Once again, I've not posted in a while, and that's mainly because it's been so busy. I've decided to make a post mainly to try and convince myself either way whether getting the new Google/Samsung Galaxy Nexus would be a good idea, or whether I would just go for the cheaper option of the Samsung Galaxy S2.
One thing for sure is that I want to upgrade. I still LOVE my Nexus One but some of the more recently hardware changes, such as the screen technologies really appeal to me considering the type of usage I have.
The Pros
I think the Nexus series is a great idea, and I'd love to follow on from my current Nexus with a new one. The Galaxy Nexus is a very attractive device. The large screen, but not considerably larger phone (than the S2) makes a hit with the increasing amount of web browsing I do on my phone. The Nexus One is a pretty quick phone, but its not the fastest for browsing and the screen is reasonable for periodic use. The extra horse-power of either the S2 or Galaxy Nexus will improve the experience, but that larger and much higher resolution screen on the Galaxy Nexus would change the amount of browsing I'd like to do.
Along with those key updates the Galaxy Nexus also has NFC support (though its a growing technology for now, so would be an early adoption), barometer which can aid the GPS satellite lock-on considerably (in many cases can make lock-on almost instantaneous, which is a real plus when using the phone a fair amount for navigation like I do. These are all great arguments for getting the Galaxy Nexus and I wouldn't hesitate pre-ordering one already if it wasn't for my reservations.
I love the form factor of the Galaxy Nexus over the S2. The more roundness and curved screen is a real plus with the Nexus S, and the weight difference could be really key. The S2 is just too light, and a number of owners have mentioned this. It's so incredibly light that its a problem with holding the phone steady or even noticing its in a pocket. Most have had to get a case just to add some weight to it, and personally the additional weight should give a feeling of sturdiness. I'm not saying the Nexus is heavy, just that it should have the right weight to make the phone "feel right".
The Cons
So what are my reservations? I'm certainly not alone, when I look at the Galaxy Nexus and consider the price tag compared to the rest of the market, I find some aspects that seem to have been dismissed but not for the price. The most prominent or should I say, surprising feature was that there is no removable SD card. All the other Galaxy phones have this along with considerable built in memory, and I've always had it in Nexus One too.
The Conclusion
So should you and I consider the Galaxy S2 or the Galaxy Nexus? The answer to this would It really depends on your key usage of the device. If its mostly comms (phone, text, email) then it doesn't really matter too much which device you will have, but if you are a web site user and use it for navigation a fair amount, those extra pixels and large display will really do the browsing justice, the improved browser and generally getting everything first the Nexus is very attractive, plus the barometer for very rapid GPS lock on should be noticeable for your navigation.
I'm in the same boat as others regarding the No SD card. I think it's a major oversight, though the Nexus S didn't have one either and I have to say, I've not heard any complaining. I suppose the question you need to ask yourself is, how much space is enough for you? As I have said before, I have a Nexus One currently with 16GB SD, and I simply do not fill it. I could, but then I'd be filling it with crap that certainly wouldn't be necessary and I do have plenty of that already on this one. The other thing that I've come to notice is the number of times I remove the removable SD card... Hardly ever and the rare times I have, I had other options. So I suppose I should next ask, would I want a 16 GB SD card? or 16 GB built in where the built in memory is generally much faster? or would I want the 16GB built-in and an additional 16GB SD card? I'd obviously want the 16GB 16GB SD.. that the S2 offers. Therefore the real questions for you and I would be.. Do you REALLY NEED it?
Wait?
Should you wait? I can confidently tell you, or remind you that every technology will improve in time and if you wait for the next thing, you'll just be constantly waiting and will end up with nothing. If you have the Galaxy S2 already, stick with it.. it's a VERY good phone and I simply can not see any benefit of upgrading to the Galaxy Nexus. You'll get your Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich at the start of 2012. Better late than never!