The Glade 4.0

Google officially announced it's latest bloatware free Android handset today/

Nexus 4 official: Android 4.2, Snapdragon S4 Pro, 4.7-inch 1280 x 768 display

http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/29/nexus-4-official/


Edit: Added Nexus 10 to the subject

I'm having a little trouble getting stoked about a 1280x768 display on a phone. That a general statement, and not a criticism specific to the Nexus 4.

Just... something else should really go in that headline instead of screen resolution.

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Buckle your pants or they might fall down.

I thought you were in the 'fsck Smartphones' camp? No?

Here is the ophishul google page..

http://www.google.com/nexus/4/index.html

I've had a chance to fondle this in our handset lab, and the screen is quite beautiful.

The name is throwing me for a loop -- was I misinformed about Google allowing multiple manufacturers to make a Nexus device starting this fall?

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

Yea, I'm not clear on what they are doing with names either. I know there are several manufacturers with "Nexus" devices in the near term pipeline. Sadly, I rarely know the official names until they are announced.

Okay, so this is still the case, and I'm not crazy/ill-informed. The name gave me pause because it's the sort of name (unlike, ironically, the Galaxy Nexus) that implies that it's the only one for a generation.

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

That's actually pretty smexy.

I like the photosphere thing.

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Holy shitsnacks!

So Android finally got Photosynth. Neat.

LOL

I had no idea that was even already a thing.

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Holy shitsnacks!

Again, I have no inside information on this. I am fairly sure that any "Google" branded device will have the "Nexus" name. What they are doing with the rest of the name, i'm not sure. It's totally not Google like to be so discombobulated with naming. These things are all over the place. Nexus One (First?), Nexus S (Samsung?), Galaxy Nexus (ties in to the Samsung Galaxy line) , Nexus 7 (7 inch tablet), Nexus 4 (4 inch phone?), Nexus 10 (ten inch tablet?)... It seems there are rumors of a three inch device as well called.. wait for it.. Nexus 3

http://thedroidguy.com/2012/10/nexus-3- ... exif-data/

Jellybean 4.2 has user profiles..

This intrigues me! Also, here is some info on the new Nexus 10...
http://www.slashgear.com/nexus-10-detai ... -29254554/

I'm looking through this list of Smartphone display densities...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_di ... el_density

Not finding much that is better than 1280x768 that isn't a really expensive tablet or laptop.

What standard are you comparing this to?

Not really. I don't have any need for one, because I have a tablet.

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Buckle your pants or they might fall down.

Hrm, ok.. I'm still curious about your comment.

What would it take, resolution wise, to make you 'stoked' ?

Here is a pretty complete list of devices, with their resolutions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_di ... el_density

That was the wrong takeaway from my statement.

For a screen that size, we're well past the point where resolution is a major selling point. You're just not going to see a difference in the majority of applications. If I'm looking at screen resolution as a big deal, then I'm shopping tablets instead of phones.

There's gotta be something else about that phone that's cooler than an incremental increase in screen resolution.

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Buckle your pants or they might fall down.

Yes, any "pure" Google phone is going to have the "Nexus" in the title. Some are named differently just due to contract negotiations. Samsung is really attached to the "Galaxy" name for promoting their big phones and made a deal where it was included in the phone's name.

I'm not surprised at all that this next Nexus won't initially (or possibly ever) be on Verizon's network. I'm sad about it but, again, not surprised in the least. If Verizon didn't have such a good 4G network (and if I wasn't an Unlimited data customer) I'd seriously consider switching networks just to get this new Nexus.

I'm still partially debating it.

Edit: T-Mobile is looking more and more tempting. I haven't used them since 2003. Anyone have any experiences with them lately?

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Les Zombis et les Loups-Garous!

Lol. More than a few of us, I'd say.

It's really rather location-dependent. My experience in western Ohio is that they cover the major metros quite well, but their sticks coverage is mostly mediocre. Interstate coverage between cities is uninspiring but mostly solid.

In other words, I've only identified one dead zone (and it's just long enough to make Google Music skip or drop a call) in my Interstate travels between Dayton, Cinci, Columbus, and Toledo. Haven't been up to Cleveland. However, unless you're within about fifteen miles of the center of Dayton (I haven't ID'd the radius as well for Cinci and Columbus, but they're a bit wider since they retain higher pop density further out), you're on Edge.

If you're not on Edge, though, it's quite zippy HSPA+. I virtually never see a "3G" indicator on my phone anymore -- it's either an H (or a 4G, depending on how your phone displays it) or an E.

What travelling I do makes me suspect this is pretty much the case across the country. Urban centers and their immediate vicinities have good 4G coverage, and then it trails out to good Edge coverage on major thoroughfares and medium-sized towns, with spots if you're doing cross-country travel on county roads or small state highways and whatnot.

My only gripe is that I live and work about four and twelve miles beyond the 4G/Edge switchover on the North side of Dayton. It's mitigated by the fact that I'm on WiFi both spots, but when I'm shopping locally, I get to put up with Edge data speeds.

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

T-Mobile is garbage if you spend any time in buildings. From what I understand, their spectrum can't penetrate walls very well. I'm actually switching back to AT&T because of it :/ Once I step into my place I drop down to 2 bars, standing in m kitchen can sometimes leave me without service at all.

I can't really speak to that. The only buildings I have a terrible time with are ones that I know are basically constructed as Faraday cages. My work, for instance, has wire mesh holding the faux-stone wall tiles in place. I don't have a coverage problem in my house, though it does dip a bar or so.

And the hotels in Atlanta that I'm in regularly for Dragon*Con are notoriously bad for coverage for everybody.

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

My work's building is like that too. Verizon drops to 2 bars on 3G in my building. But, when at work I am connected to their WiFi anyway.

90% of my data usage comes from while driving in my car. Mostly streaming music, with a tiny bit of GPS navigation now and then. Otherwise I am generally connected to WiFi at work or home.

Edit: Getting an initial quote at lunch I am really leaning towards T-Mobile a bit. With my wife's UPS discount, I'd be paying about 55 dollars less a month than what I am paying now. For unlimited talk and text (something I don't have at Verizon). I am still a little shocked at the quote. And even if it's completely wrong and going by the website, I'd be paying less than I am now for more.

Having the sales rep show me a speedtest.net speed on their 4G wasn't quite as impressive as Verizon's LTE. She got about 5.5 Mbps down. Still, that's enough to stream an HD movie. But, again, I don't use my phone for much streaming video. It's mostly music, web surfing at lunch, and gps. And that's more than plenty for it.

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Les Zombis et les Loups-Garous!

I have to be careful what I say here.

The penetration issue is true for the short term. The frequency that T-Mobile's current spectrum uses doesn't penetrate walls as well as it should. However, that is already starting to change. The new spectrum acquired in the last 12 months or so (thanks AT&T!) is much better , better even than the other guys, for buildings and high population areas, and T-Mobile's network isn't bogged down by crappy Apple radio design, so, if you are in say, San Francisco during rush hour, you can keep a data connection and a call up.... at the same time. T-Mobile's LTE network will be a higher quality experience all across the board, for several reasons, once it's deployed starting early next year (the devices are already coming to market).

So with LTE coming, and the fact the nexus does not support LTE, what will happen? Are they getting rid of their hspa+ towers? Would I hypothetically be gimping myself if I made the switch just for the nexus?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

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Les Zombis et les Loups-Garous!

HSPA+ isn't going anywhere for years. In fact there is a huge 'Network Modernization' effort going on where HSPA+ in some areas is benefitting from refarming of some old Edge spectrum that is being reclaimed.

The LTE network is being built primarily from all new spectrum gained from the penalties AT&T had to pay when the acquisition failed.

Also, I understand that there will be some spectrum auctions and FCC re-farming of some old analog television spectrum, which, as I understand it, is premium stuff.

I'm not a RAN engineer, so I'm just passing on stuff I read online and hear from other people.

Cool thanks Midgen. As long as my future new phone will still work for the next few years, I'll be happy.

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Les Zombis et les Loups-Garous!