Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus Review

Post by VerizonAl on Blog 148 1

The Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus

The concept behind the Google Nexus project is simple: build a pure Google phone without carrier interference.  While Verizon has changed a few small things with the Nexus, it is still as close as it gets to a Google phone on Verizon.  The only interference from Verizon is the removal of Google Wallet, which is understandable given the big carrier’s acquisition of their own mobile payment system, and two useful apps (that can be disabled): Backup Assistance and My Verizon Mobile.  Other than that, we are looking at pure Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is one of the cleanest looking phones on the market.  The curved 4.65 inch display has virtually no bezel on the sides.  There are no hardware buttons on the phone other than the volume rocker and the power/unlock button.  Both are ergonomically located and well-thought out.  When holding the phone, the power button lines up with your thumb, while the volume rocker sits under your index finger.  The front houses a 1.3MP camera.  It is constructed of a very durable feeling plastic.  The only cheap feeling part of the phone is the flimsy plastic backing, but is only noticeable upon removal.  While the back is attached to the phone, it has a very nice rigid texture for improved grip.

The standard micro-USB port and 3.5mm headphone jack are placed on the bottom.  Some people dislike the headphone jack being on the bottom, but personally I think it is more convenient, as I put my phone into my pocket top-down.  On the back is a 5MP camera that shoots 1080p video.  The camera also features an LED flash.  The phone, while larger than the Iphone 4s, is almost as thin and lighter.  The overall feel and look of the phone is that of a quality, high-end device.

But it still weighs less…

The software of the Galaxy Nexus is Ice Cream Sandwich, Google’s newest OS.  ICS is a large upgrade over previous versions of Android and is essentially an integration of the tablet OS, Honeycomb, with 2.3 Gingerbread.  The software is very clean, smooth, and quick.  It is absolutely the easiest to use version of Android thus far.

The new features include:

Face Unlock
Redesigned Widgets (resizable) and App Drawer
Improved Notifications
New and improved Camera App with panorama shots
Improved multitasking
Realtime voice input
Highly improved stock keyboard
And more…
For a full list of improvements visit the Android website http://www.android.com/about/ice-cream-sandwich/

The face unlock might be somewhat of a gimmick, but for those of you who are not so much concerned with security, but more a quick and easy unlock feature, it is nice.  The panorama feature works well and the instant shutter on the Nexus is great, but overall I wish the camera was 8MP (not a deal breaker though).  Video quality is nice, though it could use improved stability.  The keyboard of the ICS and the Nexus is probably the best keyboard of any touchscreen on the market.  I could type faster than ever with few to no mistakes.  Also, the realtime voice input is accurate, and learns how you speak to become more accurate as time goes on.  The high-resolution Super AMOLED screen is another highlight of this phone.  Colors and contrast are great and text looks like printed lettering.  Even though it is a pentile display, you would never notice unless you spent too much time researching phone displays.  The extra screen space is great for video and web browsing and the curved glass contours to your face nicely.  Multitasking is fast and efficient between the new panel feature in ICS and the 1.2ghz dual-core processor.  The data speeds are obviously great on Verizon’s 4g network, but does hurt the battery life.  I have not had the phone long enough to measure the average battery life though and will update soon.  Call quality is average for Verizon phones (which is pretty great). The speakerphone could be a little bit louder, but at least Samsung included a pair of headphones and a second microphone for background noise monitoring.  The battery life is the biggest downside of the Galaxy Nexus.  Average use on the standard battery was between 8-10 hours.  Not horrible for an LTE device, but barely competing with other big names.  Luckily, the extended battery adds very little bulk to the phone and, in my opinion, makes the device feel more solid and easier to hold.  With the extended battery, average use is between 10-12 hours for me.  I am having occasional problems with 4g dropping out, but Verizon has acknowledged this issue and is working on an update.

Packaging is consistent with the clean design of the phone.

The Nexus should receive full support and updates from Google, Samsung and Verizon as the ICS flagship phone.  It is one of the most anticipated phones of the year and competes nicely with the other high end phones on Verizon.  While the build quality might not be that of the Droid Razr or the Iphone, the Nexus has it’s own unique style and feel.  What you are really paying for with the Nexus is the pure Android 4.0 experience.  Future manufacturers are unlikely to release a phone without their overlays. Ice Cream Sandwich, the curved glass screen, the buttonless face, ergonomic design, fast processor, 32GB of storage, make the Galaxy Nexus a great buy.