Few days ago, AT&T version of the HTC One X was updated to Android 4.0.4 ICS. Today, The Update is Currently rolling-out to the international version of the One X with Android 4.0.4 and Sense 4.1 OTA (Over The Air).

What's New in 4.0.4 ?

The New update adds a dedicated button in the browser to switch tabs, continuous autofocus for the camera and some white balance adjustments.

Additionally, the update brings enhanced memory, platform stability and users should notice an improvement to the overall browsing experience on the phone.

The New HTC Sense 4.1 brings a smoother Home-screen scrolling animation and some minor UI changes.

HTC Official Press Release

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensure customers are receiving software updates that improve their user experience, we are pleased to announce our next upgrade for the HTC One X will be released on August 10th.

The primary update will include an upgrade to Android version 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), in addition to an improved Sense experience which will: enable the ability to map menu function to the 'recent app' key (improving visual presentation in non ICS apps like Facebook); improve tab management in the browser with a dedicated tab switching button and enhance camera capabilities such as white balance and continuous autofocus. Furthermore, customers can expect enhancements to memory, platform stability and the overall browsing experience. Other improvements include a Single Sign-On for Facebook allowing user access across applications and browsers and upgrades to Beats audio, which reflect our dedication to providing an authentic sound experience.

From a developer perspective, we are expanding SDK support for Media Link and providing a framework for video call applications to achieve improved performance and quality. HTC

Source

According to HTC, the HTC ThunderBolt and the HTC Desire S will both get the Android 4.0.3 ICS Update before the End of this month (August,2012). The HTC ThunderBolt was one of those models that was on the cusp, so this is obviously good news for the owners.

Recently, HTC explained why some models, like the HTC Desire HD, will not be joining the Ice Cream Sandwich club even though it is very closely related to the HTC ThunderBolt. Also the Update won't be released to all users in the same day, Some uses will have to wait till early september to get the update according to their region. Here is the Official statement from HTC:

"We're still working on getting the updates ready. We expect to have updates issues [sic] by the end of August for all devices that have been announced." - HTC

Source

Last Weekend, some of the Verizon's HTC Rezound users received an unannounced update OTA (Over the Air). There is no Change-log as Verizon didn't Officially reveal any info about this update.

The update was about 103MB but the smartphone remains with its Android 4.0.3 ICS and Sense 3.6 and there wasn't any software upgrade too, but after the users who got the update investigated more they found out that this update allow them to activate Global Roaming capabilities on their devices. It is unclear whether or not the update went out to all Rezound users.

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HTC has just released the Official Android devices list that will be Updated to the Android ICS 4.0.3 with HTC Sense 3.6, as HTC sense 4.0 will be exclusively for HTC One series.

The following HTC devices are confirmed to get Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich:

• DROID Incredible 2 by HTC

• HTC Amaze 4G

• HTC Desire S

• HTC Desire HD

• HTC EVO 3D

• HTC EVO Design 4G

• HTC Incredible S

• HTC Sensation

• HTC Sensation XL

• HTC Sensation 4G

• HTC Sensation XE

• HTC Raider

• HTC Rezound

• HTC Rhyme

• HTC Thunderbolt

• HTC Vivid

HTC will begin Rolling-out the Updates for the all the Sensation Family in the Upcoming Weeks During This Month. Other devices will follow Very Soon and we will announce the date of each device very soon!

Official List

Now that the HTC Vivid is starting to see its promised Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update, which was promised to land in the coming weeks when the HTC One handsets were unveiled, The Update brings Android 4.0.3 latest ICS build along with HTC Sense 3.6 onboard not Sense 4.0.

HTC Sense 3.6 offers some of the enhancements and features of the Sense 4.0 user interface, but it is not quite as polished in the visual presentation department. Nevertheless, if it is just like the recent Android 4.0update for the Sensation, which we managed to get a preview of very recently, it should no doubt still keep handset owners very happy.

You can initiate the Update process by simply dialing *#*#682#*#* on your Vivid.

HTC Start Sending Invitations to its next major event and it will take place on February 26. Look like HTC will announce its new smartphones the day before the MWC 2012 starts.

Perhaps HTC really has something special for the MWC this year. It may be the rumored Android ICS powered HTC Edge with a 720p screen and a quad-core CPU, it will be the first Quad-core Android phone for HTC.

The HTC Ville rumored back at the end of November, it will supposedly be one of HTC upcoming devices expected at MWC alongside the HTC Edge.

The HTC Ville is allegedly featured in the video below. You can notice straight from the beginning that the phone is very slim, as the Ville is expected to be one of HTC slimmest phones, measuring less than eight millimeters in thickness.

Moving on to the front of the device you can see not four, but three buttons on the bottom, as we learned would be the case for future HTC ICS phones alongside HTC Sense 4.0.

Video has been pulled down

The HTC Primo will be targeted as a mid-range Android smartphone running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. However, it seems that HTC will be moving to make its premium audio experience with Beats Audio Integration, more widely available and the mid-range Primo will be bundled with Beats Audio.

The latest image of the HTC Primo depicts a device with a 3.7-inch screen without any Android navigation keys. Using onscreen navigation keys instead. The device will feature Gorilla Glass but it is unclear if this will be the new Gorilla Glass 2 screens that were introduced at CES 2012. The phone will have a dual-core 1.0 GHz Snapdragon CPU, 512 MB RAM, and rear-facing 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich release is slowly coming out to devices around the world. Today, HTC has Officially announced to get the upgrade on more of its phones.

click to see the original post

According to a message posted on HTC UK Facebook page (Photo above), the HTC Incredible S, HTC Desire S and HTC Desire HD are now officially confirmed to be in line for Android 4.0 upgrades.

HTC says the devices will receive the software "later this year" along with the previously announced HTC Rezound, HTC Vivid, HTC Amaze 4G, HTC EVO 3D, and HTC EVO Design 4G and HTC Inspire 4G the AT&T version of the Desire HD.

HTC just gave us some welcome extra information on the planned Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich updates for their smartphone portfolio.

The wait is almost over for the owners of the original Sensation, the Sensation XE and the Sensation XL. The Sensation and Sensation XE will get the ICS treatment by the end of March, while the XL update will follow shortly after.

Some Photos leaked today of an unannounced HTC Android Device. However, The Device looks much like the Incredible 2, so it may be called the Incredible 3, This device has LTE-support and its heading to Verizon with ICS and Dual-core processor on board.

The device has a 1.2GHz Dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, an 8MP Camera and a VGA front one. It has an AMOLED display instead of the HTC traditional S-LCD, LTE Support, Android 4.0.1 Ice Cream Sandwich and features the latest HTC Sense UI 4.0. We can Expect an Announcement for this device during the MWC.

We are already aware that HTC official roll-out for ICS for all new HTC Devices should be coming by Mid-March. However, those who have an HTC Sensation or Sensation XE variant and located in Europe will be able to taste this upgrade ahead of the pack.

This would probably upset HTC users located in the US and other regions. For those of you lucky enough to fit both of these criteria (Having s Sensation and located on Europe), that means you get the ICS Upgrade sooner than most other users. probably you will get it this Month!

Unfortunately, HTC did not yet disclosed any further information concerning how or who will gain access to this exclusive club.

This Month, HTC plans to update the Sensation family XE/XL/White, HTC will deliver the latest Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3 with HTC Sense 3.6 ( Screenshots below ) to all Sensation family devices instead of HTC sense 4.0 as it will remain exclusive to the HTC One Family.

This is disappointing news for Sensation owners, though Sense 3.6 at least offers some of the same features as 4.0. HTC has confirmed that not all of its phones will be seeing Sense 4.0, but it remains committed to bring "as many of the enhancements as possible" to its phones. HTC comment on this :

"HTC Sense brings a variety of new software enhancements to HTC One, some of which utilize the latest hardware innovations, meaning not all functionality can be introduced to older HTC Devices. With that said, we are looking to bring a Sense 4 software update that includes as many of the enhancements as possible to a variety of our new devices."

Reports from the XDA Forums confirms that HTC is rolling-out the ICS 4.0.3 Update OTA to HTC Sensation XE with HTC Sense 3.6.

So far, we have received confirmation of the Android ICS 4.0.3 update being seeded to Sensation XE units in Germany and the Nordic countries, but we expect the rest of Europe to follow soon. Global availability is seems to be very soon.

You can check if the update is available for your region under Software Updates in the Settings menu. Keep in mind that the update requires a download of a file nearly 300MB in size, so you better use a Wi-Fi connection for the update.

The Verizon-branded HTC Rezound was among the first Android smartphones to come with a 720p HD screen, but up until now that screen showed the somewhat dated Android 2.3 Gingerbread. This finally starts changing today as HTC and Verizon are rolling out the long-awaited update to 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Here the Update Change-log :

• Launch Bar to drag apps, shortcuts, and folders on home screen.

• Swipe away specific notifications or access notification drawer from lock screen.

• Face Unlock.

• Data monitoring warnings and caps.

• Swipe to multitask and switch between apps.

• Improved voice input for speech to text.

• Enabled Wireless Alerting system.

• Improved Mobile Hotspot feature.

Source (PDF)

Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3 update is already available for the HTC Sensation and Sensation XE smartphones. The new ROM is about 300MB in size and we suggest doing a backup before applying it.

ICS has been available in Germany and the Nordic region since March, while Malaysian users also got the update two weeks ago.

Since the beginning of April users from the UK, France and the Netherlands have reported getting the ICS update. We assume that more countries will be joining this list in the upcoming days. We can also confirm Sensations in Pakistan are being updated as well, so the update rollout should continue in Asia as well.

UPDATE! 18,April

HTC One X Firmware 1.28 is Now Available worldwide addressing Wifi bug and battery life Improvements, Middle-East region also got Arabic Support along with the Update too.

The HTC One X has a power management problem according to some developers over the XDA forum who are wooing on creating custom ROMs. The problem is that an NVIDIA power control app known as "NvCPLSvc.apk" was misplaced in the /system/bin folder, rather than its proper location in /system/app.

The Developer "mike 1986" posted an unofficial fix that puts the APK in the proper location. The problem involves Tegra 3 power management controls and is obviously only on the international variant of the model, which comes equipped with the quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor under the hood.

The incorrect APK placement is costing the HTC One X user 10% to 20% of his battery life. The fix that was posted on the Xda forum claimed to recapture that missing battery life. If you want to try the fix on your One X head to the source link below. We suggest to wait until the One X Firmware 1.28 release, as it will address all battery issues, including this bug too.

HTC rezound alresy got an ICS RC-1 back in March, This new leak is version 3.13.605.7 RC-2 (the one from March was 3.11.605.22) and also includes a new radio baseband. Keep in mind that this is still not official but a BETA testing ROM before the actual release , so there is always the possibility that it may still contain bugs and damage your phone. But those of you who are feeling adventurous can give it a try.

Change-log:

• Facebook force close when you tap a video album

• Roaming charges when in Canada & Mexico

• Resets

• "Android updating" message on power up

• Camera not launching

• Hotspot turning off after 10 minutes

• Exchange mail account removed after FOTA

• Car dock limiting charging current

• "Set Current Date" popping up frequently

• BUA+ (multiple issues)

• Flash player removed

• OTA over incorrect APN

• OTA SW update time

• Camera dark when using Facelock

• Text field difficult to read

Source

Today, HTC has officially announced the HTC Desire C as the successor of HTC Explorer, The deivce brings all ICS features on avery affordable price (around $270 or 180).

Desire C Full Specifications

The Desire C powered by Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich with Sense 4.0 on top out of the box. It also features Beats Audio technology (no headphones included in the box) and packs a 3.5" LCD of HVGA resolution.

The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 chipset with a CPU clocked at 600MHz. The actual chipset model number wasn't announced, but it is probably the MSM7225A with a Cortex-A5 CPU and 512MB RAM.

The HTC Desire C brings some more upgrades compared to its predecessors. The camera is a 5MP unit with F/2.8 aperture and 34mm focal length (in 35mm equivalent). You also get 4GB of built-in storage (plus 25GB cloud space from Dropbox for 2 years), a microSD card slot, 3G with 7.2Mbps HSDPA, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi and USB 2.0. The battery has 1230mAh capacity and it's user-accessible.

After a long wait, The HTC Amaze 4G ICS Official update is scheduled to roll-out to all users in the upcoming weeks. The Update will includes Android 4.0.3 and HTC Sense 3.6 UI on top, along with Many enhancements and improvements.

Version

• Android version 4.0.3 / Software version 2.14.531.3710RD

• Approved in the coming weeks

• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)

• Sense 3.6

• System bar enhancements to easily view recent apps.

• Re-sizeable widgets

• Lock screen actions including pull down notifications and adjust volume while device is locked.

• Data usage controls.

• Face Unlock

• Home screen folders

• Improved battery life

• Improved text input and spell checking

• Improved menu structure

• OTA or Manual update

• Device is running Android version 2.3.4 / Software version 1.43.531.3, 1.36.531.5, or 1.36.531.6

• Device software is not rooted

• More than 50% battery life

• Data or Wi-Fi connection

Soruce

The HTC Desire C that was officially announced on Tuesday, is now Available for pre-order on Clove UK website.

HTC Desire C Specifications

The Desire C is the first low-end smartphone to feature latest Android ICS version 4.0.3. The price is set to be £189.99, For that price you'll get a 3.5" HVGA display, 600MHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of storage and a 5MP shooter. The version which Clove will be shipping is the one with NFC connectivity too.

HTC has released a list of phones that they will be updating to Android 4.0 this year. Along with the names of the phones, they also mention the time period during which you can expect the update to arrive for the respective handsets. Here is the Table Below:

Note That these dates are targets and may shift due to testing and approvals.

HTC Sensation XL Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3 Update is currently Rolling-out to all unlocked Sensation XL devices.

As you can notice from the screenshots above, the smartphone gets updated to ICS version 4.0.3 along with HTC Sense 3.6. That's pretty nice treatment for a device, whose hardware is a bit far from being cutting edge even by last year's standards.

To Update, Connect you XL device to Wifi and you will get a System Update Notification, Click Update and ENJOY!

Amazon is one of the first retailers that come to mind. For example, take the HTC EVO 4G LTE it launched on Sprint less then a month ago for $200 on contract, yet Amazon is now willing to sell you one for only $130. The offer is valid for new Sprint subscribers, however, with an upgrade for existing customers costing $150. Still, the deal seems pretty good considering what you get in exchange.

HTC EVO 4G LTE Specifications

Dear Owners of the HTC Desire HD or Inspire 4G (carreir version of the Desire HD), We have some Bad News for you, The Android 4.0 ICS update for your phones has been canceled by HTC. The information came from an updated document for Canadian carrier TELUS which shows that HTC had canceled the update because of poor device performance during testing.

Looking at the specs, this previous flagship device does have 768MB of RAM, but only a single-core 1 GHz processor. For HTC Desire HD users, it might seem disappointing but it is much better to have a device running Android 2.3 smoothly than one having Android 4.0 but with many lags.

Source

The Official Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for HTC Desire HD has been CANCELED. Sadly, HTC have officially removed the 2010 Android flag-ship device, Desire HD, from the official list of devices that was scheduled to get the ICS Update due to this year (list Photo below).

Here is HTC's official Statement regarding this Matter:

"After extensive testing, we've determined that the current version of HTC Sense with Android provides customers with the best experience on the HTC Desire HD. When we consider new versions of software, we weigh a number of factors, but ultimately the customer experience on the product is the deciding factor. We apologize for any confusion this change may have caused our customers."

Source

We reported before that the Official Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for HTC Desire HD has been CANCELED. Today, HTC Explains even more details about why the company decided not to push the Ics cream sandwich update to the HTC Desire HD and its other carrier variants (Inspire 4G).

HTC said it was sorry to all HTC Desire HD owners on its latest Statement regarding this matter :

"We've heard your feedback on our decision not to update the HTC Desire HD to Android 4.0. We completely understand that this is a controversial decision.

For more background, due to how storage on the HTC Desire HD is partitioned - and the larger size of Android 4.0 - it would require re-partitioning device storage and overwriting user data in order to install this update. While technically advanced users might find this solution acceptable, the majority of customers would not. We also considered ways to reduce the overall size of the software package, but this would impact features and functionality that customers are currently using. Even after installing the update, there were other technical limitations which we felt negatively impacted the user experience.

We believe an update should always improve the user experience and carefully evaluate each update based on this criteria. While we are very aware of the disappointment from this decision, we believe the impact to user experience was too great. We recognize this is a change from our previous statement and for that we're truly sorry." - HTC

Source

This year, HTC said that the HTC Rezound would be getting its Android 4.0.3 update in March, then it got delayed till june... And Rezound users is still waiting for their ICS Update since then.

Today, a Memo leaked shows Verizon's software updates, HTC Rezound is listed to get an OTA update on July.29th (which is today) which will be Android 4.0.3 ICS. we are waiting untill we get any reports that users received their updates.

Source

European HTC One S Users is currently getting an OTA (Over The Air) Update to their devices, the Update brings Android 4.0.4 ICS with the latest HTC Sense version 4.1 just the same update the One X got about two weeks ago.

Sense 4.1 is a big improvement in terms of speed, there's no longer lag when using a live wallpaper, most of the app drawer 3D effects have been removed to speed things up even further and it's using a new kernel, which is faster all round. Sense 4.1 is also supposed to be less taxing on the battery life.

via

HTC is currently Rolling-out the One X ICS 4.0.4 Update to the Unlocked Middle-East devices, The update brings the firmware version to 2.17.415 and HTC Sense 4.1 along with some other enhancements.

The Update brings a Huge Improvements to the One X performance, Improved Camera App, New functionality to the Recent apps button. here is HTC Official Press Release about the update:

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensure customers are receiving software updates that improve their user experience, we are pleased to announce our next upgrade for the HTC One X will be released on August 10th.

The primary update will include an upgrade to Android version 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), in addition to an improved Sense experience which will: enable the ability to map menu function to the 'recent app' key (improving visual presentation in non ICS apps like Facebook); improve tab management in the browser with a dedicated tab switching button and enhance camera capabilities such as white balance and continuous autofocus. Furthermore, customers can expect enhancements to memory, platform stability and the overall browsing experience. Other improvements include a Single Sign-On for Facebook allowing user access across applications and browsers and upgrades to Beats audio, which reflect our dedication to providing an authentic sound experience.

From a developer perspective, we are expanding SDK support for Media Link and providing a framework for video call applications to achieve improved performance and quality.

HTC is Rolling-out the ICS 4.0.4 Update tp the HTC ONE S owners in Europe, Starting with Netherlands and Germany. Besides the new OS build, the update includes HTC Sense 4.1, the manufacturer's latest skin. And HTC has added a few bug fixes and the latest Sense update improves the phone's camera app.

Some new features found on the device following the update include the EA Gamebox gaming hub and a remote control diagnostic tool for HTC.

Source

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Font
Among the first new features championed by Google at the Hong Kong media event was a brand new typeface for Android in the shape of the easy-to-read "Roboto." Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich System Bar and Action Bar.

At the launch event, Google showcased a host of virtual buttons that appear at the bottom of the screen in some apps and allow users access to areas of the device like phone and contacts.

These are located in the System Bar present in all apps and enables you to navigate instantly to Back, Home, and Recent Apps. Virtual buttons are present across all apps, but can be dimmed by applications for full-screen viewing.

You can also access the contextual options for each app in the Action Bar at the top of the screen.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich voice control
Android 4.0 introduces new voice input engine, You can dictate the text you want, for as long as you want. After dictating, you can tap the underlined words to replace them from a list of suggestions.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich multitasking
Multi-tasking has also been given a boost and with ICS it's easier to see which apps you've been using recently. If you decide you're done with using one, you can easily flick it away to close.

Google says it has made multitasking "even easier and more visual" on Android 4.0. The Recent Apps button lets users jump instantly from one task to another using the list in the System Bar. The list pops up to show thumbnail images of apps used recently tapping a thumbnail switches to the app.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Face Unlock
Perhaps the most 'Star Trek' of all the new Android 4.0 features is a new piece of functionality called Face Unlock which, as the name suggests, unlocks your handset based on facial recognition tech.

You can also do more without unlocking. As in iOS 5 you can jump straight to the camera. You can also pull down the notifications window.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Home Screen folders
Like iOS before it, Android is now getting home screen folders too. You can group apps or shortcuts together and, as with iOS, you can do this just by dragging icons on top of one another.From the All Apps launcher, you can now drag an app to get information about it or uninstall it should you wish.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich notifications
Notifications have also been improved. On larger devices - tablets - the updates appear in the System Bar, while on phones the notifications roll down from the top of the screen as before.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich favorites tray
On phones and other "smaller screen devices", there is now a customisable favorites tray. You can put anything you want here apps, folders, shortcuts - whatever you want check out this screen:

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich widgets
As in Honeycomb, you can now resize widgets on phones too. As in that OS, the widgets in 4.0 are designed to be far more interactive, enabling you to flick through appointments, play music and more.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich data
Android 4.0 includes new graphical displays so you can see how much data you're using and how much you have used over Wi-Fi or cellular. You can also see the amount of data used by each running application.

Warning levels can also be specified, as well as determining how much background data apps can use.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich camera
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich also brings some much-needed improvements to Google camera UI, which the company says it has been working on with Samsung.

ICS devices, and the newly announced Samsung Galaxy Nexus in particular, will have 1080p video, zero shutter lag, a new picture-stitching panorama mode, easier sharing and Instagram-esque filters.

In the panorama mode, you can start taking the picture and then move the camera. The phone assembles the full range of continuous imagery into a single panoramic photo.

"When taking pictures, continuous focus, zero shutter lag exposure, and decreased shot-to-shot speed help capture clear, precise images," says Google. "Stabilized image zoom lets users compose photos and video in the way they want, including while video is recording. For new flexibility and convenience while shooting video, users can now take snapshots at full video resolution just by tapping the screen as video continues to record."

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Apps & Beam

The People app does what many manufacturers have been doing on Android for ages bringing together various social networking feeds into one place, This offers richer profile information, including a large profile picture, phone numbers, addresses and accounts, status updates, and a new button for connecting on integrated social networks.

The Calendar app has also been updated to bring together different calendars, while the email app can now autocomplete responses and is able to store oft-used replies.

The web browser is also improved especially in terms of speed and now allows up to 16 windows. You can now sync it with Google Chrome and the browser supports offline browsing it can save versions of web pages you choose.

There is also a new NFC-based app called Android Beam, which allows two phones to exchange a wealth of information, just by holding them together.

Transformer Prime owners in the US are getting a notification of a new OTA update , ASUS said that this Update should bring improved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth performance, along with a new kernel version 2.5.39.

There is no Official changelog just yet, but the Update also brings a fix for the random reboot issue that plagued many users after the update to Ice Cream Sandwich last month.

Acer said that it will announce its a New Phone Acer CloudMobile during the MWC later on this Month, Acer Cloud Mobile has received the "iF" design award 2012, in recognition of outstanding achievement in design, even if the device has not been announced yet, you can see the Official press photos of the device and it really has great design.

When it comes to the specs at this point we don't know much. The Acer CloudMobile is said to feature a 4.3-inch HD screen, Dolby Advanced Sound, and a body less than 10mm thick. On the software side, the Acer CloudMobile is said to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box. The device will also be the first implementation of Acer own cloud technology.

As we said before Acer CloudMobile will get unveiled at MWC later this month, Market availability scheduled for Q3 this year.

Did you ever thought about using your Android Smartphone as your Desktop PC ?

Well, Christian Cantrell did thought about it. Cantrell posted an 8 min Video on his Youtube channel showing how he used his Samsung Galaxy Nexus as a Desktop PC with Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.1 (Not rooted) with some cables (that you may already have!) which will only cost you about $20-40 ONLY.

Cantrell showed that with only some cables and a little experience can make a useable Android-Desktop Computer with a big screen, Android devices Nowadays have enough CPU and RAM to do this, Here is the Stuff that Cantrell used to create the Android Computer:

• Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Not-Rooted)

• LCD Screen

• MHL cable for the Galaxy Nexus (for Display)

• MicroUSB Cable with a USB Hub

• 3.5mm Cable for Sound output

• Galaxy Nexus Charger to charge the phone while using

• Keyboard (wireless)

• Trackpad OR Mouse (wireless)

Ice Cream Sandwich Software buttons

He also showed how useful is the Ice Cream Sandwich Software Buttons as he no longer need to touch his phone, He can simply use his trackpad or mouse to click on the buttons which appear on the right-side of the screen as you can see on the screenshot above. So you have sound-output, Display-output, Wireless control, wifi ,Internet access and your phone is charging at the same time. What you need else? pair of bluetooth headset and you are good to go (or good to stay home!).

Chrome For Android and More

He shoed on the video Chrome Beta for Android running very smooth, Google Music, Notes, Facebook, Folders, Search, Gallery and all other Apps with no lag or anything. So, How much it will cost you to do that ? $20-40 depending on the cables prices that may vary between phones and retailers.

The popular free call making and SMS sending Viber for Android has received the long-waited update for Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 devices.

Not only the update allows Viber to work properly on Ice Cream Sandwich devices, but also brings some bug fixes and new features to the table.

One of the most important ones is a new Voice engine, which should improve voice quality over the previous versions. The app can now even detect your location with a single tap and share it with your messages. Also Viber can now send and receive photos and supports landscape mode for messages, if you desire a more thumb-able keyboard to tap. And last but not least, you can now see when somebody is actually typing you tanks to a typing indicator.

Download [FREE]

Verizon has released a list of devices that it says will be receiving the Android 4.0 update. As for the time frame each manufacturer has a say in when the Ice Cream Sandwich update will be rolled out for its devices with HTC models expected to receive Android 4.0 in the first half of this year while Motorola is planning a Q3 rollout of the latest Android build.

The Verizon's ICS Devices list:

• HTC ThunderBolt, HTC DROID Incredible 2,HTC Rhyme and HTC Rezound.

• Motorola devices included are the Motorola DROID BIONIC, Motorola DROID RAZR, Motorola DROID 4, Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX, and the Motorola Xyboards 8.2/10.1.

• Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7/10.1.

• LG Spectrum.

Android ICS 4.0.3 released first on the Galaxy Nexus, All manufactures promise to update their latest phones from Gingerbread to ICS. Now, most major phone manufacturers including Asus, Samsung and Sony have finished the testing and certification and are ready to update device to ICS very soon.

Phone makers have not yet updated their devices to the latest Android despite the fact that the 4.0.x version was released in November of last year. That is nearly a five month gap in which Gingerbread continues to be the dominant Android version on high-end handsets on the platform.

And if the rumors are true, Android 5.0 JB should make fragmentation even worse as the publication expects the new version to arrive as early as May or June. Internally, this is allegedly slowing down phone manufacturers with ICS updates as they try to prepare for 5.0.

Samsung has already pushed an ICS update for its Galaxy S II, and next in line are the Galaxy Tab 8.9, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Note. Asus has also updated its original Transformer, and Sony recently announced plans to bump up the Android versions of the Tablet P and Tablet S by end-April.

Good News! Best Buy has posted Ice Cream Sandwich release dates on its internal employee news site. And we have also an even better News... it is coming Next week!

According to the BestBuy post:

"Software updates are coming for Verizon handsets next week to bring the OS to Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0). Updates will be delivered via standard Over the Air (OTA) update."

Updates Schedule

The Motorola RAZR and RAZR MAXX will begin receiving the update on Wednesday 4,April.

HTC Rezound is scheduled for Friday 6,April.

Meizu just announced a Quad-core version of its MX smartphone, running Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich. The handset will carry the name Meizu MX quad-core, and will bring several improvements to go with the new silicon.

The CPU of in the updated device will be a 32nm High-K Metal Gate, quad-core Samsung Exynos chip, featuring four Cortex-A9-based cores. Curiously enough, there is no info on the clock speed of the aforementioned. It will also have a 1,700 mAh Batery and will come with five colors.

Meizu MX Original Specifications

The Meizu MX quad-core will come in a 32GB and 64GB versions. They will be priced in China at the highly attractive ¥2,999 (US$480) and ¥3,999 (US$635) respectively.

The first official HTC One X update is now rolling out for the SIM-free unlocked units in Europe, Egypt and Middle-East.

The upgrade is a about 30MB download and it addresses a few issues with the battery, the automatic brightness levels and the on-screen menu key in some apps along with the Wifi bug fix. There are probably other minor fixes and optimizations under the hood, but no specifics were provided.

After the update your Android OS will remain on the 4.0.3 version, but the actual phone firmware version will jump to 1.28.401.9.

Android Updates are very slow in releasing especially the latest update to Ice Cream Sandwhich, The technical lead developer on the Android Open Source Project, Jean-Baptiste Queru, posts a post on Google+ saying that he believes the slow update rate many Android users have had to endure is very reasonable. He said on his Google+ post:

"This is actually a very reasonable time, since under the hood Ice Cream Sandwich is quite different from Honeycomb (and upgrades from Gingerbread are likely to take longer as those differences are huge),"

He Also added:

"...some variants of the Google-engineered flagship devices still haven't received Ice Cream Sandwich (or are stuck with older versions of Ice Cream Sandwich) because of delays introduced by operator approvals."

Soruce

Google has updated the Android distribution figures on its developer website. The Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich user base has grown to 7.1%, up from the 2.9% back on April,2012.

The sharp growth is likely due to the launch of new Android 4.0 devices such as the HTC One series phones, as well as several high-end devices receiving the Android 4.0 update. With even more Android 4.0 devices on their way and more updates planned for current devices, this number will continue to rise.

Source

Do you Have an Android 4.0 ICS smartphone and want to enjoy and install all the New Google Jelly Bean stock Apps while waiting for an official update to your phone,

Well, We've got a solution for you. You can Now Install all the JB apps on your ICS phone in 6 easy steps. Check it out below.

How to install the Jelly Bean apps on an ICS smartphone:

1. Download the Jelly Bean apps from HERE (50MB).

2. Connect your phone to your computer via USB cable and transfer the JB apps archive to the root folder of your mobile device.

3. Disconnect your phone from the computer, turn it off, and then boot it into ClockworkMod Recovery.

4. With your device in Recovery mode, select "Install ZIP from sdcard", and then "Choose ZIP from sdcard". Select the Jelly Bean apps file to begin installation.

5. Once the installation is complete, choose the "Reboot system now" option.

6. DONE! When the device boots up, you should  Jelly Bean apps Installed and ready.

More Info (XDA Thread)

Samsung has just released the latest source codes for its latest products, as always, they have now released the source code for the Galaxy Note 10.1 on the Samsung Open Source Release Center.

Along with the Note 10.1 source code, Samsung has also release the Source code of the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 7 Plus.

Source (Samsung)

Samsung started rolling-out its ICS 4.0.3 Updates Today starting with some european contras (Pollen, Korea, Lithuania.. etc). According to the latest confirmed reports from Samsung, UK wll get the Update Next Week (20,March) and this info has been confirmed by Samsung UK.

"Samsung UK can confirm that the roll out of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) on Galaxy S II will be available from week commencing 19t March, However the availability of software upgrades in the UK will be dependent upon each network's own software approvals process."

So, UK fans, you will taste the ICS Next week, so Get Ready nad Make sure you have the Latest KIES Software Installed on your MAC OR PC.

Keep your Eyes on our SGSII Update Page!

Last week, We announced that Samsung will launch a VPU or a Value Update package that will for the Galaxy S I9000 Users, that will Offer them the same experience of the ICS but in Gingerbread (browser, multi-tasking... etc) instead of the CORE ICS 4.0.1 OS Update which samsung said it "could not run smoothly on the galaxy s older hardware, and will not deliver a good experience to the user".

However, a Samsung spokesperson today has said that the company will NOT offer the (VPU) update either due to the hardware specifications of the older Galaxy devices, in that they are limited to and fully optimized for the Gingerbread experience only. The news will frustrate Galaxy S owners that had gotten their hopes up following recent reports, They won't get the ICS nor the VPU, with many still on a two-year contract, they were hoping to see new features on the device.

We are Truly Very Sorry to all Galaxy S Owners and Fans for this Bad News, but we will keep supporting you with Gingerbread Updates and Bug fixes, also we will offer some easy-steps tutorials for How-to flash your Galaxy S to ICS 4.0.3.

Thank you,

Good News, looks like Samsung is twaeking the Galaxy S I9000 after all, The Picure above is taken from a leaked Official ROM for the Galaxy S I9000XXJVU based on Gigerbread 2.3.6 and built in 29,December 2011.

The New ROM brings some ICS features like face-unlock (picture above) and More:

• Camera is better and can take picture when shooting video.
• Photo Editor Added.
• New Lockscreen sounds.
• Auto-Rotation is fast in switching from portrait to landscape.
• I/O performance is better.
• Stock Browser is smoother.
• Gallery3D is faster and smoother.
• Higher FPS 3D graphics.

via sammobile

Samsung has just finished working on a New ROM for the Galaxy S II I9100 ICS 4.0.3 Update, the New ROM XXKPA leaked today with many improvements from the last two KP4 and KP8 ROMS that was leaked last week. However, this ROM is more stable but its still have some minor bugs.

This shows that samsung is still working to deliver the best ICS User Experience to all Galaxy S II users, The Final ICS ROM will be ready by the End of this Month.

I9100XXKPA_I9100OXAKPA_OXA
PDA: I9100XXKPA
PHONE: I9100XXKPA
CSC: I9100OXAKPA
Android: 4.0.3
Build date: 5 January  2012.
Changelist: 51925

XXKPA 4.0.3 Change-log:

• Not much Interface changes from XXKP8.

• New unlock Screen.

• Battery life better. 

• Phones looks faster.

• Touch response is better.

• Firmware more stable, but bugs still exists.

Video Below!

ROM (XXKPA)

Samsung Galaxy S III Photo

The MWC is coming by the end of next Month where we expect the announcement of the next Samsung flagship. The Galaxy S III, but if those latest rumors are to be believed.

The rumors come from Eldar Murtazin, who has not had the most accurate series of predictions lately, but who we are willing to believe now as he claims he has played with the smartphone already. So, according to the Russian, the Samsung Galaxy S III will indeed be unveiled at the MWC and will go on sale in April, exactly a year after its predecessor.

The Samsung Galaxy S III will, come with an HD resolution screen, a 12 megapixel camera and a quad-core CPU, running at 1.5-1.6 GHz. The beast will be running on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and, according to Mr. Murtazin its two extra cores will be more than just PR materials the smartphone feels really fast.

Click to view bigger version

Samsung has just Officially announced that many Galaxy devices will get the Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3 Update along with the Galaxy S II THIS MONTH.

Today an insider in Samsung leaked a photo for us, its a picture about the table of all Samsung phones/tablets that will get Ice Cream Sandwich updates. This confirms the rumors we had before, So in short Wrods...

1st, Samsung will begin the Galaxy S II ICS

4.0.3 Updates by Mid/End March !

UPDATE ^11/3!

UPDATE DELAYED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!

Same Info we announced last week, Samsung Galaxy S II owners can expect an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich this month according to Samsung Mobile Israeli Facebook page. The Facebook post, which has since been removed, said Ice Cream Sandwich will roll-out to unlocked and carrier-branded handsets in Israel on March 15th.

"We promised that we're working on it. You waited patiently. On 15 March it comes: the Android version 4, ICS, tens of thousands of the devices purchased GALAXY SII cellular companies in the country or directly from us. We here are very excited for the launch, hope you enoy it"

Facebook post [removed]

We all saw the Apple New iPad, it has a silly name (new iPad), but a Great resolutionary Retina screen with ( 2048 x 1536 ) pixels, Samsung will not stand-still in front of this, Rumor is going around about a Samsung Galaxy Tab 11.6" with 2560 x 1600 screen resolution with 260ppi which is very close to the new iPad screen but a little bit bigger in the size.

This rumor is based on an unnamed source close to the matter, who confirmed to Pocket-lint that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 11.6 is the upcoming ICS tablet and samsung may show it on the SXSW event on Texas today, but Unfortunately Samsung did not reveal it at the event.

On the surface, those rumors seem plausible Samsung would like nothing better than getting one back at Apple and topping their latest slate with a more attractive offering. If previous rumors are to be believed, the Galaxy Tab 11.6 will feature an Exynos 5250 chipset with a 2GHz dual-core CPU using of the new power-efficient, 32nm generation along with a 2GB RAM.

source