Samsung Galaxy Nexus: Black Swan - 3DNews

You know, in that observers do not like Android? We are not talking about some of the features of the OS or the “ideological moments”, a simple device it is too much. And most of them do not pull on the “event”, that is simply not excite. And in some markets, the situation is even worse: for example, in the U.S. one and the same device can not always come up with significant changes for different operators under different names – it is not surprising that local journalists are finding ways to laugh about it.

course, the excesses in the other direction, too few people are pleased – not everyone likes to wait for the next splitting a bottle of champagne from 12 to 18 months as it is got from Apple. And yet there is such a device in the camp of Android, which is worth the wait as much as necessary – the next Nexus. The latest version of the software without dancing with a tambourine and non-GPS, for experiments and no moronic amateur producers in terms of interface. With each Nexus understand: Android should be like that. And in the case of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the understanding of the author personally generates genuine bewilderment, why now need all the other “robots».

? # about appearance

Due to the untimely demise of the traditional buttons Galaxy Nexus came out even more concise and complete – at least in the frontal projection. Visible elements have only two – eye webcam and speaker slot. There is a downside – is now completely covered with fingerprints entire front end smartphone, and it looks like this is not cool – you want it all the time to wipe the special cloths.

edging machine has a complex shape, but, contrary to fears, the convenience of grip is not affected: Nexus – not the thinnest smartphone to date, and in his hand he is quite comfortable. Hardware buttons have only two (Power and volume control), and they are located on the right and left sides, respectively. Three unusual golden point right – connector for docking station. Due to the fact that the Galaxy Nexus is noticeably thicker at the bottom, both connectors, microUSB and miniJack, moved there – listening to music on smartphones is going to enjoy.

Separately

say about the choice of materials – such as battery cover, for Samsung traditionally rough, made very soundly. No major complaints and the quality of the glass – small scratches, of course, possible, but in practice they are not noticeable. Not only pleased the plastic edging – for top-end machine it looks and feels quite “cheap».

? # About SCREEN

After

Galaxy Note 4.65 inches diagonal does not seem spade. In addition, at a fraction of the diagonal y Galaxy Nexus is almost the same resolution as that of the Note, – 1280×720, which gives us the amazing 316 dpi. Such a resolution will be standard on high-end devices based on the fourth version of Android. I want to add one practical observation: almost desktop resolution because the screen size is still not allows you to comfortably surf the web in the “adult” format, because the elements (links, buttons) are too small.

Another reason to remember the Galaxy Note – screen Nexus accessory to the same family of HD Super AMOLED. And yes, the subpixels are arranged in the same scheme PenTile. Hardcore fans of the display of disputes can wrinkle your nose as you like, repeat the same author: turning blue at 45 degrees white – the problem is not the legitimate owner of the machine and of the radish is trying to pry into other people’s reading in crowded public transport. The rest of the display there are no claims, it is luxurious (especially in the transition from lower-cost smartphones), and it almost perfectly saturated color tally with “kislotnenkim” interface.

? # About giblets

no mystery insides Galaxy Nexus does not represent, does not understand that the reluctance to use Samsung’s own excellent SoC Exynos – probably left “for dessert” for their vehicles. GN also gets a dual-core A9 CPU in the Texas Instruments OMAP4460 – the same as that of the relatively recent Motorola DROID RAZR. The CPU runs at 1.2 GHz.

Features Samsung Galaxy Nexus
Screen	HD Super AMOLED, 4,65 “, 1280×720, capacitive
Processor	TI OMAP4460 2xCortex-A9 1,2 GHz + PowerVR SGX540 GPU 384 MHz
Memory	1024 MB RAM + ROM 16/32 GB
Wireless Networks	GPRS / EDGE + HSPA + (850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz) up to 21 Mbit / s; Wi-Fi 802.11n; Bluetooth 3.0; A-GPS; NFC
Sensors	accelerometer, digital compass, gyroscope, proximity and light, barometer
Camera	Primary: 5 MP, autofocus, LED-flash, video recording up to 1080p @ 30 FPS camera: 1.3 megapixels
Battery	1750 mAh (3.7 V / 6.48 W * h)
Dimensions, mm	135,5 x67, 9×8, 9
Weight, g	135

But with all the graphics a bit worse than it could be: used quite respectable PowerVR SGX540 – the same as Samsung sewed to their assemblies HummingBird, only this time he pulled up a little bit frequency – 384 MHz instead of the usual 300. The overall impression about the internals Galaxy Nexus can be made up to this convenient list.

With the memory of a whole lot easier than the other robots – have gigabytes of RAM and 16/32 GB of constant intended both for programs and for “faylopomoyki.” This organization of memory could not but lead to the failure of the mode USB Mass Storage (why – very well explained here). Apart from a small inconvenience, this solution has and dignity – to 16 GB can be installed much more software, and the file system, you can select a faster and more reliable, as well as the memory itself.

Some figures on the internet mistakenly took this as a rejection of the Mass Storage support in Android 4.0, whereas in fact the decision applies only to one particular machine. However, and there is no problem with it – instead of Mass Storage mode is supported Media Transfer, which is well aware desktop operating system from Microsoft, starting with XP. In the same Windows 7, our Galaxy Nexus after the automatic driver installation was available even through a standard “Explorer” – thus, for the average user there is no difference: Connects @ pour.

? # POWER Pro

first, as usual, the figures are:

	Quadrant Standard, scores	Linpack Single Thread, MIPS	Linpack Multi Thread, MIPS	Nenamark 2, FPS
Samsung Galaxy Nexus	2017	43,819	74,279	24,1
Samsung Galaxy Note	4179	63,533	96,884	32,8

When compared to the same Galaxy Note, the picture is rather cheerless. But if the gap in the last three tests can be explained by differences in iron, the two-time separation of Note Nexus in Quadrant Standard can only be explained buggy firmware. Monitoring of the test showed that the Nexus over and over again for a long time hung on the task of records in the database (the tests I / O).

Subjective impressions of the performance was decent – a smartphone normally reproduced with 720p video is not the highest bitrates and loose chasing toys like Asphalt Racing HD or 6 NFL Rivals. Problems, however, were concerned but they are more likely to stability – see below.

? # About BATTERY

Not sure what a joke about E-mobile with Android reached the ears of the authorities in Mountain View, but the battery in creating Galaxy Nexus taken seriously – 6.48 Wh enough for a lot. As usual, it is very dependent on the quality of cellular coverage, but when the test sample survives to the end of the 9-hour conference, almost continually being used for e-mail and “Twitter” and then a little work access point for the tablet with Wi-Fi, – it gives the impression .

? # about the camera

When creating

Galaxy Nexus Samsung could not protect their precious Galaxy S from unnecessary competition – and in this case made it through the camera. Megapixel module takes photos and videos (the last – with a resolution of up to 1080p) rather mediocre quality, as lying with the exposure, and noticeable noise in low light. When compared to the Samsung Nexus S, then progress, alas, no.

Thus, with regard to soft-parts and support different kunshtyukov, it is all just magical. The camera interface is very simple, at the same time, all the settings (flash, WB, exposure) at hand. The focus is on how any decent smartphone – poke a finger in the image of the object on the screen. There are three shooting modes: photo, video panorama and, in the latter we expect the resolution to 1080p @ 30 frames / sec and continuous AF. In addition, there is a supplement: the deliberate distortion of the frame (camera software is able to recognize them), imposing background (sunset, space, etc., all expected Clumsy) and frame recording function at specified intervals, resembling more about security surveillance systems.

A dedicated camera button, as everyone already knew, no, in this case the volume control does not work as a zoom control. This is slightly offset by the possibility of calling the camera directly from the screen unlock.

? # About SOFT

actually about Galaxy Nexus software we wrote, but for some things I would like to make a clarification. For example, the tabs in the browser everything seems to be simple: you want to bow Google for something that at least in the fourth version of the browser has learned to keep tabs at shutdown / reboot your smartphone. The only problem is that in the current firmware sometimes crashes the browser, such as the use of forced request the desktop version of the page. When you reopen the browser tries to load the same page in the same way – and again takes off. For the third time, instead of killing guilty tabs, the browser kills indiscriminately all the tabs and loaded cleanly.

We go through the list of bugs on – and come to the point “accelerometer”. There we were waiting for a long delay before the turn of the screen when you change the orientation of the periodic and non-functional – very, you know, fun to drive in Asphalt Racing without the ability to steer itself!

Next stop – the volume adjustment. Known bug that leads to a sudden and complete blackout in the volume of a Galaxy Nexus. Delivered by 7 am alarm clock can be safely written off – the author slept so began one of the conferences. Samsung and Google have recognized the problem and are working on releasing updates.

Next on the list a few more episodes of not starting programs that make claims that now that the Ice Cream Sandwich just came out, meaningless – developers are still puffing on updates.

The rest of the system remains extremely positive experience – all highly customizable, and looks very nice (one of the main complaints about Android) runs noticeably smoother earlier. And the touch-sensitive buttons, praise a higher power, it is not buggy.

positives adds quite clear work function unlock the device using facial owner, to test that the last time we could not. When you set up your smartphone asks “up your face” in the virtual ellipse, and then when you unlock compares the image with pre-programmed. In very very dark places that does not work, even at maximum brightness, but about the light function is not particularly naughty, though confuse her with foreign objects on the head (helmet, headphones) is quite real. And most importantly – when setting the system urgently requires an additional set the PIN code or pattern razblokirovochny resorted to in the event of the failure of the visual identification. In general function can recognize is working.

particularly nice part – picking the settings. Since the Nexus – it’s kind of real estate development series vehicles, then at Settings ? Developer options is somewhat amusing options like light touch points and displaying various service information. All privy recommended for independent study.

? # About CONCLUSION

Not what

geek with money will be able to resist the temptation to quickly get the new one. In the case of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus intentions in Russia is quite unambiguous – run the model on sale until the New Year. Russian officials do not yet call the price, but the author would put on 28-29 thousand rubles – similar to European prices.

course, everything is very contradictory. On the one hand, the lack of reasons to choose some other “robot”: someone needs a better camera, someone – how can a faster graphics processor to someone else Give card support, well, some – all of the above, and More preferably without PenTile. Many also agree on Gingerbread, which would still be guaranteed to be awakened in the morning.

But the truth is that the Galaxy Nexus – this is a very one-piece unit. Android 4.0 – it’s blooming youth platform, the transformation of an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. The process is so fascinating and mind-boggling that more or less sane iron that Samsung has managed to adapt to the launch, it seems an absolute miracle of technology. And Ice Cream Sandwich is so good in its original form, that attempts manufacturers to add there something the least cause confusion. Yes, third-party interfaces can be disabled, but the delay of the update can not escape.

general impression of Android 4.0 is that in Google come to his senses and are ready to surprise not only kodyaschih under the platform, but also ordinary people. Galaxy Nexus – the surest way for the coming year do not miss out.