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Posts tagged ‘Nexus 5’

28
Mar

Android 4.4.3 spotted running on Nexus 5 and Nexus 7


Android 4.4.3 spotted running on Nexus 5 and Nexus 7Over the last few weeks, the evidence that the next iteration of Android KitKat, Android 4.4.3, is on its way to being released is mounting. Last we heard, LlabTooFeR suggested that the software update would be addressing a well-known Nexus 5 camera bug, and today, myce.com is reporting that Android 4.4.3 has been spotted running on the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7.

Android 4.4.3 spotted running on Nexus 5 and Nexus 7According to the report, Android build KTU83 has been spotted running on the Nexus 5 and another build, KTU79, has been seen on the Nexus 7; this fits the naming convention that Google generally uses for its Android builds, and it also supports the existence of the KTU72B build that LlabTooFeR spotted last week. According to the report, the ‘U’ in the build name suggests that Android 4.4.3 is targeted for release in Q1 2014, so we should ideally be getting news about a release very soon.

How soon do you think Android 4.4.3 is going to be released? And what would you like to see in this software update? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Source: myce.com

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20
Mar

Looking back: A brief history of Google’s Nexus devices


Sometimes when a smartphone is released, it is very easy to tell what the manufacturer was aiming for. Unlike some popular lines of smartphones like Samsung’s Galaxy S series or HTC’s One series, Google’s Nexus line has received some interesting feedback over the years. Does the term ‘Nexus’ mean what it did when Google started this line? Which one of these devices was truly iconic for it’s time? Let’s take a look back.

HTC Nexus One

Nexus_One

Introduced: January 2010

Android version: 2.1 Eclair – 2.3 Gingerbread

Notable hardware features: HTC used their familiar build for the time – matted plastic with brushed metal accents. Oh, and a trackball. It also sports a 3.7-inch 480×800 AMOLED (or Super LCD) display, 1 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion CPU with 512 MB RAM, 1400 mAh battery, and a 5 MP camera.

How it was sold: The One was sold mainly for developers and launched as $529 unlocked, and offered a “pure Android” experience with an unlockable bootloader. Also, this was Google’s first attempt to sway people to buy a device online without seeing in stores. Perhaps a bit ahead of its time, the Nexus buying experience would evolve over the years.

Despite the lawsuits and patent troubles, the reaction was very positive. These were some of the best specs anyone has ever seen on a smartphone. Everything was great about the phone except for the price, even by today’s standards.

Samsung Nexus S

wpid-Google-Nexus-S-Review.jpg

Introduced: Nexus S: December 2010, Nexus S 4G: March 2011

Android version: 2.3 Gingerbread – 4.1 Jelly Bean

Notable hardware features: Samsung opted for a slimy hyperglaze plastic for their first Nexus, with a slight curve to the screen. It also has a 4-inch 480×800 Super AMOLED display, 1 GHz Samsung Exynos 3 processor, 512 MB RAM, 1500 mAh battery, and a 5 MP camera.

How it was sold: The Nexus S was sold for $530, while the Nexus S 4G was sold for $550. The jump to Gingerbread didn’t change a whole lot, at least talking about the user interface.

At the time, it was one of the best smartphones to date. The first model didn’t support HSPA+, which was a big negative. However, Google seemed to remedy that by offering a 4G model in the coming months. This one wasn’t a huge step up from the One, at least originally, but it did keep users interested in the Nexus line.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

galaxynexus

Introduced: November 2011

Android version: 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich – 4.3 Jelly Bean

Notable hardware features: Samsung’s second iteration of the Nexus came at us with a completely different design – still plastic, but more textured on the back plate, still keeping the slight curve of the screen and a (very) heavy bottom. This one sports a 4.65-inch 720×1280 Super AMOLED display, 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, 1 GB RAM, 1750 mAh battery, a 5 MP rear-facing camera, and a 1.3 MP front-facing camera.

How it was sold: The G-Nex was sold for $399 at launch. Probably the biggest selling feature of this one is the software. The jump from Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich is still the biggest UI overhaul to date, adding tons of new features/improvements.

Due to the software, the Galaxy Nexus became hugely popular. Now, every phone has it’s faults. But it seems to be more apparent than ever in this Nexus. The batter life, though a big jump from it’s predecessor, is terrible. There is no way a smartphone user could get through an entire day on a single charge. That’s to be expected, given the time this phone was relevant. But the phones being launched at roughly the same time had tremendously better battery life that this one. Also, when Android 4.4 Kit Kat was announced, Galaxy Nexus owners were distraught to hear that their phones wouldn’t be receiving the update.

ASUS Nexus 7 (2012)

nexus_7_official_720

Introduced: June 2012

Android version: 4.1 Jelly Bean – 4.4 Kit Kat

Notable hardware features: Google decided to rope in popular tablet/laptop manufacturer, ASUS, for their first take at a Nexus tablet. The back was a soft-touch plastic with a golf-ball like texture. It has a 7-inch 1280×800 IPS LCD display, 1.2 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, 1 GB RAM, 4325 mAh battery, and a 1.2 MP front-facing camera.

How it was sold: The Nexus 7 was announced at Google I/O for $199, bringing Android 4.1 to the table. With the addition of Google Now and other enhancements, the Nexus 7 was a very attractive tablet, especially for the price.

For years, Android tablets have had a big problem. The lack of tablet-friendly applications was a huge negative for Google’s first iteration at a Nexus tablet. Ultimately, the tablet did very well with the common consumer. It was a big change in the Nexus family – not only was it not a phone, but it was aimed at the average consumer. Also, the $199 price point was an invitation for developers to pick one up and start working on tablet-friendly apps.

Samsung Nexus 10

Nexus 10 1

Introduced: October 2012

Android version: 4.2 Jelly Bean – 4.4 Kit Kat

Notable hardware features: Google had Samsung make their 2nd Nexus tablet. This one has a rubbery-soft (very grippy) plastic and front-facing speakers. It has a 10.1-inch 2560×1600 True RGB Real Stripe PLS LCD display, 1.7 GHz dual-core Cortex-A15 processor, 2 GB RAM, a 9,000 mAh battery, a rear-facing 5 MP camera, and a front-facing 1.9 MP camera.

How it was sold: This one was supposed to be announced with the Nexus 4 in an event in New York, but it was cancelled because of Hurricane Sandy. It was still announced later that day for $399. It was running Android 4.2, a notable step up from Android 4.1.

The Nexus 10 was popular, but still carried the same unfortunate handicap that the Nexus 7 had. If the lack of tablet-friendly apps wasn’t apparent enough on the first Nexus 7, it was made very clear on this one. Suffice it to say, it is getting better, but at the time that this tablet was released, it was difficult to find apps that played nicely with a big screen.

LG Nexus 4

nexus_4_hero_720

Introduced: November 2012

Android version: 4.2 Jelly Bean – 4.4 Kit Kat

Notable hardware features: LG’s first Nexus was beautifully designed. It offered a glass back with a dotted, almost sparkly look to it. It also offered plastic bezels and a screen that curved slightly around the edges. LG”s Nexus has 4.7-inch 768×1280 IPS LCD display, a 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2 GB RAM, a 2,100 mAh battery, an 8 MP rear-facing camera, and a 1.3 MP front-facing camera.

How it was sold: Launched alongside the Nexus 10, the Nexus 4 was originally sold for $299. Still aiming at developers, this Nexus offered a very small price point – something the average consumer would be very fond of. It also offered Qi wireless charging – a Nexus family first.

For $299, you’d be hard pressed to find a better smartphone for the price. But for Google to reach that price point, they needed to make some sacrifices. One of those being the lack of 4G. Weird, right? Nexus phones that were released a couple years prior had 4G capabilities, but why not this one? Google seemed to think the HSPA+ support would suffice. There wasn’t much else that didn’t make it on the phone, though. It was a decent step up from the Galaxy Nexus, and showed people that they didn’t need to fork over an entire paycheck for a smartphone.

ASUS Nexus 7 (2013)

Nexus 7 1

Introduced: July 2013

Android version: 4.3 Jelly Bean – 4.4 Kit Kat

Notable hardware features: ASUS got a shot at making a second Nexus tablet. It has a soft-touch back, two long speakers on each end, as well as a big ol’ camera on the back. It has a 7-inch 1920×1200 IPS LCD display, 1.5 GHz quad-core Krait 300 processor, 2GB RAM, a 3950 mAh battery, a 5 MP rear-facing camera, and a 1.2 MP front-facing camera.

How it was sold: The 2013 Nexus 7 was announced at an event called “Breakfast with Sundar Pichai”, Google’s current Senior Vice President, overseeing Android, Chrome and Apps. It launched for $229 – a $30 price increase from the first generation tablet. This one brought Android 4.3 Jelly Bean to the table and a much-improved screen. 

The Nexus 7 (2013) has been Google’s most popular tablet to date, fixing just about every gripe that consumers had with the first generation. The speakers are loud and very difficult to cover up, the screen received a much-needed upgrade, and the bezels shrunk on the sides, making the tablet’s screen pop much more. With help from more and more tablet-compatible apps, this device marked Google’s entrance into the mainstream tablet world, offering an affordable, yet glorious competitor to others such as the iPad.

LG Nexus 5

nexus_5-threesome

Introduced: October 2013

Android version: 4.4 Kit Kat – 4.4.2 Kit Kat

Notable hardware features: This is LG’s second attempt at making a Nexus phone. The Nexus 5 offers a soft-touch back and a big camera on the back, much like the Nexus 7 (2013). It also offers a 4.95-inch 1920×1080 IPS LCD display, 2.26 GHz quad-core Krait 400 processor, 2 GB RAM, a 2,300 mAh battery, an 8 MP rear-facing camera with OIS, and a 1.3 MP front-facing camera.

How it was sold: The Nexus 5 was announced in a Google+ post for $349, and went on sale in the Google Play Store immediately. It launched with Android 4.4 Kit Kat, and drew people in with its exclusive “Google Now Launcher”.

The Nexus 5 became popular very quickly, mostly due to its price and hardware upgrades. Much like the 2013 Nexus 7, Google fixed most of the complaints users had from the Nexus 4. The addition of 4G bands, a slightly bigger screen, and more durable hardware were it’s best features, by far. The meaning of the term ‘Nexus’ began to change due to the Google Now Launcher. Though still aimed at developers, the consumer market took this one by storm. Google not only offered a cheap price point, but they added exclusivity with some of the services that came with it. Instead of offering a phone with a “pure Android experience”, they opted to give a “pure Google experience”.

Honorable Mention: Google Play Editions

Google Play Edition

Between the Nexus 4 & 5, Google announced the first ever Google Play Edition smartphones – the GPe Galaxy S4 and the GPe HTC One. Bringing a quality Android experience to top of the line hardware, the GPe phones are a force to be reckoned with… until you look at the price. The GPe Galaxy S4 was announced for $649. Suddenly, the term ‘Nexus’ doesn’t mean cheap anymore. Or, wait… is this a Nexus? 

With the promise from Google to receive timely Android updates, the GPe smartphones took an odd spot in the Nexus family, quickly dubbing themselves as the red-headed step children of the group. You love them because they offer a great hardware experience, but that price… oh man, that price. Google is still continuing to announce GPe devices left and right, so here’s the question – what’s their end goal?

Here’s my take, although I may be wrong; it’s the only answer my brain wants to accept as correct. Google has been releasing GPe devices for a while now. At first, it seemed normal for the S4 and HTC One to get the Google treatment. Premium hardware and software, where could you go wrong? Then they started announcing some really odd editions like the Moto G, for instance. The Moto G was already basically a Google-ified smartphone. It ran mostly a stock experience, give or take a few features. So why would they release it?

Manufacturers don’t receive code until the day it’s announced to the public. So with the odd addition of the Moto G to the family, swooping in before they’re whisked off to Lenovo, it gives all of the main hardware manufacturers early code that they wouldn’t have gotten already. Google didn’t have to add any of those phones to their lineup to make any money… they did it for the greater good – early updates for all.

What’s next?

So, does the term ‘Nexus’ mean what it did 4 years ago? Not really. But that’s not a bad thing. There will always be room for the Nexus line in the hearts of pure Android enthusiasts, developers, and consumers who aren’t fond of 2-year agreements. Sure, there are rumors that the GPe devices will take over the Nexus line sometime next year, but one thing is certain: we will always have access to the pure Android experience that we all love.

Sometimes it’s just nice to take a look back and reminisce about devices we love, no? Which of these devices is your favorite? Do you have anything to add about (what I consider to be) the best smartphone line ever? Leave a comment below and we’ll talk!

The post Looking back: A brief history of Google’s Nexus devices appeared first on AndroidGuys.

19
Mar

Google expands Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 sales to more European countries


Google may have wowed the world yesterday with the introduction of Android Wear, but it turns out it also had some Nexus-related news tucked away too. Already available in 13 countries around the world, the search giant has quietly expanded sales of the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 across Europe, listing them on the Play Store in eight new markets. These include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden, giving customers the option to bypass operators and grab themselves an unlocked Nexus device direct from Google. With the Chromecast finally on sale outside of the US and an influx of Android-powered wearables on the way, Google’s finally making it easier for Europeans to start investing in its expanding product family.

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Via: Android Police

Source: Google Play Support

12
Mar

The All New HTC One Photos Won’t Stop! Oppo Find 7 Lookin’ Sexy! – The ManDroid Show


mandroid-show-oppo-find-7

Time for that video portion of the Android news my friends. More All New HTC One photos have leaked out, and I think you can all agree it is getting pretty old. We are pretty much going to know everything about this phone before HTC’s unveiling event. Kind of sad, but we can you do. The Oppo Find 7 is looking mighty sexy, making get all excited just because it has a glow underneath it. It’s the little things. Enjoy the show!

News Topics
Lots more All New HTC One photos surface
All New HTC one gets a fancy flip-cover
Oppo Find 7 images
LG might have leaked the LG G3
Touchless voice controls for the Nexus 5

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11
Mar

Nexus 5 ‘Always-On’ compatible with Ok Google command


The Moto X has a great feature which allows Google Now to be triggered with a simple ‘Ok Google’ voice command, which is made possible due the device always listening for that particular phrase to be announced.

Other devices such as the Galaxy S5 can be trigged using the ‘Ok Galaxy’ voice command, but only when S Voice is actually open. It seems, however, that this background listening is not constrained to just the Moto X and is infact embedded already in the Nexus 5. A recent video shows a concept which unlocks this native compataiblty in the Nexus 5, allowing Google Now to be triggered with the simple phrase hands-free.

The concept is part of the custom OmniROM and it seems to work pretty well. Hopefully the developer can build the feature into a finalised package for deployment to the general public in order to bring true hands-free operation to the Nexus 5.

Update – It seems that the video has already been taken offline.

The post Nexus 5 ‘Always-On’ compatible with Ok Google command appeared first on AndroidGuys.

11
Mar

Moto X Touchless Controls Made Possible on the Nexus 5 [Video]


nexus-5-touchless-controls

When the Moto X came out, we were all kind of tickled at the fact that you can talk your phone and have it obey a command without even hitting any buttons. Even better, was that the screen would be completely off, but you could awaken it by saying those simple words we all know. So before the Nexus 5 came about, some of us wondered if these touchless controls would be present in the new flagship. Sadly, they weren’t fully there, but you could still kind of do it as long as you were on your homescreen. Now it seems a crafty developer is making touchless controls possible on the Nexus 5.

 posted a quick video showing off his Nexus 5 with touchless controls. The guy dissected that Snapdragon 800 processor, and found that he could make this happen by tapping into Qualcomm’s QDSP6V5 low-power DSP core. Now some of you might think this would cause excessive battery drain, but this is a separate core from the cores used to operate the apps. So really, this will not impact the battery that much.

You got to love it when developers use those smart brains of theirs to make our devices better. Check out the brief video below of the controls in action.

Source: Phandroid

6
Mar

Mirror Beta Now Allows You to Use Chromecast to Mirror What’s on Your Nexus 5


mirror-nexus5-chromcast

Chromecast is one of those little devices that many of us wonder how we survived without. To be able to control your TV and watch movies from your phone or tablet, is just a nerd haven for excitement. The only thing that can make it better is if you can just display everything that is on your device through your Chromemcast. Sadly we can only achieve that with certain apps that have Chromecast support, but developer Koush is now making that mirroring possible.

Koush unleashed an update for Mirror Beta today, for anyone with a Nexus 5 to mirror their homescreen onto their TVs. I must stress Nexus 5, because that is the only device capable to do this awesome task. Koush claims, “This is because Nexus 5 is the only phone on the market that has a hardware vp8 encoder.” You do have to be rooted as well, which is something I have yet to do on my Nexus 5. Laziness I suppose, but I am going to play the “I’m too busy” card.

So head over to the link provided below to give it a try if you rock a Nexus 5 in your pocket. Let us know if works for you. Also check out his brief demo video.


Koush G+ Page

5
Mar

Nexus 5 Camera CPU bug fix coming soon


If you’re a Nexus 5 owner then you’ll know about the bug which causes the phone’s CPU to be maxed out when using the camera, resulting in high battery drain. According to a post by Google on the company’s issues tracker, it seems Google have isolated the issue and will be issuing a fix shortly.

The bug is caused by something called “mm-qcamera-daemon” which causes high battery consumption, and since this process is related to handling camera data, it means that third-party apps can trigger it, so it’s not constrained to an operating system calling function.

According to Google, one particular offender is Skype, which seems to be accessing the camera regularly from the background and by doing so is triggering that bug. We’ll ignore why Skype is trying to access the camera without you knowing…

As mentioned, Google has found a fix for the bug and is bundling it in the next maintenance version of Android, most likely 4.4.3. Until then, the only fix is to reboot the device, and Google are recommending that removing Skype may relieve the issue.

The more significant point is that this bug may not be constrained to Nexus devices, since third-party apps are able to call the camera, so KitKat devices running a Qualcomm chip for camera processing, like the Galaxy Note 3, are also most likely affected. Unfortunately a fix will have to go via the manufacturer for these devices, so may delay the patch being delivered to your non-Nexus device.

If you think you’ve been hit by this bug, drop us a comment below.

[Via Google Issue Tracker]

The post Nexus 5 Camera CPU bug fix coming soon appeared first on AndroidGuys.

4
Mar

Paranoid Android 4.1 beta released with reworked PIE controls for KitKat


There are plenty of options when looking to run a custom ROM on your Android device and one of the most popular, besides CyanogenMod, is Paranoid Android.

Official PA ROMs only support Nexus devices, so if you don’t see your device in the downloads, it’s not supported by the main development team, but there may be a port and you just need to search the forums.

Up until recently, the latest PA ROMs based on Android 4.4 KitKat were primarily a stock experience, but today an update was released, PA 4.1 beta, bringing one of the ROM’s killer “flagship” features, PIE controls, its stock navigation replacement.

According to PA, PIE is “a simple, straight-forward replacement of the navigation bar that optimizes the screen space available to the user.”

PIE is basically a fully-customizable replacement for the on-screen navigation buttons and stays hidden off-screen, only seen with a predefined gesture that can come from any of the four sides of the device.

Via Google+, the PA development team said that it faced some problems with the immersive mode introduced in KitKat, and has now released a redesigned version to match the KitKat design philosophy. Instead of porting the feature to its KitKat ROMs, PA completely redesigned the feature for the new version of Android.

PIE controls are now fully-integrated into the core UX with the introduction of “on-the-spot preferences,” so PA users no longer need to sort through endless settings.

Additionally, it gives users status information at a glance when your status bar is hidden in immersive mode, plus the stock Google Now swipe up gesture is now integrated.

If you’ve never tried out Paranoid Android before, be sure to check out 4.1 beta on your rooted, unlocked device, which is now available for the Nexus 7 2013 (Wi-Fi and 4G), Nexus 7 2012 (Wi-Fi and 3G), Nexus 5, Nexus 4, Nexus 10 and the Galaxy Nexus (GSM, Sprint and Verizon). Be sure to grab the latest Gapps as well.

Downloads via +ParanoidAndroidCorner

The post Paranoid Android 4.1 beta released with reworked PIE controls for KitKat appeared first on AndroidGuys.

3
Mar

Samsung Galaxy S5 versus LG Nexus 5


The Samsung Galaxy S5, introduced at Mobile World Congress 2014, will likely go on to become one of the top-selling Android smartphones of the year. And why not? It’s the latest in Samsung’s flagship line of devices and it’s better than ever. But, how does it fare when you compare it to other top smartphones of the day?

Let’s stack the Samsung Galaxy S5 up against another key Android handset, the LG Nexus 5. We’ll take a look at how they match up in terms of hardware, yes, but we’ll also touch on some of the differences in software and user experience.

samsung_g25_250 nexus5_250
Operating System Android 4.4.2 KitKat (w/ Samsung UI) Android 4.4 KitKat
Display 5.1-inch Super AMOLED (1920×1080) 4.95-inch True HD IPS (1920×1080)
Storage 16GB, 32GB 16GB, 32GB
Processor Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
RAM 2GB 2GB
Connectivity 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, HSPA+, NFC 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, HSPA+, NFC
Camera (Rear) 16-megapixel 8-megapixel
Camera (Front) 2.1-megapixel 1.3-megapixel
Battery 2800mAh 2300mAh
Weight 145g 130g
Size (mm) 142.0 x 72.5 x 8.1 137.9 x 69.2 x 8.6
Bluetooth 4.0 4.0
Expansion Card Yes (up to 64GB) NO
Fingerprint Scanner YES NO
Water Resistant Yes (IP67) NO
Charging USB 3.0 microUSB

 

General Hardware

At first blush, the Samsung Galaxy S5 appears to have a slight edge in the camera, battery, and a few other details. But, dig deeper, and you’ll learn that the Snapdragon 801 processor is more than a slight upgrade of the Snapdragon 800 processor. With that in mind, we shouldn’t be all that upset that the Galaxy S5 does not have 3GB RAM. Internal storage capacities are the same, however the Samsung benefits by having external storage options.

It doesn’t hurt to have an extra 500mAh of juice in your battery, but we’re not yet sure as to how that translates to real world usage.

Camera

If you’re looking at just the specs, the 16-megapixel rear camera sounds much better than the 8-megapixel found on the Nexus 5. But, toss in some features like the fastet-yet shutter speeds, HDR, and selective focus, and Samsung pulls away. And, while we might not yet be able to take full advantage of it, the Galaxy S5 can record in video at 4K resolution. Should you have a TV or display capable of displaying that resolution then you’ll definitely be in business.

User Interface and Enhancements

Indeed, its water resistance is a nice touch this time around and helps protect the phone from life’s accidents and spills. It’s not quite ready to go swimming all day but a spilled glass of water is not the end of the world.

We also like that Samsung has opted for the USB 3.0 option in charging as it opens the door to added functionality. No, not every user will take advantage of it, but we like future proofing devices.

Fingerprint scanning is likely to find a place in most of the bleeding-edge smartphones going forward. It’s not a perfect tool, yet, and has limited capabilities. Samsung, for its part, is playing nice with the SDK and letting developers hardness the technology.

You know what else matters to a lot of users? Freebies and value-added bundles. To that end, Samsung is giving upward of $500 worth of apps and services away with each Galaxy S5. Not all stuff that every user will want or need, but it’s pretty darn appealing nonetheless.

Android

If there’s one thing that matters to heavy Android enthusiasts, it’s the software experience. While Samsung has added plenty of wonderful features, apps, and services, the edge still goes to the Nexus 5. That is, of course, if you care a great deal about timely upgrades and no carrier interference.

Availability

The Nexus 5 is offered through Google Play Store for $349 (16GB) and $399 (32GB) in three color options. Pricing has yet to be determined for the Galaxy S5 but we’re thinking the $200 range is in order. The key difference, however, is that the Nexus 5 does not require you commit to a two-year service agreement. Yes, you’ll be able to procure an unlocked Galaxy S5 (and likely a Google Play Experience, too), but it will be in the order of hundreds more.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 will be sold starting in April in 4 color options and should be available through just about any carrier you can imagine. All of the major players are expected to sell the device as are a number prepaid arms.

Which is right for you?

The first question you should ask yourself is whether you are willing to sign a contract. If that answer is yes then you should go with the Samsung Galaxy S5 without pause. For those who don’t want to tie up for two more years, it gets trickier. The Nexus 5 will be about half of the overall cost of the Galaxy S5 and is still a best-in-class experience. It’s ironic to even say this sort of thing, but you could do much worse than to go with a Nexus device.

Something else that you should consider is whether you need to be on the cutting edge of Android updates. Things have slowed on the overall platform front and features are coming at a slower pace. We venture to guess that most smartphone users cannot identify the exact build of their OS. If you don’t know the difference between a Jelly Bean and a KitKat release then it should not bother you to go with a modified UI.

Average consumers are going to flock to the Samsung Galaxy S5. Those who are coming out of contract with their Galaxy S3 are looking at this device as a huge step forward. At this point there’s nothing to stop the Galaxy S5 train; others may slow it a bit, but it will be the top-seller of 2014. For great reason(s).

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