I am a new Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) user. I installed the Alpha Cyanogen Mod 9 version for the Galaxy S II a few days ago and played with a Galaxy Nexus (GN) for a few hours now.

ICS is the latest Android OS version, I will give you my main impressions about it right now: it makes Gingerbread (GB) and Froyo look absolutely obsolete. I have used the 3 last Android OS versions – Eclair, Froyo and GB, every version is a big step forward for Google in the mobile world.

A brand new UI

The first time you get to play with ICS, you will be stuned by the new UI that Google developed. This is the main new feature. It looks amazing, the blue and dark atmosphere feats perfectly with the UI, every moves and interface elements seem natural and perfectly thought.

The new applications deck is well though but not revolutionary, the widget deck as well, but the new multitask interface and notification bar are pure genius. The old, but practical, multitask interface that the previous Android versions were featuring has been replaced by a list of previewed apps that were opened previously and that are running in the background. That way, you can clearly see what you opened and switch between applications. Also, you are now able to close an app just by swiping it away. The new notifications bar, when unscrolled,  looks like what Android OS is famous for, but Google added some great ideas: you have now more information regarding your incoming email, messages, … You also can select which notification you are going to remove, you don’t need anymore to remove every pending notification at once, this is a great addition. A “general parameters” shortcut has also been added at the top of that bar. Too bad Google didn’t add the wifi/bluetooth/gps/sound CM widget at the top of that bar, but this is already great (you can get that by installing CM9). The new parameters interface is really well thought too, it gives you a direct access to wifi and bluetooth switchs, it gives you battery and data usage statistics, you have now more settings to “play” with.

The new files on the home screen are now as nice as what you can find in IOS, you can also create folders on the dock, which is great. The contacts, phone and camera interfaces are really nice and fast/easy to use.

Overall, every aspect of the UI have been enhanced, this is an entirely new design, and that is great – that is what IOS has been lacking for years, design and UI novelty.

New Google apps versions

The new Google applications versions are great, I think about Gmail for instance which is clearer and faster, but also the widgets that go with these apps – Calendar, Gmail, … I will only talk about the Google apps that I use. The new Android browser is great. I am a convinced Dolphin browser and Opera browser user but with ICS I will stick to the stock browser. It is blasting fast, it synchs with your desktop Chrome’s favorites, it has a new multi-pages interface, there are a lot of settings and it is almost taking advantage of the totality of your screen. The new Gtalk version is amazing, it is very fast, stable and clear, the video works really well, even on 3G. The Google Music app works really well with ICS, it is faster and prettier. I am not a big fan of the new Email app version, but I never really used that app. The Google Maps app is still as useful as before – although a bit laggy I think, but maybe this is linked to this very early CM9 alpha build.

Great performances – CM9 will be amazing

I have to say that I wouldn’t go back to GB now that I tasted that sweat sweat Google ICS – nor another OS actually. Beside its new UI, ICS is considerably faster at every level. I have to admit that I mostly used the CM9 build, which is amazing, but the Galaxy Nexus provides also a smooth, fast and flawless experience. Faster to boot and reboot, to load data and to open and close apps, ICS is really great tu use. I couldn’t detect any lag. Again, maybe CM teams made an AOSP ICS version even more efficient than the stock GN ICS firmware, but I doubt it since the current build is at the Alpha stage, not even Beta. It gives huge expectations to all of us regarding the future CM9 RC version and the final CM9 build. I didn’t experience lags, even while scrolling between homescreens, loaded with many widgets. An amazing experience while using Android! Even with GB lags – if you were not using launchers like Launcher pro – were often experienced, at every level of the Android UI.

It’s difficult to evaluate the actual battery life that ICS provides when you used a Rom for only 2 days and when you are using an Alpha build of CM. Although, my current feeling is that the battery life using that build is sightly worst than with the latest GB Samsung Rom. Although, I have the feeling that the battery life will be similar with ICS, compare to what we could experience with GB.

A great user experience

In conclusion, I really think ICS is a huge step forward. This is, to me, the best OS currently available, and I truly wonder what Google will bring with its next Android version, it will be hard to do better. I guess this new UI won’t be changed for a while, and I won’t complain.

I would like to thank CM teams, and especially Codeworkx, the amazing dev who brought an AOSP ICS rom to the GSII, especially that early.

You can find the latest CM9 ICS build for the Galaxy SII, developed by Codeworkx here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1410400.