Trooper
Android Expert
Is there anything else to do outside of setting the app as you described? I installed it tonight but don't really notice any difference in volume.
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Galaxay Nexus vs Droid Razr
- Thread starter confused droid
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- motorola droid razr
Is there anything else to do outside of setting the app as you described? I installed it tonight but don't really notice any difference in volume.
rushmore
Extreme Android User
Are you rooted? Not sure if the app needs it, but the app makes a big difference. So much, I will not bother with the paid version that goes to 10. Yikes.
rushmore
Extreme Android User
Trooper
Android Expert
Yes definitely rooted.
I've decided to send it back. I did install the 4.0.3 radio update since if I was gonna keep it or send it back I was gonna be erasing the storage area anyway....either for sending it back to the store or by unlocking the bootloader.
The 4.0.3 update did improve 3G, saw 4G for a split second on my window sill, but it ran away before I could do a speed test, hasnt came back since. So curious to see what the leaked update thats out now for the RAZR does...since I already get 4G with my RAZR in my apt. The G Nex with 4.0.3 radios did have better 3G speeds than all my other phones, inlcuding the RAZR, at the window sill and away from the window. So there may be hope for some G Nex owners.
Will be exchanging it for a Rezound to see some things too.
The 4.0.3 update did improve 3G, saw 4G for a split second on my window sill, but it ran away before I could do a speed test, hasnt came back since. So curious to see what the leaked update thats out now for the RAZR does...since I already get 4G with my RAZR in my apt. The G Nex with 4.0.3 radios did have better 3G speeds than all my other phones, inlcuding the RAZR, at the window sill and away from the window. So there may be hope for some G Nex owners.
Will be exchanging it for a Rezound to see some things too.
Thank you for all your comparison posts on Razr and GN across different forums. I found your posts to be some of the most unbiased and helpful ones out there.
Bogeyjoker
Newbie
+1 for LPP. Running this on my wife's rooted Razr, and it's great.
pettabytes
Lurker
My 2 cents...I am returning my galaxy Nexus today. It is easily the worst "phone" I have ever owned while at the same time being the best smart phone I have ever owned, but really, Android gets the praise there.
ICS is awesome but the Galaxy Nexus as a phone is so unreliable that I have to return it. I run a small business and I like the people I call to be able to hear me, and with this phone, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do those things.
As I told the Verizon rep that sold me the phone, I have dropped more calls (people suddenly cant hear me or they hear weird sounds and cant hear me) in the last 3 weeks than I have in the last 2 years with my Moto Droid.
The whole reason I stay with Verizon is because there is because their network is rock solid. Well, not with this phone.
I am going to try the Razr, wish me luck. At this point I'm not sure there is a good Android phone. They all seem inferior to the iPhone from a hardware perspective. I wish Google would have been more discerning when looking for hardware to bear their flagship name. Maybe the purchase of Motorola Mobility will fix this.
And did I mention that the speaker on this phone is awful.
ICS is awesome but the Galaxy Nexus as a phone is so unreliable that I have to return it. I run a small business and I like the people I call to be able to hear me, and with this phone, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do those things.
As I told the Verizon rep that sold me the phone, I have dropped more calls (people suddenly cant hear me or they hear weird sounds and cant hear me) in the last 3 weeks than I have in the last 2 years with my Moto Droid.
The whole reason I stay with Verizon is because there is because their network is rock solid. Well, not with this phone.
I am going to try the Razr, wish me luck. At this point I'm not sure there is a good Android phone. They all seem inferior to the iPhone from a hardware perspective. I wish Google would have been more discerning when looking for hardware to bear their flagship name. Maybe the purchase of Motorola Mobility will fix this.
And did I mention that the speaker on this phone is awful.
Bogeyjoker
Newbie
Yeah, I'm a small businessman too and I largely agree about the SGN. Although for me it was mostly not being able to make calls at all in places I used to have a strong signal (HTC Eris) and virtually never having a data connection (had to use wifi 90% of the time when available). Call quality was very good when I had a decent signal and I only dropped calls a few times.
I spent the last month trying to figure out ways to keep this phone. I scoured these forums trying to figure out why I was only getting 5-6 hours of battery life, and why my data signal was so horrendous. The last couple of days I was able to manage 10-11 hours by rationing my usage, downloading a resource monitoring utility (Juice Defender...recommended), and dimming my display down to an almost ridiculous level. I've got enough to do without worrying about battery management and scheduling my day around when I can make a mobile call or check my email.
Contact management, call quality/availability, mail reliability, calendar/to-do functions all trump the cool, shiny bauble-factor when you use your device to put food on the table. In order to keep me as a customer you have to nail that stuff first then I'll go with whoever can consistently give me all that important stuff with the shiniest, coolest UI and newest version of Android or the biggest, brightest, most vivid screen.
Sitting at home after a long day with my SGN plugged in and connected to wifi...I was loving it. As a mobile device...not so much. I'm glad those that are loving their Nexi are happy with theirs. I just couldn't take the chance that my Nexus' next 23 months would look like the last month. It's on its way back to Verizon. I agonized over whether to go with the Razr or Rezound and lurked on both forums. The Rezound folks seemed to have slightly fewer issue than the Razr folks (both groups seemed to have far fewer issues than the SGN people). Ah well, if it doesn't perform well I can always go back to my Eris.
Tim K
Android Expert
As I mentioned previously, I have access to both Razr (wife's) and Nexus, so if anyone wants any comparisons or has any questions about the two, I'll try to help.
The one thing the Nexus definitely crushes the Razr is in the display. The Razr screen seems really nice until you run it side by side with the Nexus. Especially on Video. Its not even close.
I've run a bunch more speed tests, and while not the end all of tests, it is a tool to compare. The Razr, as mentioned, has consistently stronger (-83 vs -105 dbm) 4G signals, yet time after time the GN trumps it with download speed. I assume its related to the chip, as someone posted earlier, the GN has a newer version. So, while we complain about signal strength of the GN, even with a 105dbm signal I was pulling 9-10 mbps vs the Razr's 5-6mbps.
Its hard to ignore the signal meter and focus on performance, but that's what I am going to try to do.... enjoy my phone.
The one thing the Nexus definitely crushes the Razr is in the display. The Razr screen seems really nice until you run it side by side with the Nexus. Especially on Video. Its not even close.
I've run a bunch more speed tests, and while not the end all of tests, it is a tool to compare. The Razr, as mentioned, has consistently stronger (-83 vs -105 dbm) 4G signals, yet time after time the GN trumps it with download speed. I assume its related to the chip, as someone posted earlier, the GN has a newer version. So, while we complain about signal strength of the GN, even with a 105dbm signal I was pulling 9-10 mbps vs the Razr's 5-6mbps.
Its hard to ignore the signal meter and focus on performance, but that's what I am going to try to do.... enjoy my phone.
rushmore
Extreme Android User
Agreed that for movies and web, the Gnex display rocks, but like the Rezound, the 720p display is problematic for game emulators and other games (especially emulators) due to touch response issues. The Razr is actually fun to use with virtual pads, due to the great touch response.
rushmore
Extreme Android User
Get it working? It does work and I can see folks that go beyond four with the paid version messing their speaker and ears up.
I have no experience with the RAZR (as I had purchased the Nexus initially and when I decided to go with the RAZR the MAXX was announced and I've decided to wait a few days), but I can tell you my experience with the Nexus.
The screen, for me, is too big. You might not realize it while in the store but for everyday use it was quite annoying. It was awkward reaching the pulldown menu and the soft buttons were awkward as well.
I've heard that the back of the RAZR is slick, but man, the back of the Nexus feels like it's greased. It slid out of my hands several times (luckily not on the ground). I realize a case could solve this...but I don't like buying a protector and ruining the looks and feel of a phone.
The volume is RIDICULOUSLY low. How could they make a phone with such low volume? The alarm didn't wake me up.
Signal was very sketchy. I would randomly drop from full 3g bars to no data while surfing the web, only for the connection to resume a few minutes later. Very annoying. If I was in a 4g area it would take a long time to regain a 3g signal as well. Motorola's have much better radios.
The notification light by default is worthless (apps can fix this).
Worst battery life of any phone I've ever used.
I went through three Nexus phones. The first one arrived with dead pixels, the third had a damaged notification light (the center of it did not light up) and the third one had terrible call quality. The first day I used it I had 4 instances of calls where the party on the other end could not hear me talk but I could hear them just fine (so I know the call was not just dropped).
The screen, for me, is too big. You might not realize it while in the store but for everyday use it was quite annoying. It was awkward reaching the pulldown menu and the soft buttons were awkward as well.
I've heard that the back of the RAZR is slick, but man, the back of the Nexus feels like it's greased. It slid out of my hands several times (luckily not on the ground). I realize a case could solve this...but I don't like buying a protector and ruining the looks and feel of a phone.
The volume is RIDICULOUSLY low. How could they make a phone with such low volume? The alarm didn't wake me up.
Signal was very sketchy. I would randomly drop from full 3g bars to no data while surfing the web, only for the connection to resume a few minutes later. Very annoying. If I was in a 4g area it would take a long time to regain a 3g signal as well. Motorola's have much better radios.
The notification light by default is worthless (apps can fix this).
Worst battery life of any phone I've ever used.
I went through three Nexus phones. The first one arrived with dead pixels, the third had a damaged notification light (the center of it did not light up) and the third one had terrible call quality. The first day I used it I had 4 instances of calls where the party on the other end could not hear me talk but I could hear them just fine (so I know the call was not just dropped).
So, I just returned my Nexus for Razr. Pros of each phone were:
Nexus
-720p, 4.65in. screen
-ICS
-Removable battery
Razr
-Lightweight and thinner with more "premium" feel
-Louder speaker
-Better signal (Well, I didn't test this out myself yet, but that seemed to be the general consensus in most reviews and forum posts)
-(Also, Razr does have removable microSD, but that honestly didn't matter much as 32GB was already plenty enough for my use)
My thought process before making this exchange were:
-I am not a heavy phone user by any means and do not need an extended battery. Razr's battery will most likely last until I can get my next upgrade. I dislike how pretty much all heavy-duty extended batteries make the phones substantially fatter.
-While my GN's data signal had been decent for the past 1.5 week or so (it was having problems during the first week, but that may have been due to Verizon's network problems), I was yet again having problems connecting to internet (with only 3G on) for the past couple of days.
-I used Volume+ for my GN, and while it did seem to work, I could hear little distortions and rattling at high volumes, which was annoying. I think I am a bit more sensitive to sounds than many people though.
-I don't mind Motorola's custom UI on Gingerbread and it actually seemed like a good improvement over the stock GB. ICS was nice, but my opinion on it after about 3 weeks of use wasn't quite "I gotta have this RIGHT NOW".
-I really did not like how GN's plastic back cover looked and felt. I know that it's actually very practical and quite durable, but sometimes your perception just doesn't agree with practicality. This is entirely personal preference.
-I have small hands, but for some reason, Razr was a little bit easier to handle one-handed despite being 1mm wider. It may have to do with its weight and height being a bit less. It also felt less like it was going to slip out of my hand. [EDIT: looks like the above post also mentioned this. Nexus is one slippery phone, haha]
-GN has bigger and better screen on paper, but it was honestly hard to tell the difference at all on those 4-5 inch screens. Maybe I have bad eyes.
Overall, both are very nice phones and I don't think you could go wrong with either, at least for a casual phone user like me. I think a lot of it comes down to your own preferences.
Nexus
-720p, 4.65in. screen
-ICS
-Removable battery
Razr
-Lightweight and thinner with more "premium" feel
-Louder speaker
-Better signal (Well, I didn't test this out myself yet, but that seemed to be the general consensus in most reviews and forum posts)
-(Also, Razr does have removable microSD, but that honestly didn't matter much as 32GB was already plenty enough for my use)
My thought process before making this exchange were:
-I am not a heavy phone user by any means and do not need an extended battery. Razr's battery will most likely last until I can get my next upgrade. I dislike how pretty much all heavy-duty extended batteries make the phones substantially fatter.
-While my GN's data signal had been decent for the past 1.5 week or so (it was having problems during the first week, but that may have been due to Verizon's network problems), I was yet again having problems connecting to internet (with only 3G on) for the past couple of days.
-I used Volume+ for my GN, and while it did seem to work, I could hear little distortions and rattling at high volumes, which was annoying. I think I am a bit more sensitive to sounds than many people though.
-I don't mind Motorola's custom UI on Gingerbread and it actually seemed like a good improvement over the stock GB. ICS was nice, but my opinion on it after about 3 weeks of use wasn't quite "I gotta have this RIGHT NOW".
-I really did not like how GN's plastic back cover looked and felt. I know that it's actually very practical and quite durable, but sometimes your perception just doesn't agree with practicality.
This is entirely personal preference.-I have small hands, but for some reason, Razr was a little bit easier to handle one-handed despite being 1mm wider. It may have to do with its weight and height being a bit less. It also felt less like it was going to slip out of my hand. [EDIT: looks like the above post also mentioned this. Nexus is one slippery phone, haha]
-GN has bigger and better screen on paper, but it was honestly hard to tell the difference at all on those 4-5 inch screens. Maybe I have bad eyes.
Overall, both are very nice phones and I don't think you could go wrong with either, at least for a casual phone user like me. I think a lot of it comes down to your own preferences.
sean76
Android Expert
Wait....You thought the screen on the Nexus was too BIG? Screen or the whole phone? Reason I ask is because the Razr itself has a bigger footprint and is easily the harder of the two to handle, especially one handed. If you thought the Nexus was too big, you may be better off with the Rezound to be honest!
I've owned all 3 and I have to say out of all of them, I prefer the Nexus!
Reason...
Lol...First I have pretty BIG mitts
I liked the Razr, I just never really fell in love with the form factor. Yes its impossibly thin, but weirdly wide...And I just never really felt super comfortable using it one handed. Doable, just not super comfortable!
Rezound had a pretty good form factor. Fit in my hands pretty well, and actually felt a little small to me... I just couldnt get over the fact that it had an LCD screen with blacks that didn't pop, along with feeling like a bigger thicker incredible.
Nexus rocks IMO when it comes to form factor...beats just about anything I've ever owned...And I've had em all! My previous favorite Phone, Form Factor wise was my old Fascinate... the Nexus beats it by a mile IMO. Screen rocks, and it just feels very natural to me...especially one handed.
Happy Hunting...
The distance to reach the pulldown menu is less on the RAZR. The overall size does not bother me