Samsung Galaxy Nexus barometer is for faster GPS lock

There have been some folks wondering why among the sensors that the Nexus has, Samsung chose to include a barometer. After all most of us, tend to think of a barometer as only useful for weather forecasting.

One of the Google engineering team that works on Android is Dan Morrill and he has cleared the air on why a barometer is inside the Galaxy Nexus and for that matter the older Motorola Xoom has a barometer as well. Morrill says that the barometer is there to help the smartphones and tablets get a GPS fix more quickly and accurately. As some of the comments point out a barometer is almost the same as an altimeter.
The barometer helps the GPS device solve a set of equations needed to get a signal lock with more speed and accuracy. The barometer could certainly be used for other things too, but the main reason is to speed GPS locks according to Morrill. Now you know!

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Sony Ericsson 2011 line of Android devices to get Android 4.0

If you are rocking a Sony Ericsson Android smartphone that is running Android 2.3.4 or an older version of the OS you have something to look forward to for next year. Sony has announced in the Netherlands that it will be upgrading all of its 2011 Android devices to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in 2012. Exactly when in 2012 is anyone’s guess.

Sony Ericsson made the announcement via Facebook in the Netherlands. We already know that Motorola is promising to update the new and cool Droid RAZR to Ice Cream Sandwich in early 2012. I would bet that “early” time frame is when the OS will be available for everyone. It doesn’t look like smartphone markers are wasting any time getting the OS ready.
Smartphones specifically getting the update include the Xpreia Play, neo and neo V. The Mini Pro, Xperia and arc Ray will also get the update. Apparently, the translated Dutch Facebook post reads as follows:

We are planning our 2011 Xperia smartphone portfolio after Gingerbread 2.3.4. upgrade to the next Android platform. The official Sony Ericsson communication about software upgrades will always be my international colleagues publish on our Blog: http://blogs.sonyericsson.com/

[via AllAboutPhones]

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Samsung Galaxy Nexus sign-up page goes live with seven carriers

Good news for aspiring Galaxy Nexus owners: Samsung may intend to bring the phone to every single major American carrier, and at least three regional carriers as well. A new sign-up page has appeared at Samsung’s store, directing US customers to list a carrier preference. Seven carriers are listed, including Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.

We know that Verizon will be getting the Galaxy Nexus, and it’ll probably have some kind of limited exclusive in the U.S. market. The HSPA+ version (the same one that was displayed throughout Google’s Hong Kong event) has cleared the FCC using bands for AT&T and T-Mobile. The other four carriers listed on the website are probably up in the air at this point – there’s no hard evidence that Samsung is actually making devices for anyone besides Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, but if there’s enough consumer demand, they’d probably be open to the idea.
We still don’t have confirmation from Verizon that the Galaxy Nexus is coming at all (maybe they don’t want to steal the Motorola DROID RAZR‘s thunder?) but Samsung confirmed that Verizon would be the first to get it in the US. One of the official Google videos also showed off the Galaxy Nexus with Verizon branding, so you can expect the phone to land in Big Red’s stores sometime in November. Who knows how long it’ll be before other consumers can get a hold of it – if you’re on Cellular South, US Cellular or Metro PCS, it couldn’t hurt to head over to Samsung’s sign-up page and express your interest.
Check out our hands-on looks at the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich below:
Galaxy Nexus Hands-on


Ice Cream Sandwich Hands-on

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Motorola Droid RAZR to receive ICS update in 2012

With the announcement of Google’s latest build of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, it looks like more companies are starting to come forward and announcing when their phones will be getting the update. Naturally the manufacturer with the most updated phones will be preferred over those that are still shipping devices out with Gingerbread 2.3, right?
Well if you had plan on purchasing the brand new Motorola Droid RAZR, the good news is that according to Motorola’s SVP of Portfolio and Product Management, Alain Mutricy, the Droid RAZR while optimized for Gingerbread 2.3, can expect to get the Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 update at the start of 2012, or at least that’s what the company is hoping. Naturally this update will be available for unlocked phones first, since the update will probably have to pass through Verizon first before making its way onto Verizon branded Droid RAZRs.

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Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs. Motorola Droid RAZR: which would you rather?

If you had to choose between the newly announced Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the newly announced Motorola Droid RAZR, which phone would you choose? I feel so bad for Motorola right now (well, not so bad, really, they’re about to be owned by Google) because the whole world probably just forgot about the Droid RAZR.
The two devices aren’t that far apart. What really differentiates them is the OS. The Galaxy Nexus will run Android 4.0 and the Droid RAZR will run Android 2.3. The difference is huge, especially after you check out all the new features in Ice Cream Sandwich.
Check out the chart below, courtesy of Engadget and let us know which of the two phones is going to be your next phone.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Droid RAZR by Motorola

Price (on contract)	TBA	$299
Processor	1.2GHz dual-core likely Texas Instruments OMAP 4460	1.2GHz dual-core Texas Instruments OMAP 4430
Display	4.65-inch curved glass HD Super AMOLED 1280 x 720	4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED 960 x 540
Primary camera	5 megapixel with zero shutter lag	8 megapixel
Front-facing camera	1.3 megapixel	1.3 megapixel
Video recording	1080p at 30fps	1080p at 30fps
Cellular	LTE / HSPA+	LTE + CDMA / EVDO or HSPA+ / GSM
WiFi	802.11 a/b/g/n	802.11 b/g/n
NFC	Yes	No
Memory	1GB RAM	1GB RAM
Storage	16GB / 32GB internal storage	16GB internal storage 16GB microSD card
Operating System	Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich	Android 2.3 Gingerbread
Battery	1,750mAh	1,800mAh
Quoted Battery life	TBD	Up to 12.5 hours talk time Up to 8.9 hours video
Weight	135g / 4.76oz	127g / 4.48oz
Thickness	8.94mm / 0.35in (HSPA+ model)	7.1mm / 0.28in

via Engadget

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Which HTC Devices Will See Ice Cream Sandwich Updates? HTC Issues Statement

If you are stuck, having recently upgraded your device a few weeks/months ago, the big question on just about everyone’s mind is — when will my device get Ice Cream Sandwich? Well, if you used that recent upgrade on an HTC device, you may want to listen up. HTC has issued a statement in regards to Google’s latest Android dessert and things aren’t sounding so hot.

We are excited about the latest update for Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, and are currently reviewing its features and functionality to determine our upgrade plans. Our goal for Android updates is to give every customer an improved user experience, which means balancing each phone’s unique hardware, HTC Sense experience and the Android kernel. While our goal is to upgrade as many of our recent devices as possible, we are committed to maintaining every phone’s performance and usability first. Please stay tuned for more updates on specific device upgrade plans.

It’s safe to say if you’re device wasn’t one of HTC’s “top sellers” or if it’s still running on last years hardware, your chances aren’t looking so good. Although Google did mention just about any device running Gingerbread should be able to run ICS just fine, OTA updates aren’t without their politics. Carriers often aren’t too excited about the potential bugs and possible returns that come from rushed updates and neither are the OEM’s. As an Evo 3D owner, I don’t expect to see the ice cream man until well into next year.
[Via Engadget]

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Ice Cream Sandwich UI enhancements – a new spin on Android

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was just unveiled to the world tonight, and already it’s showing some amazing promise in the user interface department. Nearly every element of the OS has been overhauled, and new features can be found at every turn. Here’s an overview of what you can expect from your next Android phone.

Lockscreen and Notification bar
Functionally, there’s not a lot different about the Ice Cream Sandwich home screen. It’s got the familiar circle unlock from Honeycomb, but a new link will take you to the camera app, whereas Gingerbread just gave you the option of unlocking or silencing the phone. No word on how users can silence the phone while unlocked. The notification bar looks similar, but it includes the ability to swipe away notifications individually, instead of an all or nothing approach with a “clear” button. The notification bar can now be lowered directly from the lockscreen, allowing you to immediately jump into an app from its notification.In what is certainly the coolest new feature of the lockscreen, a forward-facing camera can be set to recognize a single users face, allowing for an almost instant and effortless unlock.

Homescreen 
The Ice Cream Sandwich homescreen borrows a lot of elements from the Honeycomb equivalent, and not just in its look and feel. Tablet users will recognize the running apps list (available anywhere in the OS), but now you can swipe any app away to instantly close it, just like a card on WebOS. In a welcome addition, widgets can now be resized at will, a feature that MotoBlur and third party launchers have had for some time. The quick links on the bottom of the homescreen can now be defined by the user, including app folders, which get some new smoother creation and addition animations.

Camera
Google is making a big effort to improve both the camera itself and the video capture feature in the new OS. New additions include continuous focus, selective focus, instant sharing to any supported app, and an image editor built-in to the standard Android gallery. The image editor is a lot like Instagram, and should be a welcome addition for compulsive shutterbugs. Live Effects can transform videos on the fly, making for some fun but ultimately frivolous results. The software is also much faster, allowing for an “instant” shutter, according to Google. In a feature that’s been way too long coming, users can take screenshots without any modifications by holding the Power and Volume Down buttons at once. A new panoramic assist mode helps you capture and upload panoramas.

Browser
The standard browser is getting a few crucial new features, allowing it to truly compete with third-party browsers for the first time. In addition to speed and stability improvements, the browser can now switch its user agent from Android to desktop on the fly, allowing easy access to full websites that default to a mobile view. Pages can now be saved for offline reading, and the Android browser will automatically sync its bookmarks with your Google Chrome install, assuming that you use the same Google log in and password. For heavy data users, a new data manager allows you to see and curtail your usage – you cna even set up a hard cutoff to keep you from getting overage charges.
Android Beam and NFC
Near-field communications are getting a major overhaul in Ice Cream Sandwich. The “Android Beam” feature will allow an ICS user to instantly share whatever they’re doing with a compatible phone simply by touching the backs to one another. Web pages, photos and apps work already, letting users see Android Market links for the latter. The APIs for Beam are available to developers, so expect to see some creative use out of these features in the near future.
That’s just the most dramatic of Google’s improvements – expect a more in-depth look as developers get a hold of the SDK, and when the Galaxy Nexus hits stores sometime in November. For a full rundown of the new features, check out Google’s developer page.

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Meet the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich

It’s finally official the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich have fully been unveiled. The Android 4.0 SDK is available starting today and has a slew of amazing new features and options for users and developers alike. Only a few minutes after the event and we already have an entire page to show you everything you need to know. Head on to Google.com/nexus and enjoy the show.

Google has finally unveiled all the details and the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich SDK is available starting right now. For all the details and a awesome video check out android.com and even better the brand new Google.com/nexus page. We also have added the awesome video below for your viewing pleasure.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich video




Google has made an awesome site that will show you almost all you need to know about Android, the Nexus, and ICS right at the link provided above. Here are a few photos just to tease you all but I highly suggest you check it out right now.

From Android Beam, the new Face Unlock feature, voice typing that has been much improved, a new Google+ application and more. They have all the bases covered and the site is pretty awesome. Again, that is Google.com/Nexus and more 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich details are available at developer.android.com

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Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich SDK is available today

Consumers might not be getting their hands on the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus until November, but developers can prepare for the new Ice Cream Sandwich right now. Google has posted the software development kit on the Android website for anyone and everyone to begin using. For non-developers, this means that as soon as you get a Galaxy Nexus or another Ice Cream Sandwich phone, apps that take advantage of the new OS features should be available.

Google showed off some of these feature in its Hong Kong event, and boy are they plentiful. As far as API calls go, phones sporting NFC chips can share almost anything automatically with the Android Beam feature. Developers can integrate Beam into their own apps. The new contacts view, “People,” will pull together information from any social network that supports it. And the new notification system will allow users to instantly access apps from the homescreen or dismiss the notifications with a swipe.
We spotted some exciting new sensor capabilities in the 4.0 SDK release: temperature and humidity sensors. These should be a godsend for weather apps, which will no longer need to rely on remote thermometers or barometers to display local weather info. The unified code of Ice Cream Sandwich should make developing cross-compatible apps for tablets and smartphones easier than ever.
The download is available now from the Android Developers website.

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Samsung Galaxy Nexus official with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

The day is finally here, and we can put months and months of rumors to rest. In a joint event in Hong Kong late Tuesday night / early Wednesday morning Google and Samsung will announce the Galaxy Nexus, the next Android developer phone and the very first device to run Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich”. We can confirm the specifications and details early.

First, the hardware. As rumored, the Galaxy Nexus is sporting a huge 4.65-inch screen, the extra space covering the new virtual navigation buttons. The screen is a truly impressive 1280 x 720, and even better, it’s a Super AMOLED panel, sure to please just about everybody who’s had experience with lower-resolution versions on previous Samsung hardware. The high res and small size (at least in relation to similar computer and tablet screens) gives the phone a dots per inch value of 316. The screen’s tempered glass curves in slightly, just like the Nexus S.

On the inside you’ll find a dual-core 1.2 GHz TI OMAP4460 processor with a full gigabyte of memory for Ice Cream Sandwich to fly on. 16 or 32 gigabytes of on-board storage is included in two different versions, which is high but not unprecedented for an Android phone. Electrical contacts on the side will allow drop-in docks to easily charge the phone.
Multiple versions of the Galaxy Nexus will be made available for various territories and carriers, and will come in GSM HSPA+ and LTE versions as well as CDMA LTE. The HSPA+ version is just 8.94mm thin, though the LTE versions will be larger, which is still enough to fit in a sizable 1750 mAh battery. A 5 megapixel camera will record video at 1080p, while the front-facing camera is 1.3 megapixels. Samsung has also included a first-in-class barometer sensor. The back is covered in no-slip material to keep the skinny device in your hand.

Of course, the physical aspects of the Galaxy Nexus are only half the story. As the first Ice Cream Sandwich phone it’ll be a preview of capabilities to come for the next year or more of Android phones, and, of course, tablets. Android 4.0 unites the development of Gingerbread and Honeycomb on a single software platform, allowing apps and the OS itself to adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions. Apps will expand or contract depending upon the hardware they’re running on, and Android itself will present different user interfaces for different hardware – in the case of the Galaxy Nexus, it’s in “smartphone mode”, whereas on a larger device it will resemble Honeycomb.
New user interface enhancements include a completely redesigned lockscreen and homescreen. The new people widget and notifications will be a big hit, but not as much as the swipe-to-close task manager integrated into the main menu bar, not unlike swiping cards in WebOS. The browser will open a desktop version of websites at the touch of a button, and Chrome bookmarks will sync automatically. Core android apps like Gmail are seeing some major UI overhauls, taking advntage of the HD screen with the custom Roboto font.
Some new features for Android include “Android Beam”, which allows you to “bump” NFC-enabled phones to share contact info or media. The Galaxy Nexus will use its front-facing camera and facial recognition to automatically unlock the phone for its user, and a new People app integrates your Google+ friends to help you find them. Google mentions a new Movie Studio app with background replacement. Google is adding a data usage section to the main settings, allowing you to see your current usage and a projected future level. Android will warn you about your data usage with specified limits and even cut you off at a predetermined limit if you want.
The camera app is being updated with a direct link on the lockscreen. After taking a photo a single tap can submit the photo to any app that uses Android’s sharing API. An easy zoom feature and tap-to-focus compliment a facial recognition auto-focus. Google says that the shutter is instant, making for extremely quick photo shooting. Contacts has been updated into “People,” complete with another magazine-style layout. Details for you and your contacts have a new UI that links to other apps like Twitter and Google+.
Photo editing is included in Ice Cream Sandwich, with the basic filters, crops and other tools we saw earlier. The editor is part of the gallery app, which has also been updated with a magazine style layout. It automatically organizes your photos via facial recognition or geotags. A panorama assist mode helps you create stitched photos easily. Android’s built-in video app is getting a makeover as well. IT can zoom while focusing, has automatic focus, and allows for complete manual white balance control on the 1080p recording.
The Galaxy Nexus will be available in November in the United States, and NTT DoCoMo will release it in the same month in Japan. Eventually the phone will be available worldwide.

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Ice Cream Sandwich new features not mentioned during webcast

So we all know the Galaxy Nexus and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich are now official, but there are probably a few things that the Google and Samsung event didn’t cover. I’m sure many of you watched the event live from YouTube.com/Android and if you didn’t the links above have all our coverage. We’ve spotted a few awesome features not covered during the event and all the details can be found after the break.

Thanks to Dan Morrill over on Google+ we have an awesome list of some amazing new features for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich that were not mentioned by Google or Samsung during the event tonight. First we now can hide applications that we wont use — yes I mean all those pointless bloatware applications. In 4.0 ICS Android has introduced a feature called “disable apps”. We will have an option natively on any ICS device to completely disable and hide applications we don’t need or want. They wont be removed, but will be hidden, and will not use any resources. The application can be hidden or shown, once hidden will be gone from the application tray. So basically out of sight and out of mind, but still on the phone in case you ever need it.
The download manager that was introduced with Android 2.3 Gingerbread has received an overhaul too, it features a new and simple user interface that is easier to understand. Downloads can quickly be viewed, cleared, or deleted right from the new download manager in ICS. Then he also mentioned a few things we did see from the Google event, such as all the settings menu’s being completely different and the revamped camera interface and controls. Google has put forth tons of effort in these areas and users will love the new changes and look. Dan then mentions all sorts of changes to the security and encryption. Honeycomb added full-device encryption, but ICS brings it to phones. There is also a slew of changes, enhancements and new audio effects that will all be available from the all new audio API.
I’m sure we will hear plenty more regarding Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and all the new features over the next few days so don’t forget to check in often and see whats new at Android Community. Again all the latest news can be found on our Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich portals.
[via Google+]

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Ice Cream Sandwich will include built-in screen capture

It’s about time. The officers over at Android Police have uncovered some code that indicates Ice Cream Sandwich phones starting with the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be able to take screenshots without any additional software or rooting. The addition is a long time coming – while screenshot capabilities have technically been a part of Android since its beginning, it’s always been a bit of hassle. The new process will allow any user to take a screenshot by pressing the Power and Volume Down buttons at the same time.

To be fair, it’s always been possible to take a screenshot even without root by using the Android SDK, and manufacturers like HTC and Samsung allow some of their phones to take advantage of the process without connecting to a computer. As of now screenshot apps like ShootMe require rooting, and some custom ROMS including CyanogenMod include the feature in its base code. But with Ice Cream Sandwich, easily accessible screenshots will be availalble for all users – which, frankly, is one of the only iPhone features that I’ve been truly jealous of for some time.
Android 4.0 is the belle of the ball in Hong Kong tonight, when Google takes the stage to unveil Ice Cream Sandwich running on Samsung’s Nexus Prime. Earlier today Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo confirmed a November release (for Japan, anyway) and set months of rumored specs to rest. Join us at 10PM EST tonight for all the breaking news, or let it come to you by following @Androids on Twitter.

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New Ice Cream Sandwich mail and calendar widgets leak out

Is “leak” still an applicable term for all the Ice Cream Sandwich information that’s come to light before the official unveiling in Hong Kong? Perhaps “deluge”, “torrent” or “tempest” would be more appropriate. The latest is a quick look at some of the Honeycomb-style widgets that are coming along  for the ride. They’re not that different from their progenitors, but they do show off ICS’ spiffy new UI, and smartphone users may be seeing similar versions when the software trickles down.

The three leaked widgets are for Gmail, the generic Email and Android’s built-in Calendar. If you’ve used a Honeycomb tablet for any length of time they’ll probably feel pretty familiar to you. Note the larger text, cleaner graphics and blue-tinted accents, all of which line up with the videos and screenshots we’ve seen of Ice Cream Sandwich so far. Honeycomb already includes some pretty extensive widgets, so it’s no surprise that a lot of them are just getting a spit and polish. What’s more interesting is that this is the first we’re seeing of tablet elements from the new release – will Google show off ICS running on the Nexus Prime / Galaxy Nexus and a tablet device at the sane time? We can only hope.

Since we’ve only seen ICS running on the leaked Nexus video, I wonder whether any of these new widgets will make it to the smartphone side of Android’s new double life. Current widgets for Gmail, Email and Calendar are a little sparse for Gingerbread, especially since the new version of Gmail has effectively broken third-party viewers. In any case, we’re likely to get some answers to our burning questions in a little over 24 hours – keep an eye on Android Community here and on Twitter for the latest updates.
[via AndroidGuys]

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Ice Cream Sandwich ROM Running on the Samsung Galaxy S II

Hello there, Mr. Galaxy S II. What’s that you have for us mere days before the official unveiling of Google’s next Android update? A sneak peek at Ice Cream Sandwich running on a Samsung flagship that doesn’t have the word ‘Nexus’ in its name? It sure looks like it. While we have no way of confirming if this is, in fact, the real deal, we have no reason to believe it isn’t. The build of Android running here looks just like everything we have seen of ICS so far (and looks amazing), and if it is merely a copy it’s a darn good one. Either way, the ROM is promised to be coming soon. We can’t say how long it will take for Samsung to officially release ICS for the GSII, but it might just get an unofficial release concurrent with Google’s big announcement.

[via GSMArena]

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The Ice Cream Sandwich Gallery Is Likely Getting A Built-In Photo Editor; We've Got The Feature List

Google is working on building a photo editor into the Android Gallery. That much we're certain about - we've got the icons for it. It's not 100% confirmed that this will actually ship, or if these features or icons are final, but do you really think they'd do all this work and throw it out?

Rotate

With the disclaimer out of the way, here's the icons and descriptions, ripped right from Ice Cream Sandwich's creamy center.

Tools

Redo

Undo

Colors

Exposure

Fix

Artistic

Crop		Flip
Straighten	Sharpen	Redeye

Note: All the tool icons were white on transparent, so I gave them a black background. The sizes are exactly how they were when we got them. Just because the icons look black and white doesn't mean they will look like that in the app itself - they can be tinted, colored, "gradiented," etc. Think of them as base icons.

The "Colors" button also has art for an adjustable slider control. There is also a slider called "Generic", which could be for anything.

Wild speculation time: The small icons are probably on-screen the whole time. I bet "Fix" brings up the large icon tools and "Artistic" (the FX icon) brings up the effects.

This is all built into the Gallery APK (which doesn't run on older versions of Android, sorry) so expect an "Edit" button while you're viewing your pictures.

Effects

Autofix Cross Process Documentary Doodle Duotone Fill Light

Fisheye Grain Grayscale Highlight Lomo-ish Negative Posterize

Saturation Sepia Shadow Temperature Tint Vignette

A whopping 19 icons for photo effects."Fill Light", "Highlight", and "Shadow" have their own slider control art, and again, there's that "Generic" one that could be for anything.

That's it for now, you'll get more when we do!

Thanks, Geek Vundotra!

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