Google Nexus S Review
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Review: December 2010 |
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Phone rating: 
In a nutshell: The Nexus S from
Google is a very capable Android phone, and one of the best
of its kind. With Android 2.3 pre-installed, the Nexus S is
brilliant for web browsing, facebook, youtube and everything
else you could want from a modern smartphone. A fast 1GHz processor
and a big Super AMOLED display, plus 16GB of memory ensure everything
hangs together perfectly.
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The Google Nexus S: is it the best mobile phone ever released, or is it simply
a re-branded version of the Samsung Galaxy S?
Well, quite possibly yes, and yes. Let us explain.
On the face of it, the Nexus S is simply a Samsung Galaxy S with one or two
modifications. The phone is made by Samsung, and it shares almost all the features
of the Galaxy S. So, it's an Android smartphone with access to 100,000 apps.
It's powered by a superfast 1GHz Hummingbird processor plus a dedicated GPU
and 16GB of built-in memory. It has a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and
720 x 480 pixels at 30fps video recording. It has GPS with Google Maps. It has
a superfast internet connection with download speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps. It shares
all these things with the Galaxy S. But in addition it has the latest release
of Android (Gingerbread). The main camera has a flash too. So it's correct to
say that the Nexus S and Galaxy S are very similar phones.
But it's also correct to say that the Nexus S is probably the best mobile phone
ever released. Why? Because we described the Galaxy S as quite possibly the
best phone on the market today, and that if it had a flash on its camera it
would be perfect. And so we're prepared to stick our neck out and say that the
Google Nexus S is (very, very nearly) the perfect phone.
Let's take a look at the operating system first. The Nexus S is the first phone
to carry Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). Android was already a mature OS, but Gingerbread
pushes the limits of what a smartphone can be, and takes us neatly into the
world of the future, i.e. 2011. Android 2.3 is faster than previous releases
(most operations have no visible lag whatsoever), and the user interface has
been refreshed. There's an improved keyboard with multi-touch support, making
typing faster, easier and more reliable. At mobile-phones-uk we're big fans
of physical keyboards, but the functionality available here might even convert
us! Copying and pasting is improved, with a new text selection tool. Other new
features include enhanced VoIP communication, Wi-Fi hotspot support for up to
six portable devices and Near Field Communication (NFC). NFC is an emerging
technology that lets your phone read data from objects with NFC chips embedded
in them.
Have we mentioned that the Nexus S is fast? Let's say it again, because it
really is. Gingerbread is noticeably lag-free when using the user interface,
and the combination of a superfast 1GHz Hummingbird processor plus a dedicated
GPU and 16GB of built-in memory makes everything run super-smoothly. This is
a phone that is genuinely capable of multi-tasking, as well as seamless playback
of videos, rendering of graphics-hungry web pages and game playing. In itself,
this smoothness is a good reason to buy the phone. Let's also mention the battery
life, because with a 1500mAh lithium ion battery, this is the best performance
you can reasonably expect from a smartphone. It may not last as long as your
circa-2000 Nokia, but it will easily power the phone for a heavy day's use.
One of the outstanding features that the Nexus S has in common with the Galaxy
S is its Super AMOLED display. At 4 inches across and with 480 x 800 pixels,
this is a brilliant screen for a smartphone. It isn't quite the biggest (see
the HTC Desire HD), but the amazing clarity
and brightness of Super AMOLED easily makes up for this. Tell your iPhone-brandishing
friends that its screen is 30% bigger than theirs, and brighter too!
The Galaxy S has one glaring omission, and that was a flash on the camera.
The Nexus S has a 5 megapixel camera with flash and autofocus, plus 720 x 480
pixels video recording. It also has an additional front-facing camera that can
take stills or shoot video in VGA resolution.
Other features of the Nexus S include a digital music player, assisted GPS
with Google Maps 5.0 with Navigation and web browsing. The device comes pre-installed
with Google apps such as Google Search, Google Maps 5.0 with Navigation (free
turn-by-turn GPS voice guidance), Places (info about restaurants, places of
interest, etc), Latitude, Mobile Instant, Gmail and Google Earth. Being a Google
phone, the Nexus S will automatically update software over the air as it becomes
available. Web browsing is fantastic and there's a YouTube app for watching
videos. Facebook and Twitter are there of course, and integrate nicely with
your Contacts. Just remember that this is a pure Android phone, lacking the
refinements that manufacturers like Samsung and HTC layer on top of the raw
operating system. But again, for many this could be its unique selling point,
offering a purist experience without any baggage. You can always download an
app for anything that's missing.
Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 with enhanced data rate,
micro USB and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Hey - did we mention that the Nexus S looks stunning? We were so busy being
impressed by what it does, we forgot to tell you about its drop-dead looks!
Whereas the first Google phone (the Nexus One)
was a bit of a dog, the Nexus S is a supermodel by comparison. It has a gorgeously
smooth glossy surface, with hardly any surface blemishes and a specially designed
Contour Display with curved glass. The Contour Display is a gimmick for sure,
but it adds to the smooth looks and tactile finish of the phone. Yes, we want
to touch it, hold it, caress it. In fact we just want it, and you probably will
too.
Is it the perfect phone? Well, it's not as nice in build as the iPhone
4, being slightly plasticky at the back, and it lacks a microSD card slot.
But 16GB is surely enough memory? You can always find something to be picky
about. The bottom line is that no phone is ever 100% perfect, but the Nexus
S is so close that it deserves to be called the best.
Update (November 2012): The new Google Nexus 4
takes over as flagship Nexus phone.
Features of the Google Nexus S include:
- 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and flash
- Video recording (720 x 480 pixels at 30fps) plus front-facing VGA video
camera (640 x 480 pixels)
- Display: Super AMOLED, 16 million colours, 480 x 800 pixels (4 inches) capacitive
touchscreen with auto-rotate
- Music player
- MP3 ringtones
- Integrated handsfree speaker
- AGPS with digital compass, geo-tagging and Google Maps 5.0 with Navigation
- Messaging: SMS, MMS, instant messaging, email
- Personal organiser functions
- Memory: 16GB plus 512MB RAM
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, USB 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack
- Internet: Layar Reality Browser 2.0, Chrome-Lite web browser, GPRS, EDGE,
3G, HSPA (7.2 Mbps / 5.76 Mbps)
- Quadband GSM (850/900/1800/1900), tri band 3G (900/1700/2100)
- Size: 124 x 63 x 10.9 mm
- Weight: 129g
- Battery: 1500 mAH lithum ion
- Talktime: 6.7 - 14 hours
- Battery standby: 425 - 710 hours
Google Nexus S User Reviews
Love your mobile? Hate it? Please share your experiences to help other
people choose the phone that's best for them. Please do not review this
phone if you have not used it. This is a review site, not a forum, so
please don't just ask questions. Please do not use swear words or offensive
language, and please, no advertising!
Average rating from 34 reviews: 
Reviewed by sixacet from UK on 23rd Jul 2012
Just gets better. Now on Android 4.1 jelly bean and smoother and faster
than ever. A bargain if you can find it. The only Samsung smartphone
that fits into a normal pocket. Battery life is better than before and
Google Now is an intriguing glimpse in to the future when our phones
will spy on us more and more.
Rating:
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Reviewed by noodle from uk on 9th May 2012
update on my previous post. I've been using the Nexus S for a good while
now with ICS. I loved it before. And now, it's even better. There is
nothing wrong with this phone - apart from the lack of LED but that's
a personal thing. I doubt I will ever have a phone as good as this again.
I'm even considering buying a spare in case I break this one!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Titan from Ireland on 1st Apr 2012
Avoid this phone like a plague. The phone has a battery issue since
the recent update and Google have refused to respond on a fix which
means your battery will last for 5 hours whether you use the phone or
not.
Rating:  Reply
Reply by Grahame from UK on 19th Apr
2012
It's actually better since the update to 4.0. Battery life is as poor
as most smartphones if you have the screen on for long periods of time.
24 hours is about right for minimal use. 5 hours heavy use.
Reviewed by Mike1987 from Scotland on 28th Feb
2012
The Nexus S is superb, I cant fault it. It's beautiful. Google and Samsung
go hand in hand. I agree with one of the other comments though it needs
an LED notification light. Getting the Galaxy S 2 tomorrow but I doubt
I will use it until this baby breaks lol...
Rating:
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Reply by billy from london on 1st
Apr 2012
yep i agree...
Reviewed by noodle from UK on 31st Jan 2012
Excellent phone. I had an HTC Desire for a year and hated the damn thing
, so was somewhat reluctant to get another Android device but the Nexus
s is fantastic. Stunning battery life for an Android, two days between
charges. Call quality is really really clear , it's easy to use , keyboard
is good, the only thing I would like is a notification led. Don't think
about it, just buy one ! You will not regret it.
Rating:
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Reply by Simon from UK on 8th Feb
2012
FIX FOR NOTIFICATION LED: Check out NoLED in Android market
Reviewed by Warren from U.K. on 6th Jan 2012
Jumped on this phone like a tramp on chips when Carphone Warehouse were
offering the Amoled version for £199 sim free. OMG what a stonking deal.
Too good a deal to turn down, £200 was my limit and had my eye on this
phone on eBay for a few weeks. Coming from a HTC Hero that was starting
to show its age. First job i did was Load up ICS ( be rude not too).
I have been blown away by both ICS and this phone. ICS is the best phone
os yet - blows away ios 5 in comparison. Runs really well on the Nexus
S. The Nexus S is also one good looking phone. The contoured glass is
so sexy. It's very well constructed and feels very rugged in the hand
even though it is made of plastic. Screen is to die for! Overall probably
the VFM handset out at the moment. 5 stars!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Alistair Leckie from N.Ireland on
5th Jan 2012
Great phone, I got mine last week for £240 new when my htc desire gave
up. Stock android is amazing - the gingerbread update for the desire
was nothing like the stock gingerbread on nexus s. The nexus does everything
perfectly and is still a modern phone a year on. Mine is the super clear
lcd version and the image quality is no different from amoled screens.
Honestly I can't get over pure android - no bloatwear or doubled up
functions and apps. get one!
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Reviewed by michael maher from ireland on 26th
Sep 2011
Was skeptical switching to a touchscreen as I have been using blackberries
for a few years. But so far have found the nexus really excellent and
very easy to use, PROS: superfast / fab screen / android 2.3 / lots
of admirers / sat nav is fantastic / decent camera. CONS: miss the smooth
email of blackberry / could have done with a notification light
Rating:
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Reviewed by Samrat Bose from United Kingdom on
17th Aug 2011
I'm kind of disappointed with this phone. It drops calls, takes time
to join a wifi network (first the wifi sign turns white, with the reception
bars which were green till then). There is no flashing light to display
if there is a mail/message waiting for me. The touch interface is not
that smooth...certainly, compared to my last phone, the HTC Desire,
this was a downgrade rather than an 'up'grade....
Rating: 
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Reviewed by qasim from new york on 22nd Jul 2011
i think that the google nexus s is a incredebaly good phone. i think
it should atleast be a 5 star.
Rating:
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Reviewed by Jan from Australia on 24th Jun 2011
Very disappointed & frustrated with this phone. I am hearing impaired
so I need a ph that will give me a flashing light to alert incoming
call or sms. I have an hearing dog so I need the the ringtone & the
notification tone to be the same. Impossible to do! The notification
ringtone is too short. I can't find how to make a "face to face" video
call on this ph & can't find anyone that does know! Disappointed? You
bet ya. Not sure where to go from here.
Rating: Reply
Reply by Howard from England on 28th
Jan 2012
Call Your service provider. They control the phones ringer time. Maxium
is 30 sec's I think. I don't know of any phone that has an adjustment
setting for ringer time? Odd that! Can you tell us why that is Mr editor?
Reviewed by Mitesh P M from London (UK) on 23rd
Jun 2011
I have had this phone for while and I have to say I am nothing short
of impressed. Pros: - Very quick in operation - Slick good looking slim
handsome handset - Has 5 desktop like screens to store pics and shortcuts
on which is useful - Smooth camera plus movie recording - a unique amazing
built in tom tom called 'car home' which is deadly accurate. - Wireless
works intelligently, I had configured the phone to connect to two wireless
networks, one at each premises and when I go to either premises, the
phone automatically picks up the wireless which is cool. - Amazing selection
of apps from android market - 3G coverage is smooth - Good standard
memory capability - Notifies when updates are available - When using
the internet the video streaming is quick (wireless and 3G) - Also virbrates
(alert) when receiving calls - Data feeds of Google servers - Fast throughput
Cons: - Sadly the camera has no ZOOM function (both cam + vid mode)
- Battery drains if used heavily but is expected as it is a top phone
- Keyboard takes getting used to otherwise good. - although vibrate
mode is there when receiving calls, sometimes its quite hard to hear
ring tone otherwise nothing major. - no HD recording but still very
clear - No other major cons so far... I have been very honest with my
review and hope this helps readers making their minds up with this phone.
Overall, with its vast number of features and quick responsiveness I
would recommend this phone especially for Android lovers out there!
4.5/5 STARS
Rating:
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Reviewed by James from London, UK on 24th May
2011
I have had this handset from the first week of it's UK release. I also
have an iPhone 4. I live with them both day in, day out - and have done
so since January 2011. My views are sincere and unbiased by brand loyalty
or desires for one platform over another. I can say with cast iron assurance
that this is the most convenient, practical and multi-purpose handheld
device that I have ever owned. My iPhone in comparison has been relegated
to little more than a precious, beautiful glass relic with an impressive
camera on-board. Of course it is not perfect (very little is - although
I believe Apple MacBook Pro's do come as close as you can get). For
all the many plus points that have been well served in these reviews,
the Nexus S/Samsung touchscreen keyboard interface is still someway
short of Apple's. Other than that it is a runaway winner.
Rating:
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Reviewed by Moozy from UK on 23rd May 2011
Had this phone for 2 months now in Scotland on Orange. Totally delighted
with it. Spent about 6 months looking at phones but picked this over
Desire HD due to battery life and nice styling. Absolutely can't complain
about anything. Fast, fun, smart. Even my one worry about the camera
quality has been unfounded as the shots are great. Mates with iphones
are jealous.
Rating:
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Reviewed by Mike from UK on 22nd May 2011
Nice phone. No issues with calling or receiving calls whatsoever. Very
fast internet, excellent camera and video recording. But it does not
have radio and does have rubbish earphones. Not as much entertaining
as IPhone4 but still Top 5 in the Smartphones Premier League as per
today.
Rating:
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Reviewed by Marlo from UK on 1st May 2011
Google steal your personal information and even when you delete the
sync of the Gmail account, the information is supposed to be deleted
from Google servers permanently. It is not. You can prove this by unchecking
the back up option of your stuff to Google servers, delete and reset
the phone and when on the "welcome screen", choose restore back up (Remember
Google is supposed to have deleted your data on the first step above)
an all the stuff that was supposed to be deleted remains and is restored..
This phone has a lot of privacy issues.
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by JSQ from UK on 20th Apr 2011
Had it for 2 weeks now, upgraded from Nokia 5800. Works beautifully.
Smooth, fast and responsive OS with many apps to customise the phone
as you want. The gallery and music app on the phone are not great but
you can download better apps to do the jobs such double twist for music
and Astro manager to organise folders and pictures in the gallery. Camera
is decent and does the job nicely, video is ok. I am giving it 4 stars
not because of the phone, the phone is great, is a real eye catcher
and gets a lot of attention :) But because the OS lacks basic things
such as: 1. the contacts section you can not have group contacts to
mass message people (have to download an app for that), 2. you cant
make your own albums in the photo gallery (have to download an app for
that), 3. the calender does not have a task list (have to download an
app for that), 4. there is no overall call timer to see how many minutes
you have used (no idea if there is an app for that). These were things
my nokia did with ease and as standard. I shouldnt have to download
an app for something like that. But overall, I am very happy I got the
phone and don't feel bad for not having got an iphone :)
Rating:
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Reviewed by Tom from United Kingdom on 14th Apr
2011
Like Nick I'm coming from the HTC Hero and using this is the biggest
step up, like, ever. I thought the Hero was smooth, easy to use, great
screen, now I've got the Nexus S I just feel spoiled. I honestly have
no complaints whatsoever - still feels fast even after loading it up
with all my apps, screen is gorgeous, camera is actually better than
the 8MP one on my friends HTC Mozart. I've been hooked on Android since
my first week with the Hero and this phone just makes things better
- am so glad I chose a phone with a vanilla install of it rather than
a manufacturers skin (most, with the exception of HTC Sense, are awful)
I really can't go through all the good points, there's too many - so
here's the marginal bad bits. It's a bit plasticky and insubstantial
(although it still feels lovely in the hand) and the battery life isn't
the greatest, although that could be cause I'm playing with it so much!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Jayboy from England on 9th Apr 2011
Had this phone for 3 weeks now and love it. Fast slick and i love the
pure android experience. This phone will get updates before others as
well so thats another major bonus! Recommended
Rating:
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Reviewed by Peter Green from England on 2nd Apr
2011
I am an oldie at 59 although in the IT business and technically competent
(says the theory). I am a latecomer to smart phones thinking a Nokia
with voice and SMS is all one could need. A long time user of PDAs from
the Psion XP (anyone remember those?)onwards to the last Sony Clio I
finally wedded the two in an HTC HD2 - lovely phone, absolutely dreadful
operating system. Android 2.3 on the Nexus was a revelation to use.
Suddenly the phone does simply what you want. With one or two niggles
about the way some software works, and despite the new selector icons
in text I do miss arrows (:, this phone is outstanding. It looks, feels
and operates slick(ly). Others, including Apple owners, admire, touch
and drool. This is a very, very good phone. Deservedly outstanding.
Rating:
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Reviewed by Kennedy from UK on 21st Mar 2011
I really don't understand how this phone has got such excellent reviews.
I never write reviews on the net, but really felt the one sided response
to this product so far needs a bit of balance. Firstly, I'm 25 fairly
tech savvy, happy with computers, gadgets, different operating systems
etc. The fact I found this phone difficult to use came as quite a shock
as I have never really had that experience with any gadget I've owned.
Using an iPod Touch 4th Gen (with similar or same OS as the iPhone I
assume) is very easy, smooth and intuitive. Using Android felt like
pulling teeth. Anyway, this is the first phone I've used with a touch
screen. However, I am used to using a touch screen due to owning an
iPod Touch. With the Galaxy S however I found the touch screen unrepsonsive.
The space bar is bloody awful and words keepgettingstucktogether. Again,
this is so much better on iPod/iPhones. Apps- The apps I used (Twitter,
Facebook etc), didn't work as quickly or as smoothly on this as they
do on my iPod Touch (which remember, is about £200 cheaper). They're
also not as well designed as their Apple equivalents. Size- Although
light, it's pretty big. I'm not sure why people are so into smart phones
at the moment. Surely for £400-£500 it would be better to get a decent
priced mobile and a netbook? To me, smartphones are stuck in no-man's
land. They don't have the processing grunt to be a decent comp, but
aren't small/light enough to be a mobile that doesn't make you look
like a pervert on the bus when it's in your pocket. Wifi- The wifi reception
was at 1 bar in the same location my iPod touch had 2 bars and my laptop
managed 4 (of 5). Price- Thank god I didn't pay a penny for this and
I'm able to send it straight back to Vodafone and get something with
a better touch screen and/or old school keypad. T9 predictive text for
me! Basically, if you want to look cool and have the best phone on the
market for the next 2 months, give this a go. If you want something
like a computer, buy a computer (Asus EePc netbooks are great and under
£300). If you're not comfortable using a touchscreen keyboard in any
way, avoid this phone. PS- Android sucks.
Rating:
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Reviewed by kris from Australia on 21st Feb 2011
Brilliant phone. Does everything i need it to. Video recording is good
even if it isn't 720p. Keyboard is pretty good and battery life isn't
too bad. Superfast PHONE!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Arran from England on 20th Feb 2011
PLEASE GET THIS PHONE! PLEASE! FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!!! This is BY FAR the
best phone out there.. Let alone the best phone ever. a MUST have!!!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Chris Cox from England on 16th Feb
2011
This is the best phone I've ever had, quick, easy, excellent!
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Reviewed by Mary from UK on 14th Feb 2011
I am disappointed with the nexus x for a number of reasons. It doesn't
have a radio. the on off button is on the side not the top so I keep
turning it off. The volume control is ugly and unnecessarily large.
Why? It is plasticy to the touch and feels too delicate and sweaty in
the hand
Rating: Reply
Reviewed by Nick from UK on 8th Feb 2011
Brilliant phone, highly recommend it. I've upgraded from a HTC Hero
and the difference in speed of loading apps and internet pages is huge
-pages load faster than on my laptop even via the mobile network (t
mobile). The operating system is very basic compared to HTC sense but
there are so many apps on the market that can do what sense does it
doesn't matter. Camera is great,shame about lack of HD recording though.
My only other gripe is the lack of video codecs which mean AVIs and
the like can't be played - I hope Google sort this out in a future update.
The phone also looks great and I personally like the smooth back plastic
which helps make the phone very light in the hand. 5 stars without question!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Toria from UK on 5th Feb 2011
I thought I'd just add my two cents worth and say 'wow', what a fantastic
phone!! I have tried many handsets believe me, specifically the HTC
Desire HD, Blackberries, iPhone 4, 3GS etc... Whilst the HTC Desire
HD is a lovely handset, it's simply far too wide and cumbersome to hold.
However, this baby is just the right size and weight. The keyboard is
very good and it is very snappy. I got mine SIM free and therefore there
weren't that many programmes pre-installed - I have to say I really
miss the clock and weather widget from other HTC phones! You can download
widgets of course but they're not the same - I miss the windscreen wiper
and fog etc... I haven't managed to find another one for the Nexus so
if anyone knows of where to download one from, please do let me know!!!
I'd HIGHLY recommend this phone to anyone and everyone - if you want
emails/internet/social feeds on the go, then this baby is the one you
want!!! Go get one, you won't be disappointed!!!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Nathan from UK on 27th Jan 2011
I've also used this website for years to get some decent impartial reviews
on phones so thought i'd give something back. This phone is AMAZING!!
Without doubt the best phone i've ever had and i'm VERY picky about
what my next phone will be. I've not had any problems with it at all
and it's super quick at doing what it does. It's just immense. The android
market could do with a bit of an overhaul but that's no slight on the
phone. Battery life is very good considering other phones of this type.
All in all i'm very happy with it and look forward to the next Nexus!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Will from UK on 16th Jan 2011
I've used this website for many years and it hasn't let me down yet.
I agree that this is close to the perfect phone. For me it was a choice
between the Nexus S and the Desire HD. I'm glad I chose the Nexus, as
it is plenty big enough and the super amoled screen is stunning. I've
previously used a BB Curve and liked the keyboard, so it was a risk
taking this. I think the keyboard is excellent actually. It's not as
good to touch as a real physical keyboard, but it has great word predictions
which speed up typing a lot. I haven't tried the voice recognition feature
yet, but that sounds like it will be very useful too. As for apps, there
may be 100,000, but 99% of them are rubbish! Still, that leaves about
a thousand useful ones. The best ones for me are Google maps, RAC traffic
reports, London underground planner, 5-day weather forecast and Sky
News headlines. Contacts were easy to set up. I exported them from my
old phone (Nokia) into gmail (which the phone created for me) and when
I next looked at the phone they had automatically updated! When I installed
the facebook app, the phone loaded all the photos and other info into
the contacts automatically. In fact the phone seems to do a lot of stuff
for you without even being asked. Cool! I've only had the phone for
two days, but I've been playing with it almost constantly and my battery
is still on 25%, so I think I'll probably get a few days use from it
once I've stopped fiddling with it all the time (I charged it for 18
hours when I first got it). That's another reason for choosing this
phone over the Desire HD. I preferred the Nexus S to the Galaxy S as
I read that Samsung's Kies software is hard to use. Also the Nexus usees
Gingerbread and gets auto updates, so will always be ahead. Not sure
that the Galaxy S has the voice recognition feature either. BTW, did
I say that this is easily the best phone I've ever had?
Rating:
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Reviewed by Paul B from England on 2nd Jan 2011
I've had my Nexus S for a week now and have to say that I'm very impressed
with it. The touch screen is faultless, the screen is fantastic and
the aesthetics of the phone "almost" match the iPhone 4! The most impressive
thing for me is the battery life. I had the Desire and it was ok I suppose.
I read several forums saying to get the best battery life out of the
phone was to switch of 3G, wireless, Bluetooth, dim the screen etc -
what's the point of making a superb phone and not being able to use
any of the functions in case the battery runs out? Admittedly I turn
the WiFi and Bluetooth off on my Nexus when I'm not using it and am
getting two days of moderate use! There is limited availabilty of accessories
at present but I'm sure it won't be long before there are more on the
market. Overall I'd recommend the Nexus S. Is it an iPhone beater? Hmmmm.....
I think it could well be!!!
Rating:
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Reviewed by Recklesslife from UK on 29th Dec 2010
Despite people saying it should be a duo-core phone and blah blah blah..
I can honestly say nothing bad about this phone. It's perfect in every
way and if you want the best possible Android experience then this is
the phone to get.
Rating:
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Reviewed by Matt from UK on 28th Dec 2010
Coming from the HTC Desire I can say that the Nexus S fixes nearly all
the little thing that stopped the Desire from being the ultimate phone
for me. I can see myself keeping this for a good while until a decent
dual core Cortex A9 phone comes out. The build quality is brilliant,
with the only let down being that the volume buttons are a little flimsy
and rattle a little when moving the phone. Otherwise it's top notch.
Re: iPhone vs. Android - I'd give my girlfriend an iPhone for simplicity,
but I'd choose the Nexus S every time for being the ultimate geek device.
Some will find the stock Android UI and apps a little basic, compared
to say HTC Sense, but it's Android so they can all be changed. I recommend
installing 'Dialer One' to give the T9 predictive phone dialer, 'ADW
Launcher Ex' to pimp up the launcher, 'Fancy Widget' for clock/weather
on the home screen and 'Folder Organizer' to organize apps into expandable
folder widgets on the home screen. For more essential apps see lifehacker.
Excellent hardware + classic software + almost unlimited customizations
= One top notch phone
Rating:
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Reviewed by Mick from UK on 24th Dec 2010
I totaly agree with the review. This is indeed the best phone I have
used..and i've been using them since '93! This phone along with Android
truly brings smartphones to new heights. I had a HTC Desire HD but was
within one day om right to exchange and I did so.. How lucky do I feel!
The DHD is a lovely phone/concept but the battery life is shockingly
poor and though beautifully crafted lacks the quality screen which does
make a difference. Battery life on my Nexus S goes for 1.5 to 2 days
with normal use (screen 50% bright) . Also one thing i noticed, the
signal reception works brilliantly with Voda and O2. Tried my 3 and
Orange sim card and it struggled to get decent reception (though no
problem when using my Nokia). GPS and camera better and more reliable
than in Samsung Galaxy S. The Nexus S is a Superb achievement from Samsung
and Google!
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Reviewed by DnGee68 from UK on 23rd Dec 2010
I got this phone as a free upgrade and currently have the Blackberry
9000 Bold and iPhone 3GS. This phone makes a welcome addition to my
collection and I have to say as it is my first time with an Android
phone....WOW! I was one of the lucky ones that pre-ordered the phone
from The Carphone Warehouse. I had considered the HTC Desire HD and
the Samsung Omnia 7 (WP7) as well. I had the Omnia 7 for a week and
put the phone through its paces. I was impressed with the OS and think
that Microsoft may have something to offer here. I also had the opportunity
to try out the HTC Desire HD and found it to be a solidly made phone,
what else do you expect from HTC? It was new and was running Android
2.2 and a host of features to boot. The only down side was the battery
and this of course depends on how much you use the phone and its many
functions. Now we come to the Samsung Nexus S.... The first thing that
I noticed was that the build quality was not as good as the Omnia 7
but this time round Samsung had opted for a plastic/resin type casing,
which showed fingerprints very easily. This does not deter me as fingerprints
do NOT affect the way the phone operates and you will soon be able to
buy a case if this is of concern. Compared to the iPhone OS the phone
is EXCEPTIONAL as it scrolls so smoothly and the applications open almost
instantaneously. The phone has more features than you could wish for
but one of my gripes is that there is no micro SD card slot but 16 GB
is enough for me as my iPhone has the same amount and I have not used
even half of it. The screen is absolutely AMAZING and the live wallpapers
show you just what this phone screen can do as I currently have a marine
fish tank as mine and the fish look all too REAL! You can download more
of these as they are available in the market. The camera takes good
photos but unfortunately there is no dedicated shutter button (just
like my iPhone), this was not a deal breaker for me as the phone just
WORKS well. I suppose as I am new to Android this all seems wonderful
and high tech but dedicated Android users may see things differently.
There is also no HD recording but hey! Just how many of us will use
this? I have a dedicated HD video camera, Nikon Digital SLR and an ipod
to boot. The Nexus S WILL be used as a phone first and foremost, so
the other features will just be there for convenience. I have to state
here that I have only used the phone for a day so am still finding my
way around the phone and what it can do but it IS an exceptional piece
of kit. There is no future proofing in technology so expect there to
be other phones coming on the market in the New Year but for now I have
to say this phone sets the benchmark, which may or may not be met in
the not too distant future. I will try to keep you updated as to how
I get on with the phone but at the moment I have NOT used my iPhone
and have not even thought about using it! That says something in my
book but I would suggest you try to take the opportunity to play with
one and make your own mind up. I have and this phone was worth the wait!!!
DnGee68 P.S. I have to thank my friend 'Moonie' for his help and time
in allowing me to try out his HTC Desire HD and explaining some of the
quirks when using Android. RESPECT!
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