samsung galaxy nexus
Image: Steve Kovach, Business Insider


No, we still don't know when the Galaxy Nexus will launch in the U.S. But the global model of the phone is out there, and we finally got to try it out.
It rocks.

Click here for photos of the Galaxy Nexus >

We're going to wait until Verizon launches its LTE model of the Galaxy Nexus and post a full review of both phones, but here are a few initial thoughts of the global version after spending a full day with it.
  • The screen is huge, but not annoyingly so.
  • Ice Cream Sandwich looks and feels great. It's the biggest improvement in an Android OS we've seen so far.
  • The keyboard is incredible and feels more accurate than the one on the iPhone. Part of this is due to software, but the larger screen helps make typing more accurate too.
  • We love the People app. It syncs with Google+, Twitter, and LinkedIn to put all your contacts' status updates and photos in one place. Very nice. (No Facebook integration though.)
  • Battery life is just okay. We got about 7 hours of use the first day. We'll keep playing with it, but so far it doesn't feel promising.
  • The battery cover is thin, flimsy, and plasticky, just like the one on Samsung's Galaxy S II phones. It feels cheap.
  • The camera is good, but not as good as we thought it would be based on Google's statements when the Galaxy Nexus was first launched. Still, there's zero shutter lag and we love the panoramic mode.
This is just a taste, and hardly a full review. Keep reading for photos of the Galaxy Nexus.
Click here to see photos of the Galaxy Nexus >