Google Nexus 5 [split from new iPad thread]

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Sorry pal. I should have said... I have bought a lot of music from iTunes. Therefore getting it to my phone means having to find the source of the file. This is something I like to do really quickly and itunes meant that was possible - as it would be if I had bought all my stuff through samsungs version etc.

I'm really lazy I know - but I'm just not geek enough to do what I'd need to do over and over as this for me is a job done as quick as possible in my life.

Hopefully that makes more sense. Plus after having an iPhone and then getting a samsung I just prefer apple. In no way am I saying samsung or any other android device is shite, I just prefer the Appleness. It works better for me that's all.

Cool, I wasn't trying to slur you, just wasn't sure on the whole android-music-sync scenario. I'm due an upgrade soon and don't know what to go for, previously had an iphone but thought I'd try Android (currently Galaxy S3), there's certainly pros and cons for both formats.

 

[Bozza]

Just read here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...us-5-review-the-best-phone-at-this-price.html

That the Nexus 5 doesn't have removable memory. Is this going to be a problem?

It's never been a problem for me on my 32gb iPhone so I can't see why the same size Android phone would cause me any bother.

But...

- I don't store video on my phone.
- I only keep recent photos - syncing them back to a Mac quite frequently
- I use iTunes Match so I don't need to carry all of my music with me - I think Google has an equivalent.
- I don't have many games - certainly not any absolute monsters size wise.

I'm not sure why any typical non-specialist user would need more than 32gb nowadays. I reckon I could get by on 16gb if I really had to.

 

[edna krabappel]

I'm not sure why any typical non-specialist user would need more than 32gb nowadays. I reckon I could get by on 16gb if I really had to.

My iPhone is a 16GB. Last time they updated iOS, I had to delete stuff before it would allow me to install the update.

There's a bit of music on there, and a few TV episodes. The rest of it must be taken up by annoying apps I guess. I'd rather have a 32 next time, as I'm fed up with having to decide what to uninstall every time it tells me it's full.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

This Hangouts malarkey, if I understand correct it's the new format for sending sms on Android, but you can't actually send anything until the intended recipient has downloaded and signed up to the service?

 

[zeetha]

This Hangouts malarkey, if I understand correct it's the new format for sending sms on Android, but you can't actually send anything until the intended recipient has downloaded and signed up to the service?

No, its only if you want to chat with them as a 'Hangout' that they'll need the app. SMS get sent through it normally. Personally I'd rather they'd kept SMS as a separate app!!

 

[CheeseRolls]

No, its only if you want to chat with them as a 'Hangout' that they'll need the app. SMS get sent through it normally. Personally I'd rather they'd kept SMS as a separate app!!

The logic is that SMS will go the way of the fax machine. If you chain together all the different ways you can communicate with people via a modern phone, text messaging is the lowest common denominator. It will take a few years, but the writing is on the wall. I haven't tried the hangout integration myself, as I will have to wait for Android 4.4 on the Nexus 4 or 7. I have a Nexus 5 on order for son number 1 for Christmas and for reasons unknown, this one is still on hold at the Gatwick depot. Just as well there is no hurry.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

So then @Bozza - How's life on the dark side going?

 

[Bozza]

So then @Bozza - How's life on the dark side going?

I'm still "with two phones". I don't currently have the confidence to leave home without my iPhone. In summary, though...

- The screen is lovely. If Apple had done a bigger phone by now (and I'm sure they will next year) I'd not even have looked elsewhere.
- The overall 'polish' of Android is lacking. It's not a deal breaker by any means, but the whole experience is not as coherent as iOS - there are inconsitencies all over the UI and little things break here and there. It's akin to using a Windows PC about 10 years ago.
- Google Play (App Store) is confusing. Search for a legitimate well known app and there are about a zillion rip-off similarly named ones you could easily pick by mistake.
- The permissions that apps need is scary. Yes, it's good that before you install an app it tells you what it's going to do, but they all seem to ask for far more than they should need, and there's no way of saying 'no' to them one by one. It's easy to see how it's a security minefield.
- I've not really played with the camera properly but it seems slow to focus. The iPhone camera (or the software behind it) does seem excellent.
- No idea on battery life yet, but gut feel is worse than the iPhone.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

No, its only if you want to chat with them as a 'Hangout' that they'll need the app. SMS get sent through it normally. Personally I'd rather they'd kept SMS as a separate app!!

Hmmm, I can only assume I'm being a technotard but I can't send anything via Hangouts, not even an SMS? Someone mentioned (may have been Bozza) that Hangouts is the only sms format on his device,could it just be that I'm not running the latest OS?

 

[Bozza]

Hmmm, I can only assume I'm being a technotard but I can't send anything via Hangouts, not even an SMS? Someone mentioned (may have been Bozza) that Hangouts is the only sms format on his device,could it just be that I'm not running the latest OS?

The first message I sent, intended to be an SMS, was sent as an email invite to a Google Hangout, but it seems you can explicitly choose to send it as an SMS if you choose the mobile number of a contact. I think that's how it works, anyway. You can download other SMS apps from Google Play. I have no idea what is good and what isn't however.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I'm still "with two phones". I don't currently have the confidence to leave home without my iPhone. In summary, though...

- The screen is lovely. If Apple had done a bigger phone by now (and I'm sure they will next year) I'd not even have looked elsewhere.
- The overall 'polish' of Android is lacking. It's not a deal breaker by any means, but the whole experience is not as coherent as iOS - there are inconsitencies all over the UI and little things break here and there. It's akin to using a Windows PC about 10 years ago.
- Google Play (App Store) is confusing. Search for a legitimate well known app and there are about a zillion rip-off similarly named ones you could easily pick by mistake.
- The permissions that apps need is scary. Yes, it's good that before you install an app it tells you what it's going to do, but they all seem to ask for far more than they should need, and there's no way of saying 'no' to them one by one. It's easy to see how it's a security minefield.
- I've not really played with the camera properly but it seems slow to focus. The iPhone camera (or the software behind it) does seem excellent.
- No idea on battery life yet, but gut feel is worse than the iPhone.

All excellent points. Many of which will be rectified in due time. Android is becoming more polished but some of it does suffer as by nature it's evolution is quite Heath Robinson.

 

[tinx]

Check out Go SMS Pro.

I found it to be pretty good when I had an android device.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I'm still "with two phones". I don't currently have the confidence to leave home without my iPhone. In summary, though...

- The screen is lovely. If Apple had done a bigger phone by now (and I'm sure they will next year) I'd not even have looked elsewhere.
- The overall 'polish' of Android is lacking. It's not a deal breaker by any means, but the whole experience is not as coherent as iOS - there are inconsitencies all over the UI and little things break here and there. It's akin to using a Windows PC about 10 years ago.
- Google Play (App Store) is confusing. Search for a legitimate well known app and there are about a zillion rip-off similarly named ones you could easily pick by mistake.
- The permissions that apps need is scary. Yes, it's good that before you install an app it tells you what it's going to do, but they all seem to ask for far more than they should need, and there's no way of saying 'no' to them one by one. It's easy to see how it's a security minefield.
- I've not really played with the camera properly but it seems slow to focus. The iPhone camera (or the software behind it) does seem excellent.
- No idea on battery life yet, but gut feel is worse than the iPhone.

A lot of what you have written is exactly how I was feeling when I sacked off an iPhone and plumped for a Galaxy SIII. After about an hour of acquiring my first Android device I was looking at it thinking 'what have I done' . Everything felt so alien and I wasn't convinced. About a week later I was fully up to speed and have enjoyed the freedom of an Android device (e.g ease of customisation). I must confess though, I've had the phone for about 20 months now and it's starting to slow down a little, with certain apps and functions being subjected to quite a bit of lag. With a renewal looming I'm finding myself in a quandry as to whether I should stick with Android or go back for another iPhone.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

The first message I sent, intended to be an SMS, was sent as an email invite to a Google Hangout, but it seems you can explicitly choose to send it as an SMS if you choose the mobile number of a contact. I think that's how it works, anyway. You can download other SMS apps from Google Play. I have no idea what is good and what isn't however.

I've been getting the same email invite issue, no matter which number I choose it will not allow me to send an SMS. It's irritating me now, I don't need to use it but it's appeared on my phone and I want it to work

 

[Screaming J]

I've been getting the same email invite issue, no matter which number I choose it will not allow me to send an SMS. It's irritating me now, I don't need to use it but it's appeared on my phone and I want it to work

Must admit I was a bit worried about this Hang Out thing, but on mine, despite being in 'Hang Out', the default option appears to be "send an SMS message" with a cursor; so all you do is type and send as per usual.

Got my Nexus5 today and after a bit of bollocks trying to transfer my contacts from my old HTC Wildfire S (managed it in the end but I'm not sure how!) and also importing GOSBTS as ring and and alert tones I am impressed. Mind you, those more tecchy than me will probably look at what I am upgrading from and think "well, you would be!"

I am still not sure what the point of Google+ is though.....

 

[jgmcdee]

If you're struggling with Hangouts then pick up Handcent SMS from the app store, it's a decent SMS app and free of charge.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I am still not sure what the point of Google+ is though.....

If that's a genuine question rather than a damning statement, Google+ is loosely their 'answer' to Facebook.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

I'm still "with two phones". I don't currently have the confidence to leave home without my iPhone. In summary, though...

- The screen is lovely. If Apple had done a bigger phone by now (and I'm sure they will next year) I'd not even have looked elsewhere.
- The overall 'polish' of Android is lacking. It's not a deal breaker by any means, but the whole experience is not as coherent as iOS - there are inconsitencies all over the UI and little things break here and there. It's akin to using a Windows PC about 10 years ago.
- Google Play (App Store) is confusing. Search for a legitimate well known app and there are about a zillion rip-off similarly named ones you could easily pick by mistake.
- The permissions that apps need is scary. Yes, it's good that before you install an app it tells you what it's going to do, but they all seem to ask for far more than they should need, and there's no way of saying 'no' to them one by one. It's easy to see how it's a security minefield.
- I've not really played with the camera properly but it seems slow to focus. The iPhone camera (or the software behind it) does seem excellent.
- No idea on battery life yet, but gut feel is worse than the iPhone.

Interesting stuff. I've heard pretty much all of what you said from various places. It's tempting, but the camera is a real deal breaker for me.

Good review here by the way, love this site: http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/4/5062724/google-nexus-5-review

 

[The Lemming Stomper]

With a renewal looming I'm finding myself in a quandry as to whether I should stick with Android or go back for another iPhone.

Come back...you dabbled with the non-league OS now it's time to get back to the Premier League

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Come back...you dabbled with the non-league OS now it's time to get back to the Premier League

I had a funny feeling you would find your way in here.