The Google Phone - Nexus 4

I attempted to order the Nexus 4  phone from the Google Play store when it was initially released in late 2012. The order hung on the 'check out' page of the website, and the transaction was never completed.

Fast forward to 2013...with advance word of re-stocking on the N4, I waited for the item to appear in the Play store...two days after placing the order, I had the N4 in my hands.

Now, some five months later, I can happily state that it has met my (and many others) expectations. After a couple of small updates, the N4 is running Android 4.2.2. It is paired with a No-Contract carrier, but updates are OTA directly from Google's servers, with no middleman involved. I keep a couple of SIM cards available from various providers, and can switch depending on my coverage and/or airtime requirements for any one month. The jump from my previous carrier of 15 years to a no-contract carrier has garnered significant monthly savings...such that the purchase price of the N4 has already been recovered in a few short months.

While this may not be the route for some, it has been emancipating for many. In my case, I have VoIP available during most hours with traditional telephone handsets, coupled with other VoIP such as Skype, Google, and others. Wi-fi is available or within range 24/7, and the N4 stores every access point, so that connection is almost automatic. With a few apps from the Play store and Amazon, I configured the N4 to operate seamlessly between carrier and wi-fi signals. The integration with Google allows all email, calendar, events, and other notifications to reach me wherever I may be located, if I choose to receive them.

Several of the apps for the Nexus 4 are worth a mention. The Google Now app is one of my favorites, and anyone who has used Siri on their iPhone will appreciate the smooth operation of Google Now. Navigation, weather, travel time, airline schedules, sports scores, and other 'cards' can be saved for easy reference, with automatic updating.

The text-to-speech apps work well, but the built-in voice recognition on the N4 is almost flawless, and is periodically tweaked. It can be used for emails, text messaging, search functions, and other Google tie-ins.

The 8 MP camera has some excellent features, and you can read numerous reviews about it. I added a camera app which activates the shutter by sound (whistle, tap, etc.), so that I do not miss the blue button when holding the phone/camera in awkward positions (over my head at concerts, parades, etc.). I often reduce the resolution for attachments to mobile emails, when picture quality is not an issue, and have found that 3 MP is sufficient for most casual photos. This also helps with finite storage on the N4...which brings up another point.

For those concerned about the lack of a memory card slot, many providers have cloud storage available for free...Amazon, Google, Mega, Dropbox, etc. Save your money if you are concerned about the 8GB versus the 16GB version of the Nexus 4. Coupled with cloud storage, you probably will not have a memory issue and may opt for the savings of the 8 GB N4. If you use the Wi-fi Transfer app, you can transfer files to a PC from your N4 from time-to-time, and easily manage any storage issues.

There is much more to be said, but read the published reviews on the Nexus 4 to make your own decision...but send your carrier a message and bail out of your contract. It will be one of the more pleasant experiences for you and your wallet.