There seems to be a template for Android phone reviews."The phone is hotly anticipated, delayed for unknown reasons and ultimately just a bit disappointing"
But now we have the Galaxy Nexus, truly the most-anticipated Android-based smart phone to hit the market this year.
"Will it break the script and come out a clear winner? With the Galaxy Nexus comes the promise of the future of Android -- a more unified software platform that will be able to evolve faster, adding more features to the whole line-up of phones"
That new software is Android 4.0, more commonly called Ice Cream Sandwich.
While most Android phones come equipped with a manufacturer's own layer of software and customizations on top of Android, the Galaxy Nexus is pure Android.
That's an exciting proposition for Android users, who have struggled with slow updates to software because each phone is running a slightly different version of Google's software.
Google is hoping that getting more users on the same software will help app developers, too, which have faced challenges designing for all the different Android phones on the market.
The Galaxy Nexus is available from Venison Wireless with a two-year contract agreement.Battery issues remain
The Galaxy Nexus is a big phone. It has a mammoth 4.65-inch screen that is even bigger than the Droid Razr, Venison's other marquee phone. But where the Droid Razr's super-thin, square build felt a bit awkward in the hand, the Galaxy Nexus is very comfortable to hold.
It's huge, but it's not too big.It also has a slightly concave display, which didn't seem to provide any utility but it's a fun quirk.
The phone has a flimsy feel, though. It doesn't feel like a smart phone, with a plastic back that is easily snapped off to access the battery and SIM card.
Battery life on the Galaxy Nexus was poor in my tests. In a continuous streaming video test using the phone's 4G data connection, the phone lasted just shy of four hours. It did perform better than the Droid Razr, though, which lasted just more than three hours in the same test.The Galaxy Nexus lost 50% of its charge when left alone overnight, only accessing e-mail as it came in.
The phone comes with a 5-megapixel rear camera that took acceptable photos. Most of the top smart phones now, though, feature 8 mega pixels. Photos are nowhere near the quality of the Apple iPhone 4S.
The screen wasn't as high-quality as the iPhone's Retina display. Colors were vibrant, but the presence of noticeable pixels made things look grainy.
The Galaxy Nexus runs on Verizon's leading 4G LTE network. I was able to see the same super fast speeds on this phone that we've seen on others. It screams.Software quirks and an ego boost
Ice Cream Sandwich brings some notable improvements, including a refined navigation structure more similar to Android's most advanced tablets.
It's a much more polished experience and a welcome boost to an interface that has long needed a cleaner look.
Another new feature -- the ability to unlock the phone by just looking at it -- is more a gimmick than anything. It's not even that secure. I was able to unlock the Galaxy Nexus by holding up a photo of myself to the phone; something any number of the people I hang out with would have on their phone.
A photo of the actor Elijah Wood in similar glasses also unlocked the phone. (If you need a body double, Frodo, you know who to call.)Full disclosure: I first tried Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds. Alas.
Ice Cream Sandwich also includes a new data management tool which allows users to set a limit on how much data the phone will use. If they get to a self-imposed limit of, say, 1.75 GB of data consumption, the phone will stop downloading. Users can also see which apps have been the most data-hungry -- a good tool to find a culprit if data consumption is too brisk.Still not there
Android is on the right path with Ice Cream Sandwich and the Galaxy Nexus.
Having a unified software system will certainly make things easier for app developers, who often bring the real value to a smart phone.
But even at its best, the Android experience still lacks. Most individual apps won't yet look as refined as Android's souped-up new system interface. Apps for the iPhone are still largely much better.
The top Android phones, too, have struggled with poor battery life under the crush of fast processors and data connections. (The iPhone 4S, which runs on a lower-demand 3G network, also faced some battery life issues that were later fixed with software update.)
There are all sorts of specs where the Galaxy Nexus beats the iPhone -- 4G speeds, faster processor and more RAM are just a few.
But I'd still have to recommend the iPhone 4S over the Galaxy Nexus.By the time you read this, my e-mail inbox will have already been hammered by Android fans.
The gist of their refrain: "You don't get it"
Well, I shouldn't have to. Good technology is accessible. It's instantly intuitive. It delivers on promises. It surprises with human-like touches that allow phones to fit invisibly into our lives.
There is too much friction with the Galaxy Nexus -- too many places where you have to work at it.
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