Phone Bulletin

While Ice Cream Sandwich is in many ways already “so last year,” chances are that most users of the brand new Android operating system will be introduced to it this year. With that said, many Android users familiar with older generations of the OS are still unsure as to what is distinctly different about Ice Cream Sandwich over Honeycomb and Gingerbread. Let this article help you sort it all out. The following are the most important new features of Android you ought to know about:

Revamped User Interface

The latest Android interface is much more elegant and user friendly than previous incarnations. As far as customization is concerned, homepage button and widget sizes are entirely up to you. All the while the bold vibrant colors of the latest OS contrast beautifully with the default glossy black shading and background.

Beaming Between Android Devices

Beam is a new technology for Android that essentially enables users to share content such as map directions, photos, and music files with each other without plugging anything in. It’s especially useful for those with multiple Android devices as it allows for instant transfer of data between the two.

Enhanced Control Over Network Usage Monitoring

One notorious problem of many smartphone owners is keeping track of network usage and avoiding the penalties accrued from going over data limits. The latest version of Android gives users a much more detailed and nicely designed breakdown of network usage.

Evolved Gaming Possibilities

While most people will prefer their PS3 or Android tablet over a smartphone to play video games, trends are making it apparent that consumers are spending more money on downloadable games on their phones instead of traditional platform titles. Those with Ice Cream Sandwich will be able to plug a controller into their phone, among many other gaming-focused additions.

Improved Voice Recognition Technology

With competition coming in the form of the iPhone’s Siri app, the Android team understood that the clumsy voice recognition tool featured on former versions needed to improve. While far from a personal assistant app, the new voice recognition technology for Android is a much needed improvement, featuring more controls during recording and better editing features.

Futuristic Facial Recognition Security Feature

While you may think this is an instance of saving the best for last, the truth is that while this new feature is certainly the coolest of all Android updates, it’s far from optimum. Good for a demonstration, in practice this “security” feature can be cracked with a photograph, or unusable in low light. Regardless, it’s a first generation technology that’s sure to improve with time.

Ice Cream Sandwich isn’t going to be making history. But those who designed it certainly made some improvements over former versions of the Android operating system. While many factors go into deciding whether or not to buy a new phone, rest assured that for the most part the new additions to Ice Cream Sandwich make it a certain selling feature for the phones that carry the OS.