Guide To Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Today the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is when all is said and done available to consumers in the US, as is the new Android 4.0 operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich. This OS represents the biggest overhaul of Android for phones in doing so far.

Just as with all Nexus handsets, this one will serve as a flagship and a sort of showroom despite everything is good and perfect about Android 4.0. If you want the pure Android experience without any skins getting in your way, this is what you want.

If you’re contemplating running out to get the newest, baddest Google Nexus phone, here’s what to expect when you turn it on.

With Android 4.0 Google overhauled the UI in a big way. Combining components of the 2.x versions of the OS made exactly for phones and the 3.x versions made for tablets, Ice Cream Sandwich represents a mobile OS that’s supposed to work for screens both large and small.

The design components from 3

Fans of Android tablets will recognize some of the design components from 3.0, particularly the navigation buttons at the bottom, which are persistent and have a Tron-esque style to them. The intent is for phones to leave physical buttons by the wayside as much as possible.

In a move that’s already proven polarizing, the third button in the navigation area then and there to Back and Home is not Menu, as we’re used to with phones, however Multitasking/Recent Apps. This works much the same as its Honeycomb counterpart, showing you a list of apps and thumbnails. In ICS it’s not just a flat, scrollable element yet more carousel-like. The video below shows off the new multitasking in Android 4.0

Google added a tweak to stock Android that users have praised in skins from companies like Samsung and HTC. To illustrate, there’s now a little dock section at the bottom of each homescreen where users can place their most oft-used apps. You can see how this new dock section works in the video below.

Passcode or a trace

In addition to unlocking with a passcode or a trace, users can now unlock the phone with their face. This isn’t the most secure method and, depending on the light, your phone may not recognize you.

Google updated its core apps to match the new Android look. Like the overall interface, the new designs are cleaner and more open.

The video above shows off the new Camera app and functionality on the Galaxy Nexus, which will in the near future be on other Android 4.0 phones.

The familiar app launcher menu has a few additions

The familiar app launcher menu has a few additions. One most will notice suddenly is the icon for the Android Market which remains persistent on the upper right of the screen.

A Data Tracking app now comes standard with Android and even includes a way to limit usage. If you set a monthly limit the OS will shut down mobile data until you tell it to turn back on again. Very useful if you have a limited data plan. The monitoring app will as well show you which apps use up the most data.

The Phone app supports SIP Voice Over IP

The Phone app supports SIP Voice Over IP, which means that it will be easier to integrate services that use data instead of minutes to make voice calls. That makes it possible to ditch minutes altogether if you find a VoIP service that costs less than a traditional plan.

Android’s stock browser is more useful with tab management, which should make it easier to switch between windows.