The update includes a slew of new features, including Photosphere, which is a camera feature that allows you to take 360-degree panoramic pictures. You can also take advantage of new tools in the camera app in order to add filters, borders, and other photo-customization options. There’s also a new gesture keyboard that comes with the update, allowing for Swype-like typing.

We were first hinted at an Android 4.2.2 update for the Galaxy Nexus last month, when GSM versions the device were receiving the update over the air, but no official announcement was made yet. Then later on, we were able to snag an unofficial version of the update for Verizon’s model of the device. However, it looks like the carrier is finally pushing out the update to all.

The Galaxy Nexus is one of Google’s many Nexus devices that released in late 2011 as the successor of the Nexus S, but it was eventually succeeded by the Nexus 4, the company’s latest Nexus handset. The Galaxy Nexus was manufactured by Samsung, and while most Nexus devices are branded as Google products, the Galaxy Nexus was one of the few Nexus devices to be branded as a Samsung product.

Our good Android Community friend Cory Gunther has taken the time to write up some directions for you 4G LTE Galaxy Nexus users so you’ll have as easy a time as possible updating your smartphones to this new software. For the moment we’ve not seen any super simple OTA (over the air) update coming in from Verizon, we’re still working with a leaked build that appears – for all intents and purposes – to be the real deal. The download comes straight from Google, so you can expect a smooth ride if you know what you’re doing.

Again these directions come from Android Community where you’ll find more directions, tips, and downloads than you can handle for your Android-based devices of all kinds.

Full Install

This zip requires you to be completely stock running the last OTA update, which is Android 4.1.1 (JRO03O). This is not a ROM that can be flashed over other custom ROMs, this is an official OTA update file that needs to be flashed in a custom recovery.

Download Link
1. Download file from above
2. Boot into custom recovery (using CWM or by holding volume up/down and power at same time)
3. Install update zip from SD card
4. Reboot, enjoy more Jelly Beans!

Alternatively if you’re working with a custom ROM and just want to flash a new set of official radios – and you know what that means – you’ll want to follow the instructions below. This set of instructions includes another download, this time not straight through Google – so it’s all at your own risk. That said, modifying your phone in any way at all with the directions above or below is done at your own risk, of course – so know what you’re doing before you do it!

Radio Update

Flash the new radios in the custom recovery of your choice. You can flash the new radios over any custom ROM – but as usual I’d do a backup just to be safe. Remember, the CDMA radio takes a lot longer so be patient and it will finish in due time.

Download Link
1. Download file from above
2. Boot into custom recovery (using CWM or by holding volume up/down and power at same time)
3. Install radio zip from SD card
4. Reboot, enjoy more bars! Hopefully

Have a peek at the timeline below for more awesome Galaxy Nexus action and see to it that you check out our massive Android hub for more action into the future!

According to users on Reddit who say they’ve received the update, the problem with Bluetooth audio streaming has been corrected somewhat, although it is being reported as still having occasional issues. One user reported that after updating, the Bluetooth still disconnects when the network changes from wifi to the mobile data network.

Per the screenshots Android Police has up, the update is build number JDQ39, and is 47.6MB. Users are receiving the update over the air, although many still haven’t had it arrive yet. Still, screenshots have cropped up showing the update on the GSM Galaxy Nexus, the Nexus 7 tablet, and the Nexus 10 tablet, so users with one or more of those devices will likely see the update within the next day or so.

Not much else is known at the moment, since nothing official has been posted. According to the system update screen that users have seen, the 4.2.2 update is said to improve “performance and stability.” Users can set up their own accounts on the devices for customizability, and there’s Gesture Typing for typing words by sliding one’s finger across the keys.

[via Android Police]

The full list of discontinued devices comes from Android Community on a couple of counts, one list from a Verizon employee also having been passed to Android Police including Android smartphones, a BlackBerry smartphone, a Windows Phone 7 phone(!), and a set of modems from Novatel and Pantech. This set of devices is as follows, with each of these machines retiring either immediately or very, very soon.

BlackBerry Curve 9370 is retired with final shipments already out now.
HTC Trophy is retired with final shipments coming by the end of January.
LG Lucid will retire on 2/15 with final shipments arriving inside February.
Motorola DROID 4 is retired with final shipments coming February.
Motorola DROID RAZR (16GB) is retired with all shipments out now.
Samsung Galaxy S III (32GB edition, all colors) is retired with all shipments shipped.
Novatel USB551L 4G Modem retires March 1st with final shipments through the month.
Pantech UML290-G 4G Modem is retired with final shipments all complete, a replacement set to arrive inside the first quarter of 2013.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus is retired with final shipments shipped.

If you’re thinking of purchasing any of the devices listed above, you may want to check for sale prices or simply wait until your local retailer is nearly out of stock – you never know when a super sale price might pop up for you. Be sure to keep in mind that software updates for a device are much more rare after the hardware has reached its “EOL”, and we’ll not likely see any software beyond Android 4.2(?) Jelly Bean from Verizon for the Galaxy Nexus.

Have a peek at Cyanogenmod 10 for updates to your software after your carrier has stopped sending updates to you, but remember that you’re in the hacker universe after that. Also note that we’re now in an environment where unlocking your smartphone is illegal and hacking is still considered quite evil. Good luck with the future!

Back in October, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit denied Apple’s request for a pre-trial sales ban on Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and while Apple has asked all nine active Federal Circuit judges to reconsider the decision, it doesn’t seem like they’ll give in, especially with Samsung’s own plea.

The court’s decision puts Samsung in a much stronger position, since their products will remain on store shelves while the company continues to fight a global legal patent battle against Apple. Samsung argued that reconsidering the decision is unnecessary because Apple didn’t have enough evidence to justify a ban on sales of the company’s only Nexus device.

The two companies are scheduled to go to trial in federal court in San Jose, California sometime in March 2014. Representatives from both Apple and Samsung have commented on the situation, nor do we expect them to say much until the two companies meet each other again in court in just a couple of months.

[via Reuters]

For the Galaxy Nexus, you’ll need to download the “takju” ROM from the following link, and then install it to your phone. There are manual ways of doing that, or you can rely on the old Android app favorite, ClockworkMod’s ROM Manager, a free download from the Play store.

http://android.clients.google.com/packages/ota/google_takju/e587de13bf8a.signed-takju-JOP40C-from-JZO54K.e587de13.zip

As for the Nexus 7, the process is similar. You’ll need to download the Jelly Bean update ZIP from the following link, and again use either ROM Manager or the manual method to install.

http://android.clients.google.com/packages/data/ota/google_nakasi/094f6629314a.signed-nakasi-JOP40C-from-JZO54K.094f6629.zip

If all that sounds like too much hard work, you might be better off waiting for Google’s OTA update to arrive. That should happen over the next few days.

[via Al Sutton and via Android Police]

This update brought on homescreen flip-flopping for the Nexus 7 – turning on to its side for some landscape action at long last. This update for the Galaxy Nexus brings with it the ability to expand notifications with a single finger as well as a collection of bug fixes as per usual. While it’s clear that this update is necessary for all Galaxy Nexus users, it’s not entirely clear what it fixes other than that notifications bonus bit.

With this sort of update comes a wave of misunderstanding on how Android updates happen, starting here with Verizon users who will, inevitably, ask when their update is set to hit the plate. As it were, Galaxy Nexus updates coming to the 4G LTE Verizon version of the device do not come regularly, and we’re unaware of when the 4.1.2 update will be hitting said phone. It’s not the most ideal situation, but as Verizon’s build for the device is not exactly the same as the GSM version shown above, more work must be done before a software update can be pushed.

This update now exists on the Galaxy Nexus GSM iteration and the ASUS-made Google Nexus 7 tablet. It’s a 15.1 MB download and will be coming to your device automatically, so just hit the snooze button for now! Meanwhile also prepare yourself for some hot vanilla Android action with the LG Nexus 4, the next-in-line for Google’s fabulous stripped-down line of devices showing their best-of look at Android, straight from the lab.

What’s able to be constructed from the various nameless sources on this subject thus far is that this is indeed an LG Nexus device, likely called “LG Nexus G” or very similar, and carrying with it a set of specifications that very closely resemble those of the LG Optimus G we’ll be seeing on several carriers in the USA soon. For those of you wondering what the LG Optimus G looks and feel like, have a peek at our LG Optimus G hands-on post for the full skivvy. As for the Nexus G, check this out:

• Android 4.2 *unknown dessert name*
• Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor
• 2GB RAM
• 1280×768 True-HD IPS screen
• No capacitive keys (all on-screen like the Galaxy Nexus)
• Non-removable battery (to retain overall device thinness)
• No microSD slot (like the Galaxy Nexus)
• 8GB or 16GB internal storage
• Wireless charging

We’re currently hearing two options for the release of this device, one of them being late October – that’s the newest rumor coming from CNET – and another in mid-November. These date tips are so close together that we’re going to go ahead and guess that one will be a reveal date and the other will be an actual release date. Now we’ve just got to see if anyone in the USA will carry it right off the bat.

If the carriers of the Optimus G are any indication, we can expect that the Nexus G will be coming to T-Mobile USA and Verizon (with 4G LTE, of course) inside a few weeks. Now we’ve just got to cross our fingers for a swift kick in the bootloader – let’s have it!

Google’s Nexus 7 only comes in 8GB and 16GB variants, while its competitors are now churning out 32GB models, like the Kindle Fire HD and the Nook Tablet series. With that said, Google could succumb to the pressure and release a 32GB model at some point in the near future. Users would definitely appreciate it, especially since movies and music can take up a lot of storage space.

A Samsung Galaxy Nexus 2 device is easily believable as well, since we’ve already heard about it a couple weeks ago. The Galaxy Nexus 2 was supposedly leaked when a few sample photos from the device’s camera showed up on the internet with a familiar model number in the EXIF data. Of course, we don’t know what the device looks like or if it’s even real, but today’s leak is reassurance.

Then again, the listing that shows up in the inventory screenshot may not actually mean the “Nexus 2,” but rather just a screen protector for the regular Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The “2″ may possibly be just a database requirement of some sort that the warehouse follows. Then again, we don’t know for sure, so take it with a grain of salt.

[via Android Community]

Samsung uses model numbers rather than code-names for their smartphones and tablets. The original Galaxy Nexus was GT-i9250, while devices like the Galaxy S, SII, and SIII were i9000, i9100, and i9300 for the latest. Today we are seeing a new device that looks to be the successor to the Galaxy Nexus (GT-i9250) showing up on Picasa in the form of a few sample photos taken with the smartphone.

A device code-named the Samsung GT-i9260 has appeared in some photos EXIF data, making it right in line with previous update jumps to device names — and following its older brother. Recent rumors have suggested the Galaxy Nexus 2 would rock the same 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display, but get an increase in all other areas with an improved camera, bigger battery, double the RAM to 2GB, and of course a faster dual or quad-core processor.

The photos appearing today seemingly confirm some sort of new device that resembles the Galaxy Nexus, but whether or not it’ll be the two is really anyone’s guess. With Android 4.1 Jelly Bean being so new do we really expect the next iteration (dubbed Key Lime Pie) to be making an appearance on a brand new phone already? Previous releases like the Nexus One, Nexus S, and then the Galaxy Nexus points to yes — just look at the history below. Thoughts?

[via GSMArena]

For instance, entries in the notifications drop-down are now more detailed, with previews of emails and text messages among other things. Voice Search has been bolstered with Knowledge Graph data, working alongside Google Now which prompts the user with information on travel, weather, and other news that it believes is pertinent.

Text-to-speech and keyboard auto-prediction have also been improved, and there’s offline voice dictation. Perhaps most importantly for day-to-day use is Project Butter, Google’s new UI engine for Jelly Bean, and which improves the fluidity of the interface during general navigation.

There are newly resizing widgets, photo and video sharing via Android Beam, and numerous other tweaks to improve the overall user experience. The document suggests more information will be available at this page, though it was not functional at time of writing.

[via IntoMobile]

Moving right along, Lenovo suffered a pretty big leak today, and now details about the ThinkPad 2 are all over the place. Samsung has been granted the title of top phone brand for Q2, but interestingly enough, Apple’s iOS is growing at a faster rate than Android is. Google Wallet has received an update that increases the range of credit and debit cards you can use with the app, and we were right there to talk about whether or not the app is safe. Definitely give it a read if you’re considering using Google Wallet now that this update has arrived.

Speaking of Google, the company introduced a new set of rules for Android app developers today, and there’s a nasty little rumor going around that claims AT&T has been discouraging iPhone sales. AT&T, for its part, naturally says that the rumor is false, but that report definitely did a lot to pique our interest. The iPhone rumors don’t stop there, however, as we’ve been hearing whispers that Apple’s new dock connector may come with a MagSafe-like design when it arrives with the iPhone 5, and that the phone itself will be sporting Bluetooth 4 tech.

Microsoft was in the news a little bit today, as it was revealed that the company’s freshly-rebranded Outlook.com managed to attract one million users in just a few hours. Windows 8 has been released to manufacturing, which is the last step in development before Microsoft releases the OS to its OEM partners. The long-awaited Kickstarter campaign for the Oculus Rift kicked off today too, and managed to hit its funding goal in just a few hours. Is virtual reality about to make a comeback, or will it just leave us with a headache again?

Finally, we’ve got a couple reviews to share with you this evening, like this review of the myTouch and myTouch Q from T-Mobile, and this one of the Nintendo 3DS XL. Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday evening, everyone!

The exact timescale for the stay on the preliminary injunction has not been revealed, and so Samsung and Google could find the rug pulled out from under them at any moment. However, the likelihood is that the court will opt to adjudicate soon after the August 20 hearing, only taking as long as is required to deliberate on Samsung’s next filing.

That filing is expected to be submitted on or before August 6, with Samsung taking the opportunity to further illustrate why the Galaxy Nexus does not infringe on Apple’s design and UI patents.

Apple’s ban on the Galaxy Nexus came at perhaps the worst possible time for Google: right on the heels of Google IO, its annual developer event, where a price cut for the unlocked version of the smartphone had been triumphantly announced. It was also the poster-child smartphone for Jelly Bean, the latest version of Android, which was pushed out as an update shortly after the developer event.

The main Apple vs Samsung case is ongoing in the San Jose courts, with Apple arguing that Samsung used iPhone and iPad design as a shortcut for its own Galaxy range. Samsung counters that it had already come up with a touchscreen-centric design prior to the original iPhone’s release.

One proviso is that your handset must be running Ice Cream Sandwich, Sky says. If you’ve been holding off on the upgrade to your Galaxy Note, now might be a good time to load up Kies and install it.

Sky Go allows subscribers to register two devices to their account, and in addition to Android phones there’s support for PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone and iPod touch access. The service includes access to the five Sky Sports channels, Sky Sports F1, EUROSPORT and ESPN, 11 Sky Movies channels, Sky News and Sky entertainment channels.

Meanwhile, on-demand access to movies and other content is also bundled. You can download the Android app here.

Full list of supported handsets:

• HTC Desire
• HTC Desire S
• HTC Desire HD
• HTC Incredible S
• HTC Sensation
• HTC Sensation XE
• Samsung Galaxy S
• Samsung Galaxy S2
• Samsung Galaxy S3
• Samsung Galaxy Note
• Galaxy Nexus

It can be looked both ways – either Jelly Bean was released with some flaws which could be a negative sign, or it’s reassuring that Google will put the Nexus 7 at the very top of its list of priorities. Even though you can’t go to a store and buy a Nexus 7, there are many people who own it. Google handed out early units to people who attended its IO conference.

Among the changes mentioned in the Android 4.1 System Update screen are: “Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to search on Google and get suggestions from Google Now. Organize your home screens easily even when they’re packed with apps and widgets. Expand notifications with a pinch to get more info and take action.”

[via Android Community]

According to earlier reports, Samsung and Google are cooking up a temporary fix to Google Now that the two companies believe will rescue it from Apple’s injunction. That, it’s believed, will include removing some of the local results from Google Now – a new part of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean announced at Google IO last week – and it will be pushed out “imminently” according to AllThingsD.

Nonetheless, if you want to buy a Galaxy Nexus any time soon, it looks like you’ll have a struggle finding one at Google’s $349 price. Expansys USA is listing that there is “no confirmed lead time” for stock to go on sale again, and while Amazon Marketplace sellers are still offering the phone, they’re generally doing so at a $100 premium.

Meanwhile Verizon’s CDMA/LTE version of the Galaxy Nexus is still apparently for sale via the carrier’s site, though it’s uncertain if orders will actually go through or if the company is merely yet to update its product pages.

Meanwhile, Google and Samsung are readying a challenge at the US Patent and Trademark office to have Apple’s patents struck down. Google will also support Samsung in its specific attempts to have the injunction overturned.

Just yesterday it was ruled that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 preliminary sales ban would be upheld despite protest by Samsung. Now with the Galaxy Nexus held up until its own case is resolved, Samsung finds itself in a bit of a precarious situation with a whole lot of product sitting in the back room with no legal means for sales.

“Samsung is disappointed with the court’s decision that denied our motion to stay. We believe today’s ruling will ultimately reduce the availability of superior products to consumers in the United States.

We will continue to pursue an appeal of the GALAXY Nexus preliminary injunction, which we filed on July 2 to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Meanwhile, we are also working closely with Google to resolve this matter, as the patent in question concerns Google’s unified search function.” – Samsung spokesperson

Have a peek at the Samsung Galaxy Nexus timeline we’ve got sitting below to see the short history of this case as well as some of the fabulous hands-on posts this device has been getting into as of late. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is Google’s current hero phone showing off their latest Android operating system version 4.1 codename Jelly Bean, complete with advanced search functions as well as voice recognition to go with it. We’re fully expecting the Nexus 7 to also fall under this Apple patent umbrella as the iPad has similar functionality – we shall see!

UPDATE: It’s being reported that Samsung and Google will also be seeking to implement a software patch that will take out “local” results in its updated voice search to help get the Galaxy Nexus out of this jam. Hopefully this update isn’t true – we’ve been loving the hot Google Now action we’ve seen thus far!

[via TNW]

Exactly what that plan might entail is still a secret, with Samsung refusing to detail it publicly. “It’s too early to comment on our game plan [with Google] in the legal battle; but we will do our best to get more royalties from Apple, which has benefited from our technology,” a supposed Samsung insider told the Korean site. “The fight is becoming more dramatic and the possibility of a truce in the form of a cross-licensing deal, seems to be becoming likely.”

Samsung has a demanded 2.4-percent royalty rate for iPhone and iPad units using technology it has patented, but Apple argues such a fee is not in keeping with the FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) licensing terms. Complaints by Apple, among other, have seen Samsung made the subject of an antitrust investigation by the European Commission.

Google has already publicly lent its support to HTC in a previous case of patent-related war with Apple, and in fact sold HTC a set of patents it went on to use in a counter-strike against the iPhone maker. The Galaxy Nexus case is potentially even more threatening to Android, however, as the smartphone is Google’s de facto flagship device, and in which it had a significant hand in designing and guiding to market.

Samsung is currently waiting to hear whether the preliminary injunction will be frozen or not. The company argued that Apple had not sufficiently demonstrated that the infringed patent in question causes substantial  damage to iPhone sales.

“The Court’s finding that Apple will suffer irreparable harm was based on legally insufficient evidence that Samsung and Apple are competitors” Samsung’s retort suggests. “The Court’s order is inconsistent with the Federal Circuit’s directive that market share losses must be substantial.”

What Apple has not yet demonstrated, Samsung reckons, is that the substantial loss alleged is attributable to the feature said to have infringed. In this case, that’s technology covered by patent 8,086,604, “Universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system,” which covers search and filtering systems.

“The Court’s causation finding as to the ’604 patent was erroneous, or at a minimum raises substantial questions” Samsung argues. Judge Lucy Koh, who granted Apple the preliminary injunction, has interpreted the ’604 patent as relevant to Siri, the virtual personal assistant which has been a central point of Apple’s advertising for the iPhone 4S.

However, Samsung is hoping that the appeals court will see ’604 as covering a far narrower range of functionality than Judge Koh, and says that Siri is a “different feature than the unified search covered by the ’604 patent.”

Samsung has asked that the preliminary injunction be stayed, either as long as the appeal against the decision in Apple’s favor take, or alternatively – and for a shorter period – until the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit comes up with a decision itself. Apple is yet to comment on the motion.

[via FOSS Patents]

The judge responsible for that tablet block, Justice Lucy Koh, is the same that has granted today’s Galaxy Nexus injunction. The financial stakes are significantly higher for the Nexus smartphone, however: Apple only needed to post a $2.6m bond in order to enact the Galaxy Tab 10.1 injunction, perhaps a reflection on its comparatively lower sales potential and the fact that it has already been superseded.

Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus, however, is still the flagship Google own-brand smartphone. In fact, the search giant announced a discounting promotion at Google IO this past week, cutting the handset down to $349 unlocked and SIM-free.

According to Judge Koh, “Apple has articulated a plausible theory of irreparable harm” in its argument against Samsung and the Galaxy Nexus, because of “long-term loss of market share” along with “losses of downstream sales.” The patent in question is the so-called ’604 Siri-style quick search patent, which describes a system “using a plurality of heuristic algorithms to operate upon information descriptors input by the user, the present invention locates and displays candidate items of information for selection and/or retrieval … Thus, the advantages of a search engine can be exploited, while listing only relevant object candidate items of information.”

If the last injunction is anything to go by, Apple will waste no time in posting the required bond, and Samsung will move equally swiftly to appeal the decision.

Update: According to FOSS Patents, Apple apparently managed to convince Judge Koh that all four of the patents it asserted were, in fact, likely infringed by Samsung. However the injunction was only applied based on the ’604 patent.

“It was important for us when we acquired Motorola to stress to our partners that we weren’t buying Motorola to get in the hardware business and compete directly with them” Brady said. As far back as August 2011, Android chief Andy Rubin was insisting that Motorola would not be a lock-in for the future Nexus products, something that panned out with Samsung keeping the reins for the Galaxy Nexus.

“At first I think our partners weren’t sure whether we really meant what we said about not giving Motorola preferential treatment” Brady admitted. “But they’ve seen us do another Nexus smartphone with Samsung and the Nexus 7 tablet with Asus, so I think they see that Motorola is not getting preferential treatment. It’s all about the ecosystem.”

In fact, Brady is confident that other OEMs have subsequently been quick to recognize the advantages of Google wading into hardware development. “Android is open source, so they understand that by developing these products we’re working with silicon vendors to make sure all the technology works with the software” he points out. “And we’re enhancing the software.”

The Nexus 7 has been particularly lauded for its relatively affordable price tag, starting at $199 for the entry-level 8GB model. That’s down to a combination of cheaper components and different priorities; you can find out full review of the tablet here.

Jelly Bean includes a new notifications system as well as Project Butter, Google’s efforts on reducing lag in the interface. There’s also a new Google Voice Search system to take on Apple’s Siri, together with app encryption.

Meanwhile, Google Maps gets offline navigation, and there’s offline voice dictation for US English. There’s more on Jelly Bean in our IO wrap-up here.

You can download the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update here [zip file] though be warned, it’s unclear if all the bugs have been ironed out of this version. If you want the most stable release for your Galaxy Nexus it’s probably safer to hold off until Google pushes it out OTA officially in mid-July.

[via Xmoo]

That’s a total of $847 worth of technology for each developer in attendance, and considering they only paid $800 for an IO ticket it seems a pretty excellent deal. Unfortunately there’s no Project Glass in that gift bundle, though Google will be offering developers in-attendance the opportunity to preorder the Explorer Edition for $1,500.

When developers turn on their Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7 tablet, meanwhile, they’ll get an update to Jelly Bean pushed to them within a few minutes. The Jelly Bean SDK is available today for all developers, meanwhile.

If you’re not at Google IO, and you want a new toy, the HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus is now discounted to $349. Meanwhile, the Nexus 7 is up for preorder for $199, while the Nexus Q is up for preorder from $299.

Unboxing Nexus 7 and Nexus Q

Meanwhile Google is also updating the Galaxy Nexus to the latest Android OS, 4.1 Jelly Bean. That should come as some reassurance to those Galaxy Nexus owners who have watched their phones grow gradually outdated in comparison to the better-specified HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III.

Still, you’re stuck with the Galaxy Nexus’ less-than-impressive 5-megapixel camera, though the 4.65-inch 1280 x 720 display is still competitive. You also get a 1.2GHz dual-core TI processor and 16GB of onboard storage, though no expandable memory card slot.

You can find all the details on the Galaxy Nexus in the full SlashGear review.

The device listing in the Google Play store brings up “Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ – The latest smartphone from Google, soon the first phone with Android 4.1 Jelly…” but does not allow for any sort of expansion on that phrase. Likely what’s happened is that the update to the store was accidentally pushed or was part of a cache that wasn’t supposed to appear quite yet – one week early, essentially. If this does all end up being a legitimate early leak sort of blunder, it is a positive sign that the Galaxy Nexus is set to receive said update right out of the box.

ALSO: Android Community informs us that there’s a bit of a “frosted” look to this update, as seen here:

The listing for this Galaxy Nexus of the future also has that frosted look, but it’s tiny! So get your magnifying glasses out:

As far as everything else we’ve got on out plate for Google I/O next week: the sky’s the limit! We’ve heard of Chrome updates and devices, a brand new Android tablet that’ll cost less than $250 USD yet contains the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, and one whole heck of a lot more! Of course everything that’s turned up so far has just been a rumor, but it definitely is that time again: time to dream!

Have a peek at our timeline below on all things Jelly Bean and let us know how likely you think it is that this update will be popping up within the next seven days.

There are three docks available: one for the car, one for the desk and one for an entertainment center, though I suppose all of them could be used in various locations. Notably (and unlike the Samsung-branded car dock released for the Verizon version) the car dock and desk dock make use of the Galaxy Nexus’ three pin connectors on the right side of the device, allowing it to easily slide into place and begin charging. There’s no mention of an automatic docking mode, like the Nexus One had.

The vehicle dock and desk dock run an even $54, with the HDMI dock costing slightly less at $49. Google makes a point of letting potential buyers know that this is only for the GSM model, and that Verizon’s CDMA version will not work (it’s about a millimeter thicker). Of course, they should also work for those of you who have the international version in the US, since the hardware is identical.

It’s an interesting move for Google, who previously tried to sell unlocked Nexus One phones to those on GSM networks for $529.99, which didn’t go down too well. The model of unlocked devices has worked well enough in Europe, but never seems to have gained traction in the United States. We’re positive a $399 HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus will make people think twice though.

Compared to the Verizon model, you lose LTE connectivity, and you’ve only got 16GB of space to play with, but it’s also much cheaper than if you were to buy the LTE model off contract. It also has pentaband 3G support, which means you’ll be able to use the device on T-Mobile without any trouble at all, and you’ll be able to get speeds of up to 21Mbit/s using HSPA+.

Specs are otherwise the same: 4.65” 720p display, a 1.2Ghz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, five megapixel camera with 1080p recording and stock Ice Cream Sandwich. It’s also ever so slightly thinner than the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, 8.9mm compared to 9.5mm. So what are you waiting for? Go buy one immediately.

Register a Google Wallet account within a week of activation and Google Wallet will be instantly credited with $10. Three weeks later, a further $40 will drop into the account. Otherwise it’s the same Galaxy Nexus that we know and love.

That means the same 4.65-inch – and slightly curved – 1280 x 720 Super AMOLED HD touchscreen, the same 5-megapixel camera with 1080p Full HD video recording, and the same WiFi b/g/n and Android 4.0 ICS OS. The CDMA/LTE model is slightly thicker than the HSPA+ version on sale in Europe, but the benefit is a slightly bigger battery too.

Although we’re seeing more Android devices launch running ICS from the off, they’re still the minority, so we’re glad to see more carriers step up. For more on the smartphone, check out our full review of the Verizon LTE version of the Galaxy Nexus.

Pentile displays have prompted much confusion and frustration among smartphone buyers in recent years, with many considering the screen technology to have marred otherwise excellent devices. The system uses a system of alternating red and blue pixels in-between green pixels, the dropped pixel leading to arguments that the Galaxy Nexus and other devices can be grainy in their text reproduction and show speckling in pictures.

Avoiding that would be a major boon for the Galaxy S III, and be in keeping with its other hyperbole-prompting rumored specifications. There’s been talk of a ceramic casing for the new phone, replacing the glossy and textured plastic, along with a roughly 7mm-thick body and a quadcore processor. It’s also expected to feature NFC, with Samsung rumored to be using it as an Olympics 2012 mobile payments promo device.

Meanwhile, there’s also apparent confirmation that a device previously tipped to be the Galaxy S III, the Samsung GT-i9300, is indeed a midrange device with an unusual screen resolution, rather than the true next-gen flagship. According to benchmarking spotted at PowerBoard, the GT-i9300 runs a 1.4GHz Exynos dual-core and Mali 400MP graphics with a 600 x 1024 screen, just as was reported over at Android Community last week.

In fact, the GT-i9300 is believed to be the Samsung Galaxy M, and have a 4-inch display. The 1024 x 600 resolution is unusual, more akin to what we’ve seen on netbooks than phones, but would put the Galaxy M in-between the WVGA of the Galaxy S II and the 720p of the Galaxy Nexus.

Exactly when the Galaxy S III will launch is still unclear, though at least one Samsung executive has apparently said that an April launch is still in consideration.

[via Electricpig and via Bright Side of News]

Of course, should you choose to do that, you’ll be paying the full network price for the handset: $300, plus a new two-year commitment. Or, you could not do that. Instead, why not buy a Galaxy Nexus from Amazon Wireless for $99.99 while picking up the extended battery for $34? No pressure or anything, though.

The combination of the Super AMOLED HD screen and LTE connectivity potentially means your battery will be depleted before you make it through the day. Users have reported a healthy boost in battery life with the 2,100mAh battery, even if the capacity is only slightly greater than the 1,850mAh battery included with the phone. If you crave even more juice, Seidio offer a 3,800mAh battery, but it adds considerable girth to the phone with a custom battery cover.

[via Android and Me]

That means you may have to wait for a while before you actually see it pop up on your phone. We’ve just checked for the update on a UK Galaxy Nexus – currently running 4.0.2 – and there’s no sign of 4.0.4 being ready.

For the Galaxy Nexus, there are apparently stability improvements in this tweaked Ice Cream Sandwich version, along with improvements to the camera performance. Google also says users should see smoother screen rotation along with improved phone number recognition. However, the full list of tweaks apparently extends to around 100 items.

The Galaxy Nexus LTE, meanwhile, is apparently due to get Android 4.0.5 within the next few weeks. 4.0.4 has been merged with the AOSP code base, too, which means third-party ROM developers will also have access to the official improvements; we’d expect them to start showing up in popular releases soon.

Ice Cream Sandwich is Google’s most refined version of Android to-date, but it still has its rough spots. Let us know how you get on with the updated 4.0.4 software in the comments.

[via Android Community]

This newest version of Google Maps has a new look for the new aesthetic of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, as seen above. This version of the app is made with the Galaxy Nexus in mind first, so you’ll see that aspect ratio displayed. This app will of course work with all devices that already run any version of Google Maps – its diverse!

Next, after watching the video above and seeing that yes, indeed, this version of Google Maps still does all the awesome stuff it’s always done in addition to the feature’s we’re letting you know about here, you’ll see two squares below. These visions of Seattle show the previous style on the left and the enhanced style on the right including “crisper, faster maps for high pixel density devices.” This allows you to see a “less cluttered” map that’s much easier to read if you’ve got an HD display.

Then there’s Google Maps 6.5′s ability to choose and prioritize transit mode. This mode has been in the works for some time, and indeed we’ve been using the bus and walking modes for some time now, but this version has a “Recommended Route” that’s much more advanced than ever before. This public transit mapping is available in 475 cities around the world – amazing!

The Google Maps YouTube page also has a set of 12 new videos to show off how amazing this app is on the Android platform – unstoppable! Be sure to Update Google Maps here on Google Play today!

You can currently download this game on Google Play’s App Store and appears to be compatible with the vast amount of devices out there – a feat given the utterly massive amount of different sized screens and form factors included in the Android universe. Without further ado, have a peek at this game as it exists on Google’s current hero device, the Galaxy Nexus, running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich:

You’ll be able control this game with swipes, taps, and tilts of your device, and in many ways you’ll be having the same experience here on Android that you did on iOS – if you’re the type of person who has both platforms on the regular. This game is currently version 1.0 and does appear to have one or two bugs still in it (force closes and the like) but is certainly a final release from its makers. Now we wait to see if the game has an expansion, and if it’ll be released to Android at the same time it’s released to iOS!

While Google didn’t want to go into specifics, it did tell CNet in an interview that they were “having discussions with other carriers” about Google Voice integration. That would allow customers to take their existing carrier numbers and convert them to Google Voice, rather than having to choose an entirely new number when signing up for the service.

Google went on to say that people who use the Voice use it as their primary cell number. That gives customers the flexibility to filter out unwanted numbers, or hand out a single number if they juggle multiple phones.

While carrier integration is great, proper support on Android devices would be ideal. The Galaxy Nexus was updated a few days ago to support Google Voice voicemail integration in the standard dialer. Normally on Android devices you would have to do that through the standard Google Voice app.

[via CNet]

Ben Rudolph (aka BenThePCGuy) took to Twitter to try and make things right with Katta. Not only does he want to apologize for the way Katta was treated at the store, he’ll also be offering up the prize laptop and a Windows Phone.

While it’s good that Microsoft have offered up an apology for the incident, the terms of the contest should be made clearer to those who participate. The full account from Skatter Tech means the Windows Store demonstrators were either vague or unfair:

I asked for a reason and was told Windows Phone won because “it displays the weather right there.” That was rather unclear. I showed her my device which also was showing off the same information with two side-by-side weather widgets on the center home screen. After pressing for a better reason, I was told that Windows Phone won “just because.”

In this case it sounds like the store reps failed to make the exact details of the contest clear rather than deliberately mislead Katta. It’s not like Windows Phone hasn’t lost to other devices before in the same campaign. Back at CES 2012, Windows Phone lost out to the iPhone 4S in posting a tweet, and the Motorola Atrix in a texting challenge.

According to the site, the challenge set was to “bring up the weather of two different cities” as quickly as possible. Skatter Tech’s Sahas Katta had already turned off the Ice Cream Sandwich lockscreen and had a two city weather widget on his homescreen, so merely hit the power button to bring up the current forecasts. The Windows Store demonstrator “finished a split-second later” as she had to press the power button and swipe up on the lockscreen, revealing two Live Tiles with weather information.

With a $1,000 laptop up for grabs for those that could beat Microsoft in the challenge, Katta was understandably disappointed when he was told that his Galaxy Nexus had still been beaten:

“I asked for a reason and was told Windows Phone won because “it displays the weather right there.” That was rather unclear. I showed her my device which also was showing off the same information with two side-by-side weather widgets on the center home screen. After pressing for a better reason, I was told that Windows Phone won “just because.”" Skatter Tech

Subsequently, a second member of staff reportedly told him that the challenge was in fact ”to display the weather of different cities in different states” and that as his device “could not do that” he was not considered a winner.

The saga is a good example of where Microsoft – or, more accurately, its in-store staff – is going wrong with positioning Windows Phone. Although demonstrations of the speed of the platform are admirable, by making the promotion a head-to-head competition first and foremost it fails to take advantage of what opportunities to talk up Windows Phone are presented.

Rather than coming up with some vague reason why Katta had been defeated, even though it sounds like he met the challenge as presented, a more beneficial strategy might have been to highlight what compromises were involved along the way. Removing the lock-screen feature on a smartphone, for instance, means less in-pocket protection from accidental dialing and other issues, should the power button be inadvertently pressed. That’s something Windows Phone advocates could talk about with potential customers, rather than prioritizing the competitive nature of the promotion.

That infrastructure, it should be noted, is almost completely undeveloped, but Sprint is making progress in rolling out the new standard in high-speed mobile data throughout its nationwide spectrum. For Sprint, it’s a tough move because it was only a couple years ago that the company fully deployed its previous 4G network, based on Wimax connecivity, which is now seen as obsolete.

Nevertheless, Sprint has given in to the rest of the industry and is now building an LTE network from the ground up. Along with soon-to-be blazing fast connectivity, the Sprint version of the Galaxy Nexus will also bring Google Wallet to the tablet, something the current version of the device does not because Verizon has a conflict of interest in another mobile payment provider, Isis. But Sprint will be able to offer the complete Google Wallet package, available out of the box when the Galaxy Nexus launches on its network.

[via GigaOM]

If you want to be able to take advantage of the increased resolution, you’ll need an Android phone running 2.2 and up, and your hardware will need to support the stream – that limits the number of phones that can get in on the action, though.

It’s not entirely clear whether you need a 720p display to get this update, or just hardware capable of decoding the stream. We can only suggest heading over to the Market and seeing if there’s an update waiting for you. If the former is true, then that severely limits the number of devices that can take advantage of the new feature. Hopefully you have an HTC Rezound or Samsung Galaxy Nexus to hand.

If the latter is true, you can expect mid to high end devices to see the update, but budget devices that don’t have the horsepower will be left out in the cold. There isn’t a list available stating which devices are supported either, so we can only suggest that you head over to the Market and see if there’s an update waiting for you.

[via Android Central]

When Apple decides to update its mobile operating system iOS for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, it does so with a precise set of measures that allows for the vast majority of its modern devices to get the update quickly. Google’s Android is not in a position to do such a thing, nor will it ever be. You the user purchase an Android handset with a version of the software on it that you pay for as a part of the whole package. When you purchase a laptop, you also get a single version of whatever software that laptop comes with.

Each time Google releases a new version of its software, its biggest aim is to get manufacturers to create new devices that feature that software for the masses. It is not profitable enough for Google to consider creating software that can be adopted instantly by devices that are already on the market.

Google has a line of devices it’s created to feature the newest version of the software they produce in its purest form – this line is called Nexus. Though Google’s original intent was to create one device, manufactured by them and pushed to all carriers in a country at once, this did not pan out. Instead we’ve got releases of one device on one carrier followed by the rest of the carriers one by one – the Galaxy Nexus for example was released to Verizon first and will soon be carried by at least one or more other carriers in the USA soon. This device features Google’s newest mobile OS Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

If you purchase an Android device with the latest operating system inside several months of it being released, you are at a bigger disadvantage than every other Android device owner. The reason being that developers must catch up with the software in that period of time, so you may not have access to every app you love until they update their builds for all versions of Android.

When you purchase an Android device, you are not guaranteed anything more than the software it comes with. You shouldn’t need anything other than the software the device comes with unless it is found to have bugs, in which case free updates are entitled to you. You get what you pay for.

Thought we don’t suppose Docomo will run out of these units any time soon, those of you reading from Japan and deciding when would be the best time to pick up the Galaxy Nexus should probably jump on this deal now. This deal is first come, first served and only works with the Japan-centric model here, not the “Global Model” – sorry everyone else. The way you can get this package is to first either have or purchase newly the SC-04D version of the Galaxy Nexus and submit to Docomo.

The way you submit to Docomo for this special offer is to have purchased the SC-04D version of the device between February 1st and March 31st 2012 and head do your local Docomo store. From there you’ve got to either scan the QR code they’ve got on hand or simply plug in the URL they’ve got handy to order your free Premium set. Look like the loveliest Galaxy Nexus you’ve ever seen? Grab one now!