All Things Android - Apps, Phones, Tablets - Discussion

I'm hoping that is because ICS is so advanced that it doesn't need that much processing power to run as well as iPhone 4S does!

I hope... I hope...

 

Even if that's the case, it's still no reason not to want better hardware - especially when it's got to drive a screen like that...

 

Agreed with Step. Just hope those specs are wrong. Just have to wait.

 

I should be getting my Galaxy Player in a couple days. Anything people want to know in particular? Anything I should do/consider doing with it as far as mods, software, apps, etc? I'm new to Android, so would appreciate any input.

Is it worthwhile to overclock, or is it really for bragging rights? I plan on getting Galaxy on Fire 2 game, hoping it will run reasonably well.

 

@HT: just have a play with it and get used to it - everyone uses their device differently, so you're as well off trying it and seeing what you want/need to tweak/mod/etc rather than doing it just because someone here suggests it.
I mean, I personally would recommend rooting and ad-blocking, not to mention rooting then allows you to use apps like Titanium Backup but you not be bothered by stuff like that.

OCing isn't just for bragging rights but I'd say it's something only worth considering if you feel you're not getting the performance you want.

 

Stupid question, but why would they use an OMAP instead of an Exynos?

 

Because that's what Google wanted.

 

Quite often Nexus devices ( at least the Nexus One and the Xoom, which was basically a Nexus device in all but name) become, intentionally or otherwise, templates for a lot of other Android devices.

Exynos is Samsung's own SoC which would make it much more difficult for other OEMs to be able to use it.
OMAP on the other hand it manufactured by Texas Instruments who have no ulterior motives and would happily supply their chips to any OEMs that wanted them.

Plus, OMAP4 and Exynos use pretty much the same CPU, meaning that performance differences are basically just down to clock speed and if anything the GPU TI use is potentially better - though the GPU the 4470 uses is a heck of a lot 4460's and would be better even than the Apple A5's GPU.

 

Yeah, I guess it makes more sense if you think of it as a Google device instead of a Samsung device. At one point though, Engadget said that it would be running an Exynos with the SGX543 that's in the A5.

 

Well, the acid test is the OS - they can call it the Samsung Galaxy Whatever but if it's running vanilla Android it's a Nexus device.
We'll have to wait and see though.

I'm hoping they do pull something unexpected out of the bag though, especially in the CPU department - I'd be very happy with the Exynos with the PowerVR GPU.

 

The RAZR looks nice... but I do think they should release it with ICS if possible (esp since Google is Moto's daddy now... or at least trying to be).

EDIT: Actually... I guess they can't because Moto has all those customizations they did on Gingie.

 

Link to Lee Johnston talking about why the specs for the nexus are more than enough.

 

Honeycomb features hardware acceleration and support for multi-core chips and it runs like crap on Tegra2 at 1GHz, so I don't buy it.

Fair enough, for existing dual-core handsets with resolutions of WVGA or qHD running on Gingerbread, the changes to the OS will improve performance quite a bit but the Nexus handset will have ~2-3x as many pixels to push so it'll need something better under-the-hood.

 

Damn, the Droid Razr looks pretty slick! Super thin and light, SAMOLED and 1800mAh battery... not bad at all. Choices, choices! I'll still wait for the Nexus and will check out a Verizon store when I can see and feel both phones.

 

The Droid RAZR will have a locked bootloader.

 

Link to what the Nexus looks like.

 

That's a "no buy" right there. Can't believe Moto is still pulling that crap. They are shooting themselves in the foot.

 

It's at Verizon's request.

 

I didn't realize that. All this time I've been hating on Motorola for the encrypted bootloaders when I should have been hating on Verizon.

 

In this case they claim it's down to Verizon but they're hardly blameless - I'm in the UK and I have a Defy, a handset that could never be used on Verizon so it's locked bootloader is clearly down to Motorola.

 

Haven't they still found away to bypass the bootloader? I mean CM7 supports the DROID 2 and X, which I thought had locked bootloaders. But I guess it means it won't be widely customizable as much as Samsung, HTC, or Sony.

 

There is a way to. Its really just a matter of principle for me. I'm not in to flashing roms and whatnot like I used to be, but I'm sure that'll change once I get my new phone and I don't want an encrypted bootloader limiting my phone. I'm pretty much sold on the Samsung Nexus or whatever its called. I need to get a new phone as soon as possible because my droid 1 only works when it wants to.

 

Nope. There's no cracking it. There's no replacing the kernel. There's no replacing the radio...

CM7 on those devices relies on a "second-init" workaround, where the libs and system files from CM7 piggyback on the stock kernel. It's ugly, but it works. By works, I mean just barely. The custom kernel that CM7 relies on is what makes CM7.

 

EDIT: This is going to bomb YouTube's bandwidth, methinks.

 

Hal, while I have you attention, which ROM do you suggest for my SGS I9000? :O

 

@ HAL - ha! I was about to link this stream here.. Anyway, thanks

 

Wait is there a stream for it?

 

androiddevelopers's Channel - YouTube

Or a live blog, if you prefer one:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/18/samsung-and-googles-ice-cream-sandwich-event-liveblog/

 

I'm a big fan of JetPack Mod. It's smooth, and looks good. [ROM][XXJVT][14 - Oct]Jetpack MOD v6+ (Plus) - xda-developers

LOL Mine's only a picture.

 

Engadget says that the leaked specs by NTT DoCoMo are correct, with a barometer in addition (using Samsung as a source, though the page appears to be pulled).

A barometer?

 

The Xoom has one as well. IDK what the hell it's used for.

 

That was rumoured a while back too, I haven't the first clue what use anyone would have for it - I can't imagine it would be sensitive enough to aid with mapping/navigation.

edit: the Engadget article is a bit weird - it says Samsung and Google have just made it official but then the article after it says that the event isn't kicking off for another 10 minutes.
How can they have made it official if they haven't unveiled it yet?

edit #2: idiot - barometer is air pressure, which I knew but obviously isn't used for measuring altitude - I made the air-pressure/altitude link in my head and had some sort of mental break...

 

This Is My Next had the same thing, I can only guess they had the press release sent out early due to the leaks. That or everyone was frigging embargoed, and they had the press release for a short while. My vote is on the former rather than the latter, but one never knows.

 

Ah, I see it now - in the Live Blog they say they were handed the press release as they arrived.

 

Switching tabs between Engadget live blog, and YouTube live stream...

 

It's Live and running now

Samsung head of mobile communication > "major product announcement today"

The cat's out of the bag (officially, that is.. lol) - "Samsung and google unveil the first Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone" #samsung head

"Super AMOLED, a dual-core processor with "unmatched performance" and a "unique" curved design"

"Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich"

 

I just chuckled when he said "first Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone"

Sounds funny when a business man says it.

 

Who, a video
They look so smart waving the phone in every possible directions.

 

Engadget:

Spoiler

BGR:

Spoiler

I'm confused...

 

BGR is using the faked one like idiots....

 

Which is also odd given another article further down on BGR has this:

Spoiler

Shame, the curved design looks better IMO.

 

It looks better, but an actual concave design seems sort of weird to me.

I didn't think it was possible, but I'm more excited for this phone now.

 

Android 4.0 looks very, very nice.

About that face unlock; why would anyone use that, I don't want to hold the phone before my face every time I need to unlock it..

 

Security.
And it's not that inconvenient really - you're going to hold the phone in front of you to use it anyway.

There's an app you can get that does that already - it'll even let you lock individual apps that way.
But it's buggy and you have to pay for it to get it to replace the lockscreen.

 

The phone is slightly curved but i'm glad it's not as severe as the teaser had it.

Not digging the new font. The photo unlock looks meh, I predict it'll be like the Atrix fingerprint reader: a great "party piece" but it won't work half the time and you'll end up turning it off within a week.

 

So, I'm in love with the new UI design language. LOVE IT.

 

I'm sold. I need monies, but I'm sold.

 

Exclusive: Matias Duarte on the philosophy of Android, and an in-depth look at Ice Cream Sandwich | This is my next...

 

I definitely see a lot of webOS spice in ICS. It's there, but it's with Android DNA, so it doesn't seem like its blatantly copied. It's nice to see the spirit of webOS live on through Duarte's influence.

 

Indeed. I've very excited about that.

It's fluid, simple, and predictable from app to app... with the card swiping action to the magazine style layout. It's just really polished! I'm stunned.