Haven’t tried it yet, but I don’t think I like the ICS look; it looks so forcebly Tron-like.
Also, although I thought I wanted stock Android, when I moved from a Galaxy S to Nexus One, I missed the TouchWiz stuff Samsung had done. So I’m currently on an S2, which supports 2-step verification.

Ultimately, all of these phones can be modded to kingdom come anyway, if you’re brave enough. I’m getting there. Got the MIUI ROM on my phone, though not currently active.

“The Galaxy Nexus can no longer function as a USB storage device – transferring files to it requires special software for the Mac.” That sounds pants. So, when you connect and slide down the task bar and click the USB icon, you don’t see a button prompting you to click to mount the phone?

Robert: the Cyanogen mod is super for that sort of thing (though you can achieve much of the desired effect with a new launcher, like ADW).

When you connect it via USB (I just have!) it says “Connected as a media device: touch for other USB options”. Clicking that gives a menu offering connection as MTP or PTP – with MTP selected.

Flipping the connection over to PTP has opened iPhoto on this MacBook, as I’d expect, though it’s offering me the chance to download “1,434 photos”, most of which are either album covers or image files that iPhoto recognises but can’t actually display. (I always transfer photos using the Flickr app anyway). The MTP protocol isn’t recognised at all by the Mac natively, but is by Windows.

James James James, I’m going to play devils advocate here and disagree with you.

FM Radio? Seriously? Three words – “Tune In Radio” – we need to take radio listeners into a new experience, not stuck on ‘bands’ and look at enhanced audio listening to ensure they are with us for the long run.

Tagging is probably the only serious reason for FM, but that can be done with Internet Streaming also.

FM is dead. Radio Has a long and healthy future.

That’s all for now:)
Trevor

Hi,

Thanks for a nice overview.

With a screen like that, I expect it to drink battery juice like there’s no tomorrow. Can you give us some insight after a few days of heavy use?

Rune

Rune – will do.

Trevor – “500 MB data cap” is a pretty good reason why TuneIn Radio might not be your future. Hybrid radio is the future: one that ignores whether a listener is using FM or IP and even flicks between them. I’m not actually asking for an FM tuner app – more the facility for TuneIn Radio to be able to flick between battery-sapping 3G and the free-to-consume FM band without you knowing or even caring. Read this. It’s quite well written. (wink).

With which networks operates the Galaxy Nexus? Okay, Wlan, GSM and UMTS-WDCMA is clear, but does it also works with LTE networks? If you don’t have a lte network at your place, you can still see in the settings and/or manual of the Galaxy Nexus, if it supports LTE or not.
Thank you for your answer!

@James – thanks for the review: very interesting. I wonder whether the FM ‘kit’ is in there, but disabled (as in previous Nexus phones)?

@Trevor – you must be new here…

Thanks for your review James;

I’ve been pondering whether this or the Galaxy S2 is my next phone and your views is rather useful – Given I’m coming from a similar phone background to you [a cyanogen'd desire having got fed up with the operator branded nonsense and lack of updates].

I’ll definitely interested in seeing how you get on with the phone after the initial shiny new toy syndrome has faded! My concerns about the phone are it’s size and whether it’s still comfortable to use after a while of one handed thumb controlled clicking/panning.

On the FM point; I wonder if it’s a design choice due to possible high battery usage?

Christian – the Galaxy Nexus is a pentaband device. I think there are two types sold: one for the US market, one for the rest of the world, as is fairly standard. This version doesn’t support LTE – a Google search suggests that the soon-to-be-released US version does.

Terry – FM uses considerably less battery than sustained 3G streaming (or even wifi streaming). I’d not think that’s the issue, being honest: I think Tuija is correct when she comments on my Google+ feed that “maybe they just forgot”.

Just out of interest how does it fulfill its primary function – i.e. as a phone? Audio quality? Ease of use?

Trevor makes a valid point. Compared to the literally tens of thousands of choices with 3G streaming radio, FM radio is just plain boring.

Admittedly, streaming radio is still not quite ready for mainstream consumption. Mainly due to the punitive download caps that many telcos place on their smartphones, and battery life is an issue.

Having said all that, should data packs continue to get bigger and battery life continue to improve, online streaming will carve out a sizable niche for itself. However, I guess the lowest common denominator will still plump for the aural sewerage known as commercial FM radio.

I have found this review interesting read – I’ve recently purchased a Samsung Galaxy W, and the FM radio is one of the best things in a modern phone in my opinion. I use TuneIn radio, aswell as some of the more station specific apps, but when on a coach or a train, you’re more likely to get an FM signal than you are mobile Internet – of course that’s not to say that mobile streaming of Internet does not have its place :S

It’s interesting as to why they have disabled the app from the phone though. Until now, I was under the impression that the radio apps on Android were always phone specific, but can you download them from the market?

S

@Tone “should data packs continue to get bigger”. In the UK at least, they /appear/ to be getting smaller, or at least more costly per Mb of data. Anything less than unlimited is bound to…

FM radio is a major omission: we have ropey 3G coverage in England – ever been on the HS1 train? No mobile coverage at all over half the line; FM uses less battery than connecting to a streaming service and doesn’t eat into capped data plans.

And as for releasing a media phone with non-upgradable 16Gb memory, and a sub-standard camera.

I was really looking forward to buying this phone until I discovered that it was technologically a step back in many ways.

I will miss the FM radio tuner; I used it to listen to the (re)broadcast of sound for television at the gym. It’s also nice to listen to local stations without need for a good data connection.

I used tune in at work one day and about three hours into my 8hr day my battery was already at 56%. With the data use, battery use, and extra cellular radiation in the mix, wireless radio is just not an option for me. It is a shame that I can’t use my phone to listen to the TV’s at the gym or my local stations that Tune in doesn’t support. I often hike out of cellular reception and have to pack a radio with me for news and weather updates.

FM radio is a media that will never die. It is like a cockroach after a nuclear war. When there is a major power outage due to a storm or an earthquake, your phone is useless. The only media you are left with of getting any information after a disaster is FM radio. That is why it is imperative phone manufacturers need to include FM radios in their devices if not for entertainment but as an emergency tool.

I will not buy a phone without FM radio.

Hi, I just wanted to know will 500mb of internet be enough per month on the nexus ice-cream sandwich phone? Thanks

Completely agree with Bullit. I too will never own a phone without FM: that’s the reason I’ve never had an iPhone and why, now, I won’t get myself a shiny new Nexus, no matter how nice it may otherwise be.

Google and Apple: two tech companies based in the US, where mobile network coverage is, presumably, better than the UK, where we have mobile data caps and massive reception blackspots, even (sometimes especially) in the capital city.

* A short (30 minutes, 10 miles) daily commute to and from Central London, at breakfast and drive, traditionally the best times to listen to radio, where you’ll find the most interesting / compelling / entertaining content.

* FM: I can listen, all the way, with just one short tunnel (and even there the FM signal doesn’t even completely disappear).

* TuneIn Radio: starts off ok, and then we hit a rec..ti.n blac..pot, only 10 miles from the c..tr. of the UK’s capital c..y. Reception blackspots that occur roughly every 2-3 minutes throughout the course of the journey, usually lasting at least a minute or two each. This is unworkable. The only network I’ve tried so far that gives me consistently good reception is Three, reason being this network was built solely on 3G technology unlike the others who are simply sharing legacy tech with upgrades bolted on over the years. Even then, there’s the occasional drop-out, more than FM gives you.

I’ve never understood why mobile manufacturers remove a such basic and universally-loved feature from their handsets. They should visit the UK and commute via a streaming app; that’d change their minds!

FM is always on, albeit occasionally a little fuzzy. Data is either on or off. When I’m listening to a stimulating debate on LBC, a comedy sketch on XFM or being introduced to a great new track I’ve never heard before (3 reasons why radio always beats playlist), I don’t mind a bit of FM fuzz, which is infinitely less annoying than sudden sile… .

Trevor, Trevor, Trevor ;-)
Living in France and using underground/tube a lot to move around town, there is no way I can use an internet radio…as there is simply no network down there… :-)