11 Tastiest Features of Android Ice Cream Sandwich
Oct 19, 2011 03:16 PM EDT by With Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Google is looking to challenge and even surpass Apple’s new iOS 5. The OS sports a sleeker interface that’s designed to work on both phones and tablets–no hardware buttons here. There’s also Face Unlock for unlocking your phone just by staring at it, Android Beam for sharing info betweeen phones with a tap, and a new People app that combines contacts and social networking. You’ll also find a much-improved browser and a souped-up camera app.
These are just some of the highlights of Google’s deliciously innovative Ice Cream Sandwich. Here’s a quick tour of Android 4.0′s best new features.
Interface Makeover
The first major enhancement you'll notice when you switch on Ice Cream Sandwich is the improved user interface. The new UI completely forgoes the standard Android physical buttons (Home, Back, Search, Settings) in favor of three soft-touch keys for Back, Home, and Recent Apps located in the System Bar at the bottom of the screen.
Other UI enhancements include improved gesture-based navigation (a live demo showed how users could delete old message threads by swiping them off of the screen), a customizable favorites tray, and a new typeface dubbed Roboto. You'll also find some much-needed improvements to the stock Android keyboard, including a new spell-checker and a slicker word suggestion box.
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October 19th, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Finally, a comprehensive list of all the new features. Thanks!
October 19th, 2011 at 5:12 pm
Great post and really interesting to see how Google are evolving Android. The usability of Android Honeycomb for a non-techie user is the thing that has held Android tablets back compared to the slick nature of iOS on the iPad. Hopefully Ice Cream Sandwich will resolve a lot of those issue whilst still allowing a technically minded user the opportunity to configure the OS as they like.
October 19th, 2011 at 11:16 pm
Can ice cream in these new phones synchronize with Outlook without jumping through hoops?
October 20th, 2011 at 10:14 am
“The usability of Android Honeycomb for a non-techie user is the thing that has held Android tablets back compared to the slick nature of iOS…”
Android CAN be used as a simple app launcher if people want to. All the other features that makes it “too complicated for non-techie users” like widgets, live wallpaper, etc. are entirely OPTIONAL.
October 20th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
too bad they are bitting off of all the compeitiors Windows phone mango been had this and it works better then any android bite off. Oh well I guess microsoft will have to sew them over that too. SMH Google will be just a memory soon enough:)
November 19th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
I told u so.com. “been had this” “Microsoft will have to sew them over…”
What an illierate little person you must be. Ghetto much, ebofonics much? Lemme guess, you have a windows or iPhone and know nothing of android, right? Android is the way of the future. Why bother posting just to run your mouth about negative stuff?
November 21st, 2011 at 8:53 am
I’ve been using HTC Incredible for almost 23 years and these are pretty much standard features with the HTC Sense. I’m not really impressed with any of these other than upgraded camera options.
December 8th, 2011 at 5:05 pm
I have a custom ROM.. and a bunch of these features are already available. …And they are an AWESOME step forward!!! Good job Google!!!!!