The Week in Tweets: Google Gives Us a Bite of ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’

Google this week formally unveiled Android 4.0, dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich, at a Hong Kong event that also included the debut of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the first smartphone that will feature the revamped OS.

Ice Cream Sandwich pulls together the best of the smartphone-centric Gingerbread and the tablet-focused Honeycomb and adds some new bells and whistles. A new lockscreen ditches passwords for facial recognition, the camera gets a speed boost, there's NFC for mobile payment enthusiasts, and Google added a new font called Roboto, among other things (For more, check out 10 Coolest Android Ice Cream Sandwich Features).

At the AsiaD conference in Hong Kong this week, Android chief Andy Rubin told All Things D that Google wants "everything to be as smooth as butter." He later told conference moderator Walt Mossberg that "Ice Cream Sandwich is the best we've ever done."

The next question, of course, is when Android users will get their hands on an Ice Cream Sandwich-based device. The Galaxy Nexus is set to debut in November, possibly on Verizon Wireless here in the United States. There are reports that the newly unveiled Motorola RAZR will get the updated OS in early 2012, as well as the upcoming Asus Transformer 2 tablet.

But is the 4.65-inch (!) HD touch screen enough to draw buyers away from the new iPhone 4S? Will Ice Cream Sandwich just add to the Android fragmentation problem (PCMag's Sascha Segan thinks so)? Why such a silly name? Those were some of the questions Android enthusiasts were asking on Twitter this week. Check out the slideshow for more.

1. bluthquotes

George Sr. would no doubt approve.

2. codebutler

Android fragmentation anyone?

3. michaeljnelson

This guy’s "device" is probably not on the update schedule.

4. phonescooper

The silliness of the Ice Cream Sandwich moniker was a popular topic of discussion.

5. noahkravitz

Little Androids with ice cream sandwiches! Aww.

6. ruskin147

Mmm, people.

7. MaxScoville

Toddler focus groups are quite productive.

8. gruber

Is that a 4.65-inch smartphone in your pocket?