Thinking of switching from S3 to Galaxy Nexus. Help me decide.

[steveu694]

2 months ago I was lucky enough to find a Nexus 7 at game stop. Once I enjoyed the pure google, I felt spoiled.

I enjoy my S3 a lot. I know hardware wise it's the better phone. But the GNex is calling my name everyday.

And before you say it, yes, I know the Nexus 4 is coming out on Tuesday, but I have Verizon, so I don't know if they will get it or not. I'd rather have the Nexus 4.

I need some advice on whether I should dump the S3 and get a Gnex. I've heard the 5mp camera is terrible. Also heard some negatives on battery and reception. Also heard that even though it's google, Verizon is still super slow at updating it.

Basically, the S3 can do a lot of cool stuff that I don't really need and I want a Nexus, period. I want updates - I want all Android.

Please post your thoughts. I can find some new on ebay for around $300. Also, how long are nexus' instant updates good for? I've heard 2 years - I've also heard forever as long as the hardware can support it.

Help me downgrade to a pure google experience. Thanks.

 

[Lato9905]

Think for yourself.

Make your own decisions.

Be a damn fool if you get ride of that s3.

The end.

 

[kevindroid]

youve made up your mind already

 

[offtheRIM]

youve made up your mind already

+1

 

[En4cer2k11]

Why can't you simply enjoy the Nexus 7 Tablet (which is just a larger smartphone anyway) AND the Galaxy S3? I have both and they're doing me just fine.

 

[artman540]

Why don't you root it and put stock android on it?

 

[Evo 5oh]

Your suffering from iwantthatdamnphonebecauseisnewandomg-ritis it happens keep the S3 save your money and pay your bills ... Pay your credit card bills

 

[jackroo]

The lack of LTE on the new Nexus 4 is a deal breaker for me. Once I was spoiled with Verizon's 4G everything else seems slow lol. I was tempted to go from my S3 to a Galaxy Nexus on Verizon but I just like everything on my S3 better.

 

[sperho]

2 months ago I was lucky enough to find a Nexus 7 at game stop. Once I enjoyed the pure google, I felt spoiled.

I enjoy my S3 a lot. I know hardware wise it's the better phone. But the GNex is calling my name everyday.

And before you say it, yes, I know the Nexus 4 is coming out on Tuesday, but I have Verizon, so I don't know if they will get it or not. I'd rather have the Nexus 4.

I need some advice on whether I should dump the S3 and get a Gnex. I've heard the 5mp camera is terrible. Also heard some negatives on battery and reception. Also heard that even though it's google, Verizon is still super slow at updating it.

Basically, the S3 can do a lot of cool stuff that I don't really need and I want a Nexus, period. I want updates - I want all Android.

Please post your thoughts. I can find some new on ebay for around $300. Also, how long are nexus' instant updates good for? I've heard 2 years - I've also heard forever as long as the hardware can support it.

Help me downgrade to a pure google experience. Thanks.

How long have you been on your current Verizon contract? What is the TMo or AT&T coverage like in your area? If you want "pure google", you won't get the Verizon version. You'll dump your VZW contract, sell your S3, and buy the N4 and sign up with Straight talk for TMo or AT&T and enjoy the updates when Google pushes them out. It may cost you ~$300 or so to do this, but if you go with Straight Talk, you'll recoup that in less than a year.

 

[Roll-Tide]

I need some advice on whether I should dump the S3 and get a Gnex. I've heard the 5mp camera is terrible. Also heard some negatives on battery and reception. Also heard that even though it's google, Verizon is still super slow at updating it.

All of this is true... I've had the galaxy nexus. You answered your own question.

 

[SUroot]

The only way nexus gets instant updates is by having the international gsm version. This is the problem with US carriers. They demand unique hardware specifications from the OEM and are not compatible fully with each other. This makes the Verizon or sprint market relatively small compared to everything else.

Google can update the gsm international easily as its built to their spec and probably accounts for 70% of the market for that nexus. It takes longer to update in the US because there are then a further 3 - 4 versions of the phone making up another 20% of the market built to the spec of each carrier.

It's ridiculous really.

 

[davoid]

If you're talking about getting the Galaxy Nexus, which I think you are, as opposed to the LG Nexus 4, then it really is a downgrade. Why?

As someone has already suggested, root your phone and flash an AOSP rom, such as Cyanogenmod 10 for the pure Jelly Bean experience, or Cyanogenmod 9 for ICS. No need to downgrade the hardware.

EDIT: In fact, rooting your phone and flashing a new rom will give you an extra level of satisfaction that merely swapping phones will not.

 

[AntimonyER]

I agree with those saying keep the S3, and put a ROM on it.

 

[DizzyMP]

I've had a Verizon G Nex and recently jumped to the Sprint S3.

All of the problems that you mentioned are true, if you want a pure Android experience keep your S3 and run either CM10 or Liquid Smooth JB. I've been running that for a couple days and it feels just like Vanilla Android, not to mention it's getting pretty good battery life with no tweaking.

Also, just as some others have mentioned, the Verizon G Nex is not much of a Nexus. The only way to keep it on bleeding edge software is to rom it yourself.

 

[fdbryant3]

Someday I need to flash a phone with the "pure Google experience" just to see what everyone is going on about.

Eh but to be on topic.....I'd go with everyone else, save your money and flash the S3.

 

[steveu694]

Thanks for the replies. Bottom line is I'd like to root and get jb that way, but I don't have a computer. Found a bunch of guys on craigslist but the seem really shady. I keep hoping to have jb from Verizon by the end of the month as rumored, but I don't wanna get my hopes up.

 

[fdbryant3]

There isn't much to the rooting process. Borrow a friends computer or perhaps plugin at Internet cafe or library computer and your off to the races.

 

[PlayfulGod]

The only way nexus gets instant updates is by having the international gsm version. This is the problem with US carriers. They demand unique hardware specifications from the OEM and are not compatible fully with each other. This makes the Verizon or sprint market relatively small compared to everything else.

Google can update the gsm international easily as its built to their spec and probably accounts for 70% of the market for that nexus. It takes longer to update in the US because there are then a further 3 - 4 versions of the phone making up another 20% of the market built to the spec of each carrier.

It's ridiculous really.

+1, Honestly tho, GSM is the only way to go with a Nexus device (excluding the wifi only N7 ofc).

You can get the GSM model from Google and take it to T-mobile or AT&T and still get updates from Google when they drop.A CDMA Nexus is a joke and ruins the Nexus experience, not to mention CDMA+LTE devices get horrible battery life regardless of who makes it lol.

 

[bvbull200]

Thanks for the replies. Bottom line is I'd like to root and get jb that way, but I don't have a computer. Found a bunch of guys on craigslist but the seem really shady. I keep hoping to have jb from Verizon by the end of the month as rumored, but I don't wanna get my hopes up.

Downloaded my JB update via 4G while wishing my grandfather a Happy Veteran's Day.

Sprint is a beautiful thing.

 

[Metfanant]

Someday I need to flash a phone with the "pure Google experience" just to see what everyone is going on about.

AOSP is great if you want to lose half the advertised features of your phone

not to mention CDMA+LTE devices get horrible battery life regardless of who makes it lol.

I can pull nearly 6 hours of screen on time regularly with my terrible CDMA+LTE GS3...that's far from horrible

 

[davoid]

AOSP is great if you want to lose half the advertised features of your phone

I wouldn't be able to stand losing Smart Stay.

 

[rcsrich]

I agree with those saying keep the S3, and put a ROM on it.

Heck, even keep it stock & just run something like Apex launcher- close enough to a pure Google experience for me...

You want the Nexus 4 because it's the latest thing, not because it will be markedly better than the S3. If you have to have the latest, get the Nexus- you'll never be happy otherwise. I can tell you from my own experience though that next year when the next new Nexus (or whatever it might be) comes out, you'll be having the same internal battle. Wait until 1) the S3 becomes outdated or 2) it breaks. Oh, or 3) you win the lottery & buy whatever the hell you want whenever you want.

EDIT: Oh, just saw you are talking abut the Gnex- yeesh, no contest...keep the S3!

 

[rcsrich]

There isn't much to the rooting process. Borrow a friends computer or perhaps plugin at Internet cafe or library computer and your off to the races.

There are drivers that need to be installed- think that would require amin privileges that you likely won't have on a "public" computer, but a friends would certainly work.

 

[Ginge]

I can't imagine getting rid of the S3 (until the S4 at least). Not having a removable battery and expandable storage are deal breakers for me. As others have said, rooting is not a big thing... it's fairly easy.