Help Galaxy Nexus Questions

[999blb]

Hey everyone.

I'm new to the forum, and I was thinking about purchasing the Unlocked Galaxy Nexus. I've been debating between the iPhone 4S and the Nexus, so hopefully you guys can help me out. I currently have an iPod Touch 4G, but I'm willing to try out Android

I was planning to use the Straight Talk service as the carrier on the phone. I would probably be getting an AT&T SIM card. Does it use a regular or micro SIM card? That way I'd be able to purchase the correct one. Will I have to change any settings for the APN to get it working correctly?

I've seen news of the new 4.1 Jelly Bean coming out. Will the device come with Jelly Bean on it already? I've seen people root and put it on, so I'm unsure.

I don't want to waste all my space on the phone since it is only 16GB. On my iPod touch, I have used about 8GB. (I have the 32GB model, so it didn't really bother me) but now that I'd be using 16GB, would it be a problem? I don't know what I'd download if I got this phone because Android is different from iOS, though.

I noticed that it doesn't have a MicroSD slot on it either. I think you'd be able to use USB-To-Go to get one, correct? I've seen some people use StickMount so you could access the card, but you have to root the device. How would I go about doing that?

Thank you all so much for your responces. Sorry if I've asked a lot; I just want to be sure.

 

[mogelijk]

Hey everyone.

I'm new to the forum, and I was thinking about purchasing the Unlocked Galaxy Nexus. I've been debating between the iPhone 4S and the Nexus, so hopefully you guys can help me out. I currently have an iPod Touch 4G, but I'm willing to try out Android

I was planning to use the Straight Talk service as the carrier on the phone. I would probably be getting an AT&T SIM card. Does it use a regular or micro SIM card? That way I'd be able to purchase the correct one. Will I have to change any settings for the APN to get it working correctly?

It uses the Standard (also known as Mini) SIM card. You shouldn't need to change any settings on the phone, just plug the SIM in and set up your account with Straight Talk.

I've seen news of the new 4.1 Jelly Bean coming out. Will the device come with Jelly Bean on it already? I've seen people root and put it on, so I'm unsure.

From what I've seen, the phones are still shipping with 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich aka ICS) on them. However, once you set it up, if it does still have ICS on it, there will be a JB update to download and install (no rooting required).

To hopefully clarify, there is a GSM Galaxy Nexus (the unlocked phone that Google sells) and a CDMA Galaxy Nexus that is sold by Verizon and Sprint. The CDMA Nexus has had radio problems (weak cell signals) and shorter battery life that the GSM Nexus doesn't. Also, since the CDMA version of the Nexus is sold through the carriers, they only get OS upgrades when their carrier releases them, not through Google like on the GSM Nexus.

I don't want to waste all my space on the phone since it is only 16GB. On my iPod touch, I have used about 8GB. (I have the 32GB model, so it didn't really bother me) but now that I'd be using 16GB, would it be a problem? I don't know what I'd download if I got this phone because Android is different from iOS, though.

I'm guessing what you would download would be very similar to waht you have on your iPod. Apps are similar and relatively small in size. I have somewhere around 100 apps loaded on my phone and they take up about 1GB of space.

Since Android is a Google product, they have apps for their web services available (contacts, Gmail, Calendar, YouTube, etc.), with some apps preloaded, and the content is synced between your phone and the web. Also, one way to save space is to use Google Music, which is a free service -- it will copy the music from your computer and make it available from the cloud, so that you don't have to have your music on your phone.

Also, you can download apps from Amazon's App Store, which offers a free Android app every day.

I noticed that it doesn't have a MicroSD slot on it either. I think you'd be able to use USB-To-Go to get one, correct? I've seen some people use StickMount so you could access the card, but you have to root the device. How would I go about doing that?

Thank you all so much for your responces. Sorry if I've asked a lot; I just want to be sure.

Rooting the Nexus is quite easy but you should understand what you are doing before you try it. At the top of the Google Nexus forum you will see "All Things Root" subforums, just use the one for the Internation Nexus.

 

[gale65]

After I got mine, it started updating to JB right after I first turned it on. I didn't prompt it or anything. I've never rooted it. It uses a regular sim, not a micro. That info is on the bottom of the product page: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=galaxy_nexus_hspa You will have to create a new APN and enter the info but it's pretty easy. If I can figure it out anyone can.

I also have (and LOVE) the ipod touch 4g. I have the 8 gb and am only about 2/3 full so I was sure the 16 gb would be plenty for me. However, the Nexus is quite a bit bigger than the ipod touch and I play scramble w/ friends a lot better on the ipod touch. I haven't tried a lot of music apps but I prefer the shuffle on my ipod touch so in my car, I use it for music.

No idea about the sd card questions. So far I'm using dropbox to put anything on it that I want, but I haven't put any books on it or anything. I have my ipod touch for reading and the Nexus' battery doesn't last as long so if I'm in for any marathon reading sessions, like on a road trip, the ipod battery would probably outlast it with that much screen-on time.

 

[gale65]

Also, one way to save space is to use Google Music, which is a free service -- it will copy the music from your computer and make it available from the cloud, so that you don't have to have your music on your phone.

I have a question about that. If you listen from the cloud that uses data right?

 

[mogelijk]

I have a question about that. If you listen from the cloud that uses data right?

If you are using the cell network then, yes, it uses data. Though you can set it up to only listen to music in the cloud while on WiFi, so you don't use your data. Another option is that it lets you download your music from the cloud onto your device -- so while connected to WiFi you can download the music you want on your phone, listen to it without using data, and also not have to physically connect your Nexus to a computer to copy it.

 

[Bren S.]

Hey everyone.



I was planning to use the Straight Talk service as the carrier on the phone. I would probably be getting an AT&T SIM card. Does it use a regular or micro SIM card? That way I'd be able to purchase the correct one. Will I have to change any settings for the APN to get it working correctly?



I noticed that it doesn't have a MicroSD slot on it either. I think you'd be able to use USB-To-Go to get one, correct? I've seen some people use StickMount so you could access the card, but you have to root the device. How would I go about doing that?

It's true the SIM you need is the regular sim not the micro,however for Straight Talk there are in fact some APN settings you will need to change.The information on that comes with the SIM card that you purchase from Straight Talk's website.It is quite easy to do though.

The GNex indeed does not have a sd card. You can plug your phone into your computer and access most things that way. I prefer to use something called swiFTP which is a free app that allows you to view your phone files wirelessly on your computer....but that's just personal preference.