The newest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is no ordinary OS update.  Instead, it's a revamp of the platform that brings a whole host of new features, apart from unifying the smartphone and tablet versions of the software.

To cover the entirety of the changes will involve drowning in the details -- there's too many to reasonably run down.  For the purposes of this review, we'll focus on the larger-scale changes.

Transformed Visuals

Ice Cream Sandwich brings a whole new look and feel to the platform -- one that's more elegant and sophisticated.  Almost every screen has been redesigned, combining some elements from Honeycomb with a reworked aesthetic.  From the home screen to the menu lists to the folder appearance to the new notifications pull-down, it's just an overall more attractive, less cutesy interface.

Camera

Panorama is now a built-in mode in Android and it works really smoothly (at least, on the Galaxy Nexus).  The joint photo and video gallery is also redesigned to cram in more thumbnails in each screen.    Plus, Google finally decided to invest in really good photo editing tools, which are built right into the gallery.

Contacts

The Contacts app has been overhauled for the better.  The layout, for instance, makes photos more prominent, with more customizations available for each person (you can send all of a contact's calls to voice mail, for instance).  Scrolling through your contacts also feels less cluttered.  You can also start a text, email or call by simply tapping on a photo from any native communications app.

Email

We love the more spacious reading space, as well as the way contacts' email addresses and photos pop up.   When composing emails, you can drag and drop highlighted items easily across the form, bypassing the whole cut-and-paste hoop.  We like the new word correction feature, which feels more like a proper word processor than previous  versions.  Oh yeah, the new onscreen keyboard is very generous.

Facial Unlocking

The new security option allows you to unlock the phone by holding it up to your face for a few seconds.  If it recognizes you, then you get access to the phone.  If it fails, you can type in the PIN or trace a pattern on the screen, both of which are more secure than the facial thing (a high-res life-size photo could unlock it, as some bloggers have shown).

Other Notables

There are many more new features on Ice Cream Sandwich, including Android Beam  (which transfers data from one phone to another over NFC), a heavily-improved browser, visual voice mail, and a whole host of sleek little things.

Siri is awesome.  In fact, it's the most notable upgrade to the current-gen iPhone and it's well worth the hype.  That's why it's a big deal that somebody managed to hack it.

French-based hackers Applidium claims to have cracked the security protocol that allows Siri to communicate with Apple's servers.  Why is that significant?  Because it means anyone can now write an app that contacts those servers as well.  Yep, Siri on your Android, anyone?

What exactly did Applidium manage to do?  First they figured out that Apple uses TCP to connecty with Siri.  Then, they dug up the server name and address the service uses.  Then, they found a way to fake valid certificates that can be recognized by those servers.  They did a lot more complex stuff than that, of course.  If you're interested, you can check out the detailed explanation of the process from their blog.

Here's the important part: Apple uses a VoIP codec to encode raw audio from Siri for sending to their servers.  To send the same thing from a device other than an iPhone 4S, all you need to do is get an identifier and add that to your encoded data.

Applidium is currently working on crack tools that should help developers take advantage of this hack to use Siri's talents on other devices.  Of course, the prospect of those tools being useless by the time they roll out is high, given Apple's seeming all-in attitude over Siri.  Suffice to say, they won't take this lying down.  At the least, expect a restructuring of the protocol in iOS 5.0.2, which should come as soon as they can patch it.

Will we see Siri on other devices?  Probably not in a truly functional form (and, perhaps, not more than a couple weeks at a time).  Quite an intriguing turn of events, though.

[via Forbes]

While Huawei has never been the type of mobile company to get people excited, their upcoming flagship handset does sound intriguing.  Called the Huawei Honor, the new phone boasts serious high-end specs while bringing the promise of more reasonable pricing (at least, we're assuming).

GSM Arena has a write-up about a sample unit, which they've been playing with in their office.  From the sound of things, it's quite the capable Android device, too.

Details include a 4-inch capacitive touchscreen display (16:9 aspect ratio, 854 x 480 resolution), an 8.0 megapixel camera module (with 720p video recording), a front-facing 2.0 megapixel camera, 3G with HSPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, 4GB of onboard storage, microSD card expansion and a 1900mAh battery unit.  Muscle is provided by a dual-core 1.4GHz processor, paired with 1GB of RAM.
According to the piece, the phone looks an awful lot like the LG Optimus Chic with a slightly not so awesome display.  I do like the longish profile, though, which is a nice break from the wider profile most of the new smartphones show up with.  It will run Android 2.3.5 during launch.

From what we can gather, the Huawei Honor should roll out before the end of the year.  No word on pricing or exact dates, though.

[via GSMArena]

A couple of leaked phones made the blogosphere rounds over the weekend.  The two latest to fall to the news hounds are the LG Nitro HD and the Orange San Francisco II.

LG Nitro HD

This appears to be the North American version of the LH Optimus LTE, which was officially announced by the Korean company last month.  From the looks of things, it's much like  the previously-announced smartphone, as you can see from AT&T version pictured above.  Details include a 4.5-inch 720p HD touchscreen, an 8.0 megapixel camera module, 4 GB of ROM, microSD card support, Bluetooth 3.0, 21 Mbps HSDPA, 4G LTE and a 1,830 mAh battery module.  Processing muscle is handled by a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, paired with 1GB of RAM.  Android 2.3 Gingerbread will run at the helm.

Unfortunately, there's no word yet on the LG Nitro HD's launch date and pricing.  It sounds like it could make for an attractive holiday offer, though.

[via PocketNow]

Orange San Francisco II

The successor to the UK carrier's popular San Francisco handset, this new entry-level phone will be known outside of the UK as the ZTE Crescent.  As with the previous model, the San Francisco II is aimed at the prepaid (pay as you go) audience, bring affable looks and decent specs with it.

Details include a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen (480 x 800 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camer amodule, HSPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, aGPS and a microSD card slot.  It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and will be powered by a modest 800MHz processor.  No pricing or release date were leaked, however.

[via SoMobile ]

Gameloft has released the latest installment in their first-person combat shooter. While Modern Combat: Fallen Nation doesn't feel as revolutionary as when Sandstorm  first came out for the iPhone, it easily stakes its claim as one of the best FPS titles on mobile today.

In the game, you find America under attack.  Korea, Pakistan and Russia have banded together to stage an invasion on American cities.   You're thrust right in the middle of quelling the attacking forces.

MC3's single player campaign has 13 missions spread across 13 countries that you can play at four levels of difficulty.   You get a variety of vehicles and weapons throughout the battles, with plenty of cut scenes between fights to move the storyline along.  The graphics are smooth with plenty of details at every level, easily eclipsing all the previous Modern Combat games on the iPhone.  While there are three preset control options, we recommend adjusting each one individually (both position and sensitivity can be changed).

Like other FPS titles, of course, the highlight remains in the multiplayer mode, which offers local play over WiFi or online through Gameloft Live (no more Bluetooth option).  Each game can support up to 12 participants battling in one of six large maps.  There are 7 multi-player games available: Battle, Team Battle, Capture the Flag, Defuse the Bomb, Manhunt, Zone Control and Destruction.   Each game has a list of challenges to complete (e.g. getting a certain number of headshots, a required numbers of kills, etc.) beyond the main objective, which gains you experience points that you'll need to attain a higher rank.

As expected, there's a diverse arsenal of weapons to choose from, along with equipment like sensors to detect enemy position, radar jammers to counteract those sensors and camouflage to avoid satellite scans.  There are also numerous attachments you can attach to your guns, like thermal scopes and red dot sights.  Weapons are unlocked according to your character's level, though, with in-game currency only good for buying ammo and attachments.

If you loved the previous installments, there's no reason you won't end up wasting days' worth of time on MC3: Fallen Nation.  It's easily the best of the series, especially with the expanded multiplayer option.  Price is $6.99.

[iTunes]

Many saw it coming.  Personally, I thought they would stick with it for longer, albeit unsuccesfully.  We guess Apple had it right all along, back when Jobs announced that Flash is a product of the "PC era."  Now, Adobe acknowledges it by killing off Flash on mobile devices.

Last Wednesday, Adobe announced that it will no longer invest resources in porting their cross-browser tech to smartphones and tablets.  Yep, Flash for mobile is dead. Not that it really comes as a surprise.

Locked out of iOS and slow to evolve with the other platforms, keeping Flash alive as a future standard just seems too herculean a task.  Why would developers, for instance, create a mobile web site in Flash when they know it won't land in the hands of trend-setting iPhone users?  It's just downright silly not to do the same thing in HTML5, a more universally-supported format, instead.

That doesn't mean Adobe is giving up on mobiles, of course.  Instead, they're jumping on the HTML5 bandwagon, embracing the new standard that many have predicted to eventually replace Flash.  Last Tuesday, the company has already announced the layoff of 750 employees, signifying a radical shift in the business' direction.  Currently, there are no specifics of new products that will go towards HTML5 development.  Knowing Adobe, though, that's the likely next phase.

Today, Adobe released the final version of Flash (11.1) for Android devices and the Blackberry Playbook.  While no new versions will be made, they did promise to "provide critical bug fixes and security updates for existing device configurations."

Looking for a visually-stimulating, action-heavy water-based racing game?  Look no further than Riptide GP, an exciting arcade racer that boasts some of the best water physics on the iPhone today.

Initially available on Android, this iOS port looks even better than the original.  That is, if you're playing on a 4S.  The graphics, backgrounds, animations and physics just aren't as detailed on previous-gen iPhones.  On the 4S, the water physics is downright enthralling.

In Riptide GP, the game world is a futuristic setting with tracks consisting of water bodies caved in on the sides, flanked by light displays and colorful background elements.  You race on jet skis, running through one of six water tracks closed down by corridors, each with plenty of sharp turns.

Only tilt controls are available for moving, so if you prefer racing with a virtual stick, you're out of luck.  There are tap controls for speed boosts and tricks.  Do note that the tricks are strictly for amusement -- you don't seem to get points for doing any of them.

Three types of races are available: 250cc, 500cc and 1000cc.  Chances are, you'll find 250cc to be too slow a pace, so it will probably be wise to stick with the faster jet skis.  Oddly enough, all the six tracks seem to be the exact same level in difficulty, so your game doesn't get progressively harder as you step up from one track to the next.  It's fun enough, but can feel repetitive over many plays.

Priced at $2.99, Riptide GP is a solid jet ski racer with good controls and excellent physics.  The lack of variation in the tracks makes it a bit stale over several plays, but it's fun enough all the same.

[VectorUnit]

A couple of HTC-made Androids made the leaked rounds this week.  The pair consists of the HTC Edge and the HTC Ville.

HTC Edge

Set to be the first quad-core smartphone, the Edge will be powered by Nvidia's Tegra 3, which boasts 1.5GHz of clock cycles in each core.  Details include a 4.7-inch capacitive touchscreen display (720p resolution), an 8.0 megapixel camera module (with f/2.2 lens and 1080p video capture), aGPS, Bluetooth 4.0, HSPA+ (21Mbps download speeds), 32GB of internal storage, a 1,650mAh battery and 1GB of RAM.  Construction looks premium, too, with the leaked photo showing the phone clad in an all metal shell.  Like many of HTC's new releases, it comes with Beats Audio onboard.  It's expected to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, with HTC Sense UI 4.0 on top and a late first quarter 2012 release date.

[PocketNow]

HTC Ville

Slated for introduction at next year's Mobile World Congress, the HTC Ville has been confirmed to have Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and HTC Sense UI 4.0 out of the box.  Details include a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen (960 × 540 resolution), an 8.0 megapixel camera (with 1080p video recording),  HSPA+ and a 1.650mAh battery.   A dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor provides the muscle.

[BGR]

US Cellular announced a new smartphone joining into its roster.  Called the Samsung Repp, it's another compact addition to the ever-growing line of entry-level Android handsets in the market.

Sporting a touchscreen candybar form factor, it measures  4.35 x 2.26 x 0.48 inches and weighs 3.72 ounces.  Looks are uninspiring, but it's decent, provided you can live with the more compact screen.

Details of the Samsung Repp include a 3.2 inch capacitive touchscreen (320 x 480 resolution), a 3.0 megapixel camera module, aGPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, CDMA 800/1900MHz EvDo Rev 0,  microSD card storage (2GB preloaded, 32GB maximum) and a 1500 mAh battery (rated at up to 8 hours of talk time).  Muscle is provided by a modest 800MHz processor, which is apparently strong enough to let you run Flash in the browser.

It comes with a seemingly unskinned version of Android 2.3 Gingerbread (no HTC Sense).  Preloaded apps include Thinkfree Office, Tone Room Deluxe and the usual suite of Google Mobile Services.

You can pick up the Samsung Repp for free with a $100 mail-in rebate at prepaid terms. Along with the new phone, US Cellular has introduced a new trade-in program that lets you exchange old phones for cash or credit that you can use for a new purchase with the carrier.

[USCellular]

Siri is awesome and could very well be the future of smartphones.  It won't come perfect out of the box, though.  Here are some ways you can squeeze the most out of Siri's power.

1. Talk naturally.  Even if it leads to mistakes in transcription now, take the time to edit and correct.  Siri is a learning system.  The more you teach it how to transcribe your speech properly, the more accurate it's going to be down the line.
2. Use Siri to do your usual web searches.  Instead of opening Safari and typing in your search term, just instruct Siri to "Google search Hello Kitty boxer shorts" or "Yahoo Broncos score" to do the same thing.
3. Teach Siri to recognize your relationships.  Instead of saying "Call James Pryzbylewski" all the time, you can teach Siri to recognize that James is your best friend.  That way, you can just state "Call my best friend at work" to automatically dial Pryzbo.  To set this up, you'll need to do the work establishing the relationship by editing your contacts.
4. Use the advanced commands.  Siri is capable of processing more than commands to text and call someone.  Learn advanced functions like adding stuff into your schedule, setting up reminders, searching your emails, digging for dates in your calendar and more.  You can find plenty of samples for advanced Siri commands online.
5. Use Siri to get answers.  Got a question?  Try Siri first.  At most, all you'll lose is a couple minutes.  The time you could save, on the other hand, can add up.
6. BONUS: Turn Siri into HAL 9000.  Could there be anything more awesome?