All Things Android - Apps, Phones, Tablets - Discussion

4G is FAST. I download a 2 megabyte book in 1-2 seconds.

 

That's fine... I've seen "unboxing" videos of things that have already been unboxed.

It's more to see what type of packaging it comes in, what accessories are in the box and to get that feeling of Nex-mas (credit to visiom88 for that term).

 

It's a Google Experience handset, they're not always flagships - the Nexus is arguably inferior to the Galaxy Note for example.

And since you bring it up, the Nexus S is another prime example.
It was very much not a flagship handset, being released quite some time after the near-identical Galaxy S and lacking features like HD video recording that the Galaxy S supported from day one.

 

It seems like LetsTalk is having trouble processing Nexus orders. Many people are reporting that their order is back-ordered with in-stock date unknown.

 

Oof, that sucks

It's definitely superior to the Note in the "not being comically large" category. I mean it's still big, but the note is gigantic.

 

Isn't that like saying the Enterprise isn't the flagship because the Defiant has more advanced weaponry?

I'm just saying that the Nexus line is supposed to represent Google's vision for Android and I thought expandable external storage was part of that vision (but hockeymass has said it isn't).

No big deal... just wondering out loud (it's the one thing I dislike about the fruit phone).

 

Yes and no.
I think it's more Google's idea of the best Android user experience at the time ( kinda like MS's 'Signature' PCs) and it would seem that, for now at least, they feel that cloud storage is an adequate alternative.

Amazon to save the day?

 

It's backordered at Amazon, at least in my region as well. This is like getting punched to the same eye twice after weeks of waiting.

 

Same thing happened to me with my SGS II, they ended up giving me a $20 off coupon for an accessory for the wait.

 

Nope. Matias Duarte has made the comment several times that the reasoning behind it is that they want to make the filesystem transparent to the user. The only way to do that is to get rid of expandable storage. It's also a one-two-punch, in that it makes the filesystem transparent and also makes the hardware platform more secure.

 

I agree with this... but when Apple says that... the fanbois make noise.

Went to BB today just to look at it... they sold out of their 7 in stock in by 11am (2 people even bought it for the $800 full price... wuh?!?).

But they did have the mock-up... it's not that big actually. The SGIIs seem a bit wider, while the Nexus is taller. And it's really thin... maybe it will be cheaper by the time I can upgrade... but there will probably be a Galaxy S IV octo-core out by then.

 

I never heard Apple cite the expandable storage security thing. I don't think it makes a huge difference securitywise.

I wonder how much of the whole expandable storage thing has to do with the fact that Apple was gobbling up flash chips like crazy in 2009 when Android phones first came on the scene.

 

Well, once you start looking at the source behind Android and looking at what's possible with an SD card slot, we'll have a chat about platform security. Trust me, the omission of an SD card slot makes the platform multiple times more secure.

And speaking of...

Apple Reportedly Buying Flash Memory Company Anobit For $400 Million – $500 Million | TechCrunch

 

I guess I'll take your word for it.

I think I'm onto something with the Apple gluttony theory.

 

You have to admit, it's shrewd business acumen. When you can control the supply chain from end to end, you have reduced component costs. This is the natural extension of Apple buying up a lot of component X now to lock in prices for years, even if they fluctuate up and down. That's similar to how some airlines purchase fuel well in advance hoping that prices will increase enough over time to make that a smart investment.

 

Certainly. And to your airline allusion, even if the price decreases marginally, at least their projections are accurate for revenue, rather than accounting scrambling to make things work with a constant up/down fluctuation.

Certainty is worth the few dollars extra when it comes to business.

 

All things Android...

Like my new HP Touchpad?

 

How did you get that from LetsTalk? Did they just send you it or did you email them to complain?

 

Just played with the Nexus. Ice cream sandwich is phenomenal! This might just be the phone to make me dump my blackberry finally. Really disappointed in the Nexus camera though but everything else looks amazing. What do you guys think, is this really the phone to get or is there something else on the horizon? I don't mind waiting, I'm just fine for now.

 

Just like computers, if you can wait... every year will have better and better tech.

 

And just like computers, if you keep waiting for the next best thing, you'll be stuck with your old POS forever.

The GNex is an awesome phone.

 

Exactly. Agreed to both those points lol.

 

If you don't mind waiting, CES and MWC are so close now that you may as well wait and see what's coming then IMO.


On a different note, my Atrix arrived today - it's locked to Orange.

 

Hey guys, if you go to Verizon wireless website, you can pick up the extended 2100mAh battery for 50% off! It shows $50 but add it to your cart and it's automatically applied. Hope you guys enjoy your new phone as much as I do!

edit: here's the link

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/...&accessoryId=49870&accessoryPageType=homepage

 

If you don't mind me asking, where can I get your ROM from?

Also, this may be a stupid question, if I flash it will it remove any network-locking on the handset?

 

ATM, this is my current release... - ROM - RedPill Beta - v3 - 7/23 - Page 167

I'm working on skinning the remaining gingerbread elements, and I have one or two more tweaks I want to make for general UI consistency, but that's coming in the next few days.

Flashing won't remove network lock. You'll have to call Orange and get the SIM unlock code.

I warn you with the Atrix though... It's very easy to get a brick. VERY easy. So be careful.

EDIT: And by brick I mean full on hard brick. 0x1000 NVFLASH brick.

 

I doubt they'd provide me with one, the handset didn't come from them - Motorola gave me it, they gave me a handset locked a network I don't use.
What's worse is that T-Mobile sell the handset as well, so T-Mobile-locked units exist.

Not that I'd've been impressed if they'd shown up and given me a T-Mobile-locked Atrix.
What kind of two-bit manufacturer hands out network-locked handsets as prizes?

Anyway, apparently Motorola are going to find me an unlock code but the guy who sorts that wasn't in today so it'll be Monday.
Bunch of idiots.

Yay(!)


What size battery does your Atrix have?

 

The worst thing is that TMobile itself exists. Every time I see someone with a T-Mo handset, I just kind of feel bad for them.

 

LOL. Good that at least someone is trying to help, though. Could be worse.

The Atrix has a variable limit battery. Minimum full charge is 1880mAh, and Maximum is 1930mAh.

He's talking about T-Mobile UK, which is a LOT bigger of a company over there than T-Mobile is here.

 

Yeah, that was a little harsh of me - the fact the organisation is shambolic is not the fault of the individuals.
But compared to, say, Samsung's retail staff incentive scheme, this whole thing comes off as slightly cheap and tacky.

It has a what-now?
I guess that explains why the battery says 1,880mAh on it and Motorola's site says 1,930mAh.



edit: this might be another stupid question but this is the first network-locked Android handset I'll ever have used/owned and the first network-locked handsets of any type I'll have used/owned in about a decade...

With the unlock codes, is that just a one-off?
Or am I going to have to put it in each time the handset starts up?

 

Yea, from what you describe of the Samsung program, the Moto one does seem a bit lacking.

Yea, IDK why it's a variable rating, but it is. It still gives phenomenal battery life either way though, if you don't push T2 too hard throughout the day.

Once you enter the unlock code into the phone upon boot with another provider's SIM, it's stored in the EFS partition permanently and never has to be entered again... even if it's SBF'd or flashed with any type of custom ROM or radio firmware.

 

Ok, that's not so bad then.

There's no branding on the handset itself, so once I get CM7 on it it'll basically be impossible to tell it was ever locked to Orange.

 

Nice. Mine has AT&T logos silkscreen'd all over it.

 

thinking of buying a Razr do you guys think it's better than the SII ?

 

It's not better I believe. Because it has a worse SoC ( OMAP 4430 vs Exynos 4210 ), and it has a locked bootloader.

And overall, the GSII has a better screen, despite the Razr's qHD screen.

 

ok thanks, guess I'll just wait for new ones next year

 

If it had had Orange stuff on it, I probably would've complained - not that I can find anywhere to complain to



The fingerprint reader is pretty neat, it seems to work ok albeit a bit laggy.
Is it better in your CM7 ROM?

 

True that it does have a locked bootloader, but it is very easily unlockable. I haven't been following the GSII development for a while, so I'm not sure if you can still zero out the bootloader counter yet or not.

Well, ATM, I don't have the fingerprint scanner implemented. The last time I built the functionality in, it was buggy. I have several people that use my ROMs for business, so I try to keep it reliable. Seems not many people use it or the lapdock functionality, even though the FP scanner is pretty decent on Blur based ROM's.

It's coming though. The version I'm testing out now is pretty decent... only crapped out on me once.

 

I don't have the lapdock - there was some confusion about that which, unlike the handset being locked, was not Motorola's fault.
The Motorola rep told my manager that the handset came with a 'work and play' kit, which includes the HDMI dock and a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, so that the WebTop 'OS' can be used on a TV or monitor. Somewhere along the line the keyboard bit was mixed up with the lapdock.

It's a shame but it also means I'm not bothered about whether or not CM7 supports WebTop.
The only thing I'm specifically interested in is the fingerprint scanner - seems a waste not to use it.

 

You can zero the bootloader in 2 ways :

1. By buying a JIG box
2. Flashing a stock kernel over your rooted kernel.

In the "Stock Firmware" thread at xda on the GSII section, it has all the firmwares released, stable or not.

It's quite easy to put the counter back to zero actually, easier than I thought. I might do it myself.

 

https://plus.google.com/108019745978944993252/posts/RyuYXWSUvd9

Google Wallet on VZW Galaxy Nexus.

 

Nice! I was wondering how long it would take...

Sidenote:

Anyone looking for a good cheap tablet with 3G?
HTC EVO View Android 4G Tablet With 7" Touchscreen, 1.5GHz Processor, 32GB Memory & Bluetooth!

 

So has anybody figured out how to get swype working on the galaxy nexus?

 

Update on my "gotta exchange my phone" conundrum.

The thing's been well behaved so far...no reboots...but I still think I should exchange it...one reboot is too many sorta thing + I'm a bit disillusioned by the phone because I know that as soon as I really get to customizing it, the reboots will start....I just can feel that so I don't want to invest in it. It sucks but it's the truth.

As before, I have a one time opportunity to exchange the phone with Amazon and pay the upgrade w/existing family plan price. I'd then be reimbursed the 40 bucks I paid for the Strat when it gets back in Amazon's hands a few weeks later. The only issue is that my upgrade path, the Droid 3, is 99 bucks.

I have 2 weeks for the price to go down, if it doesn't then I'm screwed.

Here's a new option I haven't considered. Turning in my device to a gadget buy back service like Gazelle. The phone's in perfect condition and I have everything. I could get 205 bucks for it if I go that route. Of course I'd still have the issue of buying another device, tbh I forgot that off contract prices are way more than 200 bucks. *sighs*

 

I exchanged my Nexus this morning for another Nexus. The touchscreen started acting up yesterday afternoon. Still doesn't change my opinion about the phone, it's an incredible device.

 

I can confirm that Google Wallet does indeed work on the Galaxy Nexus. Bought a bottle of Mountain Dew, courtesy of the $10 that Google includes when you first open your account.

There's also an APK, so you don't need to root.

[APP] Google Wallet (Flash: 1.1-R41v8, APK: 1.1-R41v8) [18/12/2011] - xda-developers

 

They're updating Swype to work for ICS. Hopefully will be out in the next few weeks but given the holiday time, I'd say maybe a month or more.

 

Is it the same problem as this?

Galaxy Nexus users reporting touchscreen trouble, lower scores in multitouch games (video) -- Engadget

 

Nope. Actually just tried that app and my phone had no trouble maintaining up to 9 points of contact (my fingers are almost touching at that point, so 10 is a little difficult).

The issue I had was basically that the touchscreen would completely stop responding to my touches, but was registering crazy ghost touches, opening and closing apps, making phone calls if it was unlocked. At first it was intermittent but then it was stuck that way. Easy enough to get it swapped out and this one is flawless so far.

Edit: HOHOHO just kidding I was just able to reproduce this bug on the new phone. The multitouch one, I mean, not the one that caused me to exchange the other phone. Oh this better be an easy software fix.

 

Just got the unlock code for my Atrix, tested my T-Mobile SIM, got 7602kbps down.
That's a good 20%+ faster than my Ray ever got ( see above).