Google's 2012 Nexus handset, the Nexus 4 marks the company's first Nexus partnership with LG. The phone is essentially the LG Optimus G, though with its LTE radio disabled by default. The launch of the Nexus 4 was notable for the exceptionally low price at which Google was able to offer the phone, with the 8GB model selling for just $300 without contract obligation. The Nexus 4 runs a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, has 2GB of RAM, and features a 4.7-inch 720p display.
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by Jaime Rivera | March 25, 2013 7:00 PMRead OnWatch today's Pocketnow Daily as we talk about how HTC plans to reinvent themselves with a new slogan. Then we move to the Motorola X Phone rumors as we now have a possible press render. Then it's some Nexus 5 talk as it'll apparently be smaller than the current-generation Nexus 4. We later talk about the Galaxy S 4 mini and it's possible processor, even though we still don't have high hopes for the device. We end today's show talking about the Galaxy Note III rumors and how it may include an indestructible display as part of its spec list. All this and more after the break. Stories: - HTC ...
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by Stephen Schenck | March 25, 2013 3:42 PMRead OnFor as nice a phone as it can be, the Nexus 4 isn't without its share of problems. It can be incredibly fragile, could use a larger battery, and doesn't support microSD expansion. That lack of microSD support might be mitigated a bit if you could plug in a flash drive, but the phone also doesn't support USB on-the-go. Luckily, there's a work around for that last one, and though it's not the most graceful solution, can get your Nexus 4 working with USB accessories in a pinch. The Nexus 4's USB OTG problem is two-fold: the phone lacks both hardware and software support. Software isn't the ...
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by Taylor Martin | March 20, 2013 8:47 AMRead OnMost new-device launches go the same way: usually the press gets review units before they’re widely available, and we get to use them for a few days -or a week if we’re lucky- as we work on our review. Then press day arrives. The embargo on media coverage lifts, and everyone posts their reviews and videos at the same time. It’s a huge frenzy, commenters go nuts, and it’s a giant explosion of frantic opinion-sharing activity. For about … a day. And then it all goes away. Sure, there’s followup coverage as people find bugs and hidden features, but after that initial blast, not ...
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by Stephen Schenck | March 11, 2013 1:21 PMRead OnWhatever happened to that white Nexus 4? It was very much the stuff of rumors for the longest time, and then right at the end of January it showed up in a bucket-load of pics, convincing even skeptics that the model was very much real. Of course, while existence alone was nice to see confirmed, we were a little more interested in learning just when this version of the Google smartphone might go up for sale. While we wait for that answer, some new evidence of the white Nexus 4 has emerged, upon the phone's bumper in white being spotted at a Canadian retailer. While there have been ...
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by Taylor Martin | March 7, 2013 2:19 AMRead OnArguably the hottest device to show its face on the show floor in Las Vegas at CES this January, the Sony Xperia Z turned a lot of heads. This was the device I had a guy rip from my hands as I was shooting a hands-on video. This was the device that literally had hundreds of people huddled around the demo units, even over an hour after the press event. In all its glass and metal glory, it goes under the microscope. This time, the 5-inch 1080p display, 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro chip, 2GB RAM, 16GB built-in storage, 13.1-megapixel camera and 2,330mAh battery take on Google's on ...
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by Taylor Martin | March 1, 2013 7:00 AMRead OnUbuntu Touch was released as a developer preview one week ago today. I have spent hands-on time with the new platform off and on ever since. In that time, I have learned some things about the platform, and I've discovered things I find truly novel and impressive. Likewise, I've found a handful of things that are terrible and off-putting. I am sure of one thing: Canonical is on to something with Ubuntu Touch. The sole purpose of running Ubuntu on a smartphone is convergence – something many are aiming to do, but Canonical has done the most work here so far. Make no mistake, the company ...
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by Stephen Schenck | February 25, 2013 5:30 PMRead OnThe first Optimus G was a pretty nice little smartphone from a company that's really been hard to feel enthusiastic for over the years. At least, between misses like the oddball Optimus Vu and the low-to-midrange L series it dumped on the market last year, it was starting to feel like it had been a seriously long time since there was an LG smartphone worth getting excited about. Ultimately, the Optimus G was itself overshadowed by the Nexus 4, a cheaper version with the benefit of Google's software support, but had that not stolen some of the limelight, the Optimus G would have likely been ...
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by Taylor Martin | February 25, 2013 2:24 PMRead OnLast week, we finally got a firsthand look at Ubuntu 12.10 Touch. We went hands-on with both Ubuntu for Phones and Ubuntu for Tablets. While it's pretty clear that the developer preview was just that, a preview (some application were only screenshots of what the applications will look like), the operating system shows promise for great things to come. Ubuntu, at this point, is not stable, and in no way is it viable as a daily driver. Sure, you have your basics – dialer, SMS, HSPA+ connectivity, camera, etc. But application support is virtually nonexistent and the preview suffers from all ...
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by Taylor Martin | February 22, 2013 9:00 AMRead OnCanonical released its developer preview of Ubuntu for Phones yesterday, and it provided a method for the public to flash the preview of the platform to their personal Nexus devices. After trying to the better part of two hours to get apt-get working on my MacBook Air, I turned to someone for help. I was pointed in the direction of xda-developers, where I learned that flashable images were hosted on Ubuntu's site. The instructions, however, were a little scarce, particularly for anyone who isn't well-versed in the world of Android modding. If you're wondering how to get Ubuntu on your ...
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by Taylor Martin | February 21, 2013 11:30 PMRead On
All eyes were on Canonical today for the much-anticipated release of the developer preview of Ubuntu for Phones and Tablets. Canonical brings Ubuntu Touch forward with one thing in mind: convergence. The idea is that you can carry a single device to perform all your standard daily tasks. Carry a smartphone in your pocket running Ubuntu for Phones, yet when you attach peripherals – such as a mouse, keyboard and monitor – the interface reverts to its full-OS form. After some finagling, I managed to flash Ubuntu on the Nexus 4. Surprisingly, despite the hours of getting nowhere, the ...
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by Stephen Schenck | February 21, 2013 12:22 PMRead OnReady to try out the latest smartphone and tablet OS to hit the scene? It's still very much in development, and this preview is not intended for immediate use as a daily driver, but if you want a peek at what could be the next big thing in mobile platforms, the Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview has just arrived for Galaxy Nexus (GSM only), Nexus 4, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10 devices. The installation process is relatively straightforward, but it also assumes a certain level of comfort with Ubuntu and working with the command line shell; there's no point-and-click Windows or Mac app to deploy the ...
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by Joe Levi | February 20, 2013 12:06 PMRead OnThose of you who are regular readers probably remember that my "old" Nexus 4 met with what I like to call "premature end-of-life" caused by a "gravity-event". Many of you probably have an old smartphone laying around like I did. Switching back to it while I waited for my replacement was fairly simple: pop the SIM out of the broken phone and into the old one, boot up, and done! For my temporary phone I opted for my (very) old T-Mobile G2 running Gingerbread. It wasn't terribly fast and it wasn't very pretty. It was a bulky brick, but it did virtually everything that I needed it to. That ...
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by Taylor Martin | February 18, 2013 4:45 AMRead OnAt long last, the official Wireless Charger for the Google Nexus 4 hit the Play Store for a cool $60 last Monday. For a cool $59.99, plus tax and shipping, the official charger isn't exactly cheap, but neither is any other wireless charger. This one comes with a premium feel, solid build and, most importantly, Nexus branding. A unit landed on my doorstep late last week and I immediately stopped what I was doing to tear into the packaging and see what all the hubbub was about. Having only two functions, charging and propping up the device, there aren't a lot of tricks in this product's bag. ...
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by Anton D. Nagy | February 16, 2013 8:33 AMRead OnThe Android 4.2.2 roll-out process has started this week and users of the LG-made Google Nexus 4, Asus-made Nexus 7, Samsung-made Nexus 10 and Galaxy Nexus are receiving their OTA notifications as we speak (or are already enjoying the point update on their devices). Android 4.2.2 factory images are up for anyone to grab for the devices above. Make sure to download and save them in a safe place as they'll help you revert to stock should anything you do on your phone result in unwanted results. Also, those who have not yet received the OTA notification can head over to the source link and ...
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by Jaime Rivera | February 15, 2013 7:00 PMRead OnWatch today's Pocketnow Daily as we talk about the black HTC One leaks, and the rumors of a ZOE technology camera. Then Ubuntu takes the stage as it apparently will reach Nexus smartphones in a week. Then we go through some Nokia Lumia leaks, which while not hot, make it an interesting case for their push to cheaper Windows Phones. Skype goes next as we talk about their new "video messenger" changes. We end today's show talking about Samsung and their new Galaxy Altius smart watch. All this and more after the break. Stories: - Black HTC One Leaked In Alleged Press Shots, To Pack 'ZOE' ...