Nexus 4 Honeymoon: is it over?

In lieu of my HTC One curiosity being piqued, I'm now trying to appreciate the overall simplicity from the Nexus 4 design. In comparison to the One, it doesn't seem to show off many bells and whistles, but there's something to be said about the allure of holding a Google phone... not to mention a version that's been a HUGE improvement to previous generations. Its soft touch plastic and glass may not appear to trump the look and feel of aluminum carved and etched in all the right places, but there are moments when its smoothness and keyless front face exude a certain sexy appeal. Yes, this rambling may indeed be the product of nostalgia from a former Nexus One user. :-)

It almost feels like I'm the owner of a reliable, adequately stocked Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg trying to not get too tempted by a more upscale Audi A4. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't torn between having the Nexus 4, wanting the One, and even missing the S3 (to a certain extent). Maybe if I just take a breath, slow down, and wrap my head around the fact that it's just a smartphone that surely proves to be sufficient thus far in spite of my nitpicking, I can learn to appreciate Google's offering. Hmmmm.

There's also the constant draw of exclusivity as a Nexus user, for to me, the Nexus line does stand apart from other Androids due to its blessing from Google. When I hold the Nexus 4, I can almost get that same feeling I used to have with the likes of the Nokia E90, E7, N9 or N900. Honestly, this is a silly notion considering ANYBODY can get their hands on one, but oh well. I have wondered if I'm better off going back to Symbian, but then I'd be relinquishing the benefits of Google's services. End of tech crazed rant. Back to sleep I go.

Google Nexus 4: First Impressions

On this night, here are my impressions of the Google Nexus 4 thus far: LG's hardware refinement ABSOLUTELY slaughters the plastic Galaxy lineup from appearance and feel alone. I spent a few moments simply marveling at the glass and shimmering build components. Being back with stock Android initially feels like a cleansing from years of TouchWiz, but I admit that it will take time to go without certain software tweaks.

Surprisingly, the lack of expandable memory beyond available 12.92GB isn't an issue since my music content is primarily from Spotify or Google Music via home wifi. While away from home, I tend to rely on MP3 discs in my Saturn Aura or MOTOACTV for music anyway. Time will tell how long this internal storage will last me, but at this time I'm not worried one bit. Speaking of music, the Nexus 4 was recognized by the Nokia Play360 via NFC and proceeded to transmit audio wireless with NO trouble (unlike that damned S3)!!! The camera is sufficient for my needs with smooth pinch-to-zoom, and I am quite impressed with the filter and framing effects readily available in the Gallery app.

For less than impressive, the tinny loud speaker volume has less substance in comparison to the Galaxy S3. Wireless charging with the Nokia charger seems finicky at best with random disconnect errors, but I plan to sell it for the more compatible Qi charger anyway. Being without a tactile home key and its flanking capacitive commands stings a bit in navigating the UI at certain times, but it's not a huge deal as deprogram my brain of TouchWiz over time.

As for adopting the LG-blessed Nexus 4 as my main device, I feel quite fulfilled at the moment as a Google fan, for the previous two generations (Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus) constructed in Samsung plastics were underwhelming and left a lot to be desired. The glassy build of this LG handset actually conjures a sense of measuring up to the level of the Apple iPhone 4S and 5 models. There is a sense of finally maturing as I outgrow the chintzy toy-like plastic and cartoonish interface of the Galaxy lineup. Hopefully, things can only go up from here with the Nexus 4.

Trent Smith

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MeeGo Urge, Missing Nokia

Upon getting a Galaxy S3 from an AT&T upgrade, I am definitely excited and fulfilled as an Android user...but only to a certain extent. Being in public, I notice many more S3s in the hands of fellow Android users. This isn't surprising after considering Samsung made a manufacturing deal with seemingly EVERY American carrier, but one thing still remains so: loss of distinction. In the midst of becoming accepted by the masses, S3 is now the norm...and I am suddenly conforming to a part of the Android majority...another sect of the smartphone Borg. This is what inspired an impulsive thought this morning about being reunited with the Nokia N9.

When I look back at all those years I had spent with Nokia Symbian devices, I realize it was distinction that added a special sense of allure and exclusivity to the brand. I still remember my visit to a Cingular store in order to replace my Treo 680 running the Palm Garnet OS. That was when I first laid eyes on the Nokia E62, the American counterpart to the E61. The rep immediately suggested a different phone while claiming "Symbian isn't easy to understand for most people", but I wasn't "most people". It was as if I was being challenged on my ability to comprehend an OS that was different, and I naturally wanted to prove that rep wrong. I pointed to the E62, took it home, and eventually discovered unlocked GSM phones which lead to the E61i, E72, and so on. With every Nokia model I unboxed, there was an extraordinary sense of breaking away from the American majority. With the revolutionary moves Nokia had made at the time with models like the N95, I felt like I was participating in something special. That is what spurred my ultimate nerdgasm over a $1200 red E90 on release day and my longest duration with the E71. Unfortunately, destiny would not be so kind to Symbian in the midst of competing touch platforms continuing to excel. As a smartphone consumer becoming more comfortable with Google services, I eventually felt that I had no choice but to adopt Android.

Now that I've been with Android for some time, I find no more distinction amongst the countless touch slabs that flood the industry. No longer is there any hardware that stands out like the N93's fold out viewfinder, the N95's camera door, the E71's breathing light, or the E90's wide screen and spacious keyboard. The smartphone game seems to be reduced to a contest of who can build the highest specs for a boring, predictable touch screen form factor...and I've lost motivation in writing blog posts or making more TRENT SENSE episodes on YouTube. I simply miss those days with Nokia, where there were even specialized product lines with E-Series and N-Series. The N9 running MeeGo (and even the E7) isn't the most optimal choice for a device, but it retains a great amount of allure in regards to being apart from the Android/iOS pack. The new Nokias running Windows Phone have promise, but the OS isn't yet matured enough for me (meaning there's no Words with Friends compatibility).

However, the double-edge sword of not following the crowd is lack of overall compatibility with certain services I've come to rely on as an Android user. At the end of the day, being ordinary and assimilated into the smartphone Borg with my Galaxy S3 is something I may have to accept. Even if I took the plunge with both the E7 and N9 tomorrow, I'd end up lamenting over not having Words with Friends. Sadly, that may be the ONLY thing that could sour the MeeGo/Symbian experience for me. Who knows. Honestly, there's quite a bit of pros that come along with owning the S3 after the gargantuan Note...and I discover more of that when I pair it with my Freedom Pro bluetooth keyboard and Nokia BH-910 headset.

It's one thing to reminisce about the Nokias running Symbian during its heyday, but it's another thing to turn into a whiny phone snob worrying about what everyone else is using. As long as a device works and fulfills my wants and needs...that's all that should matter.

TRENT
Written from Blogger app on my Galaxy S3

Leaving the Samsung Galaxy Note.

At one point, I had truly believed the Samsung Galaxy Note was the Android smartphone champion to fulfill my needs and wants via TouchWiz. The giant 5.3inch screen with vivid colors and sharp resolution was mesmerizing and the stylus proved to be a worthy novelty. A loudspeaker sufficient for media playback along with a reliable camera only made such a device that much better! Turning heads in public with the gigantic dimensions was also another huge benefit in toting that device which seemed to be the ultimate example of smartphone superiority. After my first blue Note has shattered from an accident, I immediately made plans to save for another model in white and was left pacing the carpet with my temporary Galaxy S2 with ICS. When my new Note finally arrived, I was elated and began yet another honeymoon period with the Samsung juggernaut.

In the coming days, the nagging issue of portability became all the more prevalent in my daily use. Whether I was tolerating its huge size on a packed dance floor, in my own cradling hands or in the cramped quarters of my car's dash, the irritation with the Note motivated me to consider a downsizing option in a smaller Android. There was definitely a shift in my opinion of that phone in the worst way, and I bet it had everything to do with boredom. As much as I had been in love with the Note and spent moments showing off the stylus in Words with Friends gameplay and screenshot doodling, it got old...very old. In the grand scheme of things, I was in possession of nothing more than a phablet that was too big for me. My clouded judgment of the honeymoon period had worn off, and not even the news of an upcoming second generation Note could change my outlook.

Upon posting a notice of my intention to sell the great white Note, two buyers suddenly appeared and I was thrust into a search for a Note replacement. Initially, it would have been much easier to go back to my Samsung Galaxy S2, but it had already been sold along with my Dell Venue Pro and ASUS SL101 slider tablet. Available funds were not enough to purchase a new Galaxy S3, and going the open box route via online vendors seemed like a sensible move. To my surprise, a used S2 was STILL out of my price range...even a PINK model! Even if an Android beggar couldn't be choosy, there was no way I was going to settle for anything from Sony and its forgettable Timescape/Mediascape panes of animation. Upon passing over listings for BLU and mid-range Samsung units, I came across an 8GB Motorola RAZR XT910. My immediate impulse was to ignore that as well, but one thing set off a light bulb: lapdock connectivity! Memories of the Atrix 4G and its lapdock began playing back in my mind, and I instantly found a solution to not only replace the Note, but the slider tablet as well! After reading online reviews and understanding the adoption of potential cons, I made the move and chose the open box RAZR. To make this situation even sweeter, a friend who worked for Verizon informed me of a Lapdock 100 unit that was on sale for $50!!! At that point, I was satisfied and ready to bid farewell to the Note once and for all.

While the Note continued to be an amazing model in its own right, it could no longer serve its purpose as my preferred Android. In addition to finally being over the portability issue, I was just a geek who got bored and needed some change. This most likely explains my willingness to jump from the TouchWiz platform to MotoBLUR. Either way, I am still with Android instead of being stuck with a lowly iPhone 3GS.

TRENT
Sent from my Motorola RAZR XT910 via Lapdock 100

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