Sunday 8 January 2012

Samsung Galaxy Nexus review: Opening new doors

Once again, it is the Nexus time of the year. This time, Google has left the Gingerbread cookies and, together with Samsung, has brought to us the Galaxy Nexus to deliver the Ice Cream Sandwich. And while a cold dessert is totally out of place this holiday season, the latest release of Android is more relevant than ever.

The Galaxy Nexus packs an impressive spec sheet, but it is (yet again) the OS which is the device’s main highlight. After all, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is widely expected to put an end to the fragmentation, which currently plagues Google’s mobile platform.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus Samsung Galaxy Nexus
Samsung Galaxy Nexus official photos

Unlike its Nexus S predecessor, which was essentially a rebranded Samsung Galaxy S, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is a completely different device from the current flagship of the company, the I9100 Galaxy S II. The latest Google phone sports a different GPU and chipset, which are, well, not as powerful as those found inside the Galaxy S II.

Here is a quick look at what the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has to offer, along with its main disadvantages.
Key features

Quad-band GSM; penta-band 3G support
HSDPA 21Mbps; HSUPA 5.76Mbps
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS with stock UI
4.65” Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with HD (720 x 1280 pixels) resolution; 16M colors; oleophobic surface
Slim profile at 8.9mm
Dual-core 1.2GHz Cortex-A9 CPU; PowerVR SGX540 GPU; TI OMAP 4460 chipset
16/32GB built-in storage; 1GB RAM
5 MP camera (2592x1936 pixels) with autofocus, LED flash; 1.3MP front-facing unit
1080p video recording @30fps; touch-to-zoom while recording
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
DLNA; Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth 3.0 with ADP
Charging MHL microUSB port with TV-out (1080p) support
GPS receiver with A-GPS support
NFC connectivity
Accelerometer, gyro and proximity sensors; compass; barometer
Back cover made of Hyper Skin material for increased grip
Excellent audio quality

Main disadvantages

Camera resolution is not on par with the rest of the high-end dual-core competition
Below average battery life
Lacks a dedicated camera key
No microSD card slot
No mass-storage mode (some files don't show up in MTP mode)
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is yet to be fully compatible with all apps from the Android Market
No FM radio

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