Android 4.0 on cheap tablets?

[Jack2435]

Hi I'm new and I've got a few questions! I read that Android 4.0 (ICS) will become open sourced in coming weeks and that it should work for any 2.3 device/tablet. I also see you have a list of devices that are confirmed to support ICS.

Here are my questions:


1.) What about other cheap (no-brand) tablets currently running Android 2.3 - would you be able to update them as well?
Does this depend on the manufacturer or is there another way to get them updated (since its open sourced)?

2.) If not, how soon can we expect new cheep "Chinese" tablets with Android 4.0 preinstalled?
And would you recommend to wait it or buy one now with the older version of Android (2.3)? I mean what difference does OS really make?

 

[nba1341]

Cheap no brand tablet makers will probably release new lines of tablets supporting 4.0 rather than update old becuase otherwise how would they make money.

Can't say I have ever seen a cheap tablet with honeycomb on it and its been out a year so I figure more than a year? But maybe faster becuase rather than being a tablet only os its the new android standard

 

[Jack2435]

Can't say I have ever seen a cheap tablet with honeycomb on it and its been out a year so I figure more than a year?

That's because Honeycomp wasn't open source. Google gave the source only to a few leading manufactures (like Motorola, Samsung...). But ICS is open source again.

 

[gurgle]

Honeycomb was open source and if you look you can find it. The ASUS site even posts the code. As to whether low cost tablets can run Ice Cream Sandwich is similar to asking whether you can run Windows XP on a Pentium 233 or Win 7 on a Pentium 3. Can you do either of those? Yes, Would you want too. I am not so sure I would appreciate it. It is to me trying to run a car weighing 1500Kg (Nearly 3.5 tons) with a 50 horse engine. Can you move the car, yes Can the car get to 60 Mph, Potentially. Would you be happy with the capability? It is up to you to decide.

 

[Jack2435]

As to whether low cost tablets can run Ice Cream Sandwich is similar to asking whether you can run Windows XP on a Pentium 233 or Win 7 on a Pentium 3.

I get that! By "cheap" I was indicating no-name Chinese tablets - which often have very good specifications.

Take Cube U9GT2 for example. It has Rockchip RK2918 1.2 GHz CPU, Vivante GC800 GPU and 1GB DDR3 RAM. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this should be good enough for ICS, don't you think?


My worry isn't that such tablets would be too weak for running ICS. The main concern is weather the Chinese manufacturer would release update to ICS! Or can this be done another way?

But, as I said, I'm new - What do you think?

 

[gurgle]

The RC 2918 is still a single core. Sort of like an Atom compared to the Tegra with its two core being a Core2. I will be honest, The 2918 is just a bit weak. That is why you find it Overclocked. The RAM is important. Do not get me wrong. But, you are still using a core which is a speeded up 1yr old chip design. I could be wrong, but that is what I see.

 

[Jack2435]

Interesting point! I see that all the tablets on your list that confirmed the update to ICS have dual-core processors.

Google said that all the tablets running Android 2.3 should support 4.0, but the question is how well, as you pointed out. But maybe ICS won't be so "resource consuming". Let's hope so


Do you think it will be long before Chinese tablets get dual-core processors?

 

[gurgle]

China Tabs will get multi-core. But it is for most low end priced tablets a matter of cost and production to maximize profit. Think of it this way. DDR3 RAM is relatively cheap and high volume production. Same for ability on Single Core. Multi-Core requires a bit more Quality review to prevent production run failures. The last thing they want to do is dump or manually short-circuit fix 100s-1000s of slightly fault Multi-Core CPU. I would bet Dual Cores will be common once the newer 4 core chips are on the market. The new ASUS which is to be released on Nov 9 is a 4 core. The Archos 101G9 is 4 core. There is a Samsung 4 core. Using the multi-core scale up analogy for PCs can also be used for tablets. Likely around Christmas or soon after 2 core "lower Priced" tablets will hit the market. The importance of Dual Core is you can get more CPU processing with less power required. Speed is critical, but so is battery consumption. Who wants a tablet that only lasts 2-3 hours. Otherwise, why not just get a Netbook.

 

[Jack2435]

You're probably right! Yeah, I find it very tempting to for better tablets, but I'm done waiting now. I decided to buy one now, as I'm not getting any younger.

I mean - it's always something. You could wait for double-core, than for Honeycomb, then for something else. In fact, you could wait forever. That kinda irritates me, as I'm the sort who would rather wait a little longer and get a better deal. But who said the waiting is a better deal?

The fact is, cheap double-core tablets could come out in December, maybe half year latter, maybe even latter. The same can be said for the updates to the Honeycomb. Google said the HC will be out in upcomming weeks, but HTC just reported their phones will be updated in April or so.

That's why I decided to buy a tablet now (I currently don't own any) and wait for better deals while enjoying surfing the web, reading ebooks and watching videos on my new tablet. And when all the shiny stuff finnaly comes out, maybe I'll sell it for 75% of it's price and buy a new one.

Of caurse, that's only my personal opinion - nothing to do with anybody else. Just thought I could share it here...


Thank you again for all the information!

 

[rcjames]

China Tabs will get multi-core. But it is for most low end priced tablets a matter of cost and production to maximize profit. Think of it this way. DDR3 RAM is relatively cheap and high volume production. Same for ability on Single Core. Multi-Core requires a bit more Quality review to prevent production run failures. The last thing they want to do is dump or manually short-circuit fix 100s-1000s of slightly fault Multi-Core CPU. I would bet Dual Cores will be common once the newer 4 core chips are on the market. The new ASUS which is to be released on Nov 9 is a 4 core. The Archos 101G9 is 4 core. There is a Samsung 4 core. Using the multi-core scale up analogy for PCs can also be used for tablets. Likely around Christmas or soon after 2 core "lower Priced" tablets will hit the market. The importance of Dual Core is you can get more CPU processing with less power required. Speed is critical, but so is battery consumption. Who wants a tablet that only lasts 2-3 hours. Otherwise, why not just get a Netbook.

And can you wait for Asus Transformer Prime? It's coming out on December hopefully. I would actually wait. I'm stupid that I bought the Asus Transformer. Now there one coming out next month. For only 499 32gb Quad core nvidia tegra 3. 8mp rear camera, 1.5 mp front camera, 1gb. Damn it!! And it's going to be the first tablet having Honeycomb. Son of a BEACH.

 

[Jack2435]

To console you: I've also just bought Asus Transformer. Actually, I get it next week. But I'm not so pessimistic about it. Here's why:

Firstly, Transformer Prime is coming in December - I'll be using my new tablet for one month by then.
Secondly, as I'm from Europe, it would probably even take longer and it will probably be long before prices lower to 100euros more than Asus Transformer 1.
Thirdly, Asus Transformer will also get Honeycomb.
And finally, sure - Transformer 2 will be the best Android tablet out there, but wouldn't less expensive Transformer 1 satisfy the needs of an average user? I certainly hope so

With all that being said, I still look forward for Transformer 2 (or maybe 3) in the future. The thing that fascinates me the most is even better IPS screen and the lower thickness of it. Maybe - in a half year - I'll sell my Transformer 1 and get Prime. But then again, that could be just before Transformer 3 comes out

 

[gurgle]

I try not to bias others posts, only answer the questions. I have been an owner of a Transformer 32Gb tablet for two weeks and it has replaced my Archos 101/16 as my primary use Tablet. I went through the same calculations as you. The Archos G9 has the four core but I wanted a higher capacity tablet NOW, and the Archos G9 with the fast processor (1.5) will not be available until 2012 and the 250Gb unit is not available until Dec in limited numbers. I simply got tired of waiting.


Good Luck

 

[americandane]

I'll probably be proven wrong but I think many are assuming processing power equals ICS. I just don't see it that way. This is embedded linux at the root of it (pun intended) and I think compatibility has more to do with features and hooks to be utilized by the system than does the processor speed.
I have a 1.2 GHz Froyo, dual core, system which is faster and more "fun" to use than my 800 Mhz (maybe) 8650 china tablet with Froyo, but, in the final analysis, both tablets run the same things with the exception the cheap china tab has some issues with graphics driving so some applications don't run right or not at all. But they fundamentally do the same things.
So, will ICS be available for all these other tablets? I think it's more a function of smart guys doing the port to a particular tablet than the underlying hardware. I just can't see a dual core making that much difference - although the graphics processor might well make a difference for some features.
If I'm right then my gTablets and my Nook Colors will be fine. My Ziio and Viewbook and China tablet - maybe not because who will do the port?

 

[jramerz]

I was thinking the same thing. My question would be, what specs would the device want to have in order to "support" the 4.0 OS? I am thinking of getting a Le Pan tablet running a cortex A8 1gz processor with 512mb of ram...Would that work for 4.0 or should I just root it with honeycomb? I'm new at this techy stuff so bear with me : ) AAAAAND, the tablet is stock with android 2.2, so how would I get 2.3, or 4.0? Thanks!

 

[m3red]

What about the New amazon fire? would Ice Cream run good on that? I was thinking about getting one or getting the Nook color. I really like the way the nook color feels. I also have a craig cmp738B. Is there any word when a root.rom is coming out for that. the OS on it sucks really bad. lol