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Tag: android-4-0

  • What to Expect from Android in 2012

    Google has shown just the tip of the iceberg with the latest improvements to the Android operating system. Users have become accustomed to expect more from the mobile operating systems and it is likely that the expectations to end in 2012.

    Software Improvements

    Latest release, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, came with the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus, being only a matter of time before other smartphones and tablets to start using it. Cameras with better software, improved graphics and perhaps a voice assistant similar with Siri might be on the launching ramp next year.

    Ice Cream Sandwich already allows users a wide enough range of voice commands. Even if the idea of assistant will not be adopted by Google, via Google Translate, they provide an idea in which direction the voice functions are moving.

    In what concerns the cameras software, Android started with a gross soft, not having too many options. The upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich brings features such as panoramic photos and zero time between shots. Future updates may include facial recognition and advanced settings options. These functions could also be included in tablets, not just for smartphones.

    Hardware Improvements

    Improvements in terms of hardware are also foreseen, especially in the range of smartphones with two processors. Starting with Ice Cream Sandwich on smartphones with dual-core processors, hardware acceleration option is automatically activated. This means that new applications for the operating system will run much faster. Also, there will also be improvements in games, in terms of graphics. Old applications will require updates in order to observe the improvements in performance.

    The number of terminals that will use Android is growing. This year Google launched android@home, a base for the operating system to be installed in smart homes. They will communicate with other devices running Android to make life easier for residents. In addition, car manufacturers have also been showing their interest since 2010 regarding Google’s OS in order to introduce it in cars’ consoles, which will allow sharing media files between smartphone and car.

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  • HTC Edge – The First Smartphone with Quad-Core Processor

    Smartphones market is loading as we speak with more efficient and innovative devices. According to pocketnow.com, Taiwanese manufacturer HTC is preparing to launch, early next year, the first smartphone with quad-core processor!

    The first images with the phone have already been offered by an anonymous source, and its probable specs have thrilled the technology enthusiasts. With a 4.7-inch screen, the smartphone has a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor, making it by far the most powerful phone on the market. With an announced internal memory of 1GB and with a 8-megapixel camera, HTC aims very high. And because a smartphone with such specifications should have a next-generation operating system, HTC Edge will come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

    Among other features, is mentioned the high speed HSDPA connectivity (21 Mbps) and the Bluetooth 4.0 technology. It is also possible to be launched a HTC Edge version for the next-generation mobile networks (LTE 4G).

    Disadvantages of processor with multiple cores
    Nevertheless, the latest smartphones equipped with dual-core processors and with energy systems have their disadvantages. First of all, a quad-core processor will put pressure on phone’s battery and will consume its power very fast. In addition, installing multiple cores inside the phone – the internal computer that controls all processes inside the phone – will heat up the system. But there can also be benefits: developers can be more creative and can expand further than they did so far by using some more-demanding games for the system, with improved graphics.

    Officially presented next year
    Most likely, this new HTC smartphone will be presented at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, scheduled to start on February 27.

    The only mobile device that has received a quad-core processor so far is the 2nd generation of Asus Transformer tablet. The gadget has not yet been officially presented, therefore doesn’t exist any data about its functionality.

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  • Ubuntu Linux Mobile – An alternative to Google Android

    Google’s Android OS will soon have Ubuntu Linux for mobile devices as competitor, an operating system developed under open source and available for use for free.

    Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu Linux, revealed that after finalizing the latest version of the operating system for PCs, their efforts will be focused on extending this platform towards the most popular computing platforms currently used. Thus, in the near future we will have available Ubuntu Linux distributions for tablets, Smart TV devices and, of course, smartphones.

    In the preparation for this expansion, Canonical is currently in talks with many of the producers of mobile devices chipsets, including ARM, a leading manufacturer of processors for tablets and smartphones.
    Through this extension into the world of mobile devices, Ubuntu becomes a direct competitor to Android OS, an operating system which, ironically, is compromised even by Google creator, after the recent acquisition of Motorola, one of the major mobile phones manufacturers in the world.

    The acquisition of Motorola Mobility is not seen well by the other hardware manufacturers, because it transforms Google from simple software developer in hardware manufacturer. Thus, Android OS ends up being caught in a conflict of interests arisen between Google’s creator and the other mobile devices manufacturers. This way, Ubuntu Linux is seen as the saving solution, a free and flexible alternative, coming from a company far less intimidating than Google.

    Interestingly, the strategy chosen by Canonical is ingenious, but without a solid brand that has resonance among the users of tablets and smartphones, its success or the potential failure depends almost entirely on the partnerships concluded with the hardware manufacturers.

    The delivery of Ubuntu OS on as many devices is essential for its promotion, but it remains to be seen whether the facilities offered will be able to rise at the standards of a strong competition, such as the one provided by Google with its Android 4.0.

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