Tired of waiting. I have a Thunderbolt and it's rooted. I would not mind adding a Rom to it but none are available for 4.0 or above. GRRRRR
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I have a Motorola Xoom WiFi tablet and a Galaxy Nexus unlocked that I bought direct from Google...they are both running Jelly Bean....
Ice Cream Sandwich came out last November....it's more than a little ridiculous that they are only just NOW sending out ICS to these phones....
Google needs to develop a better update mechanism than this....
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I know, if a programmer can do it in a few days, I do not see why google can not do the same. All the money they make they should be able to afford to do something about it.
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hmmmmm.....i thought everyone knew that the carrier and manufacturers are the ones responsible for slow updates and not google?
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That's the point, it's Google's reputation that is harmed when phones don't get updated until nearly a year later....and then only get updated to an out of date version.
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if Microsoft releases a new version of Windows, and let's say a graphics card manufacturer fails to update the drivers to their product to work with the new versino of Windows, is it Microsoft's fault that your graphics card doesn't work?
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First of all that's not even remotely a valid analogy...
But secondly, when PC's running Windows are crappy..it is Microsoft's reputation that suffers, not the OEM that made the computer....
Do you have any idea how many people I have heard who bought cheap, shoddy hardware from someone like Gatway or Acer who tell me that 'Windows sucks' because the software didn't work very well on crappy, second rate hardware?
The fact of the matter is that people don't think of their computers as Dell's, or Toshiba's or whatnot.,..they think of them as 'Windows' and anything that goes wrong they blame Microsoft for...
Which is why Microsoft is plannig making its own computers when they release the 'Surface' and why Microsoft is building its o...
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The point I was making is that Google can't realistically be held personally accountable to ensure that the literally 100s of Android phones released yearly are updated to the latest version of Android with full compatibility. It just isn't really possible.
And as far as your experience with people not identifying with a PC manufacturer I think you're wrong. Most people I know of swear by specific brands of PCs or know of certain brands that they won't go near.
I also believe you're wrong on your last point. Most of the customers I speak to on a daily basis don't even realize the operating system is provided by google. I regularly have to explain that their google account and operating system are tied together as closely as they are....
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"The point I was making is that Google can't realistically be held personally accountable to ensure that the literally 100s of Android phones released yearly are updated to the latest version of Android with full compatibility. It just isn't really possible. "
I understand that, just as it isn't really fair to blame Microsoft because an Acer PC with bad hardware craps out after 6 months.....but people DO blame Microsoft nevertheless. And after being disappointed with a $400 Acer PC they rush out and buy a $2500 Mac....and it never occurs to them that if they spent $2500 on a Windows PC they could get something just as good at that Mac....they only care that one of the computers seems to 'work' and the other one doesn't.
My point isn...
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"at the very least they can take a middle step like introducing a line of 'Android Optimized' phones which have identical hardware and specs and are guaranteed timely updates for at least 2 years."
You mean the Nexus line? At least the non-Verizon versions....
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The Nexus phones are really intended for developers, not consumers, and they cost more than most people are willing to spend on a smartphone....hopefully now that Google owns Motorola they will be able to produce a line up of consumer oriented Android phones that will match what you can get in the Nexus line.
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I'll agree that Nexus phones aren't for normal consumers (not that normal consumers care much about updates). But the Nexus phones aren't any more expensive than other high-end devices, they just have to be bought out-right rather than relying on carrier subsidies. Unfortunately the trade off there is that you now have a carrier which has to make tweaks and do extensive testing themselves before they'll release any updates. Thus major delays (Verizon G-Nex) and possible early EOL. The Nexus line is the closest thing Google can do to controlling updates for devices.
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...you have reconsidered and are on board with my desire for Google to take over a carrier. You know? Take control... Because the only way Google can do what you suggest is to own the entire experience. You know like Microsoft is trying to do.
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Google doesn't need to run a carrier to be able to assert its right to control the software on the phones running it's OS....
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Google isn't Apple. Only Apple can wag the dog.
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