Galaxy Nexus With Ice Cream Sandwich

Samsung and Google just lunched the first Ice Cream Sandwich phone, The Galaxy Nexus. They have bumped the Android version to 4.0. As rumor had spectated the specifications are as follows:

• Display: 4.65 inch with HD Super AMOLED (1280 x 720)  6:9 sreen ratio 100,000:1 contrast ratio
• 1.2 GHz dual-core processor
• 1 GB RAM
• 16 GB or 32 GB storage
• HSPA+ or LTE
• 5 megapixel rear camera with LED flash zero shutter lag
• 1.3 megapixel front facing camera
• 1080p video recording and playback
• Panorama mode
• NFC

Some key points from the event:

• As the bezel is only 4.29 mm, they were able to make bigger display without increasing the phone size.
• New typography "Roboto" for HD paper density displays.
• No physical button on screen. Only virtual button that is part of the UI.
• Widgets and Apps available on same menu under tab.
• Resizeable widgets.
• Application swapped left to right.
• Favorites tray.
• Multitask tray to switch app with live preview and big icons.
• Toss away unwanted app with a simple flick.
• Screenshot with volume down and power button.
• Notification bar with user's picture and music control.
• Toss away unwanted notification with a flick. (hmm I like it)
• Notification bar can be opened from locked screen.
• Action bar will put most common actions in front and center.
• New locking mechanism -- face unlock with state of the art face recognition technology.

Keyboard:

• More accurate keyboard.
• Inline spell checker. (very nice)
• Improved and consistent cut, copy and paste.
• Text to speech with emotion support like smiley face and question mark but moreover instant text to speech.

Core Apps

• Browser:
• 16 tabs can be opened. Live preview of tabs like multitasking tray with flick support to close tab.
• Option for "Request desktop site"
• Bookmark synced with Chrome.
• Page can be saved for offline read.
• Incognito mode. (:D :D :D)
• Gmail:
• Two line previews.
• Action bar at bottom.
• Swipe to view other emails.
• Email address with Name and Picture called chips. Clicking the chip card will bring quick contact.
• Offline search. (last 30 days by default) (sweet!)
• Calendar:
• Made extremely readable.
• Consistent swype gesture.
• Pinch to Zoom.
• Data usage app:
• With prediction.
• With warning.
• With limit to auto disconnect mobile data (awesome!).
• Data usage per app, per custom time period and what not.
• Photo:
• There is saying that best camera is the one you have with.
• Sharing is very easy with a click.
• Auto face detection.
• Zero shutter lag.
• Insanely fast, way fast.
• Powerful set of photo editing tools inside gallery app.
• Organize by name, location, people etc.
• Cool cool panorama mode.
• With G+, instant upload.
• Video:
• 1080p video recording.
• Continuous focus.
• Zoom while recording.
• Time lapse.
• Video snapshots. (woo! hoo!)
• People:
• New design.
• Me profile at top.
• Data merged from all social contacts like HTC Sense.
• Swipe right to see the status and updates.
• Not only database of people and picture.
• Quick contact card by clicking the photo chip in other app.
• Put people in home screen like direct dial and in folder.
• High resolution profile picture in call.
• Phone app:
• Swap right from history to see favorite people.
• Quick response, swipe upward to send quick custom messages like "I'm busy".
• Android Beam:
• NFC technology
• Easy to share any contact, content in a secure way.
• Bean two phones and touch to share.
• Share videos, contacts and yes app via market (:O :O :O)

SDK available right now at http://developer.android.com.

Phone Available from November.

"Hard to believe Android was born only three years ago".

The event still didn't met my expectations. I was expecting something on:

• How is it going to combine tablets and phone
• Backward compatibility
• More on ecosystem
• Source code release date
• Battery life of the phone and other benchmarks
• ICS and products like HTC Sense, TouchWiz
• Requirement for ICS