Tag: Android 4.0

Samsung Galaxy Note gets early Buggy Ice Cream Sandwich vis Cyanogen Mod 9

Proud owner of the Samsung Galaxy Note? This should interest your anxious thought process. A new rom based on CM9 will give your Note the most anticipated ICS update well ahead of schedule. The Rom will not retain full pen functionality and all of the S-Pen input is currently not available. This build is also lacking a working camera app and Bluetooth radio functionality. Either way a ROM with more stabler features can be expected soon.

The one thing to note is that Samsung will soon release their updates for ICS to their own Android device arsenal, this will also include an update for the Galaxy Note, which will retain the Samsung Touch Wiz user Interface. So ensure you know what you are getting into, before you try out experimental roms on your precious 5.3 inch device!

January 4, 2012
Samsung Galaxy S2 to Get official Ice Cream Sandwich through Kies soon

Various builds of ICS on the Samsung Galaxy S2 have started to leak out, indicating that they are meant to be upgraded through Kies. They consist of an early Android 4.0.1 build made on December 20th and version 4.0.3 crafted soon after. These builds are much more improved than the builds released earlier, included cosmetic changes and less neon looking notification. The builds also seem to have better integration with Samsung Apps.

January 4, 2012
Samsung confirms list, Galaxy SII and Note will get ICS easily 2012 (PR)
Samsung has finally confirmed that most of its top end devices will support Google’s next OS “Ice Cream Sandwich”. This confirmation comes after weeks of consumer engagements and let downs. Samsung will be rolling out the Upgrade to ICS sometime in the first quarter of 2012. The upgrade is most likely not an OTA update and will require a full flash of the device using their proprietary desktop software called “Kies” The full List of devices includes

[threecol_one]

Confirmed Devices
- GALAXY S II
- GALAXY S II LTE
- GALAXY Note
- GALAXY R
- GALAXY Tab 10.1
- GALAXY Tab 8.9
- GALAXY Tab 7.7
- GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus
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[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]

Samsung Electronics plan to provide the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for GALAXY devices. The platform update for GALAXY S II and GALAXY Note will start in the first quarter 2012, and other GALAXY devices will soon follow.

The ICS-upgradable devices are the GALAXY S II, GALAXY S II LTE, GALAXY Note, GALAXY R, GALAXY Tab 10.1, GALAXY Tab 8.9, GALAXY Tab 7.7, and GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus.

For upgradable models, Samsung will make separate announcements on details of OS updates schedule for each market according to market situation and carriers’ requirements.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and Samsung GALAXY Nexus, the first Ice Cream Sandwich powered smartphone, were first unveiled at a Google/Samsung joint news conference in Hong Kong on October 19th.

Ice Cream Sandwich brings an entirely new look and feel to Android. It has a redesigned user interface with improved multi-tasking, notifications, Wi-Fi hotspot, NFC support and a full Web browsing experience. Ice Cream Sandwich also features a new People App which lets users browse pictures, messages and social network updates from friends, family and co-workers.

Ice Cream Sandwich also introduces innovations such as Face Unlock, which uses facial recognition to unlock the smartphone. Using NFC technology, Android Beam allows users to quickly share Web pages, apps and YouTube™ videos with friends by simply tapping two phones back-to-back. Users can even use fun effects while shooting video or video chatting with Google Talk™.

* Google, Nexus, Android, Android Market, YouTube, Google Talk, Gmail, Google Maps, Google Earth, and Google Calendar are trademarks of Google, Inc.

[/toggle]

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This is a major let down especially for those who were on other Samsung devices, hoping to get in on the ICS action. Fear not the developer community is still strong, and almost all devices sporting a processor faster than 650MHz will be able to get a custom developed ICS ROM.

[Samsung]
December 21, 2011
Adobe updates Flash 11.1 to support ICS

Adobe is following closely in Google’s footsteps, after the announcement early today. Adobe has confirmed that since a large mass of Android owners will be soon shifting to Google’s new OS, they have updated their flash 11.1 client for Android to support Ice Cream Sandwich aka Android 4.0.

There are however known bugs with the release, one that does not prioritize the audio during an incoming call. That means any current Flash clip will play audio before and after the call is received. In addition, the “enter” key does not work in multi-line text input fields.

Why push an update out without removing known bugs? However, Anyone with ICS on their plate should be able to get a add-on of new flash from the marketplace.

[Adobe]

December 17, 2011
Facebook for Android Gets a Facelift and Tweaks

The new Facebook for Android app update, adds a whole lot of tweaks and and bunch of turbo speed boosts. According to Facebook :Photos and albums are up to two times faster than the previous Android app. It’s also easier to share photos, view comments and edit captions on the go. Your messages and notifications are now at the top of your screen. You can respond to friends and stay updated without leaving the page you’re on in Notification style. Just like the iOS App you can quickly access your News Feed, Groups, games and apps from the new left-hand menu.

[Facebook]

[ Android Market]

December 8, 2011
Eric Schmidt says ‘Android will be bigger than iOS’

Speaking at Le Web in Paris Google CEO, spoke about why Apps were first written for iOS and then ported over to Android. The response was one that would not surprise any Android user, Schmidt claims ” In about 6 months its going to be the other way round.” He predicts that the new OS Ice Cream Sandwich will remove the device fragmentation and lead people closer to the OS, making it a preferred choice of developers.

[Engadget]

[Le Web (YouTube)]

December 8, 2011
Kindle Fire Gets Unofficial iCe Cream Sandwich

The Kindle fire is one of those tablets thats taking the world by storm, with awesome pricing and specs the device is turning out to be a developers fantasy. XDA-Developers forum members have been able to get the ICS ported to the tablet with a promise of the kernel release soon. Both hardware acceleration and touch input work great but audio and wifi are giving trouble.

Now where is that unboxing unit ?

[XDA-Developers]

December 8, 2011
Ainol launches the NOVO7, the world’s first Android 4.0 tablet Rs 5000 add Shipping and tax (PR)

Eagerly waiting to get in on the tablet action, but need something that will secure future updates? Enter Ainol NOVO7 a US$ 100 tablet that has already been launched with Android 4.0. The device was previously selling as a Android 2.3 tablet but now comes with ICS preloaded. It features a Ingenic JZ4770 mobile applications processor and 1GHz MIPS-based XBurst CPU, 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, a Vivante GC860 GPU clocked at 444MHz, 1080p video decoding, rear 2MP camera with VGA front-facing cam, USB 2.0, HDMI 1.3, microSD slot.

The company is also working on 8 inch and 9 inch versions of the tablet. Seems like an excellent option for an under 5000 Rupee tablet. oh wait1 the dollar is much more expensive now.

[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]MIPS Technologies and Ingenic Semiconductor Announce
Availability of World’s First Android™ ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’ Tablet

1GHz, Low-Power Tablet Sets New Market Standard at Sub-$100 Price Point

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – December 5, 2011 – MIPS Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIPS), a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital home, networking and mobile applications, and Ingenic Semiconductor, a leading China-based CPU provider for mobile multimedia applications, today announced worldwide availability of the world’s first tablet based on Android ™ 4.0, known as ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’, that is retailing for less than $100 (U.S). The tablet is powered by Ingenic’s JZ4770 mobile applications processor, which leverages a MIPS-Based™ XBurst™ CPU running at 1GHz.

According to Andy Rubin, senior vice president of mobile at Google, “I’m thrilled to see the entrance of MIPS-Based Android 4.0 tablets into the market. Low cost, high performance tablets are a big win for mobile consumers and a strong illustration of how Android’s openness drives innovation and competition for the benefit of consumers around the world.”

The new Android 4.0 tablet is available in China and online through Ainol Electronics Co., Ltd. It will be available in the United States and other geographies within the next several months under brands from companies including Leader International Inc. and OMG Electronics Ltd.

The new tablet is available with a 7″ capacitive multi-touch screen. 8″ and 9″ form factors will be available soon. All versions include support for WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, USB 2.0, HDMI 1.3 and microSD, as well as 3D graphics with the Vivante GC860 GPU, 1080p video decoding and dual front/rear cameras. The XBurst processor’s power-efficient architecture provides extended battery life-the 7″ tablet draws less than 400mA during active web browsing.

“We are pleased to join with MIPS to announce these breakthrough high-performance, low-power, low-cost Android 4.0 tablets. Combining the elegance of the MIPS architecture and Ingenic’s innovation in processor design, we are bringing a new level of processor technology to mobile devices. As we continue to collaborate with MIPS to broaden the mobile ecosystem around the legendary MIPS architecture, we anticipate even broader proliferation of our devices worldwide. We believe the mobile world will be more versatile and colorful with another processor joining in,” said Qiang Liu, chairman and CEO, Ingenic Semiconductor.

“The openness of Android is enabling a new level of connectedness and interaction between devices and between people across the globe. We are excited to be a part of the Android ecosystem delivering on that vision. We applaud Ingenic’s accomplishment in developing this new high-performance, feature-rich Android 4.0 tablet, and offering it at a price point that makes it widely accessible. We look forward to teaming with Ingenic as it continues to develop MIPS-Based mobile innovations,” said Sandeep Vij, president and CEO, MIPS Technologies.

Ingenic JZ4770 SoC
The Ingenic JZ4770 SoC inside of the new tablet is one of the first MIPS-Based systems-on-chips (SoCs) targeted for mobile devices that delivers 1GHz+ frequency, increasingly a requirement for tablets and other devices that incorporate rich multimedia and high-performance applications/functionality. The JZ4770 SoC is powered by a MIPS32 compatible XBurst CPU designed by Ingenic. The XBurst CPU core adopts an innovative ultra-low-power pipelining architecture which consumes less than 90mW in 1GHz (with L1 cache), and the entire SOC consumes ~250mW with the CPU and video engine operating under full load. In addition to the XBurst CPU, the JZ4770 SoC integrates an optimized 1080p video processing engine, OpenGL ES 2.0 3D graphics processing unit from Vivante Corp. and numerous on-chip analog and application blocks such as audio codecs and GPS.

Pricing and Availability
Ingenic’s JZ4770 SoC for Android 4.0 tablets is available now. The new Android 4.0 tablet is available in China and online through Ainol Electronics Co., Ltd. at www.ainovo.com. The 7″ tablet retails for less than $100 (U.S.) non-subsidized. The tablet will be available in other geographies within the next several months.[/toggle]

December 6, 2011
Google Testing Ice Cream Sandwich on Nexus S – Works Great

Google employees are testing Ice Cream Goodness on the Nexus S and apparently it works great. This means that if you are rocking a Nexus S you are only weeks away from receiving an official update to the next delicious version. The company is also hoping to remove any and all kinks during this test process so that they can deliver a very stable bug free version for an update.

Tasty treats anyone?

[Android Police]

December 5, 2011
Nokia N900 gets Ice Cream Sandwich, we say wooo!

A hacker with his estranged N900 has managed to get some desert love on his not so shiny N900. The hack is an extremely early build and is even referenced as being “pre-pre-alpha,”. But still to have Google’s latest OS running on a N900 will give some Nokia fanboys a thrill they could have had, but may now never get. Nokia+Android.

November 29, 2011
Galaxy Nexus beats the iPhone 4S in Benchmarks

Anandtech has been busy this weekend comparing the Samsung Galaxy Nexus against the iPhone 4S. The results are in the and Android powerhouse beats the iPhone 4S in some areas.

In the SunSpider Javascript Benchmark the iPhone scored a 2250 whereas the Galaxy nexus got a 1875 ( the lower the number the better in this test). Essentially that menas that Java performance is better on the G-Nexus. In the Rightware BrowserMark test the iPhone 4S scored a 87,841 whereas the Nexus S Scored a 98,272 ( the more the better in this test). This means that the overall web index scores and rendering of webpages should be much faster on the G-Nexus compared to the the iPhone 4s. The major improvements on the web experience are said to be blamed on the enhancements of software found in Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Graphics benchmarks revealed that the iDevices including the iPhone and the iPad performed better. In the OpenGL test the iPad and the iPhone 4S got 148.2 and 123.1 respectively, whereas the G-Nexus got a disappointing 45.2. Head on to the source link for full benchmarks and test results.

[AnandTech]

November 21, 2011
Lenovo to release an Android Ice Cream Sandwich Tablet By end 2011, with 1.6GHz Tegra 3

Did you think Tegra 3 device were far from production? Well, You thought wrong. Folks over at Engadget have exclusive information on the upcoming Lenovo Tab. the device will feature a 10.1 inch display of unknown pixel density. The device also packs a whopping 1.6GHz QUAD CORE Nvidia Tegra 3 Chipset, and 2GB of DDR 3 RAM at 1600 MHz.

The images also reveal a pop out USB host with a standard size USB port, a biometric reader at the back for security locks. The device should be one of the many Tablets on Tegra 3 but looks like Lenovo this time around may actually be the first to launch a device of such massive proportion.

[Engadget]

November 15, 2011
ASUS launches the new Transformer Prime with Tegra 3 and 12 Hour Battery (PR)

Asus has officially announced its revision to the Asus EeePad Transformer, this one dubbed the “Transformer Prime” will feature enhancements inside out. The major changes include the all new Nvidia Tegra 3 SOC with quad core processors and 12 core GPU, the enhanced 10.1 inch Super IPS LCD display. The new tab will also feature a 8.3mm-thick/ thin body, mini-HDMI output, microSD slot ( for next Gen. upto 64GB)

The pricing has also been revised to tackle the market by surprise, the tablet launches worldwide in December for a price of US $ 499 for the 32 GB version ( Approx. Rs 25,000/-) and US $ 599 for the 64GB Version (Approx. Rs 30,000). The display has a resolution of 1280 x 800 and is a Gorilla Glass display with a 178-degree viewing angle and a brightness of 600 nits. The battery is going to run upto 12 hours on the tablet alone, thats before adding the extended battery pack from the dock. The tablet will have 1 GB of RAM and an 8 MP auto focus, f/2.4 lens, backlit illuminating sensor ( similar to the one seen on the iPhone 4S). The device will have 1080p video capture and a front facing 1.2 MP camera for video chats on their upgraded version of Ice Cream Sandwich ( aka Android 4.0)

[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]ASUS Announces the Eee Pad Transformer Prime
Featuring the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 Quad-Core Processor the Transformer Prime is designed to greatly enhance the mobile computing experience

Fremont, CA (November 8, 2011) – ASUS officially announces the world’s first tablet with the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor – the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime. The Eee Pad Transformer Prime is ultra-thin at 8.3mm (0.33″) and lightweight at 586g (1.29lbs) while featuring a stylish metallic swirl design with class leading enhancements including ASUS SonicMaster audio technology, an HD 8MP rear auto-focus camera with LED flash and battery life rated for up to 18 hours* when combined with the optional mobile dock. Pricing will range from $499** (32GB) to $599** (64GB), with the optional mobile dock accessory priced at $149**.

Incredibly Slim yet Incredibly Powerful
Featuring an ultra-slim form factor, the Transformer Prime is only 8.3mm (0.33″) thin and weighs in at a mere 586g (1.29lbs without dock). This makes watching movies, surfing the web, playing games, taking photos, finishing up homework or video chatting with friends or family so easy and natural that you’ll wonder if the Transformer Prime was designed specifically with you in mind. Its innovative metallic swirl design is made of aluminum for a secure yet extremely comfortable grip that comes in two gorgeous colors: Amethyst Gray and Champagne Gold.

The Transformer Prime is the world’s first tablet to feature NVIDIA’s next-generation quad-core Tegra® 3 processor. With the quad-core CPU, 12-core GeForce® GPU and vSMP technology, the Transformer Prime delivers an optimum user experience featuring smooth multitasking capabilities, lightning fast app loading, a rich and fluid web experience, full 1080P HD video for realistic media playback or recording and of course, incredible gaming performance that allows you to experience games in an entirely new way.

Fantastic Battery Life
While the Transformer Prime is extremely slim and light, ASUS did not forget about battery life. Thanks to the advanced power management features of the Tegra® 3 processor and ASUS optimizations the Transformer Prime has a battery life of up to 12 hours*, but when combined with the mobile dock, it lasts up to an incredible 18 hours*, the longest battery life of any current tablet. That’s enough battery life for a trans-ocean flight, all-night game session, viewing several movies on a long road trip or even video recording, editing, and then playing back your child’s school play all in 1080P HD clarity.

Unrivaled Visuals
The Eee Pad Transformer Prime boasts a wide 178° viewing angle IPS display, protected by Corning® Gorilla® Glass, which features new ASUS technology to enhance the brightness of the screen for a better outdoor reading experience while still offering a remarkably vivid and brilliant viewing experience of photos, books, videos, movies and web pages indoors. Thanks to Multi-Touch technology, you can use your fingers to do everything from swiping through photos, surfing the web, playing the latest games, typing emails, instant messaging, reading books or magazines, and starting your favorite movie.

A 1.2MP front camera allows for instant photos or high-quality video conferencing with friends, family or coworkers while an 8MP rear camera with auto-focus and LED flash takes brilliant photos or video thanks to a large F2.4 aperture, back illuminated CMOS sensor, touch-to-focus depth of field and low-light noise reduction to provide the clearest and sharpest photos or even 1080P HD videos.

Advanced Audio
The Transformer Prime offers impressive audio capabilities in a tablet, powered by ASUS exclusive SonicMaster technology, renowned for crisp and acoustically accurate audio. It produces crystal clear sound with a wide sound stage, increased audio fidelity, and distinct vocal enhancements for an immersive audio experience with your favorite music track, video, or movie.

Unlimited Productivity
The Transformer Prime is offered with either 32GB or 64B flash storage options for quick, efficient and reliable access to your applications. Both models feature a micro SD card slot, 3.5mm combo audio jack and micro HDMI port so sharing both what’s inside and on-screen is quick and easy. However, the function that gives the Transformer Prime its namesake is the mobile dock, which gives new meaning to the term versatility. This innovative and convenient design seamlessly provides the user with a keyboard and touchpad, along with limitless expandability options via the USB port and SD card slot.

ASUS will include several innovative applications like SuperNote that is fantastic for its ability to take, draw or record notes and Polaris® Office which is great for staying productive with the ability to read, edit or create Word, Excel and PowerPoint (MS Office 97-2007) compatible files. Thousands of top rated applications and games are also available at Android Market that fully takes advantage of the Transformer Prime’s amazing features and power.

*Battery life will vary based on usage patterns and options.
**Pricing will vary by country and SKU. North American MSRP pricing listed.[/toggle]

November 9, 2011
HTC Announces Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades for their devices.

HTC has announced the first wave of upgrades for their devices in a statement made on Facebook. Confirming that the HTC Sensation and Sensation XE will definitely get the upgrade, but leaving out majors from the announcement including Incredible S and Desire S. This announcement was made for the US division, but is applicable to worldwide devices.

HTC knows how excited our fans are to get their hands on Google’s latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, so we’re thrilled today to announce the first wave of HTC phones that will receive upgrades: We can confirm the brand new HTC Vivid is upgradeable to Ice Cream Sandwich. In addition, Ice Cream Sandwich is coming in early 2012 to a variety of devices including the HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation XL and HTC Sensation XE, as well as the HTC Rezound, HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Design 4G and HTC Amaze 4G through close integration with our carrier partners. We’re continuing to assess our product portfolio, so stay tuned for more updates on device upgrades, timing and other details about HTC and Ice Cream Sandwich.

[HTC (Facebook)]

November 7, 2011
Samsung Confirms Ice Cream Sandwich Rollout Plans for devices
Samsung has confirmed the list of devices that will be getting Android 4.0 AKA Ice Cream Sandwich. This also clarifies if you didn’t pay good amounts of money for you device Samsung does not care about you. Also it seems that only newer devices are being considered for the update.

Here is the confirmed spec list:
- Galaxy S2
- Galaxy Notes
- Galaxy Tab 10.1
- Galaxy Tab 8.9
- Galaxy Tab 7.7
- Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
Samsung is still evaluating less recent devices for potential upgrades.

Missing devices and low mid-range and the “old” Galaxy S i9000. Samsung has yet to assess the time to port the new version on the high-end device and then verify that everything is replicable also on line cheapest device (however, only WVGA). Thus were not yet evaluated the choices for the Galaxy W and the like.

–Samsung Blog
October 29, 2011