[Nexus 5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] PhilipTD:
A couple of weeks ago, I decided to get a new phone. My Note II was almost a year old! I narrowed down the possibilities to the Note 3, HTC One Max, and Sony Xperia Z Ultra. I'm into big screens because I use the phone for everything, including, a lot of surfing and watching movies. I researched the specs, read the reviews, and tried to make an informed decision.

Before long, I heard that Google was going to release the Nexus 5. I wanted to wait and add it to my list of candidates. My first modern smartphone was the Nexus One, and it's always been my favorite. The only drawback to the N5 was the smaller screen. I needed one device to do it all.

Back in the day, after the Nexus One, I went Samsung. Galaxy SIII then Note II. I flashed, modded, themed, and tweaked the heck out of the Note. I tried a couple of hundred apps, fooled with the S-Pen, and generally had a good time. After the novelty wore off, I spent most of the time stripping down the phone to look and act like the Nexus One.

Back to the present. I couldn't decide what to get and I was sick of researching and reading and talking to people about the phones currently on offer. I rethought the big-screen thing. Tried to think outside the box. Still couldn't chose.

One day, fed up and rash, I went over to T-Mobile and bought the Note 3. When I got home, I began the process of configuring the phone. Although somewhat intrigued with Samsung's bells and whistles, I rooted, flashed CM, and started stripping down to pure Android.

At some point, it stopped being fun. I think I got tired of spending countless hours trying to change almost every aspect of the device so it would be just like my old N1. It wasn't working, anyway. I just didn't like the phone.

I had made a mistake. I returned the phone to stock, packed it up, and returned it, and even paid a $50 restocking fee. I just wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible. I felt somehow disgusted by it and totally turned off to Samsung. It was weird.

I walked out of the store, took a few breaths of fresh air, and felt better. Actually, I felt free. Liberated. I was elated. No more Samsung!

Then, I realized that I didn't have a phone. I turned towards the store and thought about all I had learned about the other phones during my research. Despite the fantastic features and formidable specs of all of them, I was simply uninspired.

I went home, got out my N1, went back to T-Mobile, and activated it. For a week, I happily flashed and modded away. It was great. But I knew that I still wanted a new phone.

Did I really need a phablet? What if I got a phone AND a tablet? Maybe I need three devices; phone, tablet, and PC. It made sense. One device can't, and shouldn't be expected to, do everything. OK, new plan. Get phone first. N5.

I started playing the waiting game. Day after day, I checked for news of the N5's release, wading through the rumors. Then, all of a sudden, bam it was available. Then, bam, out of stock. Three to six weeks on Google Play.

Well, that's not happening. So I paid a higher price on eBay, and even sprung for extra, extra fast shipping. I wanted it completely unlocked, unbranded, unaffiliated, and unadulterated. No problem, I'm on the uncarrier.

The N5 isn't perfect, but it is awesome. I love it. Pure android. I rooted it and put on Nova, and am going to update to 4.4.1 as soon as I find out how. Then, on to roms.

I got the N7, too. It's awesome.

Life is good.

Sent from my Nexus 5