Get acquainted with the newest Android -- Ice Cream Sandwich [slideshow]

Today in Hong Kong, Google formally launched Android 4.0 in an event cosponsored by Samsung. The new operating system replaces Android 2.x "Gingerbread" for smartphones and 3.x "Honeycomb" for tablets. During the event Andy Rubin, Android chief, laid out "three defining terms" -- goals -- for new version "Ice Cream Sandwich: "simplicity", "beautiful", "we want to go beyond smart". Android 4.0 looks smart and acts smart, too. Many people will look and remark how suddenly outdated is Apple's iOS 5, which only launched last week.

Ice Cream Sandwich will be available in November on the new Google phone, the Samsung-manufactured Galaxy Nexus. Presumably, Android 4 will soon be (or soon after be) available for stock "with Google" devices, such as Nexus S and Motorola XOOM. Meantime, we thought you'd like a peak at what's coming your way.

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