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VZW Galaxy Nexus - Still worth buying?

E

edrab

Lurker
I'm adding a new line to a Verizon account, so I can get the Galaxy Nexus for $49, but was wondering if you guys think its still worth buying with all of the problems it has (signal/battery/etc.)

What are the chances that 4.0.5 is coming out within the next month?
What are the chances that 4.0.5 will fix these problems?

My other option is the RAZR MAXX, which I don't want because of MotoBlur/2.3 with no timetable for ICS/ugly design. But with all of the people complaining about the Nexus, it might be my next best option.

So what do you guys think? Take a chance with the Nexus and hope an update comes out (that actually addresses the problems) or give up and grab the RAZR?
 
Hmm, my best advice is get the phone that you are most happy with NOW. I know you are worried you might miss out on the better phone once all the updates come out, but there is no guarantee that the issues most critical to you will be fixed ever. If battery life is that important to you, get the MAXX cause no way the GNex will ever come close to that, even with the extended battery and 4.0.5 (assumably)improving things (although you are able to swap batteries).

If ICS is that important to you, go with the GNex, it has it, and will most likely always get the latest version of it, even if it is a little late being on VZW.

There is a chance of 4.0.5 coming out in the next month, but they have been saying an update is coming for a while now. First it was 4.0.4, an update leaked, and then for whatever reason it was scrapped. They could be having the same troubles with 4.0.5. Which is why I say don't depend on an update to make the phone acceptable for you.

P.S. Welcome to AF!

P.S.S By the way, my personal opinion on this is YES!
 
Welcome to the forums, Edrab! :D

I like to think of this comparison: do you mind bloatware? Do you intend to root and modify? Does Gingerbread satisfy you, or do you want Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box?

Motorola phones are notorious for allowing Verizon to bloat them up with software that many people won't use and can't uninstall: like Citrix, Netflix, Blockbuster, NFL Mobile, MotoCast... just to name a few. Not to say that the Maxx has all those, but the point is made. RAZR MAXX also has VZ Navigator, a paid version of Google's free Maps Navigation app (which comes with Nexus). Motorola has also been very slow in unlocking the bootloaders on cell phones, allowing users to root and uninstall the bloatware.

PERSONAL OPINION COMING UP:

As a result, it is MY opinion that these reasons are among those that make Motorola Verizon's preferred manufacturer: it seems to me that Verizon sales reps steer people toward Motorola phones like RAZR, while shying folks away from technically comparable (if not superior), virtually unbloated & more easily rootable phones like Nexus. That's why I personally maintain that sometimes, the most heavily marketed phones in the store aren't necessarily the BEST phones in the store.

Finally: What will you DO with your phone? If you watch a lot of video, look at the screens side by side and see which is more vibrant. If you take a lot of pictures, check for shutter lag. If you make a lot of phone calls in a spotty coverage area, then check signal strength. Yes, Nexus has some radio and connectivity issues, which I hope will be resolved soon. But I have never dropped a call.

But there is more - a lot more - to picking out a phone other than when the next updates are coming out. Figure out what you want your phone to do the most, and pick the phone that's best at doing that.
 
Sure is worth buying. Even with the few issues some people have (not all) it is still the best phone Verizon has.
 
Definitely worth it, and even moreso with the recent price drops! I would buy it again right now if I didn't already have it. I bought it on release day and haven't seen anything I would rather have come out and see nothing else in the pipeline I would rather have. The kicker that trumps all other selling points is that it is a Nexus phone. It is very well supported by the dev community and it runs Vanilla Android with no bloat!
 
svt_gEEk said:
Definitely worth it, and even moreso with the recent price drops! I would buy it again right now if I didn't already have it. I bought it on release day and haven't seen anything I would rather have come out and see nothing else in the pipeline I would rather have. The kicker that trumps all other selling points is that it is a Nexus phone. It is very well supported by the dev community and it runs Vanilla Android with no bloat!
Click to expand...

+1

On November 6th, 2009 I bought the bomb-diggity of cell phones at the time, the original Motorola Droid. Ran stock vanilla Android with no bloat. It was my constant companion for 2 years, 1 month and 9 days. Then on December 15th last year I gracefully retired her for the Galaxy Nexus. And I agree with Geek: there is absolutely nothing else out there that remotely interests me. My Nexus is at my side 24 hours a day, and you would have to PRY her out of my fingers.

I have an upgrade available on my family plan, specifically so I can trade out every year to the Next Great Thing and pass my current phone down. But you know what? Looking at the expected Verizon lineup for the summer/fall - including the Galaxy S III - nothing tempts me. I may have this phone for 2 years or maybe longer.

Sure, Verizon is being very slow about releasing updates, but this is a CDMA phone with entirely different guts... so I can (almost) understand the delays in making sure the OTA rolls out without issue. But the Nexus - as is - is a phenomenal device IMHO. Stock vanilla Android, ICS out of the box, and no bloatware (other than 2 unremarkable Verizon apps).

My other 0.02 ;)
 
The_Chief said:
+1

On November 6th, 2009 I bought the bomb-diggity of cell phones at the time, the original Motorola Droid. Ran stock vanilla Android with no bloat. It was my constant companion for 2 years, 1 month and 9 days. Then on December 15th last year I gracefully retired her for the Galaxy Nexus. And I agree with Geek: there is absolutely nothing else out there that remotely interests me. My Nexus is at my side 24 hours a day, and you would have to PRY her out of my fingers.

I have an upgrade available on my family plan, specifically so I can trade out every year to the Next Great Thing and pass my current phone down. But you know what? Looking at the expected Verizon lineup for the summer/fall - including the Galaxy S III - nothing tempts me. I may have this phone for 2 years or maybe longer.

Sure, Verizon is being very slow about releasing updates, but this is a CDMA phone with entirely different guts... so I can (almost) understand the delays in making sure the OTA rolls out without issue. But the Nexus - as is - is a phenomenal device IMHO. Stock vanilla Android, ICS out of the box, and no bloatware (other than 2 unremarkable Verizon apps).

My other 0.02 ;)
Click to expand...

That's pretty much my story too. My first smart phone was the original Motorola Droid, although I didn't get it right when it came out, and after seeing other phones with manufacturer UI added on top, I really appreciated stock Android. And by the time I finally tried it, it was very easy to root (one-click). I do remember after the upgrade to Froyo, they added a Twitter app and maybe 1 other bloatware app, but I was able to remove it after rooting. After that, Moto dropped the ball with their Android phones.

I also agree on not having any buyer's remorse, even seeing the new phones coming out, as nice as they might look. I probably won't upgrade again until the next time Verizon comes up with an Android phone with stock ROM. And even the 2 pre-installed Verizon apps weren't too big a deal. I was able to disable Contact Backup because ICS lets you (no root required, although I am rooted), and I use My Verizon anyway.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys..I think I'm leaning towards getting a Nexus. Can't pass up the $49 offer. And I hate bloatware...
 
I would take a Droid Razr Maxx or a Rezound over the VZW Galaxy Nexus but it is still a great phone and it wouldn't be a mistake to get.
 
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