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Android 4.0, nicknamed 'Ice Cream Sandwich,' was an exciting release. It brought all the improvements in Honeycomb back to smartphones, and for the first time ever, Android had a somewhat-cohesive visual style. However, those days have long since passed, with 4.0-4.0.4 now representing less than 0.5% of the overall Android install base.
Mozilla has been getting everyone excited for Firefox 57, nicknamed 'Firefox Quantum,' which will bring a new interface and speed improvements to both the desktop and Android browsers. Firefox 57 isn't quite ready yet (you try it in beta, if you want), but version 56 has just been released with a few notable changes of its own.
There's a new version of Drive rolling out, and it's the last one for users of ICS. It's been a good run, but it may be time to give your Android 4.0 device the boot now that there will be no further Drive app updates. I mean, there were dozens of reasons to do that before, but surely this is the final straw. In addition to ending support for ICS, you'll be able to give Google money for more storage from the app and never miss a document comment again.
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was a sweet frozen treat when it came out in 2011, but now something else is freezing—Chrome for ICS. Google has announced that Chrome v42 will be the final build available on Android 4.0. It's a sad day for any remaining ICS users... well, more sad than a regular day of being stuck on ICS already is.
Ever since Android was released, there have been attempts to build it into appliances. None of these products have kicked off the era of smart appliances we've all been dreaming about, but Dacor is back at CES this year with yet another Android-powered appliance in its Discovery iQ series. The Discovery iQ 48” Dual-Fuel Range has a 7-inch Android 4.0 tablet built right into the front panel.
Remember the BlueStacks App Player? It's been around for a pretty long time now. How long? Until just recently, the software that allowed users to run Android inside of Windows was powered by Gingerbread. Now the emulation software is making the leap to Ice Cream Sandwich, and while it's still two years behind the times, at least it looks somewhat modern. Well, until more devices make the transition to KitKat, that is.
If, like many people in the UK, you like to sit down to a bit of The Inbetweeners or The IT Crowd in the evening, or maybe you just like your news delivered by Jon Snow, you're going to like what we're about to tell you: Channel 4 has finally made its 4oD app available on Android.
Update: The OTA is rolling out now. Go get it! Thanks for the heads-up, James!
If you're an Atrix 4G owner, I've got a case of the feels for you. When the handset came out, it was one of the first pieces of hardware with a dual-core processor and it seemed like it would last forever. So far, though, it hasn't managed to get ICS. We all get burned by manufacturer updates but this one seems particularly harsh. Which is why I'm glad to bring a bit of good news: Motorola appears to be beginning its soak test program for the handset.
Back in September, we heard that AT&T was rolling out Ice Cream Sandwich for the Samsung Captivate Glide. Well, it turns out, that was delayed. How long, you ask? Until tomorrow, it seems! According to a blog post by AT&T, the upgrade should be available starting November 10th via a download on Samsung's website. There will not be an OTA.
It's hard to believe that any high(er) end phone released within the last six months shipped with Gingerbread, but sadly, that's the case. Sprint's first LTE smartphone, the LG Viper, was one such device. Thankfully, the company is now pushing out an OTA update that will bump the Android version up to 4.0. It may not be the latest and greatest that Google has to offer, but it's still a huge improvement over Gingerbread.
If you're the owner of an Xperia Ion, you've probably been absolutely foaming at the mouth for an upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich. Today, AT&T announced that the update is available for everyone, just hit up Sony's website and download the Sony companion app for Windows or OS X. It does not appear this will roll out as a standard OTA update, so you'll have to download the app to get it.
When we last heard about the Samsung Galaxy Stellar, a mid-range device coming to Verizon, Aaron was left wondering why this device was alleged to cost more than the Galaxy Nexus on contract. Well, now we have the answer: it doesn't! The 4" LTE device will be free with a 2-year contract, though that's after a $50 mail-in rebate.
Aside from some FCC filings, the Motorola XT907 has been a unknown quantity as we get closer to Moto's September 5th Verizon event. Now the details are in the open, and it's looking like the device will be called the RAZR M 4G LTE (yeah, that's a mouthful). This phone will be a small but welcome bump up from the current generation RAZR devices, but it's no RAZR HD.
HTC Reiterates Via Facebook That Desire S, Thunderbolt, And Other Devices Will Receive ICS By August
Today on Facebook, HTC took to answering some user comments about ICS timelines for a few of its flagship devices. In particular, the manufacturer confirmed
Today on Facebook, HTC took to answering some user comments about ICS timelines for a few of its flagship devices. In particular, the manufacturer confirmed that both the Desire S and the Thunderbolt would be receiving updates to Android 4.0 before the end of this month. The latter in particular is good news, as rumors have been circulating that the Thunderbolt would not receive the upgrade after its similarly-specced sibling, the Desire HD had its frozen dessert plans cancelled.
Android Platform Distribution Updated: ICS Up To Almost 16%, Jelly Bean 0.8%
Google has again updated the current platform version numbers, and they show a reasonably good uptick in the usage of Android 4.0 variants. However, Google's
Google has again updated the current platform version numbers, and they show a reasonably good uptick in the usage of Android 4.0 variants. However, Google's new baby, Jelly Bean, is still bumping along at less than 1% even with all those Nexus 7 tablets.
HTC EVO Design 4G Gets Bumped Up To Ice Cream Sandwich, Just Like Its Big Brother
Continuing the long string of updates being released today, the HTC EVO Design 4G, one of Sprint's mid-level EVO devices, is getting bumped up to Ice Cream
Continuing the long string of updates being released today, the HTC EVO Design 4G, one of Sprint's mid-level EVO devices, is getting bumped up to Ice Cream Sandwich. The notes don't specify which version of Sense the device will be updated to. One might expect Sense 4.0, though we have seen some devices running Android 4.0, yet still carrying Sense 3.6. So, we'll see.
Sprint Announces HTC EVO 3D And EVO Design Will Be Updated To Ice Cream Sandwich By Early August
If you bought a pre-LTE Evo phone in the last year and you've been feeling left out in the cold, worry not. Sprint and HTC are in the process of bringing
If you bought a pre-LTE Evo phone in the last year and you've been feeling left out in the cold, worry not. Sprint and HTC are in the process of bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to your device. If your device happens to be an Evo 3D or Evo Design, that is. The older flagship Evo and this year's midrange phone are slated to reach Android 4.0 sometime in August.
AT&T Galaxy S II ICS Update Now Rolling Out Via Samsung Kies, No OTA
After a little bit of a false start several days ago, it looks like the much-anticipated Android 4.0.3 update is rolling out for the AT&T flavor of
After a little bit of a false start several days ago, it looks like the much-anticipated Android 4.0.3 update is rolling out for the AT&T flavor of the Samsung Galaxy S II. The update was available briefly a few days ago via the Samsung Kies update software, but Samsung pulled the file saying it was merely a "test."
Toshiba Delays Android 4.0 Update For Thrive And Thrive 7 To "Early Fall" / 5th Of Never
As the person that reviewed both of these devices, the Thrive and Thrive 7, here at Android Police, I felt something of a responsibility to post on this
As the person that reviewed both of these devices, the Thrive and Thrive 7, here at Android Police, I felt something of a responsibility to post on this matter. On its community forums, a Toshiba rep issued the following statement on the status of the Ice Cream Sandwich update for its Thrive tablets: