TI:Google Releases Ice Cream Sandwich Source Codes

Google has just released the source code for the latest build of Android, deliciously titled "Ice Cream Sandwich." In a Google Groups post, Google engineer Jean-Baptiste Queru says "this is actually the source code for version 4.0.1 of Android, which is the specific version that will ship on the Galaxy Nexus."

The source code is available for download right now from the Android Open-Source Project git servers, though Queru warns that it is a rather hefty file and can take some time to download. If you plan on checking out the source code yourself, I recommend waiting a bit for the servers to calm down.
Clicking on the link from the original post sent me straight to a 404 page so it might be a while before people can actually get their hands on the full file.
Interestingly, the code includes the previously unreleased source for Android 3.0 (Honeycomb). Queru admits that Honeycomb was unfinished and urges all developers to ignore it in favor of Ice Cream Sandwich.
With another Google event happening on November 16th of this week, we can only hope that this source code release signals the imminent arrival of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. We still have no official release date or price for the Galaxy Nexus, but with the source code out in the wild it's only a matter of time before the phone arrives as well.

No Further Development On Flash Player Mobile Version

It has been reported that Adobe will be discontinuing any further development of Flash Player on the Mobile platform. ZDNet provided the following announcement from sources who are abreast of these developments at Adobe:

"Our future work with Flash on mobile devices will be focused on enabling Flash developers to package native apps with Adobe AIR for all the major app stores. We will no longer adapt Flash Player for mobile devices to new browser, OS version or device configurations. Some of our source code licensees may opt to continue working on and releasing their own implementations. We will continue to support the current Android and PlayBook configurations with critical bug fixes and security updates."
While nothing has yet been announced on official channels, Adobe will henceforth be reportedly only focusing on Flash on Desktop and Adobe AIR and HTML5 for mobile platforms.  An official announcement from Adobe is expected soon.

Map My India App For Android iPhone and BlackBerry

MapmyIndia, a company well known for making digital maps, recently announced the launch of ShowNearby, a free location-based places app for Blackberry, Android and iPhone, that allows users to search and discover all places of interest nearby, such as restaurants, ATMs, petrol pumps, retail brands, coffee shops, tourist spots, emergency services etc. The application is powered by the digital map data from MapmyIndia.

Siri: Alternatives On Android

Want Siri on Your Android Phone? Try These Apps

Wouldn't you like to have your very own gofer dedicated to doing all the menial tasks you hate? That's a big part of the appeal of the iPhone 4S: Siri, the voice-driven virtual assistant, turns anyone with a couple hundred bucks into a CEO attended by a full-time lackey. But can you get the same kind of slavish devotion from an Android phone?

I've spent the past week auditioning all manner of Android virtual assistants, most of them free, including Google's Voice Actions app, the awkwardly named Speaktoit Assistant, and a digital "intern" named Eva that interrupted my conversations to hector me about upcoming appointments.

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I've concluded that you can find decent virtual help on an Android phone, but the assistants available likely won't be as smooth and capable as Siri. Siri is like the classic executive secretary, always well-dressed and possessed of an elephant's memory and a dry wit. Android assistants are more likely to show up with their shirttails hanging out occasionally. They don't know how to do some things that Siri can do, and they usually won't get your jokes. But that doesn't mean they aren't helpful.


More Than Voice RecognitionMany people think of Siri and apps like it as being primarily voice recognition programs. But while deciphering what you say is important, what differentiates virtual assistants is what they can do after interpreting your speech. That's especially true of Android virtual assistants because most of them rely on the OS's built-in voice recognition capability.

Both Apple and Google send what you say to their servers, whose powerful processors decipher your speech and then send a text version back to your phone. Google's speech recognition is uncannily accurate. I found it superior to Siri's (though in fairness, I didn't spend nearly as much time with Siri as I did with my Android phone).

Lg Optimus 3D Reviewed Check Out This

With the launch of two high-end 3D smartphones over the last few months, I think I can safely concur that 3D on smartphones is not a trend that's going to die out soon. Fortunately, I got to review both the HTC Evo 3D and now, the LG Optimus 3D in quick succession and was thus able to get a nice idea of where 3D technology on smartphones stands and which of the two was better at it.

Features

The LG Optimus 3D is the latest smartphone that boasts a dual-core processor, in this case a 1GHz ARM processor complemented by a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. Like the Evo 3D, the Optimus also has a large 4.3-in display but with lesser resolution at 480x800 pixels.

The Optimus 3D comes with 512MB of RAM and 8GB internal storage. It offers DLNA support and allows for 3G connectivity (HSDPA 14.4Mbps, HSUPA 5.76Mbps). It has two 5MP cameras at the back with an LED flash and a secondary camera for video chats and calls. The LG also has a miniHDMI port.