Android 4.0 – familiarly known as Ice Cream Sandwich – was introduced on October 18 at the Hong Kong launch event for Samsung's Galaxy Nexus smartphone.
Android is Google's (mostly) open-source operating system for smartphones and tablets. Since version 1.5, major releases of the operating system have been named for sweet foods: Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo (frozen yogurt), Gingerbread, and Honeycomb. Ice Cream Sandwich is the semi-official nickname for version 4.x of the OS.
Source code for the operating system has generally been available to developers, but Google broke that tradition with version 3.x, Honeycomb. The company's explanation suggested that in their eagerness to get the OS ported from phones to tablets, Google engineers had indulged in some hacks and shortcuts that might tarnish Android's reputation or encourage developers to rely upon temporary kludges.
Given Google's unwillingness to part with Honeycomb source, developers have naturally wondered if the code for v. 4.0 would be similarly embargoed.
An unofficial answer is found in an email message written by Google engineer Dan Morrill. The email was subsequently cited in a Google+ post by self-described Android geek Jean-Baptiste Queru. At this point, Google has made no official corporate announcement.
It appears, however, that the company will release Android 4.0 source code to developers once the OS is “available on devices” (according to Morrill's email). Since Samsung's Galaxy Nexus will be out next month, Android geeks like Queru speculate that Ice Cream Sandwich source code will follow shortly.
I'll follow up with more news once a release date is confirmed.
Web recommendation: Perhaps you've noticed that the tech world has contributed more than its share to the universe's supply of offbeat characters. Among my favorite techie iconoclasts is the remarkable Richard P. Feynman, whose contributions to physics are exceeded only by his cynical, sometimes sophomoric sense of humor. I enjoyed both his autobiographical books, Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character) and What Do You Care What Other People Think? (Further Adventures of a Curious Character). Today, I'm happy to point you to YouTube's collection of Feynman videos – specifically the Fun to Imagine monologues on physics. Great stuff! J.D. say check it out.
J.D. Hildebrand has written hundreds of articles for dozens of publications and online communities dedicated to software development. He recently relocated to a small town outside Belgrade – stop by if your travels take you through Serbia.