Google’s Android Ice Cream Sandwich is still creating a lot buzz, not because everyone is raving about how awesome it is, but because everyone is still waiting to try it out.  It seems like until now, it’s been unclear as to which devices would actually get this new Android OS.

To keep Fandroids sane, here are the latest tidbits regarding the ICS.

Samsung

Everyone knows that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus was the first device to get ICS, as the device and the OS were simultaneously launched.  But other Samsung devices aren’t so lucky.  According to The Verge, the Galaxy S and the Galaxy Tab will not be getting the ICS as “they lack sufficient RAM and ROM to run the new OS alongside TouchWiz and other ‘experience-enhancing’ software.”  But here’s the catch: the Nexus S, which has the same specs as the Galaxy S, is already getting the ICS upgrade over the air.  Confusing right?

Samsung quickly clarified that “the Nexus S only has to run the basic Android OS, whereas the Galaxy S has to deliver TouchWiz, carrier services, video calling software, and, in some markets, mobile TV.”

Fandroids won’t be happy about this, but there’s a possible solution on the manufacturer’s part; lose the unnecessary add-ons for the Galaxy S and Tab to be able to push with the upgrade. Samsung should prioritize existing customers and not force them to buy new devices just because they can’t figure out a way to deliver the necessary update.

Sony Ericsson

In the past month, it was mentioned that several of Sony’s devices would be receiving the ICS upgrade.  Sony’s 2011 Xperia portfolio includes the Xperia Arc and Arc S, the Xperia PLAY, Xperia Neo and Neo V, the Xperia Mini and Mini Pro, the Xperia Pro, Xperia Active, the Xperia Ray, as well as the Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman, were expected to get ICS, though no dates were released.  Last week, Sony announced in a blog that by the end of March or early April 2012, the Xperia Arc S, Neo V and Ray will be the first ones to get the ICS.  By the end of April or early May 2012, the rest of the line up should get the ICS upgrade.

According to the blog post, “Owners of  2011 Xperia smartphone will receive a notification in the phone instructing them to download the software over the air via 3G or WiFi. Alternatively, they will have the option to connect to a computer and download it via PC companion.”

Sony UK also announced that the Sony Tablet P and S would also be getting the ICS though the release date is still a bit sketchy.

“Today we’re happy to confirm that an update to Android 4.0 will be available for Sony Tablet.Details including timing will be announced in due course, so please stay tuned.  Just recently we released the Software Development Kit for Sony Tablet P.  For more information on this and future updates please visit us at Sony Tablet Evolution,” wrote Lee, Sony Moderator, in the post.

LG

According to a post on their Facebook page, LG smartphones introduced in 2011 will be the ones to get the ICS by the 2nd and 3rd quarter of 2012.  Just like Sony, the rollout will happen in two stages.  During the 2nd quarter, the following smartphone models will receive ICS: the LG Optimus LTE, Prada phone by LG 3.0, the LG Optimus 2X, the LG Optimus Sol, the LG my Touch Q and the LG Eclipse. This will be followed by upgrades for the following smartphone models during the third quarter of 2012: the LG Optimus 3D, the LG Optimus Black, the LG Optimus Big, the LG Optimus Q2 and the LG Optimus EX.

“LG will be taking all possible measure to offer a smooth OS upgrade in a timely manner. The exact start dates can vary by market, as each country can have different requirements, depending on the carrier and the smartphone model,” LG stated in the post.

HTC

The HTC Desire would be the one to get the ICS but the company still has their consumers in the dark as to when the ICS would be available.  So third party developers decided to take matters into their own hands and offer something similar to ICS until the official update becomes available.  The update is available for unlocked HTC Desire only.

Android Authority’s Instructions for Updating

These instructions will work only on a rooted HTC Desire S, with custom recovery image installed and with S-OFF. If you have such preconditions met, you may proceed with the following steps:

1. Download the latest Android 4.0 ICS beta version package for the HTC Desire S from here. Save it to your computer. Do not modify or extract the file.
2. Download the Google Apps package for the HTC Desire S from here. Save it to your computer. Do not modify or extract the file.
3. Connect your phone to your computer using a USB cable.
4. Copy the two unmodified ZIP files (i.e., the ICS update package and the Google Apps package) to your phone’s storage.
5. Enable USB debugging on your phone by navigating to “Settings > Applications > Development > USB Debugging”.
6. Download the HTC Sync installer from here. The installer will install the HTC USB drivers along with the HTC Sync suite to your computer, but you don’t really need HTC Sync. You only need the USB drivers. Run the installer, but stop the installation after the USB drivers are installed.
7. Disable fast boot on your phone. For that, go to “Settings > Power > Fast Boot”.
8. Reboot your phone to recovery mode. To do that, turn off your phone first. Then, press and hold the Volume Down button, then press the Power button. When the phone has booted, choose “Recovery” from the menu to enter into recovery mode.
9. In the recovery menu, choose “Clear storage.”
10. Choose “install zip from sd card” and select the ICS update file that you downloaded earlier. This will start the update process. Repeat this step a second time, but this time around, choose the ZIP file for Google Apps. The whole update process will take around 5 to 10 minutes. Your phone will restart itself after updating.

And for those who just can’t wait to try out the ICS or would like to buy a cheap device equipped with the ICS, the Novo7 may be the answer to your prayers.  The Novo7 is a 7-inch tablet from China set to arrive in the US in the coming months, priced at $99 and will be available from Leader International and OMG Electronics.   It features a MIPS XBurst 1GHz CPU and includes front and rear cameras, 3D capability, 1080p video decoding and an HDMI port, not to mention up to 8 hours of battery life while watching video. It also features a multitouch-capable touchscreen and the latest version of Android.