Nexus 4 is friggin awesome.

[bubblewhip]

So I threw my phone into the washing machine a week ago, and had to buy a new one. The nexus 4 phone was actually in stock when it happened and I was able to get the 16 gig model for less than $400 all including shipping and taxes.

Felt a little miffed spending that money to replace the Galaxy S2 which is a fine phone by all regards but that all went away when I got the Nexus 4 yesterday.

Oh my god. It's like a whole new OS. The biggest problem is that manufacturers are holding the keys to your OS updates, and beyond that your carriers also hold the keys to your OS updates. So when Google puts a new OS update it could take 8 months to get your new update, Apple prevents this by holding exclusivity to their software and not allowing carriers to screw with it, but Android has a serious problem. This problem is extenuated by carriers here in Canada that hold onto ancient 3 year contracts and barely know what an OS update was, so my phone only was allowed a nerfed version of Jelly Bean and since I unlocked it, I didn't want to re-unlock it for the nominal differences.

The Nexus 4 is different, because it's a fully unlocked phone from Google that gets the OS update first in line and gets all the new features.

So I moved from 2.3 gingerbread to 4.2 Jelly Bean. Holy crap...

Voice recognition is miles beyond what used to be there, the interface is totally new and far more modern, and the little things like being able to encrypt the memory, placing apps on the lock screen, global photo shooting which enables you to take pictures in a sphere.

Best part is, is the phone itself costs $200-$300 less than any other modern unlocked phone out there, no contract, no carriers, no crapware.

The phone itself is awesome, it already comes with a screen protector perfectly applied to both sides of the phone.

The biggest trade off is no LTE or 4G however I believe this is because the phone is not locked to a specific carrier or carriers giving them software control of what to install. I heard this is a deal breaker for some people but it really isn't. HSPA+ is able to stream in youtube videos on low quality, and even though I personally have a 6 gig data plan, I have actually rubbed up close to that limit playing low quality videos every month. You don't really need 4G in my opinion since your data limit especially on 1 gig or 2 gig isn't really going to allow you to utilize it. It is useful for tethering your device to a laptop which may need that extra speed.

I'm so buying an unlocked phone from now on. Especially with Canada's terrible 3 year contracts.

[PawPaw]

I wish I knew what you are talking about. It sounds like a lot of fun, but one thing confuses me. You actually pay for a phone?

[bubblewhip]

I wish I knew what you are talking about. It sounds like a lot of fun, but one thing confuses me. You actually pay for a phone?

It's like paying for a laptop.

[Greg]

I wish I knew what you are talking about. It sounds like a lot of fun, but one thing confuses me. You actually pay for a phone?

Every phone gets paid for. If it's an Obama-phone some poor sucker who works for a living pays, but otherwise everybody pays for their own phone. "Free on contract" is by no means free, it's more expensive in the long run than buying it yourself at full retail and not signing a contract.

Nice thing about the Nexus 4 is that it's a high end phone- except for one, possibly two missing features- at a mid-range price. It costs literally half as much as phones with comparable hardware capabilities. I'm considering buying a Nexus 4 myself- I'm on T-Mobile prepaid. (This phone and T-Mobile prepaid are the ideal match for each other.)

[Highspeed]

Ah, OK - it's a portable wireless telephone. Gotcha

[Greg]

Ah, OK - it's a portable wireless telephone. Gotcha

You have to be kind of a phone geek to even know about it, so don't feel bad.

[Denis]

Ah, OK - it's a portable wireless telephone. Gotcha

Ah, some newfangled thing. One vacuum tube or two?

[randy]

Ah, OK - it's a portable wireless telephone. Gotcha

Ah, some newfangled thing. One [strike]vacuum tube[/strike] Valve or two?

FIFY

[bubblewhip]

Ah, OK - it's a portable wireless telephone. Gotcha

Ah, some newfangled thing. One vacuum tube or two?

Nah it uses relays that go "CLICK CLICK CLICK" several hundred thousand times a second.

[mekender]

I am holding out for the Galaxy SIV that should be out in a few weeks.