Category Archives: Android

My Galaxy Nexus: It’s Finally Here!

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My initial thoughts on the Verizon Galaxy Nexus thoughts after having it for 24 hours. This isn’t a comprehensive list, but just some of my random thoughts. If you’re not already aware, I’ve been waiting an agonizing two months for this phone to be released.

I wasn’t unhappy with my Thunderbolt, but I really missed my Nexus One and the pure Google experience. The Nexus S wasn’t on a carrier I liked, and Verizon had not yet offered a Nexus device. This was the first, and it offered all the features I wanted: HD screen, fast camera, slim, sexy hardware, and 4G LTE.

Hardware:

The hardware is downright sexy. Not too big, and feels much better in my pocket than my Thunderbolt. It’s definitely more slippery than I would like. Charging seems to be fast (and much faster than the Nexus S).
The screen? A 720p screen? Yes, it’s awesome, especially with the SAMOLED and its excellent black levels. Screen size is good for me too. I can see someone feeling it’s too big, but I have man hands and am having no issues using it. The onscreen buttons are excellent, and I love that while watching video the buttons disappear and I get the entire screen for my video.

Notification light is one of my favorite features. So much more convenient to know what notification I got while in a meeting without having to turn it on to check.

I’ve not had enough time with the camera to make a decision, but it will definitely suffice for my needs. It takes pictures super quick, and the redesigned UI for the camera software is much improved. Front cam is improved as well but still not as good in low light as iPhone 4.

Software:

ICS is amazing. It’s a huge leap forward in Android. It still has some very minor lag/stutter, but it’s very minor and doesn’t bother me.
I had 32 apps updated yesterday. A lot of them with ICS support including Flash and Netflix. Wonderful.
The redesigned UI for Gmail, GTalk, and YouTube is superb. Love it.
Native screenshot implementation is great. Take a screenshot with power and volume down, and then get a sharing dialogue. This is how it should be done.

Overall:

I think I will stick with Nexus devices for a long time. Root is super easy, and I love that it’s wide open and that I can do whatever I want with it.
If you’re on Verizon, and you want an untainted Android experience, this is the device for you. Yes, I’m aware there are two carrier apps pre-installed. Yes, I disabled the VZW backup using ICS’s new feature. I actually like that those were included. 4G speeds have been comparable to my Thunderbolt, and I have no complaints thus far about my new phone.

I can finally relax and enjoy. Finally.

Leveraging the Power of Google Voice

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When Google took over Grand Central, I took notice of the service. Prior to that, I had heard a few people mention it online, but I didn’t really understand what it was or how I could possibly use it. When it was re-introduced as Google Voice, I was both excited and intrigued. It was a new Google service! I immediately began integrating it into my life. I grabbed a Google Voice telephone number, and, well, that was pretty much it. You see, I had an iPhone 3G, and there really wasn’t a whole lot of stuff I could do with it at the time other than use it as an incoming telephone number.

Along came the Nexus One, and I switched as soon as the AT&T version was made available online. With Android 2.2 onboard, I was finally able to use Google Voice as it was intended: an integrated and seamless experience within my phone. Well, almost. While I was now able to make and receive calls with my Google Voice number, and send and receive free texts, it still didn’t do MMS and the service was hit or miss. However, I trudged on and used my Nexus One with Google Voice. I trained my family and friends to use that number exclusively. I made them delete my old cell phone number. The fact that I always was testing a new cell phone on a different carrier meant that unless they used that number, they likely wouldn’t get me on another number anyway. I finally went all in about a year ago and dropped my texting plan altogether.

So at this point I had really embraced this service. I regularly used the desktop interface to make and receive calls and texts, and could even do some video calling. How much better could it get? Enter GrooveIP. When I got my first Honeycomb tablet, I was excited to be able to continue my Google experience on a larger screen. However, I still needed to keep my phone nearby for calls. GrooveIP is a Voice over IP (VoIP) client which allows you to make or receive calls with just a data connection. With this client running on my Tab, I was finally able to put my phone down. Sure, it’s a little clunky to have a conversation  on a 10” tablet, but we’re talking a speakerphone. I’m not putting this thing up to my head!

The final step for me to fully leverage Google Voice was my recent purchase of an Obihai 110 VoIP router. This router plugs into your home network via ethernet, and allows you to plug a normal landline phone into it. You can easily input your Google credentials through the web interface and it becomes a switch for all of your Google Voice calls.

I recently upgraded my alarm system to cellular, so we didn’t need our home phone anymore. Rather than completely ditch the home telephone number I’ve had for the last 12 years, I’ve ported that number to a prepaid T-Mobile account. Once that port is complete, I’ll pay the $20 fee to port the number to a Google Voice account, and this will allow me to keep the same number I’ve had at home without the $40 a month charge for landline service. This keeps my wife happy, and it also made my daughter happy. The Obihai 110 allows you to input 2 different accounts, so I added my daughter’s GV number as well. She can receive texts on her iPod Touch, and when her friends call her GV number, it rings our home phone as well.

So at this point, we’re all in with Google Voice. It’s a fantastic free service that I would gladly pay money to use. I believe I’m now using it as the trifecta: cellular phone, tablet, and home phone.

If you’ve been wondering how you might integrate it into your life, I hope I’ve given you some ideas.

Phonesuit Primo Power Core Battery Pack Unboxing

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The fine people at Phonesuit.com sent me a sample of their new Primo Power Core Battery Pack. This is an 8200mAh portable battery charger that can charge just about any device you can imagine. It includes support for iPad.

Check out the unboxing below, and check back for a follow-up review once I’ve had time to put it through its paces. You can order your own from Primo Power Core page on the Phonesuit website

Sadly, I’m returning my Nexus S

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When the Nexus S was announced, it was to mixed reviews and minimal fanfare from the phone community. When the original Nexus One came out a year ago, it was a halo device that set the standard on processor and features. Its specs and hardware are now found in most of the new devices which are released today. The Nexus S seemed to be too closely related to the Galaxy S line to be innovative, and its Samsung parents are not looked upon favorable by many who have owned their products over the years and have been burned by their lack of updates.

I was the first to say that I wasn’t interested in the Nexus S. First, it was only available on T-Mobile. Second, it had no SD card slot. Third, no LED notification light. Fourth, it was made by Samsung. Despite the fact that I wasn’t interested in it, I needed to check it out. I spent about 30 minutes playing with one on the Saturday after it launched at Best Buy, and it immediately won me over. The next day I located a store about 30 minutes away that had them in stock, and bought it without hesitation.

I was able to work around most of the issues above except for the fact that it’s tied to T-Mobile, but I was willing to give that a shot too. After almost 30 days with the Nexus S, I’m going to begrudgingly return the device to Best Buy this weekend. The phone itself is not without flaws, but it’s a fantastic device. The SAMOLED screen is absolutely amazing, with black levels that I’ve never seen, brilliant colors, and touch sensitivity that makes my Nexus One weep. Call quality has been excellent, and the earpiece sounds nice and crisp without any hint of crackle. I’ve experienced good battery life, but pretty comparable to my N1. The NS is exactly what I’d been hoping for; a pure Google phone with a large 4″ screen, front facing camera, and “open” – a Google device with an unlocked bootloader that is prime for rooting, custom roms, and tweaking. Issues? The mobile hotspot refused to enable. I had to go through 4 devices to get one that worked properly. The other issue? Random reboots. Yep, most annoying. On the flip side, it’s BLAZING fast, and everything is buttery smooth.

What’s the dealbreaker problem then? T-Mobile. Unfortunately, almost all of the issues I’m having fall squarely on their shoulders. At my office in downtown Louisville, it is blanketed by HSPA. However, the best I ever see is 1-1.5Mbps down, and most days I’m lucky to see 1-200kbps. There are a few areas in town where the speeds are pretty fantastic at 3-5Mbps, but I’m never in those areas. Compared with AT&T speeds in the majority of areas where I frequent, T-Mobile’s data network is lacking. While at CES last week, Las Vegas is blanketed in HSPA, and I had a pretty impressive experience except for on the show floor. Comparably, my AT&T N1 showed “Emergency calls only” most of the time.

The other T-Mobile issue that continues to be a problem is MMS. From day one, pictures received on the NS were blurry and pixelated. I went through a lot of hassle to get in touch with someone at T-Mobile who got the right people working on it. As impressive as that encounter was, the issue popped up again. Some days my phone will be sitting on my desk, and I won’t get any notifications for a while. I’ll check, and it shows connected to 3G but there isn’t a data connection. After a reboot, it starts working again. Not so good for staying in touch. This behavior is not replicated when using my AT&T sim in the same device.

You may think I’m writing this whole article to place blame on T-Mobile. Not at all. Instead, I’m writing it because I’m going to actually follow my own advice for once. People always ask me what carrier they should use, and my response is always to pick your carrier based on coverage first then pick your phone. If I stay with T-Mobile, I’m not doing that. The entire reason I was trying another phone and carrier to begin with was my terrible experience with AT&T in downtown Louisville. It’s a huge fail. However, it works great everywhere else I go, and data speeds are pretty consistent everywhere in Louisville. As much as I love the Nexus S, it’s just not a sensible thing for me to spend the $561.79 plus $60 a month on a device that isn’t going to fix the issue I originally purchased it for in the first place.

If you’re a happy T-Mo user, the Nexus S is an awesome device. I’m going to be really, really sad to take it back and return to my Nexus One, even though that’s also a great device.

I’ll be waiting for the next great device to come along. Judging by what I saw at CES, it won’t be long.

Primo Battery Cube

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Have you ever been out far away from a power source with a fading battery in your favorite gadget? Wish there was a solution to this? Sure, many gadgets and smartphones allow you to swap batteries, but buying a spare battery for every device can get expensive, and it’s bulky to carry around a bunch of spare equipment.

PhoneSuit has the solution: The Primo Battery Cube. You may remember I reviewed a similar product back in February which was designed specifically for iDevices. The Battery Cube offers very similar functionality with a lot more versatility. Instead of the proprietary Apple connector, this compact package offers both mini and micro USB connectors for maximum compatibility.

The package itself is pretty neat. It’s 1.5″ in both length and width, and 3/4″ thick. On the front, it has a small mirror which hides 4 charging indicator arrows. The side houses two DC-in ports (both mini and micro USB). This offers nice charging flexibility. On the bottom, a small rubber flap covers two charging ports which ratchet out into position. This allows you to connect the Cube to your device and move it to a comfortable position while using it.

Here are the rest of the highlights:

  • Powerful 1000mAh lithium-ion rechargeable battery
  • Integrated Micro-USB and Mini-USB charging tips to provide instant power to over 95% of SmartPhones.
  • Cube features two input ports as well so it can be recharged by either a Micro-USB or Mini-USB cable.
  • Charging tips rotate and lock into place allowing you to position the Cube for a comfortable feel while using your phone.
  • Tips fold cleanly away in the back for protection when not in use.
  • Extremely small size about one and half inches (40mm) in length and width
  • Four-Point LED meter displays the remaining charge
  • Includes one Micro-USB cable
  • Detachable keychain loop
  • Cube is also charge compatible with a large variety of Bluetooth headsets and USB powered electronic devices

I tested the Cube on several of my gadgets including my Nexus One, my Sansa Clip, and a couple of bluetooth headsets with excellent results. Although I have a spare N1 battery, sometimes I just need a quick 20% bump to make it the rest of the day. This is the perfect thing to throw in your bag and have the peace of mind that you won’t run out of juice.

At $39.95 and available directly from PhoneSuit.com, it’s a little pricey compared to just buying a spare battery for one device. The beauty of this Cube is in the flexibility it offers. It’s definitely a welcome addition to my gadget bag.

Demystifying Switching from iPhone to Android

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I seem to have read one too many of those “complete iPhone fanboy tries converting to Android” articles today. I decided I’d spend my lunch hours blogging about a few points that seem to always be missed when iPhone users try Android and dismiss it because it doesn’t work like their Apple product. Here are some of the common arguments:

1. It doesn’t work with iTunes!

The most glaring thing I see written and discussed is media sync. When an iPhone fanboy (I’m going to shorten this to iFan to save space) plugs in his Android phone and nothing happens, they always seem to be confused about what to do next. While iOS devices are limited to iTunes for downloading content, Android OS offers many great options for syncing content:

  • Manually move content using the Android phone as a USB drive (yes, it’s legal, and yes, there is file system access)
  • TuneSync – wirelessly sync with your existing iTunes library
  • BeyondPod – wireless podcast syncing over the air – no computer required
  • DoubleTwist – iTunes imitator which works with Android – limited

I personally use BeyondPod to grab all of my podcasts every night. It does it automatically, and it does it extremely well. I don’t have to do anything but listen to my podcasts.

2. App “X” isn’t available/as good on Android

Great, then why would you switch? Seriously, if you depend on one app, and it’s bad or not available, don’t consider the switch. There are crapps on both platforms, and some real gems. Slingplayer on Android is 5x better than on iOS. Facebook, not so much.

3. The keyboard is better on iPhone

I would agree that the iPhone keyboard is the best soft keyboard out there. However, it’s limited in functionality, and it only allows one method of input – tapping. Android’s voice input is available system wide, and it works very well. With the recently released Google Actions, you can press one button and send a text, email, or search without any further screen taps. Also, if you tried Android and didn’t use Swype, you missed out.

4. Visual Voicemail isn’t on Android

This goes back to my earlier point – you can’t use Android the same way you use iOS. iOS has VVM, Android has Google Voice (and voicemail). It works great, is very well integrated, and, in addition to visual voicemail, will actually *gasp* give you speech to text translations of your voicemail (sometimes with hilarious results).

5. I’m not a big Google Services user

If you’re not using Google Services, Android may not be for you. Much of the magic comes from the power of Google, and trying to use it without that magic is like trying to use iOS without iTunes. Explore things like Google Voice. Save on your texting plan. Use a GV number just for selling things on Craigslist. Organize all your contacts in the cloud. Share your calendar with friends, and be able to add things to your spouse’s calendar.

6. I don’t want/care about/need Flash

Great. Don’t install it. Or, set it to “On Demand”. It’s nice to have, and comes in handy. HTML5 may be the future, but we’re not there yet. I personally love being able to access Flash content on an as-needed basisi.

7. The iPhone screen is SOOOO NICE!

No question about it – that Retina screen is great. However, you were using a washed out 320×480 display for the last 3 years. That screen is also stuck at 3.5″ with no hope for anything larger. Android devices offer a variety of screen sizes and resolutions. Choice is nice.

Here are some other things iFans completely neglect in most of their “switcher” reviews:

  • Google Voice
  • Gmail integration
  • Google Navigation – how can you miss this?
  • Voice Search/Actions
  • Widgets
  • Notifications – seriously, iOS needs serious work in this department
  • Social media integration
  • 24 hour Try-before-you-buy Market policy
  • File system access
  • Cloud backup
  • Apps not tied to Apple’s review process – this can be a double-edged sword, but being able to try out programs from outside the market is a huge plus in my book
  • Barcode scanner

There is no doubt that the iPhone has changed what consumers expect from their mobile devices. However, that doesn’t mean that the way Apple envisions your mobile device experience is always the best way. If you don’t hate AT&T’s service, and you’re happy with your iOS device, it’s ok to keep using it. However, reality is that there is a lot of competition in the mobile space, and if you look up from your Retina screen for a second, you’ll see some cool things Android does that iOS doesn’t. Dismissing these things is a bad idea, since you might find utility in the things I listed above. Don’t be like Steve Jobs and say you’ll never need those things because I guarantee that once iOS gets them, you’ll be change your mind like the iFans who suddenly LOVE background apps.

One final word of advice for “switchers”:

Don’t write your article like you’re the shrew who can’t be tamed. Nobody cares if you didn’t switch :-)

TuneSync:

BeyondPod:

800 Miles with Android

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I just finished driving 800 miles on a family vacation to Florida. Armed only with my Google Android phone for navigation, we made it safe and sound. Although I recognized Google Navigation and its awesome integration with Android as an asset, I didn’t truly realize just how awesome it was until today.

My Nexus One handled the load like a champ: streaming podcasts over bluetooth while simultaneously sharing its internet connection to my daughter’s iPod Touch as well as providing me turn-by-turn directions for 800 miles was great. I was relying on the Google car dock to keep the juice flowing, and it didn’t let me down.

We decided somewhere in Georgia to go “off the beaten path” to High Falls State Park. Even with only an EDGE connection, it handled the directions appropriately and got us back to the interstate with no issues. However, I was most impressed with it when I was sitting at Cracker Barrel having dinner in Gainesville, Florida trying to decide where we were going to stay for the night. A combination of Google Maps and Navigation provided easy access to nearby hotels, user reviews, rates, phone numbers, and directions. My wife attempted to` locate the same information on her iPhone, and that really highlighted the power of a “with Google” phone because of the deep integration with Google services and the Android operating system. The basic map functionality of the iPhone paled in comparison to the vast amount of information available on Android.

As I tweeted earlier today:

God is my copilot. Google Navigation is my navigator.

I also brought my Sprint EVO along for the ride, and got a chance to try out 4G in Atlanta. This was a huge disappointment. Speeds were no better than Sprint 3G speeds, and only 1/3 of the speeds my Nexus One was pulling down on AT&T 3G. I’m not sure if my EVO is just defective; I LOVE the form factor and hardware, but my experience on Sprint has been terrible. The EVO was roaming about half the time, and it chewed through the battery while sitting unused in the windshield mount. This thing is definitely going back to Best Buy when I get back.

EVO 4G Sprint Atlanta

Nexus One AT&T 3G in Atlanta

On to Mickey Mouse tomorrow!