Google did make a slight change in how it tracks and counts such information, however. Per the company’s Google+ post:

We’ve updated the way we calculate our device dashboards to make them even more useful, and have also updated the data on screen distribution. Note that as a result of these adjustments, some slices in the pie charts have changed more than usual.

The new device dashboards are based on the devices of users who visit the Google Play Store (rather than devices that have checked-in to Google servers). As a result, the dashboards more accurately reflect the users most engaged in the Android and Google Play ecosystem—and thus most likely to download and use your apps.

This change makes sense from a developer’s standpoint: Instead of counting devices that “check in” — something that could be a simple as signing in or syncing through a Google service — devices that actually visit the Google Play store are counted. Those are the ones that developers are interested in, of course.

Since Android 4.0 was introduced in late 2011, it also makes sense for developers to be focused on writing software that supports Android 4.0 or better. I’m not saying Android 2.3 devices shouldn’t be supported any longer — they still account for 39.8 percent of all Androids — but they’re older devices that are more likely to be upgraded soon through a new hardware purchase. Developers will get the most bang for their buck by targeting Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean devices.

The hardware cycle refresh and momentum from handset makers to deliver Android 4.0 or better on new phones is partly why I said in October we’d hit this tipping point in four to six months. Lo and behold, six months later, that’s where we are.

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Gone are the emails with text that doesn’t fit your screen in this new version of Gmail. Instead, messages will be fit to the screen. Don’t worry though: If you can’t read the text, you can now pinch to zoom on email content or you can turn off auto-fit on messages in the Gmail settings.

Another great setting is to enable a swipe to archive function for faster email management. Also included is support for image thumbnails, which you can tap and view in your Gallery.

As of the beginning of November, 28.5 percent of all Android devices hitting the Google Play market during a two-week period were running Android 4.0 or better and would be able to use the new Gmail features. I already have the update and it certainly makes the email experience much better, so if your device supports it, I’d go get it!

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Looking at the two versions, the bigger percentage gainer was Android 4.1, which jumped by half: From 1.8 percent of all Android devices to 2.7 percent. There are actually few phones and tablets shipping with the Jelly Bean software today, but that will change in the coming months. And upgrades to 4.1 for some handsets — such as the 30 million Samsung Galaxy S III phones that have now shipped — are in the works, which will boost the adoption rate.

Google’s Nexus 7 tablet likely represents the bulk of devices with Android 4.1, but there isn’t enough data here to try to determine sales of Google’s 7-inch slate. Later this month more Nexus devices will be added to the mix: The Nexus 4 smartphone and Nexus 10 tablet will begin shipping with Android 4.2, a slightly improved version of Jelly Bean. I expect older Nexus 7 tablets to be upgraded from Android 4.1 to 4.2 within a few weeks of the new device shipments.

As I noted last month, the pace of major change to Android is slowing down: The platform is relatively stable and now seeing a few new features every several months. That contrasts with Android’s early days, when Google quickly worked to bring the platform closer to par with Apple’s iOS software.

Based on the numbers, the new devices and software upgrade efforts from device makers, I’m sticking with my prediction from last month: ”In four to six months, the majority of Android devices are running on Android 4.0 or better.” The Android fragmentation issue that plagued the platform for much of its history is likely to be a non-issue by this time next year.

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Clearly, a large number of devices are still running Android 2.3, also known as Gingerbread. I can think of two reasons. First, the software arrived in Dec. 2010, with new handsets launching in 2011 using the software; some consumers that bought those phones haven’t yet upgraded. Second, handset makers have been slow to push out updates to Android 4.0 for these devices as the hardware has cycled since then. We’re now in the midst of higher-powered, more capable smartphones with faster dual- and quad-core processors. These phones are starting to launch with Android 4.0 or 4.1.

As an Android user for the past three years, I won’t try to defend the software version fragmentation issues that has affected Android to date. Simply put: I can’t. And I’ve called for the parties involved to fix the problem. But Google is closer than ever to resolving or minimizing the issues. Why? Because Android 4.0 — and its follow up, Android 4.1 — is, at least in my opinion, up to par with Apple’s iOS software. The user interface is now intuitive, the software is more stable than ever, and it performs well on quality hardware.

At this point, the amount of change in Android going forward is likely to be far less than it was while Google played “catch up”: Version after version of tweaks that brought constant change for all involved. That change is slowing down and both hardware makers and developers can take advantage of the more relaxed pace of change. My guess: In four to six months, the majority of Android devices are running on Android 4.0 or better. And I anticipate the next version of Android to introduce far less change and be easier to get on more devices.

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Google expanded Wallet support beyond the original Citi MasterCard, so that it now works with other MasterCard options, Visa, Discover and American Express. Google says it works with debit cards as well and the service is more secure: Card information is stored in the cloud, not on the device itself. And Wallet can be disabled remotely if your phone or tablet is lost; I tested that this week and it works. With these changes, plus support on newer devices with NFC chips — think about those 10 million Samsung Galaxy S III phones already sold — Google Wallet could see more usage overall.

Android 4.0 is seeing more usage, as well. For that matter, so is Android 4.1, which only launched last month. Google’s dashboard that shows the version number of Android devices hitting the Google Play store was updated this week. The number of phones and tablets running Android 4.0 nearly doubled to from the prior month, accounting for 15.9 percent of the total Android population visiting the Play store. Jelly Bean, or Android 4.1 quickly went from zero to 0.8 percent; impressive considering how few devices run the software.

Part of the reason for this boost is because handset makers are finally upgrading older devices to Android 4.0, which debuted in October of last year. That’s good news for consumers due to the improved look and feel of the platform over the old Android 2.3 software; now more than 18 months old. The other factor is Google’s Nexus 7 tablet which ships with Jelly Bean. No official sales figures have been revealed yet, but based on Jelly Bean already nearing one percent of devices in under a month, combined with Nexus 7 orders held up due to demand, Google looks to have a hit tablet of its own.

That leads to the definition of a tablet, which the Samsung Galaxy Note may meet. The 5.3-inch phone is often called a “phablet” due to being both smartphone and small tablet. Although the device hit the market months ago, T-Mobile has just picked it up and I got an early look. As you can see by my video overview, the Galaxy Note — mostly unchanged from the AT&T version although it ships with Android 4.0 — is big but thin, a solid performer and likely a two-handed device for most people.

Timing could be important for this device’s launch as Samsung has confirmed it will be announcing a successor device later this month. The Galaxy Note II is rumored to have an even larger 5.5-inch screen; not surprising to me as I believe tablets will replace smartphones for most within the next several years.

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I’ve been watching for this data as Google typically updates it twice per month. However, earlier this week, the dashboard still showed data from the final two weeks of June. With the latest information, there’s a jump in Android 4.0 and even a fast bump in 4.1 adoption:

At this point then, 15.9 percent of devices have 4.0, or Ice Cream Sandwich, while 0.8 percent have 4.1; the software known as Jelly Bean. That’s telling because the 4.1 devices would mostly be comprised of the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S smartphones — both of which have seen the upgrade — and Google’s new tablet, the Nexus 7. While sales figures for the Nexus 7 haven’t been released, this data supports the idea that the 7-inch tablet is selling well. Last month, Google had to stop taking orders for the 16 GB version of the Nexus 7 due to an underestimation of demand.

Through the rest of this year, I’d expect Android 4.0 to ramp up quickly; perhaps accounting for 40 percent or more of all Android devices. Jelly Bean, or Android 4.1, will surely take more time because of the software integration efforts needed by handset makers and the testing and tweaking made by carriers. But it will be interesting to watch the Android 4.1 adoption rate during that time as it may say more about Nexus 7 sales as well as the small slate market as a whole.

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Samsung’s “phamous phablet,” the 5.3-inch Galaxy Note, continues to improve thanks to an update to Android 4.0 for device owners on AT&T’s network. The carrier is now pushing out the Ice Cream Sandwich software, which also includes Samsung’s Premium Suite of tools to enhance the phone’s digital pen. And as rumored before, it’s looking very likely that T-Mobile will soon announce availability of the Galaxy Note on its network as well.

AT&T says the free update is available through Samsung’s Kies application, which is supported on both Windows and Mac computers. The software won’t be made available as an over-the-air update. Along with the more refined Android 4.0 software, Samsung added three enhancements for the Galaxy Note’s S-Pen: Formula Match, Shape Match and a Knowledge Search feature that translates handwriting into a Wolfram Alpha search.

While the Note has sold well on AT&T and overseas — Samsung says sales topped 7 million on June 1 — T-Mobile customers have been waiting to see if a compatible Galaxy Note would be made. Various leaks suggested yes, but a dead giveaway was found by the TMoNews site on Tuesday: A listing of Galaxy Note support documents on the official T-Mobile site. Since T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network uses the 1700 MHz band, a T-Mobile Galaxy Note will surely support that frequency, but I’m curious to see if radio support for AT&T’s HSPA+ network is included as well.

Regardless of the radios, the Galaxy Note is surprising many nay-sayers of extra-large screened phones. And a follow-up Galaxy Note is rumored to have an even larger screen.

While many focus on the pocketability of mobile devices — rightfully so, I might add — it’s possible that the Galaxy Note is an early pre-cursor towards a true melding of smartphone and tablet.

Think of it this way: The more dependent we are on our mobile devices, the more we use them and therefore, the less we carry them in a pocket. That may sound far-fetched, but only if you consider it in light of today’s usage patterns; not those of the future. For a while, I used a 7-inch tablet as my primary device: I left the phone behind and used the tablet for VoIP calls, either on speakerphone or with a Bluetooth headset. And we’re using our devices for far more than voice calls these days.

Perhaps the Galaxy Note will be remembered not as a “phablet”, but as the phone that started a movement toward the crowning of the tablet as the primary mobile device.

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Current Transformer Prime owners looking to upgrade will be happy to know the old keyboard dock accessory works with the new Pad as the dimensions of the 10.1-inch Android slates are nearly identical. The big upgrades include a quicker Tegra 3 processor (1.6 GHz), 1920 x 1200 display, and faster RAM. Initially, the device will ship with Android 4.0 as Android 4.1 hasn’t yet officially been announced, although that’s likely on Wednesday of this week.

Here’s a look at a marketing video for the new device:

My look at the Pad’s predecessor showed a very capable Android tablet, especially when paired with the keyboard dock. I enjoyed the performance, portability and long run-time between charges. With the new hardware upgrades, the Pad appears even more capable and a few reviewers have already had their first looks. Here’s a sample of what folks are saying about the new Transformer Pad Infinity tablet:

Engadget notes that the better performance is welcome but comes at a cost of battery life over the initial Transformer Prime models:

[T]he TF700 doesn’t offer many reasons for Prime owners to upgrade, given that the battery life is actually longer on the original, and given the similar camera performance. Unless your Prime has signal reception issues, or you just have to have that higher-quality screen, you’re better off sticking with what you already own.

CNet likes the overall hardware package although it suggests that few Android apps are utilizing full HD screens and quad-core processing:

Compared with the Prime, the TF700 has a sharper screen, faster games performance, and improved front and back cameras. Text looks just as sharp as it does on the iPad, but unfortunately, as of now, a very, very low number of Android apps take advantage of the increased pixel count. The faster CPU and RAM translate to speedy app launch times, but similar to the dearth of apps that make full use of the TF700′s screen, Tegra 3 has yet to get anywhere near the level of app support it deserves, a full six months into its life.

Lastly, PC World generally likes what Asus is offering and says:

You get high performance mixed with high style, and you don’t have to make a lot of sacrifices to get both. Other tablets–including the Prime, which is expected to drop in price once this model gets into the market–may provide better value, but no other Android tablet will give you the full package that the Infinity does.

I recommend reading the full reviews for all of the nuances, likes and dislikes found. Based on initial impressions, I’d likely hold on to the current Transformer Prime if I owned one. Yes, you gain a higher resolution display on the new Pad, but with few apps that can readily use all those extra pixels, you won’t yet gain a huge benefit. Perhaps when I get a review unit, the software situation will be different.

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Verizon will start pushing out the update today, according to a blog post on Verizon’s site, giving customers access to new features such as Face Unlock and access to key applications, including the camera and dialer, from the phone’s lock screen. My colleague Kevin Tofel gives a full rundown of ICS’s features here.

Though the GSM radios will now be active, customers must still pay international rates, which aren’t cheap. Even if you subscribe to Verizon’s $5 a month global value plan, a 1 minute call in the U.K. will still cost $1, and prices go as high as $5 per minute in other countries. The phones will be able to access GPRS/EDGE/HSPA data networks as well, though be prepared for bill shock, as international data rates are even more exorbitant than voice rates.

Verizon does offer international data roaming plans that will help you manage your data spending, but these aren’t cheap either. A 100 MB plan will run you $25, which works out to roughly $250 a gigabyte.

One twist on Verizon’s LTE devices is they have SIM cards. Theoretically you could swap out your domestic SIM card for an international one and pay the same rates as a local in any foreign country. Verizon hasn’t stated whether it will let customers use that capability or if it will lock phones down to their SIMs.

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Google introduced Android 4.0 in October, choosing the Galaxy Nexus smartphone to demonstrate the improved user experience and new feature set. Relatively few devices have seen the software upgrade since then, however, and new devices have only recently begun to ship with the software in the past few months. The eight models of the Galaxy Tab slated for the update include both the Wi-Fi and 3G versions of the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, Tab 7.7, Tab 8.9 and Tab 10.1.

After this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in January, I imported the Galaxy Tab 7.7 with Wi-Fi and as much as the hardware impresses, the software has let me down a little. The tablet launched with Android 3.2, which I find inferior to Android 4.0 on my Galaxy Nexus and other new phones and tablets. I’m looking forward to seeing the improvements after the software upgrade, which make Android easier to navigate and use.

If history is a good predictor, all of the upgraded tablets will still rely on Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface; other upgraded devices from Samsung have hidden Android 4.0 with TouchWiz. That’s to be expected, but I’m wondering what, if any, of Samsung’s new features found on the Galaxy S III might be included as well. The company’s newest smartphone is packed with software and sharing features that could greatly improve the Galaxy Tab experience.

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