Why sometimes the easiest fix is the most effective fix

As a user who frequently revisits older devices, appreciating what we once regarded as "snappy", I found after recently returning to my GNex from a stint with my N1, that aspects of performance soon sparked questions and doubts for my "fastest" smartphone. Little did I know, the simplest trick in the book would end up being a solution to what was rapidly shaping up to be another unfortunate purchase.

Like the colouring of this case, the GNex was on the
verge of being another lemon

Though subtle at first, I'd noticed in the fortnight since the swap over - the GNex had suffered more and more as days had gone by. It was a devastating thought. If these problems stemmed from the hardware and not just the ROM then I'd have to worry about sorting out the warranty when I'd imported it from Hong Kong. For a device that was just approaching 5 months old, I was disappointed. A lot of this disappointment came from my decision to purchase the device when its replacement was due in a week later, and because of the attractive price the N4 had on launch. The other part was that I knew the GNex wasn't a powerhouse phone when I bought it - heck that wasn't even the case when it launched.

However, one thing I never regretted was what the device meant for Android. It was the beacon that introduced a new, Holo Android to the world - something that completely blew almost every Android fan away at its launch. The UI was cleaner, sleeker and more pleasing to look at that any other Android version, and improving upon Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich truly was Android re-imagined.

But, seeing as though some people are more prone than others to receiving duds and lemons, I knew it was only a matter of time before I'd find something that'd have me squeezing the life out of my GNex in absolute frustration. 

The reason? It's happened before with my first Android device, a Defy which I'd pre-ordered from the U.K. Of course once it arrived, within half a week I was already emailing the U.K. retailers for a repair on the earpiece (which later became a known issue to have plagued the first batch of Defys in Europe). I waited patiently with standard shipping to and from for a month, only to receive and then return the same device for the exact same issue. In all, my first three months experiencing Android equated to roughly two weeks having the device in a usable condition. 

Which is why I feared my issues with the GNex may have only been the start of a long line of problems. How little faith I had, I know.

The situation was worsened when a local retailer offered a one day deal on the N4 - which raised the thought on whether or not to ditch the GNex and its now mounting problems, and move up to what I should have bought if I'd waited a little longer. In my usual anxious nature, I presented my dilemma to the Nexus group on Google+, and whilst most believed I should've ditched the GNex for what was no doubt the better option (even if it were the 8GB model), a select few actually offered a solution to my performance woes.

I could hardly believe it

A factory reset.

I have to admit, I was sceptical, as anyone would naturally be, particularly given it wasn't even a Data Wipe/Factory Wipe from recovery - just the standard factory reset option from the Settings menu. Simple as that, and apparently it's been helping out a number of GNex owners who've noticed performance slumps since their upgrade to 4.2.

Maybe I was a bit hasty to turn my back on the GNex, and perhaps I should have explored my options further before seriously considering the purchase of another device, just because I could of saved a lot of coin. With thanks from the community, the GNex feels just as it did the moment I first powered it on, and my love for it has been renewed. Admittedly, I should have known better in all this, and should have rested on the decision that I only upgrade my Nexi by thirds. Meaning Nexus 5 - you're next on my list!