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Google's inability to get new software into user's hands is definitely going to be a problem going forward. I'm actually surprised it hasn't burnt them worse al

Google's inability to get new software into user's hands is definitely going to be a problem going forward. I'm actually surprised it hasn't burnt them worse already. Take ICS for example. Google is endlessly iterating their core service applications - mapping, navigation, voice recognition, gmail, places, and so on. With Chrome they are quite welcomely decoupling the browser (long overdue), though that is one of the only major dependencies on ICS. The notion that the operating system needs to iterate for Google to move the base forward is not accurate. Which is interesting seeing the focus on ICS, which makes me wonder whether we're past the point of diminishing returns. People desperately wanted each of the prior iterations because they fixed fundamental flaws in the operating system (e.g. slow runtimes, bloat, etc). From Gingerbread to ICS, however, is largely a "meh" affair on smartphones. Of course new devices come with it, but for the existing base it just isn't that compelling.

cageface 14y ago
The crucial fix in ICS is that it finally provides hardware accelerated rendering of the UI. This is going to go a long way towards finally silencing the complaints about Android being slow and unresponsive.
- huggyface 14y ago
  The crucial fix in ICS is that it finally provides hardware accelerated rendering of the UI Honestly I see virtually no difference between 2.3 and 4.0 on the Galaxy S II when it comes to scrolling, etc. Indeed, if you turn on the development option that blinks the screen red when the main thread is blocked, it occurs all the time in the basic operating services and in most apps. Which correlates with the argument made by Hackman (? Hackwell?) regarding GPU offloading not being the actual issue: Instead it's the OS still not, essentially, giving enough respect to the UI. This still isn't a solved problem, beyond simple brute-forcing it (e.g. a HTC One X).
  - colig 14y ago
    IIRC the Galaxy S II has had hardware acceleration from the start, provided by Samsung's modifications.
    - huggyface 14y ago
      Only the browser featured hardware acceleration. They couldn't unilaterally add it to apps -- the big benefit of ICS -- as there are limitations once you go to the hardware renderer.

cageface 14y ago

The crucial fix in ICS is that it finally provides hardware accelerated rendering of the UI. This is going to go a long way towards finally silencing the complaints about Android being slow and unresponsive.

huggyface 14y ago
The crucial fix in ICS is that it finally provides hardware accelerated rendering of the UI Honestly I see virtually no difference between 2.3 and 4.0 on the Galaxy S II when it comes to scrolling, etc. Indeed, if you turn on the development option that blinks the screen red when the main thread is blocked, it occurs all the time in the basic operating services and in most apps. Which correlates with the argument made by Hackman (? Hackwell?) regarding GPU offloading not being the actual issue: Instead it's the OS still not, essentially, giving enough respect to the UI. This still isn't a solved problem, beyond simple brute-forcing it (e.g. a HTC One X).
- colig 14y ago
  IIRC the Galaxy S II has had hardware acceleration from the start, provided by Samsung's modifications.
  - huggyface 14y ago
    Only the browser featured hardware acceleration. They couldn't unilaterally add it to apps -- the big benefit of ICS -- as there are limitations once you go to the hardware renderer.