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Lenovo is done with the Ideapad K1. They are so done with it that they have packaged a final palate cleansing update, made it available to users, and washed their hands of the slate that was never particularly noteworthy to begin with. But perhaps this sendoff will be the one note we do remember about the Ideapad K1, because Lenovo has done something rather unique. While the tablet will no longer be sold or supported, this final update wipes out all UI customizations in favor of implementing a stock Android 4.0 experience.
The only issue with the update that leaves as the Ideapad K1’s legacy a rather fresh build of Android is the lack of access to the Google Play Store. But let’s not pretend that Lenovo wasn’t well aware of how easily their stock build of Android could be modified by the industrious dev community. With any luck, the tablet will go on to have a second life as an easily hackable alternative for those looking to experiment with the Android source code. If you are ready to sail off intro the sunset with the Ideapad K1, head over to the link below to download ICS and begin the installation process now.
That’s pretty cool. If you’re gonna go out, go out with a bang.
If only LG would do this for G2X owners and upgrade them to ICS before dippin’ out.. O_o
If only they all did this when they started realizing their custom UI’s wouldnt work with newer android versions! I was going to mention this the next time we had an article on failed updates on phones to ICS. I feel they should give the option to customers one last time or a couple more times to stick with the more Custom UI or go with the download to a stock build. My evo 4G can most definately run Android 4.0 and maybe 4.1 in a couple months, when the devs get thru it. So those let downs HTC, Sony and all these guys are doing to people is crap. Give the online Devs any phone with 1ghz soc and 512MB or more of ram and they are gonna make it smooth. No reason alot of these phones cant go three years or more on updates. From what I see the devs need drivers for specific components of phones to get em working on ICS and JB. Why not make the drivers for the online community? IMHO
If only 90% of OEM’s would even consider this…
Never buy LG.
I almost immediately flashed the update since the Lenovo skin was so unstable. I like it, and I found most of the apps that I used on Amazon’s App store. This may make me start using the tablet again…and for different reasons since a couple apps that used most aren’t on Amazon.
And Khanning has already posted an updated image, both rooted and standard, with play store access. Awesome!
Can someone explain to me why a stock build of android would not be able to access the play store? I thought it was the opposite? Like if u modified android too far and got rid of the holo theme, you lost access? It sounds like moto or whoever else could use whatever the reason is to justify custom ui’s. “Oh if we gave u stock android, u couldn’t access the play store…” I’m guessing though that lenovo left it out on purpose?
I think it’s that the manufacturer needs to talk with Google before adding the Play Store. It’s just easier to leave it out, I guess.