The New King of Smartphones? Google Nexus 4 by LG

[b4u]

Looks to be an incredible phone. quad core, 2gb memory,4.7", hi res screen, solid build, pure Google experience Jelly Bean 4..2
and much less than half the price of an iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy 3 bought outright unlocked.

only drawback is lack of LTE connectivity which won't be a problem for most people.

Wired score it a 9/10 which they say means "Nearly flawless; buy it now"

Full review here http://www.wired.com/reviews/2012/11/google-nexus-4/

It’s as close to perfect as I’ve seen any Android smartphone get.

Looks like a very sweet phone!!

And now that Google Play matches iTunes with 700k aps, ecosystem excuses are gone
http://playfuldroid.com/700-000-android-apps-are-now-available-in-google-play-store/

 

[onthebottom]

I'm surprised the Nexus Android phones don't sell better than they do as it's the only way to insure you get the OS upgrade when it's available....

OTB

 

[asterwald]

looks cool, might get it if I need a new phone.

 

[asterwald]

I'm surprised the Nexus Android phones don't sell better than they do as it's the only way to insure you get the OS upgrade when it's available....

OTB

Apparently Google has now taken control of Canadian operations, and will directly provide the updates to Canadian customers. So sale might pick up here.

 

[kaempferrand]

No 4G? Hmmm... that's bad.

 

[Scooter Brown]

No 4G? Hmmm... that's bad.

HSPA+ is consideted 4G at 42Mbps. Not as fast as LTE, but at least supported on majority if not all frequency bands around the world. There is no world LTE phone, since LTE operates on 22 frequency bands! I cannot see any other reason why Google "downgraded" the base HTC phone which is LTE.

For globetrotters LTE is not an option, and unlocked Nexus is good choice.

 

[basketcase]

I still don't know how much I trust LG quality but this phone looks good.


edit to add: $359 no contract makes LG a lot less risky a proposition.

 

[nottyboi]

359 is a great deal for that phone. Only the lack of micro sd is kinda shitty...16 GB is not that much . This phone will put a LOT of pressure on the super phone market.

 

[Powershot]

Seems like a great deal.. I'd wait for a few months after release to see how it fares in the real world before buying an LG though.

 

[b4u]

Seems like a great deal.. I'd wait for a few months after release to see how it fares in the real world before buying an LG though.

yes, it truly is an exceptional value, and from the reviews i've read, very solid build quality. components that are in the top of the line devices from Apple,Samsung etc are in this superphone. LG is a major supplier of Apple screens along with Sharp and Samsung. Gorilla Glass 2 on front and back and a rubberized band around the outside
NFC, Wireless charging which is included in the price, untouched Google Android OS,latest gen quad core processor, 2GB ram,and one of the best screens on the market I can't believe the price.

Engadget review http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/02/nexus-4-review/

The idea that a Nexus quad-core smartphone is hitting the market with a starting price one dollar shy of $300 is simply stunning. Even more so is that it's available without any contract or carrier locks, which means you can use it virtually anywhere in the world. Adding yet another layer of amazement is the fact that this particular device will always be among the first (if not the first) to get the latest version of Android for the foreseeable future. What once was a smartphone series designed for developers has been decked out with top-notch features and priced so attractively that consumers will take notice of it; there's nothing comparable that comes close to it in that price range. This is a smartphone that we'd normally expect to be much more expensive unlocked, but Google set a precedent by lowering the cost of the Galaxy Nexus, keeping the Nexus 7 at $200 and is now continuing the trend with the Nexus 4. The price of freedom has never been more reasonable.

Sure, the Nexus 4 is not without its hiccups, but none of its predecessors have been perfect, either. And given the boost in real-world performance, the better camera and various other new features, it's even more tempting than all those previous devices whose shoes it's trying to fill. In a case like this... you have our permission not to resist.

 

[Tangwhich]

I just got the note 2 and it's exceeded my expectations in every way. Even though I have a preference for Nexus based devices, I wouldn't trade my note 2 for the new nexus.

 

[b4u]

I just got the note 2 and it's exceeded my expectations in every way. Even though I have a preference for Nexus based devices, I wouldn't trade my note 2 for the new nexus.

grats, the Note 2 looks excellent if you like the ultra large screen and stylus. certainly no need for a tablet with that phone. I just read that Samsung have sold 3 million in 37 days which is pretty good for a niche type phone like this.

 

[danibbler]

359 is a great deal for that phone. Only the lack of micro sd is kinda shitty...16 GB is not that much . This phone will put a LOT of pressure on the super phone market.

Good price but commentators say that battery life is poor and I notice that the fandroids are not up in arms over the fact that you cannot change the battery.

 

[b4u]

Good price but commentators say that battery life is poor and I notice that the fandroids are not up in arms over the fact that you cannot change the battery.

why would they be? they have multiple choices if that is important to them.

The wired review under real world conditions had this to say about battery life...

When it comes to battery life, the Nexus 4 is also performs just below the One X and the iPhone. Under normal use, I could go a day before having to charge it. If I was using the handset non-stop, I’d have to charge the Nexus 4 before I left work. This is good battery life, but not exceptional.

 

[danibbler]

why would they be? they have multiple choices if that is important to them.

The wired review under real world conditions had this to say about battery life...

Multiple choices? Not at that price point for those specs.

And other commentators are using theirs under real world conditions.

 

[IM469]

359 is a great deal for that phone. Only the lack of micro sd is kinda shitty...16 GB is not that much . This phone will put a LOT of pressure on the super phone market.

The lack of a memory expansion slot sucks. A decent music library and a few videos will suck the 16 Gb up very fast without adding good apps to the mix. It is the same as the Nexus tablet - why is Google walking down the same arrow path as Apple on this memory expansion issue ?

I like the idea of more competition in the Android/ Windows 8 market. Keeps the innovation up and the prices down.

 

[b4u]

The lack of a memory expansion slot sucks. A decent music library and a few videos will suck the 16 Gb up very fast without adding good apps to the mix. It is the same as the Nexus tablet - why is Google walking down the same arrow path as Apple on this memory expansion issue ?

I like the idea of more competition in the Android/ Windows 8 market. Keeps the innovation up and the prices down.

primary reason for no expansion cards is to get you to use their cloud services. I currently use Google Drive, Microsoft Sky Drive and Dropbox. works great for storing music and videos, leaving the phone free for apps

 

[Tangwhich]

It is the same as the Nexus tablet - why is Google walking down the same arrow path as Apple on this memory expansion issue ?

I agree, I was disappointed that the nexus 10 won't have SD support. That said on my xoom I have that ability and I only ever used it once (on a long flight). The on-board 32GB was more than enough otherwise.
There is the option of using a USB memory stick with an OTG cable though.

As for b4u's comment, I don't subscribe to this whole cloud thing. Sure it's nice to have something like dropbox for convenience but most of the time I want LARGE content I'm somewhere like a plane, a subway or another country. Until the day comes that unlimited internet is available everywhere the idea of using the cloud to store anything beyond a handful of important file is insane IMO.

 

[Berlin]

Cloud thingy is convenient to have, it is definitely not for everyone though. I use it but I do not rely on it.

Back to Nexus 4... for what it is , it ain't bad at all at this price point.

 

[IM469]

Sure it's nice to have something like dropbox for convenience but most of the time I want LARGE content I'm somewhere like a plane, a subway or another country. Until the day comes that unlimited internet is available everywhere the idea of using the cloud to store anything beyond a handful of important file is insane IMO.

I agree. The cloud is no replacement for on board RAM. I use the cloud for some shared device/user data files, Evernote, etc but storing media files can be a costly proposal for people who have limited volume data plans from their cell carriers when they are out of range from friendly WiFi networks.