Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Unveiled

Today in Hong Kong Google and Samsung announced a new flavor of Android, complemented by a new Google phone, the Nexus S.

We already had the chance to have a look at the new smartphone, yet we said little about the new Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which is, in fact, a major update for Google's mobile platform.

The new OS version arrives with a redesigned user interface, and was designed so as to provide users with faster navigation. Moreover, it also offers great multitasking capabilities, along with interactive notifications.

According to Google, the new OS flavor was designed with beauty and simplicity in mind. It was meant to work both on mobile phones and on tablet PCs, so as to bring unity to the platform.

“We created a new font that’s optimized for HD displays and eliminated all hardware buttons in favor of adaptable software buttons. We also dramatically improved the keyboard, made notifications more interactive and created resizable widgets,” Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President, Mobile, notes in a blog post.

Among the main enhancements that the new OS flavor arrives with, we can count a faster browser, which includes a refined tab manager, along with the option to sync bookmarks with Google Chrome.

“Ice Cream Sandwich also features the best mobile Gmail experience to date, with a new design that lets you quickly swipe through your inbox and search messages even when you’re offline. Calendar boasts a clean new look and you can zoom into your schedule with a pinch,” Andy Rubin continues.

The new OS flavor also brings along a new People app, which offers a new experience when it comes to browsing contacts. Users will enjoy high-resolution photos with the new app, as well as updates from Google+ and from other social networking sites.

In Ice Cream Sandwich, users will also enjoy new home screen folders, enabling them to organize apps easier, along with resizable widgets, and new lock screen actions.

Among the other features that the new platform release comes with, we can count quick responses for incoming calls, along with the possibility to swipe to dismiss notifications, tasks, and browser tabs.

Ice Cream Sandwich also comes with improved text input and spell-checking, as well as with better accessibility. Not to mention the unified calendar and visual voicemail, or the redesigned Gallery app with photo editor.

Google also packed Android Beam for NFC-based sharing with the new OS flavor, along with Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth HDP, and improved email, which should prove a great option for enterprise users.