What you signed up for.

[Uzza]

You may have thought that you were buying a mainstream phone when you signed onboard with the Nexus. You may have said to yourself..look at this Flagship phone, its the symbol that will set me ahead.

As a merchant marine who had the honor of bringing out the U.S.S Pride of Hawaii five years ago, I have a warning. Flagship means untested. Flagship means new.

Do you feel the urge to continue to week your home screen? Do you continue to look for apps to extend the phones abilities? Are you an ambassador of Android to others? These are all to be expected of users of this prototype. When you run into a flaw, overcome it. When you find a hidden feature share it. But respect the journey. You are a User.

 

[Jay3]

I like the point of the OP.

The whole culture of open source Android is different, and can be amazing. This isn't the iPhone of Android. There is no iPhone of Android.

There's not even a 4G iPhone out there, because that feature will be bestowed upon iPhone users when and if it's perfect enough to work with no issues whatsoever. That's the iPhone/Apple culture -- control the user experience. One solution for all. Premium experience but not an exciting, cutting edge, pioneering experience.

This is different. Finally, the Nexus experience launched on Verizon, which enable true 4G with its LTE nework. This is the first time that the most up to date version of the OS launched on the most advanced data technology. It's exciting, and it's worth a whole lot of putting up with minor signal issues or battery issues.

 

[Jersey Tom]

Flagship, 3rd and 5th Fleets:

...is how I like to think of it.

 

[Frisco]

You may have thought that you were buying a mainstream phone when you signed onboard with the Nexus. You may have said to yourself..look at this Flagship phone, its the symbol that will set me ahead.

Well, I'd hazard a guess that a very high percentage of Gnex purchasers are reacting to the "flagship" or "leading edge" hype that the pr arm of the manufacturer came up with in ads. Those that aren't or didn't probably just want what is brand new on the market and what seems cool to get right now. Pretty darned good specs on the thing.

As a merchant marine who had the honor of bringing out the U.S.S Pride of Hawaii five years ago, I have a warning. Flagship means untested. Flagship means new.

lol.. well, certain words and phrases morph meaning a bit with time, especially when millions of people see those words or phrases used in a context meant to sell something. "Flagship" now means something more like "most noticed in our lineup of products," I think.

Do you feel the urge to continue to week your home screen? Do you continue to look for apps to extend the phones abilities? Are you an ambassador of Android to others? These are all to be expected of users of this prototype. When you run into a flaw, overcome it. When you find a hidden feature share it. But respect the journey. You are a User.

There is something regimented, almost military about that paragraph there. It sounds almost like an order, not an opinion, when in fact it is an opinion, just like everything I'm typing in response.

My opinion about the "urge to tweak" is that most smartphone users get them for that as a secondary reason. The primary reason being all those great goodies in there: GPS, camera/camcorder, texting, email, social networking (Facebook, etc), multimedia (music/videos/movies/books), etc.. and oh yes, a telephone as well.

 

[iDon't]

From Wikipedia:

A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the first, largest, fastest, most heavily armed, or, in terms of media coverage, best known.
Over the years the term "flagship" has been borrowed in metaphoric form by industries such as broadcasting, automobiles, education, and retailing to refer to their highest profile or most expensive products and outlets

I think you could put the Galaxy Nexus in any of those definitions:

1. It is in essence Android's flagship, "reflecting the custom of its commander" and not the add-ons from manufacturers (Sense, TW, Blur, etc). Extending the metaphor further, ICS would be the "distinguishing flag" as no other phone has it.
2. Pretty hard to find a better spec'd phone currently available (HD screen, LTE, NFC, ICS)
3. At least for Google, this is their highest profile device. And short of the Droid RAZR, ReZound, or iPhone 4s, would probably be the highest profile device in general (still waiting to see if Verizon does any more significant marketing for it). At least within the tech community, I would think it would be fair to call this the highest profile device. Heck, just look at how massive the pre-release thread was).

 

[Uzza]

Dont webster me son.

This phone is built to.make us a bunch of guiney pigs. Im just reminding folks that its an honor and for those who posess the skill..a great advantage.

 

[bjanow]

I'm not quite sure what's going on here but this phone got hyped because it was the best hardware that was available when announced, the bootloader was unlocked, and devs were about to jump on it for customizations. You can call it whatever you want, flagship, dev phone, cool, it doesn't matter to me one iota. I'm enjoying the heck out of it. We've just begun to fight, as they say.

 

[theartfullodger]

Err.. nope, Flagship does not (necessarily...) mean new ..

What is it you consider an "honor" (weird spelling btw..)??

Cheers!


Artful

 

[crankerchick]

While I agree, simple things like having a smartphone that, at its heart is a utility for making phone calls and receiving data, shouldn't have a problem with either of these 2 basic functions, "flagship" or not.

I really like my Galaxy Nexus, but I don't think being a "flagship" device means dropping 4G data when other phones can keep it, or dropping 3G data when other phones can keep it. That's not the mark of being "flagship" that is the mark of being broken.

 

[Techno Tonis]

Err.. nope, Flagship does not (necessarily...) mean new ..

What is it you consider an "honor" (weird spelling btw..)??

Cheers!


Artful

weird...spelling...?

SON, THIS HERE IS 'MERICA.

We don't spell honor with a "u".

 

[baldbull]

I guess I just have to say to the OP - Duh!

Most people who went out and got the galaxy nexus are the early adopters (according to Rogers diffusion of innovations 1965). If I wanted to get a device that was proven, tested, etc, I would wait until the new ICS devices come out in March 12. This is the same with all new technology and releases.

 

[gripweed]

The only way I find the iPhone superior to Android in general is accessories. You can find any case, any speaker, any adapter, any holder, etc for the iPhone. There are so many Droids out there, we don't get to experience that.

I hope the Nexus really takes off as a very popular phone and we see more accessories for androids....or maybe if all the droid manufacturers come together and streamline them enough to where 3rd parties can start making things to fit 80% of the androids out there...that'd be swell.

 

[Uzza]

If you read my post and said duh, I am with you. Just trying to help those who cant handle a bug or two understand the privileage of going through this procees. There are those who would pave paradise to put up a parking lot..and I am here to help them understand.

So forgive me my fellow warriors. I am but a teacher of our young.

 

[baldbull]

If you read my post and said duh, I am with you. Just trying to help those who cant handle a bug or two understand the privileage of going through this procees. There are those who would pave paradise to put up a parking lot..and I am here to help them understand.

So forgive me my fellow warriors. I am but a teacher of our young.

I was just being sarcastic to the ones who are not agreeing with you - as if it should be common sense to experience these bugs

 

[creektrails]

I came from the Omnia (windows) I purchased the Nexus for the android experience and I thought that the hardware would be groundbreaking. I am not disappointed but am not overwhelmed with glee. In part, because I did not understand the raw android would b .... raw. I hoped for a better camera because I wanted something much better than my old one. Negligable. I do love the screen size and res. I do love the curve on the screen. I am considering trading for the Razr but the item the OP mentioned might keep me here. Fastest updates. I just wasn't prepared for what I got due to the hype. I am beginning to understand now and refuse to be a I-lemming so I may come to love this phone after all.

 

[ZachMob]

The Galaxy Nexus was never meant to be a beta phone. It is supposed to work right out of the box just like the iPhone 4s.

If you have to worry about tweaking the phone to overcome bugs, then it is a major problem for the device and Android as a whole.

The whole point of Ice Cream Sandwich is to fix the shortcoming of previous Android versions. Matias Duarte marketed the phone as Android with a soul that provides a rewarding experience to its users.

If I wanted the beta experience, there are hundreds of other Android devices to choose from.

 

[Uzza]

Zach.

What do you base your remarks on? If you have been paying attention you will understand that Nexus is a developer phone ment to give a "clean" enviorment in which modifications are to be made. Zach try and type in someones name using T-9 on the dial pad..won't work? Zach watch a xvid file or any other of the popular codecs..wait..you can't? But in almost every crap phone you can buy..those features come stock! If you think this is the phone to buy that comes ready out of the box you are embaressingly mistaken (sp intended). You could have taken a hint from the white canvas box, perhaps a message from Google "Here is the blank canvas, now paint away..".

Creektrails,
The above seems like negatives. I promise you they are not. By training yourself to use this phone, you will master Android. Fresh updates are the tip of the iceberg of whats possible. This community exisits for you. Do you have a feature you are missing from Windows? Does your imagination suggest your phone should be able to do "x"? Its likely that we can find a way together. This phone is flexible enough to bend to your will. Just have to be willing to explore, and perhaps to put up with the flaws that exisit now but will be fixed later. Because I assure you..this phone is not like any other brand..its flaws will be addressed. Ive owned the G1 the cliq the D2 the DX the DX2 the NS the Bionic the Fasinate and now the Nexus Galaxy. All of the other phones besides the nS had flaws which will never be addressed. But this ship is manned by great minds, and you wi due well to cast your beleifs onto it.

Until we meet again brother.

 

[ZachMob]

No where in the Galaxy Nexus's marketing mentions developer phone for beta testing.

The Nexus is marketed of having the latest OS versions with a pure Google experience. It is the flagship device which shows off Android's latest capabilities.

When its flagship device has bugs, it reflects badly on the OS. If the Galaxy Nexus wants to be the ambassador for Android, it better work out of the box.

If you buy the latest iPhone or WP7 Nokia phone, you aren't expecting bugs. Google needs to be held to the same high standard instead of excusing sub par performance.

 

[elitegamer]

Wrong! Nexus is iphone of android hands down. just like iphone its not a perfect hpone no phone will be.

I like the point of the OP.

The whole culture of open source Android is different, and can be amazing. This isn't the iPhone of Android. There is no iPhone of Android.

There's not even a 4G iPhone out there, because that feature will be bestowed upon iPhone users when and if it's perfect enough to work with no issues whatsoever. That's the iPhone/Apple culture -- control the user experience. One solution for all. Premium experience but not an exciting, cutting edge, pioneering experience.

This is different. Finally, the Nexus experience launched on Verizon, which enable true 4G with its LTE nework. This is the first time that the most up to date version of the OS launched on the most advanced data technology. It's exciting, and it's worth a whole lot of putting up with minor signal issues or battery issues.

 

[Uzza]

Never mentioned marketing.
Only the reality of what nexus is and has been.

But your right..iPhone is released bugless..with no issues what so ever.

Your holding it wrong Zach.

 

[ZachMob]

Never mentioned marketing.
Only the reality of what nexus is and has been.

But your right..iPhone is released bugless..with no issues what so ever.

Your holding it wrong Zach.

Well Google must be guilty of deceptive advertising then. Where was the warning that it was for developers only?

All new phones have some bugs but they are not features or should be romanticized. They suck and Google should have done more to make sure they are eliminated on its flagship device.

 

[zerocool79346]

Well Google must be guilty of deceptive advertising then. Where was the warning that it was for developers only?

All new phones have some bugs but they are not features or should be romanticized. They suck and Google should have done more to make sure they are eliminated on its flagship device.

Like when the 4S was released with a terrible battery bug (that has not been completely rectified as of now)? Or when the 4 came out but if you held it with your right hand you couldn't make calls(and Apple's official stance was "to hold it differently"?

The Nexus has never been about perfect user harmony, it has been about introducing the newest Android version with no limitations to the way it could be customized. I understand your frustration, but OS bugs are inherent to ANY major overhaul of ANY OS (iOS5 battery life, Windows Vista's overall suckage...etc). The good news about being on the ground floor of the OS as the Nexus is, is that you will be on the ground floor of the fixes.

 

[ZachMob]

The Nexus has never been about perfect user harmony, it has been about introducing the newest Android version with no limitations to the way it could be customized. I understand your frustration, but OS bugs are inherent to ANY major overhaul of ANY OS (iOS5 battery life, Windows Vista's overall suckage...etc). The good news about being on the ground floor of the OS as the Nexus is, is that you will be on the ground floor of the fixes.

Ice Cream Sandwich is supposed to bring user harmony to the Android platform. It is a revolutionary step in Android development where it becomes a complete unified OS instead of a hacked together iPhone wannabe.

I am overall satisfied with the Galaxy Nexus, but don't like the idea of accepting that it is a beta product for geeks only. The Galaxy Nexus is intended to be a mainstream consumer device as much as it is a toy for geeks to tinker with it.

 

[zerocool79346]

Ice Cream Sandwich is supposed to bring user harmony to the Android platform. It is a revolutionary step in Android development where it becomes a complete unified OS instead of a hacked together iPhone wannabe.

I am overall satisfied with the Galaxy Nexus, but don't like the idea of accepting that it is a beta product for geeks only. The Galaxy Nexus is intended to be a mainstream consumer device as much as it is a toy for geeks to tinker with it.

Its really not and neither were the 2 generations before it, but you're free to continue thinking that. There is a reason that it doesn't get the same mainstream marketing the Rezound and Razr do, it was never meant to be mainstream.

 

[Uzza]

The Nexus is ment to bring user harmony like Anakin was ment to bring balance to the force...just not in the ways you would have perdicted
..muahahahah