Help Please help, this is my first android phone.

[DoctorEyeSight]

Hi All,

I had a blackberry pearl with T-mobile for 5 years and I was enjoying the phone until I realized that we have been in a realm where there are way more better devices and services.

I then purchase with Verizon, the iphone 4s due to conformity and apple using their advertisements and tacticts. Initially, I loved the feature of SIRI on the iphone 4s and the camera and the phone was very simple and it's layout was straight forward. I was looking for a case and I went to the apple store, and OMG the customer service was horrible! It took them 20 minutes to have a sales rep or whatever those dudes with apple shirts are called to come and talk to me about cases! I straight up told the manager "I think I might get a Galaxy Nexus "

So, I end up thinking...Hmmmmm.....I have a 3g phone, why shouldn't I get a 4gLTE phone with a bigger super-amoled HD screen - I would be paying the same price monthly! Why not have faster internet? Why not have FREEDOM!

So I exchanged and paid the difference, and here I am, with my brand new Galaxy Nexus Oh, and I got double data, 4gb, for $30

I LOVE the screen on this phone. However, Keep in mind people, I am NEW with android, never been with android systems. I wish this phone would of had SIRI, and I wish Verizon would make their damn 4gLTE network work where I live - The 4gLTE network does not work at my home - Home is very important b/c I do most of my surfing here!

So my complaints on the iphones 4s and galaxy nexus are as follows:

iphone 4s: Small screen! Antenna and battery life sucks, get dropped calls, and 3g network, I like 4gLTE (time to upgrade grandpa )

Gnexus: Low ringtone volume - How smart of Samsung the put the speaker right at the bottom where our hands can cover it! Very smart!, Low headset volume, 4gLTE does not work everywhere - Why did I upgrade? I upgraded to get 4gLTE, not go back to damn 3g! & My last complaint is sometimes surfing on the internet, my original webpages get lost, and also OMG the battery life sucks on this, it sucks it up so good - I was on the bus streaming youtube videos for 1 hour, and battery went to 40% WTH? ANd last but not least, sometimes phone shuts off on it's own!!! Iphone 4s never did this to me.

But overall, GNexus wins, but please anyone if you can please help me get over these complaints....I'm willing to learn. Thanks people.

 

[DoctorEyeSight]

What are the top 5 things I should do since I just received my phone last week! Some people say about "unlocking" and "rooting" - I am not familiar with these terms, can anyone explain to me the best 5 things to my advantage that I should do and why?

 

[raglan35]

On the siri front, the android market has a very similar thing available called personal assistant, I use it and it's really rather good.

 

[surgerush]

I'm pretty sure they put the speaker where your hand goes so the sound can bounce off your hand and back towards you instead of away from you.

 

[stenzor]

Download Volume+, set it to boost speaker to +13 and you'll have the loudest phone in town

 

[DoctorEyeSight]

I downloaded volume+ free edition and it doesn't make no difference.

Download Volume+, set it to boost speaker to +13 and you'll have the loudest phone in town

 

[stenzor]

Download the paid edition. If you don't want to pay, it's free on the developer's site (read the app description for the link)

 

[Foxspeed]

Have you tried EVI from the Market? Its very similar to Siri and pretty good, in some instances faster than Siri when ran at the same time as a friends iphone at work.

 

[Foxspeed]

Download Volume+, set it to boost speaker to +13 and you'll have the loudest phone in town

Its says ONLY for Gingerbread!

 

[stenzor]

Its says ONLY for Gingerbread!

I don't know where you read that but it clearly says Gingerbread and above here: http://androidaudiohacks.com/?page_id=16

Also, it works for me and pretty much everyone else so unless you have a different phone it will work for you

 

[breadnatty08]

I thought Volume+ required root?
Anyway, glad you made the switch! The radios will be updated and hopefully you'll get better 4G strength. My wife's Bionic get's a slightly better reading on 4G, but my Nexus is no slouch. I've never had a dropped call and we've never been in the same place where she had 4G and I didn't. I'm using the leaked radios for the 4.0.4 update that you should be seeing soon (I'm also in a very strong 4G area in DC).
For Siri, there are several options in the Market (google search Android siri alternatives, you'll find them). I've heard they're not as advanced or robust as Siri, but good. I don't need something like this so it's not a concern to me.
For battery life, yes it really does suck on this phone. There are several threads in the forums in regards to maximizing battery life, check them out. The obvious one is to buy the extended battery, it doesn't add much bulk to the phone and you can eek out some more life. I also just keep a charger with me at work. Is it impractical that your phone can't make it through the day? Yes! But, it's a trade off I'll make to own a Nexus. If you really are big on huge battery life, I definitely recommend the Razr MAXX. It doesn't have ICS, but for someone new to Android, I don't think you'll notice.
Anywho, welcome to the Forums, I think you'll like it here. Lots to learn and no one ever condemns a repeat question on the simplest thing. If you want pretty constant coverage on small questions with great folks to help you out, head on over to the Galaxy Nexus Watering Hole:
http://androidforums.com/lounge/458043-galaxy-nexus-watering-hole.html

 

[concreteguy]

The battery life depends on what you do with it. I can make it 24 hours on one charge easily with a normal (for me) work day (no gps and I spend my day WORKING, not playing).

 

[kylecummins]

I thought Volume+ required root?

For In-call settings only.

Can fix speaker problem without root.

 

[Bagua]

For volume+ make sure in sounds, music effect is set to volume+. I have my volume up and set to +3 and it's damn loud. Extended battery helps a little as well as juice defender for when I connect to secure known wi fi source.

 

[DoctorEyeSight]

What's the best way and easieest and top notch quality way to root my phone?

Also, is rooting like unlocking or are they 2 different things? i want to do both if that is possible?

I thought Volume+ required root?
Anyway, glad you made the switch! The radios will be updated and hopefully you'll get better 4G strength. My wife's Bionic get's a slightly better reading on 4G, but my Nexus is no slouch. I've never had a dropped call and we've never been in the same place where she had 4G and I didn't. I'm using the leaked radios for the 4.0.4 update that you should be seeing soon (I'm also in a very strong 4G area in DC).
For Siri, there are several options in the Market (google search Android siri alternatives, you'll find them). I've heard they're not as advanced or robust as Siri, but good. I don't need something like this so it's not a concern to me.
For battery life, yes it really does suck on this phone. There are several threads in the forums in regards to maximizing battery life, check them out. The obvious one is to buy the extended battery, it doesn't add much bulk to the phone and you can eek out some more life. I also just keep a charger with me at work. Is it impractical that your phone can't make it through the day? Yes! But, it's a trade off I'll make to own a Nexus. If you really are big on huge battery life, I definitely recommend the Razr MAXX. It doesn't have ICS, but for someone new to Android, I don't think you'll notice.
Anywho, welcome to the Forums, I think you'll like it here. Lots to learn and no one ever condemns a repeat question on the simplest thing. If you want pretty constant coverage on small questions with great folks to help you out, head on over to the Galaxy Nexus Watering Hole:
http://androidforums.com/lounge/458043-galaxy-nexus-watering-hole.html

 

[hurricane630]

There is a "one click root method" I'd give you the link, but I'm on the app. There is a thread here in the forums. Very simple!

Unlocking is different from rooting. Unlocking means unlocking the boatloader which leads to rooting which allows you to flash roms, kernels, radios, themes. I've flashed 2 different roms so far(can only run one at a time) Codenameandroid and AOKP Build 24. they both have free tethering and hotspot. I prefer AOKP more customization. Also battery life is a problem with this phone, but rooting and flashing a kernel can help. Like the Franco kernel(I'm running his) or lean kernel, there's plenty more. Before root I got maybe 14 hours on extended with 2 hours screen time. Now I get 24-32 hours with 2 hour screen time! Big improvement

 

[Slug]

I want all apps to be free

I want world peace and Angelina Jolie.... those aren't going to happen either, unfortunately.

Piracy is off-topic and against Site Rules here at Android Forums.

p.s. I've moved this to the VZW Galaxy Nexus sub-forum as it's more appropriate to your device.

 

[DoctorEyeSight]

I want world peace and Angelina Jolie.... those aren't going to happen either, unfortunately.

Piracy is off-topic and against Site Rules here at Android Forums.

p.s. I've moved this to the VZW Galaxy Nexus sub-forum as it's more appropriate to your device.

okay, thanks.

 

[joesixpack]

Agree with the other posters - Volume+ works well for the volume issue, and 4G is WAY better than 3G. Also, remember that you are holding the equivalent of a laptop PC in your hand, so you should expect battery life issues. Besides, the fruitphone would suffer if it had a screen even close to the size of the GNex (and don't think they don't know that or they'd have one out by now instead of re-releasing old tech). And, you'd only be getting 2GB of 3G data instead of 4GB of 4G with your current plan!

I'm new to Android as well. The updates will come soon enough to address these problems. In the meantime, I'd rather have the freedom to do whatever I want to customize my phone than be locked into Apple jail!