Comments on: 24 hours with a Google / Samsung Galaxy Nexus

By: Craig

Craig — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:47:54 +0000

The chip inside supports FM reception AND transmission. It would even be nice to have the transmitter working, so I could play music over my cars stereo.

By: Cath

Cath — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:16:07 +0000

Trevor, Trevor, Trevor
Living in France and using underground/tube a lot to move around town, there is no way I can use an internet radio…as there is simply no network down there…

By: Dan Akers

Dan Akers — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 11:25:04 +0000

Completely agree with Bullit. I too will never own a phone without FM: that’s the reason I’ve never had an iPhone and why, now, I won’t get myself a shiny new Nexus, no matter how nice it may otherwise be.

Google and Apple: two tech companies based in the US, where mobile network coverage is, presumably, better than the UK, where we have mobile data caps and massive reception blackspots, even (sometimes especially) in the capital city.

* A short (30 minutes, 10 miles) daily commute to and from Central London, at breakfast and drive, traditionally the best times to listen to radio, where you’ll find the most interesting / compelling / entertaining content.

* FM: I can listen, all the way, with just one short tunnel (and even there the FM signal doesn’t even completely disappear).

* TuneIn Radio: starts off ok, and then we hit a rec..ti.n blac..pot, only 10 miles from the c..tr. of the UK’s capital c..y. Reception blackspots that occur roughly every 2-3 minutes throughout the course of the journey, usually lasting at least a minute or two each. This is unworkable. The only network I’ve tried so far that gives me consistently good reception is Three, reason being this network was built solely on 3G technology unlike the others who are simply sharing legacy tech with upgrades bolted on over the years. Even then, there’s the occasional drop-out, more than FM gives you.

I’ve never understood why mobile manufacturers remove a such basic and universally-loved feature from their handsets. They should visit the UK and commute via a streaming app; that’d change their minds!

FM is always on, albeit occasionally a little fuzzy. Data is either on or off. When I’m listening to a stimulating debate on LBC, a comedy sketch on XFM or being introduced to a great new track I’ve never heard before (3 reasons why radio always beats playlist), I don’t mind a bit of FM fuzz, which is infinitely less annoying than sudden sile… .

By: David

David — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:59:18 +0000

Hi, I just wanted to know will 500mb of internet be enough per month on the nexus ice-cream sandwich phone? Thanks

By: Bullit

Bullit — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 06:59:16 +0000

FM radio is a media that will never die. It is like a cockroach after a nuclear war. When there is a major power outage due to a storm or an earthquake, your phone is useless. The only media you are left with of getting any information after a disaster is FM radio. That is why it is imperative phone manufacturers need to include FM radios in their devices if not for entertainment but as an emergency tool.

I will not buy a phone without FM radio.

By: 4r4nd0mninj4

4r4nd0mninj4 — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:27:44 +0000

I used tune in at work one day and about three hours into my 8hr day my battery was already at 56%. With the data use, battery use, and extra cellular radiation in the mix, wireless radio is just not an option for me. It is a shame that I can’t use my phone to listen to the TV’s at the gym or my local stations that Tune in doesn’t support. I often hike out of cellular reception and have to pack a radio with me for news and weather updates.

By: shelton

shelton — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:03:01 +0000

I will miss the FM radio tuner; I used it to listen to the (re)broadcast of sound for television at the gym. It’s also nice to listen to local stations without need for a good data connection.

By: H Beast

H Beast — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:49:51 +0000

FM radio is a major omission: we have ropey 3G coverage in England – ever been on the HS1 train? No mobile coverage at all over half the line; FM uses less battery than connecting to a streaming service and doesn’t eat into capped data plans.

And as for releasing a media phone with non-upgradable 16Gb memory, and a sub-standard camera.

I was really looking forward to buying this phone until I discovered that it was technologically a step back in many ways.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:50:37 +0000

@Tone “should data packs continue to get bigger”. In the UK at least, they /appear/ to be getting smaller, or at least more costly per Mb of data. Anything less than unlimited is bound to…

By: Shrey Puranik

Shrey Puranik — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:51:57 +0000

I have found this review interesting read – I’ve recently purchased a Samsung Galaxy W, and the FM radio is one of the best things in a modern phone in my opinion. I use TuneIn radio, aswell as some of the more station specific apps, but when on a coach or a train, you’re more likely to get an FM signal than you are mobile Internet – of course that’s not to say that mobile streaming of Internet does not have its place :S

It’s interesting as to why they have disabled the app from the phone though. Until now, I was under the impression that the radio apps on Android were always phone specific, but can you download them from the market?