Adapta: Enterprise solutions press review (ERP, SCM, CRM, BI, Web2.0)

Google has posted a notice on its Android Google+ page that it has begun rolling out Android version 4.0.4 Ice Cream sandwich to several devices. Interesting in its absence is the Galaxy Nexus LTE device for Verizon networks, which currently has the 4.0.2 software as its latest officially supported version.

Google says that it is currently getting the GSM Nexus S, Xoom WiFi and GSM(HSPA+) Galaxy Nexus devices up to date, but will be rolling out the update to more devices in the coming weeks. Some of those devices will be ones that did not have ICS support at all previously.

Some of you will be receiving Ice Cream Sandwich for the first time, while others will be receiving an update to your existing Ice Cream Sandwich experience with stability improvements, better camera performance, smoother screen rotation, improved phone number recognition and more.

The comments section below the post immediately began filling up with requests for ICS to come to the Verizon LTE edition of the Galaxy Nexus, as well as other Android devices like the HTC Thunderbolt and Samsung Galaxy S II, which have yet to get the latest version.

Although the two operating systems cannot be compared directly because of the wide disparity in Android hardware, you can bet that the far greater adoption of newer versions of iOS by iPhone and iPad users is something that Google would love to see happen with Android.

ICS adoption among Android devices still hovers around the 1.6% mark, well behind Gingerbread, which still accounts for 62% of all devices running Google’s OS. Hopefully rolling it out to older devices will help to alleviate the slog and get the actually pretty great ICS out to more users.

H/t Chad Catacchio

Google Maps for Android has gotten a nice refresh, including a redesigned Navigation screen in Android 4.0 and higher resolution map tiles that should look much better on newer devices. The update comes as Google reports that it has delivered 50 billion kilometers of turn-by-turn directions to users, the equivalent of those 130K trips to the moon.

The new navigation interface shows up on Android 4.0+ devices and makes it easier to select from favorite locations with just a swipe and to pop in new destinations more easily.

Google has also updated its mapping tiles in Google Maps 6.5, making them sharper and higher-resolution in order to play well on newer devices with better screens.

In addition to maps with more definition, Google has also trimmed down the number of labels that you’ll find at higher zoom levels. This should speed up panning, zooming and other gestures, while avoiding cluttering the map up so much that you can’t see street names and such. To get the new style immediately, you can clear your cache from the Maps settings.

You can also now set your preferred travel mode, whether it be walking, driving or public transportation. You can also tweak your route option to have directions delivered to get you less transfers or shorter walking distances.

➤ Google Maps for Android 6.5

January 18 is here and a large number of businesses, brands and global technology giants are putting into place their actions to protest the SOPA and PIPA bills — one of them being Google.

Today, if you reside in the U.S and you access Google.com, the search giant has blacked out its logo in protest against the SOPA and PIPA, stating that it believes politicians should “end piracy, not liberty” as the bills would “cenesor the Internet and slow economic growth.”

Given that millions of people visit Google.com each day, Google is doing its best to ensure the message is delivered and its users are aware that their Internet freedoms are in jeopardy. To better explain the protest and the bills themselves, Google has added a link on its homepage (as we reported yesterday), to a landing page detailing what the acts (if passed) would mean to Internet users not only in the U.S but all over the world.

It also provides a form to allow visitors to sign the petition against the act.

Those outside the U.S will not see Google’s blacked-out logo, but they will be able to follow the link on the homepage to read more about its actions:

Google lists 67 other brands, businesses and websites that have taken action today, including Wikipedia, which has gone dark but allows users to access its site via their mobiles or by disabling JavaScript, Reddit and Mozilla — which have all chosen to protest in their own ways (some are already down, others are due to in a matter of hours).

Wikipedia users are already complaining about the blackout; one Twitter account is even capturing the anguish of Twitter users by actively retweeting any Twitter user that complains about the site being inaccessible.

Today, one thing is for sure — if you don’t care about SOPA or PIPA, you should probably stay off the Internet.