Why you shouldn't worry about Android 4.2 updates - Android General

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Using a skinned version of Android? You’re already up-to-date on 4.1.
We’re not huge proponents of using the term “skin” to describe the manufacturer customizations put on most Android-based smartphones. In most cases, the changes are more than skin deep. Look at the latest versions of HTC’s Sense and Samsung’s TouchWiz and you’ll see features and UI changes that go beyond mere visual gimmicks. But it’s a term that most people are familiar with, so let’s stick with it.
So, if you’re using a skinned Android phone, chances are you’re accustomed to waiting for software updates. It’s a fact of life for every non-Nexus smartphone. And with the announcement of Android 4.2 earlier this week comes the certainty of more waiting for 4.2 updates to drop. Few devices are on Jelly Bean, and manufacturer updates already in the works will be based around 4.1 rather than 4.2. After that, there’s the standard maze of regulator and carrier approvals to traverse, adding additional weeks to the update roll-out timeframe. And with the holidays looming, and CES and MWC approaching thereafter, we doubt we’ll see Android 4.2 on many current devices before spring 2013. Engineering effort will be spent getting new products ready for launch, rather than chasing a minor OS update.
But really, that doesn’t matter. And the reason why goes to the heart of what Android 4.2 actually is. Before release it was referred to internally as Jelly Bean MR1 -- MR standing for “minor revision.” And a glance down Android 4.2’s feature list further confirms that there’s not a whole lot of game-changing stuff to be found, rather additional polish to the existing Android UI. Hence the decision to stick with the Jelly Bean moniker -- Google is striking a balance between pushing out new features and allowing hardware partners to catch up.
Read on to find out exactly what's going on, and why owners of Sense or TouchWiz devices need not worry about Android 4.2.
Of the features included in Android 4.2, most will be overwritten by manufacturer customizations, and those that aren't will be made available through the Google Play Store anyway. Let's break down the list of new stuff.
*Multi-user support -- A biggie for tablet users, depending on how they use their devices, but 4.2’s new user-switching support doesn’t apply to phones at all. That’s understandable -- a phone is a much more personal device.
*
Keyboard with gesture typing -- A big deal for users of vanilla Android, but the stock keyboard is one of the first app to be stripped out of Android by manufacturers. Samsung, HTC, Sony, LG and Motorola all have their own custom keyboards, and many of them already license proprietary tech for trace-based typing. If you really must have this feature on an unsupported device, we’d recommend checking out SwiftKey*Flow in the weeks ahead.
*
Photo sphere and the new camera app -- Again, the stock camera app rarely makes it across into manufacturer-customized UIs, so we’d be surprised to see this in 4.2 updates for phones like the Galaxy S3 and HTC One X. As photo sphere uses Google’s own street view imaging tech, it’s highly unlikely it’ll be open-sourced. This*presents a barrier to it being bundled into manufacturers' camera apps.
*
Wireless display -- It’s great to see this included on Nexus devices as standard, but two of the major Android manufacturers, HTC and Samsung, already use competing methods for wireless video streaming. HTC has its Media Link HD, while Samsung has AllShare. In any case, it’s probably fair to call this a niche feature.
*
Google Now enhancements -- These have already been pushed out to devices running Android 4.1 through the Google Play Store. As of the latest update, Google Now can pick up new info like delivery tracking numbers from your Gmail, if you allow it, without requiring a 4.2 update.
*
Lock screen widgets -- Though unavailable at present on our Nexus 4 review unit, lock screen widget support will be present on retail Nexus 4 phones sold from Nov. 13. This allows you to choose*a handful of widgets to place on your lock screen. Major manufacturers tend to have their own custom lock screen setup, but we wouldn't be shocked if they found a way to incorporate this feature into their own UIs. But this is another one*we'd hesitate to call*a major feature.
Music explorer -- This is a feature of the Google Play Store, and so should be quietly rolled out to most handsets over-the-air, regardless of OS version. If you've got access to the Google Play Music store, you'll be able to organically browse through related artists when the latest store update pushes out.
*
Quick settings area in notification bar -- Most manufacturers have been doing this for the past several years, albeit not quite as elegantly as Google does it in Android 4.2. A quick, simple two-finger gesture will throw up a settings dropdown in stock Android, but if you’re using 4.1 on a Galaxy S3 or One X, you’ve already got these options elsewhere in the notification dropdown.
*
New gallery app -- Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony and others replace the gallery app in their skinned versions of Android. Chances are that’ll continue when Android 4.2 rolls out to their handsets.
Whereas Ice Cream Sandwich brought sweeping UI changes, and Jelly Bean (4.1) introduced new usability and performance enhancements, 4.2 is a maintenance release that’s more focused on adding extra stuff for Nexus users, and prettying up the stock Android experience. If you’re running a skinned version of Android, the changes will be all but invisible.
What’s more, we expect to see more of the vanilla Android UI pushed out to Google Play, just as Google's done with its Calendar app in recent weeks. This allows Google to take back some control of its platform without waiting for manufacturers, carriers and regulators to push out OS updates.
That’s not to dismiss the importance of Android 4.2's features for Nexus phones, or for the OS in general. On any Nexus device, the new stock Android experience, though not radically different, will add plenty of new stuff to make phones and tablets more usable and enjoyable. And of course, there’ll be plenty of stuff that’s not user-facing -- bug fixes and security improvements that can’t be shown off in glitzy video demos.
So if you’ve got a Nexus device, you’re in for a treat in the weeks ahead. Android 4.2 will give you plenty of new toys to play with. For non-Nexus, "Android-based" handsets, Android 4.1 is the benchmark to aim for -- features like "Project Butter "and Google Now provide tangible benefits on all devices. Don’t worry too much about 4.2 -- it’ll arrive, in time, and when it does, it won’t be a big deal.
(And if you're a Verizon or Sprint Nexus owner, well, you at least have our condolences.)
-androidcentral-
Sent from my Nexus S

Related

Cyanogenmod 7.1 now available for ultimate Android customization

Open source projects follow a pretty standard pattern in my experience. If the project becomes popular, it grows at a breakneck pace. New features, bug fixes, and more are suggested and submitted daily. Eventually, you have to say no to a couple of things. Once enough things are said no to, those who come up with those ideas move on to the next logical thing, which is to take your ideals and your creativity and make your own version of that project. Soon, you’ve got a hundred flavors of Linux and a few hundred thousand people with their own opinions as to why theirs is better than yours.
It turns out, Android isn’t all that different at its core from this description. One such example of this is the Android Open Source Project based distribution of CyanogenMod. The CyanogenMod team is a group of developers, hackers, themers, and more who have all come together to adjust Android to their ideals. This week marks the next version of their distribution, CyanogenMod 7.1.
CyanogenMod is currently the only distribution of Android that supports nearly 70 devices with the same version of Android. Many devices that have been abandoned by the manufacturers, or have been waiting far too long for an update to the next version, are supported equally by the CyanogenMod developer team. New Android phones are typically supported fully within a month or two of the release of the phone.
What’s the cost for CyanogenMod 7 over what is on your phone when it comes out of the box? It varies. For some, it could cost you your warranty. For others, it might just cost a little bit of time to figure out how to install the OS on their phone. One things is certain, if you are even remotely interested in tinkering with your phone and getting the best experience Android can offer, you might want to consider CyanogenMod 7.1.
Customization
From the beginning, the CyanogenMod distribution has been all about customization: Make your phone your own, using the tools that have been in Android the whole time, but were redacted or omitted at the cost of user friendliness.
While it’s cool to be able to set a custom wallpaper for your phone, or custom ringtone and notification tones, that level of customization seems slightly empty when you can’t control how your lockscreen looks, or the incoming call screen. Maybe you’d prefer your lockscreen to offer you more features, such as the ability to launch an app right from the lockscreen. Visually, nearly every element on the screen is completely customize-able. In fact, there’s a theme engine built into CyanogenMod that is filled with themes you can apply to change the color, effect, and style of buttons, battery, icons, and anything else you can find on your phone.
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The customization doesn’t stop at visual elements, either. You can kill the shutter sound on the camera app, allow a friend to browse the web on your phone in a Chrome style “Incognito Mode”, or set your phone to stop ringing after a preset time. The experience is the same across all of the devices they support, including things like tapping the screen to focus the camera or being able to connect a Bluetooth mouse to the device.
Settings allow you to revoke permissions from an app you have installed from the market, meaning you can disable any app’s ability to access your location, access to your contacts, or anything else you’d like. Many of these features you see scattered across the existing Android devices, but there’s only one place you find all of these features together.
New Lockscreen
CyanogenMod offers several different kinds of lockscreens for you to choose from, most of which are enhanced versions of screens that have been found on other devices. CyanogenMod 7.1, however, offers a new lockscreen that allows you to set apps to your lockscreen to launch when you drag the bottom ring to the app. This is similar to what has been seen in the recent lockscreen found in HTC’s custom distribution of Android. Unlike HTC’s attempt, however, this version allows for more apps and a higher level of customization. Additionally, this lockscreen is available on all CyanogenMod 7.1 devices, where the HTC lockscreen is only available on select devices running Android 2.3.4.
Final Thoughts
This is not for everyone. There’s a pretty steep learning curve between stock Android and CyanogenMod, and an even steeper learning curve between one of the heavily themed versions and CM7.1.
CyanogenMod is not a small project anymore. With support from Sony Ericsson, recognition from many Googlers currently working on Android, and devices in the UK like the GeeksPhone line of devices shipping with the ability to easily put CM7.1 on it, the once small collaboration of like minded geeks has grown into a complete distribution of Android with a team of over a hundred different contributors to the project.
Recently, several pivotal members of the CyanogenMod team spoke at a developer panel during the 2011 Big Android BBQ about the project and its future.
Source:
http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/cyanogenmod-7-1-now-available-for-ultimate-android-customization-20111012/

IOS is 2 times more reactive Than Android

Hello, this video shows that Android is two times less reactive than IOS.
http://youtu.be/bNc3yiz0vUo
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Does anyone know if Google plans to correct this?
Tank's
dreeck said:
Hello, this video shows that Android is two times less reactive than IOS.
http://youtu.be/bNc3yiz0vUo
Does anyone know if Google plans to correct this?
Tank's
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From the video, it appears that this relates to a particular app (mini piano), so in that case, I'm not sure why it's Google's responsibility to improve the responsiveness of a third party piece of software.
That said, there are some very basic reasons for why iOS will invariably be smoother and more responsive than Android almost 100% of the time.
Put simply, iOS and Android both began their respective development at totally different times. Android started development during a time when the market was saturated with keyboard-centric devices like Blackberry's and such. There wasn't a whole lot of touch-screen proliferation, and even then, those devices with touch screens were still very proprietary and basically none of them offered multi-touch. As such, Android was never originally designed for multi-touch screens; that kind of functionality is more of an evolutionary adaptation than anything else really. Android's core design principles focus on multi-tasking and cloud service connectivity in order to maximize productivity. That's why Android has always more effortlessly been good at both of those things.
iOS on the other hand was designed from ground up to be used on a multi-touch user interface. As such, iOS products have been more focused on being UI-centric, while other functions take a lower priority. Basically, when the user interacts with the screen of an iOS device, the system will drop everything it's doing (if need be) just to make sure that the UI runs smoothly. For example, say you try to interact with a webpage as it's loading on an iOS device. The device will actually stop loading the page, as long as you are touching the device to interact with it. As soon as you're no longer touching it, the page will continue to load. This is also why multi-tasking was more of an afterthought than a core principle with iOS. Apple could have easily implemented some form of multi-tasking right with their first iPhone, but considering the resource limitations at the time, that would have come at the cost of an interface that wouldn't have been as smooth or responsive.
So, to sum up:
Generally speaking, iOS will almost ALWAYS have a smoother and more responsive touch interface than Android has (unless Google basically rebuilds Android for touch screens from ground up).
That said, Android will almost ALWAYS be a better at multi-tasking and integrating cloud services than iOS (unless Apple decides to basically rebuild iOS from ground up with a bigger focus on those services).
Which is better than the other? Well, that's up to you really; it's totally subjective. If you want a simple to use UI which is smooth and responsive, then maybe iOS is better suited for you. If a more diverse ecosystem with endless customization options and very powerful multi-tasking beasts are important enough that you can accept a reasonable cost in the UI smoothness, then Android is your best bet.
thank you for taking the time to respond
for this video, I tried a dozen pianos Android and I chose the one with the least latency.
The latency of Android is a real handicap. I am shocked that no one cares.
For my part I think this problem is caused by drivers
I know this is not comparable, but on PC there is ASIO4All, a pilot able to remove this latency (but just for Audio).
I have a Galaxy Note and I hope that Google will improve this problem.
The reason Google hasn't fixed this issue is because in order to fix this issue the Android UI would have to be completely reprogrammed to accommodate a fix. If they reprogram in that manner then it would basically make every device after the reprogram a legacy device and every application would have to be rewritten.
Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk
"If they reprogram in that manner then it would basically make every device after the reprogram a legacy device and every application would have to be rewritten."
So if I understand it, Android will stay soft?
I am shocked to hear that. If true, I would not give much of its future.
Some applications are unusable with this latency, Apple can rest wisely. this is sad.
I read about it in an article from an interview with an ex Google employee. He said that a complete rewrite of the OS would have to take place
Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk
Thank you for this information.
But in this article it says that ICS has undergone a complete rewrite. What do you think ?
http://www.brucebnews.com/2011/10/new-iphone-new-android-phones-new-windows-phones/
you should read record this video using a galaxy nexus. There is a lot less latency than you show on your video using 'mini piano lite '
It is impossible that you have touched an iPhone, otherwise you would not say that.
Everything I touch on my note have latency compared to the iPhone. And whatever the rom flashed.
To prove that I am not the only one to rave :
http://www.musiquetactile.fr/android-is-far-behind-ios/

What Android users can expect from Google I/O 2012

SOURCE : Kickedface
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All eyes of the Android faithful will be squarely on Google this week, as the company is holding its annual Google I/O event in San Francisco. The three-day conference starts Wednesday and is aimed at developers, but is often used as a stage to show off new device and platform offerings for both consumers and enterprises alike.
Here’s a look at what is likely to be introduced even though Google could yet have some additional surprises. Source : GigaOm
An incremental software upgrade
Don’t expect to see or hear about Android 5.0. Instead, Google is more likely to show off Android 4.1, which goes by the code name of Jelly Bean. As a result, this won’t be an overhaul of Android like the jump from Honeycomb (Android 3.0) to Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0). I’m anticipating some minor visual updates to start; possibly some tweaked user interface element styles with a frosted glass, more industrial look.
With this being a developer event, Google should introduce some new APIs that allow programmers to tap into more of the features and functions of Android devices. One of those could be tied to an updated Google Voice Search app that is part search, part hands-free controller and part assistant, much like Apple’s Siri. At a minimum, I expect improved voice control features and I hope that Google opens up the functionality for third-party programmers to add in to their software.
Google’s GSM Galaxy Nexus is sure to first get Android 4.1 — possibly this week — but I anticipate another device to soon ship with Jelly Bean, directly from Google.
A showcase tablet: The Nexus 7
What better way to show off Android 4.1 than with a new device direct from the Google Play store? Look for a 7-inch tablet built by Asus for Google to be sold directly to consumers at a compelling price point. Early leaks haven’t been confirmed, but the alleged Nexus 7 is likely to be powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 3, use a 1280 x 800 IPS screen, and come in two models: 8 GB for $199 and 16 GB for $249. I’m hopeful that the device will offer a microSD card expansion slot when announced.
Although Google is expected to sell its slate via the web, I think there’s a reasonable chance that it announces some retail partnerships as well. A 7-inch Android tablet would compete against other small consumption-oriented slates available in various brick-and-mortar stores in addition to the web. Think of Amazon’s Kindle Fire and the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet: Both can be test driven in stores, which helps customers make a better purchasing decision.
Other possibilities
I anticipate that at least in some small form, Google adds more integration between Android and Chrome. It could be an updated version of Chrome for Android, or perhaps the removal of the apps beta tag. Additionally, at some point, the stock web browser in Android is likely to give way to Chrome, and that could happen with Android 4.1
Those waiting for another Nexus handset are likely to be disappointed. Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus, while lacking in some aspects compared to the new Galaxy S III is still expected to be Google’s flagship phone. Google is more likely to introduce a new Nexus handset when it debuts the next major release of Android.
I foresee an off chance that Android 4.1 brings about more integration between an a phone and tablet both running the same operating system. With the Chrome browser, you can already open a tab on your phone and then view it on a tablet, but Google could add support for saving an app state in Android 4.1, allowing you to pick up one one device where you left off on another in nearly any supported app.
Google Docs on mobile devices could gain improved features thanks to Google’s purchase of Quickoffice earlier this month. I don’t think that Google will release any new functionality yet as it hasn’t had much time to integrate Quickoffice with Google Docs for mobile, but it could demonstrate what’s coming soon.
One other tidbit that Google will surely deliver: Plenty of numbers. Expect the company to tout the fast growing Android user base, which I anticipate is now a million device activations per day.

Rumor: Android 4.2 to Introduce Enhanced Google Now, Project Roadrunner and More

SOURCE : Kickedface
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WARNING: This post contains rumors and speculation from Android Insiders. If you do not want to know about Android 4.2 then do not read this story and unplug from the Internets. You have been warned – the goods are after the jump. Thanks to androidandme for digging this up!
There is so much to cover in this rumor report that we are going to use a slightly different format. We will list each rumored feature individually and then break it down before moving on to the next.
NEW NEXUS PROGRAM
Rumor: As previously reported, any manufacturer can produce a Nexus device or a Nexus version of an existing device. They work closely with Google on the hardware and driver details (there is a more efficient solution for this in 5.0), but Google is responsible for the updates (don’t know how the carriers factor in). The phones don’t necessarily have to have “Nexus” as part of their name, it works more like a certificate like “HD Ready”.
The devices have to fulfill some basic requirements. The phone has to ship with a stock version of Android, it needs to have the hardware power to run all “Nexus Games”, and they have to support Google Wallet, aka have NFC.
There are two carrots on a stick that probably make the Nexus brand a huge selling point. Google Play gets expanded with a media streaming service component and there will be games that only work on Nexus devices. The streaming service uses the secure memory, making it harder to pirate the content. No word of the type or source of the media, but it seems to be a big deal.
Speculation: This info is all over the map, but it lines up with previous reports. It sounds like Google is going to encourage manufacturers to join their Nexus program, but it will be optional. If manufacturers meet a list of requirements, then they can become Nexus certified and gain access to new services and features.
It almost sounds like the list of requirements that Google currently places on OEMs in order for them to gain access to Google services like the Play store. This will now create a second tier certification program that manufactures have the choice of participating in. OEMs can offer a device that meets the basic requirements and gain access to the Google Play store, and if they include additional elements they get access to the Nexus certification
NEW CUSTOMIZATION CENTER
Rumor: There is a new Customization Center, where you can change ringtones, language packs, background, launchers, and so on. There is nothing too sophisticated (for now). The center is mainly a convenient way to enable the average customer to do some basic customizations. The range of options can be expanded via Google Play of course. However, there are two new features: templates that change the appearance of all (newly introduced) dynamic icons at once, and post filters that change the appearance of the whole UI – think of Instagram.
The manufacturers may provide their custom UI through the Customization Center, but they don’t have to. When Google upgrades Android and a manufacturer fails to provide a compatible version of their custom UI the device reverts simply to the stock UI (or the user waits with the upgrade until the manufacturer catches up).
Speculation: This sounds like a dream come true. Google may have finally provided a solution to the manufactures that allows consumers to update the base Android operating system, without having to wait on the OEMs to update their skins.
NEW PROJECT ROADRUNNER
Rumor: There is major effort to improve the battery life called Project Roadrunner.
Speculation: Details are pretty light on this one, but it sounds like Project Roadrunner will enhance battery life the same way that Project Butter enhanced the overall responsiveness in Android 4.1.
UPDATED GOOGLE PLAY
Rumor: Google Play is enhanced with new features like personalized search, optional promotional campaigns with notification center integration, more billing options, and easier in-app micro-transactions.
Speculation: We don’t have much to add, but we like anything that will help developers generate more revenue.
UPDATED GOOGLE NOW
Rumor: Google Now provides help for basic OS functions, aka “Where can I activate bluetooth?” or “How can I tone down the brightness?”, to make it easy for newbies to settle in.
Speculation: No surprise here. Google said they would be updating Google Now and we expected to be able to control system level functions.
UPDATED VIDEO PLAYER
Rumor: The stock video player app gets a major revamp and provides new APIs for other video services to tie in.
Speculation: Again there is not much to add, but androidandme believe this is part of a bigger media streaming service that Google will soon offer.
DRIVE-BY CONCLUSIONS
Please keep in mind that all of this should only be considered a rumor, but this source has been on the money with previous information. Some of the details are so specific that I have a hard time believing they are just making this up as they go along. The source also shared quite a bit of information about Android 5.0 that we left out so we could focus on the next release.
Hello users with Android 4.2.
By now we are certain that Google has handed out new Nexus devices to their employees who are currently testing Android 4.2. Androidandme have monitored quite a few visits to their site over the last month, but the number of hits from Android 4.2 really started to pick up this week.
I’m not sure if I believe every detail that is included with this report, but all the signs are pointing to some major changes to the Nexus program and the core Android OS. Some of these changes are so big that we wonder if they will even be included with Android 4.2 or be held for Android 5.0.
We previously speculated that a lot of the things in Android 4.2 would be geared towards laying the groundwork for Android 5.0. It is possible that a lot of these new features will only be visible on Nexus devices, while standard devices would be left without them.
The whole concept of a Nexus certification program sounds like Google is putting their foot down and taking more control of the Android experience. Even though the program might optional, hopefully the consumers will realize the benefits of a “Nexus ready” device versus something that is just Android-based.
This sounds neat
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2
Here is a video about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6QnTdY5vUI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
uhmm!
Sound nice!
Thanks for the info

[ MUST READ ] 11 Features of Android [ 4.4 ] Kitkat

Hi guys .. this is my first post ...
11 features of Android 4.4 Kitkat​
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First what is Kitkat :​It is an android version which was released after Jelly bean ........ The latest version of android tooo
Many of them will have seen ...... Jelly bean and Ice cream sandwich .....
But this kitkat is very special and fullly Themed ..... :silly:
Google has confirmed that Android 4.4 KitKat will be the next edition of the world's most popular smartphone operating system.
The next version of Android was widely tipped to be known as Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, but after some deliberation Google opted for a more recognisable name confirmed the change after reaching a deal with Nestle.
Features and release date of Android 4.4 KitKat are yet to be released, but the mobile OS is expected to arrive before the end of the year, mostly likely debuting on the next Nexus branded handset.
I had compiled a list of 12 other improvements we'd like to see in Android 4.4. Do you agree? Are there any features you'd like to see Google introduce? Let us know below.
Features of Kitkat :
12. Improved security
Despite its popularity, security is still a core problem for the Android platform. This is primarily down to the Google Play store being a infiltrated with apps containing malware malware, but isn’t the only cause.
Most recently, Bluebox Security discovered a “Master Key” flaw, which means that 99 per cent of devices vulnerable (900 million) can be hacked. A patch is being rolled out as we speak, it’s another major sign that Google needs to do more to ensure its devices are safer.​
11. Performance profiles
We’ve already got the ability to toggle between silent and flight mode, but enhanced profiles which can be customised to alter the performance levels of the device will be invaluable as they can help to save battery life or boost CPU speeds for complex tasks .
OEMs such as Motorola and Samsung already offer users things such as Blocking Mode and Smart Actions, respectively. We would like to see Google step up and offer a variety of modes built into Android, especially for its Nexus range. These will allow the user to save battery overnight, turn up performance when carrying using the device for gaming/multimedia and settings for in between.​
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
10. Beef up Google Now
Google Now was introduced in 2011 as part of Android Jelly Bean 4.1, but it's usefulness is largely restricted to the US.
In the UK, the software primarily functions as a reminder tool for events you may have – and is always on hand to show you how long it will take to get home from any given location. We expect Google to make some more partnership announcements, which will extend the usefulness of Now outside of the grand ol’ USA.​
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9. Ability to turn off OEM skins on any device
When Android 4.4 KitKat launches, it is expected to arrive on a brand-new handset carrying Google’s 'Nexus' branding.
Likely to be dubbed the Nexus 5, this smartphone will ship with the vanilla version of Android, and will be developer friendly. OEMs such as HTC, LG and Samsung will place their custom skins over the top of Android KitKat when it is released on their handsets to differentiate them.
It would be good if Google built-in a master switch into Android, giving users the choice to switch off these OEM skins without having to root devices.
The chances of this happening though are virtually zero. OEMs such as HTC and Samsung add features which will only work with their respective skins active, and they are not going to want to let users disable them. Google is unlikely to pull rank on its partners too – as it feels that one of the strengths of the operating system is its customisation​
8. Child/Business-friendly modes as standard
Kids Corner was a useful feature that Microsoft introduced in the Windows Phone 8 OS. Microsoft effectively built a sandbox into the mobile OS, allowing users to lockdown sensitive information like emails, while allowing kids to access features such as games. It would be good to see Google incorporate a similar feature into Android.
BlackBerry built-in its Balance feature into Z10 smartphones. This allows IT admins to separate business and personal data – and means that employees cannot copy sensitive information from one side to the other. It also means when a user leaves an organisation, the business side of the handset can be wiped without affecting the personal information.
Samsung is already trying to make inroads into the enterprise by launching a Secured Edition of Android known as Knox. This aims to replicate the functionality of BlackBerry Balance, so it is possible to do so. ​
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7. Find my Droid
You'd expect a simple feature like this to be included in a comprehensive system such as Android, but it has yet to materialise.
With the firm’s extensive mapping service, and GPS included into handset, it shouldn’t be too much of a stretch for Google to build this functionality into the heart of the OS.
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6. Revamped messaging
This is the feature which has been talked about extensively, due to information leaking. It will be interesting to see to how Google goes about tackling messaging in a world where apps such as Whatsapp dominate.
Google's "Babel” service is expected to allow users to access messages across Android smartphones and tablets. The web giant is also tipped to launch clients for other popular platforms such as iOS.
Folks over at the Google Operating System blog found a javascript file on Gmail servers appearing to confirm the existence of Babel and some of the key features it will include:
Redesigned conversation-based UI
Access conversation lists from smartphones, tablet and PCs
Advanced group conversations
Ability to send pictures
Improved notifications across devices
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5. Offline maps and better control over location settings
Nokia has been leading the way in this field by allowing users to download comprehensive guidance and then use it for free offline. Google already offers comprehensive guidance through its Maps and Navigation apps, but it does crunch through battery when in use.
Privacy hasn't been a strong point for Google, with the firm receiving numerous fines about collecting data from individuals. A way in which Google could try and rebuild its privacy image would be to let users choose whether they want to share their location.
iOS already allows users to turn off location services on individual apps if they choose to. This feature would be welcome on Android so you don’t have all your apps sending off data. Of course it would help to save battery life too.
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4. Improved battery life and performance
There are whispers that Google will upgrade the framework of Android to the Linux 3.8 Kernel. What does this mean for regular users?
In short, such an upgrade should make Android less memory hungry. Devices should become more efficient as they gobble up less RAM for tasks and inturn this should result in improved battery life.
Google introduced its Project Butter initiate with Jelly Bean to help solve the latency issues Android was experiencing. This has gone a long way toward reducing the perceived “lag” associated with Android. Improvements to Butter are expected.​
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3. Enhanced multitasking
Android has been at the forefront of mobile computing when it comes to features such as multitasking. Users are able to run multiple apps at the same time and flick between them.
With the forthcoming Galaxy S4, Samsung will allow users to snap two apps onto the screen of the 5in device, so they can be used at the same time. It’ll be possible to watch videos when replying to emails, or surf the internet and make notes.
It would be great to see Google take the initiative and make a multitasking feature like this standard across all high-end handsets.
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2. Complete Android backup
Although it is possible to sync key features such as contacts and apps with a Gmail account – a full blown native backup is lacking from Android handsets.
When you switch between Android handsets, photos, music and text messages are lost in the transition, as are any customisations you have made.
Apple already has a cloud backup service, which works well when you upgrade your iPhone– and we hope Google will introduce something similar to this with Android KitKat.​
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1: Its nothing to say .... it's really awesome in gaming performance and camera has a fully themed and enhanced Digital quality ..... as per for nexus 5 in screenshot
Moto G [ 4.4 ] Kitkat :
Moto g comes with android 4.4.2 ... which got a big hit in market
Cyanogen mod 11
Cyanogen mod 11 is the version of kitkat ...for all supported devices
Feel 4.4.2
Hit thanks if i gave some useful information
Hacking is the feel of Myself ... and yourself
Where is LINK CM 11??? Please give me please...
Sent from my GT-I8262 using XDA Free mobile app
[email protected] said:
Where is LINK CM 11??? Please give me please...
Sent from my GT-I8262 using XDA Free mobile app
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Grate review!
Really great thread didn't knew about many. cheers for you

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