, it helps me to feel a bit easier about my decision. But could you maybe give me an example of these updates that nexus would get that razr wouldn't. Just wondering cause I see all over the place, but I really don't know it is referring to.

Just as a ready example, the LTE Nexus is running Android 4.0.2 officially (4.0.3 on GSM and many other devices.) The phone has only been on the market 3 weeks and it's been updated twice with a third on deck.

The RAZR has been out for 9 weeks and had one update.
 
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I'm going to step in and disagree with the majority of the posts here. I had a RAZR for a week before receiving my Galaxy Nexus. I can't even describe how much superior I find the Galaxy Nexus.


  1. While I admittedly live in a rather major metro area, the signal strength has been great for me both in and out of the city.
  2. The volume on the phone is more than adequate, and this is coming from someone who is often called deaf because of how loud I listen to music/TV.
  3. While the build of the RAZR is unique, it's very awkward to hold in portrait mode. I admit, my hands are not "big," but the Galaxy Nexus feels much, much more comfortable in the hand in portrait. That said, in landscape mode, the RAZR is awesome.
  4. 4.0 simply blows away 2.3, IMO. I know Moto has promised 4.0 for RAZR owners, but who knows when that will be. I had an Incredible prior to this phone and always waited several extra months for promised updates.
  5. The Galaxy Nexus will be supported by Google for a longer time than the RAZR will be by Moto.
  6. Look at the amount of interest in the RAZR vs. the Galaxy Nexus, even by number of posts on this forum. I realize it's a small sample size, but the RAZR does not appear to be doing all that great. This only means it will see less and shorter lived support from Verizon and Moto.

With all that said, both are fantastic phones. I just don't know why you'd spend the same amount of money for an inferior phone. Just my two cents though.
 
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I would tell you go with the nexus because I think it will have a MUCH longer life. Its going to be supported by updates from Google for like 18 more months.. The Razr simply will not. Both phones have good points and bad points. Its personal preference.

The Nexus is pure google.. There is no Moto skin on it, but everything can be done with apps off the market.

The Nexus has a better screen. It has a removable battery so you can swap them out if the battery gets low. look around.. there are other threads on this already all over the place. Here, XDA and others.

I have to say this is well said. I'm stuck with a phone for 20 months, and it needs to last. This is google's baby and will be treated as such for a long time.
 
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Oh don't get me wrong, I own a Nexus myself and prefer it

But if I'm looking at it from the OP's point of view: 1st smartphone, not into rooting/ROMS, is it worth the $35 restocking fee? I'm not quite sure it is

You can generally get Verizon to waive the restocking fee if you ask nicely. That said, it'd be worth $100 restocking fee IMO.

I don't see how it being his first smartphone means he should stick with the RAZR. It's not like ICS is so technical that it requires a Ph.D. in computer science to use. I find it neither easier nor harder to use than Gingerbread. I definitely find it far cleaner and attractive, however.

And I don't root and don't see how that has any effect on what phone is the better choice. I would say if you do root, then the Galaxy Nexus is the clear favorite; however, if you don't root, I don't think the reverse is true. Android 4.0 is a far more polished experience than 2.3 (I used 2.2/2.3 for months on my Incredible), whether you root or not.

As for the supposed software engineer who can't operate his Galaxy Nexus, there are no words. Please don't make it sound like ICS is that complex though. I know plenty of non-tech nerds who can use it just fine.
 
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Yeah, the RAZR will probably get two major updates (ICS 4.03, then 4.1 or whatever) and MAYBE one or two incremental updates (e.g. 4.1.1) and that will be it.

The Nexus will get double that, at least, probably up to and beyond Jellybean (Android 5).

Hmm, my Nexus S was Google's baby too one year ago. It was Google's best and only smartphone one year ago. One year ago, what is said here can be said about Nexus S.

Google promised ICS for my Nexus S within "weeks" of ICS (4.0) release. Strange, i am still waiting and we're 2 months past due...despite being, at one time, Google's prime attraction! Sure, Google did try to release ICS to Nexus S a few weeks back, but pulled it due to bugs...and now, not a single word because Google attention is on Galaxy Nexus. As for the update bug(s), you would think that Google would have straighten it out by now, certainly prior to making such proclamation that Nexus S would get ICS within "weeks"...it is as if Google is run by a bunch of amateur software engineers!!

The problem with Google (and the whole Android market) is that only the latest and greatest gets all the attention. This applies to Motorola, Samsung, and, sadly, Google. I believed the Google hype/"experience" at one time...not anymore.

What does this all mean? Well, this whole 18 month guarantee crap that Google has proclaimed may not mean much based on its own history! My guess is that Galaxy Nexus will be yesterday's news (and will be treated as such by Google) once the next gen GN is release later this year. So, what you guys observe about Nexus S now will be your future one year from now. History repeats itself, no?

the razr has an inferior screen, no removable battery, a camera that produces a ton of digital noise in the pics, and if it ever does get ICS it'll be a half assed ICS experience at best. (moto has a poor track record of software udpates).

nexus all the way.

I see that some of you are looking forward to 4.0.3. I am sure that it will bring small changes/updates. But, one of the biggest expectation is the improvement to the camera.

From my experience with Nexus S, Google updates are not always welcomed nor do they fix much of anything. One of Nexus S "update" was to fix the horrible Wifi and 4G radio signal issues...it turns out the update did NOT fix anything, but rather it was more to shut down free tethering and hotspot!! Yeah, so much for Google experience! Remember, despite being Google's precious baby a year ago, the Wifi/4G issues and piss-poor camera remain to this day.

And like what it is now, Google phone camera is behind Samsung Galaxy phone camera in both hardware and software...despite both being made by the same company (Samsung). It was truly sad when my brother's Captivate (Samsung Galaxy SI) took way better pics than my Nexus S despite my Nexus S having a flash and coming out later than Captivate! Sounds familiar??!!

Also if I don't use my phone much, the battery last very very long (over 36 hours) using smart actions, does the nexus compare similarly?

If you're getting this battery life, then why worry? Even if you get worst, then just carry a spare cheapo ($2 on ebay) USB cable around. And since most schools and workplace have computers, use the USB to recharge your phone. Carrying and remembering to charge the backup battery is a pain!!

Unfortunately, this will be the last Google phone that i buy until they get their act together and make a TRUE class leader for Android users, instead of decontenting and treating us like we're idiots!!! Maybe Google should invest all their energy into software development and leave the hardware design to the manufacturers. (Yes, i know that Google phones have been made by Samsung...but Google spec them for Samsung to build.) ICS is very good...they need to invest their energy into that instead of spec'ing out phones that are outdated or just plain POS as soon as they reach the consumers! In addition, they need to b!tch-slap phone manufacturers into making timely updates! With their newfound extra time (from not having to think about hardware stuff), they need to make their software immediately available to all Android phones in a timely manner.

Lets face it, Google's ICS (and Galaxy Nexus for that matter) release has been a joke in terms of hiccups and delays. Is Google having their hands in too many things??

Sorry for rant! :mad:
 
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@Thai, a few things about your rant that i think are worth to be mentioned:

Your device, if i understand correctly, is a Sprint Nexus S 4G. If that's the case, you should know that Google only handles the updates themselves for the unbranded (non-subsidized) vesions of their nexus devices. Your update will be handled by Sprint, not Google.

As for the Nexus S ICS update, you're mostly right: Google hasn't handled the update in the best manner they could. However, the fact that Nexus devices are more future-proof than the rest of Android devices still holds true: there will be an ICS update for your Nexus 4G, which is something your brother can't say about his Captivate.

Unfortunately, all the solutions you suggest are, simply put, wrong. First you propose Google to focus on software and leave hardware development to manufacturers. Let alone the fact that this is essentially what they're doing with Android, this is a Nexus device. And Nexus devices are (wait for it) Hardware Reference devices.

Nexus devices are, basically, spec sheets and design guidelines for every other Android manufacturer to follow, put in the form of a working device, so manufacturers know which SoCs to use, what amount of RAM, etc., while having a device to compare with in terms of final performance. Manufacturers need those guidelines, because they don't participate in the OS development, so when a new version of Android comes out, they need to know what kind of hardware thay have to run it on. Leave hardware design and development of Nexus devices entirely to manufacturers, and Nexus devices become utterly pointless.

So, paradoxally, your idea of how to improve support of the Nexus line of products, if taken into practise, would effectivelly kill the Nexus line of products. Honestly, i find it kind of fortunate that you don't work at Google. No offense :p

Then
 
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