Negri Electronics is the retailer where you can find the white Galaxy Nexus, but it’s an unlocked international model (i9250). However, because this SKU has pentaband 3G/HSPA, it will work on both AT&T and T-Mobile with HSPA+ connectivity (because it’s not an LTE device, it can’t connect to AT&T’s 4G LTE network, but will work just fine on that carrier’s HSPA 4G network). Working on T-Mobile is pretty rare for unlocked devices, so those of you who’ve chosen the magenta carrier over any other company should be happy.

Which is probably completely different from the feeling you’ll have once you find out the price you’ll have to pay for this white GNex: not one penny less than $659.50.

Crazy, right? On the other hand, you won’t be tied down by any long-term contracts, and you’ll be among the first people in North America to sport the white version of this superphone. If that makes you interested, go to Negri Electronics now and order yours.

• Unlocked Sony Xperia Ion can now be pre-ordered for $569.50
• Unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus now available in the US for $749.99
• Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus now just $229.99 at Wirefly, may not be in stock for long
• AT&T-compatible Nokia Lumia 800 now available in the US unlocked for $789.99
• Samsung Galaxy S II and HTC Amaze 4G now available at T-Mobile

It is, of course, identical to its black sibling. It looks like it will also come in two versions, one with 16 GB of built-in storage, the other with double that space. So for all intents and purposes, the only difference here is the color. And even that isn’t 100% new, since, as you can see from the image below, it’s not all-white unfortunately.

Still, it’s a lot whiter than the black Galaxy Nexus, and that alone will probably please many of you. The official release date is February 13, which is next Monday (one week from today) and conveniently the day before Valentine’s Day. So Samsung clearly expects many people to buy it for a loved one.

Via Phone Arena

• The real white Samsung Galaxy Nexus isn’t completely white
• White Samsung Galaxy S II will be available in Australia at Optus on September 9
• Samsung Galaxy S II LTE gets a white paint job too
• All-white Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus spotted in Vietnam, may be launching soon
• Confirmed: Sprint’s Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch to be out in white on January 8 for $199.99

The Galaxy Nexus will become available at Wind starting on February 3, which is this Friday. It will cost $249 on the WindTab+, $449 on the WindTab, and $599 outright.

As you can see from the flyer above, Wind expects the Galaxy Nexus to sell like hot cakes. Or maybe the stock levels will be really low at the beginning. Regardless, if you’ve always wanted a Galaxy Nexus from Wind, you should probably act fast on Friday – just so you make sure you’ll actually get one.

Also at Wind, the white version of the BlackBerry Curve 9360 will make its debut tomorrow. It will be free on the WindTab+, $99 on the WindTab, and $299 outright.

Via MobileSyrup here and here, Android Police

• LG Optimus 2X and Huawei U6150 now available from Wind in Canada
• The real white Samsung Galaxy Nexus isn’t completely white
• Google Nexus S spotted in white
• White BlackBerry Curve 9360 coming to Orange UK
• White Samsung Galaxy Nexus gets official, should be out next month

You can now grab one straight from Amazon UK for just £449.41 with free shipping. That’s about £50 cheaper than anywhere else at the moment, and it’s more than £60 less than the price it was going for back when it launched.

Granted that’s not a great price difference, but it’s still early for the Galaxy Nexus. Conceivably it will only be late this year when its successor will appear, and until then, if you’re in the market for a pure Google Nexus device, this is the top of the line (unless of course that higher-spec version shows up in the meantime).

If you’ve become convinced that you absolutely should get a Galaxy Nexus right now, head over to Amazon and do just that.

• Get Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus for just $99.99, Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX for $199.99
• Samsung Galaxy Tab now only £359 in the UK
• Sprint drops the Nexus S 4G’s price down to $29.99, it’s still free elsewhere
• Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus can be yours for just $154.99 at LetsTalk (and $149.99 at Amazon)
• Sprint’s Nexus S 4G will be available on May 8 for $199.99

As the Google webpage states, the Galaxy Nexus will be Sprint’s first LTE smartphone. It runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and features a 4.65 inch HD (1280 x 720) Super AMOLED display, Google Wallet, 5MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, 1.3MP front-facing camera, dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal memory.

Verizon is already selling the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in he US (since December 2011), asking $299.99 for it (on contract). It remains to be seen if Sprint is going to price the smartphone similarly. It probably will.

Via Android Central

• Sprint intros Samsung Galaxy Nexus and LG Viper LTE Android smartphones
• Google Nexus S 4G launched by Sprint for $199 on contract. Best Buy sells it for $149
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to be launched in India only in March?
• Sprint’s Motorola Photon 4G now $49.99 at Best Buy
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to bring Android ICS to India this year?

And now Samsung India has tweeted that they’re planning to release the handset “in March.”

It’s a bit weird that Samsung and Google didn’t introduce the new Nexus in India by now – after all, we’re talking about the world’s second largest mobile market. But they probably have their reasons.

The Galaxy Nexus is the first device to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It features a 4.6 inch HD (1280 x 720) Super AMOLED display, NFC, HSPA, dual-band Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, 5MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, 1.3MP front-facing camera, 1.2GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4460 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB / 32GB of internal memory.

Via Phone Arena

• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to bring Android ICS to India this year?
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 launched in India as Galaxy Tab 680
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus arriving in the UK on November 10 according to Amazon
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus possibly headed not just to Verizon, but also to AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to be released in Japan on NTT DoCoMo December 2nd

The growth in total Android activations is interesting. Google finished the third quarter of 2011 with 190 million devices activated. However, on November 15, Google announced that it had activated 200 million devices.

So from October 1 to December 31, Google added 60 million Android devices. From November 15 to December 31 though, Google added 50 million devices. That leaves 10 million devices activated from October 1 to November 15, at an average rate of 217,000 devices activated per day.

Google obviously didn’t publicize this number. In fact, on October 18 it said that there were still 550,000 devices activated per day (the same amount first reported in July). Perhaps at that point there were, only for the number to absolutely plunge between then and November 15. We’ll never know. It does however seem that Google’s numbers shouldn’t be taken 100% seriously all the time (at least those pertaining to daily activations).

So then everything changed for the better in the second half of Q4, understandably because of the holiday shopping season and the many phone and tablet launches that catered to it. The average number of Android devices activated from November 16 to December 31 is a whopping 1,08 million per day. And that’s average. Which means that some days it was much higher. In fact we already know that during the holiday weekend, 3.7 million Android devices were activated. Subtracting those from the total still gives us an average of 1,05 million devices activated per day from November 15 to December 31.

Now after the holidays passed, it’s clear that this daily activation number went down. Otherwise, Google would have triumphantly announced today that it’s activating more than a million devices per day, way ahead of our projection of that happening (for sustained periods of time) by the end of the second quarter of this year. Still, for much of the second half of Q4 2011, Android activations were above 1 million per day. That’s just incredible.

You do have to keep something in mind though. Google never reports the exact number of activated devices. It’s always “over x”. So for example, Google has now told us that more than 250 million devices have been activated by the end of Q4. So that could be 257 million, but Google used the nicely-sounding round number. Similarly, 190 million could have been 193 million, and 200 million could have actually been 208 million. These differences seem minor, but they change all the above calculations – a lot. So when you read the estimates above, understand that they are just that – estimations made without the actual 100% accurate numbers. The purpose of this exercise wasn’t to give you an entirely accurate number of Android activations over the fourth quarter (since that’s impossible without Google’s help), but to give you a rough impression of Android’s continued success.

Now on to the other big number of the day. Google has also let us know that there have been more than 11 billion app downloads from the Android Market so far. That number is up by 1 billion since the beginning of December and shows us that the Market is progressing just fine. Naturally, as more people buy or get Android devices (or find out they’re actually good for more than just calling and texting), the Market gets used more.

• Record-breaking 3.7 million Android devices were activated this past weekend, iOS close by
• Google moves Nexus Prime launch to October 19. Says it activated 55 million Android devices in Q3
• Google now activates 550K Androids per day. 135 million devices sold. Market reaches 250,000 apps
• Google now activates 350,000 Android devices daily. 3 billion Android apps installed around the world
• More than 300,000 Android phones activated each day, says Andy Rubin

Well, wonder no more, for online retailer BuyMobilePhones has started taking pre-orders for the white Samsung Galaxy Nexus, with a myriad of operator contracts on offer. For now, it’s only available on plans from O2, Orange, and T-Mobile. The cheapest contract which nets you the phone for free costs £30.64 per month and can be found at T-Mobile. For that amount of dough, you’re getting 900 minutes, 500 texts, and 500 MB of data (plus unlimited Web and email access).

There are many other plans to choose from, so go to BuyMobilePhones right now and take a look at all of them before making up your mind. Unfortunately the retailer doesn’t yet list an actual release date for the white Galaxy Nexus, but we do expect it to become available on contract around the same time it will be out SIM-free – so early February it should be.

Via SoMobile

• UK: HP Pre 3 now up for pre-order with Orange and T-Mobile contracts, free from £20.42 per month
• UK: HTC Wildfire S now available for free at Vodafone and Three in multiple colors
• Pink Nokia Lumia 800 now available in the UK on Orange and T-Mobile, free from £25.54 per month
• BlackBerry Torch 9810 now up for pre-order on contract in the UK, free from £31 per month
• Motorola Defy+ now up for pre-order in the UK, free from £15.32 per month, £246 SIM-free

The update makes the app faster, and obviously allows users to find what they need quicker.

Here’s what’s new: refreshed user interface; search suggestions are grouped by type (and you’ll notice that web suggestions are on top); all countries with Google domains get locally-relevant suggestions; you can now long press to remove history items.

You can download the latest version of Google Search app to your Android device either via Android Market, or by scanning the QR code found in this post over at the Google mobile blog.

• Google Gesture Search comes to Android 1.6
• Google intros Gesture Search for Android
• Google Mobile Now Available on S60
• Google Maps 4.0 for BlackBerry features Google Buzz, Search by Voice, and more
• Google Goggles and What’s Nearby for Android launched

Today though that changes. It turns out that Telus will launch the Galaxy Nexus on Friday with a special introductory offer – you’ll be able to get the superphone for just $99.99 with a new three-year contract. Unfortunately we still have no word on the other price points (for shorter contract spans as well as without a contract). But we’ll find out officially in just three days anyway.

Also coming to Telus is the Samsung Galaxy Note, which has just made its debut in North America on AT&T. The Galaxy Note will be sold by Telus sometime during the first quarter (so before the end of March). However, the carrier wouldn’t give any more specific details for now, or mention anything about pricing. So stay tuned for more.

The Samsung Galaxy Note will probably be headed to other Canadian carriers as well (we’re guessing Bell and/or Rogers), since Samsung Canada officially announced that its phone/tablet hybrid would be launched by “Canadian carriers in the first quarter”. That’s carriers – plural, so expect an acknowledgement from at least one other company soon.

Via MobileSyrup here and here, Engadget

• Telus will also release the Google Nexus S in a few weeks
• Telus will release the 4G Samsung Galaxy S II X on October 28
• Samsung Galaxy Note launches in Canada on February 14 for $249.99, pre-orders now available
• Wi-Fi-only Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 launches in July in Canada, 3G version comes in August
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be available at Mobilicity in Canada on February 6

For now, only a 16GB edition of the white Galaxy Nexus exists, and it costs £519.95 in the UK (the black one is a bit cheaper: £509.95).

Update: Clove is asking only £498 for the white Nexus.

In the improbable case you don’t know yet, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the world’s first device to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It features a 4.65 inch Super AMOLED display with 1280 x 720 pixels, NFC, barometer, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 5MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, and 1.3MP front-facing camera.

Via EuroDroid

• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to bring Android ICS to India this year?
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus possibly headed not just to Verizon, but also to AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus arriving in the UK on November 10 according to Amazon
• White Samsung Galaxy Note will be launched next week in the UK
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus shows up at Vodafone UK’s website

If you’re still reading, we’re assuming you understand that this is nothing more than a rumor. Originating at DigiTimes, no less, whose track record is known to be hit-and-miss. So keep that in mind.

Not long ago, ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt said a few things about a tablet coming soon. Things which have been widely interpreted to mean that a Nexus tablet is in the works. We’ve heard something like that for almost a year now, but the thing is that Mr. Schimdt didn’t say anything about a Nexus tablet per se. Just that a high-end tablet will be launched and ‘marketed’ by Google in the next six months. Since the original text was in Italian, some things could have been lost in translation.

Anyway, despite the flakyness of this interpretation, the rumor mill has revved up its engines and is now at full throttle on the matter.

Apparently the Google tablet will be launched in March or April, and it will be a competitor to Amazon’s Kindle Fire, and not Apple’s iPad. Not taking the iPad head-on of course makes a lot of sense for Google (or any other Apple competitor for that matter), but dueling with Amazon at this stage doesn’t seem to, even though the Kindle Fire is probably already the most successful Android tablet, custom interface be damned.

The Google tablet is rumored to have a 7-inch touchscreen (a clear attack at the Fire’s market share), perhaps an AMOLED unit made by Samsung, OLED-Display.net speculates. In fact, the whole tablet could be made by Samsung, since the Korean company has been behind the last two Nexus smartphones. In that case, the screen will have 1024×600 resolution most likely.

The targeted price for the Google Nexus tablet is below $199, which would mean it will be even cheaper than Amazon’s tablet. That’s a bit hard to believe, even if it’s quite desirable. Even with its midrange-ish specs, the Kindle Fire still is sold by Amazon at a loss right now. So unless Google is willing to lose a lot of money selling its tablet, there are two possible outcomes here: either the Google tablet will be quite low-end (something previously unseen in a Nexus device), or the tablet will end up being more expensive.

Obviously, the Google tablet will launch running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. All of this rumored information supposedly originates at “sources from Google’s upstream supply chain”. Make of that what you wish. Do take into account though that Google Taiwan reportedly has never heard about a plan to launch an own-brand tablet.

Sure, a Nexus tablet kind of makes sense. The Nexus One showed phone makers the way in building high-end and highly-desirable handsets. A Nexus tablet could similarly achieve that. And it may well be more affordable than similar offerings (after all, asking less for their products is the main lesson that Android tablet makers should learn at this point – and some, like Acer, have thankfully started to). But a low-end Nexus tablet? That would be something else.

• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich ported to Amazon Kindle Fire
• Google Android tablet reportedly coming to Verizon
• Amazon “Kindle Fire” tablet to be unveiled Wednesday
• Amazon’s Kindle Fire may be headed to the UK in January
• Rumor: iPad 3 to come with Retina Display, 8 MP camera, and FaceTime HD, iPad 2 will drop to $399

Unfortunately we have no details about pricing yet, but the most likely scenario is that you’ll find it similarly priced to Bell and Virgin Mobile (which ask $159 with a three-year contract, and $649 outright).

Also in just one week another high-end Android-powered smartphone will land at Fido – the Motorola RAZR. This is already available at Rogers.

Fido will be asking $100 for the RAZR with a new three-year contract. We don’t know the no-contract price yet, but it should be similar (if not identical) to Rogers’ $649.99.

Via MobileSyrup here and here

• Canada: Apple iPhone 4 now just $99 at Bell and Virgin too
• BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 coming to Bell, Virgin Canada
• Canada: Telus, Koodo, and Virgin now sell the BlackBerry Curve 9360, Bell has the Torch 9860 as well
• Virgin Mobile Canada set to release the HTC Sensation for $499.99 and the Wildfire S for $199.99
• Rogers’ and Bell’s BlackBerry Pearl 9100 to cost $449 free of contract

We also reveal which phone we believe comes on top in this test, and draw some other interesting conclusions at the very end. One thing is for sure: all three are well rounded high-end smartphones that are interesting and unique in their own right.

Read on to find out more.

User interface

With Galaxy Nexus, iPhone 4S and Lumia 800 on hand, we’ve got all three major smartphone operating systems present in this test – Android 4.0, iOS5 and Windows Phone 7 respectively. It’s safe to say that the operating system is where the most striking differences will come out that will have big – if not the biggest – impact on your day-to-day experience using the smartphone.

Android 4.0, also codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) by Google, has seen a number of notable changes in the UI in an effort to make the OS more user friendly, and also to unify the mobile and tablet versions of this OS. The underlying structure of Android, including its greatest qualities, remained unchanged. In comparison to the other two players in this test, Android provides user with the richest customization options, most notably with the 5 homescreens that can be populated with useful widgets as well as application shortcuts.

Unlike Android, iOS visually changed very little since 2007 when Apple introduced the iPhone and revolutionized the touchscreen user interface on mobiles. There’s the horizontally scrollable grid of apps and folder, while an omnipresent bar with 4 shortcuts sits near the bottom of the screen.

It’s clear that Apple is still reluctant to wander even half-step away from the winning formula that has simplicity as one of its main draws. With iOS5, however, Apple managed to nab some successful ideas from competitors, most notably the ‘new’ notification center that combines all system and app events into a pull-down window that is extremely reminiscent to that on Android. The change is nevertheless very welcome in iOS5 and iPhone 4S, especially because it fits so organically with the rest of the OS, enriching the already solid user experience.

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 follows closely iOS philosophy in simplicity but with its very own tiles inspired user interface. Nokia Lumia 800 ships with Windows Phone 7.5 update, codenamed ‘Mango’. The main idea of this mobile operating system revolves around having everything easily accessible in a vertical grid of live tiles that Microsoft calls Metro UI.

The tiles can be re-organized on the homescreen, and new ones can be quickly added from the application list. In terms of customization, however, WP7 is still quite basic and in a similar league with iOS5. However, if you especially look for a phone with a fresh approach to user interface, and large, easy to read fonts, then Windows Phone 7 is probably the way to go.

While Android remains clearly unbeaten in terms of offering the most freedom in tweaking the look & feel of the system, it also has the steepest learning curve among all three platforms. On the other hand, Windows Phone 7 with Metro UI is not only interesting to look at, but also provides the most intuitive user experience on a mobile phone so far.

Pre-installed apps & services

Android takes the most liberal approach from the three platforms as it allows a more or less traditional method of mass file storage. Just like using a flash memory stick, the user can easily move any kind of content to and from Galaxy Nexus mass memory without the need of dedicated desktop software (provided, you use a Windows PC). The disappointing part is that Galaxy Nexus memory is non-expandable since the phone lacks an SD card slot. The good news – in comparison to previous versions of Android on phones, ICS allows the use of all built-in storage space for app install purposes.

Aside from core Android apps, Galaxy Nexus also unsurprisingly comes pre-loaded with a range of different Google specific apps that most are already familiar with, like GMaps, Google+ or Google Books. There’s nothing else beyond that – after all, Galaxy Nexus is a ‘Google phone’ that is meant to provide a stock Android experience – the user is set free to mold the phone in accordance to his or hers liking.

The iPhone 4S is closely tied to iTunes ecosystem, and the desktop app is the central hub for syncing content wirelessly or via USB. Among pre-installed regulars like Google Maps, Safari web browser or music player, there’re also some new services from Apple including iCloud, iMessage and Siri.

As the name already implies, iCloud is cloud-based content management service that comes with free 5GB of virtual space for every iSO5 user. The service automatically backs-up and restores user content like contacts, photos, documents and apps, and thus is extremely useful if you own other iDevices with the same Apple ID. Another useful service is iMessage as it enables free instant messaging between iOS5 devices using Wi-Fi or 3G connection. Siri is the more novel feature that is sort of a personal digital assistant that can provide information (like current time, weather or maps directions), set up reminders, record notes (there’s a dictation feature) or play your favorite song on request. But whether Siri will become a serious asset to your mobile experience or ultimately end up as a gimmick – that will depend entirely on you. The built-in social networking integration in iOS5 is limited to Twitter only, so you’ll have to look into some 3rd party solutions for the complete set.

On Windows Phone, content is synced via USB or Wi-Fi connection using Microsoft’s Zune desktop software. Quite annoyingly, there’s no traditional mass storage mode, so transferring local files, such as photos or music, is a no-go without Zune. From notable pre-installed apps, there’s Nokia Maps & Nokia Drive to fill in your digital navigation needs, and XBox Live, that serves as the central hub for gaming on WP7 and syncs with your 360’s Avatar and Achievements.

Document viewing and editing is already built-in and handled by the free Office app. Thanks to SkyDrive integration, documents are also stored in the cloud (user gets 25GB of space for free) where they can be easily shared between the phone and computer. The email app is extremely straightforward to setup, and allows managing several inboxes from a single place. Built-on social networking features are also well covered, and you can setup Twitter, Facebook and Windows Live accounts that will automatically consolidate with your phonebook. While it might sound rather complicated, the execution as it turns out is pretty slick, but you do need to have use for social networks to really appreciate all those extra features.

From the perspective of built-in features, Nokia Lumia 800 with WP7 shows the strongest performance in this test – there’s barely any need for 3rd party apps to hit the ground running.

However, a developed ecosystem is important above and beyond, and this is where iOS5 on iPhone 4S shines with its cloud support that provides a truly engrossing experience.

Apps

A place where you can browse, buy and download third-party apps for your phone, the app store is an indispensable part of any working smartphone ecosystem. While the ecosystem is designed to keep you engrossed, it’s the constant supply of new apps that keeps the experience fresh and interesting.

Both the Android Market and Apple App Store excel with their incredibly rich libraries, and there’s very little sense in trying to highlight which one is the largest. Android Market has considerably more free apps to offer, while the App Store remains unbeaten in the number of quality gaming tittles, but even there Android is catching up fast.

Comparatively speaking, the most struggling here is Windows Marketplace. Apps and games are usually a great deal more expensive than on other platforms, and the selection, although improving at a steady pace, is nowhere near the app stores from Google or Apple. The importance of this might depend entirely on the user: if you plan on using just a select few 3rd party apps with your Nokia Lumia 800, then Windows Marketplace might even satisfy you completely.

A good idea would be to check the Marketplace website beforehand, to see what is actually there and what is missing. It could very well be that the particular app you know and love on another platform is also present on WP7. Or, at the very least, there’s a decent enough alternative available.

If you love exploring and trying new apps, then Android should be on top of your list. The redesigned Android Market provides a comprehensive overview of apps – new and old alike – and the background installs and updates on Galaxy Nexus happen so effortlessly it’s hard not to recommend Android over other platforms in this section.

Prices

When deciding smartphone to pick as your communications device for the next two years, the price is no minor consideration. , whether you get it for free with 24 monthly payments commitment, or shell out a hefty sum up-front. To help you decide – we checked the prices at which Nokia Lumia 800, Galaxy Nexus and iPhone 4S are available in U.K.

Operator prices in the table are in British Pounds, for the cheapest monthly plan on which you can get your smartphone for free, on 24 month contract. Unlocked prices are from Amazon UK.

Conclusions

As we mentioned early on, all three phones have something unique and worthwhile to offer. That, of course, only makes the final decision harder to make. But, if we absolutely had to pick an overall winner in this test, then it would be the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

The Google phone smashed its competition with a brilliant quality HD screen, impressed with the OS customization options and the vast amount of free apps in the Android Market. It was also the only phone that struck us with that old-school smartphone vibe that seems to be missing on other major platforms. At the same time, Apple iPhone 4S drew us in with its versatile 8 Mpix camera and very tight integration with other iDevices. And, finally, Nokia Lumia 800 won us over with its intuitive user interface, rich built-in features and attractive monoblock design.

It should be obvious by now that none of the phones are universally flawless, and careful deliberation of each platform’s weakness and strengths in the light of user’s priorities is required. Because it’s not just about the hardware that you buy – now the emphasis should be on the software and services that comes along with the phone.

If you already own a Mac, an iPad and watch your movies via Apple TV – the choice is obvious – the iPhone 4S. The new Apple phone will also be the best choice for those who like to explore an incredibly rich app ecosystem available for iOS devices, and who do not mind paying additional £100+ for the privilege.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the best choice if you like to tinker with your mobile device. Various launcher apps, third party firmware and tons of other customization options in an unfettered Google Experience device makes this phone a geek’s dream. It’s also for those who rely a lot on various Google cloud services. You simply won’t get a better integration of those features anywhere else. If you think that the bigger the display the better the device – Galaxy Nexus is also the best choice. But be warned – the screen real estate comes at a price. The Google flagship is huge, and one hand operation can be a challenge even for the biggest hands.

Nokia Lumia 800 is the best device if you are just moving into smartphones after dumping your good old feature phone, and wouldn’t mind saving £100 while still getting a first class smartphone experience. Windows Phone 7 OS is super simple to set up and use even if you are a complete newbie. It also has the best Facebook integration around. So, if you have a lot of FB friends, you won’t go wrong with new Lumia. The same for Microsoft Office and XBox integration.

Choosing which platform you will invest in – Android, iOS or Windows Phone – can have an enormous influence over what phones you will continue buying in the future. So it goes without saying – choose wisely – and, on top of all, enjoy!

• iPhone to get Google Maps with free navigation?
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs Nokia Lumia 800 vs iPhone 4S Comparison/Review. Part 1 – Hardware & Performance
• Nokia Lumia 710 – some thoughts and hands-on
• More info on iPhone 4.0 OS: multitasking via Expose-like interface
• Nokia S60 Devices to get touch interface next year

If you’re hunting for a Galaxy Nexus bargain though worry not for we have you covered. See, the superphone is now available (as in actually in stock) at Wirefly for a cool $229.99. That’s $70 less than what Big Red asks for it. It may not be the $149.99 that Amazon once wanted you to pay for the same device, but you simply can’t order one at Amazon right now.

Surely you’ve gathered that, like the majority of offers we post about, this price only applies to new two-year contracts. Still, if you’re willing to switch to Verizon for the Galaxy Nexus, head on over to Wirefly to order yours.

If you don’t enjoy the prospect of being tied up to Verizon for a couple of years, don’t mind losing LTE support, and can shell out more dough upfront, then perhaps you should get an unlocked unit. These should work both on AT&T and T-Mobile, HSPA+ support included.

The price? $689.99 right now. That’s down from $749.99 a few weeks ago. Interested? If so, make your way to Expansys to place an order.

Via Android Community and Phandroid

• Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus can be yours for just $154.99 at LetsTalk (and $149.99 at Amazon)
• Get Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus for just $99.99, Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX for $199.99
• Sprint Nexus S 4G now only $99.99 at Wirefly
• Verizon HTC Thunderbolt 4G now only $150 at Wirefly until April 18
• Verizon Motorola Droid X2 now just $59.99 with contract

In fact, on Saturday, December 24, and Sunday, December 25, a total of 3.7 million Android devices were activated. This information comes from Google’s Android boss himself, Andy Rubin, via a tweet.

It wasn’t long ago that the same man reported that Android activations had reached 700,000 per day. So it looks like over the holiday weekend, those numbers shot up to almost twice and half as much.

No matter how anti-Android you may be, these numbers are great. Of course we assume that the daily activations number for this week has gone back down to around 700K. And those 3 million+ new devices joining the Android world over the weekend won’t have a very big influence in the overall numbers for this year, but nevertheless this is quite the achievement.

And before iOS fans get angry, know that the numbers for Apple’s mobile operating system were very close to Android’s. Analytics firm Flurry reports that iOS and Android activations taken together were at a 6.8 million level on Christmas Day (December 25). Strangely though, Flurry doesn’t break down how many of those ran which OS. And since Andy Rubin gave us a ‘full weekend’ number, calculating exactly how many iOS devices were sold on Sunday, and how many Androids, is impossible.

Still, even if we assume that the majority of those 3.7 million Android activations happened on Sunday, it’s clear that iOS either saw more activations, or wasn’t far behind Android. But there really are just too many variables to estimate actual numbers.

After all, let’s not forget that these numbers include smartphones and tablets (in Google’s case), and smartphones, tablets, and the iPod touch (for Apple). That also means it’s impossible to draw any conclusions about how smartphone market share may have been impacted by the holiday sales.

But we do have some comparisons to make. For example, on Christmas day 2010, 2.8 million iOS+Android devices were activated. Which means this year’s number is 140% higher. Also, the average number of activations between December 1 and December 20 was 1.5 million. Compared to that, the Christmas Day number represents a 353% growth.

The conclusion here is clear: smartphones and tablets are increasingly being received as holiday gifts.

Oh, and in case you’ve been wondering, app downloads, on both iOS and Android, were also at an all-time high during the Christmas weekend. Not at all unexpectedly, we might add, since those newly activated devices need some apps on them, don’t they? 242 million downloads have happened on Christmas Day, again on iOS and Android combined. That’s 125% more than the average number of downloads in the December 1-20 period, which was 108 million.

From Christmas through New Year’s Day, Flurry expects app downloads to reach an amazing 1 billion.

• Google activated 250 million Androids so far, may have topped 1 million/day in the second half of Q4
• More than 300,000 Android phones activated each day, says Andy Rubin
• Google now activates 350,000 Android devices daily. 3 billion Android apps installed around the world
• Google activates 160,000 devices daily. Android 2.2 Froyo released to manufacturing partners
• Google activates 500,000 Androids per day now, on the way to 200+ million this year

So what if you want a Galaxy Nexus, don’t mind signing a contract, but want it cheaper? Well, Amazon is an option as we told you a few hours ago. But that’s not the cheapest you can get the new Google phone.

See, there’s a way to get the Samsung Galaxy Nexus from LetsTalk for just $154.99 if you’re a new customer, or $174.99 if you’re already with Verizon.

To get those prices, you need to first head over to LetsTalk’s Facebook page and hit the giant Like button. Then in the left sidebar, choose Verizon deals. This will expose a coupon code which will give you $75 off any Verizon phone at LetsTalk.

Now go to LetsTalk’s listing for the Galaxy Nexus, and add it to your cart. The usual price is $229.99, so don’t forget to add that coupon code. Once you’ve done that, you’ll see that you only need to pay $154.99 or $174.99, respectively.

It’s unclear how long this deal will last, so if you really want a Galaxy Nexus and want it cheap, you should probably act on it as soon as possible.

Update: Amazon has apparently heard about LetsTalk’s deal, since it decided to drop the price even more. The Galaxy Nexus is now $149.99 at Amazon for new Verizon customers, or $199.99 for those who upgrade. The device is backordered though.

Via BGR

• Verizon HTC Rezound discounted at Amazon again, now only $150 on contract
• Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus now just $229.99 at Wirefly, may not be in stock for long
• It finally happened. Samsung Galaxy Nexus now available on Verizon
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus extended battery discounted to $25 at Verizon
• Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus shows up at Best Buy, priced at $299

Aside from that, the mobile search results pages will also display movie posters, short summaries, ratings and of course, theaters and showtimes for movies that you’re searching for. Additionally, movie information is updated instantly, which means you no longer have to wait for the next search results page to load since this is done as you swipe through the movie posters.

Finally, you can learn more about a particular movie that interests you just by tapping on the movie title. This action will display movie details including casts and a full summary of the movie. The updated mobile search result pages will also let you view the official trailer when available. And if you see an underlined showtime, you can tap on it to buy tickets directly through your iPhone or Android devices.

The new feature of Google Mobile Search is currently available in US only. Google didn’t mention whether this feature will be also be rolled out in other countries.

• Google Search for mobile now brings you movie trailers
• Google optimizes search results pages for iPhone and Android
• Google Search for iPhone and Android enhanced with app search results
• New Google Image Search results available for Android, iPhone
• Voice-enabled Google Mobile app for iPhone now available

If you choose to get your Galaxy Nexus fix from Bell, you’ll have to pay $159.95 and sign a three-year contract. Virgin Mobile asks $159.99 for the smartphone, either on the SuperTab or with a three-year contract. The off-contract price is $649.99.

So now the Galaxy Nexus only has to finally arrive on Verizon in the US for its North American availability to increase even further. That may happen on December 13, but the truth is we hear so many different rumors about this that basically anything is possible. If you’re in the US though don’t forget that you can already purchase the Galaxy Nexus unlocked for use on AT&T or T-Mobile (albeit for an insane price).

• Samsung Galaxy Nexus launching one day earlier at Bell and Virgin Canada
• Canada: Samsung Galaxy Nexus officially arriving on December 8 (at Bell and Virgin Mobile)
• Leaked Verizon ad suggests the Samsung Galaxy Nexus could cost $199
• Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus shows up at Best Buy, priced at $299
• Canada: Samsung Galaxy Nexus arrives at Rogers and Fido on January 10 (Motorola RAZR too at Fido)

That’s if we believe the latest leak regarding the availability of Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus. This time, it’s a purported shot of Big Red’s Equipment Guide, to which the new ‘pure Google’ phone has been added. Have a look:

December 9 is in three short days. And it certainly looks like that’s when you’ll finally be able to pick up a Samsung Galaxy Nexus from Verizon. Especially because this isn’t the first, or the second time we’ve heard about this particular date.

All set then? Cash ready?

Via Droid Life

• Verizon Galaxy Nexus now rumored to arrive on December 15
• Newest Verizon launch dates rumor: Galaxy Nexus December 9, Droid 4 December 22, and more
• Verizon Galaxy Nexus (Prime) launching in December – Samsung confirms
• Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus “on track to launch this year”, simulator now available
• Verizon Galaxy Nexus available at Samsung NY store, you can’t buy it though

According to Cnet, Google declared that “Verizon asked us not to include this functionality in the product.” Most probably, this has something to do with the fact that Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile are working on their own mobile payment project called Isis – this should be a “nationwide mobile commerce network utilizing smartphone and near-field communication (NFC) technology.”

Computerworld also reports that Google has confirmed the absence of Wallet from Verizon’s new Nexus. The publication further notes that the handset would, instead, come with some of Verizon’s own apps. But Android Ice Cream Sandwich lest you disable these apps if you don’t want them, so that shouldn’t be a problem.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus might be released by Verizon on December 9 (yes, that’s this Friday), although nothing is certain at the moment. The new LTE smartphone should cost $299.99 with a 2-yr contract agreement.

• Verizon Galaxy Nexus software update coming soon to adjust signal strength indicator
• NFC-based Google mobile payment services coming this year?
• Verizon Galaxy Nexus (Prime) won’t have OEM customization
• Google now lets you register for Sprint’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus (not Droid Prime) with LTE shows up in Verizon’s system

Bell and Virgin will start selling the Galaxy Nexus on December 7 at their Yonge and Dundas locations in Toronto (starting 1 PM to be exact). Moreover, Best Buy Canada will also kick-off sales the same day, but only at their Bay and Dundas location (and, of course, only on Bell or Virgin contracts).

The Galaxy Nexus can be already ordered unlocked in Canada thanks to Expansys, but it’s really expensive: $830.

Meanwhile, if you’re in the US wondering when the heck the Galaxy Nexus will be officially released there: Verizon and Samsung have still not announced a launch date – although it could be December 9. We’ll obviously let you know when we hear anything official on this.

• Canada: Samsung Galaxy Nexus officially arriving on December 8 (at Bell and Virgin Mobile)
• Unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus can be ordered in Canada, should ship in a few days
• Verizon Galaxy Nexus (Prime) launching in December – Samsung confirms
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus now available in Canada at Bell and Virgin Mobile
• Leaked Verizon ad suggests the Samsung Galaxy Nexus could cost $199

The superphone is being offered for free on plans which cost £41 per month or more. For that minimum amount you’ll be getting 1,200 minutes, unlimited texts, and 750 MB of data each month. The cheapest plan with which you can get the Galaxy Nexus is £26 per month, and it gives you 100 minutes, 500 texts, and 250 MB of data, but choosing this plan requires you to pay £299 for the phone outright. The most expensive plan costs £56 per month and has 3,000 minutes, unlimited texts, and 1 GB of data included.

There are some other options as well, so make sure you think long and hard before choosing a plan which is adequate for you. When you’re ready to pick, head on over to Vodafone.

In other Galaxy Nexus related news, the 4G LTE version that’s headed to Verizon in the US just got yet another rumored release date. This time it comes courtesy of a leaked screenshot of a purported Best Buy inventory system which was obtained by Engadget.

As you can see, the image above indicates that the newest Nexus phone will arrive in that particular Best Buy’s inventory on December 11. Now that may not necessarily mean that it will be released on that day. In fact, it only makes it (quite) clear that the Galaxy Nexus won’t be out before December 11. And that’s in case the image isn’t a fake.

See, the Galaxy Nexus units may arrive on December 11, but that doesn’t mean the retailer can’t simply hold on to them for a week or so more without putting them on sale. Such a thing may not happen every day, but it’s not impossible.

So take this with a big old grain of salt, while you’re busy waiting for Verizon to announce something – anything – about the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

• HTC Desire S now available at Vodafone UK, free on contracts starting at £30 per month
• UK: Samsung Galaxy S II now available at Virgin Mobile, free from £40.85 per month
• Red HTC Desire S now exclusively available at Vodafone UK
• T-Mobile announces new plans and tethering, to become available on November 14
• HTC ChaCha now available from Vodafone UK

Yesterday we showed you leaked official press renders of the Galaxy Nexus for Verizon, complete with 4G LTE branding and sans Google’s name on the device, oddly. Now if you wanted to see how the Galaxy Nexus for Verizon would look in actual hands-on pictures, here you go:

But that’s not all. We even get a quick demo video showcasing this superphone bound to hit Big Red soon (while hopefully it’s still 2011). The two main differences between this and the internationally-sold HSPA version of the phone are clearly portrayed – the aforementioned branding switch, as well as the handset’s added thickness to accommodate for the 4G LTE radio and slightly bigger battery.

Now wipe your drool. And continue being patient, since that’s about the only thing you can do right now, until Verizon finally decides to launch this thing. That said, if you don’t care for LTE or Verizon, you could just get an HSPA Galaxy Nexus unlocked, but you’ll have to be able to afford it.

Via Phandroid

• Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus press shots leak, Bell contest lets you get one before it’s officially out
• Unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus now available in the US for $749.99
• Best Buy refers to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus as the Nexus Prime 4G LTE in flyer
• Wi-Fi-only Samsung Galaxy Tab and mystery Samsung GT-i9010 (Google Nexus Two/S?) hit the FCC
• Leaked Verizon ad suggests the Samsung Galaxy Nexus could cost $199

That said, if you’re in Canada, at least you know when your countdown to the Galaxy Nexus will end. December 8 is when both Bell and Virgin Mobile will launch the new Google phone, and we’ve known that for quite a while now.

So to make the wait easier, Bell has decided to throw a Twitter-based contest starting tomorrow, December 1. What’s in it for you? The ability to receive your purchased Galaxy Nexus before December 8, when the official launch happens. In other words, you can be one of the first 100 people in Canada to get their new Nexus.

What you have to do is very simple. Just go to this website starting tomorrow at 10 am EST (7 am PST), sign in with Twitter, and send the pre-populated tweet. As Bell says that this is a virtual lining up of sorts, you’ll need to keep going back to Bell’s special website every hour until 10 pm EST (7 pm PST), and send a new tweet every time. If you forget to tweet, you’ll be bumped to the end of the line. If you finish within the first hundred people, you’re guaranteed to get the Samsung Galaxy Nexus before December 8 (though Bell didn’t say exactly when).

Now if you’re in the US, unfortunately we still don’t have an official release date for you, but we have the official press shots for Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus. Just so you can drool some more while you wait for it to become available.

As you can see, the Google branding on the back has been inexplicably removed (after all, this is a Google Nexus device, right?) and replaced with Verizon’s logo and that 4G LTE branding. Having that, Samsung, and Google all on the same back side of the phone would probably have cluttered things a lot, but it still is odd to see a Google Nexus device without the Google brand. Maybe this is the start of a new trend, who knows.

The images come from a Verizon XML file, so they are clearly legit. The back cover is slightly darker than that found in the GSM/HSPA version of the phone, but it still looks alike enough for you to not be able to tell the difference unless you have both handsets.

Hopefully Verizon will finally announce this thing’s release date soon.

Via Android Forums Via Droid Life

• Samsung Galaxy Nexus launching one day earlier at Bell and Virgin Canada
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to ship in the UK this week, in early December in Canada
• Canada: Samsung Galaxy Nexus officially arriving on December 8 (at Bell and Virgin Mobile)
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be launched by Telstra tomorrow. Rogers opens up online reservations for the handset in Canada
• Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus “on track to launch this year”, simulator now available

But if you aren’t on Verizon or don’t want to be, and if HSPA+ speeds are good enough for you, here’s some good news. You can now purchase an unlocked Galaxy Nexus from Expansys, and you’ll be able to use it on either AT&T or T-Mobile – with full ’4G’ HSPA+ speeds possible on both carriers thanks to the pentaband HSPA radio found inside the Galaxy Nexus.

Really the only caveat here is the price. Expansys would like you to shell out no less than $749.99 for the privilege of being among the first people in America to own a Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Sure, you won’t be forced to stay with a particular carrier for two years, as there will be no contract signing here. But still, that price point is a bit steep, and we’re hoping it will go down in the coming months.

That said, if you absolutely must have a Galaxy Nexus right now, you’ve probably already gone to Expansys and ordered yours.

• Unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus can be ordered in Canada, should ship in a few days
• Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus now just $229.99 at Wirefly, may not be in stock for long
• Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus can be yours for just $154.99 at LetsTalk (and $149.99 at Amazon)
• AT&T-compatible Nokia Lumia 800 now available in the US unlocked for $789.99
• Telus to launch the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on Friday for $99.99 with contract, Galaxy Note coming soon

Specs wise, the Galaxy Nexus spots a 4.65 HD display, 1 GB of RAM, a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, 16 GB or 32 GB of internal storage, HSPA+ and LTE support, and Android 4.0.

Best Buy spends tons of money to promote their smartphones, but in this ad they have either gotten the name incorrect and have done a poor job of advertising, or the name has changed and we didn’t know it yet. We still do not have a set release date from Verizon even after a month has already passed since the phone has been initially revealed and has been available in Europe for a couple of days now. We will keep you updated on the stats of the Galaxy Nexus.

AndroidForums

• GSM Samsung Google Nexus Prime GT-I9250 hits the FCC. Headed to Europe?
• Leaked Verizon ad suggests the Samsung Galaxy Nexus could cost $199
• Verizon to launch the Samsung Droid Prime with Android Ice Cream Sandwich in October
• Verizon Galaxy Nexus (Prime) won’t have OEM customization
• Verizon Galaxy Nexus (Droid Prime) and HTC Rezound (Vigor) launch pegged for Nov. 10th. Price- $299

Both Bell and Virgin Mobile will offer the Galaxy Nexus for $159 with a new 3-yr contract agreement. As of today, you can pre-order the handset here at Bell, or here at Virgin.

December 8 is also the latest rumored launch date for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in the US, where Verizon will be the first to have it.

Customers in the UK can already buy the Galaxy Nexus, and it looks like those in Australia should be able to do it, too, starting later this week.

Via Mobile Syrup

• Samsung Galaxy Nexus pre-orders to start on November 21 in Canada
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus launching one day earlier at Bell and Virgin Canada
• Verizon Galaxy Nexus (Prime) launching in December – Samsung confirms
• Verizon Galaxy Nexus now rumored to arrive on December 15
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be launched by Telstra tomorrow. Rogers opens up online reservations for the handset in Canada

As you’ve probably already heard, Verizon will be the first US carrier to sell the Galaxy Nexus. And today it’s the first time we’re seeing a Verizon-branded Galaxy Nexus, thanks to a Getting Started video posted by Google on YouTube. Unsurprisingly, a 4G LTE logo is also visible on the back of the device.

Unfortunately, the video still doesn’t provide any hints on when we should expect Verizon’s new Nexus to be released. We’ve heard it might happen on November 21 (the same day the handset will be available for pre-order in Canada), but we’ve also heard that Verizon may have delayed the launch until December. We’ll obviously let you know when official details on this are unveiled.

• Verizon Galaxy Nexus now rumored to arrive on December 15
• Verizon to launch the Galaxy Nexus only at the end of the month?
• New Verizon roadmap suggests the Galaxy Nexus will be out on Nov. 21, Motorola Xoom 2 on Nov. 30
• Verizon stores start receiving Samsung Galaxy Nexus accessories
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to ship in the UK this week, in early December in Canada

First of all, Google Music still lets you upload 20,000 songs to ‘the cloud’ for free. That price point is here to stay, according to Google. Just like before, you can stream or download those songs to your computers or phones. The Google Music Android app has gotten an Ice Cream Sandwich-inspired refresh (which was leaked last month) and is now available in its new form on the Android Market.

The biggest announcement today was that the Android Market has now received a Music store as well. This is only available for those of you in the US – in fact everything that’s been announced or discussed today is sadly US-only.

The music store launches with 8 million tracks ready to be listened to, and that number will quickly grow to 13 million in the near future. Of the ‘big four’ music labels, EMI and Universal are on board, while Warner and Sony aren’t. That may of course change in the future. The songs all come in 320 kbps MP3 form, which is higher quality than what you usually see in digital content stores.

The new Music store allows you to preview songs. And once you buy a song or album, you can share it with your friends on Google+. If you share it with people you have circled, they’ll be able to listen to the full track (or even full album) once for free. That’s something quite cool – too bad it’s yet again limited to US folk. Apparently international users of Google+ (or those who the sharer of the music hasn’t circled) will only get a quick preview of the song or album being shared. In Google+, you can seamlessly start playback straight from the shared item in your timeline.

When you buy a song from the store, it’s automatically added to your Google Music library and instantly shows up on all Google Music interfaces (Web, mobile app, and so on), ready for immediate playback.

T-Mobile is on board with Google Music too, and soon it will allow you to purchase songs and have the cost show up on your phone bill, thus negating the need for using a credit card.

A few artists (The Rolling Stones, Shakira, Busta Rhymes, Coldplay, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, and Tiësto) are offering exclusive content for Google Music.

The Music store is now live at market.android.com and will be rolled into the Android Market on your Android 2.2+ phone in the next few days.

Via Google and VzBuzz

• Nokia Music Store launched in Poland
• Apple finally offers DRM-free song downloads for iPhone 3G over 3G
• Amazon announces availability of over 6 million DRM-free songs for Android-powered T-Mobile G1
• Google Music Beta now available on iOS via Web app
• AT&T intros new music service for $6.99 per month

Here we are almost one month after the phone’s initial announcement, and in the week when it will become available in the UK, and Verizon (which at one time was thought to be the exclusive carrier for the Galaxy Nexus in the US) still hasn’t said anything about the superphone’s release date. Sure, we had a leak recently which claimed that the Galaxy Nexus would launch at Big Red on November 21 (so one week from today), but nothing official nonetheless.

And now a new rumor is making the rounds on the Internet which says that Verizon has in fact delayed the launch until December. The reasoning has to do with the fact that the carrier thinks that the Galaxy Nexus still needs to be tested. Some bugs were found, apparently, and while they aren’t showstoppers, Verizon would like them to be ironed out before the Galaxy Nexus launches.

At least that’s what Droid Life has heard, via famed Verizon insider @p3droid. They seem to be pretty sure of this information, but without any confirmation from different sources we can only label this a rumor. And hope that it will turn out to have been just that, and not a description of reality. However, if the latter is the case, then you US folk still have some waiting to do until you can get your mitts on a Galaxy Nexus. It’s interesting to note that regardless of whether the phone will launch on Verizon on November 21 or in December, this will be the first Nexus device to be available internationally before the US. A new trend, perhaps?

• Verizon to launch the Galaxy Nexus only at the end of the month?
• Unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus delayed in the UK ’till next week
• Newest Verizon launch dates rumor: Galaxy Nexus December 9, Droid 4 December 22, and more
• New Verizon roadmap suggests the Galaxy Nexus will be out on Nov. 21, Motorola Xoom 2 on Nov. 30
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus could be launched by Verizon on December 8

The contest started today (November 12) on Twitter, and asks participants to solve different puzzles, photo challenges, or essay questions, and reply for submitting solutions.

Interested? Visit the Google Nexus Twitter page right now, and don’t forget to read the contest rules (PDF file) before entering. According to the rules, “seven winning entries will receive a Galaxy Nexus phone.”

The contest ends on November 21, which might mean this is indeed the day when the Galaxy Nexus will be released in the US by Verizon – although not just US citizens can participate, but also those from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. A lot of potential winners, isn’t it? Well, good luck to everyone.

• Verizon gives away 16 Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphones on Twitter
• Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus press shots leak, Bell contest lets you get one before it’s officially out
• Nokia lets you win 5 Lumia 710 Windows Phones on Facebook
• Google shows off Verizon branded Galaxy Nexus on video
• Nokia gives away 5 Lumia 800 phones on Facebook

Specs wise. the Galaxy Nexus spots a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display with 1280 x 720 resolution, a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, a 5 megapixel camera in the rear with LED Flash, zero shutter lag, and 1080p HD recording, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, Bluetooth 3.0, 32GB of internal storage, NFC Support, Android ICS and USB 2.0. The Verizon version will most likely feature support for LTE.

If this leak is true, it will go against a claim made by Samsung that Europe would get first dibs at the Galaxy Nexus. That would be nice if the US wouldn’t have to wait to get at the Galaxy Nexus like we had to for the Galaxy S II. We will keep you updated on the status of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus.

Android Central

• Samsung Galaxy Nexus now official with Android 4.0 and 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to be released in Japan on NTT DoCoMo December 2nd
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus possibly headed not just to Verizon, but also to AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to bring Android ICS to India this year?
• T-Mobile adds Huawei Springboard with Google and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to tablet lineup

According to Sammy Hub, an official from Samsung India declared that the new smartphone’s “tentative launch will be this year and not next.” Of course, that’s not enough to make us certain that the Galaxy Nexus will be available to Indian customers before the end of the year, but it’s good new nevertheless.

Announced last month as the world’s first Android Ice Cream Sandwich device, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus (initially known as Google Nexus Prime) features a 4.65 inch HD (1280 x 720) Super AMOLED display, 4G (either LTE, or HSPA+), 1.2GHz dual-core processor, barometer, 5MP rear camera with zero shutter lag, 1080p video recording, 1.3MP front-facing camera, and 16GB / 32GB of internal memory.

• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to be launched in India only in March?
• Samsung Omnia W, Galaxy Y and Wave 3 announced in India
• Is this the real Google Nexus Prime with Android Ice Cream Sandwich?
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus shows up at Vodafone UK’s website
• Google now lets you register for Sprint’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus

The app features an interface optimized for iOS, push notifications, comprehensive search across the whole inbox, threaded conversations, one-click photo uploads, and split view (only on the iPad).

Unfortunately, mere hours after its launch via iTunes, the Gmail iOS app has been removed by Google because “it contained a bug which broke notifications and caused users to see an error message when first opening the app.” Google is currently working to fix the problem and re-release the app. Meanwhile, “everyone who’s already installed the app can continue to use it.”

When the bug is fixed and the Gmail app is again available in the App Store here, it will be compatible only with devices running iOS 4+.

Via Google Mobile Blog

• Apple’s iOS 5 is now available to download
• Google+ app now available for iPhone users
• Gmail and Google Calendar for iPhone and Android updated
• Google Sync now has push Gmail support for iPhone, Windows Mobile
• iOS Gmail App coming soon

Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy Nexus for Verizon (model number SCH-i515) looks just like the one seen when Google has officially announced the handset. What’s of interest is that there’s no Verizon logo on the front of the SCH-i515 and, according to Droid-life, neither on its back. But maybe that shouldn’t come as a surprise, since neither of the older Nexus phones had carrier logos on them.

If previous rumors are to be believed, Verizon should launch the Galaxy Nexus on November 10 – thus after the Droid RAZR, but probably ahead of the HTC Rezound. We’ll let you know when we have new info on this.

• Verizon Galaxy Nexus (Droid Prime) and HTC Rezound (Vigor) launch pegged for Nov. 10th. Price- $299
• Verizon HTC Rezound discounted at Amazon again, now only $150 on contract
• Verizon stores start receiving Samsung Galaxy Nexus accessories
• Galaxy Nexus making its way to Verizon stores? WSJ says it’ll cost $299 on contract
• New Verizon roadmap suggests the Galaxy Nexus will be out on Nov. 21, Motorola Xoom 2 on Nov. 30

That changes now, since Samsung has thankfully decided to put an end to all the speculation and officially announce that the Galaxy Nexus will become available in Europe (and, specifically, the UK) starting on November 17. Amazon UK has updated its product listing for the Galaxy Nexus to show just that.

So mark that date in your calendar. In case you were wondering, November 17 is exactly three weeks from now. We know waiting will be tough, but hey, it’s just three weeks. After which you’ll be able to play with Google’s latest pure Android smartphone.

No word yet on when Verizon plans on launching the Galaxy Nexus. Hopefully it will decide to release the phone sooner than it’s going to go on sale elsewhere in the world, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Via Droid Life

• Verizon to launch the Galaxy Nexus only at the end of the month?
• Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus launches on December 9, Equipment Guide confirms
• Leaked Verizon ad suggests the Samsung Galaxy Nexus could cost $199
• Rumor: Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus delayed until December
• Verizon stores start receiving Samsung Galaxy Nexus accessories

Still, for the past week there was hope. But today all of that is gone. The Google Nexus One will not be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Not officially, at least, since you know that there will be plenty of ICS-based custom ROMs for the device.

The information comes from Google’s Director of Android Product Management, Hugo Barra. He told the Telegraph that the Nexus One’s hardware is simply too old to run the new OS version.

We’ve thought about this long and hard, and there is only one possible culprit here – the low internal storage space. Because, while the Nexus One may have a first-gen (read:old) Qulacomm Snapdragon processor, that’s still clocked at 1 GHz, just like the one in the Nexus S, so it can’t be that much worse. The RAM amount is the same in both the Nexus One and Nexus S, and that’s pretty much all the hardware that actually matters in these cases.

We have a feeling that many Nexus One owners won’t like this at all, and for good reason. They were promised timely updates to future versions of the OS, and so far they got two. Which seems like a pretty low number. Also considering that the Nexus One isn’t even two years old at this point… people are bound to get upset. Unfortunately though, it’s not clear if they’ll have any other solution to this than either getting a new phone (and, obviously, Google would very much like that to be the new Galaxy Nexus), or running a custom ROM.

We’re still hoping that Mr. Barra was mistaken or misquoted, but to be honest the chances for either of those things having happened are pretty slim.

This begs the question – when will the Nexus S be cut off, update-wise? One may also wonder how Apple is able to update the iPhone 3GS, which is two and a half years old at this point, and has a measly 600 MHz processor, to iOS 5, whereas Google can’t pull off an update for the Nexus One which has a 1 GHz processor.

Anyway, the good news is that Mr. Barra has reiterated that the Nexus S will get updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich a few weeks after the Samsung Galaxy Nexus starts shipping. And apparently that means that Nexus S owners will definitely get the update before the end of this year.

• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich coming to the Nexus S and Droid RAZR, HTC still thinking about updates
• Google Nexus One Gingerbread update coming OTA in a few weeks
• Android 4 ICS updates coming to Samsung Galaxy S2 and Note from March 1st
• Samsung Galaxy S i9000 and Galaxy Tab P1000 won’t get Android Ice Cream Sandwich because of hardware limitations
• Samsung UK confirms Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Galaxy S II

According to Amazon UK, the new Galaxy will be shipped on November 10. The retailer is currently asking £549.99 (€630) for the smartphone – a bit more than the unlocked price available via other retailers like Clove (£514.80).

Anyway, you can go here at Amazon UK if you want to order the Galaxy Nexus right away.

Developed by Samsung and Google, the Galaxy Nexus is the world’s first device to come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It’s also among the first smartphones to sport an HD display (Super AMOLED, 4.65 inches, 1280 x 720 pixels). Other features: LTE or HSPA+, NFC, barometer, 5MP camera with zero shutter lag and 1080p video recording, and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor.

Via Phandroid

• Samsung Galaxy Nexus possibly headed not just to Verizon, but also to AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus shows up at Vodafone UK’s website
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to bring Android ICS to India this year?
• White Samsung Galaxy Nexus gets official, should be out next month
• It finally happened. Samsung Galaxy Nexus now available on Verizon

So we’ve pretty much known the phone’s pricing in the UK. One other thing hasn’t been as clear, though – when it will hit the streets. Until now, that is. Thanks to well known retailer Phones 4U, which is offering the Galaxy Nexus with a myriad of Orange contracts, we now know that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is due to start shipping in the UK on November 16.

So there you have it. If you pre-order a Galaxy Nexus now, you’ll probably receive it in about three weeks. Hence you’ll still have some waiting to do. Then again, three weeks isn’t very much. And you’ll have something to brag about to your friends and family over the holidays. Priceless, no?

• UK: White Samsung Galaxy Nexus now on pre-order on contract, free from £30.64 per month
• Unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus launched in the UK. Already out of stock
• HTC Sensation will be available on O2 and Orange in the UK on July 8
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus pre-orders start in the US, priced from $399.99
• Samsung Galaxy S Advance pre-orders start in the UK for £349.95

So the good news is that the new Nexus phone, complete with 4G LTE connectivity, is going to be sold by Verizon. That said, it remains to be seen whether the carrier will go ‘all in’ marketing-wise for the new Google phone, or if it will prefer Motorola’s Droid RAZR as its flagship Android smartphone for the holidays (which ironically can also be called a Google phone to some extent since Google acquired Motorola). The fact that the Galaxy Nexus wasn’t announced in the US (as initially planned) and that Verizon wasn’t at the launch (or even mentioned by Google then) does suggest the latter.

One way or the other, if your carrier of choice is Verizon and you’re craving a Galaxy Nexus, you just have to be patient and your wishes will come true.

In other Galaxy Nexus-related news, Sprint may launch the device too. A couple of days ago we were a bit baffled by the fact that on Samsung’s official registration page for the Galaxy Nexus, you had to pick your ‘carrier preference’, which listed all the ‘big four’, alongside smaller carriers too. While that was in no way a definite indication that the Galaxy Nexus might make it to carriers other than Verizon, it still was a bit odd.

And so is what you see in the image above. This was sent to BriefMobile, and as you can see it’s a packing list for Nexus Prime posters. Now before you shout Galaxy Nexus back at us, know that Nexus Prime was the phone’s codename, according to a Samsung developer who worked with the device. So all those times we heard it was going to launch being called Nexus Prime were just times when we actually heard its codename.

First things first. The packing list may be fake. Something like that would definitely not be hard to make. Even if it is real, it’s only about posters, not actual products. For all we know, those posters may contain a message such as “Want a Galaxy Nexus? We have better options for you” or something like that aimed at the competition (cough, Verizon, cough).

Still, we’d like to consider that there’s now at least a 1% chance that the Galaxy Nexus will make it to the Now Network. One can hope.

• GSM Samsung Google Nexus Prime GT-I9250 hits the FCC. Headed to Europe?
• Verizon Galaxy Nexus (Prime) won’t have OEM customization
• Google Nexus Prime and Samsung Galaxy S II LTE announced by NTT DoCoMo in Japan
• Verizon may release the Samsung Prime on October 27
• Rumor: Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus delayed until December

The Galaxy Nexus webpage found at Samsung USA includes a “carrier preference” drop-down menu, which shows not just the big four US carriers – Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile – but also smaller ones like US Cellular, MetroPCS and Cellular South. Of course, this is by no means a confirmation that Google’s first Android Ice Cream Sandwich device will be released by all these operators – but it’s a strong sign that Verizon won’t be the only one to offer it Stateside.

The new Samsung Galaxy Nexus features a large 4.6 inch Super AMOLED display with 1280 x 720 pixels, LTE or HSPA+, NFC, barometer sensor, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 5MP rear camera with zero shutter lag and 1080p video recording, 1.3MP front-facing camera, and 16GB / 32GB of internal memory.

• Samsung Galaxy S II one step closer to a US launch, sign up page goes live
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus shows up at Vodafone UK’s website
• Google now lets you register for Sprint’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus now official with Android 4.0 and 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display
• 1 million Samsung Galaxy S Android smartphones sold in the US

We all heard about the biggest threat to Google’s mobile OS – patent issues. We took a close look at them on Tuesday, and I won’t go into that again. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich launch event in Hong Kong brought enough signs of Android troubles in addition to patent stuff.

Stalled growth, possible problems with Verizon in the U.S., worsening vendor attitude towards Google and its loss of leverage with OEMs– all signs point to a very challenging 2012 for Android.

Android growth is now stalled at 550K activations a day for 3 months, and there’s something strange about it

Something strange has happened to Android growth in the past three months. During Q2, 2011 earnings conference call on July 14th, Google announced that they are activating 550K Android devices a day. And that they now have a total of 135 million Android devices activated since launch.

On Tuesady, while announcing Android 4.0, Google revealed that 550K daily activations number remains the same.

Which is pretty strange, because just last week, during Q3 earnings conference call, Larry Page told us that there are now a total of 190 million Android devices activated since launch. It means that during the last three months Google has activated 55 million Android devices. The problem is, that at a rate of 550K activations a day – Google could have activated only 50.6 million devices during the last 92 days. It’s a simple math – and it shows us that there is a discrepancy of at least 4.4 million units between what Larry Page told us last week, and what we learned today.

The only explanation I can think of – is that there was a pretty big daily activations spike sometime between July and October. Big enough to account for additional 4 million+ new Android devices. But then it leveled off, and activations dropped again to the July levels. After uninterrupted almost 2 year growth, such fluctuations look rather worrying and raise the question of how much more growth is there for Android.

Of course, we do have a Holiday Season coming up, and new exciting Android devices are launching as we speak. But will they be enough to boost Google’s mobile OS growth to the levels we are used to?

Did Verizon f&#%k up U.S. Nexus/ICS launch plans?

Verizon has long been Google’s main carrier partner in the U.S. It was the key to jumpstarting Android growth in late 2009 with the launch of Verizon Droid, it was a the key launch partner for Android 2.2 Froyo in summer of 2010, and it was the biggest backer of Google’s OS in U.S.

The rumor drumbeat leading to the Ice Cream Sandwich launch was well in line with Verizon’s role. It became clear during the summer that Samsung is making the next Nexus device. Then, in late August, we learned that Verizon decided pass on the new hot Samsung’s flagship – Galaxy S2. Soon after that we heard the name Droid Prime or Nexus Prime bandied about, as a hot new Google Experience device on Verizon. And that Droid Prime will be exclusive to Verizon in U.S. for a few months. The reasons for forgoing Galaxy S2 in favor of Samsung made Droid Nexus Prime were obvious. Then came the invitations to a joint Google Samsung event on Oct. 11th – during CTIA trade show in San Diego.

Stars were aligning perfectly for the exclusive next generation Android flagship launch on Verizon , along the lines of the original Android 2.0 Verizon Droid event.

And then something happened. 4 days before October 11th Samsung and Google cancelled Ice Cream Sandwich launch event. Giving a line about respect for Steve Jobs as a reason.

By Oct. 11th – 6 days would have passed since Steve Jobs death. On the very next day – Oct. 12th – Apple themselves were having the biggest iOS 5 launch in history and they had no plans of postponing anything out of respect for Steve. Heck, Apple execs didn’t even postpone iPhone 4S announcement, which happened just a day before Steve passed away, and they knew about Steve’s situation perfectly well.

And here we have two Apple’s competitors cancelling a major U.S. product launch. During the biggest U.S. mobile industry event in 6 months. Just 4 days before it happened, and when the invited press corps have already made all their travel plans. Out of respect for Steve? It sounds much more like a convenient and rather cynical excuse then the real reason for the ICS launch cancellation.

I think that the real reason why Samsung and Google didn’t launch Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich at CTIA San Diego, was because something happened between them and their main carrier launch partner – Verizon. Most likely – Verizon changed their mind about the support and promotion it was going to give Nexus Prime, by deciding to make Motorola’s Droid RAZR their flagship device for 2011 Holiday Season. And without a major U.S. carrier partner – the CTIA announcement fell through.

Thus two separate major Android device launches on Oct. 18th (Droid RAZR and Galaxy Nexus). Thus Google and Samsung screwing Verizon back, taking attention away from VZWs main device launch of the year with their own Android 4 ICS announcement. Thus Google and Samsung moving their launch event to Hong Kong, to get some additional media exposure from Wall Street Journal’s AsiaD conference. Thus the outright refusal by Google execs to name Verizon as a U.S. carrier for Galaxy Nexus. And thus the multiple carrier availability and no Verizon exclusivity signs on an official Samsung U.S Galaxy Nexus info sign-up page.

Cooling of Google/Android OEM relationships. The other reason to buy Motorola?

A lot of mobile handset vendors still strongly support Google’s mobile OS, and ship Android smartphones in mind boggling volumes. But since last spring/summer, when Google delayed or even interrupted major device launches for Motorola and Samsung over its own mistake and a purely internal Skyhook matter, OEMs have become much more circumspect about Google.

This change in attitude is best seen in the Nexus program. According to Google’s execs – Nexus is supposed to be a showcase, a reference design pushing the smartphone innovation limits. But the only time they were able to do that, was with the very first Nexus One.

After that, HTC lost any interest to build other Nexus Phones, focusing on the development of its own Sense UX instead. Most other vendors do not seem to care much about Nexus either. And Samsung, who now has 2 Nexus devices in its portfolio, only provides a ho-hum oldish hardware. The first Samsung Nexus S was a bit souped up Galaxy S device, and the new Galaxy Nexus is more or less the same Galaxy S2 LTE with a better display. Samsung prefers to save the best of its hardware innovations for its own Galaxy S line.

Google has also lost the leverage it had over OEMs by providing some of them with the early access to the next version of Android code. It used to be a very big deal and huge competitive advantage.

HTC’s early access to Éclair code allowed them to beat competitors by months with first Android 2.1 super phones. And sell millions of them before others were able to catch up. But the early access to Android Froyo or Gingerbread proved to be much less beneficial. Then Honeycomb flopped. And big vendor interest in early code access evaporated. We’ll have to wait and see what Samsung will be able to do with the Ice Cream Sandwich, but current reaction from other Android manufacturers indicates that they are not too worried about it. Android 2.3 Gingerbread interface is good enough for a few months delay it’ll take to upgrade to ICS.

And Google isn’t the only game in time for smartphone vendors, like it was in 2009/2010. Back then – if you wanted to have anything remotely competitive with iPhone, the only thing you could use was Android 2.x. Today smart device vendors can chose between Windows Phone Mango, Ice Cream Sandwich and heavily customized Android 2.3 Gingerbread. What’s more, as Amazon just showed us – Android 2.x is an open source platform that can be forked with a heavily customized user experience. While smartphone vendors like HTC already have their own Android interfaces that may be more important to the end user then the OS version underneath.

What is happening now – is that Google’s early strategy to play Android vendors off each other by providing early access to Android code, and wielding pressure over OEMs by withholding new device certification, is rapidly eroding. Soon, Android OS may reach a level of maturity where any big OEM will be free to do with it as he pleases, paying little attention to what Google wants.

And that, in addition to the patent problems, might have been the other big reason for Google Motorola deal. If Google only makes good software, which somehow conflicts with some interests of Android OEMs, e.g. – if HTC decides that it does not care much for Android 5.0 and decides to develop Sense UI on Android 4.x in some other direction – there may be very little Google can do to make them see the way.

But if Google owns its own Android OEM, and can put great devices with their great software to directly compete with vendor whims – HTC, Samsung and others will have to take notice, and Android will move in the direction Google wants it to.

Google’s troubles with Android. A blip or a start of a bigger trend?

All the signs I mentioned above – stalled growth, Verizon thing, troubles with Android vendors – taken separately, do not mean much.

Last year, after a huge spring/summer spurt, Android growth also leveled off before holiday season. Verizon thing can be just my imagination, or a conscious decision by Google to form closer relationships with other U.S. carriers. Android OEMs may be just hedging their bets some, but still in love with Android. And the patent threat may get resolved somehow in the near future.

But taken as whole, they look to me like a start of a new trend. The heady days of unabated Android growth are coming to an end. There might be one more Holiday Season daily activations jump left for it, but that’s about it.

If patent infringement lawsuits do not kill or seriously cripple it, Android is certainly not going away. It is already a hugely successful mobile platform, and will continue to do do great. But sooner or later this exponential growth we so got used to had to come to an end. And that time is either upon us already, or will be here very soon.

• Google moves Nexus Prime launch to October 19. Says it activated 55 million Android devices in Q3
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Nexus Prime) unveiling and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich launch delayed
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus (not Droid Prime) with LTE shows up in Verizon’s system
• Oct. 27th European Samsung Galaxy Nexus launch to crash Nokia World party again?
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus heading to Verizon according to promo video?

Clove is currently accepting pre-orders for the Galaxy Nexus, and asks £514.80 (about €588 or $814) for the unlocked 16GB version. Yes, that is a high price, but let’s keep in mind that this is likely the best Android handset ever (until something newer and betters shows up, of course).

Phones 4U, another British retailer, lets you choose the Galaxy Nexus with various contracts – the handset will be free on plans starting at £46 per month.

O2, Vodafone and Three have confirmed that they would offer the Galaxy Nexus in the UK. For now, only Three has added the smartphone to its website (here), and has also published a quick video preview of it:

Via SoMobile

• UK: White Samsung Galaxy Nexus now on pre-order on contract, free from £30.64 per month
• Samsung Galaxy S II i9100 shows up at O2 UK’s website
• Pink Samsung Galaxy S II can be pre-ordered now in the UK
• BlackBerry Bold 9790 up for pre-order in the UK, will be available on January 20
• White LG Optimus Black available for pre-order in the UK

While the Galaxy Nexus will be the first device to the market running the newest version of Android, we were obviously wondering what will happen with other smartphones – will the get updated to ICS, or not?

It will take a while until we hear from all manufacturers on the issue, but we have a nice start now. Google has announced that the Samsung Nexus S, the predecessor to the Galaxy Nexus and the company’s previous ‘pure Android’ Nexus device, will be receiving an update to ICS about a couple of weeks after the Galaxy Nexus starts shipping.

Since we have a time frame of ‘November’ for that to happen, this means that, worst case scenario, the ICS update for the Nexus S will arrive mid-December. That’s still a couple of months off, but it’s almost certain that the Nexus S will become the second phone to run Android ICS, so for Nexus S owners, this is good news of course.

However, those of you who have a Nexus One may not be as happy. Google hasn’t said anything definitive about whether the Nexus One will get ICS, which means that it probably won’t. That would make the Nexus One the first Nexus device not to be supported with software updates after a point (about 18 months after its release). This may signify a new trend at Google, or it may just be that the Nexus One simply doesn’t have the hardware prowess needed to run ICS. We’ll see.

Hours before the Galaxy Nexus and ICS were unveiled, Motorola and Verizon announced the Droid RAZR. That superphone will launch running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but, according to Motorola itself, it will be updated to ICS. The update will come at the beginning of 2012, which isn’t a very specific timeline, but we’ll take it for now. So the point here is that if you want to buy a new high-end Android smartphone and simply can’t wait a few months for it to run ICS, you should get the Galaxy Nexus (which is coming to Verizon soon). If, however, you like the Droid RAZR more, and don’t mind waiting a bit for its software to be up to date, then by all means, get that.

If you own an HTC smartphone, there’s some update-related news for you too. The Taiwanese company has said the following:

“We are excited about the latest update for Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, and are currently reviewing its features and functionality to determine our upgrade plans. Our goal for Android updates is to give every customer an improved user experience, which means balancing each phone’s unique hardware, HTC Sense experience and the Android kernel. While our goal is to upgrade as many of our recent devices as possible, we are committed to maintaining every phone’s performance and usability first. Please stay tuned for more updates on specific device upgrade plans.”

Translated, that means that it’s safe to assume that not all HTC devices currently on Gingerbread will be updated to ICS. Some of them obviously will, but you probably shouldn’t count on the lower-end hardware or memory-constrained devices to be sporting ICS (officially, at least) any time soon. That’s probably what all Android phone makers will say. When we hear something more concrete from HTC or any other company, we’ll let you know.

Via Engadget (1,2) and Pocket-lint

• Google Nexus One won’t get Ice Cream Sandwich update
• Samsung Galaxy S i9000 and Galaxy Tab P1000 won’t get Android Ice Cream Sandwich because of hardware limitations
• Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus to cost $289 at Costco?
• New Android phones from HTC, Samsung, LG, Motorola and Sony Ericsson will get software upgrades for 18 months after launch
• Android Ice Cream Sandwich for Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note coming in Q1 2012

As many have anticipated, Android ICS 4.0 is sort of a big deal. Its look has been refined, starting with the lock screen (which can now take you directly to the camera app, or to the notification window) and finishing with Roboto – a brand new typeface that’s built from scratch for high-def displays to provide a “total makeover of the OS.”

Here’s a list of Android Ice Cream Sandwich novelties:

• three virtual buttons – Back, Home, and Recent Apps – grouped in the new System Bar, which is present across all applications, although it can disappear to allow full screen view (in videos for example). So new ICS devices – like the Google Galaxy Nexus – don’t need hardware buttons (I’m not sure if this means all ICS devices will come without hardware buttons – we’ll see)
• new Action bar for accessing each application’s contextual options
• Face Unlock – ICS recognizes your face and lets you unlock your handset just by holding it in front of your face. Of course, you can also use a backup PIN or pattern.
• home screen folders – apps and shortcuts can now be grouped into folders on the home screen (yes, this is similar to what you can do on the iPhone)
• Android Beam – available for NFC-ready devices; lets you share contacts, articles, photos, YouTube videos and more by simply tapping two handsets together
• enhanced multitasking. There’s a new Recent Apps button that “lets users jump instantly from one task to another using the list in the System Bar. The list pops up to show thumbnail images of apps used recently – tapping a thumbnail switches to the app”
• resizable widgets
• new voice input engine that provides instant talk to type capabilities
• new People app – somewhat similar to Windows Phone’s People Hub – provides rich profile information
• new browser with “improved page rendering performance”, up to 16 different tabs, and offline reading mode (lets you save full pages)
• enhanced soft keyboard and spell checking
• enhanced calendar and email
• network data usage management system
• enhanced camera features, including panorama mode and timelaps video recording (although I’m not sure if the latter isn’t a feature that works only on the Galaxy Nexus)
• redesigned photo gallery, including a photo editor

The Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 SDK is available for download as of now at the official Android website. As already mentioned, the first Ice Cream Sandwich device will be the Galaxy Nexus, which should be released around the world starting November.

There is now word on when exactly older Android devices will be upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich. However, it looks like most of those who use Gingerbread will be able to get ICS on their devices – which, of course, is great news.

In case you want to see the full Google Galaxy Nexus / Android Ice Creams Sandwich presentation, here it is (57 minutes video):

• Android Ice Cream Sandwich for Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note coming in Q1 2012
• Check out this two minute video of Android Ice Cream Sandwich
• Android Ice Cream Sandwich will be launched in October or November, says Eric Schmidt
• Google’s next phone may be called Nexus 4G, should run Android Ice Cream Sandwich
• New Samsung Galaxy Nexus official picture leaks, shows the phone’s back side for the first time

Since it doesn’t support WiMax we can eliminate Sprint for the time being. An HSPA+ model could arrive at either AT&T or T-Mobile since both have an HSPA+ network. Meanwhile, Verizon has the biggest LTE network in the country, but AT&T also has a smaller LTE network that is currently being built up. Verizon is expected to have the Galaxy Nexus for an exclusive period of time after it passed on the Samsung Galaxy S II. We have just found more evidence that the Galaxy Nexus will be heading to Verizon thanks to the promo video of the device. In the video, you can see the Verizon Wireless logo on the notification menu.

Although there is some evidence that the device could be heading to Verizon, the fact that Samsung rescheduled the event to Hong Kong could mean that there is some trouble brewing between the two companies. We will keep you updated on the status of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

• Samsung Galaxy Nexus possibly headed not just to Verizon, but also to AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile
• Best Buy refers to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus as the Nexus Prime 4G LTE in flyer
• Google shows off Verizon branded Galaxy Nexus on video
• Verizon Galaxy Nexus software update coming soon to adjust signal strength indicator
• Verizon Galaxy Nexus (Prime) launching in December – Samsung confirms

Specs wise. the Galaxy Nexus spots a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display with 1280 x 720 resolution, a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, a 5 megapixel camera in the rear with LED Flash, zero shutter lag, and 1080p HD recording, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, Bluetooth 3.0, 32GB of internal storage, and USB 2.0.  This device also features an embedded NFC module, an accelerometer, a compass, a gyro, a proximity sensor, and interesting enough a barometer has also been included. There is an HSPA+ model of the Galaxy Nexus as well as an LTE version, which will be available in certain regions.

The Galaxy Nexus will be hitting North America, Europe, Japan and the rest of Asia in November.

The only carrier they mentioned at launch was Japan’s NTT DoCoMo. So the new Nexus status on U.S. Verizon and whether it will be an exclusive there is still unclear. And – knowing that Google and Samsung cancelled Oct. 11th U.S. launch and moved it to Hong Kong – there might be something funny going between them and Verizon.

We will keep you updated on the status of the Galaxy Nexus as more info becomes available.

• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to bring Android ICS to India this year?
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus heading to Verizon Nov. 17th?
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus possibly headed not just to Verizon, but also to AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus heading to Verizon according to promo video?
• Best Buy refers to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus as the Nexus Prime 4G LTE in flyer

But if you want to see the back side of the Galaxy Nexus in an official picture even before that, your wish has come true. See, we’ve had leaked images showing the Galaxy Nexus before, one even earlier today. Yet none clearly showed the phone’s back. Until now, that is.

What you’ve feasted your eyes upon above comes, get this, from Samsung’s own website. This screenshot was sent to Droid Life after someone went searching for the Galaxy Nexus at Samsung. And that image on what’s basically a placeholder page is what the results returned. Pretty cool. Oh, and this also confirms yet again that Verizon will be the carrier to sell the superphone in the US.

And this once and for all ends the hubbub about what this device will be called. It’s not Nexus Prime, it’s Galaxy Nexus. If you’re interested in the specs, don’t forget that a full list of those was leaked earlier today, so go check that out. Otherwise, stick around, because in a few hours we’ll tell you all there is to know about Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

• Samsung Nexus Prime (Galaxy Nexus) full specs and official images leaked in Japan
• Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus to cost $289 at Costco?
• Samsung confirms Android ICS updates for the Galaxy S II, Galaxy Note, and recent tablets
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus heading to Verizon Nov. 17th?
• It finally happened. Samsung Galaxy Nexus now available on Verizon

That’s all nice, but how about a leaked poster or flyer originating at the same company? One that carries with it the first official (albeit a bit blurry) images of the smartphone, and the full list of its specs? That sound cool? Well, here you go then:

Firstly, what the above image gives us (if it turns out to be real, that is) is the phone’s official name. And once again, it seems to be Samsung Galaxy Nexus. So that’s that. Next up, we have a full list of specs. Now specs for this device have been leaked and rumored before, yet never so comprehensively. This leak also confirms some previous chatter on the matter.

So, without further ado, here’s what the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will try to charm you with:

• a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED HD 1280×720 touchscreen
• a TI dual-core 1.2 GHz processor
• at least two versions: SCH-i515 for LTE and CDMA networks (read: Verizon), and GT-i9250 for GSM-based carriers
• a 5 MP autofocus rear camera with LED flash and 1080p HD video recording
• a 1.3 MP front-facing camera
• GPS, NFC, Bluetooth 3.0
• dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n
• 1 GB of RAM
• 32 GB of built-in storage
• microSD card support
• 1,750 mAh battery
• dimensions: 136x68x8.8-11.5 mm
• weight: 135 g
• OS: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

At this point, we’re mere hours away from the event that Samsung and Google will hold together in Hong Kong. That’s when we expect the Galaxy Nexus to be announced alongside Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, so stay tuned for more on this subject.

Via Blog of Mobile

• New Samsung Galaxy Nexus official picture leaks, shows the phone’s back side for the first time
• Verizon exclusive Samsung Galaxy Nexus gets its full specs leaked ahead of October 11 unveiling
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus now official with Android 4.0 and 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus arriving in the UK on November 10 according to Amazon
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus to be launched in India only in March?