With Android smartphones, that originator is Google. And their latest phone offering (in cooperation with LG) is the Nexus 4, Google's new flagship phone -- available exclusively on T-Mobile -- that, at first glance, has already catapulted itself into the discussion of the best phones on the market.
I recently spent some time with the phone, and I'll let you know the ins and outs and how it stacks up to its competitors. I'll let you know where it lives up to the hype and where it falters.
Looks
As the name would sort of imply, the screen in the Nexus 4 is 4.7 inches (not 4.0 as you might have suspected). It's part of Google's Nexus line, which includes the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets, in addition to the Nexus 4 phone.
The 4.7-inch size is close to what has become the norm in the last couple years -- and despite the somewhat large number this phone feels very comfortable in the hand (that might not be true if you have tiny hands, but it will work for most people).
Physically, the Nexus 4 is quite slick to hold, so I would recommend getting a case to protect it. Exact specs on the phone are: 5.27 inches high; 2.7 inches wide; and a very slim 0.35 inches thick. The weight is just under 5 ounces.
Display
The 4.7-inch screen on the Nexus 4 is quite bright and features a high-definition screen with a resolution of 1280 x 769.
The screen is protected by the latest Corning Gorilla Glass.
Operating system
This phone being Google's baby, you're going to get the latest version of the Android OS before everyone else -- that being Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). This is a vanilla Android setup, meaning there is no user interface placed on top of the Android OS by the phone's manufacturer, like you get on most new smartphones -- and I like that much better, as the UIs rarely add anything worth adding and usually just muck it up. (NOTE: There is also a lot less carrier bloatware on this phone than you'll find on most of its competitors).
Android, overall, is a very effective and customizable OS that gets better with each upgrade. Some of the newer features on the Android 4.2 OS are:
-- Easier to use keyboard with Gesture Typing and better word predicting by the device
-- An improved photo viewing interface and new features like Photo Sphere (more on that later)
-- Widgets that resize on their own when they're moved to a location that's too small for their current size
You get full integration to the world of Google, from Gmail to Google Maps and much, much more. Of course, your web browser is Google's Chrome browser. And the Google Play store features hundreds of thousands of apps and widgets to choose from -- some free and some for a cost -- for work or play.
Not 4G
The only carrier offering the Nexus 4 is T-Mobile. Upload and download speeds were decent on T-Mobile's 4G HSPA+ network, but they weren't as impressive as speeds I've seen on some of the other main carriers' 4G LTE networks. That's because this phone isn't compatible with any 4G LTE networks. So if you buy it unlocked, you can't then use it on one of the other carriers' 4G LTE networks.
There is a bit of a debate going on about the Nexus 4 in this regard. Some people believe that the lack of true 4G LTE capability is a deal-breaker, which others insist that the LTE issue does not matter if you're someone who's usually using WiFi connections and that T-Mobile's more affordable monthly pricing options plus unlimited data are more important to them. There is no one right answer here -- each persons' situation will dictate how important 4G LTE speeds are to them. There's a lot to like on this phone, so I don't see this detail ruining the phone for too many people. But if it's LTE or bust for you, then you'll want to steer clear of the Nexus 4.
As a side note, at first I was somewhat surprised that a phone of this caliber isn't being offered on multiple carriers, which severely limits how successful it can be, but that's the case here because of the LTE incompatibility.
Phone calls I made on the Nexus 4 were clear, with no major interference and no dropped calls in my time with the phone.
Camera
The camera setup on the Nexus 4 has been tweaked a little so it takes some time to get used to using it. The quality of the photos I took were pretty good, but I wasn't always satisfied -- especially in indoor situations and lower-light setups.
There are plenty of adjustments and modes you can choose from if you choose to tinker, too, and it's easy to share your pictures online once they have been taken. There's also a ton of editing you can do on the phone with your photos, too.
The numbers on the cameras are an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, and a 1.3-megapixel camera up front for video chat and self-portraits.
Photo Sphere is a pretty awesome new feature in Android 4.2 that allows you to take 360-degree photos. Carefully move the phone around an entire room or outdoor scene and the whole thing will be laid out for you in the photo from left to right. Thing of it like a panorama shot that works in a circle. (you can also do standard panorama shots, too).
Very cool, though it takes a little practice to perfect the technique.
Video can be shot at full-HD 1080p, and there's a feature on the phone called Movie Studio that lets you create your own movies from videos you've shot ... which could then be easily uploaded to places like YouTube.
Battery life
The 2100 mAh battery lists talk time of up to 12 hours and standby time of up to 250 hours.
In real-world testing, compared to other new smartphone's I've seen recently, the Nexus 4 was not very impressive in the battery life department. I found myself charging more often than I would have liked. Making things worse, the battery is nonremovable so you can't carry a spare.
Processor, Memory, RAM
The Nexus 4 features a quad-core 1.5 GHz processor and 2 GB of RAM, so it was a very fast phone overall and great at multitasking.
You get 16 GB of internal memory, and it's not expandable. That's a concern of mine, because unless all your media is stored in the cloud, that space is going to disappear really quickly.
Other features
The phone features Bluetooth capability, WiFi connectivity, and NFC (Android Beam) for sharing files with other NFC-capable phones via a quick touch.
PRICE
The Nexus 4 is available from T-Mobile for $199.99 with a new 2-year contract. If you want it off-contract, it will cost you $549.99 (though some less expensive unlocked versions are available if you hunt around online and in stores).
BOTTOM LINE
Despite flaws such as the lack of expandable memory, LTE incompatibility and so-so battery life, the Nexus 4 has come close to achieving the tall task of becoming a competitor worthy of taking on the top smartphones on the market. It's definitely got its own look and feel, and it's worth checking out in your smartphone hunt, along with other current heavyweights like the Samsung Galaxy S3, Apple iPhone 5, Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD, and HTC Droid DNA.
Everyone will have their own tastes, of course, and different makes will appeal to different folks, but the Nexus 4 is definitely one of the top phones available from T-Mobile, and the popularity of the phone so far is proof of that.
Exclusivity hurts its overall chance of success, as it's not offered across multiple carriers like the GS3 or iPhone 5. You'll need to link up with T-Mobile unless you want to buy it off-contract.
But for those who want a pure Google experience directly from the source with less tinkering by the phone maker, the Nexus 4 is definitely aimed your way.
Matt Myftiu can be reached at matt.myftiu@oakpress.com or 248-745-4617. Follow him on Twitter @MattMyftiu or become a fan of the Facebook page "OPTechTime". Check out his blog at realtechtime.blogspot.com.
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