The front of the device has the massive 4.6" screen. It's huge, one of the largest screens we have seen on a phone yet. There is also a slight curve to the screen, not entirely noticeable when using the device however it feels completely natural, especially when talking on the phone. The Nexus S had this also and it's surprising that other manufacturers have not adopted the style as it enhances the phone call experience to no end. Above the screen in the ear speaker. This speaker is well suited for purpose and delivers crisp and clear sounds. To the right, amidst the black are three little sensors. Most phones would normally have two here, light and proximity. However, the Galaxy Nexus has three. The third is a mystery, perhaps it is something to do with the barometer as this is the only additional sensor we have exclusive to phone.
At the bottom of the phone you will notice the lack of hardware buttons and even indicators for the standard Android soft keys. This is due to the function keys being completely absorbed into Android's interface. The back of the device has a peculiar rip-it-open panel covered in an odd, anti-slip texture. The camera and flash sit high above the Google branding with the loudspeaker below the Samsung brand. The location of this speaker is quite annoying as it is easily covered by your fingers when cradling the phone in you hands. The quality of the speaker is also concerning as it can sound a little tinny and quite crackly when the volume is pumped up. When compared to the speaker on the iPhone 4S, there is no competition. On the left is a simple volume rocker. On the right is the power button and three points for a possible dock or some such. On the bottom in the microUSB connector, 3.5mm headphone socket and a small hole for the microphone.
The phones shell is honestly a bit of a let down. For the money I'm not sure the phone would last a full 24 months as many of the contracts you will see this on. Even compared to the Samsung Galaxy S II and the Nexus S it does not stand up. Samsung have been producing a lot of plastic devices lately and it's impossible for me to recommend this hardware when I know full well that this will be used a lot during it's life time and will need extreme care if it is to survive daily life.
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the first phone to carry the latest version of Android. Version 4, Ice Cream Sandwich is not only an upgrade to the last phone operating system, 2.3 Gingerbread, but it combines all that was great about Android on a phone with version 3 Honeycomb that was released exclusively to tablets. Both versions of these operating systems had their pros and cons. Putting all their eggs in one basket, Google have merge both, taking the best parts of each and adding them together. I think it's safe to say that the most exciting thing about the Galaxy Nexus is Ice Cream Sandwich.
There are obviously some new additions to the OS that anyone using an Android phone now is going to notice. Not all Android phone users have experienced Honeycomb on the Tablet and therefore the likes of the Task Manager, pictured above, will come as a a fresh and exciting development. It's exceptionally easy to use, those familiar with Webos will enjoy the similar action of throwing away an Application to kill it.
Of course Widgets play a big part of this new version of Android. Widgets have been around for a while and have been a central part of the Android Home Screen, but never more than here. It's almost as if it has been taken seriously. Widgets occupy their own portion of the Apps drawer. They have grid points to hook onto when Home Screen layout is being decided and most importantly can be resized.
I would imagine that Google are pushing this feature as it is something that Apple have not swung into action with. My main complaint is still the same from day one of Android, there is no consistency with the widgets. You cannot match colours or styles, therefore some home screens will look a little hotch-potch as the widgets will be from different developers and rarely blend together easily.
A new addition that Apple has already swung into action with is the folder/stackable icons feature. Essentially doing away with the folders Google have introduced the ability of dropping Apps on top of each other and once the app bundle is tapped, Android opens what is a folder of the app icons. Keep Games in one, Google products in another, shopping app and camera apps can all be collected together. A nice idea and works well, allowing you to drop those less well used apps into a catagory to avoid having to sweep through pages of apps in the drawer to find what you are looking for.
It is a relief to see that the Contact book has been given a revamps. Historically the phonebook and calender have always been somewhat limp in previous versions. This time we have a neatly laid out column affair that resembles the desktop version and bundles your contacts together by their heading. Things can get a little confusing when Google+ adds it's touch to the phonebook and you end up with extra contacts you have to scroll through to get to who you were looking for in the first place.
The Starred favourites remind me of another operating system by a company begining with M. Oh no, they are just big squares of some ugly people and my Step-daughter being eaten by a horse. As mentioned earlier, the App drawer is divided into two. There are the Apps and the Widgets. There is also a handy link to the Marketplace to avoid the anguish of having to find it, or go back to a pre-defined shortcut. It's not new, however worth mentioning is Google Music.
The new interface is enjoyably simple. This update has been passed to older versions of Android also and this is honestly a very strong music player now. There are no complicated interfaces that so many music players have moved towards, just the ability to quickly flick between songs and albums with minimal fuss. Also, I think it important to add, both Google Music and Google Listen have had a feature added whereby if you remove the headphones the song/podcast you are listening to will stop simultaneously. Possibly one of the most simple, yet brilliant technical advances of the Millennium.
The Galaxy Nexus Camera App has had a slight facelift. Everything looks a quite neat and tidy and the buttons are self-explanatory. You can sweep between the three shooting modes at the bottom right, video, stills and the new panorama mode. The camera seems to be determined to impress with the speed of the shot however, as the picture quality is subpar, even in ideal conditions. There is little in the way of focusing and more often that not you will have to take pictures multiple times before you get something usable. This was a massive disappointment and I would much rather wait the extra second for the focus to pull and a crisp shot be achieved. The price starts from AU$429 with 12 months warranty included! Visit the website link here :
http://www.kogan.com.au/shop/samsung-galaxy-nexus/
