And there's a shitload of stuff pouring in. It's all in HongKongese, but thankfully, I have Google Translate. The GNX (that's what I've decided to name it, let's see if it catches on) looks like quite the Android. The 2 best Android phones on the market right now are my GSII (mostly because of screen and speed), and the Nexus S (mostly because of pure Android). The GNX seems to have combined the both. SMART!
GSX specs:
- Dimensions: 5.4in x 2.7in x .35in (which is insanely thin, however the blog also mentions that its .45 inches at its thickest part)
- 1.2GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4460 processor
- 4.65-inch 720×1280 AMOLED HD display (which may just be the Italian translation for Super AMOLED Plus)
- 5-megapixel CMOS rear camera with LED flash, capable of video capture in 1080p
- 1.3-megapixel CMOS front-facing camera
- NFC!!
- 1GB of RAM, 16/32 GB of on-board storage
But most importantly, ICS (that's what Google has decided to name the new version of Android; Ice Cream Sandwich), looks fucking amazing. It seems that the Nexus S will get it for sure (so Dad, if you're reading this, the minute you get the update, you let me know and I'll be right over), and maybe the Nexus One as well (so Nat, if you're reading this, the minute... oh, who am I kidding!). Let's see how long it takes for ROM's to come out so that I can flash it on my phone (how many people have NO IDEA what I just said? All 2 of you huh?).
So here are some Ice Cream Sandwich highlights, followed by some links.
- A new stylish lock screen, complete with facial recognition features that let you unlock your phone with a front-facing camera, as well as the ability to launch right into the camera with one gesture. FACIAL FUCKING RECOGNITION, BITCH!
- A bigger emphasis on consistency with the way gestures work. For example, in the app drawer, you now swipe left to right to see other pages of apps, more like the home screens.
- Widgets are now stored on another tab in the app drawer, making them easier to add to your home screen. They're also resizable.
- Folders are now easier to create and use. Just drag one app on top of another, iOS-style to create a folder. You can rearrange them in the folder the same way, and it's all very fluid. UNFORTUNATELY, IT DOESN'T SEEM YOU CAN CHANGE FOLDER ICONS, SO I'LL KEEP MY FOLDER ORGANIZER APP...
- Ice Cream Sandwich's dock is customizable, and you can even put folders into it for quick access to apps and contacts. GUESS I WON'T NEED LAUNCHER PRO!!!
- Screenshot taking is now built-in. You can snap one by pressing Volume down + Power. Finally.
- Notifications are prettier and a tad more useful, showing small contact pictures next to notifications pertaining to email, SMS messages, and so on. HEAR THAT IPHONE? WE'RE ALREADY IMPROVING WHAT YOU JUST DISCOVERED!!!
- You can swipe from left to right to clear single notifications from the drawer, so your notifications aren't so cluttered. CyanogenMod users will be quite familiar with this feature.
- You can open the notification drawer from the lock screen, without unlocking your phone. This is actually very convenient. DAMN RIGHT IT IS!!!
- The new keyboard has better targeting, a simpler recommendations bar, and inline spell checking. Copy and paste has also been improved, and you can even select text and just drag it around within your message fluidly. HMMM.... ENOUGH TO MAKE ME GET RID OF SWIFTKEY?
- Speech-to-text now decodes your phrases in real time. When you say a word, you see that word show up in the window, before you move on to the next one—you no longer have to finish an entire sentence before seeing it show up in the text window.
- A new default typeface, humorously labeled "Roboto" (but that actually looks pretty good)
- The browser has a few nice features, but the biggest is certainly bookmark syncing with Chrome. Now, Android's browser will automatically use your Google account to sync all Chrome bookmarks to your phone.
- Gmail's entire interface has been revamped, featuring a very large, easy-to-read inbox with 2-line previews so you can more easily view your messages without even opening them. The action bar at the bottom has also improved, with simple buttons for creating a new message, viewing your labels, searching your inbox, and more.
- The new calendar app is also nice, mostly in the realm of touch gestures. Like Gmail, you can swipe from side to side to move from day to day, and you can even pinch to zoom in on a specific block of the day. The whole thing is very smooth and fluid, moving as your fingers pinch to the exact block you specify.
- Beginning with Android 4.0, users can uninstall any application they want, even if they are native to Android. REMEMBER MY RANT ON THE IPHONE? REMEMBER THOSE APPS YOU COULDN'T EVEN REMOVE FROM YOUR HOME SCREEN? YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
Here's a bunch more:
HERE
HERE
HERE
HERE
