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Happy Birthday VZW Galaxy Nexus!

Romparoo

Android Enthusiast
Feb 13, 2010
615
74
Arizona
Today has been 1 year since the GNex hit Verizon. Who here like me picked this up on day 1, December 15 2011?

After a year I am still very pleased with this phone. I have never placed a screen protector on this beautiful phone and still have a flawless perfect screen :D
 
Wow, has it really been a year? Damn. I still love it, would still put it up against most phones out there today, and every time Sourcery comes up with something new, it always makes me feel like it's a new phone. Can't beat it :) I dare say one of the, if not THE, best phones I've owned to date.
 
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I was outside the store at 8:45 AM, waiting to be the FIRST one inside. I ran in, found the Nexus on the shelf and said "I want THAT one."

"Oh, the Nexus? Have you even looked at what an iPhone can do? Or maybe THIS great Android phone?" :)

"I want THAT one."

And THAT one I got. That day I sadly placed my Motorola Droid Dee into retirement and Ginny has been my constant companion ever since. And yes, I name my phones :p
 
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Yup, I ordered online on day one! Still very happy with mine, as well. Best phone I've ever had. I will admit that I went and bought my dad the RAZR M to replace his Casio Gzone that was still in good physical shape, but OS-side, was falling apart. It was put in an Otterbox before I left the store, but when I had to take it out of it later to put his SD card in... I admit I was drooling a little bit. lol. Even so, I'm still very happy with this. The battery life is really the one bad thing. But since I bought the 2200 mah extended battery, I keep the original in a snap flap in my wallet where I hold my business cards. So for a long day that I'm out in the field, away from a charger, I just switch batteries out since it's always with me.

Ever since buying that RAZR M for my dad, I have been looking ahead at what might interest me in the future. Nothing really grabs me right now. The Galaxy S3 and the various RAZRs are all pretty decent, and then there's the DNA. But it'll be something after that that gets my attention. Maybe the Galaxy S4? There's rumours that it will have a flexible display. Which seems a bit silly, but who knows, maybe it will happen.

The big question for me is.. do you think you can make it to Dec. 15, 2013? The full two year contract. It's hard for people like us to keep a phone for two whole years. I could see it happening for some with this one, but I think by summer, I'll probably be ready for something new. Either buying it full retail or using someone else's upgrade on my family plan (yeah, I'm 25, but not married, so it's really the best bargain being on a family plan, lol). What about you guys?
 
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I don't think I can go to a non nexus device after the gnex. Even with Verizon slowing down updates, it's still faster than just about any other device they off. Plus with direct AOSP support, a huge development community, and how easy it is to root/rom/mod, it makes it impossible to go back to some skinned device. Plus with Verizon attempting to lock down any device they get their greedy little hands on, it makes me appreciate this one even more.

If the FCC doesn't enforce the Block C regulations on the Verizon's LTE spectrum, I will probably leave them. If they do, I will attempt to wait out Google releasing an LTE phone with Verizon bands and just stick to the VoLTE service. Hopefully my phone envy and urge to upgrade doesn't overtake me by that point.:p
 
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Well they're saying that everywhere that has 3G should have LTE by sometime next year, right? Even so, I think it will be 2014 before we can really rely on just 4G for phone calls when in remote areas. Unless you don't do much traveling. I don't really do all that much, but with what I do.. I don't know. It'll definitely get here-- that's the way that it's all moving. But I don't think it'll be 100% reliable next year any time.

I can't see myself leaving VZW unless one of the other players REALLY steps it up. I also don't see this happening, unfortunately. But as long as the rooting process is possible, even if a little bit difficult, on whatever device we're talking about, and it has a development community behind it making new ROMs (this will be a must), then I think I'd be good.

It is definitely something I will/ would hate to lose. But Verizon screwed Google over too much to ever get another Nexus. Which is the Block C regulations? Is that where they are supposed to have to allow any device onto their network that has the correct hardware?
 
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If enforced properly, it basically says verizon cannot deny compatible devices from using that frequency, or prevent apps from doing so. It also prevents verizon from restricting data flow to a device, essentially preventing throttling. It was because of these block c regulations that verizon got slapped by the fcc for blocking tethering apps while on limited data plans. So it more or less transforms the LTE frequency into as GSM frequency because they will not be able to block devices from access to it. However it remains to be seen if verizon's control freak nature will try to prevent that and if they do whether the fcc will do anything about it.
 
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I realize I'm a day late, but I just wanted to stop in here for the first time since about 1 year ago today and say hi :)

I remember participating in the craziness that was the grand pre-release thread, and all the morsels of speculation and insider information that we could gather. It really was a great time. (probably the best waste of time in my life :p)

Anyways, just wanted to let everyone know that I've held onto the same exact phone I unboxed on Dec. 15th, 2011 :D No returns or anything like that. It's been working like a charm for the most part.

-scottg96
 
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I've merged the two different threads about the 1 year anniversary for Verizon Gnex users into the same.
I realize I'm a day late, but I just wanted to stop in here for the first time since about 1 year ago today and say hi :)

I remember participating in the craziness that was the grand pre-release thread, and all the morsels of speculation and insider information that we could gather. It really was a great time. (probably the best waste of time in my life :p)

Anyways, just wanted to let everyone know that I've held onto the same exact phone I unboxed on Dec. 15th, 2011 :D No returns or anything like that. It's been working like a charm for the most part.

-scottg96

It's good to hear from you Scott and congrats on still holding onto your original Gnex. Both my gf and I are on our originals as well and they still work beautifully. I really love this phone and it is my favorite device to date. I usually get phone envy by now and I don't even have a drop of it. The nexus 4 would have been nice, but no Verizon + contract = stuck.

wow time flies, 1 whole year. I too have the same phone from launch... and just this weekend a buddy of mine was showing off his iPhone 5's panorama ability and everyone was like..." wow that is amazing, I bet your Droid can't do this" I laughed and told them I've been doing that for a year now.

I've done the same thing, and it's so hilarious to see their faces.
 
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I am a new owner of a Galaxy Nexus on Verizon. Got one in flawless condition from Ebay as an upgrade from my LG Revolution. I did this so I can keep my unlimited data, and so far I am satisfied. I really like the Galaxy Note 2, but couldn't justify $700 for a phone. The Nexus was less than a 1/3 of the that, and I am very happy with the phone so far. Coming from Froyo to Jelly Bean is a massive improvement, and for a phone that is a year old, it sure doesn't feel like it.
 
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been on my original since late January. i have no coplaints about it other than the "grainy" look to the screen. not sure if i am just getting more picky, or it is getting worse, but it is actually starting to bother me now. i dunno. still love the phone, it absolutely FLIES on 4.2.1 and does everything i need it to do and More. happy customer here.
 
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Something I was just joking with a friend about-- so I'd say that most of us here are probably the type to have always been itching for a new phone after one year or sooner. But that's not the case now. So for those of us who are single, use this as evidence to any potential lady friend that you're capable of a committed relationship and would be a good choice as a mate. lol.
 
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Something I was just joking with a friend about-- so I'd say that most of us here are probably the type to have always been itching for a new phone after one year or sooner. But that's not the case now. So for those of us who are single, use this as evidence to any potential lady friend that you're capable of a committed relationship and would be a good choice as a mate. lol.

I'm not sure if that works the way you think it works. ;)

Still, my Nexus has proven to more than sufficient for my needs, and if anything, I wish the battery was better, but I'll live. Speed wise, it plays all my games fairly well, and doesn't bulk at doing simple tasks (I'm still impressed that Flash Player works damn near flawless on this performance wise). I'm sure I won't feel its obsolete until my two years are up. And even then, who knows.
 
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