OnePlus One vs Nexus 5

Last month in July, I purchased two Android phones: The Nexus 5 (N5) and the OnePlus One (OPO). I initially ordered the Nexus 5 because I was sick of waiting for an OnePlus invite that I signed up for in April. Up until then, I was using a Galaxy Nexus for two years and its overall performance was rather sluggish and could no longer hold a charge for half a day.

I got the white Nexus 5 (16GB). I had it only for a few weeks before I got a OnePlus invite in mid-July. I had to act quickly since the invite was good for only 24 hours. I was already happy with the Nexus 5, but here I was given an opportunity to try out something highly sought after. So after some talking I was able to find a new home for my Nexus 5 and decided to move forward to be one of the lucky few OPO owners.

My OnePlus invite email:

Nexus 5

I consider the Nexus 5 to be the best Nexus device that Google has made to date. I've used the G1, Nexus One, Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus, and the current one-- basically all the Nexus devices except for the Nexus 4 (I have a list of all the mobile devices I've ever owned).

Prior to the N5, I've always felt that the Nexus One was the best Nexus device for its time. I even wrote about my unboxing of the Nexus One back in 2010. The device still works well running an old Cyanogen ROM on it.

What I love about the N5 is that it's light, fast, and has a great battery life. I can get through a day easily with it. My carrier is T-Mobile and the reception is amazing on it-- I have 4G/LTE everywhere I went in Los Angeles. It's also a cheap device: $400.

At first I thought that the phone would be too big and uncomfortable to use. After using it for only a few weeks, I found that this wasn't the case at all. The Nexus 5 fits really well in hand and because it's so light, it's easy to maneuver around with one hand.

I cannot think of a single thing to dislike about this phone. None.

OnePlus One

The OPO is running Cyanogenmod 11s and it runs it rather well. A concern I had about ordering this device is that it is even bigger than the Nexus 5!

What I love about it is that it boots and feels faster than the Nexus 5. The screen is nice and big and the CM build is rather nice. It's a cheap, 64GB black model ($350)-- which has incredible value. A device of this build would normally sell for twice the cost! The battery life is also even better than the Nexus 5-- I can get through almost 2 days of regular use!

It comes with it's own special USB charger, which gives it a nice flair. The 64GB model comes with the black backing, which a lot of people like how it looks and feels. I can't agree with that, as I prefer my mobile devices to look more sleek than sandpaper.

The CM Theme chooser is nice, but for the most part it's not something I really care for. I actually prefer the standard icons from vanilla Android as opposed to any of the custom themes, wallpapers, icons, etc. I also don't care for the Trebuchet launcher that comes with CM. But again, I prefer Google Now launcher, which is available for devices running Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and higher.

I also don't care for the camera much. Since I use my DSLR for my camera needs, I rarely use my Android devices to take pictures. As to the quality of the pictures produced, I don't really care for them as I tend to post process pictures I care about anyway.

What I don't like is that it's a heavier device than the Nexus 5. I can really notice it. The buttons aren't as nice as the Nexus 5. All the buttons don't feel as nice nor do I like the placement of the power button. It just feels a bit off in that I have to feel for where the buttons are. I also end up using the capacitive (software) screen buttons instead, and disabling the phone actual navigation buttons. The phone's navigation buttons are located too low on the phone, so it makes it hard to reach them without fumbling the phone out of your hand-- the balance is not there. Plus it's limited to just back, home, and menu-- which isn't quite the standard anymore.

The CM 11S build is also a bit buggy. I get app crashes consistently on certain workflows. I do hope that they get fixed in the next update. Even the Android L Preview is more stable than this ROM.

Final Thoughts

Between the Nexus 5 and the OPO, I actually prefer the Nexus 5. This is because my needs for disk space isn't very high. 64GB is more than I really need for my on the go device. I don't store my music collection or movies on my phone. The Nexus 5 has zero drawbacks, while the OPO is a bit uncomfortable to use with the build and bugs I experience.

I will of course be keeping my OPO device. I am considering flashing the Android 4.4.4 stock ROM (official) onto it. It's really awesome that it's even available already. But I think I'll stick it out until the next CM update.

**Edited August 10, 2014**
Added some more information on Cyanogenmod 11S regarding the theme chooser, launcher, and camera.

Why I love Google Reader

Yesterday some sad news hit me with Google's decision to close Google Reader on July 1, 2013.

Why? As The Next Web wrote, Former Google Reader product manager confirms our suspicions: Its demise is all about Google+. See Brian Shih, former Google Reader Product Manager's answer on Quora.

This is sad for me because other than Gmail and Search itself, Google Reader (GR) is the service I use the most from Google, and is a browser tab I always have open. I did write a post years ago my favorite Web App is Google Reader. You could say that GR is my gateway to the Internet!

As much as I like Google Plus, it's no Google Reader in terms of importance for my daily reading.

What I love about Google Reader

It syncs my read items as a web-based RSS Reader. I use multiple devices, so having a central place is key. This is why I don't care for fat/local client apps.

I have the choice to socially share an item to a Facebook, Twitter, and G+. It's not socially driven by default. I have no idea how I'm going to keep up with a mess of streams on social networks I already listed.

It's simple. I know what websites I like, there's not many, but I do like to at least skim the headlines every day. That's right, EVERY SINGLE DAY.

My Reader Trends screenshot shows I have read 300,000-plus items! Although I'm pretty sure I used Reader since maybe 2007 or so.

What it means to see Google Reader shut down

In short, it makes me feel that no Google service is safe from being shutdown. I use Blogger, which is also owned by Google, as my blogging engine. But are they one day going to take it down in favor of Google Plus? Should I switch to some other blogging platform in anticipation that G+ is going to swallow everything else that is Google?

Google's axed other services that I didn't care for much, such as Google Wave and Google Buzz. But those services were short-lived and never got much traction to begin with. They never housed so much useful data for me, and maybe most anyone.

Going Forward

Are we to believe that Twitter feeds and G+ posts are a good replacement to RSS? I certainly don't think so. The social web is certainly great, but not everything needs to be social or curated material. This is especially true when your social network doesn't even cover the material you're interested in!

The point of RSS feeds is for me to go over the content on my own time and speed. With the large fire-hose stream of material from social networks, I just don't bother to even skim over the thousands of tweets/posts from a mere eight hours ago. It's just not feasible as it's more suited for real-time or rather, recent-time.

As Mike Elgan points out, Google Reader is used by tech-journalists and bloggers. These are the people that generate content that social networks share with each other! If GR is also the gateway to the Internet more so than social networks-- it's going to have a dramatic change in workflow.

If and when Google Reader really does shut down, I'm going to have to figure out how I view the Internet. I remember using iGoogle and Netvibes several years ago, but immediately switched to Google Reader because it was such a better way to view and consume information. This is very sad news for me. :(

More Info

Thankfully, Google is giving the option to download your stuff via Google Takeout. I'll be sure to do that before the end.

As my Facebook friends have pointed out, there's a petition to keep Google Reader Running on Change.org. I've signed it, but I doubt it will do anything.

On reddit, there's a nice AskReddit thread: What are some good web RSS readers to replace google reader?

Google Plus Photographer's Conference

Last week I attended the Google+ Photographer's Conference in San Francisco, May 22-23, 2012 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. The day before, I attended a photowalk at Golden Gate Park which I blogged about already.

Some things I observed and learned at the conference:

• Adobe Lightroom 4, Bridge, and Photoshop seem to be the digital tools of choice of many photographers.
• There are just as many Nikon users as there are Canon users.
• Be a good editor and curator of your work/portfolio. Only show your best work, and when you are ready, organize by a theme.
• When writing Google+ posts, write to share, not to impress.

One of my favorite sessions were the Blind Photo Critiques, where photographers submit a set of photos (two to five pictures) to be critiqued live on stage, in front of everyone on the big screen. I just learned a lot listening to the panel on what makes a good photograph in terms of composition, lighting, focus, and so forth.

Some Day 1 Video Sessions:

• Google+ Photographer's Conference Opening Keynote with Scott Kelby and Bradley Horowitz
• How to Host a Successful Hangout with Trey Ratcliff and RC Concepcion
• Building your brand on G+ with Guy Kawasaki
• Tips and Tricks for G+ Panel with Brian Rose, Mike Wiacek, Vincent Mo, and Chris Chabot
• An Evening with Jeremy Cowart

Some Day 2 Video Sessions:

• 10 Things to help Photographers on G+ with Matt Kloskowski, Trey Ratcliff, and Colby Brown
• Optimizing your Images for G+ with RC Concepcion
• What do you want next from G+ with Brian Rose and Mike Wiacek
• An Evening with Trey Ratcliff and Closing (along with Scott Kelby)

A quote that I really enjoyed from Trey Ratcliff:

The left brain is for getting through life, but the right brain is for living.

Sunrise at Golden Gate Bridge from Battery Spencer at 6am.


I used the Canon 5D Mark 3's HDR feature to take the picture above. I post processed with Adobe Lightroom 4.1 (RC2). I took about a dozen shots of the bridge, but chose only to show my favorite. Again, editing which was a little difficult.

The registration desk


The lounge




Scott Kelby giving the opening keynote


Scott Kelby speaking with Bradley Horowitz


Catherine Hall


Matt Kloskowski


Colbey Brown












Adobe showcasing Photoshop CS6 and Lightroom 4


Guy Kawasaki on building brand on G+


Trey Ratcliff taking a picture of Jeremy Cowart


Blind Photo Critique


Live photoshoot




Some tai-chi going on early morning outside




RC Concepcion joining in for the second blind photo critique

Google Plus Photographer's Photowalk at Golden Gate Park

Last week I was up in San Francisco May 21-23 for the Google+ Photographer's Conference. On Monday, there was an optional photowalk at about ten locations. I attended the one led by Scott Kelby at Golden Gate Park.

The photowalk was pretty fun. It's the third photowalk I've been on so far, and in general I like to stray from the group, go at my own pace, and take shots of everything I find interesting. I socialized a bit, but the part I enjoy is seeing how other photogs at the same location on the same day take photographs.

The weather was a bit dreary with a lot of overcast. I ended up using a lot of HDR to help spruce things up. I used the Canon 5D Mark 3's HDR feature to produce the pictures. I post processed with Adobe Lightroom 4.1 (RC2). I also used some nifty Adobe Lightroom Instagram Presets on a few pictures.

I'll have a post on the actual conference soon.

Google Plus is for Geeks

Google Plus (G+) is for geeks. It's how it is now, and I think that's how it's going to be going forward, more or less.

I've been using G+ now for about a month. I scored an invite early on, and a few days later invited a good chunk of people from my Gmail contacts. I went through the process of making circles, refining the circles, installing the add-ons into my Chrome browser, and so forth. Basically, I did just about everything most power G+ users would do, minus adding thousands of people into circles. I personally don't see how Robert Scoble can read and sort through the tens of thousands of posts he must be getting daily. But he's a true G+ freak power user.

The first few rounds of invites really went out to the bloggers, social media giants, and digeratis. For the most part, they like it. I certainly like it. And this group all should. The community and ecosystem resembles FriendFeed (FF). For those of you who are unfamiliar with FF, it was basically a once popular real-time feed aggregator that pulled from many social media and networking sites. It was popular among the very same crowd that's using G+ now. Many call it FriendFeed 2.0.

I see that many people that I invited, just don't use it. They either don't get it, don't care for it, or don't want to bother with yet-another-social-network. Whatever the case may be, I can see that they're not generating visible content. Facebook (FB) and Twitter seems to be doing business as usual. But G+ has the very niche users: the geeks. Bloggers, photographers, software developers, entrepreneurs, techies, etc... are all generating content daily.

Honestly, this all feels very familiar to me. It's as though I've been here before....

I remember back in 1998/1999. I was an undergraduate still. Many of my friends were either in high school or also in college. I really liked ICQ as an instant messager (IM). Their software was far superior to AOL's AIM in terms of functionality. But it didn't get widely adopted amongst my American friends. Too many people were stuck with AOL as an internet service provider (ISP). By default they didn't adopt ICQ because AIM was already available to them, which all their friends were using. Instead AIM became the popular standard, and AOL eventually bought out ICQ, which turned into a bloated software with less support.

Remember when Gmail first came out in 2004? Previous to this spectacular email service, there was AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo, and various other options. I remember the tech elite being the first to jump onto Gmail beta and use it. Sure Gmail in 2011 is popular (and out of beta since 2009), but despite that, there are still plenty of people still on AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo, and even Comcast for email. Sometimes I wish I could stage an email intervention for those still using non-Gmail services. For the most part, people didn't switch to Gmail because of the cost of losing their email, the burden of updating their contacts, unable to think of email as conversations, the different user interface/experience (UI/UX), or even trusting Google, and I'm sure other costly reasons.

Going back into FriendFeed just a few years ago. I considered FF to be one of the best web apps that no one used. The weakness that FF had was that unless a user generated content from Twitter, their own blog, or other not-so-popular social network with an RSS feed, the service wouldn't be of much use. FriendFeed got bought by Facebook in 2009, to which it then turned into a ghost town because development and support ended.

From these three cases, we have examples of:

1. Popularity beating functionality.
2. Switch-over cost being perceived as being too high.
3. Inability to fully utilize a great service because it's not a fit.

And they are all valid reasons. Well, maybe not the Gmail one... Sorry, I'm incredibly biased towards Gmail, I love it so much!

I see all these reasons being applicable as to why Google Plus may not be a true competitor to Facebook or even Twitter. As a G+ user, I think it's already a better ecosystem than FB and Twitter. G+ has better interactions and a richer UI/UX than Twitter. The content is far better than what most FB users posts-- at least in my experience, which may differ from yours. But none of the examples would apply to geeks in general. Geeks are natural early adopters of new things and technology.

G+ a fresh start that improves upon Twitter and Facebook, althougth it still has quite a few kinks to work out and improve on. As far as I'm concerned, the G+ can just as easily stand for Geek+.

My New Phone: Google's Nexus One

Yesterday Google gave a presentation on the Google Nexus One. I watched it on the Gizmodo Liveblog. Ten minutes after reading the blog and looking at the pictures, I was sold. I knew I was eventually going to get it, but I didn't know until that moment that that was the moment I was going to get it.

I bought the phone yesterday, 1/5/2010, at 1:05pm. Overnight FedEx shipping (free). It arrived today at 1:22pm. Awesome.

The Nexus One can be purchased here: http://www.google.com/phone