Why Ice Cream Sandwich is the best version of Android yet

The less-than-ideal launch of the Galaxy Nexus has generated such a storm of negative publicity that it’s easy to forget that the phone is carrying the latest version of the Android operating system: Ice Cream Sandwich.

Unfortunate Volume bugs aside, the Galaxy Nexus is a fantastic showcase for Google’s next big OS, and having had the chance to play around with it for a week, we’ve compiled a list of all our favourite new features.

Android, unified
One of the biggest criticisms people level at Android is that the interface seems a bit tacked together. While Apple’s iOS has a consistent design and logic to it, Android has tended to adopt a less strict approach, mixing various components into an often chaotic brew.

Android 4.0 is Google’s first attempt to tidy up the platform and many steps have been taken to unify the OS - not only in visual terms, but in how the interface functions, as well.

For example, the traditional bank of four Android buttons has been reduced to three, one of which is the all-new multi-tasking button. The Search button is gone, as is the Menu/Settings key.

The logic behind this is simple: the Settings button was context sensitive and didn’t always achieve the same result in every app. This apparently confused many users, so removing it is a wise choice.

As for the Search key, the removal of that is mitigated by the fact that Android 4.0 has a Google search bar on every Home Screen, making it easy to locate.

Ice Cream Sandwich also boasts a more consistent aesthetic theme, too. It’s not quite as overbearing as the Tron-like hologram effect of Android Honeycomb, but it looks swish all the same.

Of course, when third party manufacturers like HTC and Sony Ericsson get their grubby hands on it, that will almost certainly change - but for now, stock Android 4.0 looks the business.

Marvellous Multitasking
If you’ve used an Android 3.0 tablet, you’ll already be familiar with the multitasking menu. This contains information on all of the apps currently running, as well as a thumbnail showing their present state.

It’s one of the most effective ways of controlling multiple programs we’ve seen on a mobile device and we’re pleased to see that it has been included in Ice Cream Sandwich.

Compared to the old-fashioned way of viewing running apps in Android - a long press of the Home button - this new method feels swish and intuitive.

You can scroll through the list of apps to find the one you’d like to jump to, or you can terminate an app simply by sliding it sideways out of the list.

New Lock Screen
Android 4.0’s lock screen has two new tricks. The most obvious is the ability to open the camera without having to unlock your phone and find the camera application. This is a real time saver and makes grabbing impromptu snaps even easier.

The second cool feature is the power to decline a call with a text message, direct from the lock screen. When you receive a phone call that you can’t answer (you’re in a meeting, on the toilet or simply cannot be bothered to deal with the caller), simply slide your finger upwards and a list of pre-determined text messages is displayed.

Select the one you want and the call will rejected, with the text being sent immediately.

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