On brand loyalty and blind hate

By Jerry Hildenbrand  | Oct 11 2012 | 6:36 pm  | 266 Comments

Ugly ass phone?

So it's starting to look like the idea of an LG built Nexus device is true. Of course, nothing is ever final until it's final, but all the evidence points towards us seeing one in the near future. New Nexus -- awesome, right?

You would think so. But across the Intertubes, I'm seeing something that's got me scratching my head. People are mad -- not just figuratively, but really upset -- because they didn't want anyone except their favorite phone manufacturer to make the next Google reference device. It's a bit ridiculous, because not one of the people complaining has used or even seen the supposed LG Nexus.

On the Internet, people who swear allegiance to a company or brand are labeled as fanboys. It's a good, descriptive term. When you don't consider how anyone else but company X can do anything better, you're a fanboy. It's always a load of laughs to make fun of the fanboys, especially when it comes to smartphones. Words like Fandroids and iSheep make for some legendary blog comment threads.

It's all getting a bit ridiculous. These companies that feed on consumer loyalty worship don't deserve any of it. Google, Samsung, HTC, Apple, Microsoft and the rest need us more than we need them, and buying into the mindset that nothing is better than a <insert device of the month> here is bullshit. Corporations need to work to earn our money, instead of us lining up to throw it at them. The people behind those fancy desks don't know you, nor do they care about anything more than how many dollars they can get from you. That's how a successful business works, no matter who is running it.

Bring on the LG Nexus I say. In fact, I don't care who makes it, as long as it keeps furthering innovation in software and brings new features to the table. The next Nexus could be made by Casio, come with a battery in a bag and weigh five pounds, and to me it would still be better than most other phones I see on the shelves at the AT&T or Verizon store. You might think differently, and that's OK -- as long as you're thinking. 

Jerry Hildenbrand

Jerry Hildenbrand Cowboy

"Fascinated by things that go beep."

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There are 266 comments

kymoon says:

Jerry should go through these comments and mark every single fanboy as an example of what he's talking about. I'm bored with the whining about the the 8GB. Yes, it's ghetto storage, but we all know that it'll come out with a choice of bigger storage. You don't have to buy 8GB if you don't want to, but there may be people out there who don't have money to pay full price for a phone and who are not power users, and the 8GB option is going to make the device cheaper and accessible for them. I wouldn't buy an 8GB device, but we know that there will options, so I don't lose sleep over it like some of you are. And, if somehow you need 1 Tera of storage because you are a "power user" and you have to carry your entire movie, music, game, and picture collections with you everywhere you go for some unknown ridiculous and stupid reason, CARRY A DAMN LAPTOP!

clvrbas says:

I agree with you. The one thing i have *never* understood why so many people on the AC site have to carry so much music and movies with them... I just do not get it. I use my phone as a communication and organizational tool, and my tablet is more utilized as my for fun device.

A reduced device price due to specs may open a Nexus device to more people; overall isn't that what Google would want? More devices running their latest software and needing their services?

jrowe says:

This is so incredibly true, and speaks to the entire human condition since you can remove every mention of mobile device and replace it with sport, sport's team, political view, or any number of any other topics. Too many people end up with a narrow mindset and refuse to see anything but their own view, and discard anything that doesn't match their view.

nitemancometh says:

Just pointing out a little something, your media blog is fueling the "loyals" and crazies as we speak. Each time you publish leaks & rumors it's just enough to get people riled up to start threads and comment with blind fury.

Humans want to be heard, they want to put their little 2 cents into everything. They don't know how to operate otherwise on the interwebz.

If I'm the buyer who plans on purchasing a full retail smartphone ($600+) I want it to be spectacular, I want to love it and take it to my room and talk dirty to it and read it a bedtime story. I want it to be functional and improve my lifestyle. More importantly, I want it to be an extension of myself. That's the beauty of free enterprise, I don't have to buy something I don't like.

So, go on and post more leaks of this perpetual tangible god-like of a device. I vouch for the legacy to continue and you know we could be wrong and it'll end up looking like ambrosia with 128GB of storage, a 6-core system on chip and a LTE that could give you a full bar signal 50 meters underground in the can.

codiusprime says:

The point of the Nexus line is and always has been the software, the hardware is merely there to show off the latest version of Android and offer an untarnished device to house Android. While the specs might not be overly impressive TO ME that doesn't mean they won't showcase Android well. If the phone is well built and has few problems I don't really see the issue, yea I won't be buying it but it will be a nice upgrade for Nexus S owners.

sandwich11 says:

"Bring on the LG Nexus I say. In fact, I don't care who makes it." - Really? Would you not care who made the next iPhone? Or the next Air Jordans? Or the next Gallardo? Hardware matters just as much as software, and until LG proves that they are a top-notch manufacturer of smartphone hardware, I'll have my doubts about the next Nexus. If you're just concerned about the software, then maybe you'd like my old LG Optimus S with CM installed.

frettfreak says:

I dont have a problem with LG.. i say give them a shot. However, i think google f-d up BIG time if this is the ONLY nexus we see this fall. Nexus brand needs to mean QUALITY and timely updates.... the best of the best... and LG just hasnt proven themselves yet.

I will wait to pass judgement til i get to see and touch the phone but my issues are with the specs that have leaked so far. However, i REALLY doubt that google will go with ONLY having an 8gb option. Just seems like they would be shooting themselves in the foot. Other than that, the ONLY thing that i dont like it the glass back. Lets not try too hard to be like iPhone mmmk?? Seriously though, glass is just dumb. Barring the storage issue (which i dont think will actually be an issue) the glass back is ALMOST a deal breaker for me. I drop my phone a lot, but do use cases, still just dont like the idea at all.

zorbthegeek says:

My loathing of LG is not blind, nor uninformed. I type this reply on my beloved Nexus 7 rather than my shambolic (5th) G2x. I have had an absolute nightmare working with LG: terrible support, a pledged update timeline that was never met, frequent battery pulls and mailing my POS back for warranty return after warranty return. I pledged to never buy another LG because of my (craptastic) phone and pledged to only buy Nexus products because of my (wonderful) tablet. I am ready to replace my handset but I am sitting this one out.

Holding grudges & waiting for Nexus 5 (apparently).

johnsondavid841 says:

samsung didnt get a lot of hate because htc was #1.

they got hate cause they put out !!ty phones and they claimed they couldnt update it. they put out phones they they know that couldnt be updated so they can relese phones with the newer version.

check the behold 2, check the moment, check the first galaxy s phone.

Skier1960 says:

Right on Cowboy.... It's all about the Money. If anyone tells you different, they are lying.

davidtb says:

Thank you for this article, nice work.

I've had good luck with HTC, I think Motorola make a solid product,but is stuck in the past, like Nokia and Sony.
I haven't owned a Samsung or an LG Android yet, but I'm looking forward to someday, IF they turn my head.
It is about the product loyalty it's just up to you how far you want to take it.
I like Android over IOS, I like free over paid.

db.

vinny jr says:

LG Nexus is fine with me but give us some descent hardware. I don't think the so called fanboys are pissed at the brand as they are the quality of the hardware. 8gb of int storage and some poor ass quality camera, that is shit. Just like the I-Phone, they put out one phone a year, we rip it apart and allot is the hardware, why can not the Nexus step it up and give their loooooyal customers some bad ass hardware. I heard Phil and your explanation that the Nexus brand is more the software, I disagree, we pay for the entire package not just the software. I am just sick and tire of the Nexus phones always lacking some major function, the last Nexus phone comes out with a lousy 16gb of int storage and a lame ass camera that everyone was saying how good it was at the opening event. Google needs to step it the hell up and show us a phone that is nothing but top quality. I will never buy another Nexus phone that is not all it should be and I have bought them all. IMO the best Nexus phone was the Nexus One and I still use it every so often. Give us a Nexus One shaped phone but bigger and kick ass specs. Give us something we can be proud to own, not something put out there just for software, that is just a waste of time and effort. There is NO reason or excuse to make a phone today without all the bells and whistles. Step up or get out.

Tdomonte says:

"Corporations need to work to earn our money, instead of us lining up to throw it at them."

Ummm, and thats why I'm bothered by LG making the next nexus. LG makes shitty quality phones, I've owned 3 of them. Within a month, the phone will start to creek. Within 3 months, random reboots and freezes and within 5, dinks and scratches all around the chrome trim of the device. It all Gets worst with age too. Honestly though, I love HTC. HTC, Sony, or Motorola should have made the next Nexus. What has LG done to deserve to be the Nexus? Besides "FIRSTieees" to the quadcore s4. I always though Google based their picked on the company who made the highest quality product at the time. I thought they had to somewhat compete to be the next Nexus. I think thats the real reason why people are upset about LG taking the role. Corporations need to work to earn the nexus badge.

mitchstehlin says:

This article is a joke. This comes down to being pleased too easily. Jerry just wanted to write this article and come off as the perfect Android fan and have everyone on this site bow to him. No. If you don't criticise and critique every device that comes to the table, the devices are going to become worse and worse. 8GB of storage instead of 32GB (just an example), Jerry says this is fine. Someone who wants to push the limits of technology and wants innovation will say this is bullshit. With an attitude like Jerry's these devices are going to become pure shit in no time. Very frustrated with this article. DON'T SETTLE.

ungibbed says:

When it comes to LG Android phones, I personally never owned one but couple friends of mine shared their opinions on quality issues one was the infamous G2X (which I almost bought but waited for the HTC Sensation), he was on his third replacement and he is also a hardware/software engineer with skills far beyond mine as I focused on game development.

That being said, the G2X looked like the perfect choice with the Nvidia Tegra chipset and vanilla Android on the device. When it came time to upgrade, I just didn't like the feel of the phone itself and I don't plan on leaving T-Mobile anytime soon (especially now that they are supporting the iPhone on their network). The HTC sensation was the phone I decided on due to its amazing design and top end specs for it's time. That was one great phone aside from the case design not allowing for a larger battery. My current Tmo Android is my Galaxy S II. Stuffed with a 32GB class 10 micro SD card. I love that Samsung but have one issue of why it's shelved for the moment. So I'm using my iPhone 4S for the time being.

Back on point of LG phones, a close personal friend who is on Metro PCS bought the top end phone they had and she loves it. She let me have a good tour of it and compared it to my Galaxy and I was rather surprised on how WELL MADE it really was.

I don't recall the model number but it had a wonderful 480x800 LCD display and it felt solid. Call quality was excellent as well as the camera and it's other features. I was rather surprised to see such a nice phone on Metro PCS and it has not failed her at all (I'm her tech support).

Thinking of the new Nexus entry. Perhaps we ALL have become a bit spoiled since Samsung made a wonderful device. The Nexus phones IMO were never intended to be "flagship" devices as even when the Nexus One was on sale, phones already on the market had similar specs other than the higher resolution Pen Tile OLED display. You could hop on over to Verizon's retail outlet and pick up a similar but less stylish beast.

Lets face it folks if you don't like it, don't buy it and hang onto your Galaxy Nexus or whatever mobile you're using and are happy with. If the Jelly Bean update fixes the issues on my Galaxy S2, I may get a micro SIM adapter to fit my card in and love that phone even more. Sure there are newer phones on the market but I like the T-Mobile version of the S2 just as much as my factory unlocked iPhone 4S. Heck, I even have a tiny Samsung Dart! As small as that Dart is, it makes for an amazing backup phone or even a daily driver.

When you think about it all, there's a lot of hate for a phone that isn't even out yet. If that bugs you, grab a Gnex or whatever may meet your wants, needs, or desires in a phone. A year ago I was using a BlackBerry Bold 9700. It was old but it did everything I needed on a mobile phone. If it didn't kick the bucket, chances are I'd still be using it now.

BruhMan says:

"....The next Nexus could be made by Casio, come with a battery in a bag and weigh five pounds, and to me it would still be better than most other phones I see on the shelves at the AT&T or Verizon store....."

I can't even respond to that type of logic.