A Long-Time Apple Nerd’s Review of the Galaxy Nexus and First Experience With Android

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:59:00 -0800

A Long-Time Apple Nerd’s Review of the Galaxy Nexus and First Experience With Android:

This review does a good job of summarizing my thoughts after my two weeks with a Verizon Wireless Galaxy Nexus.

The only things I’d add to it:

1. John Gruber has repeatedly stated his opinion that the small 3.5” screen of the iPhone is perfect, that it doesn’t need to be any bigger, and if it were, it’d inhibit one-handed operation. I didn’t think this was such a big deal — until the GN. Having to continually swap between one-handed and two-handed usage when using the GN really annoyed me.

2. The positions of the volume and power buttons are really aggravating. As a right-handed user, I grip the phone with my left hand — which happen to land on both the volume buttons and power buttons, so I would frequently turn off the device or adjust the volume accidentally.

3. The formerly-useful menu button is gone. Or rather, it’s either at the bottom of the screen or at the top, depending on the app. It’s even different between Google apps.

Unlock your Verizon Wireless iPhone 4S for free

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:50:00 -0800

Update: I have confirmed this will not work fully with T-Mobile USA (and presumably other US carriers, such as AT&T) SIM cards. You may get it to connect to a tower, but it will not place a call. So it’s not a true unlock. Lame.

Prerequisites:

1. Your bill must be paid in full and you must be a customer in good standing.

2. The iPhone 4S has been activated for more than 60 days.

3. iTunes and an iOS device sync cable. The rep said it would work over iTunes Wi-Fi Sync, but I could not get it to work.

Instructions:

1. Call Verizon Wireless at 800-922-0204 or *611 from your Verizon Wireless phone.

2. The robo-voice will list a bunch of options. Hit 4.

3. When asked by robo-voice, say “unlock my phone”. It will verify you want to unlock your phone, so say “yes”.

4. Eventually a human will answer. Tell them you want to unlock your iPhone. They will forward you to the “international” department.

5. Tell the international rep you want to SIM unlock your iPhone 4S. They will do a bunch of stuff for about half a second and tell you to put the “international” SIM into the iPhone and connect it to iTunes.

6. Grab a spare GSM micro-SIM, or a shaved SIM and put it into the iPhone. I used an old expired T-Mobile prepaid SIM that I shaved down. You can use the VZW micro-SIM that came with the device as a shaving template. Be careful that you dont clip through any circuitry.

7. Plug the device into iTunes and it will unlock itself.

8. There is no step 8.

Jake.

A Long-Time Apple Nerd’s Review of the Galaxy Nexus and First Experience With Android

Unlock your Verizon Wireless iPhone 4S for free