Ideal for Google Fi, and masterfully refurbished.
926426
I have been hoping to move to Project Fi for my carrier for some time. I didn't want to pay payments on a phone, but rather pay up front, so I needed something relatively affordable that fit into the Nexus Family; after Google removed the option to buy the two cheaper phones from them (Nexus 5 and Nexus 6p), I shopped around, because I didn't want to pay $700, and anyways, I wanted to upgrade my newly broken Moto X, not switch brands. The Motorola Nexus 6 unlocked, or the US version anyways, fit everything I was looking for, with an average online price of a little over $300, and buying from prime mobility saved me even more, with absolutely no noticeable difference in performance or visual appearance - the screen and metal frame came without a single scratch. And as a bonus, the money I saved allowed me to buy a case, a tempered glass screen protector 2-pack, and a fast charger, as the phone is enabled for it, and my total was $270.
I couldn't be more happy with the phone, with the price, or with the quality of the refurbishing, period.
4129318
I received this in 2-3 days, at least 3 days ahead of schedule. The stock user interface and icons looked pretty decent. The other day I got the Marshmallow update through wifi, even before my SIM came in and I could activate my service. It looks great and feels even smoother than before. Here's what I like, and then what I don't:

-Fast, seamless operation
-Camera is excellent
-Fingerprint scanner
-Screen resolution and display quality
-Ease of use
-Battery life
As a side note, the Marshmallow update integrates your SD with your internal storage. So if your system files eat up a lot of your internal storage, it won't make any difference.

Cons
-Size (sometimes)
-Charge time

That's it. I recommend it highly. Net10 was an easy set up, I have 4G and I couldn't be happier.
73247
I bought mine from Ocean Reef Electronics, and I can't tell it's a refurbished unit.  It looks brand new.  I use mine mostly for watching Netflix and downloaded videos, and both look fantastic.  The screen is bright, the interface is easy, and I can download all sorts of apps from the Google Play store.  The drawback is that I had to register online with B&N before I could use the tablet at all, and I have to register a credit card even to download free apps.
3283028
The Galaxy Nexus is simply fantastic. The hardware is great and Android 4.0 (Ice-cream Sandwich) is an absolutely amazing improvement on the OS side of things. The phone looks gorgeous with its curved glass front, slim design and NO VERIZON BRANDING on the front to detract from the look of the phone.

The phone is snappy, and lag free. The SAMOLED screen is gorgeous and while I was very hesitant to buy a pentile matrix screen, the high pixel density on this screen results in great display quality and none of the traditional complaints against older gen pentile screens.

Battery life has also been great. When on Wifi, I lose around 1.1-1.2% battery per hour and I've gone 2 days without charging and light use.

My only complaint is that the phone can feel a bit slippery in your hands as the plastic is quite smooth. I'd recommend a Diztronic TPU case (Matte Black) to keep the phone protected while minimally affecting the looks and form-factor of the phone.

I couldn't be happier with this phone, and with all the great support from Google and from other developers (if your Root and unlock the bootloader), I am confident that it will easily last me 2 years on my contract without any issues.
1676232
First, this phone is replacing a Nexus 5 with horrific disfigurements on its glass screen that rendered it unusable for daily use. This phone though, at its price point, is an absolute steal. BLU has really done something great by offering a price range for unlocked phones below the 200 USD mark. The packaging was clean and enhanced the phone's initial charm (the inclusion of earbuds, case, and screen protector were an absolute plus). Its version of KitKat (Android 4.4) is relatively stable with most popular apps I use (e.g., Strava and Instagram) and is bundled with useful apps such as a file manager, fm radio app, and a sim management app. One can't help but feel (from a U.S. consumer perspective) that this phone is ideal for international travel given the dual-sim card feature.

Additional characteristics make this phone standout. The camera is surprisingly apt at taking pictures from both front and back (although there is some focus lag that users will have to be patient with). The colors on the screen are vibrant and the viewing angles are as BLU describes them on their product page. As many of the phones on the market today don't have a removable battery, the BLU 5.0 C HD was a breath of fresh (or old depending on how you look at it) air; I for one, cherish the fact that I can replace the battery with ease (and the micro SD card as well!). Battery life is standard for a phone with a screen this size, you'll get a good day's use out of it. I played a good amount of Monument Valley on this device and the performance was adequate, although at one point the phone's processor hit 68.7 C, which was of concern. For everyday use from a college student standpoint, this phone does it right.

On a concluding note, phones such as this are a life saver; high-end phones will fall out of your hands and break and the cost of repair or replacement are burdensome. I scored this phone for below 100 USD thanks to Amazon's warehouse deals (it had been opened but not used). Truth be told I am clumsy with my mobile devices and the fact that this phone does everything I need it to do, yet if it were to break as a result of my tendencies I will not worry as much when replacing it with another BLU device, which I will definitively be considering for my next mobile phone purchase.
2962597
Stock android delivers on exactly what I expected from the phone.  128GB is good enough for my music needs.  Front facing speakers are good for a phone.  With a decent case, I'm able to manage the phone even with small hands.  Fingerprint reader works well.  Camera quality is good, but maybe a bit slow.  This is offset by the excellent camera app with lots of software modes.  Battery life is excellent, and I rarely need to charge the phone during the day.

I really wish that it had a memory card slot for expansion (as opposed to large internal memory), but it's OK.  Phone seems a tad bit fragile, so I feel a decent case is a must.  It's big, so sometimes it's awkward to fit in a pocket.
3999140
This is a terrific phone. The hardware is snappy  and TouchWiz software is much less of a hindrance than it used to be,although pure Android would be better. This phone is great for running, as I'm not afraid of damaging it and the Active button can be configured to activate Runkeeper or MapMyRun. The battery is bigger than in the basic Galaxy S6. The screen is the same,  and clear and beautiful.
2433275
To be Refurbished it sure looks and works like new. Very easy to install. Connection is five bars all the time. Makes my ISP bill worth paying for.
1993269
I got this phone to replace my optimus elite on Virgin Mobile.  To start with, it is allowed on the grandfathered $25 plan, which makes this a great option for anyone who isn't in Sprint WiMax or LTE territory (this phone is 3g-only).  I've only had it a few days (will update the review as needed), but I couldn't be more impressed.  It is fast, large but not enormous (4 inch display), and is easily rootable.

I wish I had gotten a few more as backups and Christmas gifts.

I haven't had it long enough to get a good handle on battery life, but I hope to add a few notes on that soon.

update 1: I agree with a reviewer below; the camera is average.  Other than that, I am more than pleased so,far!
108068
I bought this directly from Google several months ago, once they finally caught up on their backorders.

I had previously owned several Motorola phones (Atrix and Atrix HD) which I liked, but they took forever to get updates, the battery life was lacking, and they came bundled with tons of extra software that I never intended to use.  The only "bundled" software with the Nexus 5 is the standard Google Play Apps (Books, Newstand, Play Store, Music, Video, etc).

The battery life on my particular phone has been great, and I can always make it home after a full day of work without needing to charge it, UNLESS I use the camera a lot.  This has been a known bug which was supposed to have been fixed with the latest update.  Since the update I haven't really noticed any improvement however.

That being said, I can easily overlook battery issues in favor of the rest of the phone's redeeming qualities, and I'm never that far away from a charger.

PROS:
-Very fast: I've never had any kind of delay using this.  My last phone crawled to a stop when I first activated it as it was trying to download all my apps and settings.  When I signed into the Nexus 5 for the first time I didn't have any delays while everything synced up.  It also starts up faster than any other smartphone I've owned.
-Size: It's a great size and the screen takes up most of it.  The rubber back makes it really easy to hold and it doesn't slip at all.
-Speakers: very loud and clear
-Screen: very sharp
-Antennas: have had no issues with WiFi or bluetooth, 4G LTE through AT&E in Boston is very fast.  The GPS also works very well.
-Google Now Launcher: works great, can easily check Google Now, and links up with search, maps, and more.

CONS:
-Battery life (see above)

Other notes: When it shipped the camera wasn't too great but since the last couple updates I've noticed that it seems to be a lot better, especially when using HDR in a well-lit area.  If you look closely there are still some artifacts with certain colors but overall I've been happy with it.
252286
If you're looking for a capable and versatile smartphone, then you absolutely must consider the Captivate.  I think most of the other reviewers have covered the basics of how the Captivate compares to the iPhone (and beats it), so let me mention a few features that you might not know about.

1. The phone supports syncing with Exchange out of the box.  Not only does it sync e-mail, but it also handles contacts and calendar.  I use it for my work e-mail, and it performs flawlessly.  Needless to say, you can also connect via POP3 and IMAP.
2. VPN access is also available for those who need to connect to their corporate networks.
3. The basic browser is quite capable, but if you want something else, then you can choose Dolphin Browser, Opera Mini, or Skyfire, to name a few.
4. Although MS Office documents and PDF's aren't supported out of the box, Quickoffice for Captivate and Adobe Reader are free downloads.
5. Google Navigate offers free voice-guided, turn-by-turn GPS navigation.  No need to pay AT&T for their service.
6. Wi-fi access is silky smooth.  To enable it, pull down the notification drawer at the top of the screen and touch the wi-fi button.  Wi-fi will turn on, and if you have never connected to an available network, a list of what's available will appear.  Choose the network you want, enter any required login information, and click Connect.  That's it, and, from then on, the phone will automatically connect to that network if it's available.
7. I want to mention a little-known app called Google Shopper.  Install it, and you'll be able to shop for books and CD's by simply starting the app and pointing the camera at them.  The app scans the cover or barcode and shows you prices from online and local merchants.  Much faster than having to manually look up titles while you're standing in a bookstore aisle.  College students wondering how badly the campus bookstore is ripping them off on textbooks compared to other sellers will appreciate this app.
8. And I can't forget to mention the Captivate's voice recognition capabilities.  You can search by voice, and, if you switch the default keyboard from Swype to standard Android, you can use voice dictation for almost anything that you can type.  And while it does make mistakes, they don't happen often.
9. Google Voice is available for the Captivate, something Apple will probably never allow on the iPhone.  Need separate phone numbers for work and personal use?  Then Google Voice is what you're looking for.
9. And finally, if you need or want Push-to-Talk similar to the service that Nextel offers, well, there are several free apps for that.  They will only connect you to other Android users running the same app, but, for a business needing to have this functionality and interested in getting several Android phones, then such a solution is worth looking at.  The apps are still a little rough around the edges, but give them a little time to mature.

My point here is that, although this is one beautiful phone, it's also extremely good at handling business tasks.  Yes, it handles Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter beautifully, but it will also keep you in touch with colleagues and clients as well, if not better than, any other smartphone out there.
172560
Excellent phone, won't be disappointed. 4 gb ram, 64 gb rom ( approximately 55 gb user available) Easy to set up. Fast from the get go. Change the fonts, icons, almost like having the phone rooted. Fast and fun what a combination
1516624
On par with Samsung Galaxy S6 edge, screen is excellent, battery life above average and turbo charge is very nice feature. Being a Google voice user, can't explain how happy I am with its ability to use any of the big 4 carriers. I switch carriers monthly based on where I'm working, so it's much appreciated, so far have used it with TMob Verizon Cricket (att) with superb LTE coverage on all of them.  Screen is bright and sharp, was considering the nexus 6 but so far happy with the decision, although I wish it had the ability for dual sim cards. 9/10
1687755
The device looks brand new, it was delivered in a timely manner, functions perfectly - would never know it was refurbished.
2307752
Got this Mingle refurb through FreedomPop (with free data) for $30. It arrived, I switched it on, connected my device to the hotspot, and it worked, and it worked well. The battery life is impressive so far, too.

It even has a separate guest network, and you can have it reset the guest password every time you start, so you won't have unexpected usage later on from people you let connect one time for a certain task.

I really like the compact design, as it easily fits in your pocket, e.g. with your phone. It's cheap plastic, but the ridges that feel strange at first turn out actually very handy when you want to set it up straight (nice design feature).

I'm not crazy about the one-button-for-everything approach. Luckily it's possible to get to the details through the Netgear Aircard app, and even more online through a 'website' hosted on the hotspot itself.

Unrelated to the device itself: FreedomPop provides some free data, but you really have to manage the service (cancel plan, and switch off 3G) towards the end of your initial trial to avoid charges, but after that it's fine.
1708845
Wow, incredible device in the midrange pricing range.

This turned out to be much better than I had anticipated. I spend a lot of time in Europe, and I used to plug my US T-Mobile SIM card in my iPhone 4S when Stateside, and put its EU-sibling in my Nokia N9. When going overseas, the SIMs would swap phones. That way, my iPhone would always be my primary device to avoid racking up roaming charges eclipsing the national debt of certain countries, yet I would remain connected on both numbers.

But although the N9 was great for a while, when Nokia chose to steer itself off a cliff by going Windows phone something else had to come instead. Yes, I did buy a Lumia 800, but I found it infuriating to use. I really tried to like it, but I couldn't. It looked like the N9, but that is where the analogies ended short from both being good at holding down paper. The N9 had to come out of the drawer again, but its total lack of apps made it no better than a feature phone albeit with one tenth of the battery life.

So, not having used a Motorola since the Dynatac, this was quite a surprise! It is really fast, the screen is gorgeous - sharp with rich colors, the device is thin enough, the camera is quite ok, battery life is quite good, it is light enough, and, the phone is not too ugly. It is not an iPhone 6, which I did consider, but at one fourth the price I think it is certainly a lot better than you would expect. It's a black plasticky slab, but not worse than any Samsung out there.

The camera low light performance is a bit better than the iPhone 4s, but the imaging algorithms are a little worse in bright light. Onboard memory is only a few gigs, but I stuck in a 32GB micro SD card I still had laying around and memory is no longer in short supply.

It does not support LTE, but I tested download speeds north of 10Mbps and upload a little less than half that on a Finnish network. I assume it does not do HSPA-DC, which can give you here about 25Mbps down, but 10Mbps covers all my needs.

It came out of the box with Android 4.4, but it apparently is Android 5 capable.

It is good enough for me to start considering if I should reclassify my iPhone to secondary device and make this the primary one.
690308
Excellent phone! I bought it in refurbished condition for just $105. It came with the original charger and USB cable. The phone has the perfect size, is really fast and already updated to Android 6.0. The colors of the screen are kind of washed, but the pixel density is excellent. It has microSD slot, 13 mp camera with dual led flash, the speaker is on front and it has tiny details like mini LEDs on the power and volume buttons + notification LED on the earpiece. This phone is water resistant, but I will not try that :)

-1 year after-
The phone is great, no problem at all!