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Monday, October 31, 2011



5 of the Best Internet Radio Apps for Android

Posted: 30 Oct 2011 06:43 PM PDT

In 1984, the iconic band Queen had the world crooning their latest melody titled Radio Gaga. It was a tribute to the radio, which, during the olden days, was as omnipresent and powerful as the television is now. Come 2011, and the word 'radio' almost seems alien to this generation. Having said that, the radio hasn't completely vanished yet. In fact, it is making its presence felt using the Internet and smartphones.

Most of the multimedia players on the desktop including iTunes and Amarok come with support for Internet radio. Moreover, there are a lot of apps that provide the same functionality on your smartphones. So, if you're looking for some nice Internet radio applications for your Android phones, read on as we cover some of the best.


Pandora

Pandora is an Internet-radio service that has a huge following in the United States. It is an automated music recommendation service that plays musical selections similar to the songs entered by the user. Though limited to United States, Pandora has over 80 million users to boast about. To start listening, just enter your favorite artist. Then, Pandora will start playing a song by the artist you just entered. The next song will be a track by an artist similar to the one you're currently playing. This model makes sure that you always have something new to listen to and still you're not listening to something that's completely unfamiliar or unpalatable to you. The app is freely available for anyone who currently resides in the United States.



TuneIn Radio

TuneIn Radio is a free application that lets you listen to over 50,000 radio stations from various genres. With TuneIn you can listen to national networks like BBC, NPR and SWR for free. Moreover, you have access to over 50,000 channels of music, sports and news. If you go for the pro version of the app, you'll be able to record and pause live radio stations. Overall, a fabulous app for the perfect Internet radio experience.



Slacker

Bummer! Another app that's US-only! We can't really help it here since the popularity of this app completely overshadows its regional limitation. Slacker gives you a completely free, totally customizable radio with over 100 genre stations. Each genre station comes packed with a million different songs that will keep you grooving for hours. Though the free app lets you listen to all of these songs for free, a premium subscription will let you fetch lyrics, cache songs (offline listening), create custom playlists and store your favorite stations. The app and the service are quite similar to other competitors like Pandora and Last.fm, but they do offer a lot more songs. With over 1 million downloads so far, Slacker is freely available for download from the Android Marketplace. (US-only)



Deezer

Deezer is an amazing application that lets you listen to over 13 million tracks anywhere and anytime. The application comes with artist-based SmartRadio channels that match tracks to your taste. The free application gives you limited options that could be unlocked by subscribing to Deezer Premium +. With over 1 million downloads, the app is freely available to download from the Android Marketplace (UK and France only).



Winamp

Ok, now here's an app that everyone can enjoy. And what's more, the app comes from a brand that almost all of us (who are 20 +) know about. Yes, it's the good old Winamp and it's making a comeback in a whole new avatar. Remember those old days when Winamp ruled the desktop? But then suddenly, its monopoly came crashing down once iTunes came along. Now, Winamp is trying to win back the crowd with its sweet new Android app. Labeled as the 'Ultimate player for Android' by the team itself, Winamp brings you over 45,000 and more SHOUTcast radio stations. What's more, you also get to download one free MP3 a day from SPINNER. Other features include, lyrics search, gesture support, last.fm scrobbling and lock-screen player. Available in 14 languages, Winamp not only serves as a great Internet radio player, it also doubles up as a perfect alternative to the stock Android music player. Winamp is freely available for download from the Android Marketplace.



N.B. : Before using any of the aforementioned apps, make sure that you are on a Wi-Fi network or on a network that doesn't charge you a lot for heavy data transfers.

Saturday, October 29, 2011



How to Convince Your Friends into Using Linux Without Being a Jerk

Posted: 28 Oct 2011 09:17 PM PDT

Linux is one of the most secure and stable operating systems around, and yet, its user base hasn't really grown as everyone expected it to. There are many reasons for this, and we won't go into those right now. However, if you, like any other Linux user, are disappointed by the current market share stats, we can tell you some simple tips that will help you convince your Windows or Mac-crazy friends into using Linux.

Now, many Linux users have already tried to coax their friends and family members into trying out this popular and newbie-friendly distro called Ubuntu. A select few have succeeded and many have failed. So here, we will give you some important tips to help you spread the word about Linux without sounding like that arrogant nerd who has nothing but contempt for Windows or Mac.


Show, don't tell

Yes, this is the first and the most important thing you need to do if you have to convince a Windows or a Mac user into using Linux. Ubuntu, Linux Mint and many other distros look extremely beautiful, and honestly, the latest version of Ubuntu (Ubuntu 11.10) looks just as good as a Mac. But hey, if you're just going to just tell that to them do you think they'll believe you? Even if they do believe you, they'll still have no idea what Ubuntu or whatever you're talking about looks like. My suggestion is, you take your own Linux laptop, hand it over to them and let them play around with it. If you're on Ubuntu I'd recommend opening a new Guest session and handing over the laptop to them. That way, they'll have a better idea as to how beautiful even an uncustomized desktop looks like. If, at all, it is impossible to show the desktop to your friend, send him or her a YouTube video of the desktop.

The Show Don't Tell policy also applies to feature comparisons. Let's say you want to outline the salient features of Linux. Instead of giving a huge lecture about how virus-free, how fragmentation-free, how fast the desktop is, just show it to them. Take their Windows/Mac laptop and put it beside your own desktop. Start a timer and show your friend how fast it boots. I hate to repeat, but just show it, don't talk about it.


Stop telling them Windows is bad, they already know it

For a Linux user trying to convince a Windows user into the light side, there's always the Windows-bashing that comes in handy. At least that's what many Linux users think. Windows-bashing is great, everyone curses that dreaded operating system, but there's no point telling a Windows user about it. I'm pretty sure he or she already knows about it. There must at least be a thousand Windows users cursing Microsoft even as you're reading this article. But no way are they going to switch to something different.

In short, don't tell them that Windows is bad, don't even talk about Windows. Just keep telling them: "Hey, I have this amazing desktop on my computer, you gotta try it out". Hand over the laptop to them and let them do the Windows-bashing. When I converted my friend into a Linux user, all I did was showed him my laptop. I never mentioned a word about Windows or Mac. The moment he saw it, he started ranting about Windows like a pissed-off sports fan.


If they get stuck

Rather than helping them, show them how to get help and support on Linux. Don't let them rely on you to fix every problem on their desktop. Just give them a short tour of Ubuntu forums, IRC, and manuals and let them figure out for themselves.


Don't emphasize on the "free" part

Don't, and I say it again; don't ever start your pitch with the "free" part. In fact, it would be better if you drop the whole thing out of the conversation. Sometimes, they're so impressed by Linux that they eventually end up asking you about its cost. Just look at them casually and say "it's free" and wait for their reaction.


Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

Thursday, October 27, 2011



Top 5 BitTorrent Clients for Android

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 05:53 PM PDT

Unless you've been living under a cave, you must surely have heard of BitTorrent. The peer-to-peer file sharing protocol has been around since 2001, and since then, it has managed to gain over 100 million users worldwide. BitTorrent has been used and misused for many purposes including file sharing, distribution releases, government leaks and yes, piracy. Accounting for roughly 43-70 % global Internet traffic, this protocol is one of the most talked-about things on the Internet.

Here at Tech Source, we've already showed you how to use BitTorrent on Linux and for the geeky ones, we've written also written a guide on how to download torrent files using the command line. But now, as we move on to the age of droids and iPhones, many people are looking to replace their desktop with their smartphone.

If you are too cell-savvy to use your desktop for torrents, read on as we cover the best BitTorrent clients for Android. These applications will let you download all the latest torrents without the need to boot up your desktop.


aTorrent

aTorrent is a free BitTorrent software for Android that works across phones as well as tablets. The app features an integrated search bar that lets you find the latest torrent files for download. Other features include Magnet links support, partial downloads, parallel downloading and most importantly, the option to limit downloads to Wi-Fi. Packed with many more features, aTorrent is almost as good as any desktop torrent client albeit with some obvious limitations. One of the most interesting and unique features aTorrent provides is that it allows users to download only while power is connected, thus saving a lot of battery power. aTorrent is freely available for download from the Android marketplace.



aDownloader

aDownloader is a native BitTorrent client for Android with a simple and easy to use interface. Once you download the app, simply long press on any BitTorrent link you come across while browsing, and click on Share. Choose the aDownloader option, and your torrent will start download instantly. This feature makes this app great for folks who regularly download testing iso's of Linux distributions. A great way of putting this feature to use is by subscribing to distrowatch's RSS feeds, and then download the latest distro while on the go. Once your download is finished you can transfer it to your computer, burn it and enjoy the bleeding edge. Among other features, adownloader also supports adding torrent files from SD card. The app is freely available for download from the Android marketplace.



Rutracker Downloader

This is an app meant for pirates as it lets users download movies and music files from various BitTorrent sites. The app features an integrated pirate search that lets users download the latest movies and TV shows without any hassles. Rutracker is a fully functional BitTorrent client designed for Android and is freely available from the marketplace.



Swarm

Swarm is a lightweight BitTorrent client for Android that is designed to be fast, and easy to use. Sporting a simple interface, this nifty application lets you add/remove new torrents instantly. Just open the torrent file and the downloads start immediately. If you've set your Android to go to sleep, don't worry, as this app also lets you prevent the phone from going to sleep mode. Also, it will let you inhibit your Wi-Fi from going to sleep so that you could keep a download running overnight without any hassles. Swarm is a great application for those who need a no-fuss BitTorrent client that doesn't bog the user down with too many options. Costing around 5 USD, Swarm is available for download from the Android Marketplace.



aBTC

aBTC from NewFreedomApps is a full-featured BitTorrent client for Android. The app features an in-app search functionality that lets you find content instantly. aBTC also includes support for DHT as well as the ability to download files while sleeping. As compared to other torrent apps, this one hasn't got many good reviews. So, make sure you try out the other ones first.



Some Warnings: Before embarking on a downloading spree, keep the following things in mind -

1. Your phone, even though it may be dual-core, is not a computer. Don't expect the same speeds and functionality from an app as you expect from mu-torrent.
2. Using BitTorrent on the phone will drain your battery like crazy. So, if you're planning on a big download, make sure you plug in your charger beforehand.
3. Don't use BitTorrent when you're not on Wi-Fi. Downloading a 4GB file might take minutes on your 3G network, but it comes at a huge price.
4. Don't download anything illegal unless you're completely aware of the repercussions.

[HowtoForge] Newsletter 10/27/2011

HowtoForge Newsletter 10/27/2011
================================

*** Version 1.2 of the ISPConfig 3 Manual ***
=============================================

The next update of the ISPConfig 3 Manual is available in PDF format (version 1.2 for ISPConfig >= 3.0.3.3; Date: 05/04/2011).

Version 1.2 for ISPConfig >= 3.0.3.3 (Date: 05/04/2011)
Author: Falko Timme
308 pages

The manual can be downloaded from these two links:

http://www.ispconfig.org/ispconfig-3/ispconfig-3-manual/
http://www.howtoforge.com/download-the-ispconfig-3-manual


*********************************************
*********************************************


ISPConfig Monitor App for Android Phones
========================================

With the ISPConfig Monitor App, you can check your server status and find out if all services are running as expected. You can check TCP and UDP ports and ping your servers. In addition to that you can use this app to request details from servers that have ISPConfig installed; these details include everything you know from the Monitor module in the ISPConfig Control Panel (e.g. services, mail and system logs, mail queue, CPU and memory info, disk usage, quota, OS details, RKHunter log, etc.).

Download/Usage
==============

For download and usage instructions, please visit http://www.ispconfig.org/ispconfig-3/ispconfig-monitor-app-for-android/ .


*********************************************
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*** HowtoForge Now Has Its own Facebook Page ***
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We at HowtoForge are proud to announce that our new Facebook page is now available under http://www.facebook.com/howtoforge. As most of you probably have a Facebook account, we want to use this additional channel to post updates and get feedback from you. Therefore we would like you to "Like" our page, share it with your friends, post comments, etc. :-)

http://www.facebook.com/howtoforge
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New HOWTOs:
===========

* The Perfect Desktop - Ubuntu Studio 11.10
* How To Migrate Mailboxes Between IMAP Servers With IMAP TOOLS
* Serving CGI Scripts With Nginx On CentOS 6.0
* The Perfect Server - CentOS 5.7 x86_64 [ISPConfig 2]
* How To Create A RAID1 Setup On An Existing CentOS/RedHat 6.0 System
* How To Configure A pfSense 2.0 Cluster Using CARP
* Moving Files Between Linux Systems With SCP

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Perfect Desktop - Ubuntu Studio 11.10
=========================================

This tutorial shows how you can set up an Ubuntu Studio 11.10 desktop that is a full-fledged replacement for a Windows desktop, i.e. that has all the software that people need to do the things they do on their Windows desktops. The advantages are clear: you get a secure system without DRM restrictions that works even on old hardware, and the best thing is: all software comes free of charge. Please note that Ubuntu Studio 11.10 uses Xfce as the default desktop environment (instead of GNOME).

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-ubuntu-studio-11.10


How To Migrate Mailboxes Between IMAP Servers With IMAP TOOLS
=============================================================

This guide explains how you can migrate mailboxes between IMAP servers with IMAP TOOLS. IMAP TOOLS is a collection of Perl scripts that allow you to do various tasks with IMAP servers and also POP3 servers. In this article I will focus on the scripts imapcopy.pl (copies messages and mailboxes from one IMAP server to another) and pop3toimap.pl (copies POP3 messages to an IMAP server). Both scripts support SSL. If you specify port 993 (995 for POP3) then an SSL connection is initiated. If the port number is 143 (110 for POP3) then it will try a non-SSL connection. With any other value the port will be tested to see if it supports SSL. If so, SSL will be used to make the connection; otherwise a non-SSL connection will be made.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-migrate-mailboxes-between-imap-servers-with-imap-tools


Serving CGI Scripts With Nginx On CentOS 6.0
============================================

This tutorial shows how you can serve CGI scripts (Perl scripts) with nginx on CentOS 6.0. While nginx itself does not serve CGI, there are several ways to work around this. I will outline two solutions: the first is to proxy requests for CGI scripts to Thttpd, a small web server that has CGI support, while the second solution uses a CGI wrapper to serve CGI scripts.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/serving-cgi-scripts-with-nginx-on-centos-6.0


The Perfect Server - CentOS 5.7 x86_64 [ISPConfig 2]
====================================================

This tutorial shows how to set up a CentOS 5.7 server (x86_64) that offers all services needed by ISPs and web hosters: Apache web server (SSL-capable), Postfix mail server with SMTP-AUTH and TLS, BIND DNS server, Proftpd FTP server, MySQL server, Dovecot POP3/IMAP, Quota, Firewall, etc. In the end you should have a system that works reliably, and if you like you can install the free webhosting control panel ISPConfig 2 (i.e., ISPConfig runs on it out of the box).

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/perfect-server-centos-5.7-x86_64-ispconfig-2


How To Create A RAID1 Setup On An Existing CentOS/RedHat 6.0 System
===================================================================

This tutorial is for turning a single disk CentOS 6 system into a two disk RAID1 system. The GRUB bootloader will be configured in such a way that the system will still be able to boot if one of the hard drives fails (no matter which one).

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-create-a-raid1-setup-on-an-existing-centos-redhat-6.0-system


How To Configure A pfSense 2.0 Cluster Using CARP
=================================================

In this HowTo I will show you how to configure a pfSense 2.0 Cluster using CARP Failover. pfSense is quite a advanced (open-source) firewall being used everywhere from homes to enterprise level networks, I have been playing around with pfsense now for the last 3 months and to be honest I am not looking back, it is packed full of features and can be deployed easily within minutes depending on your requirements.

You can find the document here:
-------------------------------
http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-configure-a-pfsense-2.0-cluster-using-carp


Moving Files Between Linux Systems With SCP
===========================================

This article is about how to move files between servers using the scp (secure copy) command. To show how it works, I will move files from my HDD to a virtual machine running on VirtualBox. There is Linux Mint 11 installed on both drives.

You can find the document here:
-------------------------------
http://www.howtoforge.com/moving-files-between-linux-systems-with-scp


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1. Download the ISPConfig 3 Manual (from http://www.howtoforge.com/download-the-ispconfig-3-manual).
2. Access the whole HowtoForge web site without any ads.
3. Download the results of our tutorials as VMware images (where available) (a list of downloadable VMware images is available here: http://www.howtoforge.com/list-of-downloadable-vmware-images).
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6. You will be marked as a "HowtoForge Supporter" in your forum posts.
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If you have the free VMware Server or Player installed, you can import our VMware images and start playing around with the results of our tutorials immediately. It's a great way to track down problems with your own setup or simply to save time. ;-)

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Monday, October 24, 2011



Best Robotics Software for Linux

Posted: 24 Oct 2011 05:13 AM PDT

From C-3PO and R2D2 to the ping pong-playing TOPIO, robots have always been those dream machines mankind has been waiting for. Even though they are not a part of our everyday life yet, the future does promise a world run by the untiring arms of robotics. Robotics is no longer an emerging field. In fact, it has become a science that's accessible to everyone thanks to the attention it gets in media, Internet and print.

In an earlier article, we've already talked about how widespread robotics has become with the advent of ready-made robot kits. Having said that, no robot is complete without the right kind of programming. So, whether you're a robotics enthusiast or a super geek who's busy building a giant robot in his/her basement, read on as we've got a list of some of the best and coolest Robotics software out there for Linux.


Player
Player is a network sensor for robot control. With support for a huge amount of robot hardware, Player gives the user/developer a clean and easy to use interface to control the robot's sensors and actuators over the IP Network. By connecting with the client program over a TCP socket, Player reads data from sensors, writes commands to actuators, and configures devices on the fly. Being modular, Player makes it easy for developers to add new hardware without facing any major issues. Released under GPL license, Player is freely available for download.


OpenRDK
OpenRDK is an open source framework for robotics applications. It is a modular software framework focused on rapid development of distributed robotic systems. Already being used by the The Intelligent Control Group of Universidad Politécnica of Madrid and the RoCoCo laboratory of the Sapienza University of Rome, OpenRDK is a framework that has successfully been applied in diverse applications with heterogeneous robots. Also, OpenRDK is designed to work with third-party applications like the aforementioned Player/Stage.


Choreographe
Choregraphe is a programming software designed and developed by Aldebaran Robotics. Available for Linux, Windows and Mac, Choregraphe lets designers create and edit movements and interactive behaviors with a simple and easy to use interface. With an intuitive GUI, adding new movements is as easy as dragging and dropping from the library. Primarily used for programming NAO robot, Choregraphe also includes pre-programmed behavior boxes which could be edited using their Curve Editor. Though the program is not free, you can download a free trial from the website.


Fawkes
Fawkes is a software system that provides the infrastructure and building blocks to create and run robotic applications. It provides a robust and small run-time system that can load and unload plug-ins at run-time, thus allowing for a flexible development cycle. Written in C++, Fawkes is developed specially for Linux. It has been tested during numerous RoboCup events where it was used to drive multiple robots like the service robot Caesar, the humanoid robot NAO, or soccer playing middle size league robots. Licensed under GPL v2, Fawkes is freely available for download from the website. If you're on Fedora, you can download a packaged version of the software too.


CARMEN
CARMEN, which stands for Carnegie Mellon Robot Navigation Toolkit, is an open source collection of software used for mobile remote control. Developed by Carnegie Mellon University, this modular software is designed to provide basic navigation features like base and sensor control, logging, obstacle avoidance, localization, path planning and mapping. If you're itching to start, make sure you take a look at the comprehensive guide (found on their website) explaining how to use CARMEN. Available under GPL, CARMEN has to be installed from source, as there are no packages for it yet.


ROS
Robot Operating System or ROS is a ROS (Robot Operating System) provides libraries and tools to help software developers create robot applications. Licensed under BSD license, ROS provides features like hardware abstraction, device drivers, libraries, visualizers, message-passing, package management, and more. Before installing, do make sure you go though ROS's installation guide that's on the website


On a side note, if you have some disk space to spare, I'd recommend installing Fedora Robotics spin that includes all the important robotics software you'd ever need. This will help save you a lot of time.


Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

Saturday, October 22, 2011



Why the Google Galaxy Nexus is a Game Changer

Posted: 22 Oct 2011 03:05 AM PDT

In our earlier article, we have predicted how ICS was going to be a better choice when compared to iOS5, and boy, we were so right. Google and Samsung, at their mega event in Hong Kong, recently unveiled the highly coveted Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Successor to the popular Nexus S, this phone comes packed with a huge amount of new features that definitely give the iPhone 4S a good run for its money. Galaxy Nexus is also the first device that will run Google's new mobile operating system, that is Android 4.0 a.k.a Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS). Featuring a completely redesigned interface, this latest offering from the big G brings a smile across all Androiders' faces as the open source operating system will theoretically run across all 2.3 devices.

Here's a look at what's new in this Android super smartphone and how it can be a game changer in an industry that is at its very peak right now.


A quick chart of the specs Galaxy Nexus S:


Now, let's take a look at the features in a little more detail.


The Design

Galaxy Nexus sports a sleek contour design. So, not only does it look beautiful, it's also great to touch. The curved design has been a part of the Nexus family and it has been improved even further this time. Furthermore, the back of the phone has an ergonomic grip making the phone easy to hold.

Coming to the contentious issue of screen size, recently, there has been a lot of criticism about bigger displays, especially since many Apple fanboys have pointed out that iPhones have smaller screen size in order to let the thumb move easily over the whole screen. An almost-viral post showed Galaxy S2 and iPhone side by side tacitly making the point that it's impossible to have bigger displays without compensating on usability. During the presentation, Google countered the point by showing how Galaxy Nexus has a thinner bezel, due to which it can afford to have a bigger screen. This also quashed all apprehensions users had about Samsung's design flaws showing up in Galaxy Nexus. So, when it comes to design, there's no doubt that the Galaxy Nexus overpowers the iPhone.



Display, Look and Feel

Galaxy Nexus will feature a completely new font called Roboto that will make text more crisp and clear, further enhancing the reading experience. With a 4.65-inch Super AMOLED HD display, this phone offers one of the best displays around. Images, fonts, videos, and everything will look cooler on Galaxy Nexus.


Camera

Though many expected an 8MP camera, the 5 MP didn't disappoint. It shoots 1080p videos that is a great upgrade from its predecessor, the Nexus S, which only managed to capture 480p. Also, the 1.3 MP front camera is a big bonus for those who video chat, or Hangout (G+) a lot. And don't forget, the rear camera comes with some great features like zero shutter lag and autofocus.


The Operating System

Galaxy Nexus is the first phone to get the new Ice cream Sandwich operating system. Here are some of the features that you'll find in it:

1. Completely New interface: Android 4.0 is nothing like its predecessor. It's faster, sleeker and much more intuitive. Support for various gestures has also been incorporated making the phone one of the easiest things to use. And yeah, even computer scientists will love it.

2. New Browser: The browser now lets you sync your bookmarks with Chrome and save articles for offline reading. Also, text will be much sharper this time thanks to the new Robot font.

3. Better App Management: Apps can be now be organized into folders by dragging them on top of each other.

4. Better Widgets: You'll love your homescreen even more as ICS will come with a bunch of Android widgets that display much more information than before.

5. Updated Core Apps: Core apps like Gmail and Google Calendar have vastly been improved to make them more easy to use. This will definitely please all the Gmail users around.

6. Face Recognition lock: Make your device more secure by putting in Face recognition lock so that you and only you – unless, of course, you have an identical twin – will be able to unlock it.

7. Screenshots: Android 4.0 now lets you take screenshots right from the phone. Just hold the power button and the volume down button together and your snap will be saved to the gallery instantly.

8. Android Beam: Leveraging the immense power of NFC, you'll now be able to share whatever you're doing with another Galaxy Nexus user by simply tapping your phone against theirs. So, bye bye Bump!

9. It's open source: Finally, the most important feature of all is that it's open source. Google will release the source code once Galaxy Nexus hits the market.



Conclusion

With Galaxy Nexus and ICS, Google has managed to crush every bit of Apple hype that was lingering after their 4S release. Furthermore, this is Android's biggest release so far, opening more chances for this great platform to grow and yes, crush its competitors. Brace yourselves fellas, the smartphone wars is getting a lot more intense.