Android 4.0 Review

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is an awesome device with a stunningly sexy display.

This little indulgence features all Google Android 4.0 apps. So it carries a true, pure Google experience.

Realize you are looking at the whole new world this platform truly has to offer. With each genesis of Google Android from beta to honeycomb we’ve been introduced to more and more innovative design and ability; trending forward to the future of communication, connection and life in general.

Now the world has the Galaxy Nexus (locked & Unlocked) the first to unwrap Ice Cream Sandwich.

It is easy to navigate and figure out; much of the OS has been made more intuitive. So, the learning curve happens naturally.

Don’t over think it. It’s really that easy. Leave your old mindset of complicated menus behind and go with it. And to you newcomers,  just relax and welcome to Android 4.0

Everything you need is right there on the home screen, unless you don’t want it to be.

True multitasking capability with a 1.2 GHZ dual core processor.

Android 4 has introduced face unlock which opens your phone using facial recognition features. It’s very responsive barring bad lighting and the like. So only you & who you allow can decipher your phone. Very James Bond.

The shutter on the camera is fast, so there’s no lag time, which means you get the picture you intended to get. That makes for some fun sharing.

While the Galaxy Nexus is grand, it doesn’t come off as huge due to the minimal bezel and use of the bottom portion of the screen for contextual soft-keys. It’s very thin and contoured. Blacks melt into to the bezel beautifully and the colors pop.

There were a few grumbles about the back plate being flimsy and it is. But seeing how there is an internal metal frame to support it, it really doesn’t seem like a problem at all.

The interface seems to have been reworked from the ground up for smooth for more responsive operation. And the apps run as smooth as butter.

It’s almost hard to find any complaints really.

But this does bear mentioning. There was a tiny bug that only affected those outside the US. It seems there was a problem with the volume when near 2G, volume would rise and lower by itself. An unshielded radio amplifier located too closely to the rocker’s circuitry was to blame.

But get this; the issue was resolved inside of 11 days. From discovery to problem solved!

One thing is for sure, Google is passionate and dedicated to Galaxy series and its software. And they’ve tested every detail.

The fact that Android 4, Ice Cream Sandwich is so cutting-edge some app developers haven’t caught up. But rest assured research shows that ICS is destined to be prevalent from here on in. They will, undoubtedly, be hot on the ICS trend.

The beauty of Android 4, you will always be instantly updated from Google.

It’s all about choice. Yours!

With Galaxy Nexus Unlocked, you can go anywhere in the world that has GSM network (Global System for Mobile Communications) an international standard, which at this point serves over 80% of the world. GSM uses digital service rather than analog.

The unlocked version is expensive, and will always be more expensive than buying it subsidized on contract.

But the freedom that comes with it…priceless. You are absolutely unbound by specific carriers & their bloat ware. You chose where you want to take your business, not the phone!

Because each carrier opts for a specific radio technology, your pick of a carrier determines the coverage and the choice of handsets tailored for that network.

Unperceived by us, this “tailoring” looks like an exclusive. Carriers choose to block things like mobile Skype and other VoIP apps from using their networks to place cheap voice calls which replace carriers’ costly voice minutes. It’s basically a monopoly mentality. Not cool.

Most U.S. carriers sell the most popular phones on an exclusive basis, requiring you to lock yourself into a multi-year service agreement before you can get the phone.

Not so with the latest version Android 4 Galaxy Nexus Unlocked. The operative word here being, unlocked. Enough said.

Android 4 Review-In Conclusion

Hands down, Android 4.0 is tremendous the Galaxy Nexus Unlocked is powerfully freeing and innovative. Freedom, functionality and usability are yours.

With Google at the helm, you know we’re in store for ever-evolving fun, function and style with an open minded/open-source community of developers working for the greater good of the platform and our experience.

Click here for Galaxy Nexus Unlocked

As we all know, smart phones are high end mobile phones. And mobile phones have come a long way, baby!

Now, if you’re here, it’s because you are already well aware of the beauty of this little device.

There is iOS & then there is Google’s Android as obvious front-runners.

Some people think of the Android as iphone’s competition but to put it in the words of Forbes…”The Samsung Galaxy (Android operating system)…isn’t just competition for the current iphone, its competition for the NEXT iphone.”

So let’s look at the different geneses of Google Android, from the first Android to the latest version Android, the Galaxy Nexus 4.0.

Happily, Google has a sense of humor it seems. They’ve named each of their Android incarnations after a tasty treat, in alphabetical order. It first appeared on the scene in 2007-8 with their only nameless version, 1.0. (Beta)

It was then that Android introduced us to basic email support, WiFi support, YouTube video player, Google sync: sync G-mail, Contacts & Calendars all wirelessly with our phone. In fact the iphone even uses Google Contacts on their phone. It also showed us how much battery we were sucking up with the introduction of the battery usage indicator.

We were dazzled with the new ability to search our contacts, calendar and the internet, all from one place on our phone with Google Search. Not to mention voice dialer and Bluetooth support being introduced. Also, standard were the alarm clock, calculator, settings & home screen. Nice!

Along came the Cupcake 1.5 with a few new additions. Android added the ability to assign our personal photos to contacts. Date/Time stamp was added to the call log.

We got a whole new experience with the annexation of video recorder and playback and the ability to upload photos and YouTube videos with Bluetooth stereo support.

Not to mention our enhanced browsing experience by the ability to cut and paste whilst browsing. Cupcake also unveiled the addition of widgets that we all know and love and the animated transition screen.

In true Google fashion, we asked, Google Android listened. For those who were unhappy with their virtual keyboards, they added 3^rd party support for keyboard apps.

We saw another update with the Donut 1.6.

The biggest thing added to this incarnation was the introduction of the Quick Search Bar which gave us a system wide search experience right from the home screen. System wide meaning the QSB would search everything in your system; contacts apps, browsing history. All on top of searching the web as well with suggestions provided as we type. This made “typing” a whole lot easier. And if typing wasn’t your bag, the capacity to speak our queries! Talk about easy!

There were a few improvements to the camera and turn-by-turn navigation support was added for Google Maps.

The Éclair 2.0/2.1 was cream filled with support for Microsoft Exchange which meant we could have multiple email boxes with built in anti-virus and anti-spam filters & access on the go.

Plus Android added the ability to search text, and speaking of text, the virtual keyboard was improved as well.

There was a little ganache dribbled atop the Éclair’s camera & video capabilities with built in flash support, digital zoom, scene mode, color effects and white balance customization & a macro-focus option.

Also added was the capability to play HTML5 videos. Bluetooth was bumped up to 2.1 & the introduction of Live Wallpaper was seen.

The Froyo 2.2 made it easier to customize the “ganache factor” and improved the Gallery. Android also gave us an LED flash support in camcorder mode and the addition of Adobe Flash support.

Another tasty morsel was the portable hotspot and new Bluetooth features.

All the while, usability had been sweetened up with dedicated home screen shortcuts for the phone, app launcher and browser. Improved processor performance and improved memory management.

Snappy updated Gingerbread 2.3 was equipped with built-in VOIP (voice over internet protocol), built-in NFC (near field communication). More keyboard improvements. It allowed for apps to use multiple cameras. Introduced the download manager & added improved power management.

The user interface design was improved for simplicity and speed and the copy and paste functionality was improved as well.

Honeycombs 3.0/3.1/3.2 are a choice versions of Android for tablets, which essentially brought all the goodies from Android for mobile phones and then some, to a “bigger stage”, including support for multi-core processors.

The Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 is the latest version Android there are tons of improvements, wonderful updates in capability and usability.

Let’s take a closer look. Shall we?