Nexus 4

[News] Nexus 4 to go back on sale today

/ Shawn / Leave a comment

After some “issues” on launch day with getting the Nexus 4 phone sold to as many people who wanted it, Google has indicated that the new Android flagship phone from Google and LG is now back stock and will go back on sale to the consumer at noon Pacific time.

If you are an AT&T or T-Mobile customer and are in the market for a new Android device, this might be right up your alley.  For detailed specs on pricing and the device, go here.  For a link to the Google Play to buy this unlocked bad boy, go here.

*Source: BGR

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[Special Feature] Hands on with the Nexus 4 & Nexus 10 **UPDATE**

/ Shawn / Leave a comment

The chaps over at Droid-Life managed to lay hands on both a Nexus 4 and a Nexus 10 and very generously did a walk through unboxing and hands on with these two devices ahead of launch day, which happens to be today.  If you are interested in picking up either of these devices, and were looking for some more info on them, check out the below video.  I will advise you up front – its a long video from a Google Hangout, so its not HD quality or anything…and some of the jokes are silly, nerdish, or just plain weird.  If you can get past that, there’s some good info on both of the new Nexus devices being released by Google, LG, and Samsung today.  For those looking to buy right away, head to the Google Play store here.

UPDATED:  For those who were interested in buying the Nexus 4, it appears that all of the initial stock of both the 8GB and 16GB devices have sold out.  The device went on sale at 9:00am, and in less than a half hour, Google had updated the Play Store with the dreaded “Coming Soon” instead of the pricing and “Buy Now” button.  Sorry folks…we’ll stay on top of this to see when they come back up.  In the meantime, you might be able to pick one up at your local T-Mobile store. 

[Op-Ed]Google misses with the Nexus 4, but it’s on the right track

/ Shawn / Leave a comment

Recently Google officially announced its new flagship Nexus 4 (N4) smart phone.  As expected it packs a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU with an Adreno 320 GPU, 2GB of RAM, a 4.7″ TRUE HD IPS+ 1280 x 768 screen, an 8MP camera, a 2100mah internal battery, NFC capability and 8 or 16 GB of internal storage.  From a technical perspective the Nexus 4 is a beast.  It boasts flagship specs in every department save for internal memory.  As I suggested last month though, Google did this for cost cutting reasons.  Flash memory is the most expensive component in modern smart phones and they clearly wanted to keep the price of the N4 down.  They absolutely succeeded.  An unlocked 8GB will set you back only $299.99 through the Google Play Store while the 16GB version retails for $349.99.  The pricing is nothing short of incredible.

Compared to it’s predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the Nexus 4 is an improvement in virtually every way.  While the bump up in specs is expected, the improvement in materials is a welcome surprise.  The N4 quite frankly makes the Galaxy Nexus look cheap in comparison.  Aside from the HTC One series and Motorola’s new RAZR HD phones, the build quality of OEM Android manufacturers is lacking.  Samsung in particular has a history of using cheap feeling plastics in their phones.  It’s nice to see LG and Google break from the pack and produce a phone with premium specs and materials.  Yes the glass back on the Nexus 4 may end up being more fragile than the plastic back on the Galaxy Nexus, but it’s still a step in the right direction.


Google’s stated goal with the Nexus 4 is to free consumers from lengthy and expensive carrier contracts.  In this regard it is only partially successful.  From a price standpoint Google hit it out of the park.  Unlocked smart phones typically cost a minimum of $599.99.  Cutting that price in half is a major accomplishment.  Unfortunately not having LTE is a fatal flaw.  In the U.S. the N4 is only really compatible with T-Mobile and AT&T’s non-LTE networks.  It won’t work at all on Sprint or Verizon.  Google’s reasons for leaving LTE out include reduced battery life due to the LTE modem, and the fact that it means increased control from the carriers.  While these are valid reasons, the Nexus 4 simply can’t make good on it’s mission without LTE.  How can Google free customers from carriers if their flagship phone only works on one and a half of the 4 major U.S. networks?  None of the Nexus phones sell in large numbers, but the Nexus 4 will likely be a total sales flop.  It’s too bad because it’s a fantastic smart phone.  I can’t wait for the Nexus 5 with LTE, it has the potential to be a real game changer.

[News]Google’s official blog reveals pricing for Nexus 4, Nexus 7 (16GB and 32GB ), Nexus 7 w/mobile data and Nexus 10

/ Shawn / Leave a comment

A post this morning on Google’s official blog has revealed pricing for all their new Nexus products.

Without further ado, here’s the list:

  • Nexus 4: 8GB for $299; 16GB for $349; available unlocked and without a contract on 11/13 on the Google Play store in U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada. The 16GB version will also be available through T-Mobile for $199, with a 2-year contract (check here for more details).
  • Nexus 7: 16GB for $199 and 32GB for $249; available in U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan, and also through our retail partners Gamestop, Office Depot, Office Max, Staples, Walmart.
  • Nexus 7 with 32GB and mobile data: $299 and unlocked, on sale 11/13 in the Google Play store in U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada.
  • Nexus 10: 16GB for $399; 32GB for $499; available on 11/13 in the Google Play Store in U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan.



The 8GB Nexus 4 is set to go on sale for $299, while the 16GB version is $349.  It is compatible with any GSM/HSPA+ carrier, but unfortunately doesn’t support LTE (sorry Sprint and Verizon customers).  The 16GB version in particular is a fantastic value compared to other unlocked flagship smartphones.

The already excellent Nexus 7 (N7) tablet line gets a new 32GB model for the same $249 price that the 16GB used to carry, while the 16GB model drops down to $199.  For those interested in a N7 with mobile data capability, a 32GB will be available for $299.

Finally the Nexus 10 tablet will be available in a 16GB model for $399 and a 32GB model for $499.  The pricing undercuts Apple’s iPad line by $100 for comparable models. The Nexus 10 features a cutting edge cortex A15 1.7ghz Exynos 5250 processor, a Mali-604 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and a iPad retina display beating 2560 x 1600 10.1″ display.  This gives the Nexus 10 a PPI of 300 compared with the 264 of the current iPad. 

The refreshed Nexus 7 tablets are available now, while the Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 will be available through  the Google Play Store on November 13th.  The entire Nexus family launches with Android 4.2

Look for updates throughout the day as more information becomes available!
Update:
Official Nexus 4 Specs:

LG Nexus 4
Release Date: November 13th
Carrier(s): Unlocked
Price: $299/8GB & $349/16GB
$199 on T-Mobile on contract
CPU/GPU: Quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro/Adreno 320
Screen: 4.7″ IPS+ LCD (RGB) 1280x768p
Camera: 1.2MP(Fr)/8MP/1080p@30fps
Memory: 2GB RAM
Storage: 8GB/16GB
SD Card Slot: No
Battery: Non-Removable/2100mah
Pros: Top CPU/GPU available. Flagship specs across the board including ram, camera, and screen. Nexus phone means non-encrypted boot loader and stock Android. Nexus phones get updates as soon as they’re available. 
Cons: No SD card slot. Internal battery. Storage options are very limited.  Won’t work on Sprint or Verizon, and no LTE support for AT&T.
Outlook: The LG Optimus Nexus brings top notch specs, a non-encrypted boot loader and stock Android together in a tidy black package.
Similar phones to consider:
AT&T: Apple iPhone 5, HTC 8X, HTC One X, HTC One X+, Nokia Lumia 920, Samsung Ativ S, Samsung Galaxy S III
T-Mobile: Samsung Ativ S, Samsung Galaxy S III