$99 HP TouchPad: Can Users Expect an Ice Cream Sandwich OS Port?
The CyanogenMod team has rapidly released an Android 2.3, Gingerbread, alpha port and an alpha 2 update, and is already talking about an Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich port.
The alpha 2 update of the CyanogenMod 7 port released on Oct. 19, the same day that Android's latest OS, Ice Cream Sandwich was unveiled.
Due to the proximity, TouchPad users were already curious about when they should expect to see an Ice Cream Sandwich port for their tablet computers.
The alpha 2 update has resolved a number of bugs in the alpha 1 version of the Gingerbread port, but remains an extremely unstable program, according to the CyanogenMod team.
"All disclaimers from alpha 1 apply to this version as well so be sure to review them. The use or attempted use of alpha 2 may result in very bad things to you, your TouchPad, your data, your friends, family, and loved ones. Use alpha 2 at your own risk!" the team said in its release statement, via Rootzwiki.
The team noted that an Ice Cream Sandwich port would probably take several months to develop.
"If the transition from Froyo (2.2) to Gingerbread (2.3) is a model, it may take several months from the release of the Ice Cream Sandwich source code before a viable port to TouchPad is available," the team said.
Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich is expected to release sometime in November and is compatible with both tablet computers and smartphones.
It will debut on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone.
Several other Android 2.3 powered smartphones are expected to get an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade, including the Nexus S and Galaxy S2.
It is currently unknown which tablet computers will be powered by Ice Cream Sandwich.
The CyanogenMod team is expected to continue releasing updates for the Android 2.3, Gingerbread port.
