Droid Hacks

Google just announced its newest Nexus Phone, the Galaxy Nexus, together with a preview of their latest OS, the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which will be available next year.

This polished OS will make Android users have access to an easier and slicker use of their Android devices. Consumers can expect improvements such as:

• A new and more stylish lock screen which allows you to use the facial recognition features for unlocking your device. Users can now even access the camera with just one gesture
• Widgets are now easier to add to the home screen
• Android users can now organize their app and create folder by dragging one top on top of the other, which is similar to how it is done in iOS.
• The dock of the Ice Cream Sandwich can be customized and allows the user to put folders in it for quick access to their favorite apps and programs
• Users can now take screenshots of their phone by pressing the Volume Down together with the Power button
• The notification drawer can be accessed from the lock screen, without the need to unlock the phone. This is convenient for people who are always in a hurry.
• The new keyboard is improved and equipped with inline spell checking. The copy and paste feature is also improved, allowing you to select the text and drag it around to where you want it placed
• The speech-to-text feature decodes the phrases in real-time, showing up in the window to allow you to see if it was translated right
• The browser allows users to sync their existing bookmarks from Chrome with their device, by using their Google account. What makes the new browser better than the old one is that it allows you to flick the existing tabs to close them.
• The camera and gallery are also vastly improved by minimizing the shutter lag and installing a built-in panorama mode. The video mode is also improved with its zoom-while-recording and time lapse features. The gallery on the other hand, organizes the pictures for you, and allows you to browse it by location, album or even the people who are tagged in the photos.
• The new contacts app which they dub ‘People’, makes it possible for users to see a full screen image of the person who is calling them.
• The new Android Beam on the other hand, allows two phones with near-field communication capabilities, to send instant data when touched together. This app however, still has no practical uses yet, especially since there are only a number of phones that have a built-in NFC. Nonetheless, it’s still one of the coolest new apps that Android lovers have to look forward to.

What you read above are just some of the new features the Ice Cream Sandwich has to offer, but they are definitely a vast improvement of the current capabilities and features of the Android.
via lifehacker

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