- Samsung’s latest Handset – the Galaxy Nexus – has arrived with Google Android 4.0 on board. Currently available on the Orange, O2, Vodafone, T-Mobile and Three networks form £26 a month with a free handset, and sim free from £529.95.
Android phones are ten a penny right now. From the super budget Orange San Francisco right up to Motorola’s all conquering speed demon, the Droid RAZR.
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is different beast however. It’s the first phone to run with Google’s shiny new Android 4.0 OS (aka Ice Cream Sandwich).
First Impressions
The Galaxy Nexus is a large phone with an impressively sharp screen. It’s pretty slim for such a big phone – when comparing it to the iPhone 4, the Galaxy Nexus is actually a little slimmer at 8.9mm!
Holding the Galaxy Nexus in your hand feels comfortable thanks to its curved corners, a rubbery, texturised ‘Hyperskin’ grip on its rear and a light yet balanced weight. Surprisingly for a big phone, not only is the Galaxy Nexus slimmer than the iPhone 4, it is actually a little lighter as well.
The Galaxy Nexus sports a huge 4.65 inch, 1280 x 720 high resolution super AMOLED screen. The screen is an absolute joy to behold – Its big, bright and super sharp to look at. It also feels very responsive to the touch.
Under the Hood
- Dimensions: 135.5 x 67.94 x 8.94 mm
- Weight: 135 grams
- Display: Super AMOLED, 4.65 inches,
- 1280 x 720 pixels, 315.80 ppi
- Talk Time: 8.5 hours
- Stand By: 200 hours
- Processor: 1.2 GHz Dual Core
- System RAM: 1GB
- Rear Camera: 5 Megapixel
- Front Camera: 1.3 Megapixel
The 1.2GHz dual core processor ensures a smooth ride navigating the OS and using the built in camera. However, the camera specs are actually a bit of a surprise as it only sports a mediocre five megapixel snapper, unlike some other high end handsets which seem to enjoy the eight megapixel variety. On the plus side, It is capable of shooting videos at 1080p full HD and does have a very quick shutter and a good LED flash.
Graphics and OS animations look gorgeous on this handset thanks to the PowerVR SGX540 GPU.
An Ice Cream Sandwich!
The Galaxy Nexus is the first phone to feature the all new OS from Google, Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). ICS feels incredibly polished and user friendly compared to its previous iterations. Let’s have a quick look at what’s new in ICS:
• The design of the home screen has changed. Everything now looks very square and minimalist – perhaps a nod to Windows Phone 7 tile based OS.
• A new security feature – facial unlocking – gives you the ability to unlock your phone just by looking at it.
• Devices running ICS will no longer require ‘hard’ navigation buttons. These have now been replaced by ‘soft’ buttons on the screen, which can orientate with rotation of the handset.
• Typing feels more accurate and responsive. ICS has a new software keyboard that promises better text prediction and typing accuracy.
• Text-to-speech has received a going over – words are now typed as you say them.
• Gmail has received a makeover for better usability, and includes an action bar and a two line preview.
• Multitasking has received a boost. You can now open up to 16 apps at a time.
• ICS adds better camera features, such as tap to focus, auto face recognition and panorama mode.
Conclusion
As at the time of writing, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is simply the Best Android phone on the market. With a winning combination of über responsiveness, large, sharp screen and the refinement of its OS, Samsung has delivered a real contender to the iPhone 4.
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