- What’s New In Ice Cream Sandwich for Users?
- What’s New In Ice Cream Sandwich for Developers?
- How Can I Get Started with the Latest Ice Cream Sandwich SDK and Tools?
How Can I Get Started with the Latest Ice Cream Sandwich SDK and Tools?
The Ice Cream Sandwich SDK and updated development tools are now available for download at the Android Developer website for developers to explore and review. Don't forget to update Eclipse and the ADT plug-in before using the Android SDK and AVD Manager to retrieve the latest components available. Incidentally, one of the new tool changes is that the Android SDK Manager is separated from the Android AVD Manager.
Where Can I Get Android Devices Running Ice Cream Sandwich?
As of this writing, there are no Android devices available that run Android 4.0. The flagship ICS device is the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, slated to hit the shelves in many areas in November 2011, according to the joint announcement made by Google and Samsung in Hong Kong. Get your graphic artists ready: this device has a 1280x720 screen in a phone-sized package. But don't confuse these graphics with your 1280x800 tablet graphics; the screen is only 4.65 inches with about a 316 dpi screen.
Until the device ships, developers will need to use the Android emulator with appropriately configured AVDs that target Android 4.0 to test their applications. Many other devices and firmware upgrades to existing devices, are likely to follow in that timeframe.
My Application Uses the Compatibility Package. Any Changes There?
The Android Compatibility Package has been renamed to the Android Support Package, and a new version, revision 4, is now available for developers who want to target legacy platform versions.
My Application Uses the Android NDK. Any Changes There?
Not yet, however developers can expect an updated native development kit (NDK) in the near future, if the Android documentation is to be believed. No dates have been given, but this will likely occur reasonably soon.
Conclusion
The Ice Cream Sandwich SDK and updated development tools are available now for developers to review and start working with. ICS-compliant devices like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be available in November 2011. Android application developers should use this time to port their existing applications to this exciting new platform that will support all variety of devices and then take some time to evaluate the new features that ICS has to offer and consider incorporating them into applications. Many new and exciting opportunities for innovation are possible with ICS, including improved social, camera, and Android Beam application integration.