Google Nexus 5 Released!

[ken0042]

We moved my son from an iPhone to a Nexus 4. The only thing I miss is the "find my iPhone" tracking. We use Life360 which works pretty well, but seems to use more battery.

My son being a teen misses facetime. I don't think I've ever used it intentionally.

He does however love the "drag and drop" to add new songs; and that with his other Android buddies they can just swap songs back and forth.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by ken0042

We moved my son from an iPhone to a Nexus 4. The only thing I miss is the "find my iPhone" tracking. We use Life360 which works pretty well, but seems to use more battery.

My son being a teen misses facetime. I don't think I've ever used it intentionally.

He does however love the "drag and drop" to add new songs; and that with his other Android buddies they can just swap songs back and forth.

We use "Find my Friends" within our family, so that would be missed a little for sure. Even just checking to see each others progress on commutes without bugging them is handy.

Skype is a good alternative for FaceTime. Although not integrated into the OS, I don't do a lot of video calling anyway. And whoever I know who uses Facetime also uses Skype.

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm starting to make a mental checklist of things that I might miss by switching over, and potential alternatives.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

I'm starting to make a mental checklist of things that I might miss by switching over, and potential alternatives.

The main thing I found going from iPhone to Android a while back, was there were many more free apps in the Android world. I would say overall, the freedom you get with Android and the choices you get, would allow you to pretty much have everything you need and more with the switch.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Igster

The main thing I found going from iPhone to Android a while back, was there were many more free apps in the Android world. I would say overall, the freedom you get with Android and the choices you get, would allow you to pretty much have everything you need and more with the switch.

My initial thoughts are the same. My dad wanted a smart phone a while back, and I actually recommended a Nexus 5. In fiddling with his, it seems that there are more options for things like SMS apps - something that iPhone users don't get to choose. "Here's the default app - like it."

Most of the apps that I use regularly are available on both platforms anyway and with the exception of a few built-in features of Apple like photo streams and iMessage, you can pretty much find what you need from a wider selection.

Things like MightyText are kind of exciting for me. iMessage is great if you're on your mac, and someone else is on their iPhone. But being able to send text messages while on my PC (where I spend most of my day), or mac, or phone, etc. is appealing. Just one example, but there is no way that Apple would allow something like that for iMessage - except within their own ecosystem.

[Igster]

Yep. Nothing against iPhone's, I just prefer to not be painted into a corner with what I want to do on my phone. I like choice and Android, especially the Nexus line, gives you that.

[zedge]

Originally Posted by ken0042

We moved my son from an iPhone to a Nexus 4. The only thing I miss is the "find my iPhone" tracking. We use Life360 which works pretty well, but seems to use more battery.

My son being a teen misses facetime. I don't think I've ever used it intentionally.

He does however love the "drag and drop" to add new songs; and that with his other Android buddies they can just swap songs back and forth.

There is built in tracking in Android. You need to enable it in "android settings".

You can track the phone here, make it ring, wipe it, etc, also if needed.

https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager

[Igster]

Originally Posted by zedge

There is built in tracking in Android. You need to enable it in "android settings".

You can track the phone here, make it ring, wipe it, etc, also if needed.

https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager

That's pretty cool. Didn't even know about that. Thanks.

[Jimmy Stang]

What are the odds of the Nexus 6 having dual sim capabilities? Are there other Android devices that are at a similar price and specs, but with dual sims?

I was just daydreaming about traveling and how cool it would be to pop a foreign sim in there while keeping your existing number active for incoming emergency texts and calls.

[Galakanokis]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

What are the odds of the Nexus 6 having dual sim capabilities? Are there other Android devices that are at a similar price and specs, but with dual sims?

I was just daydreaming about traveling and how cool it would be to pop a foreign sim in there while keeping your existing number active for incoming emergency texts and calls.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/The-b...phones_id32596

You usually get a lesser phone that does dual SIM but there a few good options out there and the prices, surprisingly are not that bad.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by zedge

There is built in tracking in Android. You need to enable it in "android settings"

We had gone down that route before. On my son's Nexus 4 it was incredibly unreliable. The most memorable failure was the first time he was taking transit home from the mall by himself. (And with one buddy.) Device manager showed him on the train, then at Canyon Meadows station for a long time, then into Lake Bonavista, then off the map. (When Anderson or Sommerset to a feeder bus was the right options for him.)

Then he wasn't answering his phone (which is part of the reason I have tracking). By the time I was about to panic, the device manager showed him at his buddy's house.

Not sure if that's a Nexus 4 issue, Wind issue, or some combination of the two.

[zedge]

Originally Posted by ken0042

We had gone down that route before. On my son's Nexus 4 it was incredibly unreliable. The most memorable failure was the first time he was taking transit home from the mall by himself. (And with one buddy.) Device manager showed him on the train, then at Canyon Meadows station for a long time, then into Lake Bonavista, then off the map. (When Anderson or Sommerset to a feeder bus was the right options for him.)

Then he wasn't answering his phone (which is part of the reason I have tracking). By the time I was about to panic, the device manager showed him at his buddy's house.

Not sure if that's a Nexus 4 issue, Wind issue, or some combination of the two.

Could be an gps issue with the N4. Never had any issues with my N5 or S3. But i havent used it often.

[WhiteTiger]

Just bought a Nexus 5...so far, it's pretty awesome. But I am coming from a very old flip-phone, too.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by WhiteTiger

Just bought a Nexus 5...so far, it's pretty awesome. But I am coming from a very old flip-phone, too.

Congrats. The Nexus 5 is an awesome phone. I've had mine pretty much since the release and it still holds up pretty well against the flagship phones out there. Having the Android updates right away doesn't hurt either.

[Scoreface]

Any updates on when the Nexus 6 is coming out and what it will be like? Price?

[Igster]

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-...s-1232946#null

Just a quick Google search. I'm sure there is more news out there.

[MrMastodonFarm]

[FlameOn]

[DownInFlames]

If you have a Nexus 5 go to the Play Movies app and you can get "Gravity" for free. The rest of us get some Shaun The Sheep bull####.