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Samsung Galaxy Nexus (LTE)
Phone Scoop Review
Dec 16, 2011 by Eric M. Zeman
The Galaxy Nexus, being sold by Verizon Wireless, is the first Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone. Phone Scoop's full review tackles the new operating system in depth as well as the hardware from Samsung. Here are our thoughts. read review ›
User Reviews
Average Ratings
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Too Early For This Phone
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They came out with this phone to early. Nothing seems to work right.
Phone acts like it is going into Mute mode and you cant be heard.
3 ext Batteries a day.
Cheap plastic pops on back.
Phone reboots its self off and on
Size is to big
Lousy camera
Screen looks flushed out.
Going back to the iphone 4s until they get it together.
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I wanted so much to love this phone.
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I wanted so much to love this phone.
PROS:
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1. Picture and video quality is sharp and colors are warm and rich.
2. Phone is very fast and responsive with no lag navigating between screens and applications; pinch to zoom is fluid.
3. Screen size is awesome for viewing videos, movies, picture, etc.
4. Camera is fast with no lag.
CONS:
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1. Canât keep 4g signal and takes to long for data to reconnect when falling back to 3g. Only getting 1 or 2 bars but my wifeâs Droid-X sitting right beside it has 4 bars.
2. Phone feels lightweight and cheap in hand as if I am holding a slice of toast. The battery cover is a flexible plastic snap-on that feels like it is about to snap each time you remove it.
3. Battery life is horrific even considering the overhead for 4g.
4. Voice calls had a slight "tinny" sound as if the caller was using auto-tune.
5. Screen is rather dim, even on highest setting.
6. Internal and external speaker are rather low even on highest setting.
SUMMARY:
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Ice Cream Sandwich is clean and polished but it is boring. I thought I wanted the "pure Google experience" but itâs kinda like a cheese pizza without sauce. The sauce is what makes the pizza. I never thought I would miss Motoblur or HTC Sense. I also feel like I am performing additional steps to accomplish task that only took 1 step in Gingerbread. I wanted so much to love this phone but the CONS were far too overwhelming for me to keep the Galaxy Nexus. I returned it for a HTC Rezound, which is the current heavyweight at Verizon, and I am happy. Google should have gone with Motorola for the Nexus.
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1 full day review
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Pros: Best Screen Quality out so far
Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0
Pure Google Android/ No Bloatware
Pre loaded face lock
Cons: Battery Not What I thougt
No HDMI
NO External SD Card Slot
NO Swype as of yet
5.0 Megapixel camera "come on"
Over all it's a super cool dual core android phone but I'll be going back to the Droid Razr mainly for the HDMI which I already have the cable for and 8 megapixel camera and super sleek thin design of the Razr. This one is not the noticeable winner over Razr for sure.
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Beware of antenna problems
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Had this phone for two days an while Ice Cream Sandwich was awesome, I couldn't use the phone half the time because of problems with the signal. the phone could never hold onto a 4g connection. It would randomly switch back and forth between 4g, 3g, and no service. This was in a good signal area! I took it into the Verizon store and compared the signal strength to other 4g phones side by side and this always had 10-20db less signal strength than all the others. Even their display phone had the same problems. Samsung is known for antenna issues. Don't believe what Verizon says about a software update to fix the antenna problems. Artificially setting the meters to show a better signal will never compensate for badly designed hardware. I reluctantly swapped out the phone for a Rezound. Very glad I did. Don't believe it? look it up on Google and you'll see I'm not the only one.
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I want to like this phone!
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Everything about this phone is great. The only negative thing I have to say about it is that the signal strength is horrible. This will probably be a deal breaker for me!
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Really Happy!!!
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As phone fanatic,
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A Completely Truthful Review
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I have had several android devices, my first one being the Nexus One by HTC. Although I am an android user, I will not be one sided like iphone users. This phone was a complete disappointment. Not just the phone, but the service provider for the LTE version. I ordered two of the Galaxy Nexus phones, and stay directly behind the service providers store. I was unable to get signal strength or 4g speeds on either device. After several days on the phone with the service provider and no fix. I decided to send them back and stay with my current provider. I ordered two Samsung Galaxy S II in white, and I am very pleased.
Pros: ICS
Con: Battery, no Facebook Contact sync, a lag time that is very noticeable when the device is turned to its side, etc.
Although, everyone likes different things these were some things that were important to me. If your anything like me, you will still try it out for yourself. I am just trying to help save you money, because even if you send it back you are responsible for the activation fees. Although, I had one bad experience, I will not be running to any of the iphones period. This review is for true android users, and not those stuck in the middle.
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week signal strength
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I had the nexus for 10 days. I truly loved this phone. I've had many 4G phones like the Charge, Thunderbolt, and the Bionic. I tried to hang on to the Nexus but the signal strength was a little week. I even ignored the signal bar and tested it against other phones like the Bionic, Thunderbolt, and the Rezound. The Nexus buffered during video play while all the other phones played through. Yes, I played HQ vs HQ and etc. The Nexus failed while loading INTERNET pages also. I loved the phone. I didn't have a battery life problem once I stopped playing on it all day and set the Widgets and etc. Up properly. I just couldn't handle the embarrassment from my friends laughing at my slow latest and greatest. Went back to the Bionic for now. Oh, I test the phone in 3g and 4g. Must be the built in antenna.
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Could Not Wait to Get Rid of It
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I ordered this phone the day it was released and paid for the overnight shipping so that I would have the weekend to play with the phone and set it up the way I wanted it. The signal was terrible. In my home (with my Motorola Droid) I would normally get -88 dbm or better. With this phone the best it got was -100 dbm. At my office, I was getting -120 dbm. Needless to say, no calls in or out. No data either.
Another major issue I had was with the size of the phone. Holding it in portrait mode wasn't the most comfortable but the bigger problem occured while holding the phone in landscape mode. While attempting to text, it was torture to stretch my thumbs across the screen to the middle in order to capture the letters. Might have been worse for me since I have bilateral carpal tunnel.
Battery life was terrible but you come to expect that with a smartphone. Additionally, there isn't SD card support.
I traded in the phone the first chance I had (two days later) for the HTC Rhyme and I couldn't be happier.
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Wanted to keep it, but...
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I've had this phone for over 2 weeks, and I must say that I really like this phone - nice form factor (feels much smaller than my previous Bionic), ICS is fast and smooth, great screen, no issues with battery life. However, the signal strength issues were a deal-breaker for me. Verizon's signal is fairly weak when I'm sitting in my office, so when I would receive a call, I would have to bolt out of my office and run to a different part of the building in order to keep the signal. The Bionic was much better at keeping the signal while still in my office. Also, the picture quality from the camera is horrendous! This wasn't a deal-breaker (if I want a good pic, I'll use a real camera), but I would expect better from a smartphone of this caliber.
PROS:
Form factor
Gorgeous screen (although auto-brightness is too dark)
ICS
Nearly zero shutter lag on camera
NEUTRAL:
Battery life - no better or worse than other 4G phones I've seen
CONS:
Signal strength issues
Camera takes lousy pictures
I'm aware that a fix for the signal strength issues is in the works, but didn't want to take a chance and wait for that. I've returned it for a Droid Razr.