Galaxy Nexus Review (on Verizon Wireless)
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 2:16PM 
My journey to Google's Android mobile operating system started with the introduction of Google Voice a little over two years ago. I moved over from the iPhone and I have not looked back. I'm still a big time Apple fan and use Macs for nearly all of my personal and professional computer desktop/laptop use. I made the switch to Android with the introduction of the Nexus One and I have been loyal to the Nexus line of phones since their debut.
Living with Android the last two years has been pleasant, but the one nagging aspect has always been the overall fit and finish of the phone, both hardware and software. The iPhone has always been rock solid in terms of both design aesthetic and software stability (with the exception of the occassional hiccups with iTunes). What I gave up in terms of overall polish with the iPhone, Android was refreshingly more flexibile and more powerful. For most people, I still recommend the iPhone over Android, but if you are rather tech-savvy and use a handful of Google services (namely Gmail and Google Voice), I will advise taking a close look at Android.
People that are unhappy with Android, I have found, that they have not really spent the time or effort to learn how to take advantage some of the flexibility the Google mobile OS offers. The iPhone is attractive to the masses, in large part due to Apple restricting the experience, thereby also simplifying it. Apple is good at making complex technologies simple, which of course is a good thing. However, there will always be a market for power-users and that is who I believe, the audience that Android caters to.
Enough with the Google Android market commentary, what about the Galaxy Nexus? It's by far the best Nexus yet! However, there is one big caveat: It's BIG! Mind you, it has an extremely thin profile, thinner the iPhone in fact. The actual footprint of the phone is much larger than any previous Nexus and the screen size is nearly the largest available on any mobile phone at present. It takes getting used to, but once you start browsing the web, checking email and taking pictures, you soon realize that the screen is absolutely beautiful and the extra screen real estate comes in handy.
The Citizen Savvy mantra is not to hit you with technial details, so here is everything that you need to know about the Galaxy Nexus (on Verizon):
The Good:
- Super fast & Responsive
- 4G speeds rivals your home internet connection speeds
- Android 4, aka 'Ice Cream Sandwich' is the most polished Mobile OS to date
- Gorgeous Screen, super sharp
- Deep Social Sharing integration, especially with Google+ (don't worry, Facebook & Twitter integration is solid)
- The Verizon network still boasts the best coverage in North America.
The Bad:
- The sheer size of the phone will be off-putting to some
- Battery life takes a hit when 4G is turned on
The allure of the Nexus line of Android devices is that it has maintained to be a 'pure' Google phone, in that there are no carrier skins or software installed that Google did not intend. This also ensures that it is first in line to get major and minor software upgrades. The Galaxy Nexus on Verizon holds true in that it does not have a Verizon skin of any sort but it does include two specific Verizon apps that can be disabled if you desire. There is some contoversy brewing that Verizon has turned off support for Google Wallet, thereby neglecting a major tenant of holding the Nexus brand, but since Wallet has no real footprint in the market yet, this should not be a big deal to most people.
Overall, this is simply the best phone that I have ever owned and I would contend it is the best smartphone that money can buy right now. This won't last long as Android 4 becomes available on many more handsets on all major carriers in the coming months. However, these versions won't be a Nexus and will most likely have carrier bloatware that you have to contend with. Other versions of Ice Cream Sandwich will not be updated on a timely basis as the Nexus line will be. Still, many will still prefer the simplicity and elegance of the iPhone -- and that's not a bad thing. But if you like customizing your phone experience and use Google services, this is the phone to have.
Reader Comments (1)
oh i see this i think buy or not! how is it better than iphone?
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