Best products from r/GalaxyNexus

I bought this AB86 band for my nexus, total was 24$ but that was for shipping within the US.

As for the armband. The phone fits perfectly into the band, easy in and out. Swiping is decent, towards the edges of the phone I sometimes need to swipe a few times to get it to work right. The phone also fits into the band when it has a cruzerlite Cover on, Its a little snug so when you are taking the phone out you sometimes have to wiggle it pretty good back n forth or peel the band back a little bit to get a good hold of the phone and get it out.

The ear-bud wrap is useful so you don't have some cord flailing around smacking you in the face the whole time you run like your in some bad porno.

The armband didn't feel secure at all when I first started using it. I kept tightening that strap over and over until I couldn't feel my arm anymore before it actually felt secure, I imagine I looked like Quasimodo running down the street with one half of his upper body paralyzed... When I got over that I realized the band would still have to slide down my arm I started to loosen it up. I found its a fine line between secure and comfortable, but the strap can be surprisingly loose and still stay right in place on my arm.

If you use one of those military grade plastic wet application screen protectors DO NOT USE this armband with it. My wife went through 2 XO protectors and a Zagg one. Basically the plastic on the armband adheres to the plastic on the phone protector, when you try and peel it off it pulls up the protector as well causing micro bubble under the protector and also causes tiny little rips.

I dont use my screen very often when running so I was looking into getting one of these. My biggest complaint is after a good run that little strap on the armband can start to cut off circulation even when loose. I like the idea of a more covered full arm sleeve for comfort and better protection of the phone when im running outside and it starts to rain.

I looked around as well, and finally purchased the Tune Belt... I wear it almost daily when I go out cycling. A couple of things:

• I don't think its listed as a feature, but I sweat like a motherfucker and my phone always comes out dry.
  
• It has this little flap that you can wrap your headphone cord around in order to shorten it so you wont have your cord dangling everywhere as you exercise.
  
• Touch sensitivity stays way up there, I was very pleasantly surprised.
  
• I read a bunch of reviews saying the armband was too short and they had to buy the arm band extender. Personally, I didn't buy it, and I think the length is fine - but keep in mind a lot of people say it isn't long enough for them. I think the extender is like $2 though, but don't quote me on that.
  
• Has three holes in the bottom to be as universal as possible - just so happens that it works, because one of the holes is right where the headphone jack is.
  
  Anyway, yeah - good product, I'm happy, good luck with your purchase :)

I saw that on woot today but I was hoping for a keyboard with a touch pad so it would be all inclusive. I appreciate you pointing that out though, it's a great deal.

EDIT: I bought it anyways since it was such a good deal. I've also found a tiny keyboard for about 10 bucks on amazon. I think it's the cheapest I'm going to get away with.

i know it sounds a bit lame, but i absolutely LOVE http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007C8XRJY/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00 . really a great value at only $15. very nice, espically with jelly bean being somewhat more of a battery hog. nothing but great things to say about the battery though

And now you know based off his post that the battery is fine haha. I would let you know how it is but it hasn't come in the mail yet!

EDIT: I was in your position a few days ago before ordering the phone. Ill hop on my computer and give you some links to some posts I made asking questions about the Gnex and the Verizon version specifically.

EDIT 2: Here's a post with a lot of helpful information.
So what I came to conclude is that the battery will drain fast while on 4G, just like any other 4G phone, the extended battery makes the phone barely bigger while helping quite a bit with battery life, and Codename Android with Franco's kernel will help a lot with battery life as well as give you awesome features.

So, I feel the battery deal is solved with:

• Using 3G.
  
• Using this. (Or you could go with a bulky one, but is by no means necessary.)
  
• Using Codename Android and Franco's Kernel.

For those who are unfamiliar with the product, here it is on Amazon. It's an aftermarket battery for the LTE/CDMA Galaxy Nexus (Verizon, Sprint) that has three times the capacity of the standard battery.

ZeroLemon recommends that you condition the battery before real-world usage by draining it fully six times which I've done over the past week. The manufacturer also recommends that you only recharge the phone once you reach 2% even after conditioning the battery for "optimal use."

Test conditions:

• SCH-i515 (Verizon) with FG02/FF02 radios
  
  
• CyanogenMod 10.0/Android 4.1.2, stock kernel, no undervolting or manual frequency adjustments
  
  
• 4G LTE radio always on (average recorded signal: -113dBm), did not drop down to 3G
  
  
• Bluetooth radio on but mostly idle (car's Bluetooth unit connected for only ~30 minutes)
  
  
• WiFi disabled
  
  
• automatic brightness
  
  
• usage: browsing the internet, watching videos on YouTube, playback of h.264 videos on /sdcard
  
  
• speaker volume set at 50% or greater
  
  Test results:
  
  
• battery stats - 20h12m
  
  
• battery graph
  
  
• screen on-time - 6h
  
  Here are some other test results taken on previous days:
  
  
• Mixed 4G/3G/WiFi usage: 1d5h uptime, 9h52m screen on-time
  
  
• 4G only: 21h3m uptime, 6h26m screen on-time
  
  Problems:
  
  
• heavy, bulky
  
  
• case doesn't cover USB plug or headphone jack from dust or debris like the Otterbox Commuter
  
  
• battery percentage reporting is occasionally inaccurate - ran battery down to 2%, left it alone for a while, came back and it said it had 5% left
  
  
• battery dropped by 20% overnight (unsure if due to crappy signal)
  
  
• call quality, speakerphone functions are neutered because the case covers the noise-cancellation microphone
  
  
• speakers for audio playback are also neutered for the same reason, requiring volume to occasionally be turned up to 100%
  
  
• questionable construction (sticky paper peeling off, made in China)
  
  
• questionable long-term longevity
  
  Conclusion:
  
  Despite the product's flaws, I'm very happy with its performance and would recommend it to anyone who hasn't already upgraded to a better phone. Instead of having to juggle between three extended batteries during the day or remembering to disable 4G LTE to save battery life, I can use the phone with all the features enabled without having to worry about making it through the day. It currently costs ~$40 on Amazon which I find reasonable considering that Samsung's 2100mAh extended battery is being sold for ~$15.

Here is the battery I have in my GNex i9250 GSM phone:

QCell Samsung Galaxy Nexus GSM i9250 3850mAh Extended Battery ASIN: B006SKHIKG.

I love it and find it makes my phone very hard to kill.

EDIT: And this is the case to get - Seidio CSK3SSGNLKX2-BK ACTIVE Extended Case with Metal Kickstand ASIN: B0083RTZ7G.

This case provides protection similar to high-end case from Trident. It has a soft layer covered with hard armor that covers all four corners. The kickstand is the really beautiful thing, because it doesn't just work for standing the phone on flat surfaces....

I use it as a finger brace when using the phone one-handed. It lets you safely hold the phone is a whole new way that allows you easier access to the screen with your thumb, while the kickstand braces through your other fingers. I use it like this so often I consider it now an essential feature on the phone.

The soft-armor portion of the case is a bit of a lint-magnet, but it washes off very easy under simple tap water. Just rinse, towel dry, and it is clean again. For me, it is well worth it and I wouldn't trade this case for anything, including the top-end cases from Trident or Otterbox.

If your contacts are saved in either your Google Account or backed up with Verizon Contact Backup, then when you sign into your new phone they will all come over. If you chose not to do either of these, then they're all gone to you. I suppose it's possible Verizon can plug in their machine and download your contacts, but I'm not familiar with that since everyone seems to save contacts to their Google account.

If you're not sure if you saved them in your GA, go to Google Contacts and check. If they are there, they will all show up when you sign in.

As far as emails go, if you use gmail, all that is stored on the web. The only way you would lose email is if you used POP3 on your phone instead of IMAP. It's also possible you will lose emails sent or deleted from the phone.

This is the case I have and I love it. It's a TPU case so it's mega thin while still providing enough protection in my opinion.

Good luck!

Just a quick review of this awesome dock:

• Link to the product page at Amazon
  
  The Good
  
  
• Fit & Finish of the materials and assembly are very good
  
• Blue charging indicator light looks nice
  
• Comes with a 1500mA charge rate (AC) & USB charge/data cable
  
• I have an LTE Verizon version and can confirm that this fits perfectly with both the Standard and Extended batteries
  
• Easy to dock and has a nice firm lock to the phone when docking
  
  The Bad
  
  
• Product page claims that it will charge 2nd battery, as you can see in my second picture of the album, this model does not include the second slot
  
• This will not fit with my Incipio Feather even with the insert removed
  
  Overall, I'm extremely pleased. The two bad points I've outlined aren't dealbreakers for me, just minor bummers. Depending on how ridiculously thin your case is, your mileage may vary with the insert removed. I will be contacting them about the fact that their picture clearly differs from the product that I've received.
  
  I just wanted to share this product with you guys. If you have any questions let me know.

I've been loving my Incipio. The hard part provides good protection but the soft rubber feels great while holding it. And it actually makes the buttons easier to push

http://www.amazon.com/Incipio-SA-206-Samsung-SILICRYLIC-Silicone/dp/B00634HFEQ/

I use the Cruzer Lite case for mine along with an Invisible Shield screen protector and have been pretty happy with it. I've dropped it maybe 2-3 times, once while running, and the case isn't even scuffed from it at all. It doesn't add much bulk to my phone, which is great, and it fits just fine even with the OEM extended battery.

Cases and covers will likely make it impossible for the phone to fit into a dock designed for the phone itself. Something to prop it up in a stand-alone fashion would likely be better. I use either the Spider-Podium from ThinkGeek or the Konnet iCrado Neo. Both can allow the cable to run underneath and prop the phone up while it is still in a case or cover.

Hopefully that helps!

Found this on Amazon, it doesn't list the GN specifically but from what I've heard it should work. Samsung has this functionality on pretty much all of their smart phones to allow their service people to reset bricked phones.

That said, I haven't used one, but if you pull the battery and plug it in then replace the battery, it should put you into download mode and allow you to re-install stock image. If that doesn't work, it will definitely need a factory repair because there is most likely a hardware problem.

Well I would definitely put it on my list of things to save up for. It is worth it. Or try a lemon Zero battery if you want even more juice. I have heard good things about them.

http://www.amazon.com/warranty-ZeroLemon-Guarantee-Compatible-ZL-i515-black-5900/dp/B00AZZOH04/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368325230&sr=8-1&keywords=zero+lemon+galaxy+nexus

Test methodology:

Samsung Galaxy Nexus (about 4 months old - daily use)
CyanogenMod 10 :: M1 build

Initial state:
Charged to 100% using delivered wall charger.
Disabled Radios (Airplane mode). Just in case, Wireless and BT both shutdown.
Disabled Sync.
Reboot

Initially allow the phone to discharge at or below 50% prior to recharging.
Reboot.

I'll call this ~50% battery down and freshly rebooted the "Null State". The only drain are screen and bare Android processes. Phone was taken off charger as soon as it hit 100% in all cases.

1st TEST
Confirm previous settings. Charge with Samsung OEM USB travel wall charger (5v/1.0A) - screen off while charging. Stop @ 100% (check frequently).

Note: It was down to 42% charge when started. Took ~40 minutes to reach 100%.
Allow the phone to discharge using the Flashlight app (maxes brightness and keeps screen on) for 1 hour.
Screenshot of battery and screen use
53% battery left


2nd TEST
Confirm previous settings. Charge with Motorola Micro USB home/travel wall charger (5.1v/0.875A) - screen off while charging. Stop @ 100% (check frequently)

Note: It was down to 48% charge when started. Took ~113 minutes to reach 100%.
Allow the phone to discharge using the Flashlight app (maxes brightness and keeps screen on) for 1 hour.
Screenshot of battery and screen use
52% battery left


3rd TEST
Confirm previous settings. Charge with Amazon Universal "Fast" car charger (5v/0.5A) - screen off while charging Stop @ 100% (check frequently).

Note: It was down to 36% charge when started. Took ~81.5 minutes to reach 100%. Was going at a rate of 1%/min. until it hit 90%. Approximately 54min to reach 90% and then the remaining 27min for the final 10%
Allow the phone to discharge using the Flashlight app (maxes brightness and keeps screen on) for 1 hour.
Screenshot of battery and screen use
54% battery left


4th TEST
Confirm previous settings. Charge with Griffin dual USB car charger (5v/1.0A) - screen off while charging Stop @ 100% (check frequently).

Note: It was down to 49% charge when started. Took ~123.5 minutes to reach 100%.
(Also noted a curve in charging time - it took longer toward the top range)
Allow the phone to discharge using the Flashlight app (maxes brightness and keeps screen on) for 1 hour.


RESULT
Although this isn't rigorous and could have done modeling of the charging curve with a battery monitor utility, I think the results are pretty solid: Discharge/Usage are likely not impacted by how you charge the battery, so charge it fast. Small anomalies in phone processes probably skewed discharge, but only minimally. I haven't done any stats on this, but it's a pretty small margin of error.

this seems to be the case of choice for nexus owners. Cheap and awesome. I bought one based on research on here. I love it.

I'm using this - battery usually lasts 2-3 days of moderate use without recharging. http://www.amazon.com/warranty-ZeroLemon-Guarantee-Compatible-ZL-i515-black-5900/dp/B00AZZOH04

EDIT: Yes. It's big. But it comes with its own case, and works beautifully. The cheap price and 180 day guarantee is incredibly nice. So far, 5 months in, I've had no need to even think of the warranty.

I saw a thread about this on XDA a while back. A lot of people recommended this which is the AB84. The AB85 has come out since and says it is made for the Galaxy Nexus. I don't have either but they both have good reviews. Hopefully you can get them in the UK

My issue is intermittent, and the above post makes it sound like I can fix it with a safety pin. Accordingly, I haven't made the fix yet, but I bought the part on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0093FHN8U/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hope this helps!

To use in your car. For what I've read, I think this is the best one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EHZUYG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A18ACDNYOEMMOL

The only problem is that it only allows to connect one bluetooth device (it says multi-pairing but check the first review)

Tip: If you buy it, take it to a auto-stereo shop and connect the power supply to the key and the audio cable directly to the head-unit instead of using your auxiliary port. That way your charging and aux ports will be unoccupied for future uses.

For your home: I have this one, is great: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Speaker-Bluetooth-980-000540/dp/B004VM1T5S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344218975&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+bluetooth

Great tip I found them for £5.95 on Amazon UK fulfilled by Amazon UK so free shipping.

TPU Diztronic v3.

Sleek, sexy, strong, light. buy it!

/Thread

I have been looking for something like this.

Where did you get it? Is it just a cloth sleeve? If so, would it be big/stretchy enough to hold my phone with one of the TPU cases on it?

TPU Case

Thanks!

I just got the RND Dock after it was recommended here. It works good. I am using it with the CDMA GN with the 2100 extended battery.

three Complaints:

1. The logo looks kinda stupid. But I should be able to rub that off
   
2. it does not have a spot to charge a second battery like the description states (which is why it has a low score on amazon)
   
3. when docked, the speaker is muffled on the phone making it harder to hear it ringing or a notification.
   
   I recommend it though and it is the best dock I have found so far.
   
   Edit 2: I just realized that I cannot use the headphone jack while it is docked. Which really sucks.
   
   edit: fixed link.

I use the Tune Belt armband, which works great even with the extended battery.

For my headphones, I use Sennheiser PX 100-II. They aren't exactly the most lightweight of options, but the sound quality is excellent and I have no issues with them coming off of my head during runs.

I'm happy with this one. I don't have the extended battery but it will fit based on the comments. It's sturdy and doesn't make the phone feel larger.

Like I said, Amazon. Just make sure you get the right one. i515 is Verizon and i9250 is the GSM phone. http://www.amazon.com/QCell-Samsung-3850mAh-Extended-Battery/dp/B006SKHIKG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1334146181&sr=8-3 That is the biggest I have seen.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Androidified-Samsung-SCH-i515-GT-i9250/dp/B006MKLHDG/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1334249448&sr=8-8 i love my case x)

I use the Diztronic Revision 3 with the extended battery and it fits perfectly.

I got my wife the 3800 Hyperion battery and a case. It's slightly bigger, but she really likes it (with the case).

She typically would come home from work with about 2% battery. Now she gets home with about 62% with normal use.

Nope. The Defender is a beast. I'm using this which is basically a little shell and it's too much. Thankfully it comes off easily.

Diztronic. Not plastic but has a nice grippy feel to it

I bought a silicone cover and fits just right with the EL battery. Definitely worth it.

Find it for $10 here:
http://www.amazon.com/Diztronic-Flexible-Protector-SCH-i515-Packaging/dp/B0065PGWQ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324424409&sr=8-1

EDIT for link.

My Gnex has a horrible time keeping the cable in, so what I ended up doing was getting this receiver and this charging pad and just wireless charge the phone, and leave the receiver plugged in full-time and have a case on the phone. Personally, it's worked out pretty well for me, and any data transfers I have to do, I just use WiFi File Explorer Pro to transfer files. I'll probably go the charge port replacement route when I upgrade phones, but for now this bandaid seems to work fairly well.

I know the replacement is the cheaper option out out of this, but just thought I'd throw in my experience

I would actually recommend the zero lemon battery and case. The added size is worth the tradeoff for that massive battery.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AZZOH04/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1394762715&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

This one It keeps a low profile and it has a nice touch. Very good at keeping lint out and other stuff. Big enough lip to prevent it from falling directly on the face. Used it since day one of the Gnex.

This exact one. Very good case.

Was thinking about springing for this one after my next paycheck. Reviews say it works nicely with a Nexus (even with a case, apparently)

I was looking for one a while back and saved this from some other thread. I never ended up buying one so I can't really vouch for it though :/.

I just bought a wireless charger for my Smartphone from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J2TEL28 that is working absolutely fine from last 7 months. It cost just around $15.

I went over 48 hours without charging with the Hyperion 3800mAh. But I consistently go 24 hours plus without plugging it in. It's $21 on amazon right now. Worth every penny

i can get about 3h of screen on out of that (heavy use of reddit + twitter + chrome)

i use CM10.1, leankernel, greenify, etc

waiting to see what the Moto X ends up doing/looking like before i make the jump to either one of the Zero Lemon monsters or pick up a new 3800 mAh Hyperion battery

Well, I did it and got my coupon (it comes via email), but the car dock that they're selling is apparently not the dock, just a mount. It doesn't use the pogo pins to allow you to keep your power and audio jacks hooked up to the dock permanently; instead you have to connect them directly to the phone every time.

-- That was the whole reason I went through this. Been wanting that dock. :(

It looks like you can get the real one on Amazon, but it's $79. Sigh.

I have this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Tune-Belt-Armband-Samsung-Rezound/dp/B0071C9B0U/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1333233944&sr=1-1-spell

It works well, I had one of their other ones for my Droid X.

Virtually all the TPU cases will work. this is the one I am currently using. Have been thinking about purchasing (read: pre ordering) the Ringke Slim case as well.

Works well for me with extended battery: http://www.amazon.com/Diztronic-Flexible-Protector-SCH-i515-Packaging/dp/B0065PGWQ0

You might want to try the Diztronic. I have that case and it has quite a bot of clearance around the audio port. Might be cheaper than buying a new audio cable maybe.

I tried charging it when it was apparently still wet from being in my pocket during a rainstorm. Phone wouldn't charge while plugged in and I smelled something burning...you're not alone.

edit: here's the one I ordered
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0093FHN8U/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Get a zerolemon battery, go 2 days between charge.

Here!

Get the zerolemon 5900.

http://www.amazon.com/warranty-ZeroLemon-Guarantee-Compatible-ZL-i515-black-5900/dp/B00AZZOH04/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371083232&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=galaxy+nexus+nolemon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007C8XRJY/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Up to $20 now.

I bought this one months ago and have never had an issue with it: http://amzn.com/B006O45K9C

The vehicle dock is even worse: 6000 GBP :) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-Vehicle-Dock-Galaxy-Nexus/dp/B006GJ5S2E/ref=pd_sim_ce_3/275-9557871-1743341

Not sure what stops people linking from mobile http://www.amazon.com/Diztronic-Flexible-Revision-Protector-Packaging/dp/B0065PGWQ0

Edit: linked from mobile

Nah i use one of these most of the time

I use http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006MKLHDG/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i02
with the OEM extended battery and no back cover. On the cover I cut around the headphone jack to better fit larger 3.5mm cable.
On the phone I cut out the small piece of plastic covering the speakers grill to make it a bit louder.
no screen protector.

Yup- the Gnex has awful battery life. But, if ya don't mind doubling the weight of the phone, it can last all day. I got THIS one. Verizon only, though.

This one? I've been thinking about getting an extended battery but I've heard nasty things about third party cells.

edit: er, sorry, that's a mobile link. There, fixed.