Review: Android 4.0, Galaxy Nexus and Transformer Prime

6. Conclusion

Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, ICS. Whatever you call it - what's all the fuss about? We look at Google's latest mobile OS and the hardware that came with it.

So does Android 4.0 live up to the hype? In a word: yes. In more than a word: Sometimes, depending on the device.

When it comes to iOS versus Android, the popular line of thinking is iOS is easy to use (or a “one size fits all” approach), while Android is better suited for power users. This categorization used to be the case, particularly back when Android was still at 1.5, 1.6 and 2.0, but Ice Cream Sandwich does an excellent job of offering the user plenty of free reign while maintaining an intuitive and easy-to-use design. Widgets are something that Apple still needs to play catch-up on (assuming they even want to), and multitasking in ICS shows a chink in Cupertino’s armor.

Ultimately, it boils down to two things, the first of which is content. Apple has Google beat in some areas, like when it comes to buying music, movies and books. Apple’s App Store still has an upper hand over the Android Market, too, especially when it comes to selection. It took forever and a day for Facebook to release a proper iPad app, and there is still no equivalent for Honeycomb or ICS – you’re still stuck with a smartphone app on a tablet display. Android 4.0 aims to bridge the app gap, however, as a unified, multi-form factor operating system can potentially draw in more developers, and should make bigger companies like Facebook more comfortable with Android development.

When it comes to services…pick your poison. If you’re constantly using Gmail, Google Docs and Google Calendar, then an Android tablet or smartphone is the logical choice. If your life already goes through a Mac computer, and involves heavy iTunes usage…well, you get the idea. And what if you’re running with the Windows Phone 7 crowd? Windows 8 is right around the corner, and its release will see a lot of high-fives between avid Microsoft fans.

Back to the hardware! While the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Asus Transformer Prime are both running Android 4.0 (or rather, 4.0.3) the changes and updates are much more important on the former than on the latter. Because Honeycomb is very close to ICS in so many ways, the update – while important – just isn’t as eye-catching or important. If the Galaxy Nexus is a display for new software, the Prime is meant to be a look at the hardware of the near future. The Nexus is no slouch, but it’s not the only 720p display-packing smartphone on the block. Its hardware features, while impressive, aren’t category-defining. In fact, there are going to be phones out this quarter with a faster CPU, better camera, and parallel display. But what’s the one thing that the Nexus has on the competition? Vanilla Android 4.0, and the speedy software updates that such an OS allows for.

As for the Prime, the new OS is nice…but the wow factor that exists with the Galaxy Nexus simply isn’t here for the tablet. Jumping from any tablet running Honeycomb to one powered by ICS isn’t the same sort of quantum leap experienced by the smartphone crowd. By no means are we slamming ICS here; if anything, it’s a testament to how polished and intuitive Honeycomb is, despite being released nearly a year ago. While the software change won’t blow your mind, you’ll definitely be transfixed on the hardware, which won’t be matched by any other tablet in the US for a few months. Aside from the next Asus tablet – the aforementioned TF700T – the next Tegra 3 device is probably the Iconia Tab A510 from Acer, and that won’t be coming until April.

In the end, the Galaxy Nexus and Transformer Prime are both fantastic devices. The Nexus is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to skip the iPhone 4S, and it is still the smartphone to beat in the Android world. The Prime is the absolute best tablet on the market right now, thanks in part to its formidable SoC, fantastic camera, and exceptional build quality. Ice Cream Sandwich gives the Nexus a bigger boost, but the Prime isn’t any worse for wear with the software upgrade.