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A Guide To Google's Android OS
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Here is an overview of the journey of Android so far.
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Monday, January 30, 2012:
When Google boasts that Android is the world’s most popular mobile platform, it has all the reasons to do so. Android was developed by Android Inc in 2003 by two most important men for Android, Andy Rubin and Rich Miner. Google then purchased the company in 2005 for $50 million and promised to give Android the much-deserved platform under its name. And now… Android powers millions of mobile devices including mobile phones and tablets among other devices.
Android has literally brought the power of Google into the hands of a common man and that’s the biggest achievement of the mobile operating system. The platform brings faster browser, cloud sync, multi-tasking, easy ways to connect and share and the latest Google apps (and thousands of other apps available on Android Market). The company says, ‘Your Android powered device is beyond smart.'
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According to Andy Rubin, senior vice president of mobile at Google, the company activates 700,000 Android devices everyday. Gartner estimates reveal that Android occupies 52.5 per cent of the global smartphone market, which is pretty high as compared to its closest competitors- Symbian (16.9 per cent) and iOS (15 per cent).
Here is an overall guide to the journey of Android so far.
Android 2.0
The first commercial version of Android was Android (v1.0) which was released by the company in 2008, but all the phones today (including those at entry level) run at least this version of the operating system. Android 2.1 was codenamed as Éclair, released in 2009. Android 2.0 was the first version where the platform made a strong visibility. This version of Android came with a revamped user interface and supported high screen resolutions and screen sizes. It also brought along live wallpapers, camera flash support, Exchange e-mail support and multiple account/contact synchronisations on one device, said an ET report.
Google has always kept the Android cycle pretty rapid from the very beginning. Within six months of Android 2.0, the company came up with a next update called Android 2.2 aka Froyo. Froyo was liked for its Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, which enabled users to share data with up to 8 devices. According to Android’s official website, users can use Android-powered phone as a 3G connection for a Windows or Linux laptop by connecting their phone to the computer with a USB cable. The connection is then shared between the two devices.
It also brought along features like USB tethering, better multimedia management and push notifications. It also had the ability to install application on the memory card instead of phone memory. Froyo had improved security with the addition of numeric pin or alpha-numeric password options to unlock device. Exchange administrators can enforce password policy across devices. It also helped exchange administrators to remotely reset the device to factory defaults in order to secure data in case the device is lost or stolen. Froyo was also liked by tablet manufacturers as it had the built in support for larger displays and better stability.
Six months from then, Google brought what turned out to be its most popular Android so far… Android 2.3 aka Gingerbread. The platform was launched with the Google Nexus S. A revamped user interface, a better keyboard with better accuracy and simpler copy/paste functionality were the key highlights of Gingerbread. It also brought along the support for front camera, gyroscope and barometer on Android devices and also addressed the battery issue of previous Android devices and introduced better power management. Google keeps providing Gingerbread minor updates for performance improvements and fixing security and functionality issues.
Android 3.0
It was the first time when Google focused on the tablet market and brought Android 3.0, a dedicated operating system for tablets. This version of Android was made for larger screens (normally 17.8-cm and larger). This Android had an entirely new interface along with 3D effects. It also handled the issue of Android button standardisation. After Android 3.0, there was no need for adding physical buttons on the device. It came with a system bar at the bottom. With it came a better onscreen keyboard, hardware acceleration, multi-core processor support and multi-tasking.
Google then updated the platform and came Android 3.1. It brought support for external USB keyboards and joysticks. Yet another update came later known as Android 3.2 which brought bug fixes and improved performance.
Android 4.0
Android 4.0 is the latest entrant of the Android family and has already created waves because of its attractive features. Also known as Ice Cream Sandwich, this Android will be common for both smartphones and tablets. Android 4.0 brings along the best features of Android so far. With an improved look and improvised performance, it has become the apple of the eyes of OEMs. Almost all the major Android OEMs have announced Android 4.0 updates for its existing devices.
Its features like face unlock (face recognition), a customisable launcher, separation of installed widgets, a new tabbed browser, built-in photo editor, improved camera performance and a refreshed contacts app with social network integration make it a popular choice for the Android lovers. The platform was launched with Samsung Galaxy Nexus phone but now it is being ported to other devices too. A host of Android 4.0 based tablet devices were showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show 2012 held recently.
Should you install a custom firmware?
This is a debatable issue because you will find many satisfied users who are using launchers for customising their Android devices. Launchers like Go Launcher can modify the look of the phone/tablet almost completely. Launches can modify the home screen/app screen, the icons and onscreen buttons. If you are tired of waiting for an 'official' update for your device, custom ROMs are a solution. With custom ROMs, you can improve on the original version of the operating system by making it lighter and more efficient. But, users must remember a word of caution here... installing custom ROMs can be tricky.
How to update the firmware of your device?
There are many ways in which one can update the firmware of his device. Users can check the updates using their device itself. Head to Settings > About Device.
You will find an option to search for software updates. If you do not find any update, find out if your device delivers updates using desktop software - like Kies for Samsung, Motocast for Motorola, PC Companion for Sony Ericsson and so on.
You can download and install the latest version of the software directly from the support section of the manufacturer's website.
Diksha P Gupta, EFYTIMES News Network
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