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Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is the latest treat to emerge from Google's kitchen, dishing up a range of exciting new features for smartphone and tablet users alike. So, what can you expect? Here are some of the highlights:
Browser Browser.
Android's web browser now supports the ability to save web pages and view them offline at your leisure, while you can also now sidestep limited mobile-specific versions of websites and view the full desktop version instead.		 Camera Camera.
Photography features on Android will now be beefed up. There are a host of improvements to the standard Android camera including continuous focus, zero shutter lag exposure, support for panoramic shots and the ability to take snaps while recording video.
Voice Recognition Voice recognition.
Google has overhauled Android's voice input engine, introducing an open microphone feature that enables you to talk away and have your voice turned into text in real time, complete with spaces, punctuation and even smiley faces.		 Lockscreen New lockscreen.
The clever new lockscreen features a circular unlock toggle, and allows you to jump straight to the camera or access notifications directly. But the really cool part comes from the new face-recognition feature that enables you to unlock your Android device simply by holding it up in front of you and letting the camera scan your face.
People App People app.
Between calls, emails, text messages, Facebook™ and Twitter™, there are plenty of ways to stay in touch these days. With that in mind, the new People app in Ice Cream Sandwich pulls all information relating to a specific contact into one place, so you can instantly see their latest updates, tweets, messages and the like in a single place.		 Android Beam Android Beam.
Near Field Communication (NFC) technology has finally taken off, and Android Beam is Google's take on the subject. What does it do? Well, bringing two NFC-equipped Android Ice Cream Sandwich devices close to one another allows Android Beam to instantly transfer contact details, maps, photos and other files between them completely wirelessly.
Better keyboard Better keyboard.
The on-screen virtual keyboard is now more responsive than ever and Google has worked hard to improve its correction and word suggestion abilities. You can now drag and drop whole words into your messages, and check for possible alternatives to a word just by tapping on it - even if you haven't made a mistake.		 Revamped Task Manager Revamped Task Manager.
A feature Android Honeycomb tablet users will already be familiar with, the new task manager makes multitasking a doddle. Press the dedicated virtual button at the bottom of the screen and a list of thumbnails will pop up, showing you all recently accessed apps at their exit point. Simply tap on the one you want and you'll instantly jump back to it.
Resizable Widgets Resizable widgets.
Another feature introduced in Android Honeycomb for tablets, resizable widgets now hits the mainstream in Ice Cream Sandwich. It enables you to lay out your homescreen exactly as you want it, giving as much or as little space to each element on screen as you like.		 Roboto Font Roboto font.
Given that Ice Cream Sandwich is a major new version of Android, Google has worked hard to make sure it looks the part too. The all-new Roboto font gives Android a fresh new look throughout. Google developed it specifically to look good on HD-quality displays, possibly a first in the font world!
No Buttons No need for buttons.
Anyone familiar with Android phones will be used to seeing the stock-standard set of buttons below the screen. Well, Ice Cream Sandwich uproots them and replaces them with a set of three programmable virtual buttons that disappear when not in use and flip to landscape orientation when you turn your phone on its side.		    
3 Reasons to upgrade

Still not convinced as to why you should upgrade? Completely happy with your current phone or tablet? Well, here are three vital things to keep in mind:

#1
First, Ice Cream Sandwich unlocks new features and capabilities that haven't been supported until now (see above!). This means new Android devices will have more powerful specifications than ever before.

#2
Secondly, many of the latest apps appearing on the Android Market app store will have been written with the added functionality of Ice Cream Sandwich in mind, and you might not be able to use them effectively if you're still stuck on an older version of Android.

#3
And finally, each new version of Android comes with improved security measures to combat the increasing threat of malware on mobile devices, where older versions of the software might not be quite as secure.
How do I get it?

Ice Cream Sandwich was officially announced on 19 October 2011, however it will take some time before a full range of devices is available with it on board. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the only current device with Ice Cream Sandwich already installed, but a host of brand new phones and tablets running the new software will be released in time for the summer. Check out our Coming Soon page for the latest mobile phones and tablets due for release in 2012.

The new operating system will also be made available as an upgrade to a wide range of existing Android devices, but exactly when - or just which smartphones and tablets will get it - we can't say at this stage. That's because Google leaves the upgrade process in the hands of the phone manufacturers, and it's up to them to decide which devices will be eligible for an upgrade, and when it will be released.

Words and concept: Alan Thomas
Design: Sophie Payne