It may have taken a little while longer than expected, but Samsung and Google have definitely wowed with the next flagship Android device: the Galaxy Nexus. Running Android 4.0 (AKA Ice Cream Sandwich), and boasting a 720p display, 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, and loads of new software tricks, it looks like the Android phone to beat. The real question, however, is whether or not it delivers on all of its promises. We've rounded up everything we've learned about the device thus far in one convenient spot — so get reading.
Galaxy Nexus: pictures, video, release dates, and more
Galaxy Nexus coming to Sprint on April 22nd for $199.99, includes a $40 Google Wallet credit
We've been waiting for a release date since CES, but it's finally official — the Galaxy Nexus is coming to Sprint on April 22nd for $199.99 when you sign a new two-year contract. As an incentive to get new buyers using Google's mobile payment system, the Sprint Galaxy Nexus will come with $50 in cold, hard cash into your Google Wallet, provided you activate by May 22nd. Google already offers $10 instant credit when people activate Google Wallet, so new buyers will get an additional $40 over...
Sprint Galaxy Nexus training guide leaks, handset to ship with LTE turned off?
All the pieces appear to be lining up for a rapid release of the Galaxy Nexus on Sprint. Two days ago, we obtained a Sam's Club document suggesting the smartphone would arrive on Sunday, April 22nd, and today, Engadget has an Galaxy Nexus training manual for Sprint employees that they allegedly have to finish absorbing within the next two weeks. Moreover, one page in particular from that manual hints at a launch sooner than later, and you can see it below: the Galaxy Nexus LTE will apparently...
Sprint Galaxy Nexus LTE available on April 22nd?
We know quite a bit about Sprint's upcoming Galaxy Nexus LTE except the most interesting part — when it'll be available and how much it'll cost. Eager Sprint fans may not have much longer to wait, however, as an anonymous Walmart employee has sent us an internal document stating that the device will launch on April 22nd at Sam's Club — a Walmart-run discount club store. The device is to be identical to Verizon's LTE variant of the device, except it has Google Wallet support and it's still...
Samsung brings $90 Galaxy Nexus dock stateside
If you've been waiting with bated breath to deck out your Galaxy Nexus with some official accessories, we've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Samsung is taking pre-orders for its horizontal dock, dubbed the Pogo Desktop Dock, in the US. The bad news is that it's going to cost you $89.99. The dock allows you to charge your phone in landscape orientation via three spring-loaded pogo pins, which Samsung claims reduces the strain from plugging in a charger. Other than...
Verizon preparing to release white 16GB Galaxy Nexus?
Samsung's GSM Galaxy Nexus is already available in both white and black in the UK, but US Verizon customers may soon have some choice when picking their perfect Nexus as well. Droid Life is reporting that the carrier will be releasing a white variant of the LTE phone "in the very near future," though it's said to feature 16GB of storage rather than the current black-and-silver model's 32GB. The carrier has made similar moves before, introducing a white variant of the Droid RAZR last December,...
White Galaxy Nexus available across the UK starting February 13th
We've received news this morning from Samsung that a white variant of the Galaxy Nexus will launch in Britain on February 13th. UK retailer Handtec had previously announced that it would stock the handset at some point this week, but a wider release is now imminent. The GSM Galaxy Nexus was briefly our highest-scoring Android handset ever (it was bested by its 4G LTE cousin), and Samsung hopes that a new color choice will persuade those who haven't already adopted its flagship handset to part...
Google Wallet now available with Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S on AT&T
Google Wallet, a major push for Google on its Sprint-backed Nexus S 4G, has been a non-starter on the newer Galaxy Nexus — there have been ways around the block, but there hasn't been anything officially supported. That just changed, though, because it turns out that unlocked GSM Galaxy Nexuses with AT&T SIMs installed are being offered access to the app (and so is the AT&T version of the Nexus S, we're hearing). It's not clear exactly when this changed, but it seems to have happened this...
Galaxy Nexus pictured in white
The white Galaxy Nexus looks set to be with us by this time next month, but we don't have to wait that long for the first real photos of the device. It's been photographed over on HDBlog.it, showing off an alabaster rear and sides. The bezel around the display up front remains black, unfortunately, so it's not white all over, though we doubt that will stop Android fans from making it their favorite new object of desire.
Sprint LTE device hands-on: Galaxy Nexus, LG Viper, and Tri-Network Hotspot
Though its first four LTE market launches are still a few months away, Sprint decided to do a little advance planning by showing its first LTE-compatible devices here at CES 2012: the midrange LG Viper, the Sierra Wireless Tri-Network Hotspot, and — of course — the Galaxy Nexus.
Starting with the Galaxy Nexus, there's not a lot to say here: it feels like it's exactly the same thickness as Verizon's version, and Sprint says that it is. That makes sense since they've got essentially the...
Sprint LTE Galaxy Nexus with Google Wallet now official
Ads leaked out last week, but now Sprint's officially taken the cover off of the LTE-capable Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Unlike Verizon's model, Sprint is highlighting the Galaxy Nexus' NFC capabilities and Google Wallet software. There's no mention on whether the processor has indeed been bumped to 1.5GHz as we saw earlier, but we do know that the storage space has unfortunately been cut to 16GB. Other than that, it looks like the Sprint Galaxy Nexus could be the closest to Google's vision of what...
Galaxy Nexus comes to Telus and Rogers on January 13th
Already for sale on rival Canadian carriers Bell and Virgin Mobile, the Galaxy Nexus will become available to Telus customers beginning January 13th. This according to a post on the company's Twitter page earlier today, which unfortunately lacked anything in the way of pricing details. The competition launched Google's flagship Ice Cream Sandwich handset for around CA$160 (~$157 USD) on a three-year contract, a figure we would hope Telus plans to match if not undercut. According to Samsung,...
White Galaxy Nexus coming to UK February 6th from Handtec
Samsung has released white versions of a number of its phones in the last few weeks, and the latest recipient is the Galaxy Nexus — UK retailer Handtec will begin offering a white 16GB Galaxy Nexus on February 6th, and is accepting pre-orders now. It's the GSM model of the handset our own Joshua Topolsky called "the best Android phone ever made," and it should be available for the same £496.79 ($770.96) as the black version — after all, aside from the coat of paint it's the same phone....
Ice Cream Sandwich on .6 percent of Android devices, Galaxy Nexus sales estimated at 707,700
Android 4.0 debuted commercially with the Galaxy Nexus last November, and now Google has released the first analytics on Ice Cream Sandwich's adoption. According to the Android Developers site, versions 4.0 through 4.0.2 are now installed on .3 percent of all active Android devices, while version 4.0.3 — which started rolling out to GSM Nexus S phones last month — accounts for another .3 percent. The number is obviously dwarfed by the 55.5 percent of Android devices running some variant...
Google hands out special edition Galaxy Nexus phones to employees
Edu Pereda, a software engineer at Google's Zurich offices, has excitedly posted a gallery of his new Galaxy Nexus. It's not quite like any of the Nexi you've seen yet, however, as it comes with a fancy, Googlified back cover — a special little touch to make the home team feel more loved. The Next Web reports that it's confirmed Google employees in the London office are also receiving the custom Galaxy Nexus as a holiday gift, and the logical expectation is that the same will be true across...
Adobe updates Flash for Android 4, Galaxy Nexus owners can use it now
Flash is now playing on Ice Cream Sandwich. Adobe just released an updated version of the soon to be abandoned app on Android Market that offers compatibility with Google's latest OS. It arrives just in time for those new Galaxy Nexus owners on Verizon Wireless here in the US — though those carrying the GSM device have had to endure a bit of a wait. A couple nagging issues remain: the on-screen preview will not change when scrubbing through a video, and some videos are experiencing...
Verizon Galaxy Nexus already receiving Android 4.0.2 update
The Verizon version of the Galaxy Nexus has just gone on sale today, and as Droid Life noted yesterday, it's already getting an Android 4.0.2 update after activation. We can confirm that our review unit pulled an update immediately after powering it on, so it's a safe bet that retail handsets will do the same. The 10.7MB download adds a number of improvements, featuring improved mobile hotspot when used with VPN, louder audio in Google navigation with turn-by-turn directions, and most...
Good Deal: Verizon Galaxy Nexus for $154.99 with new contract from LetsTalk
The long-awaited Galaxy Nexus US launch is finally taking place today and online retailer LetsTalk is making a very earnest bid for your hard-earned dollars by pricing it a mouthwatering $154.99 with a new two-year contract. That's just over half the price you'd have to pay when buying directly from Verizon and is the result of a $229.99 base price combined with a $75 discount coupon. Verizon upgraders would have to spend $20 more, with a $249.99 base price and the same coupon eligibility. In...
Galaxy Nexus now on sale from Verizon for $299.99 with next day shipping
It's December 15th in parts of the US which means that the Galaxy Nexus is now available to purchase from Verizon. It'll cost you $299 plus a two-year contract but you already knew that. You also know that it's probably the best Android smartphone available anywhere thanks to the pure Google experience of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Amazon Wireless has its page up as well with a $199.99 takeaway price. However, it still shows a backorder of 8 to 9 days. Verizon ships for free overnight.
...
Galaxy Nexus launches December 15th on Verizon for $299.99
Finally, we know! Verizon has put an end to all the speculation and announced the release date and price for the LTE-capable, Ice Cream Sandwich-equipped Galaxy Nexus. It launches tomorrow, December 15th, and will cost $299.99 with a two-year contract.
The Galaxy Nexus is the third pure Google experience device, following on from the Nexus and Nexus S, and is the first and so far only phone to run the biggest upgrade to the platform yet, Ice Cream Sandwich (aka Android 4). It took its good...
Galaxy Nexus interactive guide now on Verizon's site
Verizon still hasn't confirmed whether the Galaxy Nexus will be on sale starting tomorrow (all rumors point to "yes"), but would-be buyers have a new toy to play with this afternoon while they wait: an interactive how-to guide posted to the carrier's support site. We're not seeing anything new or notable here, but until you're able to put an actual device in your hand, this is the next best thing.
Galaxy Nexus LTE sold early at some Best Buy and Verizon stores
After we'd heard numerous reports that many Verizon, Best Buy, and Radio Shack locations already had the elusive LTE Samsung Galaxy Nexus in stock, it was inevitable that consumers would do their level-best to try to buy it ahead of the scheduled launch date — currently rumored to be December 15th. Today, some lucky individuals were able to do just that. Droid Life has posted images from a reader that claims to have picked up a unit from a Verizon retail store, while Google+ user Dave...
Verizon Galaxy Nexus stocked in many stores, now coming December 15th? (update)
If you haven't noticed (we're guessing you had), the rumored December 9th release date for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus hasn't panned out. We've received details from multiple tipsters saying that today was definitely the original plan, but Verizon is keeping retailers from selling the phone. We hear that the new date is now set for December 15th and that many Verizon, Best Buy, and Radio Shack stores all have the phone sitting in the back room, ready to be sold. In fact, a few lucky people at...
Verizon: Google Wallet won't launch on the Galaxy Nexus, but 'commercial discussions with Google' ongoing
Last night we learned that the Verizon version of the Galaxy Nexus will not have Google Wallet preloaded. And while that still remains to be the case, Verizon has decided to clarify that it does not "block" applications and that it's not ruling out the possibility that the phone could be Google Wallet-capable in the future. The following statement was issued by Verizon spokesperson Jeffery Nelson a few moments ago:
Recent reports that Verizon is blocking Google Wallet on our devices...
Verizon Galaxy Nexus won't have Google Wallet, will have Verizon apps
While the launch date and price for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus are still not officially confirmed, it's not complete radio silence about the device out there. Computer World received confirmation from Google that its Google Wallet software won't be included on the Verizon version of the Galaxy Nexus. Apparently, Verizon's Galaxy Nexus will also have some pre-loaded Verizon apps installed out of the box. Fortunately, Android 4.0 makes it easier than before to uninstall such apps should a user...
Verizon Galaxy Nexus retail date set for December 9th in leaked email to stores
The latest leak for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus shows a Friday, December 9th sell date, not December 8th as previously rumored. The new date comes courtesy of an email supposedly distributed to store management ahead of the retail launch.
While we know it's coming in December for $299 on contract, the specific launch date has thus far eluded us, leaving mankind with nothing but rumor, speculation, importers to guide their holiday purchasing decisions. According to the leaked email, the Galaxy...
Verizon's Galaxy Nexus to run $299.99 on contract, says WSJ
The Wall Street Journal is reporting this afternoon that Verizon's version of the Galaxy Nexus will run $299.99 on a new two-year contract — standard fare alongside the HTC Rezound and Motorola Droid RAZR, both of which share that price point. As the WSJ notes, it's a new watermark for high-end smartphones that customers are going to need to get used to; it wasn't long ago that anything above $200 was considered overpriced, but Verizon seems intent on driving up the standard price by...
Galaxy Nexus coming to Canada December 7th, one day early
Canadian customers itching to get your hands on a Galaxy Nexus, get yourselves to Toronto on Wednesday. Bell and Virgin Mobile are both releasing the Android 4.0 handset on December 7th, a day earlier than the device's official release date — the phone will be for sale for $159.95 (with a three-year contract) at the carriers' Yonge and Dundas locations in Toronto, or at Best Buy in the same area. In addition, you'll be able to get half-price accessories for the new phone. It's only a...
Galaxy Nexus for Verizon Wireless hands-on photos and preview
We got our hands on a Verizon Wireless-bound Galaxy Nexus today, courtesy of the Samsung Experience store in New York City (thanks to Droid Life for tracking this one down). Unfortunately the price and release date are still nowhere to be found, though we were told that it may be coming in "the next few days." The phone was identical to the GSM variant that's been available for a few weeks in many ways, though it was thicker. Not terribly so — around a half millimeter, according to the...
Galaxy Nexus teases impressive Verizon 4G speed on video
The Galaxy Nexus, or GNexus as we've taken to affectionately calling it, is destined for Verizon's LTE network some time very soon indeed. Dealing with that wait isn't being made any easier today, as a new video has emerged showing the 4G handset reaching 8.5Mbps down and 2Mbps up on a Speedtest.net run. That video is, of course, entirely unsanctioned, though we doubt Verizon would mind having its LTE network promoted in this fashion. The Galaxy Nexus LTE on show only indicates two bars of...
Verizon Galaxy Nexus ad offers $199.99 price, no way to buy
We've been imploring Verizon to just let us spend some money on the Galaxy Nexus already, and now we have the first indicator for how much the carrier might ask for it. A Verizon Holiday Deals advert has started running overnight on Android websites showing a bold red $199.99 next to a two-year contract and Google's hallowed new Android phone. 4G LTE is also prominently displayed, as is to be expected, but there's no way to actually buy the phone or do much more than gawk at it. There's a...
Unlocked Galaxy Nexus starts to hit American retailers
It's been a brutal six-day wait since last week's UK launch — but Americans with a penchant for bleeding-edge smartphones (and somewhere between $700 and $900 to spend) should start checking their usual gray market importer, because it seems the Galaxy Nexus is starting to trickle in. As of right now, Expansys USA is reporting "100+ in stock now" at a cool $749.99 each, which will you buy you an unlocked 16GB version of the phone in its pentaband HSPA flavor — in other words, it'll work...
Google responds to Galaxy Nexus volume bug: 'we have a fix'
The Galaxy Nexus volume bug has been squashed in Google's labs. The Android software maker has just announced it has a fix for the problem plaguing UK owners of the new Nexus, which will be rolled out "as soon as possible." Here's Google's statement in full:
"We are aware of the volume issue and have developed a fix. We will update devices as soon as possible."
It was starting to look like the pseudo-random volume fluctuation on the device was a hardware issue, one that would potentially...
Galaxy Nexus launches in Canada on December 8th
Bell and Virgin have today made their launch date for Google's Galaxy Nexus official: December 8th. The price will be just under CA$160 from either retailer, saddled with the usual three-year contractual commitment. Pre-orders are opening up today and there's a so-called Twitter Line-Up that will take place on December 1st, which will guarantee the first 100 people to tweet about the launch a Galaxy Nexus on the day of release.
The December 8th date will be familiar to you, because that's...
Steve Wozniak gets his Galaxy Nexus straight from the source
Steve Wozniak wanted a Galaxy Nexus, but couldn't find one at a local Best Buy. What's an Apple co-founder to do? Apparently, head on over to the Googleplex and get an early unit from the team in Mountain View. We imagine some of you would-be line squatters will be a little miffed that Woz got the jump on you once again, but knowing Woz, we wouldn't be completely surprised to find him in line at Verizon for his second Android 4.0 smartphone on the day it hits shelves.
Galaxy Nexus coming to Verizon on December 8th?
The Galaxy Nexus's launch date on Verizon has metamorphosed into one of the great tech mysteries of the year — pretty much every day in November has been rumored at one point or another, and Google has generally indicated that we'd see it before the month is out. Verizon, though, has stayed uncomfortably silent on the matter through the whole process. New intel this evening out of Droid Life (with corroborating evidence from a Twitter user named "TechFanatiX") suggests that we may now be...
Galaxy Nexus review
To say I've been eagerly awaiting a chance to review the Galaxy Nexus would be an understatement. As I mentioned last week, I've been thinking pretty seriously that this device would be the next phone I lay out cold cash for. And really, is that so crazy?
The Galaxy Nexus is a beast of a device. The phone — which was built by Samsung in conjunction with Google — is the same thickness as the iPhone 4S, but sports a massive, 4.65-inch, 720p display, and a speedy dual-core CPU. In the US,...
First Galaxy Nexus sold was loaded with an old test ROM, gets exchanged
Samsung, Google, and Phones4U made a big deal out of the Galaxy Nexus' first sale in the UK this morning, but the chap who obtained that handset hasn't been quite as happy. One of the first people in the queue outside the Oxford Street shop, Alex Ioannou, has ended up with a Galaxy Nexus with an old development ROM still loaded on it, leading to a less than superb user experience and a set of debugging options that shouldn't be available on the final release software.
Alex has since been...
Galaxy Nexus on sale in the UK today
Google's big, bold, and beautiful new Android phone is today being released in the UK. The Samsung-built Galaxy Nexus was announced to be launching on November 17th a couple of weeks ago, but some carriers and retailers have since had to bump back their release date for it. Never fear, though, the official Google Nexus Twitter account informs us Phones4U will have the Android 4.0 smartphone in stock at 8AM today, with Vodafone, O2, and Three getting their shipments in at the same time or a...
Rogers Galaxy Nexus launch slated for January 2012, pre-registration begins today
The Galaxy Nexus launch details are flying fast and furious, with Canada the latest country getting in on the fun. Virgin Mobile and Bell both started accepting pre-registrations for the first Ice Cream Sandwich handset yesterday, and now Rogers plans to do the same. According to its Twitter feed, pre-registration begins today, but you'll want to look elsewhere if you want to be among the first Canadians to own the Galaxy Nexus. The phone won't be available until January 2012, a month or...
Galaxy Nexus available for pre-order on Three in UK, confirmed on Virgin Mobile and Bell in Canada
Samsung's already announced that the Galaxy Nexus will roll out in Europe beginning November 17th, and it looks like carriers are starting to nail down release dates. O2 UK recently confirmed that date, and now UK carrier Three has the flagship phone for pre-order on its website. The wireless provider is offering the device for free with a two year contract, and the site lists the earliest delivery date as November 18th.
As for our Canadian friends up north, it looks like they'll be...
O2 UK confirms it'll be selling the Galaxy Nexus on November 17th
Samsung had already said the Galaxy Nexus would go on sale in the UK on November 17th, but there's been a little confusion since then with shifting dates on retailer sites. Operator O2 put that to rest on Friday, though, with a brief message on its Google+ account that "we'll be on sale on the 17th." It's still not clear exactly when Verizon will follow suit in the US — but at any rate, someone is going to have these this week, and the world will be a little less devoid of Android 4.0...
This is my next: the Galaxy Nexus
This is my next is a special feature where editors of The Verge sound off on their latest deep, dark desires from the world of technology.
Several months ago, after using or reviewing pretty much every Android phone on the market, I caved and bought myself a Nexus S. A white one, in case you were wondering. I'd been craving a pure Google experience device that I could count on to get the latest updates. After spending some quality time with Motorola's Atrix 4G, I was really ready for a...
Verizon Galaxy Nexus coming week of November 21st, Xoom 2s on the 30th?
We're already a week into November and we still don't have an official launch date for the Galaxy Nexus, but a leaked roadmap shows it arriving sometime during the week of November 21st. The roadmap sent to Droid LIfe appears legitimate, with correct launch dates for the Droid RAZR and the HTC Rezound; a Black Friday launch for the Galaxy Nexus would be the high-profile event that Google, Samsung, and Verizon feel it deserves.
This roadmap also outlines two Motorola tablet launches right...
Galaxy Nexus for $289 on Verizon revealed by Costco inventory
Europeans already know when and how much Samsung's Galaxy Nexus will set them back, but we're still waiting for info stateside. However, a tipster gave Android Central the first US pricing info we've seen — a purported screenshot from Costco's inventory shows they're preparing to sell this device for $289.99. Granted, nothing has been confirmed, but it seems likely this phone will be priced at the standard $299 Verizon asks for most of its flagship LTE phones, with Costco offering it at...
Leaked Verizon roadmap suggests big Galaxy Nexus push after Black Friday
We still don't have a set release date for Samsung's Galaxy Nexus, but it looks like Verizon's planning a major marketing push for the phone from Black Friday weekend through at least December 19th — likely until 2012. According to a leaked roadmap from Droid-Life, who has a fairly strong track record when it comes to such things, the carrier will be focusing on HTC Rezound from around November 14th until Black Friday, after which it'll shift gears for Samsung's holiday portfolio with...
Samsung Galaxy Nexus to feature 'fortified glass,' not Gorilla Glass
We detailed nearly every spec on the Galaxy Nexus for you already, but that doesn't mean that there weren't a few lingering questions about the device. Samsung has answered at least one of them today, telling Android and Me that the smartphone's 720p screen is covered by "fortified glass" of unknown provenance instead of the popular Gorilla Glass made by Corning. That doesn't necessarily mean that it's more prone to scratches or shattering, just that we have less of an idea of how it will...
Galaxy Nexus to be released in Europe November 17th
Samsung announced today on Twitter and at its World Tour event in London that the Galaxy Nexus will roll out across Europe on November 17th. That's the first actual release date we've been given — the initial announcement said it would be available "later this year," and UK carriers like O2 only got as specific as November. It's up for pre-order at Amazon, costing €549 and shipping the 17th. We're still on waiting on Verizon to tell us when it's coming stateside, and whether it's a...
Verizon posts Galaxy Nexus sign up page, waffles on exclusivity
The Galaxy Nexus is confirmed to be coming to Verizon this year, so it's only natural that the carrier would post a sign up page where users can plug in their email address to be notified when the device is coming. What's slightly less natural, at least for the ostensibly wide-open Nexus line of devices, is the wording on the link to that page: "Exclusively on Verizon." It's possible that the exclusivity is only nominal and Google will still sell the GSM version unlocked directly to consumers...
Galaxy Nexus UK picture clears: November availability on O2 and Orange
Samsung and Google made the long-awaited Galaxy Nexus official last week, but while we know it's coming to Verizon in the US, carrier details in other countries have been scarce. That's now changing in the UK: O2 has posted a teaser page confirming they will carry the flagship phone, and UK retailer Phone 4u is taking orders for a version to be used on Orange's network. While O2 lists no pricing information yet, Phone 4u is selling the Orange variant for just £59.00 (about $94) with a...
Galaxy Nexus coming to Verizon ‘this year’
Verizon has just confirmed that it's getting the LTE-enabled version of Samsung's Galaxy Nexus - the first Ice Cream Sandwich device, announced to considerable fanfare earlier this week — though it's not saying exactly when. All we know so far is that it's coming "this year," which gives the company a little over two months to put the phone on store shelves. For what it's worth, the move comes as no surprise — Google had said that it'd be coming to the US and that there'd be an LTE...
Galaxy Nexus with Verizon 4G LTE logo spotted in the wild
It's an open secret that the Galaxy Nexus will arrive in the States on Verizon, but now we've got some visual proof: Google employee Romain Guy uploaded a photo of the Galaxy Nexus used to shoot a time-lapse promo video to Google+, and you can clearly see Verizon's 4G LTE logo on the back. Yep, there it is — we can't help but wonder if Verizon pulled out of the launch at the last moment to try and keep some attention on its Droid RAZR launch. One more shot showing the front of the phone...
Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4S comparison photos
We've set Google's brand new flagship Android phone, the Samsung-built Galaxy Nexus, against Apple's latest and greatest, the iPhone 4S. Below you'll find a gallery showing how they differ in size, screen brightness, and color temperature, plus a second set of pictures taken with the two phones side by side.
Galaxy Nexus vs. iPhone 4S sample photos
(Update: the above images all have the same EXIF data, yes, but there's no conspiracy. They were all pasted into one Photoshop file for...
Android Beam: pictures, video and hands-on
One of the halo features of the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich is Beam, which via NFC lets you tap two phones together to share a map, image, website, or link to an app. Sure, we got a look at it during the demo this morning, but we decided to track down two Galaxy Nexus devices (or Galaxy Nexi) and see the direct sharing ourselves. As you will see in the video after the break, the transfer of a map and a website was really seamless and to confirm the transfer you are required to tap...
Galaxy Nexus with Ice Cream Sandwich: pictures, video, and hands-on
Samsung may have been the one to launch and produce it, but the Galaxy Nexus is all about Google and its latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich. This 4.65-inch smartphone is loaded with a fundamentally new operating system, whether you've been using the Gingerbread or Honeycomb builds previously, and emphasizes lateral swipes, resizable UI elements / widgets, and high-def images wherever possible. We've just returned from our first play with it and have a thorough preview of both the...
Exclusive: Matias Duarte on the philosophy of Android, and an in-depth look at Ice Cream Sandwich
I'm sitting in an anonymous, fluorescently-lit office on the Google campus where the Android team is situated, a surprisingly bare setting that seems to clash with the rest of the company's, multi-colored, neo-hippie aesthetic. I'm waiting for Matias Duarte — Android's head of user experience — so that we can discuss the latest version of Google's mobile operating system (dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich), and hopefully get a look at the smartphone the new OS will ship with.
I've just had a...
Galaxy Nexus versus the competition: by the numbers
Samsung's Galaxy Nexus might represent the biggest evolutionary leap for Android since it premiered on the G1 back in 2008. The hardware is a pretty big deal, too — 720p displays and LTE radios both represent the very bleeding edge of smartphone capability, and high-quality cameras with 1080p video capture are still a relatively recent innovation. And as a "Nexus" device, Google has gifted the phone with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich — the very first retail device to ship with the new...
Android Beam brings NFC tap-to-share on Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich
Google has announced "Android Beam," which uses NFC to share files and links between Android devices running Ice Cream Sandwich. First demoed today at the Galaxy Nexus launch, the new feature is similar to touch-to-share on webOS, but more robust for a few reasons. Firstly, it uses NFC instead of a proprietary chip. Second, it can share much more, including links, information from Android's People app, YouTube videos, map links, Android Market links, and files. Finally, and most importantly...
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich SDK released with new features for developers
Along with the big unveiling of Ice Cream Sandwich, Google has also released the full SDK for Android 4.0. The new SDK will allow developers to get a jump start on the many new APIs and features in the new OS. Developers (and interested Android enthusiasts) can download the new SDK from the Android site.
Below, find a massive gallery of Android 4.0 screenshots from the emulator as well as our favorite new features and APIs, including details like a new unified UI toolkit, improved support for...
Android Ice Cream Sandwich to feature 'Face Unlock'
Ice Cream Sandwich is going to offer a new way to unlock your phone: with your face. The new version of Android will use the front-facing camera on the Galaxy Nexus to view your face and if it's you, your phone will automatically unlock.
Unfortunately, Matias Duarte's demo during the live event didn't work, but assuming Face Unlock operates as advertised in November, it will offer a speedier way to securely unlock your phone. As Duarte put it, "Ice Cream Sandwich literally knows your face."
A...
Android's near-instant voice dictation
Matias Duarte asked "how do we make Android enchanting?" Aside from the new Roboto typeface, we would like to suggest that the near-instant talk-to-type has a magic unto itself. Of all of Ice Cream Sandwich's latest and greatest tricks, this one will probably end up being more underrated than it deserves. But oh, what fun we'll have with it nonetheless. Even the terms "question mark, smiley face" were recognized and converted to text by ICS, which makes us wonder: what it would make of "p...
Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' official: release in November, SDK available today (updated with screenshots)
Alongside a new flagship handset (check out our hands-on with the Galaxy Nexus!), Google is announcing an all-new version of its Android OS. Codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich, Android 4.0 is a continuation and refinement of ideas that first emerged in Honeycomb, now all grown up and ready for life in a phone. Perhaps even more importantly, Android 4.0 is an open source release, which means any hardware manufacturer that wants a crack at it can download the source and sell a device with 4.0 on top...
Galaxy Nexus official: 4.65-inch 720p HD screen and Android Ice Cream Sandwich (video)
By now there aren't many surprises left, but Google and Samsung have officially announced the Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, coming November to US, Europe, and Asia — NTT Docomo in Japan, no other carrier announcements at the moment. The flagship phone features a 4.65-inch 1280 x 720 HD Super AMOLED screen (which, according to our calculations, is roughly 315ppi —not quite the density of iPhone 4, but very close) with a reported 1/100th of a millisecond response time.
I...
Galaxy Nexus images and specs leak from NTT DoCoMo promotion
We’re only a few hours away from the live Samsung-Google event where we expect to see the first Android 4.0 device released into the Hong Kong wilds. Now, almost per script, out pops the best look yet at the Galaxy Nexus handset headed to Japan’s NTT docomo. The whole thing gets an extra dose of believability thanks to an NTT docomo tweet from earlier today saying that the "latest Android OS smartphone" being announced tonight (tomorrow in Hong Kong) is "scheduled for release in...
Galaxy Nexus-sourced photos spotted on Google+
Android's worst-kept-secret, the Galaxy Nexus, might not be coming to CTIA, but that can't stop the leak fest, apparently. Two photos marked with "Galaxy Nexus" EXIF data (that's right, not Nexus Prime) have popped up on Google+, with both of the photographers turning out to be Google employees. The photos have since been pulled, and niether was a work of art (one of them, of an Apple store memorial, can be seen above). Ultimately, we're still right where we started, except now we have...
Nexus Prime teased in new Samsung video?
Less than 24 hours after Apple revealed its next big thing here we are on the threshold of the next, next big thing. This time it's Samsung telling us to get ready because "something BIG is coming" at its October 11th event in San Diego. Better yet, Samsung gives us a taste of what to expect in the curvaceous image above. We can't see much but there's clearly a 3-pin dock connector, power button, and a protrusion on the left presumably playing host to a camera sensor and lens. Of course,...
