Help ICS Anticipation/Discussion Thread

[DonB]

Here are some screenshots, Hands-on with Ice Cream Sandwich - Inside Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (screenshots) - CNET Reviews

 

[DonB]

Here is more info on ICS specs, those of you that want to post other features you are looking forward to on the new ICS post here for others to view

Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0)
Gone are the tiny incremental changes we saw from Froyo to Gingerbread. Ice Cream Sandwich heralds a dramatic, bold new Android. Despite its cutesy name, Ice Cream Sandwich is all about strong lines, sharp corners, and darker colors. Google is even switching up the type face to one called Roboto, which is intended to be clearer, crisper, and easier to read. Here's a list of the main new features, but our hands-on impressions go much deeper.

• Virtual buttons in the user experience free up display space.
• Create folders by dragging apps on top of each other.
• There's a new tab for thumbing through your widgets.
• Calendar app now supports pinch-to-zoom.
• Gmail gets offline search (nice), a two-line preview, and gesture support for swiping between conversations.
• The revamped Gmail user interface has an action bar for composing a message, searching, and accessing labels.
• Take screenshots by holding power and volume down buttons (finally!).
• "Request desktop site" in the Chrome browser opens the full version of a Web site and syncs with your bookmarks.
• Save Web pages offline and use up to 16 tabs in the browser.
• More keyboard error correction and an inline spell check.
• Access apps directly from the lock screen.
• A recent applications icon.
• "Roboto" is a new typeface.
• Delete individual notifications by dragging them off the notifications menu
• Improved voice integration and copy and paste.
• Face Unlock is a facial recognition service that use your face to unlock the phone.
• New Data Usage options in the Settings menu will notify users when they near a data use limit and disable the feature when the limit is reached.
• You can kill off apps that are using data in the background.
• Open the camera quickly from the home screen.
• Camera has no shutter lag, continuous focus, zoom while recording, panorama photos, time-lapse settings, and 1080p recording.
• Face detection in the camera.
• Integrated photo editor, including focus and exposure and "hipster filters" (we don't want to know).
• New gallery layout, organized by location and person.
• People app brings together high-res photos, social media information, and status updates.
• Phone app lets you swipe between favorite friends with integrated visual voice mail.
• New photo gallery layout for organizing by location and person.
• Speed up and slow down voice mails.
• Quick message sends canned response text message when you decline a call.
• Android Beam, an NFC feature for exchanging information between two phones by tapping them.

Videos - Free video downloads and streaming video - CNET TV

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[El Presidente]

Hey folks, I've just deleted a number of rude, inflamatory comments.

Can I ask that if you disagree strongly enough with a post, rather than be rude, hit report and we'll look in to it. We have rules and guidelines (here) which clearly state responses like some of the stuff I've deleted aren't welcome. Attack issues and topics, not people.

Lets move away from bickering and back on to the topic at hand. At least you guys look to be getting the ICS update, it doesn't look as if it's coming to a lot of reletively recent HTC handsets (not in an official capacity anyway).

 

[EarlyMon]

I wouldn't worry terribly about this.

While it's not uncommon for Sprint testers to get early test copies, HTC committed to early this year, specifically this quarter.

I am not surprised that a rep may have gotten ahold of a test copy, but there's a reason phones are released to responsible testers.

All your friend has succeeded in doing is alarming you without cause. Reps aren't developers. Even if he explained everything to you accurately, for all he knew, he was playing with a problem that is easily solved and trivial to implement.

It's like having the car salesman walk into the dealer's garage to check out a car getting a tune-up, with the spark plugs out. He might conclude that they made it worse because now the car won't start, but he won't have a qualified opinion of the situation.

 

[814 htc evo]

Right but my main point is in general we are 1 step closer to receiving ics because if sprint is testing it on 3vo's clearly were halfway there so the excitement can begin to build that's my main point is all sorry everyone feels the need to judge and get all in a tizzy of disbelief I know what i was told and believe and i just wanted to share with fellow 3vo owners all love for EVO and sprint and android screw iphone!! Go android here we come ics!! Hopefully sooner then later lol

 

[EarlyMon]

The nice thing about the past is that it's the past.

No need to get back into it or defend yourself. That's our job. Please everyone, just attack the issue of ICS.

Plus, I see things differently now. I thought you were saying we might not see it due to quality problems as opposed to seeing it coming with test articles as proof. I can dig that.

That's the thing about text on the internet - no one can hear your tone of face, if you know what I mean.

 

[jerofld]

You did notice that the first link is a demo for a port of the iOS face unlock?

 

[EarlyMon]

I'm looking forward to the improved task management and possibly the browser in ICS.

Sense is already hardware accelerated, People has finally caught on the the same concepts we've had for some time.

 

[jerofld]

I'm looking forward to the improved task management and possibly the browser in ICS.

Sense is already hardware accelerated, People has finally caught on the the same concepts we've had for some time.

I forgot about the second point.

But have you played with the Honeycomb / ICS browser? It is much nicer. They've tweaked a few things since the HC version, but largely it's the same.

 

[RAdroider]

browser? Like internet browser? I use Dolphin, but Im the type of person to use the native software if there are advantages. I dont root or use different launchers. Whats good about the native browser?

 

[EarlyMon]

I forgot about the second point.

But have you played with the Honeycomb / ICS browser? It is much nicer. They've tweaked a few things since the HC version, but largely it's the same.

I haven't played with an HTC one past GB. Going by the ICS browser on the Nexus, I do hope the update includes the new features.

browser? Like internet browser? I use Dolphin, but Im the type of person to use the native software if there are advantages. I dont root or use different launchers. Whats good about the native browser?

Galaxy Nexus In-Depth Browser Review (Android ICS) - YouTube

I also wonder if we'll get the new Roboto font, that looks pretty good, too.

 

[DonB]

No, I just saw it once you mentioned it, have no clue how that got there, unless I C&P it by mistake, I removed it. It was supposed to be a different link on ICS goodies.

You did notice that the first link is a demo for a port of the iOS face unlock?

 

[dgrobe2112]

i know this is a newb question.. but when ICS comes out.. will we be able to turn off Sense, and use the stock launcher? what is the stock launcher for ICS?

 

[wake69]

i know this is a newb question.. but when ICS comes out.. will we be able to turn off Sense, and use the stock launcher? what is the stock launcher for ICS?

Only if HTC allows us to turn this off, otherwise you could download a launcher from the market thats the "ICS launcher"

 

[jerofld]

i know this is a newb question.. but when ICS comes out.. will we be able to turn off Sense, and use the stock launcher? what is the stock launcher for ICS?

If you do what wake suggests, it'll look like you have the stock ICS launcher. Most of those launchers are built right out of the SDK and is nearly identical to what the Galaxy Nexus has. Not everything will be perfectly identical, because ICS uses different coding bases. And Sense will still be running in the background in some ways.

Those ICS launchers are compatible with Gingerbread, so you could try one out, now. Might tide you over until the real ICS comes

 

[dgrobe2112]

which do you suggest? i seen one that has the buttons on the screen.. i am assuming based of the vids i have seen that the ICS update for 3vo will not have those buttons..

i also wish we could get the blue theme, like the status bar icons and battery icons..

thanks again..

 

[jerofld]

which do you suggest? i seen one that has the buttons on the screen.. i am assuming based of the vids i have seen that the ICS update for 3vo will not have those buttons..

I played with this one briefly: https://market.android.com/details?id=mobi.SyndicateApps.ICSv2

It seemed pretty good. Pretty close to the way ICS works, comparing to when I had ICS installed on my phone. Some things, like the widget tab, didn't work the way ICS has it, but I imagine that couldn't be helped.

i also wish we could get the blue theme, like the status bar icons and battery icons..

Without rooting, I don't know of a way to change the icons in the notification bar. Maybe they'll make Sense look more like the stock ICS experience, including the battery color. Gingerbread was mostly green themed, and Sense seemed to follow that. Maybe they'll take a blue theme when ICS Sense comes out.

thanks again..

NP, happy to help.

 

[dgrobe2112]

i get force closes on the ics 4.0 launcher.. and the go launcher theme is just kinda ugly in my opinion.. i do have a downloaded theme for sense, that isnt exactly it.. but better looking than the stock rosie

 

[Slash3040]

While this is only a leak; it gives you a good idea on what to expect.

HTC Sensation Android 4.0 ROM Leaks, teases Sense UI on ICS | Android Community

 

[ARR22]

While this is only a leak; it gives you a good idea on what to expect.

HTC Sensation Android 4.0 ROM Leaks, teases Sense UI on ICS | Android Community

Looks Very lame. Im so sick of sense. Cant wait to flash a stable ics aosp rom.

 

[dgrobe2112]

Looks Very lame. Im so sick of sense. Cant wait to flash a stable ics aosp rom.

No joke.. the only thing that i like about sense.. is the calendar widget..

 

[MahaloCat]

No joke.. the only thing that i like about sense.. is the calendar widget..

Go launchers Calendar Widget is Just as good.


AHHHHHHHH
GIMME SOME ICS AOSP GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ARR22]

Go launchers Calendar Widget is Just as good.


AHHHHHHHH
GIMME SOME ICS AOSP GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree, im using go launcher to cover up lack luster sense. Although I am running myns warm twopointthree rom. Its the most stable and fastest sense based rom I have tried.

I know it goes against googles open source idealogy. But they should take more control of their OS as far as appearance and functionality. It can still be free for the OEM's. That way the OEM's would be forced to distinguish themselves with superior hardware and form factor. Not by mucking up Android with their stupid skins. At the very least make it a optional down load for those that actually like their skin's UI. I for one used to like Sense. But it has gotten old very old.

 

[jerofld]

If you want a good set of widgets that are very much like Sense, but work for any launcher, check out Android Pro Widgets. Near identical copies to FriendStream, Calandar, and a whole bunch of others. Different enough, though, that they're not identical. But since I picked up ADW in the 10cent deals in early December, I haven't even thought about Sense. I even froze the Sense Launcher in Titanium (not the framework, just the actual launcher).

 

[NYCHitman1]

I agree, im using go launcher to cover up lack luster sense. Although I am running myns warm twopointthree rom. Its the most stable and fastest sense based rom I have tried.

I guess you haven't used Eternity lol