Living ‘on the fringe’ with a Nexus One
So now my Google’s Nexus One smartphone test device is a few weeks old. I’ve gotten over all the the “new and cool” features and since I’m using it as my primary cellular device I’m also learning to live with some of its quirks as well.
Yes, I still think the Nexus One is a fantastic Android phone but there are some features I’m beginning to find downright annoying. Like the fact that, at times, the handset can’t make up its mind whether it’s a 2G, 2.5G or 3G device.
The Nexus One seems to have a well-documented problem locking onto T Mobile’s 3G data network signal if you happen to be standing in a fringe or semi-fringe reception area.
Let me explain. If you’re standing in Midtown Manhattan, the Nexus One is rock-solidly connected to T-Mobile’s 3G data network. And if you’re standing in some location where T-Mobile’s 3G network is non-existent – say far Eastern Long Island or somewhere in the wilds of western New Jersey – then your Nexus One will not waver from receiving a 2.5G/EDGE signal.
But lookout if you’re standing in Lower Manhattan. Or Washington Heights. Or the middle of The Bronx. In that case, you can actually watch your phone bounce from 3G/4 signal bars – to 3 bars – to 2 then 1 then no bars – then flip to “E” for 2.5 G EDGE with 4 bars, then 3,2,1 0 then even bump down to 2G/GPRS then quickly bump back up to 3G – and start the dance all over again.
I’ve also found that the Nexus One is less likely to bounce networks if you’re not touching it. Keeping your hands off the handset allows the phone to stay locked onto 3G for a lot longer.
Since this does not happen with other T-Mobile 3G/Android OS test phones in my possession (a G-1 and a Motorola’s CLIQ) I’ll take an educated guess and say the problem lies with the Nexus One.
There are settings on the Nexus One that allow you to “lock” your phone into using only 3G or only 2G networks in your area. Some users report good results with that quick fix. The only problem is if you’ve chosen “only 3G” then you’re out of luck on the rest of T-Mobile’s (2G) network. I’ll wait for a real solution.
My years as an Amateur Radio station operator as well as being a broadcast radio fanatic tell me that something is going wrong with the way the phone receives and/or handles connections to wireless networks.
It could be the software. The Nexus One is the only Android phone to run on version 2.1 of the operating system. Hopefully that’s a problem that can be addressed quickly and easily.
It could be the hardware. Maybe HTC needs to figure out a way to re-route some of the receiving antennas inside the phone. That problem is a little tougher to solve.
Inside this skinny handset there is circuitry for GSM, GPRS, EDGE, and 3G cellular networks as well as GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-fi features. That’s a lot of antennas inside one little device. Maybe they’re interfering with each other. Re-routing those tiny embedded wires is probably not a viable option.
A wise man who runs one of the largest smartphone firms on the planet once told me that at some point there will be so much circuitry in these devices that it will be nearly impossible to keep everything from interfering with other circuits. He said that’s why they preferred to stick with 2.5G/EDGE phones as long as they could – because that way they knew exactly what was happening inside their devices.
Again, if I’m using the phone in Midtown Manhattan, the Nexus One is pinned on 3G and I have no problems. Same for 2.5G/EDGE out in the wilds. It’s just when you’re attempting to use the phone on the edge (pardon the pun) of the signal-strength area that this becomes a problem.
Of course, that means that if T-Mobile decides to blanket your area with 3G towers the Nexus One problems will disappear for you. Good luck with that. I’m hoping the experts can come up with a software fix ASAP.
I love the phone’s speed thanks to Qualcomm’s 1.0 GHz Snapdragon processor. Going back to using one of my slightly older Android phones mentioned above I find them to be a lot slower to carry out my commands. You don’t realize this until you’ve used the Nexus One for awhile and then go back to an older (by a few weeks) device.
And, I’m in love with the Nexus One’s 3.7-inch (diagonal) screen. But, at times, I find the on-screen buttons on the bottom tough to find and press. I’ve searched for some sort of screen calibration software in the phone’s set-up but to no avail.
I also wish that the phone would ring louder. When protected in it’s fabric sleeve – and it’s sitting in your pocket (or bag) a ringing Nexus One is barely detectable.
Overall, I still really like the phone. It’s form factor. It’s features. But, I’m not sure it’s the 100% ultimate Android device on the market today. Especially if the rumors are true and that Verizon’s Droid phone will be getting an upgrade to the Android 2.1 OS very soon.
And then again, it’s been two weeks since the Nexus One was announced. That means we’re probably due for another Android/super iPhone-killer device any day now.