Sorry, Sony fans, but so much for Ice Cream Sandwich. Despite originally including the Xperia Play among the list of devices first promised to receive an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Sony has backtracked and said that the Play will not receive ICS after all.

Sony had originally stated that all of its 2011 line of Xperia phones would be updated, and it has mostly been on track to keep that promise. However, the Xperia Play has been removed from the list of devices because of problems associated with the upgrade to Android 4.0.

A member of the Sony Mobile team has confirmed that because the team was unable to develop an ICS-based ROM it could guarantee was a “consistent and stable experience, particularly with gaming,” the update was scraped. There are no further plans to introduce Android 4.0 to the Xperia Play.

This news will likely disappoint many Xperia Play users, especially when considering that Sony managed to develop an Android 4.0 ROM good enough for beta testing in March. But it was that very ROM, which pointed out several bugs and problems that the company was unable to overcome, that led to the decision to keep the Xperia Play on Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Our priority has and always will be, to provide the best possible user experience on Xperia smartphones. In this instance the ICS upgrade would have compromised stability, where we look to ensure a quality gaming experience with games optimized and developed for Xperia PLAY.

Sony Mobile

It’s no surprise that Google is rumored to launch an affordable 7 inch tablet to help push Android closer to the forefront of tablets.  For quite some time, Google has been reportedly working with Asus to develop a low budget Nexus branded tablet that should launch worldwide in the late Spring / early Summer of 2012.

Today, a new DigiTimes report claims the Nexus Tablet will begin shipping in June and will reach consumers in various markets in July.  Google and Asus expect to mass produce 600,000 tablets as part of the initial launch, according to the “upstream supply chain” source.  In total, Asus realistically expects to ship 2-2.5 million Nexus tablets, which would be a solid achievement for the Nexus Tablet.

An earlier report claimed the 7 inch tablet would launch in early June, but due to necessary design and cost adjustments, it had been unofficially delayed until July.  We’re hoping the Nexus Tablet, complete with Android 4.0, a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, and a $199 price tag, can compete with the Kindle Fire and the iPad when it launches.  More high quality tablets in the market gives the consumer more options and ultimately fuels innovation down the road.

[DigiTimes]

Android users, who have previously bought apps and in some cases upgraded their games, can add subscribing to apps to the list of ways that they consume content on Android.

Google Play Product Manager Ibrahim Elbouchikhi has just announced that the Play Store will now support subscriptions as another means for developers to earn money. This new model enables app or game developers to build in ways to sell products or services and have Play automatically bill the user at designated intervals. So if someone builds an MMORPG that requires monthly membership, the developer can have Google handle the transactions rather than doing it themselves or building in support through third parties.

In-app subscriptions opens the door for other content providers. I doubt major companies like Netflix or TIME forgo current payment processing and member management systems, but independent magazines, podcasters, and other media sources might find it useful.

The first app to support subscriptions is Frontline Commando, Glu Mobile’s cover-based shooting game. The game has new VIP Silver and VIP Gold subscription plans for $4.99 to $9.99 per month that unlock more Glu Credit packs used for purchasing upgrades within the game. You’d have to be very dedicated to playing for it to be a value, but it’s interesting to see another model made available.

“We’re using Google Play subscriptions to offer consumers a compelling value and a single currency which they can use across Glu’s most popular titles” says Niccolo de Masi, CEO of Glu. “We’re excited to bring these capabilities to our Android users and we believe that Google Play subscriptions will fuel further growth in our business.”

More games using subscriptions are on the way according to Google. Developers interested in implementing subscriptions into their apps can get more information here.

Android users love games and they love a deal, so there’s a good chance you may be interested in Because We May, which combines both.

Because We May is an effort from a group of developers who want to promote the idea that they should have “the freedom to price games how they like.” That freedom allows devs to promote their games and still earn a living (no complaints here). To further their cause, several of these developers have deeply discounted their games in Google Play from May 24, 2012 to June 1, 2012.

There are 27 titles participating in Because We May. Some games are well known hits like World of Good and Shadowgun, while others are lesser known but just as fun, like Gunman Clive and Cogs. Most of these games are at least 50% cheaper than normal price, and some are a little higher than than that. Heck, Coins is completely free.

The complete list of games, along with links to the Google Play listing for each, is available at BecauseWeMay.com I highly advise that you take a look and pick up any games you may have missed out on or didn’t previously select. due to costs A handful of these games are ones that we recommended in the past, and a few others are ones the we’ll be reviewing very soon.

via Android in Canada

NVIDIA announced today that its NVIDIA Icera 410 LTE modem has been validated for operation on the AT&T 4G LTE network. That’s an important distinction because it greatly increases the chance that will see NVIDIA-sourced chips appear in phones and tablets in the U.S. more often.

Fans of the NVIDIA Tegra process were disappointed to learn that the HTC One X would feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 rather than the Tegra 3 that appears in the global GSM version of the phone. That’s because Tegra lacked an LTE-compatible modem for AT&T, which is a no-no now that the three major carriers in the U.S. push towards an all-LTE future.

AT&T’s approval of the Icera 410 increases the possibility that devices that have Tegra in Europe and Asia will also have that processor when they come to the states. Now that companies don’t have to rely on Qualcomm or TI for LTE-compliant modems, they can use NVIDIA chipsets that have proven popular with gamers and tend to be first in the wave of multi-core devices.

“Validation with AT&T is an achievement that paves the way for NVIDIA Icera-powered LTE devices on the AT&T network through this year and next,” – Stan Boland, senior vice president of Mobile Communications at NVIDIA.

There’s no guarantee that they will choose NVIDIA, however. Efficiency and costs will influence decisions, but at least there’s a chance now. Now we just have to see how quickly Icera gains approval on the other LTE networks in the United States.

The Google+ Android app has been updated, as promised a few weeks ago. And while the changes in design are not as dramatic as the ones demonstrated in the iOS version, they do add a touch of a style to the ICS guidelines.

The new Google+ Android app has been changed to feature more noticeable breaks between updates in the stream. Headers and large profile photos appear on text updates, and media is dynamically displayed. Photos have thumbnails that take up the screen from end to end horizontally, and text is layered on top of it. The same is done when someone posts a video or webpage link with a thumbnail.

Aside from the cosmetic changes that will be loved by many and hated by some, the app added some very important, long requested, oh-my-goodness-i-cant-believe-it-took-them-this-long-to-give-it-to-us features as well. Those features include:

• Initiate a Hangout - Android users could previously join hangouts, but they couldn’t start them. That’s now possible by going to Stream > Hangouts
• Support for ringing hangout notification - Upon a hangout invitation, your phone will get a ring
• Support for post editing - You can finally fix your typo’s or change things without having to go to a computer.
• Messenger suggestions for people you may know – This one’s actually not an OMG feature. It just scans your contacts to suggest people to message on G+.
• Download photos from posts or Messenger conversations - If you spot a funny or attractive pic online and want to save it, you can do it by pressing the Action Bar/Menu and selecting “Download Image.” It will not work if that person has chosen not to let people download the image.

The LG Viper 4G LTE on Sprint is a mid-range Android device featuring 4G LTE connectivity that launched recently.  According to a leaked image uncovered by BriefMobile, LG could be preparing a sister device to the Viper that features a slider QWERTY keyboard.

The image you see above shows off a blurry Android device with a moderately large touch screen that slides to reveal a 5 row QWERTY keyboard.  It is said to be similar to the Motorola DROID 4, but one marked improvement will be the on-board presence of Android 4.0.  Other specs include a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and a 4 inch IPS touch screen.  Unfortunately, the internal RAM, storage space, and cameras are unknown.  For the roadmap junkies, the LG LS860 is known as the Cayenne, a name we have seen pop up, on the inside.

No word on pricing or availability at this time, but I imagine we will hear more about the Viper with a QWERTY Keyboard in the coming weeks if the rumor does pan out.

[BriefMobile]

Mass Effect has gone mobile in the new Mass Effect Infiltrator from Electronic Arts. Available now in Google Play for $6.99, fans of the action game can get another chance at shooting things and saving the galaxy in the process.

Infiltrator is a tie-in game to Mass Effect 3 that’s takes place before the events of ME3. Players assume the role of a Randall Enzo, a rogue Cerberus agent who pushes back after discovering something heinous. Enzo then has to fight his way through a Cerberus base and share critical information with the Alliance.

The style of play in Infiltrator follows Mass Effect’s model of cover-based shooting. There’s also lots of action, stealth, biotic powers, and fights against bosses. Players earn credits for quick and efficient kills that provide upgrades. The game has a uniquely mobile aspect thanks to the “Swipe & Tap” combat system described by EA:

Featuring both manual and assisted aiming, use intuitive tap controls and for fast-paced fighting. Fluidly dive and roll for cover with a simple swipe. Engage in epic boss battles against Cerberus Mechs and twisted experiment victims. Simply disable the “tap-to-aim” function in the Options section to try it.

Mass Effect Infiltrator can influence a player’s Galactic Readiness Rating in Mass Effect 3, which improves their abilities in the final of the console game. Sadly this game arrives too late to matter to the millions of people who have already completed ME3, but latecomers or people who just can’t get enough can download the game now.

[Download from Google Play]

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 has had a rather quiet spring following its introduction at Mobile World Congress in February. Samsung’s next tablet has been rumored to be getting a small redesign before it hits the market, and a recent appearance at a press event appears to confirm that to be true.

At a private event in Germany, the Galaxy Note 10.1 was on display, showcasing the largest screen we’ve seen yet for Samsung’s S-Pen stylus input. The tablet also revealed a compartment that can store the S Pen within the device. In the corner of the device, there’s a slot for which users can insert the stylus, and the slide it back out once their ready to start scribbling again. It’s a larger version of the design used for the original Galaxy Note.

Samsung also took the time to redesign some of the internals of the Galaxy Note 10.1. When the tablet was first seen in February, it was slated to have only a dual-core 1.4 GHz processor. That has been upgraded to a quad-core processor, which shouldn’t really surprise anyone considering that Samsung has all those Exynos chips laying around.

Considering that Samsung made a major shift in design between the Galaxy Tab 10.1 shown at Barcelona and the one that made it to retail in the U.S., we can only imagine what other improvements might be available once the Galaxy Note 10.1 goes on sale.

Tablet Community via PocketNow