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Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Nexus (photos)

As the first U.S. phone with Ice Cream Sandwich, Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Nexus takes a coveted, solitary step forward. Check it out in our photo gallery.

Kent German
Kent was a senior managing editor at CNET News. A veteran of CNET since 2003, he reviewed the first iPhone and worked in both the London and San Francisco offices. When not working, he's planning his next vacation, walking his dog or watching planes land at the airport (yes, really).
Kent German
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1 of 10 James Martin/CNET

Resembles Nexus S

The Galaxy Nexus resembles the earlier Nexus S. Indeed, you'll see the same dark skin and tapered edges.
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2 of 10 James Martin/CNET

AMOLED

The 1,280x720-pixel Super AMOLED resolution display is gorgeous with eye-popping colors and crisp graphics. It measures 4.65 inches, though only 4 inches of that space is usable on the home screen given the programmable shortcut tray that sits at the bottom. Finally, below that you'll see the three virtual keys, which are the phone's only navigation controls.
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3 of 10 James Martin/CNET

Interface

The Galaxy Nexus's pure Android OS brings a welcome uncluttered and accessible interface. Ice Cream Sandwich holds further goodies like new folders and new widgets as you take a deeper dive.
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4 of 10 James Martin/CNET

Thin profile

Like its unlocked sibling, the Verizon Galaxy Nexus is super thin with a clean, seek profile. What's more, the "contour" shape is designed to mimic the curve of your head. The three metal dots on the right are for a dock accessory and a power control/lock button.
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5 of 10 James Martin/CNET

Thicker

Curiously, though, the Verizon handset is marginally thicker than its predecessor. You might not even notice the difference (0.37 inches versus 0.35 inches) if we hadn't pointed it out, but in this photo you can see that Big Red's device (left) shows a bit more bulk.
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6 of 10 James Martin/CNET

Heavier metal

Of course, the extra girth means that the new handset also is a bit heavier. It's only by a quarter of an ounce (5 ounces versus 4.76 ounces), but you notice the difference right away. And even with the additional weight the device joins other Samsung Android phones in feeling a bit too fragile.
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7 of 10 James Martin/CNET

Keyboard

The keyboard is standard Android with big virtual buttons, but only three rows of keys.
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8 of 10 James Martin/CNET

Ports

On the handset's bottom end are the Micro-USB charge/syncing port and the 3.5mm headset jack. Truth be told, we'd prefer the headset jack to be in a different place.
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9 of 10 James Martin/CNET

Hyperskin

The "hyperskin" cover on the device's rear side has a comfortable textured surface, but it could feel stronger.
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10 of 10 James Martin/CNET

Easy on the eyes

But even with our design caveats, you have to admit that the Galaxy Nexus is a looker.

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