Hacker’s joy as Samsung Galaxy Note ICS code made available
The Samsung Galaxy Note has proven to be quite a successful handset for the company, and is only really rivalled by its smaller sibling the Galaxy S2 and the upcoming S3, but today we have news that Samsung has released the Android ICS 4.0 source code for the device.
Samsung recently completed the process of updating much of its Galaxy S2 handset range although variants of the device are still waiting for the new operating system over in the US, and earlier this month the company started the process of updating the Galaxy Note to Android Ice Cream Sandwich with the international version of the handset.
Now though according to an article over at SlashGear the South Korean company has now rolled out the Android ICS 4.0 source code for the Galaxy Note, which will mean the clever hackers and developers out there will be able to provide custom ROMs and kernels for the handset.
It has to be said that it has been a long time before it was made available, but it will now mean that developers can experiment with the Galaxy Note properly, as before now hackers and developers had to make do with leaked and official ROMs, and building their own tweaks on top of these.
With the Android ICS source code now available developers will be able to provide much safer and stable custom ROMs, as well as custom kernels that can improve performance or even increase battery life. This news may not mean much to most of us at the moment, but it won’t be long before those clever guys over at the XDA Developers start providing us with some custom ROMs, and in the meantime you can see the open source for yourself here.
Has your Samsung Galaxy Note received the Android ICS update yet?
Comments
19 thoughts on “Hacker’s joy as Samsung Galaxy Note ICS code made available”
I live in South Korea… and own a Note… but despite checking on a daily basis for the ICS update it is not available for download!!! Really frustrated about having to keep waiting on it here – especially when I read articles that tell me it has been made available!
Same here in the UK, I also check everyday but still no ICS update. I personally do not invest in a flagship product to be left waiting around whilst older models and other countries receive updates. Samsung have recently invested a huge amount of money in the technology side of their business but quite simply neglected the consumer.  They probably don’t care about how frustrated their customers have become around this issue and, like many other companies, will only pay attention when the number of units suddenly falls off a cliff.Â
I will stick with my note for now but my next purchase will be back to Apple. If you’re only half as frustrated as I am, I suggest you do the same. It’s unfortunate as I’m generally right behind Samsumgs stampede to the front of the Android market but I just can’t tolerate being messed around.
Same for me in the UK everyday I check for ICS update especially considering the German notes got the update randomly and not us. I wouldn’t go so far as to switch to apple that’s like saying Nike hasn’t brought out the new range of trainers so I think I will chop my legs off.Â
I think you’re right about how they have neglected the customers and we forked out for what could have been an absolute flop of a phone if people like us did not take a risk in getting it instead of the galaxy nexus. The should have at least set a date to work towards. And we know that the update exists and is working properly so I don’t know what the hold up is
Same here, keep checking every day but nothing..
It’s frustrating as I paid a hefty old wedge to get this phone and the more inferior models have all been updated. The most frustrating thing is that there is NOTHING I can do about it!
Android Jellybean is now being develloped, I hope that I we get ICS for the Note before Jellybean makes its debut!
It’s available via Kies.
Have you succeeded in updating your Note?
yes
 Cant upgrade via kies because it doesnt work well on windows 7 64 bit. It never recognised my phone even though I have reinstalled about 50 times. My only choice is OTA
 No it bloody well isnt!! I check bith Kies and OTA everyday in the vain hope that Samsung will pull their finger out and do as they keep promising. Dont know where you live skyle but it cant be anywhere near me!
I’m from Singapore. Yes, I just received a notification that new firmware is available via OTA but when I checked it, no update available. Then I tried the Kies and its available but it took me couple of hours to update due to buggy and crappy Kies software. just google it if the ics is available now to your region.
actually, Kies is not working in my Windows 7 64 bit. I have used Kies in Windows Vista.
I too live in the UK but gave up waiting. I upgraded to the German ICS two weeks ago by following the simple steps on the PC World Australia website; it worked like a breeze. I’m now enjoying features such as Premium Suite, My Story, Face unlock etc etc. I did experience a battery drain problem following the upgrade but found the solution at XDA. It feels like a new phone…no Apple for me! That said, I totally agree that Samsung has mismanaged the roll out of ICS and suffers from poor communication skills.
Own Samsung not yet, why other yet,
Samsung released ICS update for SGN in India – and I am currently downloading it via Kies
please tell me how to download thru kies
I installed the ics update OTA yesterday. Overall performance has improved. Seems more responsive and faster. Some nice new features. However, I encountered problems with Swype. The virtual keyboard crashed quite a few times. Some widgets are misaligned (size, positions). But overall, I’m happy but this is only my second day on ics!
I followed a guide on the Australian PC World website on how to apply it with Odin. Phone isn’t rooted, took about 5 minutes to do. Wish I’d have done it sooner! It’s got some nice, new features on it, pretty pleased.
Just recieved the ICS update via kies in the UK. So excited!
Still waiting for my ICS update 🙁 friend of mine msgd me to say his has been updated… why the long wait? In UK btw
Am currently in Bangalore India n i hv got a prompt on Galaxy Note while checkg almost a week
later now i got an ipdate 2 upgrade 2 ICS thru OTA…am.in d process of updation
bit nervs n keping my fingrs crosed…hope it wuld b a whole new xprnx
pata nahi kaisa hoga…..ummeed hi asha ki kiran hai abhi…..GB is seen….cant wait fr a handon xprinc on ICS. ..:-)