Android OS 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich”: A beautiful Android optimized for both tablets and phones

Android 4.0, recently made available for the Galaxy Nexus, the Nexus S, and a few other devices, is Google's answer to the criticisms that Android has previously fetched. It features a new visual style, better user experience, and several new features designed to make your phone easier to use. But while the majority of Android received a huge overhaul, there are little bits that sometimes poke through to annoy you. Join us as we examine under microscope the good, the bad, and the little things that make up Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Good

Google has made a huge amount of progress in Ice Cream Sandwich. By hiring webOS designer Matias Duarte, Google was able to get a fresh start on Android and rethink things from top to bottom.

Better Notifications

Notifications are much better in Android 4.0. Instead of needing to clear all notifications to get rid of one, you can simply swipe off the screen to get rid of it:Notifications will also show relevant pictures and icons, instead of simply the app's icon.  For instance, a missed call will show your contact's photo, or a reply on twitter the user's avatar.
*While you see toggles in this screenshot, this is because I am running a custom ROM. This is not part of Android 4.0.

Data Usage Meter

If you have a limited data plan, you know the pains that come with going over your monthly data allotment. Luckily, Ice Cream Sandwich now includes a built-in data usage meter that has the ability to turn off data after a certain amount has been used:


You can set the limits either by dragging the right-hand bars or by tapping the left-hand numbers.

Modern Look

One of the best parts about Ice Cream Sandwich is that it all has a unified, beautiful look called "Holo". The launcher has the same color scheme has the same color scheme as the notifications has the same color scheme as the Settings menu, et cetera. Take a look at the revised lockscreen:

It oozes new design and unity, with lines and circles and the new Roboto font. Android is like this all over, with simple blues and whites and greys.

Multitasking, finally with thumbnails

I'm sure you're probably used to the multitasker built into your phone, but it's probably not nearly as cool as the one built into Android 4.0. While before, switchers were just collections of recently used icons, they are now a flowing list of thumbnail pictures: To manually quit an app, just swipe it neatly off the screen.

Better built-in apps

In Android 4.0, the built-in apps are roughly 1000x nicer than previous versions. Take a look at YouTube and People (the Contacts replacement):

A better browser

Ice Cream Sandwich has much more responsive browsing. Its speed was actually surprising, and again it matches the Holo theme wonderfully. And, it has a Labs section that lets you enable cool features, like the new Quick Controls. This come in the form of a little swipe-on menu that lets you easily switch windows, enter a URL, access settings, and more: