Google, Samsung unveil Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Galaxy Nexus • Hacker News Board

Re: Google, Samsung unveil Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Galaxy Nexus

#51

Post by tadfisher » Wed, Oct 19, 2011, 4:08 AM UTC

thought_alarm wrote: post #28

flyosity wrote: post #16

From the review at This Is My Next: "The subtle, pervasive lag that has characterized the Android UI since its inception is still there." You have got to be kidding me. How is it that Android still doesn't map a user's finger movements with nearly 1:1 accuracy on the screen? Pinch, zoom and flick response times on the iPhone have been superior to Android for years, even with significantly less powerful hardware (comp…

> Imagine if your mouse cursor couldn't keep up with > your hand movements That's why I gave up on using X11 and Linux back in 2001.

Ah, before accelerated UI. I can pan, move, and resize windows at 60FPS these days (with vsync on, of course).

Re: Google, Samsung unveil Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Galaxy Nexus

#52

Post by ethank » Wed, Oct 19, 2011, 4:10 AM UTC

Zaim2 wrote: post #49

ethank wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did a whole post about how Google needs to head over to Pixar and borrow the seminal book "The Illusion of Life" by Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. Learn some animation ( http://www.blackrimglasses.com/2009/11/29/the-illusion-of-sm... ) Two years ago! You'd think they'd get animation, finger mapping, etc down by now, considering the arms race in Android seems to be around screen size and processor power. I appreci…

Matias Duarte seems pretty passionate about moving Android forward at least: http://thisismynext.com/2011/10/18/exclusive-matias-duarte-i...

Agreed, he seems like he is driving for simplification and focus, which is never a bad thing.

Re: Google, Samsung unveil Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Galaxy Nexus

#53

Post by cpeterso » Wed, Oct 19, 2011, 4:15 AM UTC

jarek wrote: post #31

Hrothgar15 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google doesn't think this is an issue. And that is exactly the problem.

Judging by sales, an awful lot of people seem to agree with their assessment.

Many of those Android "sales" are free phones (with contract).

Re: Google, Samsung unveil Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Galaxy Nexus

#54

Post by thwarted » Wed, Oct 19, 2011, 4:16 AM UTC

0x12 wrote: post #11

For a second there I read that as a smartphone powered by icecream between two slices of bread. I was roughly halfway towards either peltier elements or Stirling engines, when I realized hat Ice Cream Sandwich is probably one of those silly names that people feel they have to give to their software.

Really? It's a dessert name, just like the other Android releases. http://www.google.com/search?q=ice+cream+sandwich&tbm=is...

This is like those HN comments that ask who rms is.

Re: Google, Samsung unveil Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Galaxy Nexus

#55

Post by tadfisher » Wed, Oct 19, 2011, 4:18 AM UTC

davux wrote: post #7

darrenkopp wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doubt it. There's no reason why hardware buttons that do the exact same thing as onscreen ones wouldn't work.

They don't match though. Search = (search?), Menu = App Switcher? I'm sure it won't block upgrades, but it's definitely at least a little bit awkward. I'm also wondering what apps will look like with the menu button--is there a 4th added onscreen? Then how does the hardware/software button mapping work?

Holding Home is how you launch the App Switcher on pre-Honeycomb devices. I can't see them repurposing the Menu button like that.

I'd be surprised to see current phones upgraded to ICS at all, anyway, and manufacturers who choose to use hardware buttons will likely choose the 3-button Honeycomb/ICS layout.

Re: Google, Samsung unveil Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Galaxy Nexus

#56

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Oct 19, 2011, 4:18 AM UTC

flyosity wrote: post #16

From the review at This Is My Next: "The subtle, pervasive lag that has characterized the Android UI since its inception is still there." You have got to be kidding me. How is it that Android still doesn't map a user's finger movements with nearly 1:1 accuracy on the screen? Pinch, zoom and flick response times on the iPhone have been superior to Android for years, even with significantly less powerful hardware (comp…

[deleted]

Re: Google, Samsung unveil Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Galaxy Nexus

#57

Post by joebadmo » Wed, Oct 19, 2011, 4:18 AM UTC

flyosity wrote: post #16

From the review at This Is My Next: "The subtle, pervasive lag that has characterized the Android UI since its inception is still there." You have got to be kidding me. How is it that Android still doesn't map a user's finger movements with nearly 1:1 accuracy on the screen? Pinch, zoom and flick response times on the iPhone have been superior to Android for years, even with significantly less powerful hardware (comp…

Apparently this and the Droid RAZR are the first with hardware accelerated GUIs, and the RAZR is silky smooth. The Nexus is almost twice as many pixels with the same processor, so I assume that has something to do with it, but I definitely hope it's just not-yet-worked-out kinks.

Re: Google, Samsung unveil Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Galaxy Nexus

#58

Post by CoffeeDregs » Wed, Oct 19, 2011, 4:20 AM UTC

flyosity wrote: post #16

From the review at This Is My Next: "The subtle, pervasive lag that has characterized the Android UI since its inception is still there." You have got to be kidding me. How is it that Android still doesn't map a user's finger movements with nearly 1:1 accuracy on the screen? Pinch, zoom and flick response times on the iPhone have been superior to Android for years, even with significantly less powerful hardware (comp…

>Imagine if your mouse cursor couldn't keep up with your hand movements, or if

>letters didn't appear on the screen until a moment after you pressed your keyboard.

Even in my imagination, Android installed base is still growing at nearly 2X of that of the iPhone. Apparently, most people don't care for whatever you're saying they should care about. I have experienced the lag you mention, but I have a big, lovely screen on my Galaxy S [which is one of the reasons I upgraded from my iPhone 3GS], so I'm okay with it. My wife (a realtor) has never mentioned lag as an issue.

I don't mean to be rude, but we hear so often that Android fanboys use the silliest things as justifications for the shortcomings of Android [and they do!]. At the same time, Apple fanboys trumpet the silliest of things as justifications for the superiority of iOS [witness the many apologies/rationalizations after the 4S announcement]. You're trumpeting a silly thing.

Re: Google, Samsung unveil Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Galaxy Nexus

#59

Post by kevinchen » Wed, Oct 19, 2011, 4:22 AM UTC

seunghomattyang wrote: post #36

flyosity wrote: post #16

From the review at This Is My Next: "The subtle, pervasive lag that has characterized the Android UI since its inception is still there." You have got to be kidding me. How is it that Android still doesn't map a user's finger movements with nearly 1:1 accuracy on the screen? Pinch, zoom and flick response times on the iPhone have been superior to Android for years, even with significantly less powerful hardware (comp…

I think it comes down to the fact that most of the Android users don't care about the responsiveness. Maybe there exists this mentality at Google that since Android is expanding pretty well, why bother spend extra resources into GUI acceleration or design? And to an extent, that makes perfect sense. Most Android users don't care enough about responsiveness to pay more (sometimes less) for iPhone or don't even know sm…

The “let’s cut corners because most people won’t notice or care” mentality you mentioned is where sub-par software comes from. Good software shouldn’t be a luxury that one can be “spoiled” by — it should be the standard.

Re: Google, Samsung unveil Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Galaxy Nexus

#60

Post by joebadmo » Wed, Oct 19, 2011, 4:25 AM UTC

ethank wrote: post #18

4.6" screen? Do they not understand user experience at all? The arms race on screen sizes is getting ridiculous. It's like having a paperback book in your pocket. Why can't they increase pixel density but keep it in a dimension good for one handed operation with normal sized thumbs?

How hard is it to not buy the phone? There are other phones out there, including the iPhone that have smaller screens.

I have a Droid X, and while at first it felt a bit big, I've totally fallen in love with having a ton of screen real estate. I have relatively small hands, and I rarely have issues.

Also, I think the stuff about Apple having found the One True Size because it fits your hand for one handed action is bullshit, since one of the main novel interactions -- pinch-to-zoom -- requires two hands.

It's a simple matter of preference. I think it's fantastic that I have a range of sizes to choose from. I wish everyone would let me decide for myself.