Nexus 5 |

Google adding RAW imaging and burst mode onto Android

November 27, 2013 By David Leave a Comment

In many ways, stock Android is the perfect mobile OS at the moment, but Google has yet to master the art of photography. The software company failed to turn any heads with the Nexus 5, their newest stock Android experience on a smartphone.

The stock Android camera experience could become a little better in the near future, with Google announcing two new features coming to Android in the upcoming months: RAW imaging and burst mode.

RAW imaging will give those who want to edit their Android images the full scale image, before compression and processing is done on the camera. Since Google likes to make their photos small JPEGs, this will come as one of the most sought after features for users who like edit on their computer.

Burst mode is a more well known feature, since Samsung and other OEM partners like to package this on their smartphone experience. For stock Android users, it is still on their wish-list and Google has answered their Android-related prayers.

Google also said they are working on a fix for the Nexus 5 camera responsiveness. The camera is not capable of taking quick images and users normally have to wait a second or two before the lens shuts and the camera processes the image onto the screen.

It is good to see Google starting to implement more features onto stock Android, even though burst mode can be found on different applications and launchers. There is no timeframe on when this update will be delivered, but if Google are giving announcements, it should be quite soon.

Nexus 5 Review: The Stock Google Experience

November 15, 2013 By Daniel Giordano Leave a Comment

Google has pushed out the Nexus brand for developers ever since the inception, but the phones, tablets and other gizmos have become increasing popular with regular users who don’t develop on Android or work for an app/web development studio.

The cheap price is the main reason for the vast majority of new buyers and Google has moved the Nexus 7 into the everyday tablet device, advertising it on TV and on the web as the perfect device to use Google services and content.

LG Nexus 5

The LG Nexus 5 announcement was so quiet most thought it was just another rumor, until all tech news sites started showing the phone off and releasing news about the device.

Google decided not to hold an event, make a big announcement or even show off the Nexus, it just simply arrived on the Google Play store with the latest version of Android, KitKat 4.4 and a host of accessories custom to the new device.

Google decided to go with the same manufacturer and this time they grabbed a load of assets from the LG G2, instead of developing a smartphone different from the competition, this move may annoy some users who dislike the design of the LG G2.

Design

Looking at the Nexus 5 from the front, it wouldn’t be a shock to think it was the LG G2. Google has slapped the same design on the front, complete with the thin side-bezels and no physical buttons. The two give aways are the side buttons on the Nexus 5 and the white microphone grill on the white unit.

Turning it onto the back makes the phone stand out, instead of the two back buttons and camera in the center of the device, the Nexus 5 has quite a large sensor sitting in the corner of the smartphone, which extrudes a little making it a target for scuffs.

The design of the smartphone depends on the color, the black version comes with a matte finish on the back and the sides, but the white version has plastic side-accents. Google has added ceramic buttons that are tough and feel rooted into the smartphone, adding to the quality of the device.

Google has went with the crowd on the display, opting for a five-inch 1080p display similar to most smartphones on the market right now. The display is gorgeous as most 1080p screens are but there is one complaint from almost all reviews, colors seem a little washed out on the panel.

Another minor complaint is the speaker on the device, similar to the iPhone, there is only one mono-speaker on the Nexus 5 and it doesn’t sound very good. Even at the highest volume, the speaker just doesn’t work very well – headphones are the obvious way to cancel this problem.

The camera on the Nexus 5 is almost always a poor experience, OIS helps the users from getting blurry photos but the images are just not as good as some of the rival cameras. Taking a photo in good lighting can work out, but getting into darker areas or even where the camera has to try and grab a good shot, it just under-performs.

Performance

The Nexus 5 runs the stock version of Android and complete with the Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM, it just runs smooth as butter on almost every single application, apart from the camera app that takes a few seconds to load.

Google has added several performance enhancements over the course of the year to Android and without a heavy skin like TouchWiz or Sense on top, the phone just runs incredibly fast and powers through games and applications.

On the battery life side the Nexus 5 doesn’t outperform any of the current flagship smartphones and in some cases it can be one of the worst. Google decided to put a 2300mAh battery inside and some days it can do 10-12 hours and others it can do 5-8 hours.

Software

Google has shipped the latest version of Android, KitKat 4.4, onto the Nexus 5 and it brings a few new design enhancements alongside a small feature-list of changes and new applications for users.

On the design front Google has worked on making everything more transparent and stripped away the old blue and black. This is a redesign change we have been seeing across Google’s services, changing every service to look cleaner and more consistent.

Google Now is a swipe left away, instead of a hard press down on the touchscreen. It is a nice touch and Google has added plenty of functionality to the personal assistant service, with more cards and extra integration with Google services.

Hangouts is now tied into actual SMS messaging, mimicking the iMessage service Apple developed for all iOS users. Google has also added various new APIs, including some new NFC features for developers and manufacturers to use, even if the phone does not have an NFC chip.

Overall the software update feels like a bigger upgrade than the past three Jelly Bean updates and has some big features developers and manufacturers can take advantage of in the longer term.

Overall

The Nexus 5 is an incredible smartphone for the price, at $399 for the 16GB model and $449 for 32GB, it is still around $200 cheaper than the Galaxy S4 and HTC One, two of the most well loved Android rivals.

Our problem is we cannot see the market for this type of device – it is an impressive sell for its cost, but most grab phones on contract and the HTC One and iPhone 5S looks like a more well packaged deal, without the camera and battery life issues.

We would recommend the device to anyone who loves stock Android and developers, but to everyday users it may be better to search around and possibly look at spending an extra $100/200 on a smartphone that has everything covered.

Galaxy Nexus owners start petition for Android KitKat 4.4 update

November 6, 2013 By Micheal Baptiste Leave a Comment

Disgruntled Galaxy Nexus owners have decided to band together, to try and make Google reverse their decision to not add Android KitKat 4.4 on the two year old Nexus device. A new petition has been added on Change.org, asking Google to add the new OS update to the Galaxy Nexus.

The Galaxy Nexus was the a big leap forward for Google, it was the first smartphone to run Ice Cream Sandwich, a big leap forward from the current leader Gingerbread 2.3.6. Google had made the device to show off the capabilities of Android and many developers and fans bought into the smartphone.

After the Nexus 4 came on the scene, the Galaxy Nexus was quickly shipped away into the bin but Google supported it on the Jelly Bean launch with the Nexus 4. It is just up until the recent Android KitKat 4.4 update that Google has thrown away support for the device.

This may not be down to Google, who the petition want answers from, especially Sundar Pichai, the leader of Android and Chrome. Texas Instruments developed the processor for the Galaxy Nexus and since they have stepped out of the mobile processor business they have not issued new drivers for the device.

Without this key element, Google cannot add the Galaxy Nexus Android KitKat 4.4 support. The petition may show the vast amount of Galaxy Nexus members wanting the upgrade, but unless Google can send this to TI and get them to build the drivers, the update is unlikely to happen.

In the harsh world of chucking out a device after two years, the Galaxy Nexus is a sore burn. It is odd to think that only next year Google may make the Nexus 4 obsolete, a device that is still powerful and capable of running almost all applications fast.

This comes back to the old argument about support vs device capabilities – in some cases, a device can run on the newest software five years after its launch, but smartphones, especially Androids, seem to have a very low support lifespan, either due to carriers and manufacturers not bothering to update the device or the lack of core capabilities to run the newest update.

Google unleashed Android KitKat 4.4, here are some changes

October 31, 2013 By David Crozier Leave a Comment

Google has announced their newest update to Android, named KitKat 4.4, the slight number change from 4.3 makes it seem like another small update, but this is one of the first UI design changes in a while and adds some impressive features to take on Windows Phone 8 and iOS7.

The user interface changes include more transparency on some widgets and tiles and an overhaul on making different layers look consistent. This means widgets and overlay looks connected to the background and does not obscure other information.

The biggest feature in the long term is KitKat’s ability to run on almost every smartphone on the planet. Google has said KitKat 4.4 can run on smartphones with as little as 512MB of RAM and has worked on optimising every application on the platform to run smoothly.

Google has added new API’s for third parties to work on their apps for lower end smartphones. Android is obviously making waves in Asia and other places where low-end devices rule the roost, it is quite obvious this new change is in line with their new markets.

Features on KitKat include Host Card Emulation, a new NFC transactions platform allowing users to make payments, invest in loyalty programs, buy transit passes, and use other services. This is a big move by Google considering the Wallet failure in the US, perhaps this will be more widely adopted.

Google Cloud Print has now been added onto Android, allowing users to print off webpages and other third party application pages that utilise this technology. This is another move by Google to add their closed infrastructure to the platform.

Battery life is also a big focus, Google has added low power sensors and other APIs to make sure when a user isn’t doing anything the smartphone isn’t overloading with information and consuming a lot of battery life, this may lead to longer standby time on Android phones.

Google is also moving into the fitness program with a step counter and step detector. These two apps allow users to monitor their daily movements and the UI looks quite basic, we wonder if this is a hint at the Nexus smartwatch we have heard a little bit about recently.

Google announces the LG Nexus 5 with no special event

October 31, 2013 By Mary Duncan Leave a Comment

After months of leaks, rumors and outright pointless articles surrounding the next generation Nexus device, Google has finally announced the smartphone. The new Nexus 5 is available right now for purchase and Google released the smartphone without having any sort of event.

It is odd Google decided not to reveal the Nexus 5 at an event and instead just made a small post about the smartphone and slapped it on the Google Play store. Specs and pricing are as we expected, we could not see the hundreds of reports from various sources being wrong.

The Nexus 5 will come with a 4.95-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, Adreno 330 GPU, 2300mAh battery, 8MP OIS camera, 1.3MP front camera, dual-band WiFi, a ton of LTE bands and Bluetooth 4.0. On the software side, the Nexus 5 is the first smartphone to come with Google’s newest KitKat 4.4 operating system update.

For the 16GB model it will cost $349 (£299) and for the 32GB model it will cost $399 (£339), there is still no 64GB version or a larger battery for the 32GB model, but both of these leaks didn’t have a lot of backing from major sources.

It is an impressive smartphone and the Nexus 5 comes at an off-contract price around $300 less than a normal flagship. Google is obviously pushing this out as a “developer smartphone”, even with the Nexus smartphone line gaining a lot of traction in the past few years.

We are just glad to see the Nexus 5 finally announced after months of reports and leaks. Now we want to see if Google and LG can continue to make sure the production meets the demand for the device, last year with the Nexus 4 we noticed a severe lack of production, making limited supplies in most every country.

Google should have this smartphone on carriers soon, other than the Google Play store users can grab the device at T-Mobile, Sprint, Best Buy and Amazon. We also know Canadian carriers and UK carriers will be looking to get the device on their service.

LG Nexus 5 hardware specs leaked on Wind Mobile website

October 29, 2013 By Daniel Giordano Leave a Comment

As the days grow closer to the official Nexus 5 announcement, we are starting to see more leaks come out surrounding the smartphone. The newest leak comes from Wind Mobile’s website, where a promotional page came up for the Nexus 5.

Previous leaks pointed at the three main Canadian carriers grabbing the Nexus 5 and it looks like Wind Mobile will also be getting Google’s newest smartphone. In the US we may see T-Mobile and AT&T picking up the cheap smartphone.

On the Wind Mobile pre-registration page users got a good look at all of the new Nexus 5 specs, most match previous leaks on the device. The Nexus 5 will have a 4.95-inch 1080p display, 8MP OIS rear camera, Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16/32GB internal storage, WiFi ac, NFC and Bluetooth 4.0.

The battery specs are not disclosed on the promotional page, but we have already heard about the 2400mAh battery sealed into the Nexus 5. There may be a second 32GB Nexus 5 coming with a larger 3000mAh battery, however some leakers believe this is a false claim.

We already knew all of the specs and this is just a continuation on the pattern. According to new reports, the Nexus 5 will be available on October 31 or November 1. Google is set to hold an event on one of the two days, preferably November 1, after Halloween.

Google will also announce the next version of Android, KitKat 4.4, set to come with new optimisation for cheaper devices and a rework on the design side. We still cannot see this being a huge overhaul on the operating system, but another small update to the platform.

We are also likely to see the second generation Nexus 10 make an appearance, set to come with the same display but a new design and updated internals similar to the Nexus 5. Other than that, Google is apparently developing a TV and video game console and a smartwatch, these could both be revealed at the event.

Nexus 5 render in white leaked alongside November 1 release date

October 28, 2013 By Micheal Baptiste Leave a Comment

The Nexus 5 has been one of the most leaked technology products in recent history, even official sources like Google and YouTube have made mistakes leading to leaks and information, although we cannot understand if this was intentional or an accident.

Evleaks is now getting into the ball park with a new Nexus 5 white render, revealing the second and last color Google will ship the smartphone in. No matter how awesome it would be to see an orange and green Halloween edition Nexus 5, we cannot see Google trying this out, as they have always been against adopting multiple colors.

The leak also puts another release date in the mix, between October 31 and November 5, this sits firmly in the middle on November 1. This is one day before the reported date a few days ago and we can November 1 being a more approachable date, considering their is no holidays on that date.

First impressions of the Nexus 5 are high, people seem to love the look of the device and many like that Google is not stepping down when it comes to specs, apart from the battery, which is reportedly only a 2400mAh. Google may have some news regarding this at their event, where they are likely to announce Android KitKat 4.4.

Internally the Nexus 5 stacks up to the best, starting with the quad-core Snapdragon 800 CPU, 2GB of RAM and 16/32GB of internal storage. LG has designed the device similar to the LG G2, but has removed the back buttons in favor of a CMOS sensor and side buttons.

The CMOS sensor is one of the biggest features we will see on the new Nexus 5, this camera technology is currently used in the Lytro camera, allowing users to re-focus and get multiple high-quality shots. This would be a big move for Google if they decided to incorporate this feature onto their smartphone.

LG Nexus 5 to launch on October 31

October 25, 2013 By Nicholas Anderton Leave a Comment

After a slew of reports stating Google would launch the LG Nexus 5 at their Google Play event on October 24, the rumor mill has now shifted their date to next week on October 31, when Google will apparently launch the Nexus 5.

It is odd Google would launch the Nexus 5 on Halloween, but there may be some advertising they are capable of doing to boost sales on that date. Everyone is clamouring for this smartphone in the Android scene and we are sure they can put down their candy to check it out.

The Nexus 5 will launch on the Google Play store and will maintain exclusivity for a while, according to recent reports. It would not be out of the blue for Google to make sure people are buying the first batches of Nexus 5 stock from the Google Play store, it means the company does not have to go through carriers.

Carriers will get the smartphone sometime in the weeks after the Google Play launch. Considering the price tag for the Nexus 5 will be around $349 for the 16GB version and $449 for the 32GB version, we cannot see carriers being too excited, when they have to make the $0 down contract to get buyers interested.

The Nexus 5 specs are already out the bag, with released reports showing the Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 2400mAh battery, 8MP OIS CMOS camera and Android KitKat 4.4 shipping on the device, complete with LG’s build looking almost the same as the LG G2.

This will not be the only thing launching on October 31 – Google will also be looking to launch Android KitKat 4.4 and the Nexus 10. We may also see the new TV/gaming project Google has been working on, a possible successor to the failure Nexus Q.

Google accidentally adds Nexus 5 to Google Play store

October 18, 2013 By Micheal Baptiste Leave a Comment

Normally the best leaks come from people with insider information, but most of the biggest leaks regarding the Nexus 5 have come internally, starting with Google’s KitKat video launch showing the Nexus 5 and now the smartphone accidentally added onto the Google Play store for a few minutes.

Even though Google would have loved to hide these leaks, they have actually made consumers more excited for the new Nexus 5. Not a lot of companies can get the hype train rolling, but almost every Android lover is excited about the Nexus smartphone.

The small bio “capture the everyday and the epic in fresh new ways” points at the new CMOS sensor on the Nexus 5, allowing users to focus the camera much faster and possibly change the focus after the photo has been taken.

LG will add a 8MP camera with optical image stabilisation and it will be the first mobile CMOS sensor. According to leakers, Google will add new UI changes to the camera application on KitKat 4.4.

The Nexus 5 will also include a Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16/32GB of internal storage, 2400/3000mAh battery, WiFi, LTE and NFC. The report on two battery sizes for two storage sizes may be false, but it sounds like an incredible idea similar to the Moto Droid.

Google will announce the Nexus 5 on October 21 according to some leakers, others believe it could come tomorrow. The likelihood it will be announced in November is pretty low, considering they are preparing to add it on the Google Play store.

Price wise, Google is looking to completely change the game, starting the Nexus 5 at $349 with 16GB of internal storage. We believe it will cost $399 or $449 for the 32GB Nexus 5, depending on if the battery size increases.

The Google Play store won’t be the only place to buy the Nexus 5, we expect Best Buy, Walmart and others to grab the new smartphone. T-Mobile may be the only carrier in the US to pick up the device, with the rest not interested in a $0 down contract.

Google preparing Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 event on October 15

October 11, 2013 By Mary Duncan Leave a Comment

Google is preparing an Android event on October 15, where they are set to launch Android 4.4 KitKat and the LG Nexus 5. We were a little surprised when Google did not announce a smartphone at Google I/O and even more surprised when only the Nexus 7 was on stage at the Android 4.3 launch event.

The Nexus smartphone has been leaked for months, but we are only starting to see solid information come through in the past few weeks, pointing at the release date being close. Between Googlers internally using the Nexus 5 and Google sending out test units, we can see the release date closing in on October 15.

We know quite a lot about the Nexus 5 even before the official launch. It will be manufactured by LG, the same as the Nexus 4 and will have some high-end specs, including a 1080p display, quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16/32GB of internal storage, 2400/3000mAh battery, NFC, wireless charging and LTE.

According to recent reports, Google will be making the 32GB Nexus 5 a little special, adding a 3000mAh battery into the smartphone. This is similar to how Motorola launched the Droid line, with the MAXX having two day battery life.

On the software side, Google will be adding Android 4.4 KitKat into the mix. We still don’t have a lot of information on the new update, apart from some recent screenshots showing a new Holo Light theme and lock-screen, pointing at a small redesign.

Functionality-wise, KitKat is reportedly all about conserving battery life and finally cracking fragmentation on Android, by offering an update so small and simple it can run on almost all devices.

Apart from the LG Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat, we may also see the ASUS Nexus 10 make its first appearance at the October 15 event, alongside the successor to the Nexus Q, Google’s failed TV project, this time it will come with gaming capabilities.