5 Things we love and 5 we hate about Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

5 Things You will Love


1. Home screen


Obviously, the very first thing an user would go through is the home screen, and it seems Google has stuck by the dictum of a good first impression. The Honeycomb style widgets are quite apparent, but what is different is their re-sizable feature. With these resized widgets, the layout of the interface doesn't feel uncluttered. Moreover, ICS has also given a convenient folder dragging mechanism (like the iOS). But in this case, people (their speed dial contacts) can be added into folders and favorites.

2. Revamped Notifications

Building upon its already stable notification system, Android 4.0 will feature a completely unobtrusive notification system for optimum user convenience. This new system will allow you to swipe the unimportant ones and let you view the important notifications at a latter preferred time. And since we are talking about time, a few precious seconds can now be saved by accessing notifications without unlocking your phone.

3. Regulation of Data Usage

One of the finest yet simple features of ICS that epitomizes user convenience, the OS actually allows you monitor your data usage without the requirement of any third party app. This features makes sure that one can easily check the data usage of individual apps and also view daily reports regarding the quantified usage of data (along with utilization of data disabling ability).

4. Face unlock

Though, we are still not convinced of its flexibility, but the Face unlock mechanism certainly has the potential to be a handy tool. Basically, the system entails that ICS can only unlock the phone when it recognizes your pictorial image, as opposed to your friend (or enemy!). But of course there must be some back-up method to 'hack' into the phone, when the recognition doesn't work out.

5. Visual improvements

Finally, moving on to the visual scheme of things, the overall enhancement (especially over Gingerbread) is very apparent when we move into the contacts zone with its high resolution images. Also, the Gmail app has been revamped with previews, a new menu bar and mail swiping ability.

5 Things You will hate

1. Require 16GB RAM To Compile

In stark contrast to the lightness of the phones, the newest Android OS will require at least 16GB of RAM to built up its source code. Analysts estimate this will take the ICS around 5 hours of compilation on a dual quad core machine with more than 2 GHz, other than needing a whopping 80GB disk space for all AOSP configurations.

2. Timely updates?

Google certainly doesn't have a good track record of providing updates at regular time intervals. So, while the ICS addresses the collectivity issues of Android operating systems by combining Honeycomb and Gingerbread, the failure to provide time updates may even make the situation more complex for Google (with three full fledged operating systems). More importantly, confused users may suffer from this OS mayhem.

3. Search button

Taking the cue from Honeycomb, ICS will not feature a search button except for the home screen. Now, this may make the life for some users a tad bit difficult, especially when the usage of a few apps comes into the search scenario. Moreover, the doubling up of the search button (by long press) as voice command is no more; as now one has to move to the top of the screen (in Nexus) for this function.

4. Confusion with Action Bar

Google has made it clear that its own apps will use the Action Bar, with other third parties also being allowed to utilize it. But where will it exist in the menu section? Some sources clearly say it will be on the top, while others swear that it will on the bottom!

5. Side scrolling

Now, we know it may not be an over-imposing issue, but still some users may need to get used to side scrolling. After all many of us agree that swiping from top to bottom can actually be faster.