ICS Features Not Mentioned in Last Night’s Event, Interested in Bloatware Removal?

[Shadez]

A Few Ice Cream Sandwich Features Not Mentioned in Last Night’s Event, Anyone Interested in Bloatware Disabling?

​

We saw the new camera app, lock screen, facial unlock, new People app, Google Voice integration, and tons more at last night’s Ice Cream Sandwich event, but what did we miss? Dan Morrill – one of the more well known or least outspoken Android engineers – shared some thoughts on new features or tweaks that he finds just as important as the ones highlighted throughout the live stream.


Disabling Apps (bloatware)

ICS adds the ability to disable an app outright. Don’t like an app that came preinstalled? Disable it! Its resources never run and its launcher icon is gone until you re-enable it. (This doesn’t free up any space — it can’t, since pre-installed apps are included in the read-only system storage. But it does put them “out of sight, out of mind.”)
​

So there ya have it, Bye bye bloatware. They may not be removed from the phone as Dan points out, but I like the idea of having built-in app-hiding and disabling without having to use a 3rd party launcher.

Now we are just wondering if this feature can be turned off by carriers, just like the CRT animation? I certainly hope not.


*Note – It should be pointed out that this feature really only matters for non-Nexus devices. Nexus phones do not have bloatware. Just remember that other phones including the RAZR will get ICS and also have bloatware – this tool will then come in handy.


Via: Dan Morrill
Via: Droid-Life.Com

​

​

 

[aaf709]

Well that's pretty nifty!

 

[NoBloatware]

Bye bye bloatware!

If Verizon disables this feature I will be po'd

 

[rubiksc00p]

That's amazing!

Haha, looks like Big Red went be getting ICS anytime soon then! xD JK
Who woulda thought though... Verizon actually getting a Nexus device! Let's see if they actually do though!
I do still wonder how they'll handle the ICS bloat stopper!

Swyped and sent through the interwebz to you!

 

[alboboy10]

I thought nexus devices were free from bloatware.

If this thing comes filled with bloat I'm leaving Verizon. I'm not hacking my phone to remove a bunch useless apps.

 

[Shadez]

I thought nexus devices were free from bloatware.

If this thing comes filled with bloat I'm leaving Verizon. I'm not hacking my phone to remove a bunch useless apps.

Did you read the bottom of the post?

 

[alboboy10]

Oh sorry!

Reread it. Long day.

 

[Shadez]

Oh sorry!

Reread it. Long day.

No prob, been a long couple days for all of us

 

[riko540]

That's amazing!

Haha, looks like Big Red went be getting ICS anytime soon then! xD JK
Who woulda thought though... Verizon actually getting a Nexus device! Let's see if they actually do though!
I do still wonder how they'll handle the ICS bloat stopper!

Swyped and sent through the interwebz to you!

I don't think they will do anything about it personally. They just won't tell people that they can disable the apps. Besides some people actually use the preloaded apps as worthless as they may be.

 

[deadernie]

It sounds nice to a point. The bloatware will be out of site, out of mind but you'll still be screwed out of the space that they take up. You should be able to remove software from your phone that you will never use.

 

[johnomaz]

THey will all disable the ability to do that and still put their UI on top of Android. Thats why the Nexus is so sexy. Its pure Android.