POLL : Do we want Ice Cream Sandwich

[blueeagle69]

@blueeagle69 - What you do in your spare time is entirely up to you

Do Andypad say they're working on ICS for upgrading existing devices or will it be for new kit only? If it's the former, I wonder if SO could be encouraged to rethink their update strategy if their competitors are offering added value like this to their customers.

Excel

LOL.

As far as I can make out. They are releasing an update to fix the sluggish launcher. And they also working on ICS for existing AndyPads.

[blueeagle69]

ok the thing is a lot of these tablets look the same but arn't for instance the digitizer may be the only element that distributer A wanted to pay less for than distributer B so you could flash a rom and everything inside talks to each other apart from the touchscreen so you the user has no control of the device and end up with a useles door stop.i think it wont be too long before one of us just goes for it and finds out one way or the other.

Well thought of.
I forgot about the bloody digitiser.
Never mind the fact, that it's the most important thing

[Astro]

@Mitre - I don't think it's unreasonable of us to expect a certain amount of product development when the Excel is so new to the market.

I would certainly feel better disposed towards buying another SO device (in the future) if I felt that the current flagship product received an update that is well within its capabilities, so early in it's life cycle.

Not that this is the case, I'm sure, but if a company, like SO, were waiting so that ICS became a selling feature of a yet to be released product, I think I'd be a bit disappointed.

Any company in it for the long term, needs to take care of customers... long term. A 'flog it, forget, move on to the next model' approach has some short term benefits to a company but, long term, it's an ill conceived plan. Taking care of your customers today and tomorrow means repeat business, the Holy Grail for any marketeer.

Excel

[Astro]

@blueeagle69 - That's interesting if Andypad are going to offer ICS for their existing devices!

Excel

[blueeagle69]

It is. I still don't want an AndyPad
But if AndyPad can do it,and sell mattresses then I'm damn sure SO could pull it off.

[daboy1968]

@Mitre - I don't think it's unreasonable of us to expect a certain amount of product development when the Excel is so new to the market.

I would certainly feel better disposed towards buying another SO device (in the future) if I felt that the current flagship product received an update that is well within its capabilities, so early in it's life cycle.

Not that this is the case, I'm sure, but if a company, like SO, were waiting so that ICS became a selling feature of a yet to be released product, I think I'd be a bit disappointed.

Any company in it for the long term, needs to take care of customers... long term. A 'flog it, forget, move on to the next model' approach has some short term benefits to a company but, long term, it's an ill conceived plan. Taking care of your customers today and tomorrow means repeat business, the Holy Grail for any marketeer.

Excel

I agree.

This is my first tablet device and the spec' V price calculation came into it this time around. My plan however was to convince the wife that I have a need for something more powerful and pass this one down to the kids.

So far I'm very impressed with the Excel, however an upgrade to ICS would keep me with the brand a lot longer and possibly even convince me to buy two or three more! (Not that SO actually care at the moment, as they keep selling out for now!)

If your reading this forum SO, please take note of the feeling that's going around. As my old manager used to say. It's much easier to keep old customers than to gain new ones! The trick is in balancing the two.



Via Tapatalk.

[Fonefixer]

I agree with you, but personally I cant see it happening.

I deal directly with mobile phone manufacturers / R&D departments on a daily basis and I must say the Chinese / Korean are the worst when it comes to support, by their own admission. They have no interest in upgrades.

The Scroll tablet series are re-branded Chinese units. Therefore it follows that they wish to "make a fast buck and move on". SO are only importers and even they are given limited support for these devices. AFAIK they don't even do repairs, just replace and return faulty units to the manufacturer.

My only wish is that the Scroll series of tablets is taken over by another company based outside Asia, only then will they actually issue upgrades to it and appreciate "old customers" like us.

[blueeagle69]

I don't know if anyone has seen this. But what do you think?

http://androidspin.com/2011/12/29/do-it-yourself-cyanogenmod-roms-for-dummies-well-almost/

[Astro]

@daboy1968 - I'm with you on this. The 'Wife Approval Factor' (WAF) is pretty important.

If you feel strongly about ICS, don't forget to fire off an email to SO... they don't get to read everything that's written here.

Excel

[Astro]

@Fonefixer - Thanks for offering an insight into the manufacturer side of things. I've read some of your other posts... you provide a unique and balanced perspective; and I fear yours is a more realistic view.

However, I'm looking at things from a consumer point of view, that of someone who has just shelled out £130 on an Excel.

I'm not sure where SO are going with the brand, a brand I want to be loyal to and see succeed. If SO have pretensions to be more than a shifter of boxes, they need to offer ongoing developmental support of their devices, especially those like the flagship Excel which are new to the market. That means ICS as a minimum.

If Andypad can create a business model that includes updating their devices to ICS, I'm starting to wonder if I've backed the wrong horse with the Excel

Providing an update to ICS for the Excel may (as reported elsewhere) also provide a solution to the video lip sync issue and solve the major problem with it... this would then justify the marketing fanfare about how good the Excel is with video.

It seems to me that, with the Ployer / MOMO9 / Tablo ICS update, the developmental work has been done on ICS, we just need someone who knows what they're doing to complete the final steps / be brave enough to give it a go on their device. Maybe SO could commission @Charlie and @Mitre to create the ICS update for the Excel.

Personally, I want an SO approved update to ICS, I don't want to a 'wing and a prayer' update off the back of a Chinese language installation program. I'm a consumer... I don't want to become a programmer or a coder just to keep my device up to date.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Excel is a great device and is full of potential. It's my introduction to tablet computing and I love it.

I'll be looking to build on this experience with a more capable tablet in the not too distant future... I'd like that to be with a future SO device. Whatever device I get, it could just as easily be Windows 8 as Android, has got to have decent support, otherwise it becomes a locked in time dinosaur, great for the kids and for tweaking, but not for the mainstream.

My fingers are crossed!

Excel