www.engadget.com/2011/10/18/samsung-and-googles-ic...
The Galaxy Nexus is all but confirmed.
What new features are you looking forward to in Ice Cream Sandwich (aka Android 4.0)?
Discussion about
Discuss the Samsung and Google Ice Cream Sandwich event here!
I liked how they referred to the effects as "hipster filters" during the presentation.
Gizmodo are also covering it here: live.gizmodo.com/ice-cream-sandwich/
Looking forward to the new sensors... the barometer (presumably a barometric altimeter) is particularly interesting...
Looking forward to the new sensors... the barometer (presumably a barometric altimeter) is particularly interesting...
I just read on TIMN that it's still stuttery...I really hope that's just the specific unit they got. :(
"As to overall performance, we saw a good deal of stutter in the Galaxy Nexus before us. Taps were not always recognized and there were occasional delays in performing an instruction, though in Google’s defense, it was a phone fully loaded with running tasks and the software is being continually improved and optimized (i.e. it’s not yet fully baked). That having been said, it unfortunately remains the case that Android isn’t as swift and responsive as iOS or Windows Phone (or even MeeGo Harmattan on the N9). Or at least it wasn’t on the demo phone we got a look at. The subtle, pervasive lag that has characterized the Android UI since it inception is still there, which is not a heartening thing to hear when you’re talking about a super-powered dual-core device like the Galaxy Nexus."
thisismynext.com/2011/10/18/galaxy-nexus-android-i...
"As to overall performance, we saw a good deal of stutter in the Galaxy Nexus before us. Taps were not always recognized and there were occasional delays in performing an instruction, though in Google’s defense, it was a phone fully loaded with running tasks and the software is being continually improved and optimized (i.e. it’s not yet fully baked). That having been said, it unfortunately remains the case that Android isn’t as swift and responsive as iOS or Windows Phone (or even MeeGo Harmattan on the N9). Or at least it wasn’t on the demo phone we got a look at. The subtle, pervasive lag that has characterized the Android UI since it inception is still there, which is not a heartening thing to hear when you’re talking about a super-powered dual-core device like the Galaxy Nexus."
thisismynext.com/2011/10/18/galaxy-nexus-android-i...
Also, the confirmed specs for the Galaxy Nexus are posted here: gizmodo.com/5851132/live-coverage-of-the-android-4...
I must admit, for as much as I know about the phone, I don't know that much about the OS.
I must admit, for as much as I know about the phone, I don't know that much about the OS.
For Android lovers, I think they are best off with a SGSII, the Exynos version.
4.3/4.5" display > 4.65" display. Handling qualities are important. 4.3 is already too big to use one handed for a lot of people.
SAMOLED+ WVGA > SAMOLED 720p. The higher DPI is cool and all, but the GN is RGBG Pentile while the SGSII has RGB. I'd imagine text will look better on the SGSII.
1.2 GB Exynos > 1.2 OMAP. The CPU power is about the same. But the Mali GPU in the Exynos is about 2x faster than the SGX540 in the OMAP.
The only true advantage is the GN is a Google controlled phone, meaning it ships with ICS and will get upgrades sooner than the SGSII.
4.3/4.5" display > 4.65" display. Handling qualities are important. 4.3 is already too big to use one handed for a lot of people.
SAMOLED+ WVGA > SAMOLED 720p. The higher DPI is cool and all, but the GN is RGBG Pentile while the SGSII has RGB. I'd imagine text will look better on the SGSII.
1.2 GB Exynos > 1.2 OMAP. The CPU power is about the same. But the Mali GPU in the Exynos is about 2x faster than the SGX540 in the OMAP.
The only true advantage is the GN is a Google controlled phone, meaning it ships with ICS and will get upgrades sooner than the SGSII.
I'm not sure that the screen size is all that much different from a 4.3/4.5" screen since the capacitive soft keys are now actually just part of the screen instead of being outside of the screen.
Higher DPI screens will always make text look crisper, but it might not be a very noticeable difference in most cases.
Higher DPI screens will always make text look crisper, but it might not be a very noticeable difference in most cases.
The soft keys don't buy you anything here. TIMN has the "dimensions". The GS is 135.5 x 67.94 x 8.94 mm and the SGSII is 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.49 mm. So it is wider and taller.
RGBG Pentile displays only have 2 subpixels per pixels, and they alternate between red-green and blue-green. To form color, you need a red, green and blue pixel to be of the right intensity. For things like text and lines, the boundaries are not pixel perfect at times and can cause wonkiness in font and line rendering. At this DPI, maybe it won't be an issue.
RGBG Pentile displays only have 2 subpixels per pixels, and they alternate between red-green and blue-green. To form color, you need a red, green and blue pixel to be of the right intensity. For things like text and lines, the boundaries are not pixel perfect at times and can cause wonkiness in font and line rendering. At this DPI, maybe it won't be an issue.
I'm really liking how ICS seems to combine the best features from all the different mobile OSs out there.
Cards from WebOS
Folders and the new home screen with the persistent customizable dock seems to be inspired from iOS.
The swiping left and right actions within apps are inspired from WP7.
I'm really really liking it a lot. I love the Roboto font too!
Cards from WebOS
Folders and the new home screen with the persistent customizable dock seems to be inspired from iOS.
The swiping left and right actions within apps are inspired from WP7.
I'm really really liking it a lot. I love the Roboto font too!
nexus s was sold without one... and i think it's performance is better because of it. a slot probably adds thickness and it's something most consumers wouldn't upgrade from the stock 2gb. That way when the average consumer talks about it with their iphone friends its a talking point to counter apple's offerings.
Phone
Phone looks gigantic. Sorry, but with this banana shaped phone in my pocket, I picture getting a bunch of "are you happy to see me" comment
Software
Facial recognition is a neat idea, however it must still be a beta. Noticed that it didn't work. I wonder how well it can really discriminate. I like how they have gotten rid of some buttons. I see that they borrowed iOS's method of creating folders. Creating folders looks easy. Talking notifications look pretty annoying to me. Although for visually impaired, its probably pretty good. I think that overall, several nice features have been added. Wonder how long it is going to take to roll this out to other phones.
Phone looks gigantic. Sorry, but with this banana shaped phone in my pocket, I picture getting a bunch of "are you happy to see me" comment
Software
Facial recognition is a neat idea, however it must still be a beta. Noticed that it didn't work. I wonder how well it can really discriminate. I like how they have gotten rid of some buttons. I see that they borrowed iOS's method of creating folders. Creating folders looks easy. Talking notifications look pretty annoying to me. Although for visually impaired, its probably pretty good. I think that overall, several nice features have been added. Wonder how long it is going to take to roll this out to other phones.
Actually, I handled the phone yesterday at the event in Hong Kong, and I was actually surprised at how SMALL the device was considering the 4.65" screen.
The curved screen is so subtle that you hardly notice it, in fact some of the other attendees where speculating that the purpose of the curve was to the screen glass wouldn't actually touch the surface if you put it on a table facing downward.
I never liked the facial recognition for logging into PCs, and it's no better for phones. I can easily imagine a new form of "phone rage" developing from this. ;-) Maybe they should have considered putting in a fingerprint reader that could be used for unlocking as well as application authentication (i.e. banking and payment).
The curved screen is so subtle that you hardly notice it, in fact some of the other attendees where speculating that the purpose of the curve was to the screen glass wouldn't actually touch the surface if you put it on a table facing downward.
I never liked the facial recognition for logging into PCs, and it's no better for phones. I can easily imagine a new form of "phone rage" developing from this. ;-) Maybe they should have considered putting in a fingerprint reader that could be used for unlocking as well as application authentication (i.e. banking and payment).
By it having a Super AMOLED display, it definitely has a pentile display.
Source: www.oled-info.com/super-amoled
In contrast, Super AMOLED plus (like on the Galaxy S II) displays don't use a pentile design and more akin to regular LCD sub-pixel arrangement.
Source: www.oled-info.com/super-amoled
In contrast, Super AMOLED plus (like on the Galaxy S II) displays don't use a pentile design and more akin to regular LCD sub-pixel arrangement.
#ThingsAppleWouldntDo have a LCD screen as the backdrop for a video yfrog.com/h8lhxgcp
Will they actually give you more screen real estate? If the screen is the same size/aspect ratio, but there's X number lines of pixels dedicated to the soft keys, wouldn't we be losing screen real estate whenever the buttons are displayed? The positive side to this is that phone can be a little bit smaller than before since the dedicated physical space is unnecessary.
Checking out the videos and demos, in cases where you don't actually need those keys, such as video and photo viewing/taking, it just disappears and enlarges the screen, so in certain cases, yes. Creating a device with a larger screen, but minimizing actual size looks to be the aim with the Galaxy Nexus, since they mentioned that they tried to reduce the bezel size and moved the capacitive keys onto the actual screen.
So I took a screenshot from my phone, Droid X, and the Engadget screenshots with the Galaxy Nexus with the soft keys (www.engadget.com/2011/10/19/google-ice-cream-sandw...) and got the resolution on each. Both are in fact the same aspect ratio, so in those instances where the soft buttons are displayed, you would be losing some screen real estate vs a phone that has hardware buttons with the soft buttons always turned off (if there will ever be such a thing).
Granted, the Galaxy Nexus has a much higher resolution than most phones, so you're going to have more screen real estate even with the buttons. So my point is somewhat invalid. I have too much time on my hands.
Galaxy Nexus: regex.info/exif.cgi?dummy=on&imgurl=http%3A%2F...
Droid X: regex.info/exif.cgi?dummy=on&imgurl=https%3A%2...
Granted, the Galaxy Nexus has a much higher resolution than most phones, so you're going to have more screen real estate even with the buttons. So my point is somewhat invalid. I have too much time on my hands.
Galaxy Nexus: regex.info/exif.cgi?dummy=on&imgurl=http%3A%2F...
Droid X: regex.info/exif.cgi?dummy=on&imgurl=https%3A%2...
"The Best Camera Is The One That's With You" quote from a book about iPhone photography by Chase Jarvis used on an Android release! #fail
I wouldn't be surprised if the Nexus One didn't get ICS. Earlier this year at Google I/O, Google stated they'd try to get 18 months of update support on phones and the Nexus One is way past its prime now.
www.engadget.com/2011/05/10/google-clarifies-18-mo...
It'd be awesome if it got ICS, but I doubt that it will, since this seems like a pretty significant upgrade.
www.engadget.com/2011/05/10/google-clarifies-18-mo...
It'd be awesome if it got ICS, but I doubt that it will, since this seems like a pretty significant upgrade.
Were you really expecting all that? 4G maybe, but a quad core processor and 12MP camera probably isn't coming around for a while. We just got dual core processors not too long ago and the more megapixels you cram into the camera sensor, the worse the image quality. As for the 4G, since the latest line of 4G phones haven't had stellar battery life, I think it's better without it.
