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May 23, 2012 By: FallenWriter
The Samsung Galaxy Note we reviewed previously is an amazing device. A hybrid of tablet and phone, it fits into a niche that defies normal conventions. Recently though, we mentioned that the current leaked builds of ICS for the Note have been plagued with a superbrick bug.
Much to our surprise, Samsung has just released the ICS kernel source code for the Note! It is in no small part thanks to the work of community members like SamsungJohn and XDA Elite Recognized Developer Entropy512 that Samsung has responded to our pleas and has given us what we need to work around the problems.
Of course, we here at XDA would like to thank the folks over at Samsung for the quick turnaround time. Here’s hoping that we can work together to fix the problem. If you’re eager to take a crack at the code, head on over to the official release page.
May 23, 2012 By: FallenWriter
One of the most common questions here at XDA over the past several months has been, “When will my HTC device receive Ice Cream Sandwich?” Now, thanks to a tip from XDA Senior Member neoofoox we have our answer.
Although we previously mentioned the devices confirmed to get ICS from HTC’s blog back in March, it was only recently that HTC finally confirmed their timeline for this year’s releases. According to HTC:
What is the overall timeline of Android 4.0 updates?
The majority of devices will receive upgrades in June and July 2012 and we expect to finish upgrades in August 2012 for all announced devices.
When will my device get the Android 4.0 upgrade?
The target timeline for announced devices is below. Because of partner and network testing, and approval processes for device updates, it can take up to 45 days for all carriers and countries to get the update after a rollout has begun.
Device
Schedule
DROID Incredible 2 by HTC To be determined (by the end of August) HTC Amaze 4G May-June HTC Desire S June-July HTC Desire HD July-August HTC EVO 3D June-July HTC EVO 4G+ May-June HTC EVO Design 4G June-July HTC Incredible S June-July HTC Sensation March-June HTC Sensation 4G March-June HTC Sensation XE March-June HTC Sensation XL April-Jun HTC Rezound June-July HTC Rhyme June-July HTC Thunderbolt July-August HTC Velocity 4G March-June HTC Vivid March-June
Please note these dates are targets and may shift due to testing and approvals.
For a detailed look at when your specific device will be getting a taste of frosty Android goodness and several other questions answered, head on over the official page and salivate over your upcoming good fortune.
May 22, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
While the official ClockworkMod recovery is still arguably the most popular recovery for the largest number of Android devices, its wide release nature prevents official releases from being as easily adaptable as other recoveries when new development happens on many devices. As such, it’s up to the developers working on that device to get things rolling with custom recoveries when the old ones are incompatible. As has been the case with many devices being upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the Gingerbread custom recoveries occasionally cease to work for one reason or another. However, as time passes, those little problems get fixed and for owners of the Acer Iconia A500, you now have custom recovery for ICS.
XDA Recognized Developer ezterry has released a modified ClockworkMod recovery dubbed the A500 Public Recovery. Its purpose? To bring the latest ClockworkMod Recovery functionality to those A500 owners rocking ICS on their tablets. The recovery has a lot going for it. As with the original CWM recovery, this release is open source. A complete list of the features include:
* cleanup tab option: shortcut to try to fix forcequits after updates, return to recovery and select on the main screen (Wipes Cache, dalvik, and fixes permissions)
* Standard options to backup and restore to either the SD card or internal storage
* Mount points match those of most running roms
* adb shell works as root (with or without system mounted)
* set boot mode menu to select the boot partition (hidden on know non-multiboot bootloaders)
* setbootmode and itsmagic command line tools for advanced users
* /data/linux directory is not deleted on erase userdata, nor backed up on nandroid backup (just like /data/media) to allow a space for linux files for dual boot and chroot linux installes.
Ezterry says it’s a little rough around the edges, but it works as intended, so users can have a functional recovery for their tablets running ICS. It should also be mentioned that this is for A500s running ICS only. If you’re on an earlier version of Android, it is not recommended that this be flashed.
For additional information, download links, instructions, and more, head on over to the original thread.
May 19, 2012 By: Will Verduzco
Just yesterday, we reported that XDA Elite Recognized Developer Chainfire had triumphantly rooted the Samsung Galaxy S III, sight unseen. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any better for Samsung’s new flagship, things have.
XDA Recognized Developer Faryaab has now shared with us that SamMobile has leaked the official I9300XXALE8 firmware for the much anticipated device. The firmware itself is carrier unbranded, and is based on Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. Naturally, it also dons Samsung’s proprietary TouchWiz interface, which we highlighted in our hands-on with the SGS3 in London just a few weeks ago.
The leaked firmware is important for two reasons. First, it will help future SGS3 owners in the event that they need an original firmware to restore from. Secondly, and perhaps more interestingly, the leaked SGS3 firmware will more than likely serve as the base for many porting efforts, given the interesting user interface tweaks and gestures we saw in our time with the device.
Base Firmware: I9300XXALE8 (4.0.4)
Region Europe
Carrier: Unbranded
Build Date: 13th May 2012
Modem: XXLE8
CSC: OJVALE7
Change List: 554452Instructions For Flashing Firmware:
- Extract the firmware
- Open the included Odin
- Put your device in Recovery MODE (Home + Volume up + Power)
- Wipe Data/Factory reset
- Wipe Cache
- Take Out Your battery & put it back in
- Put your device into Download MODE (Home + Volume Down + Power)
- Click PDA and select *.tar.md5
- Then finally click START!
Developers wishing to get in on the action and future hopeful SGS3 owners can find the goods in the release thread.
[Thanks to Faryaab for the tip!]
May 17, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
In most cases, getting an upgrade to a new version of Android is exciting. It usually ushers in numerous bug fixes, performance enhancements, new UI elements, and a whole new experience with the device than what people are used to. That said, sometimes it can be a real pain when a new version of Android comes out because a number of bad things can happen. For starters, you may loose root, along with the exploit used to acquire root. Secondly, the new version of Android may be a little buggier than you would like. This is why there are downgrade guides—so users can get back to an older version for whatever reason.
This is the case for the International Galaxy Note, as users who installed the LPY ICS update or received their phone with the update preinstalled cannot simply flash back to Gingerbread if they so choose. This would be a serious problem if there were nothing they could do, but luckily there is. XDA Senior Member thehackersz has released a tutorial to downgrade users from LPY Ice Cream Sandwich back down to Gingerbread safely. The guide is easy to follow, as it simply involves flashing a number of things over ODIN and a custom recovery. Do pay attention to the order though, as flashing in the wrong order can be detrimental to the health of your Note.
There is, however, one thing to take into consideration. Some users have reported that using PC ODIN to flash has bricked their phones and that XDA Elite Recognized Developer Chainfire‘s Mobile ODIN is the way to go. Of course, there are also users who’ve bricked their phones using Mobile ODIN, and recommend the PC version. So be warned that there could be serious risk when attempting this method as, you may brick your device if you’re not careful.
For additional information, make sure to visit the original thread.
Update: Due to issues some flashers are having with this method, we recommend that users wait for a more foolproof method in the future.
May 17, 2012 By: ConanTroutman
If you’ve ever looked into compiling your own version of CyanogenMod or AOSP from source then I’m sure you will have noticed that there are a wide selection of extremely detailed and helpful guides out there. However if you intend on building on a Mac, you may have noticed that most of those guides aren’t quite applicable.
While there a few tutorials on how to build CyanogenMod 7 on Cupertino’s finest, it seems that CM9 has yet to receive the same treatment. This is where XDA Senior Member ArmanUV comes in. He has put together a comprehensive guide on how to do just that.
The guide is based around building CM9 for the GSM Galaxy Nexus on OS X Lion, but could also be adapted to building for other devices with a little cross referencing from one of the other many tutorials available. It should enable you to start building from source in no time at all. Pretty much everything is covered from setting up the required tools such as Java and the Android SDK right through to downloading the source, device specific files, and obviously the compiling process itself.
If you are a Mac user and wish to learn a little more about how to build your own ROMs, you should definitely take the time to check out the guide thread.
May 16, 2012 By: techno-update
While the lucky few have already enjoyed Google’s latest tasty treat for the past five months, most device owners have been waiting for Ice Cream Sandwich a long time. Now, thanks to Senior Member arco68, Galaxy S Plus users can now enjoy ICS courtesy of an alpha stage, but rapidly progressing CyanogenMod 9 port.
Currently on alpha build 2, the ROM is still an early build. However, with hardware accelerated UI and video playback working, it doesn’t seem like an early build. In fact, the most essential functions such as phone, GPS, WiFi, and almost everything else work properly. The currently broken list is quite small for an alpha build and include:
This ROM, even with its minor issues, is still Ice Cream Sandwich. And for many, the price to pay to make your device feel new again is quite small.
Want to keep up with the latest progress or give it a whirl yourself? Check out the original thread for updates and install instructions. What are you waiting for? Get ICS on your Galaxy S Plus now, and enjoy all the new features of the latest Android experience.
May 15, 2012 By: Will Verduzco
The road to Ice Cream Sandwich has been paved with many victories for the international Samsung Galaxy Note GT-N7000. The device received its official dose of ICS goods not too long ago, and root methods were promptly developed that wouldn’t affect the device’s flash count. We also covered the official alpha release of CyanogenMod 9 for the phone-tablet, which came courtesy of XDA Recognzied Developer XpLoDWilD, Team Hacksung, and of course the CyanogenMod team.
Now, progress has come once again, as XpLoDWilD brings us our next chapter in the ICS saga on the N7000 in the form of official CM9 nightlies for the device. Installation is simple enough, but differs depending on which ROM is currently loaded on your device. In the words of the developer:
First time installing CyanogenMod 9 to your Galaxy Note, or coming from another ROM:
- READ FAQs: http://teamhacksung.org/wiki/index.p…sked_Questions
- Make sure you’re running a proper working ClockworkMod-Recovery
- DON’T flash FROM i9220 LEAKED REPACK!
- Copy GApps and CM9 ZIPs to your internal SDCard
- Boot into Recovery
- Flash CM9 zip
- Flash GApps zip
- DO A DATA WIPE / FACTORY RESET (otherwise your calendar sync will not work)
- Reboot
- Don’t restore Apps using Titanium Backup!Upgrading from earlier version of CyanogenMod 9:
- Copy CM9 ZIP to your internal SDCard
- Boot into Recovery
- Flash CM9 zip
- Wipe cache partition and dalvik-cache
- Reboot
While there are still a few bugs and quirks to wring out, the ROM is very highly functional and is definitely worth a shot for practically all international Note users. Those looking to get in on the action should proceed to the development thread.
[Thanks to Androidindian for the tip.]
May 14, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
Rarely do you see a huge collection of mods and fixes in a single thread, but it’s a great thing when it happens. This is the now the case for the Motorola Photon 4G, which has received what amounts to an entire thread full of modifications, fixes, themed apk files, guides and whatever else you can think of.
While many forum members who contributed to the thread, XDA Recognized Contributor Th3Bill is the one compiling all of these contributions into one spot for ease of access. The thread contains dozens of mods, guides, and themed apps for users running CyanogenMod 9 or ICS-based MIUI to check out.
The best part? None of the modifications are difficult to use, so whether you’re a flashing pro looking for a MMS fix or among those not so tech savvy looking for help, the thread is sure to provide some assistance. Inside the thread, you will find guides to fix non-booting CM9 flashes, some boot animations, a MMS fix, themed apps, and more. There is even a wipe script so users don’t have to do it manually.
For users running CM9 or ICS-based MIUI, this is definitely worth a visit. Get started by visiting the original thread.
May 14, 2012 By: techno-update
Many may be unfamiliar with the Motorola Defy and its slightly upgraded sibling, the Defy+. Unfortunately, their state of development has somewhat reflected this, as Motorola’s dust- and water-resistant smartphone has mainly seen development work in the form of Android 2.2 and 2.3 releases.
However, the Defy has finally received a nearly fully functional dose of Ice Cream Sandwich thanks to Senior Member Epsylon3 who has made significant progress and does not have far to go before it is completely functional. According to Epsylon3, the list of things that are broken on the Defy include:
Those on the Defy+ will also suffer from a buggy hardware accelerated UI. However, these aren’t that big of a deal considering phone, text messaging, themes, regular camera, and pretty much everything else works. One thing worth noting is that the Android 4.0.4 ROM uses an Android 2.2 kernel.
Want to keep up with the latest progress? Head over to the original thread or check the XDA Wiki page dedicated to the ICS status of the Motorola Defy. But if you have been waiting for a stable ICS rom to put on your Defy, now is defiantly a good time to do it.
May 13, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
With tablets getting bad raps for bad GPS reception, it’s no surprise that developers and users alike are trying to find ways to fix them. For some, it requires hardware support, as many Asus Transformer Prime users have been getting USB dongles to help boost their GPS signals to acceptable levels. Thankfully, though, some tablet GPS problems are software related, and can actually be fixed without taking up any ports or a struggle from the manufacturer. This is the case for the Acer Iconia A500.
XDA Senior Member waydownsouth has done a little searching, and has found a way to patch the A500 boot.img to fix the GPS problem for A500 users once and for all. The patch is in an easily flashable update.zip file, so the installation process should be a breeze. However, as you are tinkering with your boot.img, it is strongly recommended that you make a Nandroid backup first. Says waydownsouth:
the zip patches your boot.img so please make a nandroid backup to be safe. (only need to restore /boot if there’s a problem)
Currently, the patch has been tested only on the ICS bootloader, running CyanogenMod 9 with ClockworkMod Recovery, so users with other combinations may be out of luck for the time being. The patch itself automates the process of downloading and updating the lto.dat file, a function that was not working properly before the patch, and this in turn helps GPS functionality.
For more information, hit up the original thread.
May 12, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
Just because a phone gets ICS—be it officially or unofficially—doesn’t mean that the hardware is ready to receive it. In some cases, it takes a mod or a tweak to get things rolling. And in most cases, you can get an ICS ROM working just as well, if not better, than its Gingerbread counterpart. This is the case for the Sony Xperia Arc, where hardware acceleration was not cutting it, so a software rendering patch was brought in to improve things.
XDA Forum Member tkymgr has posted a software rendering patch which actually makes ICS run a little better. Of course, this comes at the at the price of hardware acceleration. The patch, which is to be applied by decompiling the framework.jar and replacing a couple of smali files, actually disables hardware rendering and instead opts to go with software rendering. Surprisingly, this actually makes the stock ICS ROMs run more smoothly, as thus far everyone who’s tried it has reported positive results to some extent. This ironic because hardware rendering of 2D GUI functions is generally always faster than software rendering.
Many think that Sony made a mistake somewhere, and that’s why hardware rendering doesn’t quite do the trick. Since the problem may stem from a kernel issue or, more likely, bad GPU drivers, that opinion seems quite likely. In any case, this patch will actually break the Chrome Browser for those who have it, as the app requires HW Acceleration to work. Any other apps that require hardware acceleration can be assumed to no longer work as well once the patch is applied.
So for anyone who wants a better running ICS ROM and doesn’t mind hardware acceleration being turned off, you can head on over the original thread to get started.
May 12, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
Getting CyanogenMod or AOKP working is a rite of passage for many Android devices, and creating a bug-free port can often be a challenge. We recently covered the updated CyanogenMod Compiler that already helps users on a variety of devices get some CM-flavored AOSP goodness. However, while the app helps users get a build to boot, debugging the new build is a whole different story.
Samsung Galaxy S I9000 developers now have a more in depth tutorial that’ll help you get everything working even more quickly thanks to XDA Senior Member Perka. The tutorial was written with the I9000 in mind, and helps new developers get past the booting stage and into the bug-squashing phase.
The tutorial starts off with the basics, and then runs users through obtaining and compiling the code for CM9. This includes downloading all the code from the various sources, getting it all put together, and of course building. What makes this tutorial unique, however, is that Perka is kind enough to add in a tutorial for cherry picking specific fixes and features for their device that have not yet been merged into the official source tree.
If you have the Samsung Galaxy S I9000 and are looking to compile and cherry pick commits on CM9, continue on to the original thread to get started.
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