New Ice Cream Sandwich for Android Users

In what is proving to be very exciting news for Android phone users, Google have announced the unveiling of their new OS for Android, the Android 4.0, or better known as the Ice Cream Sandwich.
A new OS (or operating system) for the Android is exciting for several reasons. Firstly, because it brings with it many exciting enhancements to the previous system, but also because it turns an old phone into what feels like a whole new phone, similar to when you upgrade windows on your PC. And according to  those that have been fortunate enough to get their hands on the new system to test it, the enhancements are many.The Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade will prove to be the biggest overhaul to the Android system that Google has undertaken in the past 3 years. At this stage, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the only phone that sports Android 4.0, however upgrades are on the way for most other Android phones. Unlike the Gingerbread upgrades, however, owners of other phones will not have to wait an eternity for the upgrades, with timeframes of only weeks being touted, rather than months.
Now, with so many new features being supported by this upgrade, we could be here for months if we tried to cover them all. So lets just have a look at some of the more tantalizing of them.
Firstly, security, and the big new feature here is the Face Unlock. Utilising the phones reverse camera, Google has developed the ability for the phone to recognise the users face and only unlock for that person. While this sounds great, and will prove to be a wonderful novelty, the technology is still only in its infancy and may require some updates down the track to get it totally bug free.
Thats not all for the Lock Screen though. With the current Gingerbread OS, users have to swipe away the lock screen in order to use the device. With Ice Cream Sandwich, you will now have two options. Swipe right to unlock the phone, or swipe left to gain direct access to the camera, making it a godsend for users that want to have the phone instantly on hand for that elusive snap shot.
The notifications bar on the Ice Cream Sandwich has seen an overhaul as well. All the phone settings are able to be accessed via this bar now, which will make it easier for users whilst in Apps to access without exiting. There is also the ability to simply swipe away any unwanted notifications individually, rather than clear them all together.
The notifications bar will also be able to be accessed directly from the lock screen. Great news for those that find it tedious to have to unlock the phone every time it beeps, and making for faster response times.
Even though the whole new OS will look light years different to the old system, some of the little touches will be a very welcome improvement. One of these has to be the folders. Rather than the ugly and clunky looking manilla folders we are currently subjected to, folders will now consist of a transparent circle with all the foldered apps viewable underneath. A futuristic touch that looks great. Creating and placing apps in folders is easier now too, with the more simple drag and drop feature in place.
Using the device for its basic functionality – as a phone – has seen a few changes as well. A quick call reject option has been added, with the ability to fire off an instant message to the rejected caller. These messages can be customized, giving it that personal touch. Within the phone app, users can now simply swipe from tab to tab, making it faster and easier, and HD photos of contacts can also be added.
A new feature that the Ice Cream Sandwich brings with it is the Android Beam. This is a new technology that has been promised for a while, but not seen till now. Beam gives the user a direct way to send apps, video, music, links etc from one device to another, as simply as placing the devices back to back and pressing send. Being a new technology, the jury is out on how advanced this feature will be, but the sky is the limit for now.
Other features we can expect to see on the Ice Cream Sandwich -
Upgraded Browser – Faster, more efficient and providing an option to save pages to be viewed later when offline.
Keyboard – Spellcheck added, along with word prediction and a thesaurus feature.
Camera – side bar zoom and upgraded gallery with new photo editing options.
Data monitor – set your device to notify you when you are reaching your data limit, or cut your usage off altogether when you reach it.
As mentioned earlier, Ice Cream Sandwich has already been released as the OS for the Galaxy Nexus. From the most recent reports, Samsung Galaxy S2 will see the update in early January. No actual dates have been officially announced as yet.
Watch this space!