Samsung Galaxy Nexus deals & review

Google and Samsung have upped the ante considerably with their flagship Galaxy Nexus, which sets the standard for others to emulate. Utilising a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, it’s the first smartphone to be designed specifically for the Android 4.0 operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich. As such, physical Home and Back buttons have been removed in favour of permanent icons on the touch-screen interface. The Galaxy Nexus also features a handy 16GB of built-in storage, and has an inbuilt feature that monitors app data usage, so that you can manage your processor use effectively.

The display boasts an impressive 1280x780 pixel resolution, which is superior to all rival offerings at the time of the Galaxy Nexus’ release in November 2011. A subtly-curved glass screen sits over the 4.65 inch Super AMOLED HD display, which allows wide viewing angles and reduced light reflection. As with previous Galaxy incarnations, the colours are vivid, and the display has roundly been hailed as “gorgeous”. While slightly larger than the average phone, it is thinner than the iPhone 4S and still fits comfortably in the hand. This thinness is also lighter than the 4S or the Nokia Lumia. Incidentally, that large screen is one of the biggest you are likely to get on a phone, meaning it’s better-suited for watching film clips or checking out pictures, and also makes for a better browsing experience. The only way you’ll get a a bigger screen is by using a tablet device or a Sensation XL, but the Nexus’ AMOLED display is superior.

The camera is only 5 megapixels, though it’s worth noting that many studies have shown anything beyond the 5 MP mark to give little in terms of significantly better performance. Where the Galaxy Nexus prevails is with its near-instantaneous shutter response, which together with auto-focus, face-recognition and panorama mode, make it much easier to really “capture the moment”. Live action can also be recorded with the Nexus’ 1080p HD camcorder. Finally, it features a secondary front-facing 1.3 MP camera.

Among the new features released for the Nexus is Near Field Communication (NFC), via the Android Beam. With this feature, you simply tap two NFC-enabled devices together to share information. This includes a range of apps and services in Android, contact information or maps, and web pages or pictures. The Nexus is the first phone to incorporate this feature.

Then there is Face Unlock which allows the user to unlock their phone simply by staring into the front-facing camera, thereby avoiding pin codes and passwords. Finally, new Voice Typing offers a hands-free way of creating text messages on the move or in the car.

On the whole, the Nexus cam be considered a smart option for the technology enthusiast or gadget geek who wants all the latest smartphone features. Blessed with state-of-the-art hardware, the Nexus will doubtless become a much-loved handset. It is also suitable for the Mr Magoos among us, with the larger screen making for easy reading and viewing: this is particularly useful for those who view a lot of streamed or downloaded media. With specs that just shade the Motorola RAZR, the Nexus is probably the phone of choice for those who don’t like Apple products.