Your thoughts on ice cream sandwich?

[Meko2301]

On my behalf I think it's brilliant although I don't think I will get getting the upgrade on my Evo 4g!

 

[IanLP74]

This is when i'll root my Evo4G and install cyanogen. Evo is getting outdated but its nice to know I can hack android phones to keep up with the new and hold us over its time to upgrade.

 

[bxborn31]

Didn't they say every phone on gingerbread is being upgraded?

sent by Megatron using Tapatalk

 

[ajonesma]

They said "should" get the upgrade to ICS of your on gingerbread


Sent from a device using Tapatalk

 

[TvTechGuru]

In my opinion that before the end of the year it will be recognized as the best looking, running, and most advanced mobile phone OS on the market! I think it's going to blow away iOS 5. I really do. I don't see the hype in Apple's OS, and I think it really needs a good smackdown, so I think ICS/Android 4.0 is the one to do it!

 

[bclapper]

I think this is the version of Android that will finally beat the competition in terms of usability and aesthetics, not just power and capabilities. I'm very thankful that they ousted the disgusting "Tron" look from Honeycomb and went with something a little more subtle and modern. Aside from looks, simple tweaks like the new recent apps UI will make a big difference in terms of the end user experience.

 

[rkirmeier]

To address a few posts above...

Every phone that was "released" with Ginderbread should get ICS. Not every phone that has been upgraded to Ginderbread!

What's better (Android vs. iOS) is a lot of personal preference. I wouldn't even think of getting an iPhone or iPad. iPhone is not horrible in any way but the lack of hardware (small screens) is a joke. The lack of Flash on an iPad is another joke. If they resolved these two major issues would I switch, no freaking way cause Android is simply better for "Me" but iOS may be better for some people. We don't want want Apple or iOS to fail cause it simply drives Android mfgs to produce a better product. In fact the more numbers that are on the other side force Android mfgs to produce products that not just equal (but different) but clearly without any doubt better. Everyone needs to stop worrying about what is better and just be happy you are not brainwashed into thinking you have a better phone (Apple fan boyz) and embrace what you do have. Android is here to stay and it will continue to improve. It's my choice because it a better system for me and I think logically not allowing marketing or brand labels to dictate what I use unlike many Apple users...

 

[stonefeet]

we'll find out when we all get our hands on it.

but as far as looks, it looked gorgeous, far and away their best work to date.

 

[Z Overlord]

No Sprint models yet, makes me rage.

 

[Treknologist]

I really like what Google has done with ICS. This version of Android looks great and has a more unified way of doing things. I think the manufacturers no longer need to add such sophisticated skins to their phones given the features on ICS. All they should do is make their own type of widgets to give their phones the "character" they want to give them, and leave it at that. So, no Sense, no TouchWiz, no MotoBlur. Just widgets that we can pick. At most, they can add themes for any given look, but nothing more.

 

[projectxmatt]

I really like what Google has done with ICS. This version of Android looks great and has a more unified way of doing things. I think the manufacturers no longer need to add such sophisticated skins to their phones given the features on ICS. All they should do is make their own type of widgets to give their phones the "character" they want to give them, and leave it at that. So, no Sense, no TouchWiz, no MotoBlur. Just widgets that we can pick. At most, they can add themes for any given look, but nothing more.

I think one of the things that's great about android is the choice. I think the hardware manufactures should be able to skin it, but make their skins based more on simple themes or api calls to allow for easier upgrades.

I also think that during the initial boot where it takes users through the tutorial they should be given the option of running it how google intended or with the custom skins (maybe a few screen shots, or side by side comparisons) let us the users choose if we want the skins or not.

 

[Treknologist]

I think one of the things that's great about android is the choice. I think the hardware manufactures should be able to skin it, but make their skins based more on simple themes or api calls to allow for easier upgrades.

I also think that during the initial boot where it takes users through the tutorial they should be given the option of running it how google intended or with the custom skins (maybe a few screen shots, or side by side comparisons) let us the users choose if we want the skins or not.

Choice is definitely a good thing! But the manufacturers change the Android code with their skins and that delays updates. Rather than "skinning" Android that way, it would be better if they simply used themes to give the phones the appearance that is unique to the manufacturer along with the widgets that are unique to that manufacturer. I have a TBolt and I really like using Sense but with ICS I see less of a need for HTC (or any other manufacturer) to change the Android code to alter the user experience. I guess I just think there can be an "in-between" way that makes it easier on users and even the manufacturers to upgrade the OS as new versions are released but that also allows the manufacturers to distinguish their phones.

 

[Cobravision]

I would be cool if you could combine face detection and voice detection so you could look at the phone and say, "open email" and it would jump to your email app.

 

[aznmode]

I think pcmag has a some good points here.
Why Ice Cream Sandwich Might Make Things Worse | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

 

[Officerpolabear]

. We don't want want Apple or iOS to fail cause it simply drives Android mfgs to produce a better product. In fact the more numbers that are on the other side force Android mfgs to produce products that not just equal (but different) but clearly without any doubt better.

Well, Apple isn't the only main source of competition. No it's not Microsoft, or RIM, or Symbian (definitely not), but Android itself. There are numerous OEMs who are manufacturing Android phones and are pitting against each other to see who makes the best Android phone. So Android is somewhat self-sufficient in providing itself competition.

 

[Poopai]

My only problem with ICS is the launcher: the dock and search box are such a waste of homescreen real estate.

 

[anon(512898)]

My only problem with ICS is the launcher: the dock and search box are such a waste of homescreen real estate.

The dock is incredibly useful so I disagree there but I agree on the search box. It is the unfortunate consequence of the death of the search button which I think should not have happened

 

[Poopai]

The dock is incredibly useful so I disagree there but I agree on the search box. It is the unfortunate consequence of the death of the search button which I think should not have happened

You can just put a search widget on a homescreen and then put icons that would have been on your dock on a homescreen. Sure it's not as easy to get to them if you're on the wrong screen but it's worth the extra space imo.

 

[anon(21022)]

I think pcmag has a some good points here.
Why Ice Cream Sandwich Might Make Things Worse | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

that article doesn't get it.

When I had a Honeycomb tablet, I didn't care whether an app I used was "tablet" optimized or not. Sure, tablet-optimzied versions of Plume or Google Reader made the experience better.. and yet I still used Tapatalk just as easily as on my phone, with more text on my screen (ie not the same text blown up at 2x the size to fit the screen), had to reach down for the menu button rather than to the upper right..

Overall, there's no _need_ for "tablet" versions of apps. There's need for developers to use the APIs Google introduced earlier in the year that makes apps display properly based on OS and screen size, apps that use fragments and action bars and such rather than apps that are hard-coded either phone OR tablet but not both.

So in a sense, ICS (and to a certain extent Honeycomb and Gingerbread) haven't fixed the issue of lack of tablet-optimized apps... instead they side-stepped the issue entirely by having apps that display properly based on what device they're on.

So now we have both the Apple approach (specific versions of each... sometimes meaning you need to buy the same app twice, one for your iPhone one for your iPad), and Google (same app displays well on any device you own, pay for it once, run well on all your devices).. and soon Microsoft (try to run your desktop apps on your tablet or PC).

Pretty interesting times we live in