I received my Nexus 5 yesterday and fired it up. A few notes that I didn’t like about my first 24 hour experience…
Nexus 5 Dislikes come first because they bug me the most:
Icons got larger… Much Larger
The icons in the app list got larger and lost a row. My Nexus 4 had 5×5 grid of application icons. The Nexus 5 has a 4×5 grid and the icons got bigger. This drives me nuts. It took me a few hours to figure out why it was bugging me until I had the phones side by side. They are simply bigger. I think now that the phone has a higher resolution, they should have kept the icons the same size (in pixels) and let them be smaller or let us change the size of the icons back. I feel that I’ve lost some real-estate since there isn’t as many icons even though the screen got larger with higher resolution.
Nexus 5 – 4 icons wide
Nexus 4 – 5 icons wide
The Camera sticks out the back
This is a crazy decision. Why would you let a phone teeter totter on the camera lens when it is set down. This keeps the phone from having a good grip (using the rubber back) on anything you set it on. Everyone that stopped by my desk to see the phone immediately noticed this. Just a bad design decision.
They switched/rotated the USB connection port 180 degrees
Why would they do this? now my docking station for my Nexus 4 doesn’t fit the Nexus 5. It would have fit fine if they wouldn’t have done this. Also, now I have to remember to flip my plug around when plugging it in when the light is dim. This sucks. If Google would have thought of keeping the Nexus line similar in versions, they sure missed the boat on this one. Just pisses me off!
The back has a HUGE label on it
Such a pretty phone. Nice and black. No Silver or chrome at all on it. Just what I wanted. Then, they slapped a IMEI sticker across the back. I assume I need this so I had better not remove it but why? Why not put it in the slot where you put the SIM card? Oh, why am I not a designer!
No color in the status window shade
Huh? so before, when you were disconnected from Google, your signal strength would change from blue to white. You would not receive any updates, notifications or anything on Android 4.3. To fix this, I had to open up Google Hangouts and it would re-register and turn blue again. Now, there is no way to tell if you’re disconnected from Google. It’s a shame! The blue looked nice. Now it’s just white. If I had a white background, what would it look like now…
Google Hangouts for SMS/Texting
What? Now I gotta figure this out? I guess it’s a move to get your texts and messages out of the providers SMS/Texting service and on to Google’s? I’ll bet that’s the plan. Then start sending ad’s may come next. Shit, this is hard to figure out. Why?
Swipe left for Google Now…
Where did my left desktop go on my phone. Now I have Google Now there. That sucks! I don’t want it there and can’t figure out how to change it.
And now on to the things I like
The Sound is much better on the Nexus 5
Wow! the sound has gotten much better. I have owned all the Google phones starting with the Google G1, then the Galaxy Nexus (Curved phone) which the volume and ringer SUCKED, the Nexus 4 which got better but not great and now the Nexus 5. I think Google and LG finally got it right. Maybe it takes a TON of customers to complain over and over until they listen. You will be satisfied with this!
An ALL BLACK phone. No silver/chrome accents
Oh, My, this Nexus 5 looks fine! eNuff said!
Full Screen background
Yah, this was a long time coming. The full background and allowing apps to use the full screen makes use of the full screen. Much nicer. Thanks Google!
Ok Google…
This is just awesome so far. I wish I could command my phone while it was locked but that’s ok for now. Saying “Ok Google, Call my wife” works great. LOVE IT. I wish it dialed a default number which I think it can so I don’t have to interact with it while driving doing something else 🙂
Conclusion
Ok. I’m done bitching about the phone. Overall, I’m starting to like it even though there are some things that simply suck. Yup, some changes were just not a good decision.
About ME: Long time Google Android User. Always use Google Chrome. I’m allergic to IE! Makes me sick! 20+ years in IT as a Systems Administrator supporting all aspects of IT. I LOVE Android phones and Google products.