ICS - Zzzzz

[gordonwd]

Was it worth the wait and all the hype? So far I'm underwhelmed by any differences, but then I'm not sure what I expected. After all, using my tablet is really all about the apps, just like with a PC. The operating system might add some glitz, but usually not much in the way of functionality.

That said, one really useful feature I've found so far is being able to create "folders" of app icons (just drop them on top of each other). This cleans up my desktop a lot by, say, grouping all the news service apps into a folder labeled "News", weather apps into "Weather", etc.

There are also some useful new widgets, such as the one for the Calendar, but I much preferred the previous analog clock -- probably lots of 3rd-party apps for that.

The one other intriguing feature I've heard about if I can figure out how to use it is taking panoramic photos with the camera. But I expect I'm more likely to use that when I get a smartphone with ICS.

So what do you think of what you've seen of ICS so far?

 

[theandies]

Was it worth the wait and all the hype? So far I'm underwhelmed by any differences, but then I'm not sure what I expected. After all, using my tablet is really all about the apps, just like with a PC. The operating system might add some glitz, but usually not much in the way of functionality.

That said, one really useful feature I've found so far is being able to create "folders" of app icons (just drop them on top of each other). This cleans up my desktop a lot by, say, grouping all the news service apps into a folder labeled "News", weather apps into "Weather", etc.

There are also some useful new widgets, such as the one for the Calendar, but I much preferred the previous analog clock -- probably lots of 3rd-party apps for that.

The one other intriguing feature I've heard about if I can figure out how to use it is taking panoramic photos with the camera. But I expect I'm more likely to use that when I get a smartphone with ICS.

So what do you think of what you've seen of ICS so far?

 

[ODog2323]

I wasn't expecting much in the way of new functionality. ICS will be more of a major update for smartphones.

What I'm loving about this update for our TF is the level of polish over Honeycomb. In the few days I used this tab on 3.2, I noticed a speed improvement over my xoom, but it was still the same herky-jerky honeycomb experience...unpolished, unfinished. I was pretty disappointed. But now? I can say my android tab finally feels like a finished product.

 

[Dagr]

I wasn't expecting much in the way of new functionality. ICS will be more of a major update for smartphones.

What I'm loving about this update for our TF is the level of polish over Honeycomb. In the few days I used this tab on 3.2, I noticed a speed improvement over my xoom, but it was still the same herky-jerky honeycomb experience...unpolished, unfinished. I was pretty disappointed. But now? I can say my android tab finally feels like a finished product.

I'd agree with this post. The visual differences aren't as extreme from honeycomb to ICS (compared to say a phone experience where phones are heavily skinned under gingerbread vs a stock ICS experience). The real benefits are in how it runs. Multitasking has been MUCH better for me under ICS. Simply swiping away apps I'm not using is a breeze.

I did turn off the ugly ASUS task tray "quick settings" thing. There is a nice battery widget that shows me both dock & tablet battery strength, so I felt I didn't need it.

One wish for ICS: why oh why didn't the phase beam live wallpaper get included in our update!!!!!! I love that wallpaper lol. So smooth.

 

[wynand32]

Multitasking has been MUCH better for me under ICS. Simply swiping away apps I'm not using is a breeze.

I agree that ICS is much more elegant and attractive overall, and works better.

But, it's not true that swiping away apps in the recent apps list actually closes them. It's exactly what it's called: a "recent apps" list, not a "running apps" list. So, what you're really doing is removing apps from the recently used list, which may or may not actually be running.

ASUS does include a new task manager widget which actually shows running apps, and does allow an easy way to close them.

 

[ODog2323]

But, it's not true that swiping away apps in the recent apps list actually closes them. It's exactly what it's called: a "recent apps" list, not a "running apps" list. So, what you're really doing is removing apps from the recently used list, which may or may not actually be running.

ASUS does include a new task manager widget which actually shows running apps, and does allow an easy way to close them.

Yea, the task widget is OK, but I wish we at least had the option to use the recent apps list to "swipe to kill". That'd be such a great elegant way to manage running apps.

 

[rsarno]

subscribed

 

[PhilipJFry3000]

For me the biggest improvement is with the browser. It still is a year or two behind iOS, but it is much improved from Honeycomb.

 

[rz22g]

I checked out ICS for a while on my neighbors Prime and liked it for the most part, however this evening he showed up with Prime issues. Browser crashing, especially with multiple tabs, YouTube App crashing. Other apps giving message that they have stopped working, would you like to wait. Based on what he said it did fine for most of the day after ICS install and then got progressivley worse.

I have tried to help him out but factory reset is about as much as I can do.

If someone could check out this video using the YouTube App and let me know if it crashes I can at least let him know its working find on other Primes. My Prime shipped back today so I can't help on that part.

If you search for "Quantum Levitation Demonstration At North Museum " using the YouTube App and let me know if it plays or crashes that would be great. There are other videos that are crashing the App but I do not have his Prime with me and that is the only one I can remember.

Disregard . He took it back to BB.

 

[flyjbaker]

subscribed

Me too...

 

[Dagr]

I agree that ICS is much more elegant and attractive overall, and works better.

But, it's not true that swiping away apps in the recent apps list actually closes them. It's exactly what it's called: a "recent apps" list, not a "running apps" list. So, what you're really doing is removing apps from the recently used list, which may or may not actually be running.

ASUS does include a new task manager widget which actually shows running apps, and does allow an easy way to close them.

There was quite a discussion regarding this topic on the nexus forums. I'm pretty sure that (at least for the nexus and I assume prime) google has publicly said that swiping away the recent list does, in fact, close the applications. Try it, if you swipe away a game, the next time you open it, it will re-launch rather than resume.

Looking at the task manager / running apps list would be the best way to tell though.

Regardless, I do like how ICS runs, and have luckily had no problems with it like some have reported after updating. I think its a pretty slick interface. Sooo much more capable & customisable than iOS imo. : )


Edit: Just tried a few apps, swiped, and then verified that they are closing out of the running tasks. : ) (If you use the ASUS task manager, just give it a few seconds or hold down on it until it refreshes, and you'll see your apps disappear).