[UPDATE] Galaxy Nexus, Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) launched, Features, Specifications and round ups; releasing 16 November 2011, priced around $775 (INR 37999.00)

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Today, Google and Samsung launched the Galaxy Nexus, perviously known as the Nexus Prime with a host of new features and a New Version on the Android Operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich.

Google realizes that consumers recognize that Android is extremely powerful but frustrating at the same time. People like their Android phones, but not many people love them. Google highlighted that their focus for Ice Cream Sandwich was to make the UI of Android “enchanting, beautiful and seductive.” – Google Spokesperson

Firstly, a change within Android 4.0 is the fonts. Google created a new font named Roboto which was designed from the ground up for HD displays.  The font is used throughout the operating system and gives Android a much cleaner look.

Google highlighted that their focus for Ice Cream Sandwich was to make the UI of Android “enchanting, beautiful and seductive.” and indeed they have, Ice cream sandwich looks impressive on the large 4.65 inch HD display for the Galaxy Nexus

Features of Ice cream Sandwich (Android 4.0)

A New Lock-screen

The redesigned lock screen allows for simple unlocking or unlocking to the camera app instantly (which, BTW, has zero shutter lag). That’s not all it has to offer, though. Users can now swipe down the notification bar to get a peek at what’s happening without unlocking their phone. Additionally, the time indicator in the upper right corner is now gone, eliminating the redundancy found in previous iterations of Android.

 

Face Unlock

 

Yes, Sir, Face unlock does exactly what you think it does, hold you ICS device against you and it uses the facial recognition functionality using the front-camera and unlocks the screen, Futuristic!

 

Widgets

Widgets within Android 4.0 have a few overhauls. Google has added scrolling, flipping and widget resizing to the native functionality. Just like Honeycomb, widgets are now stores within the application drawer under the widgets tab. Just drag and drop a widget to the home screen and change its size to fit your needs.

 


Android Beam

Woah, what is that, well, it is a new app which allows you to share data between devices using NFC (Near Field Communication), you can easily share contacts, apps, Maps, link, Youtube Video and more

 

Talk to Type

Talk to Type has been available for two years now, but in ICS it has the ability to instantly transcribe your voice as you talk rather than waiting for you to pause or finish your sentence.  This new change allows for smoother transcriptions and makes it easier for the user to use Talk to Type for longer messages without having to press the button multiple times.

 

Browser Revamp

 

The browser has been revamped tab layout to get maintain consistency with all the new UI and features ICS has to be, it works similarly to the multitasking function of the OS. Users can have up to 16 tabs open at a time and can easily close them by swiping them off the screen. The browser also allows users to have entire pages for offline viewing, desktop Chrome bookmark syncing, and Chromes infamous incognito mode.

 

Enhanced Gmail

 

Google has revisited the Gmail application with ICS with the intent of “build the best mobile experience you can find anywhere, period.” Google has added two line message previews to that you can get a short glimpse of your messages without opening them. A new action bar at the bottom of the screen highlights your labels, search and contextual functions based on where you are within the app.  To switch between emails, simply swipe left or right rather than using the back button to return to your inbox. Also, Gmail now supports offline email search which indexes all of your emails for the past thirty days.

 

Data Usage Monitor

 

One of the beat features of Ice cream Sandwich is the Data usage monitor, which tracks all applications on your device which consume data (internet usage). Data Usage keeps track of which applications use the most data (similar to the battery Usage monitor currently available within Android), but used can manipulate the graph and pinpoint data use within a specific time frame. In addition to tracking data, the monitor can also project future data use, alert users if they are reaching a certain preset threshold or actively cut off data consumption on the device in order to avoid overage charges from carriers.

Camera App made Awesome

The new and improved camera has zero shutter lag, autofocuses, takes low-light photos, stitches together images into seamless panoramas and shoots 1080p, time-lapsed video. You also have lots of instant editing options such as removing red eye, adding a “hipster” filter or cropping. You move, Instagram

 

People App

The People app innovates your contacts list, linking individuals with all of their social profiles.

 

Theses are some of the notable features of Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0)

 

Let’s move to Galaxy Nexus Now

 

Here is the technical Specification for your next Nexus device:

  • Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

  • 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED Screen with 720p resolution

  • 1.2GHz dual-core processor

  • Redesigned UI in Android 4.0

  • Improved multi-tasking, notifications, Wi-Fi hotspot, NFC support, full web browsing

  • Android 4.0 features Software Navigation buttons

  • People App with Google+ Integration among other features

  • Redesigned camera with panorama mode, 1080p video, zero-shutter lag, silly faces and background replacement features

  • Face Unlock: Facial recognition to unlock your phone.

  • Android Beam uses NFC to easily share content with other Android users

  • PURE GOOGLE EXPERIENCE

  • All the Google Apps you love from Android Market and GMail to Movie Studio and redesigned Google+ app

  • 8.94mm thick, 4.29mm bezel

  • LTE and HSPA+ connectivity

  • Available in USA, Europe, and Asia beginning in November and then rolled out globally

It is a la James Bond movie phone, a powerhouse indeed, boasting a 1.2GHz dual-core processor to push the new and improved multitasking, notifications as well as other features of Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 such as the facial recognition to unlock the device.
The hyper-skin on the back of the Galaxy Nexus offers a slip-free, grippy finish, whilst not hampering the finesse of the design.
Galaxy Nexus will be available in November 2011 along with the Ice Cream Sandwich OS. We have we get Android 4.0 on Galaxy S2 as well, also Nexus S will get an Official Ice cream sandwich update, says Google
Our thoughts: Android Ice Cream Sandwich is a great improvement and upgrade with regards to Gingerbread, with some awesome features coming some of the current phones. ICS is a game changer, a serious threat to Apple and it’s iOS, with the nifty looking UI, a few of the Apple fanboys might join the Android Bandwagon.
In terms of Galaxy Nexus, we are disappointed, we were expecting more out of the beast, none-the-less a great phone, but if you own a Galaxy S2, we don’t think it’s worth an upgrade the to the third installment of the Nexus series from Google.
What do you think, would you upgrade to Galaxy Nexus, what are you thoughts about Ice Cream Sandwich, do let us know

Here is the video from Android’s YouTube Channel, a teaser to the now launched Ice Cream Sandwich

UPDATE 1: 26th October 2011: Samsung Galaxy Nexus “Prime” UK release date revealed

According to Phones4u. The UK retailer has the Galaxy Nexus available for preorder on Orange, with shipments set to arrive on November 16th 2011

UPDATE 2: 2nd November 2011: Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be priced approximately  USD$775   (INR.37999.00), worth a Miss again, we’d say.

 

The DNetWorks Team

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