Android 4.0 SDK Now Available

<p><pre><code> Beginning with Android 4.0, hardware acceleration for all windows is enabled by default if your application has set either targetSdkVersion or minSdkVersion to “14" or higher. Hardware acceleration generally results in smoother animations, smoother scrolling, and overall better performance and response to user interaction. </code></pre> This is great news for users like me who couldn't stand Android's low-framerate animations. But what's sad is that it took them so long.

VPN client API<p>Developers can now build or extend their own VPN solutions on the platform using a new VPN API and underlying secure credential storage. With user permission, applications can configure addresses and routing rules, process outgoing and incoming packets, and establish secure tunnels to a remote server. Enterprises can also take advantage of a standard VPN client built into the platform that provides access to L2TP and IPSec protocols. <a href="http://developer.android.com/sdk/android-4.0-highlights.html" rel="nofollow">http://developer.android.com/sdk/android-4.0-highlights.html</a><p>Does that mean we'll get a Cisco VPN client? That will be a killer app.

Check out <a href="http://developer.android.com/sdk/android-4.0-highlights.html" rel="nofollow">http://developer.android.com/sdk/android-4.0-highlights.html</a> -- a lot of dubious stuff, but these seem legit:<p>* cool "continuous dictation" * faster browser (thanks to V8) * wifi direct (!!? <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je2lWjfpywQ" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je2lWjfpywQ</a> )

The "unlock via face recognition" feature looks cool. But I guess someone can just take a picture of your face and show the picture to the phone to unlock it. Oh well, it seemed cool for a few minutes :)

How about the source code? Anyone know what the status of that is?

If Android Keeps going this way I might do more Android Development in the future, IMO by version 5, android will have an mature API - not that now it doesn't this is jut my opinion. As an Apple fan boy is nice to see that iOS is getting some healthy competition - in the end both platforms will win if the competition is High.<p>My Context: I only did iOS development and a little Android. I love apple technology because works so well and is so well integrated mainly with their products.

Google really needs to provide an action bar implementation in the compatibility package (for 2.3 and lower) if they want developers to port apps over to ICS.

Finally, SVG support for Android handsets!<p>See this long-standing issue: <a href="http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=1376" rel="nofollow">http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=1376</a> where their stated reason for leaving out SVG was to save 1MB of space in the WebKit image size.

Audio performance is still dismal. I had really hoped that Android would catch up with iOS in the audio latency department with this release, but my tests so far don't indicate much attention on this deficit yet. A pity, Android tablets would make good synthesizers too ..

Doesn't look like there's a way to simulate two NFC devices with android beam, which is a bit of a bummer, Android Beam support fits the intended use case of my iPhone app I'm about to port to Android (<a href="http://convoyapp.net" rel="nofollow">http://convoyapp.net</a>) but as an independent developer I've already spent enough money on gadgets, can't afford to buy TWO NFC enabled ICS devices for testing purposes.<p>On that note, is there any service that lets you hire devices for dev/testing purposes? Would be great to get access to a lab with 20 different Android devices (for debugging obscure device specific bugs/screen size differences) along with all ipads, iphones, iPod touches and some WP7 devices.

Genuine question: did they announce when the source code for ICS will be released? AFAIK, <a href="http://android.git.kernel.org" rel="nofollow">http://android.git.kernel.org</a> is still down, I can't seem to reach <a href="http://android4.git.kernel.org" rel="nofollow">http://android4.git.kernel.org</a> and <a href="http://source.android.com/" rel="nofollow">http://source.android.com/</a> still lists Gingerbread as the latest source code drop available.

Has anyone been able to successfully launch a 4.0 AVD image in the emu? I keep trying, but all I get is the boot anim. I also noticed that the arm image is updated to v7a.. :/

I wish they would supply a C/C++ debugger option. As it stands now we are stuck using printf like we did on other platforms in the 80s.

Good news for web support improvement. probably still a long way to go to reach iOS advancement. I hope we reach it ;)

I wonder when discovering peers with wifi direct, can I be connected to another wifi network in the meantime?

It took them until version 4 to release an (official) calendar API?

When are the old nexus devices gonna see their version?