Introduction
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.
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.Also known as Samsung Google Galaxy Nexus I9250, Samsung Google Nexus 3, Samsung Galaxy X (Brazil market)
| GENERAL | 2G Network | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
|---|---|---|
| 3G Network | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 | |
| Announced | 2011, October | |
| Status | Available. Released 2011, November |
| BODY | Dimensions | 135.5 x 67.9 x 8.9 mm |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 135 g |
| DISPLAY | Type | Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 720 x 1280 pixels, 4.65 inches (~316 ppi pixel density) | |
| Multitouch | Yes | |
| Protection | Oleophobic coating |
| SOUND | Alert types | Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones |
|---|---|---|
| Loudspeaker | Yes | |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes |
| MEMORY | Card slot | No |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | 16 GB storage, 1 GB RAM |
| DATA | GPRS | Yes |
|---|---|---|
| EDGE | Yes | |
| Speed | HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps | |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot | |
| Bluetooth | Yes, v3.0 with A2DP | |
| NFC | Yes | |
| USB | Yes, microUSB v2.0 (MHL) |
| CAMERA | Primary | 5 MP, 2592x1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Touch focus, geo-tagging, face detection | |
| Video | Yes, 1080p@30fps | |
| Secondary | Yes, 1.3 MP, 720p@30fps |
| FEATURES | OS | Android OS, v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), upgradable to v4.0.4 |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | TI OMAP 4460 | |
| CPU | Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9 | |
| GPU | PowerVR SGX540 | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | |
| Messaging | SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM, RSS | |
| Browser | HTML, Adobe Flash | |
| Radio | No | |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS support | |
| Java | Yes, via Java MIDP emulator | |
| Colors | Black, White | |
| - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic - TV-out (via MHL A/V link) - MP4/H.264/H.263 player - MP3/WAV/eAAC+/AC3 player - Organizer - Image/video editor - Document viewer - Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa integration - Voice memo/dial/commands - Predictive text input |
| BATTERY | Standard battery, Li-Ion 1750 mAh | |
|---|---|---|
| Stand-by | Up to 290 h (2G) / Up to 270 h (3G) | |
| Talk time | Up to 17 h 40 min (2G) / Up to 8 h 20 min (3G) |
| MISC | SAR EU | 0.30 W/kg (head) |
|---|---|---|
| Price group |  |
| TESTS | Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
|---|---|---|
| Loudspeaker | Voice 66dB / Noise 60dB / Ring 69dB | |
| Audio quality | Noise -90.6dB / Crosstalk -91.8dB | |
| Camera | Photo / Video | |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 31h |
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
A quick look at the key features of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will show you that the smartphone’s hottest hardware feature is its Super AMOLED screen with HD resolution – a first for a Samsung smartphone. The display combines amazing contrast ratio and superb viewing angles, with eye-popping size and resolution – a perfect match for the spanking new OS on board.
As far as the rest of the hardware is concerned, we heavily suspect that Samsung has intentionally omitted a couple of Galaxy S II features such as the microSD card slot and a superior 8MP camera unit. The superior screen of the Galaxy Nexus, while giving it a touch of exclusivity hardware-wise, will not be enough to cannibalize the strong sales, which the I9100 still enjoys.
The latest Google phone will be aimed at the Android purists – the crowd, which doesn’t like launchers or UI tweaks. And also the crowd that likes to get the latest OS updates from Google first. In this aspect, the smartphone is entirely in a league of its own.
Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_nexus-review-699.php
