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Help ICS Anticipation/Discussion Thread

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jerofld said:
Although while we're on the order of buttons...I thought one of the advantages Google was talking about with software based buttons was that you could not only change them to fit a particular theme, but change the order of them to user preference.

And the search bar is a pita. I've tried a few of the ICS ROMs that are floating around for our device and yeah...you can disable that bar, but the screen real estate it occupied isn't reclaimed by the widgets below it. It's just an empty spot. It drives me nuts. I hope the GNex and official builds of ICS are coded to reclaim that area.
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Custom Nexus mods reclaim the real estate, as I recall. It is a pita.

So far as I know, changing the soft buttons on a Nexus also requires a custom mod.

BTW - the new Sense launcher, whatever it is or how it works, retains the carousel when slid quickly. Personally, I love that eye candy.

Plus - it just hit me that another reason we may get 3.6 instead of 4 is that the 4 devices (the One series) have a new custom camera sensor (as you and I have discussed elsewhere).

Still trying to zero in on the 3.6 to 4 differences - so much noise, so little data.
 
EarlyMon said:
Still trying to zero in on the 3.6 to 4 differences - so much noise, so little data.
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It strikes a resemblance to when the Sensation/Evo 3D came out. A nice clean X.0 Sense number to release with their latest and greatest of the tier. Gingerbread was just really starting to be a main OS build on phones at the time, too. But Sense 3 also had a lot of improvements over the previous builds. So I don't know if that's really what is happening, but the HTC One (variants) seem to be the next 'tier' in HTC devices, so their Sense revision will start on a clean X.0 number, where the previous tier just go up by .1.

I think it'll be mostly a marketing thing. If given the choice between 3.6 and 4.0, people will want 4.0. Doesn't matter what the real difference (if any) is. I mean, this thread is pretty evident of that :) The camera software may be the only thing that is different. And maybe the sound suite. I'm not worried, it'll get ported over eventually. Or I may get a One (variant)...if Sprint ever gets it and it gets S-OFF.
 
It feels like it's taking forever, that's normal. No one else is getting it quickly either.

I think the whole app integration change-up and the OEM-skin/launcher requirement changes really put the majors back a step to make sure of what they were doing.

Hopefully this is a good thing, and sets a better allocation (demarcation) between OEM skins and Android itself. The better that separation is defined, maybe the better we'll see incremental updates more quickly.

Ok - yeah, I got nothing. :)
 
EarlyMon said:
And the correct button order is major function least function such as help, according to Windows and Macs, thereby establishing Home, Menu, Back, and Search as the correct set and correct order. (And something like a year ago, we had pictures of some 6 or 7 different layouts. Next, the Goog is calling to get rid of the Menu button. They are clueless on this, many devs are hating them right now.)

Look what Google did to the stock Nexus - no search button, Google search bar locked into position on a home screen. Big whoop, you can 3rd-party mod to remove it - but if you don't know how, you have to look at their search tool widget, day in, day out.

Compare with HTC - search button is context sensitive, you're at the homescreen, it searches whatever, you're in contacts, it searches contacts...

When you lack basic functionality, sure, leave off the buttons. Let's all dumb down to that. :mad:

I've used the three-button catastrophes and the catastrophes in the wrong order - can. not. stand. them.
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The continuing menu button ordeal really is a head scratcher. I really like the menu button and layout of the Evo's hardware keys, but is that just because I have become so accustomed to them?
Learning a new layout will for sure be a challenge for a short/mid length of time. It has been saved to my muscle memory. Re-programming my neurons and training my fine muscle response will be alot more difficult than the decision made to move the buttons around was.

It is interesting that Google has not mandated a universal button layout, and has left the option open for every manufacturer to do whatever they please even if it makes little to no Sense (HTC why jumble things around?). But maybe mandating button layouts and hardware profiles just goes against the heart and soul of leaving choices available for manufacturers and end users, which is in reality the absolute essence of an open source handset.

Google's 'continuous gesture' patent application runs circles around copy and paste -- Engadget

[speculation]
I think if it were up to Google they would move towards having no buttons at all, and have only software controls at this point.

As far as the search button function leaving the handset (Which I don't personally mind since I never use that button), I believe they have a plan for that. Instead of having a button they are moving towards a gesture controlled search function, and I believe this will become a new 'feature' of all android phones. Right or wrong, good or bad it is a great business move on their part to patent and use a simple word and gesture to complete all search functions across the handset. Will manufacturers follow suit though, and build hardware plus program software to use this 'feature'?

Google has already seemingly become the ubiquitous search engine and internet GO to, plus a giant cultural phenomenon. They will only unconsciously and positively reinforce that by making their name synonymous with a 2 letter verb like GO. Such a simple yet multi-faceted word that is the epitome of carrying out an action.

I speculate, and could be way off base. This is just how I see things possibly developing over time. We will have to wait and see what develops with this patent. Many companies different patents go unused in the end, and just act as a card up their sleeve.[/speculation]
 
Usually by now we'd have a lot of videos to choose from, but not yet.

This is NOT fabulous or even great, but it gives a hint at the launcher and a feature or two.

HTC EVO 3D ICS With HTC Sense 3.6 - YouTube

The French one I gave up on for being out of focus. The custom rom ones I gave up on because I didn't want to hear opinions about the new Sense, I just want to see it and make up my own mind. :) :p
 
From that video the Sense 3.6 2x4 clock is different from the Sense 4.0 clock. Right?

So does that mean that one of the main differences between Sense 3.6 and Sense 4.0 is the widgets? Hrmm...

LOVE the new launcher & the ability to delete home-screens. Woohoo!
 
PLease oh please have updated Swype. I'm honestly not super impressed by that video :/ I remember being so stoked for Froyo that I had to check those threads every hour in case I missed it being released. Thanks for video Early!
 
That video certainly brings a lot of questions!

The 4 clock widget seems so light and clean.

The 3.6 video is VERY beta.

I have no guesses, but I am determined to keep looking. :)

The odd things in that video to me were the places it seemed oddly laggy and the places it seemed oddly fast.

One of the strange differences with Sense 4 for us non-Samsung users is that the app drawer scrolls left-right, rather than up-down as shown in the video and as we're used to.
 
EarlyMon said:
That video certainly brings a lot of questions!

The 4 clock widget seems so light and clean.

The 3.6 video is VERY beta.

I have no guesses, but I am determined to keep looking. :)

The odd things in that video to me were the places it seemed oddly laggy and the places it seemed oddly fast.

One of the strange differences with Sense 4 for us non-Samsung users is that the app drawer scrolls left-right, rather than up-down as shown in the video and as we're used to.
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The app drawer left to right is also a function of ICS as I have seen running CM9 beta, not just sense 4.0
 
wake69 said:
The app drawer left to right is also a function of ICS as I have seen running CM9 beta, not just sense 4.0
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Ah, I did not know that. :)

I thought it was on the Nexus as an on-going Samsung thing. :o

Ok, so that video may be more alpha than beta for all I know. In that case, I'm going to assume that we'll be seeing the Sense 4 widgets - surely those are updated to meet the Holo requirement, and I can't see them maintaining GB widgets, 3.6/ICS widgets and 4/ICS widgets.

Then again, you know what they say about never assume. :D
 
The app drawer thing is in Honeycomb, too. Those of you that are really itching to see what ICS is like should go play with a HC tablet. Most HC tablets have zero OEM skinning aspect. Most of them just have some pre installed apps. The software buttons function the same. etc etc :)

<removed redundant link>
 
I noticed in another thread that some believe we're getting screwed because new ICS phones will be out before we get our update.

That would surprise me.
 
Like the HTC One and it's variants? I'd doubt that, too. I think once they iron out the problems in the Sensation's ICS upgrades, it'll be pretty smooth sailing for the remainder of the devices. Because everything in their recent builds are very similar, hardware wise. At least I suspect.

If history can teach us anything, the Evo 4G got Gingerbread before the Sensation came out, which was HTC's first GB phone, IIRC.
 
jerofld said:
Like the HTC One and it's variants? I'd doubt that, too. I think once they iron out the problems in the Sensation's ICS upgrades, it'll be pretty smooth sailing for the remainder of the devices. Because everything in their recent builds are very similar, hardware wise. At least I suspect.

If history can teach us anything, the Evo 4G got Gingerbread before the Sensation came out, which was HTC's first GB phone, IIRC.
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It's been a while since I have been over to the Sensation forums, and I haven't heard about any major problems (I'm not plugged in with Sensation-al news). However I'm really curious to know of what issues they have faced. I'm feeling lazy today, would it be possible that maybe you can give us an overview of the issues they've had that you know of?

Good job on the Gingerbread timeline. It was the first thing I thought of looking up, but you were Johnny on the spot. You confirmed my memory, I just can't remember how close together the Evo 4G upgrade and Sensation release were (pretty close I think I'm remembering since Sensation went to Europe before the U.S.).
 
Remember, the carrier is involved in updates just like releases.

With the 3D coming out more than two weeks after the Evo update, that shows Sprint's commitment as well as HTC's.
 
Sounds like we have confirmation from HTC on the 3.6 vs. 4.0 controversy. However, the reporting source is not well known to me (Maybe they are across the pond since this is Sensation related).

Recombu said:
We've just had confirmation from HTC that Sense 4.0 won't be landing on the HTC Sensation line. The Ice Cream Sandwich update for a select few HTC Sensation XEs is rolling out now and having received ours yesterday, we were surprised to see HTC Sense 3.6 on board. We contacted HTC and have just been told that a 'lite' version sporting some key elements of HTC Sense 4.0 will arrive across the ICS Sensation line, but not the whole Sense 4.0 shabang.

Likened to what the HTC Desire got when the Gingerbread update landed, HTC cite hardware differences as a key reason for the Sensation line being left in the 3.6 dark. Some of the key benefits of HTC Sense 4.0 however do land in ICS which you Sensation owners will however be getting. These include the four customisable icons in the dock at the bottom of home-screens and stackable apps in order to create folders.

In turn, if you're getting ready to get angry, curb your inner fire. With HTC yet to confirm exactly what features of Sense 4.0 will make it across it's just a waiting game, however, keep checking your market for downloadable widgets to help you skin the 4.0 experience on your Sensation. If you really want the next Sense and have a rooted handset, there's every reason to try out a custom Sense 4.0 ROM.

We've been using the HTC Sensation XE with ICS for two days now and are on the whole impressed by both the speed of the update roll-out and the performance of the handset. One thing HTC have done however is kill the ICS Easter egg. HTC. We want it back.

**Update**

We've just received this written statement from HTC

"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."
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Source: HTC Sense 4.0 - full version won't be coming to the HTC Sensation line - Recombu

Likely the Evo 3D will follow suit. Regarding the ending statement by HTC, does that mean there will be another update down the road to a gimpy Sense 4.0?

For those wondering about the ICS easter egg, I'm guessing it was these (got me curious so I had to look them up):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mswLKWrznC0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ILnUmHVNtc
 
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