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Tag: Ice Cream Sandwich

  • Ice Cream Sandwich Not Coming To Xperia Play After All

    We reported back in March that Sony was starting up a beta test program to see which Xperia phones could take on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). One of the hopes was that Sony’s flagship gaming phone, the Xperia Play, would see an upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich. That appears to not be the case anymore.

    In a post on the Sony Mobile blog, the company says that Ice Cream Sandwich wont be coming to Xperia Play after extensive testing on their end alongside the testing performed by those that participated in the beta test. It was found that the Xperia Play could not remain stable while running ICS and that it had a negative impact on the performance of games. Considering that the Xperia Play’s main focus is games with its d-pad controls and PlayStation style buttons, it’s a big deal if the phone can’t remain stable during gameplay.

    That’s the only bad news, however, in a post full of good news. ICS will be hitting a wide range of other Xperia phones soon. The company announced that ICS would be hitting the Xperia S, Xperia P and Xperia U in tiers at the end of June. Three Xperia phones – Xperia Arc S, Xperia Ray and Xperia Neo V – were all updated with ICS last month. The other Xperia smartphones that Sony released in 2011 will receive ICS at some point during this year.

    At this point, it seems that it’s only the Xperia Play that’s being left out of the ICS update. Sony probably made the right choice since an unstable OS would be disastrous for a mobile phone whose main purpose is to play games. The lack of ICS could also be pointing to a successor to the Xperia Play with advanced functionality. One of Sony’s most valuable assets is its PlayStation brand. Being able to market a smartphone that at least looks like a PlayStation device weighs heavily in Sony’s favor.

    It appears that Sony is still allowing Xperia Play users to unlock their phone and install ICS to the device if they so wish. It should go without saying, but the software is unstable on the device. If you must have ICS on your Xperia Play device, you can still install it. Just know that it’s not Sony’s fault if your device breaks. You’ve been warned by a lengthy terms of service agreement.

  • Samsung Galaxy S III Easily Rooted

    Samsung Galaxy S III Easily Rooted

    It was never in doubt that Samsung’s new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S III, would be rooted, allowing consumers to remove Samsung’s TouchWiz interface and install custom ROMs. What was unexpected was that the root would happen more than a week before its European launch date.

    Last Friday evening, while the whole world was still speculating about Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook’s IPO, a user on the XDA Developers forum named Chainfire posted the keys to the Galaxy S III kingdom. Chainfire detailed the process for rooting the phone, calling the process “trivial.” From the post:

    This root is, as expected, trivial. It was a simple matter of repacking the stock kernel, with a modified adbd binary that thinks ro.secure=0 (even if ro.secure=1). This gives access to all adb root commands (see screenshots). Then SuperSU was installed manually.

    Later on Saturday, after verifying that it was not tracable, Chainfire updated the post with a link to the insecure kernel. As was the case with the Galaxy S and Galaxy S II, the bootloader for the Galaxy S III was already unlocked. Nearly every exclusive aspect of the Galaxy S III has been leaked now, including the Android version of Flipboard and Samsung’s S-Voice – it’s Apple Siri competitor.

    Customers who root their phones will be able to install custom ROMs that are closer to a pure Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich experience. These ROMs often enable extra features for the Android operating system, or reenable features that may have been disabled by manufacturers or carriers, such as tethering.

    (XDA Forums Via the Inquirer)

  • Motorola Won’t Upgrade Some Android Phones

    Motorola has announced that only some of its Android-based smartphones will be getting updated to the latest version of Google’s operating system, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. In a blog post on Friday, the company acknowledged that many were wondering when their phones might be getting upgraded.

    They pointed users to their upgrade schedule, where they could see when their device would be getting the latest Android update. They acknowledged that some users might be confused by the lack of upgrades to their specific devices. In response to those concerns, Motorola claimed that “obviously we want the new releases to improve our devices” (emphasis original), and said that “[i]f we determint that can’t be done – well then, we’re not able to upgrade that particular device.”

    Now, what exactly they mean by “improve” is unclear. Presumably they intend to imply that some devices are too old or lack the necessary specifications to run Ice Cream Sandwich properly. But barring such concerns, it’s hard to imagine any Android device not being improved by upgrading.

    This issue is made all the more interesting by the fact that Google is about to own Motorola. The deal is expected to close as soon as Wednesday. While it might be in Motorola’s best interest to make people buy new phones, it’s in Google’s interest to make sure everyone has the best Android experience possible. Once the purchase goes through, it will be interesting to see how those to needs intersect, and whether Google decides to light a fire under Motorola’s upgrade schedule.

  • Samsung Galaxy Note Gets Ice Cream Sandwich Update

    If you’re an owner of Samsung’s Galaxy Note phone (tablet?) who’s been eagerly awaiting Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, it looks like today is your lucky day. It looks like Samsung has started rolling out the update globally. It began in Europe this morning and should proceed around the globe throughout the day.

    In addition to the standard upgrades that come with Ice Cream Sandwich, the Galaxy Note-specific version adds a few new features to the tablet (phone?). It includes new versions of S Memo, S Note, and other apps that make use of the Galaxy Note’s stylus S-Pen.

    The folks over at Android Geeks got their hands on the new update and have posted a video of Ice Cream Sandwich in action on their Galaxy Note phablet (??):

    Those of you with an unlocked Galaxy Note can download the update manually from the device’s settings. Otherwise, you’ll just have to wait until you get the notification that the update is ready.

    Do you have Ice Cream Sandwich on your Galaxy Note yet? If so, what do you think of it? Was it worth the wait? Let us know in the comments.

  • Patent Application Reveals Google’s Plans For Android Beam

    A recently-uncovered patent application shows that Google has – or may have had – plans for a broader feature set for Android Beam, the NFC-based technology that allows users to share a variety of data between Android phones.

    Announced in October 2011, Android Beam is new with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The software uses a phone’s built-in near-field communication (NFC) chip to pass a wide variety of data back and forth between phones (provided, of course, that those phones are running Ice Cream Sandwich and have NFC capabilities). With Android Beam you can transfer contact information, music, videos, files, and even apps just by tapping two compatible phones together.

    Pretty impressive, right? Well, it turns out that Google may have more in mind for Android Beam. A patent application filed by Google has come to light during the Google-Oracle trial that deals with using NFC to transfer application states between devices. With Android Beam as it is now, if you want to send an application, what you actually send is a link to that app’s download page on Google Play. According to this application, which was filed in May of 2011, Google is looking at ways to use Android Beam (or something like it) to transfer an application’s state from one device to another. Now, this wouldn’t transfer the application itself, only the application’s state, which means you would need to have the same app on each device.

    According to the application, the technology would be aimed at users with multiple devices. For example, a user could read an email on their smartphone, begin a reply, and then use this technology to transfer the draft of the reply to a tablet or laptop computer to finish it. It could also be used to transfer one’s position in a video from from one device to another. That is, start watching a video on your smartphone, and use this technology to pick up where you left off on your tablet, computer, or even your TV.

    It’s not at all clear what Google’s plans are/were for the technology detailed in this patent. It may have been a feature that was intended to be part of Android Beam at launch. It could also be a feature that might be coming to Android Beam in the future.

    Several interesting details about Android’s development history have come out during the ongoing trial between Google and Oracle. One report from 2010 revealed Google’s predictions for Android-based tablets running Android 3.0 Honeycomb. Another interesting tidbit showed that Google had originally wanted to subsidize data plans for Android phones. The first part of the trial is winding down now with a verdict due any day now.

    What do you think of this patent? Would you like to see application state syncing in Android? Let us know in the comments.

  • Samsung Announces New Galaxy Tabs, Galaxy Players

    Samsung has announced updates to its popular Galaxy Tab line of tablets. The new Galaxy Tab 2 brings several new features and ships with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. At the same time, they’ve announced two new Galaxy Player devices. These media players allow users to get “the full Android experience” without the need to pay for smartphone service contracts. The company also hinted at forthcoming updates to the Galaxy Note line.

    The Galaxy Tab 2 will be available in two variations: 7-inch (pictured below) and 10.1-inch (pictured above). Both tablets feature dual core processors, Ice Cream Sandwich, and integrated microSD card slots that allow their memory to be expanded by 32GB. The 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2 comes with 8GB of onboard storage, while the 10.1-inch model comes with 16GB. Both also include a 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera and a VGA front camera, as well as GPS capabilities.

    Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7-inch

    Perhaps the most interesting new feature of the Galaxy Tab 2 is the integrated infrared transmitter. When paired with Samsung’s Smart Remote app this “IR blaster,” as Samsung calls it, allows you to use your Galaxy Tab as a universal remote. The Smart Remote app even has the ability to help you find your favorite shows.

    The 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2 will be available on April 22nd, and has a suggested retail price of $249.99. The 10.1-inch model will be available on May 13th and will sell for $399.99.

    The new Galaxy Player also comes in two models, differentiated mainly by their size. The larger Galaxy Player has a 4.2-inch WVGA display, while the smaller has a 3.6-inch HVGA display. Both run Android 2.3 Gingerbread and have 8GB of internal memory, as well as a microSD card slot. Each comes with an FM radio built in, as well as an embedded microphone. The Galaxy Player 3.6 has a mono speaker, while the Galaxy Player 4.2 sports dual stereo speakers. Each player has a 2 megapixel rear camera, along with a VGA front camera.

    Samsung Galaxy Players

    The Galaxy Player 3.6 is available now at Best Buy stores for $149.99, and will be coming to more retailers in the near future. The Galaxy Player 4.2 will be available alongside the 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab 2 on May 13th, and will retail for $199.99.

    What do you think of Samsung’s latest additions? Let us know in the comments.

  • Gmail Android App Update Brings Ice Cream Sandwich Features to Honeycomb

    Google recently released an update for its Android app version of Gmail. The update, which brings the Gmail app up to version 4.0.5, gives Android 3.2 Honeycomb users some of the same features on their tablets that phone users with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich already have. According to the “What’s New” tab in Google Play, those features include:

    • Swipe to move between newer and older conversations
    • Tap your account to access recent labels
    • Set custom notifications for individual labels
    • Sync last 30 days of messages so you can read and search messages faster both online and offline

    Phone users not fortunate enough to have Ice Cream Sandwich yet aren’t totally left in the dust, though. Android 2.2 Froyo and 2.3 Gingerbread users get “performance improvements” with their update to version 2.3.6. Also, 3rd-party app developers will get a spiffy new labels API .

    You can download the update right now from the Google Play store.

  • Ice Cream Sandwich For Nexus S 4G Leaked

    A week ago we brought you news that Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich had come to Samsung’s Galaxy S II Skyrocket thanks to a leak. The leak allowed Skyrocket owners to get their hands on the latest and greatest version of Android. Though Ice Cream Sandwich will probably be coming to Galaxy S II smartphones in the US eventually, Samsung has declined to say when, despite having begun updating Galaxy S II phones in other countries.

    Now it looks like another leak is bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to certain phones a little early. According to a report from BriefMobile, Ice Cream Sandwich for the Nexus S 4G (Sprint’s version of the Nexus S) has been leaked. Given that the report is dated yesterday, you might be inclined to think it’s an April Fool’s Day prank. Fortunately, BriefMobile is kind enough to specify from the beginning that “This is not an April Fools joke.” They offer a link to download the ICS update files and instructions for installing it. They also include a handy (if slightly alarming) disclaimer warning would-be updaters that installing Ice Cream Sandwich will wipe their phone’s data, and disclaiming liability for users’ actions.

    Ice Cream Sandwich on the Nexus S 4G

    There is no word on when an official release of Ice Cream Sandwich will be coming to the Nexus S 4G. The GSM version of the Nexus S got the update a few days ago, so it’s a safe bet that it isn’t too far off. For those who can’t wait, though, BriefMobile’s got the link’s and a guide for installation. If you get it, let us know how it works in the comments.

  • Ice Cream Sandwich Now Available On Xperia Play

    It sucks buying an old Android phone because you can’t get access to newer operating systems unless you root your phone and install a ROM of the newer version. Even then, it’s not guaranteed to work and it usually doesn’t come with the blessing of the manufacturer. It’s good to see that at least Sony is taking the consumer-friendly approach in regards to updating.

    Sony announced yesterday that Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) is now available on the Xperia Play. This is part of a test to see how games operate on ICS since that’s what the Xperia Play is essentially built for. The company says that many game developers have already been at work making sure their games work with ICS, but are releasing the beta now to get feedback from the community.

    As part of this, they’re asking for users to submit bug and general performance reports to them. They want to know the game’s titles, your general impression, the controls, lag levels and other feedback.

    They also give some general information and good tips for those who want to install the ICS beta on their Xperia Play. The beta is not a final release and as such should be treated with caution. Here’s the lowdown:

    You should be an advanced developer with extensive knowledge in how to install, and switch between different ROMs. If you are a consumer without these developer skills, then we strongly recommend you do not try this, as you may damage your phone.

    You must be using Xperia PLAY, running the latest Xperia software release (which is 4.0.2.A.0.42). For an ICS beta ROM for Xperia Arc S, Xperia Neo V and Xperia ray, check out the previously released ICS beta ROM for unlocked Xperia smartphones.

    You must unlock your phone using our Unlock boot loader service, and agree to all the legal and warranty conditions that apply. Please note that you may void the warranty of your phone, any warranty from your operator or both if you unlock the boot loader of your phone. Sony Mobile can then no longer guarantee the full functionality of your phone, and will not be responsible for any unusable functions or loss of personal data associated to the beta ROM being flashed to the phone.

    The only real downside of this is that this beta release does not come with Google Mobile Services or Wi-Fi. Sony says that they’re still waiting on certification for these. So once again, this is really only for developers, but interested users are welcome to try it as well. Just don’t go downloading it hoping for a fully featured ICS because you’re not going to get it.

    [h/t: Android Community]

  • Ice Cream Sandwich For Galaxy S II Skyrocket Leaked

    Two weeks ago Samsung began rolling out upgrades for the popular Galaxy S II smartphone. The updates brought Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the most recent version of Google’s smartphone/tablet operating system, to Samsung’s flagship phone. There was just one problem: the upgrades were starting in South Korea (where Samsung is based), as well as Hungary, Poland, Sweden, and other European countries. The UK was set to follow on March 19th, pending carrier approval, but there was no word on the US. When asked to clarify, Samsung said that there was no further information on when Ice Cream Sandwich would be coming to American Galaxy S II owners.

    Whether Ice Cream Sandwich will ever come to the Galaxy S II in America is unclear – it’s possible that Samsung will delay the update in order to prompt people to upgrade to the Galaxy S III, which may be due out in May. If there’s one thing, though, that smartphone makers have had to learn and re-learn over the last few years, it’s that if you tell your customers that they can’t have something, some of them will figure out a way to get it anyway. That’s why there are those who jailbreak or root their iOS or Android devices (respectively). Now it looks like Galaxy S II users aren’t going to be denied their Ice Cream Sandwich after all.

    According to a post today on RootzWiki, a build of Ice Cream Sandwich designed specifically for the Galaxy S II Skyrocket has been leaked. According to the post, the OS appears to have been designed specifically for the Galaxy S II, and it’s available to anybody who wants it (and has the know-how to install it on their phone). The OS apparently has the hallmarks of an official Samsung-designed build, but of course, that may not be the case.

    Will you put Ice Cream Sandwich on your Galaxy S II? Should Samsung go ahead and release the software to US customers? Let us know in the comments.

  • Google Voice Integration Added to Ice Cream Sandwich

    Google Google+Mobile+Blog%29″>announced today that the Google Voice app for Android now has greater integration with the newest version of the operation system, Ice Cream Sandwich. Specifically, voicemails will now show up in the dialer’s call log.

    Yong-Hoon Choi, writing over at the Google Mobile Blog, reveals that voicemails will appear in the list of outgoing, incoming and missed calls. “I don’t want to jump between my call log and the Google Voice app to see who has called me and what message they left,” wrote Choi.

    You will be able to play, pause, and skip back during voicemails the way you normally would in the Google Voice app. Also, the functionality to increase or decrease playback speed has been integrated.

    Google Voice Integration

    To turn on this feature, make sure you have the latest version of Google Voice downloaded to your phone from Google Play. Then, in the Google Voice settings, hit the check box next to “Voicemail display.” Keep in mind that this feature is only available for Android 4.0 and greater, meaning anyone who doesn’t yet have Ice Cream Sandwich will have to keep that Google Voice app icon on their home screen a while longer.

    While it only really saves a couple of seconds, I’m of the opinion that these small quality-of-life improvements are what add up to whether or not a smartphone “feels” good when you use it. Agree? Think it’s pointless? Still waiting for an Ice Cream Sandwich update for your phone? Leave some comments below and let me know.

  • Sony Tablets To Get Ice Cream Sandwich In April

    Sony has announced today that it’s Tablet P and Tablet S are scheduled to get the Android 4.0 (Ice Crem Sandwich) update at the end of April, just like a host of other tablets. They have also announced that they will be adding certain photo functionalities like the ability to activate the tablets’ cameras directly from their lock screens, edit photos in the gallery application, and take panoramic photos. These camera features were previously found on Sony’s NEX and Alpha series digital cameras. The update also allows Sony Tablet users to watch programs they’ve recorded on their compatible Sony Blu-Ray recorders with a downloadable app. Some of the features are for Japan only right now, but keep checking back for updates.

    Also announced is the introduction of “Small Apps.” With these small apps people will be able to open up a small calculator, remote control, or browser window on top of the currently running app. This new feature will probably only be available to apps that the developers have added the support to, but Sony shows this being used with big apps like Youtube and google maps.

    Sony has also announced a Wi-Fi-only version of its dual-screened Tablet P, going on sale on April 21st for about $600. Aside from being cheaper and lacking a 3G radio, this is the same as the Tablet P. Also, for Tablet P users looking to add a splash of personalization to their devices, Sony will be offering colored interchangeable front and back covers in gold, pink, and blue for about $60 starting April 21st.

  • Samsung Clarifies U.S. Release Date For Ice Cream Sandwich

    This morning we reported that Samsung had announced that it was beginning to roll out upgrades to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to customers with the Galaxy S II smartphone.

    Samsung announced that the update would be available in Korea and several European countries today. A release in the UK is scheduled for March 19th, pending carrier testing and approval. There was no information in the announcement about the release of Ice Cream Sandwich on Galaxy S II phones in the US.

    As part of this morning’s story, a request for more information was sent to Samsung. They had not replied by the time the story ran, however a Samsung representative sent the following statement just a few minutes ago:

    Samsung is in close communication with both Google and our carrier partners to upgrade eligible devices to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich as quickly and as smoothly as possible. Specific models that are upgradable to ICS will vary by market. Other specifics for the ICS upgrade in the U.S. have not been announced.

    So there you have. It looks like US Samsung customers will have to wait a bit longer for the update. While it is undoubtedly in Samsung’s best interest to get Ice Cream Sandwich to its devices in the US market as quickly as possible, there doesn’t seem to be any timeline for doing so.

  • Ice Cream Sandwich Finally Coming To Galaxy S II

    Late last week Samsung accidentally teased owners of their popular Galaxy S II smartphone when they posted and then retracted news that the phone would be getting the latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, on March 10th. The inaccurate information was apparently put up on Samsung’s website by mistake. The company quickly corrected the mistake and promised that real news of the update would be coming at a later date.

    Well, it looks like that later date is today. Samsung announced this morning that they would begin delivering Ice Cream Sandwich to the Galaxy S II today. The upgrade begins in Samsung’s native South Korea, as well as several European countries including Hungary, Poland, and Sweden. Other international rollouts have not yet been announced. A Samsung representative told Pocket Lint that customers in the UK would be getting Ice Cream Sandwich on March 19th, pending carrier testing and approval.

    A request for comment concerning the US rollout has not yet been answered.

    Samsung also announced that Ice Cream Sandwich would be coming to several more of its mobile devices in the coming months. After the Galaxy S II update, upgrades to the Galaxy Note, Galaxy S II LTE, Galaxy R, and most Galaxy Tabs are scheduled to “follow soon.”

    Ice Cream Sandwich brings Android users a variety of cool new features, including Face Unlock, Photo Editor, and more – including the ability to download Chrome for Android.

  • Samsung Announces Then Denies Galaxy S II Update

    Samsung announced yesterday on their website that their Galaxy S II smartphone would be finally be getting an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on March 10th. Understandably, Galaxy S II users were excited to see the latest version of the Android operating system coming to their phones.

    Their excitement was short-lived, however. Not long after the announcement went up on Samsung’s website, however, they posted the following to the official Samsung Electronics Twitter feed:

    [알려드립니다] 10일부터 갤럭시S2 ICS 업그레이드가 된다는 필리핀 삼성전자 홈페이지 글은 잘못 올라간 게시물로 사실과 다릅니다. 업그레이드 일정이 확정이 되면 트위터를 통해서 말씀드리도록 하겠습니다. 7 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Now on the off chance your Korean is a little rusty, it says (according to Google Translate) that the post concerning the Galaxy S II Ice Cream Sandwich update was incorrect, and that the company would announce the update at a later date.

    So if you were excited to update your Galaxy S II to Ice Cream Sandwich, it looks like you’ll have to get by on Gingerbread for awhile yet. There’s no information on when the update might actually roll out. For the time being, then, the only Samsung phone running Ice Cream Sandwich appears to be the Galaxy Nexus, which launched late last year.

    Are you disappointed by the news that the Galaxy S II won’t be getting ICS yet? Tell us what you think in the comments.

  • StumbleUpon Updates Android App; Integrates Android Beam, More Google+

    Amidst the clamoring of all things mobile at the Mobile World Congress in Spain, StumbleUpon announced an update to their mobile app for Android today that will feature a bevy of new features. Android users can look forward to a deeper integration to Google+ as well as improved sharing capability through Android Beam, the Bump-like app that allows users to share information by simply touching the backs of two Android devices together.

    Unlike in previous versions, users will now be able to sign in to StumbleUpon using their Google Account. In doing so, users can create a new StumbleUpon account that will integrate their Google sign-in credentials. The interweaving of Google accounts will make it easier for users to share content they come across on StumbleUpon to their Google+ Circles (if that’s how you’re inclined). Users have previously been able to sign in and create accounts with StumbleUpon using Facebook and Twitter account info, but the addition of Google completes the tri-force of major social networking sites.

    “We are excited to work with Android and showcase our updated mobile app more prominently on the Android platform,” said Garrett Camp, co-founder and CEO, StumbleUpon. “This integration will let many more people find new and interesting things from across the Web on their Android devices.”

    Additionally, the StumbleUpon app update will include the native Android Action Bar, enabling users to explore the Web via the Android navigation interface.

    Updates to iOS, NOOK Color, and Kindle Fire were released today as well, finalizing a cross-platform consistency with StumbleUpon in aesthetic and function.

    One final note about StumbleUpon using Android Beam: for the sharing feature to work, both Android devices will need to be equipped with Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich.

  • CES 2012: Huawei Announces World’s Thinnest Smartphone

    CES 2012: Huawei Announces World’s Thinnest Smartphone

    The trinity of ridiculously thin mobile devices is complete with the Huawei P1 S.

    Huawei, an ICT solutions provider, unveiled the world’s slimmest smartphone today at CES. The phone is an amazing amalgamation of physical features bringing together the sleek form factor of a phone that is 6.68mm thin featuring a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED 960 x 540 resolution touchscreen made of Corning Gorilla Glass.

    The inner hardware of the phone is the best of its size with a dual-core 1.5GHz Cortex-A9 processor and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

    “We’re excited to unveil the world’s slimmest smartphone here at CES 2012,” Richard Yu, Chairman of Huawei Device, said. “The Ascend P1 S demonstrates our ongoing commitment to innovating high quality devices that utilize the latest hardware and software technologies.”

    The company also announced the Ascend P1 which features the same innards while being a bit bigger at 7.69mm. The only difference between the phones besides their size is that the P1 has a bigger battery for a longer life.

    The phone features an 8-megapixel BSI-rear facing camera and 1.3 megapixel HD front-facing camera. The phone’s camera also features dual flash LED and HDR optimization. The camera is also capable of recording 1080p quality video.

    The phone will offer the usual high-speed data connectivity formats through 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It will also feature built-in social media capabilities for sharing photos and videos.

    The Huawei Ascend P1/P1 S will be available in Europe, Asia-Pacific, North America, Australia, Middle East and China in April 2012.

    With this announcement, we have the thinnest phone, the thinnest tablet and the thinnest ultrabook all from three different manufacturers. It remains to be seen if Apple is going to upstage all three of them at once with smaller versions of their devices at their annual conference in June. Knowing Apple though, it’s very likely.

  • Latest Android Update May Have Battery Issues; Google Pauses Rollout

    Google has paused the rollout of the latest update to their Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. Several users reported seeing that the Android 4.0.3 was available, but were unable to download it when they tried to update their phones. A Google employee on Google’s Google+Mobile/thread?tid=4173d37ad6ba4e85&hl=en”>mobile help forum informed users that Google had paused the update in certain areas of the country in order to “monitor feedback.”

    The issue primarily affects Google Nexus S users. Owners of the new Galaxy Nexus received an update to Android 4.0.2 on the same day the phone released, and many seem to be having trouble with the phone’s battery draining at a far higher rate than normal. The issue appears to be greater than normal resource usage by the operating system.

    Apart from the forum post above, there has been no word from Google on why they have stopped the rollout. Nor is there any word on when the update will be expected to resume. For many Nexus S users this was to be their first taste of Ice Cream Sandwich. Having the update frozen left them justifiably furious. Look for Google to either finish rolling out the update, or to push out a quick fix sometime very soon.

  • Ice Cream Sandwich To Galaxy Devices In Early 2012, Says Samsung

    Now that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has been released as the first smartphone pre-installed with the new Android operating system, all the attention now turns to when other devices might be getting a yummy Ice Cream Sandwich.

    If you’re looking for news on other Samsung devices, look no further. The company has announced that a fairly lengthy list of Galaxy devices will be receiving the ICS upgrade soon:


    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.

    Samsung adds that they will make separate announcements for each device when specific timeframes becomes available.

    So it’s not exactly a bunch of specific dates, but users now know that they only have to wait a few more months to get the new OS for their existing Samsung smartphones and tablets.

    Ice Cream Sandwich sports a brand new UI as wells as NFC capabilities and Face Unlock functionality. Are you excited to install ICS on your device? Let us know in the comments.

  • Flash Player 11 Comes To Android Ice Cream Sandwich (Galaxy Nexus)

    Flash may be going away for mobile, but not just yet. Adobe just launched Flash Player 11 for Ice Cream Sandwich in the Android Market.

    This, of course, comes a day after the launch of the Galaxy Nexus, which runs this version of Android.

    The release doesn’t come with any major features, but it does come with some bug fixes in addition to the new compatibility. Adobe lists known issues as:

    – Seeking while video is paused will not update the frame on ICS device
    – StageVideo using On2 and Sorenson does not work on ICS devices
    – PHDS content plays with audio pops
    – OS does not prioritize incoming call – audio remains playing before and after call is received
    – Enter key does not work on the multi-line text input field

    Some are ready for Flash to go away:

    Please let it be the last. Let Flash finally RIP! – Flash Player 11.1 Arrives for Android Ice Cream Sandwich http://t.co/zh2Cz6Xm 9 minutes ago via Tweet Button · powered by @socialditto

    Adobe announced its decision to do away with Flash for mobile last month. At the same time, the company emphasized that it is increasing investments in HTML5. They also cut about 750 jobs. Adobe’s statement said:

    Our future work with Flash on mobile devices will be focused on enabling Flash developers to package native apps with Adobe AIR for all the major app stores. We will no longer adapt Flash Player for mobile devices to new browser, OS version or device configurations. Some of our source code licensees may opt to continue working on and releasing their own implementations. We will continue to support the current Android and PlayBook configurations with critical bug fixes and security updates.

    Adobe reported its Q4 earnings yesterday. Profits were down 35%, but they beat analyst estimates.

  • Transformer Prime Release Date Moved To December, Awaiting Ice Cream Sandwich

    Transformer Prime Release Date Moved To December, Awaiting Ice Cream Sandwich

    ASUS’ highly-anticipated Eee Pad Transformer Prime has been pushed to early December, according to “sources from an upstream supply chain.”

    DigiTimes reports that the sources confirm that Google has signed on to provide assistance to “help the machine to natively feature Android 4.0.” The tablet was originally set to launch with Android 3.2 Honeycomb earlier, possibly on November 9th.

    So it looks like ASUS is waiting to get the brand new Ice Cream Sandwich OS in its new tablet. The news that they release date has been pushed at least a month will upset some, but it’s probably comforting for some to hear that the tablet will come already loaded with Ice Cream Sandwich – no “waiting for an update” (see Droid RAZR).

    The sources add:

    Since Google has cold-shouldered Taiwan-based PC brand vendors over the assistance of upgrading from Android 3.0 to 4.0, it has prompted these vendors to turn their focus from Android to Microsoft’s Windows 8, the sources noted.

    So reaching out and helping the tablet upgrade from 3.2 to 4.0 might help Google in the long run.

    According to ASUS, the Transformer Prime will be a faster, stronger, slimmer (and sexier) tablet and will be the first to feature NVIDIA’s bext-gen quad-core chip, which they say makes the device blazing fast.

    If this rumor proves accurate, are you bummed about having to wait for the tablet? Or is it worth it to have ICS? Let us know in the comments.