ICS Android 4.0 beta - Download and Installation

[Naser Haghamed]

The TBroms version is by far superior. Don't waste your time with the NI version.
A message to Rohan, you failed to deliver a full working honeycomb and you were excused by many as it was not partly your fault. Now ICS is out and you have no excuses just remember Adam2 is only hardware however brilliant it may be if you fail to deliver a decent ICS for Adam 1 users who on earth is going to trust you to deliver a good ROM for Adam 2. I would not.

[Pranav Parikh]

I completely agree with Naser. I am getting tired of defending Notion Ink for not releasing 100% stable ICS for Adam1 with No strings attached. Stop working for adam 2 and finish the job you started. Today I officially say, Notion Ink sucks. Because they cannot deliver. I defended you so far but cannot do it anymore as you have no excuse not to give us 100% stable ( no strings attached ) OS for adam 1 before you spend any more time on your new adventure. Stop jer**ing around with people who bought your half baked idea of Adam1 and kept your company floating. Put a dead line and release the final OS.

[Shrenik Shah]

NI is sitting on my desk doing nothing inspte of being 3G/Pixel QI etc etc. All I have done is change operating systems on it and spent my money on accessories. No utility and wortheless battery life! [/I][/I]

I completely agree with Naser. I am getting tired of defending Notion Ink for not releasing 100% stable ICS for Adam1 with No strings attached. Stop working for adam 2 and finish the job you started. Today I officially say, Notion Ink sucks. Because they cannot deliver. I defended you so far but cannot do it anymore as you have no excuse not to give us 100% stable ( no strings attached ) OS for adam 1 before you spend any more time on your new adventure. Stop jer**ing around with people who bought your half baked idea of Adam1 and kept your company floating. Put a dead line and release the final OS.

[Tim Dalinian Jones]

For a while, my Adam tablet was running Android 3.0.1 Honeycomb, and the Android Market App was working properly. I registered my Adam as an Android device on my Google account, and successfully installed dozens of apps on it.

Then Google replaced Market with Play Store, and the Android Market App stopped working. This has affected other Adam tablet owners too, for instance:

olalinux said, on March 11, 2012 at 01:19
Missing Market !
I don’t know if this is the right place to post this, but does anyone have a solution to the Market no longer working after Google replaced Market with Play Store. I have an Adam running Android 3.0.1.
On my other android devices the new Play Store works fine.
» http://notionink.wordpress.com/2012/...rrow/#comments

So I thought the obvious solution would be to upgrade the Adam’s OS to Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, following the instructions posted by Rohan Shravan:
• Adam Beta (Tomorrow) Today!
» http://notionink.wordpress.com/2012/...beta-tomorrow/
…and repeated in the OP of this thread.

Now my Adam is successfully upgraded to Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, but the ‘Google Play Store app’ mentioned on the Google Play Help webpages is significant by its absence. In addition, I note that the Notion Ink Adam is also significant by its absence on the:
• Google Play Supported Devices list
» https://support.google.com/googlepla...swer=1727131#N
…on which Google says, “If your device is not on this list, then we recommend contacting your device manufacturer for further support.”

I side-loaded Google Play Store v3.5.15 from Android Police…
• [Updated x2] Download: Google Play Store (Formerly Android Market) v3.5.15 APK
» http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/03...pps-interface/
…but on running it, it quits almost immediately – <sigh> … <rolls eyes skywards for the umpteenth time>.

How on Earth can a start-up company hope to succeed with ‘Adam 2’ when they cannot even provide a half-way competent OS upgrade path for their existing customers?

I’ve emailed support at notionink.com about this (awaiting their reply); and I thought I'd try seeking a solution here too.

So – how do I get back to the situation I should be enjoying, alongside every other owner of an Android phone or tablet: accessing all the Android apps available via Google Play on my Adam tablet under ICS 4.0.3?

[Simon Surf]

Hi Tim

I can only agree. My Adam has ben sitting in a drawer almost ever since I bought it exactly for those reasons. My guess is that Rohan sits in Cayman laughing spending our hard earned money - yerk!

[Tim Dalinian Jones]

@Simon – thanks for your agreement, and I’m sorry to hear your Adam is languishing in a dark place. I hope your guess about Rohan is wrong – I think it’s more likely his primary interest lies in designing and building innovative hardware, while neglectfully failing to appreciate that end users judge a company’s worth by their product’s software performance, and especially on a smooth and easy migration to up-to-date OS and apps, both of which Adam spectacularly fails to do.

FWIW, here are edited highlights of an email Q&A between myself and Michelle at Notion Ink Support about NI’s current ICS Beta for Adam and its inability to easily access the Android app ecosystem, by failing to run the Google Play Store app:

---

Q1. How do I get back to the situation I should be enjoying, alongside every other owner of an Android phone or tablet: accessing all the Android apps available via Google Play on my Adam tablet?

A1. In order to have access to Google play store, you've to NVflash your Adam using the CM9-ADAM-BETA-AIO package. Please download the file CM9-ADAM-BETA-AIO from the link provided below and then follow the Installation Instructions from the below link:
» http://www.tabletroms.com/forums/ice...osp-cm%5D.html

My Response: Like a significant proportion of Adam owners, I also own an Apple Mac OS X computer, rather than a PC running M$ Windows or Linux, which the "CM9-ADAM-BETA-AIO package" solution you recommend requires – as does fellow Mac + Adam owner Seferi:

Originally Posted by Seferi:
I'm a Mac user and instruction is Windows and Linux only as far as I
understand. Is it possible to upload a flashable zip direct from
recovery? I appreciate if you could help. Thanks in advance.

To which mrdeadlocked replies:
No, NVflash is required. /system size needs to be expanded. You'll
have to setup a virtual machine, or use someone else's PC or something.

» http://www.tabletroms.com/forums/ice...html#post54947

So the solution which you recommend would appear to place YET ANOTHER technological hurdle, with no doubt a steep learning curve, before Mac + Adam users, all of which begs a number of questions.


Q2. Why is NI apparently relying on unpaid hobbyists to do what should be its core business priority, namely supporting ALL existing Adam tablet owners with an easy-to-install OS upgrade which ensures our Adam tablets remain fully functional?

A2. Notion Ink is working with together with ICS team. I request you to go through the following post to know more about it:
» http://notionink.wordpress.com/2012/...post-ics-team/ – [this guest post from ICS Team member RaYmAn puts across his point of view, but FAILS to answer my “Why is NI apparently relying on unpaid hobbyists…” question]


Q3. Why is NI promoting a sub-standard crippleware version of ICS via its official blog and forum?
» blog – http://notionink.wordpress.com/2012/...beta-tomorrow/
» forum – http://conclave.notionink.com/showth...d-Installation

A3. The ICS ROM which is available now is in beta form. We're still working on it and then full version will be released soon.


Q4. Does NI offer Mac + Adam owners an easy-to-install OS upgrade to the recommended CM9-ADAM-BETA-AIO package WITHOUT the technological hurdle of NVflash?

A4. As of now, the only option to do NVFlash in Adam is using either Windows or Linux computer. It cannot be done using Mac computer. I've forwarded your concern to our development team. They'll see what best they can do for it in future.

---

As of now, I cannot afford the time, concentration, and money required to scale the technological hurdle set by The ICS Team, so I’ve resigned myself to running the current sub-standard crippleware version of ICS (without the ability to run the Google Play Store app) while side-loading apps from elsewhere: One Big Step Backwards from when HC + Android Market App were working smoothly. Mark this up as another Epic Fail for Notion Ink.

I am of course very grateful indeed to RaYmAn, mrdeadlocked, and the other ICS Team members for bringing forth an ICS implementation for the Adam tablet, and for working to iron out the remaining non-functioning problems it has. If only their enthusiasm to do so were matched by NI’s CEO, maybe we’d all be enjoying a fully functional ICS release from NI on our Adams by now.

Let’s just hope “full version [of ICS for Adam] will be released soon”:
• isn’t just another empty promise
• will offer an easy-to-install upgrade to ALL current Adam owners
• will include the Google Play Store app running smoothly

Brand me a pessimist, but judging by NI’s performance to date, I strongly doubt all three hopes will be met soon, if ever.

[Sander van Zijl]

Let’s just hope “full version [of ICS for Adam] will be released soon”:
• isn’t just another empty promise
• will offer an easy-to-install upgrade to ALL current Adam owners
• will include the Google Play Store app running smoothly

Brand me a pessimist, but judging by NI’s performance to date, I strongly doubt all three hopes will be met soon, if ever.

hello Tim,
I am quite active on the tabletrom forum. And apart from some known issues my adam is running fine.
the market is working etc. NI does not officially have a market. that is the difference between the NI rom and the rom from one of the developers on tabletroms.
however to be able to install ICS you do need to use nvflash, or you might run into exactly the problems you are describing. this is not a fault of NI, but a problem you have created by not following proper instructions.

as i understand it you are not able to use nvflash, because you have a MAC. however, did you read the instructions before you flashed something else? because these clearly state that nvflash is required for ICS-beta. so if you did not nvflash because of the MAC you did something you were not supposed to do. that can never be a fault of NI.

however you do have a valid point that NI should be able to give support to users who are not so technical. and deliver what they promise. on the other hand: MAC users are few, and most of them buy an ipad anyway.

[Tim Dalinian Jones]

Hello Sander,

Thanks for your response. I’m pleased to hear that your Adam is running fine, the market is working etc.


ANDROID COMPATIBILITY – Adam Fails The Test?

NI does not officially have a market. That is the difference between the NI rom and the rom from one of the developers on tabletroms.

“In order to use the Android trademark, device manufacturers must ensure that the device complies with the Compatibility Definition Document (CDD) and then get permission from Google. Devices must also meet this definition to be eligible to license Google's closed-source applications, including the Play Store app. Participation in the compatibility program is free of charge.”
~ Wikipedians, from ‘Trademarks’ in ‘Android (operating system)’
» http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android...em)#Trademarks

This goes to the reason why “Notion Ink Adam” is also conspicuous by its absence on the:
• Google Play Supported Devices list
» https://support.google.com/googlepla...swer=1727131#N

Since participation in Google’s CCD compatibility program is free of charge, presumably the reason that “NI does not officially have a market” [sic: nowadays Play Store app] is that their Adam does NOT comply with the Android Compatibility Definition Document – not my fault, NI is to blame.


ANDROID OS UPGRADES – Easy OTA or Hacker-Style?

To be able to install ICS you do need to use NVflash, or you might run into exactly the problems you are describing. This is not a fault of NI, but a problem you have created by not following proper instructions.

“There is one special assurance for Adam owners: their devices will never get obsolete. The OS will get continuous updates (recently we pushed one more) and UPGRADES.”
~ Rohan Shravan, from ‘Breaking the Silence’, at Notion Ink Blog, 29 Mar 2011
» http://notionink.wordpress.com/2011/...g-the-silence/

“When the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime launched in late 2011, the hope was that it would be the first tablet to have and hold Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS), the latest version of the Android OS. While the tablet eventually launched with Honeycomb, no other tablet has yet to be released running ICS (although, the Xoom has received an update for it by now), so as of this month, it actually is the first. A couple of weeks back, Asus began rolling out over-the-air updates of ICS to Transformer Prime owners.”
~ Eric Franklin, from ‘Ice Cream Sandwich on the Transformer Prime: Our definitive verdict’, at CNET, 26 Jan 2012
» http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7...itive-verdict/

I did receive one solitary OTA update, over a year ago (“Eden 1.5” if memory serves), but while owners of Andoid devices from reputable companies like Asus and Motorola have been enjoying easy-to-install OTA OS upgrades to ICS since Jan 2012, NI have only been offering a sub-standard crippleware version of an ICS Beta ROM via its official blog and forum:
» blog – http://notionink.wordpress.com/2012/...beta-tomorrow/
» forum – http://conclave.notionink.com/showth...d-Installation

When asked, NI do point their customers to the more capable TabletROMs version, made by hobbyists, but which which requires hacker-styles skills to install. So while professional Android device manufacturers roll out easy-to-install OTA OS upgrades, meanwhile NI fanboys acquit NI of any fault for:
• requiring Adam owners to also own a PC running M$ Windows or Linux; and
• be in possession of suitably high level hacker-style skills to install an OS upgrade.

The phrase “blame the victim” springs readily to mind.


ANDROID APP ECOSYSTEM – Play Store Absence = CRIPPLEWARE

Did you read the instructions before you flashed something else? Because these clearly state that NVflash is required for ICS-beta. So if you did not NVflash because of the MAC you did something you were not supposed to do. That can never be a fault of NI.

Man, you really do like to blame the victim, huh? As a matter of fact, you’re wrong – the sub-standard crippleware version of ICS Beta from NI does NOT require NVflash, as you can see from the instructions on NI’s official blog and forum:
» blog – http://notionink.wordpress.com/2012/...beta-tomorrow/
» forum – http://conclave.notionink.com/showth...d-Installation

As I said in my ‘How do I access the Google Play Store app on my Adam tablet?’ post above, “Now my Adam is successfully upgraded to Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich” – achieved by accurately following NI’s own instructions. I even rooted their ICS via CWM Recovery with the…
• Repacked Superuser Root for Adam
» http://www.tabletroms.com/forums/ice...-ics-apha.html
…as confirmed by a side-loaded app called...
• Root Check Basic
» http://www.4shared.com/file/wSajKQWx..._basic-35.html

But as we all know, it is actually the Android app ecosystem that makes any Android device into an authentically multi-skilled computer. That’s why reputable Android device manufacturers create gadgets which comply with the Android Compatibility Definition Document, and then get permission from Google to bundle the Play Store app. After all, it is the Play Store app, and it’s co-functioning Play Store website, that enables full and easy access to the Android app ecosystem, handling micropayments, installation, updates, installed app lists, and uninstalling. Without it, any Android device is running crippleware, as is the case with NI’s ICS Beta ROM for Adam – not my fault, NI is to blame.

[Nishit Dave]

ANDROID APP ECOSYSTEM – Play Store Absence = CRIPPLEWARE

And suddenly, lawsuits start to look like the right thing to do.

[Balaji Ganesh]

And suddenly, lawsuits start to look like the right thing to do.

Just let me know if you filing a lawsuit, I also would like to join. Adam is just sitting in my drawer and catching dust. There is no word yet as to when they can release a fully working ROM, it is frustrating.