27 Aug 2010

Android Device Database

27 Aug 2010

evolution of Android (part 3)

Amplify’d from techshake2.blogspot.com
How many versions does Android have? 
Technically, the answer is very simple, but theoretically speaking it’s a bit complicated. The simple answer is 4 versions of Android OS, namely 1.5 Cupcake, 1.6 Donut, 2.0/2.1 Eclair & 2.2 Froyo. The complicated answer is that many phones were running a lot of developer versions of the Android OS. For example, 1.1 was to first to show up on prototypes. However, the phones started showing up in the market only with 1.5 Cupcake, as the earlier version was unstable. So also is the case with the versions from 1.7 - 1.9. I tried very hard to get you some pictures of the interfaces but it seems it looks quite similar to its next successful version. 

You can also look at the Android OS version wise distribution on the Android Developers page here.

November, 2007 - Android 0 - Android 1.1

A preview release of the Android software development kit (SDK) was released in November, 2007. Several months later (mid-August 2008) the Android 0.9 SDK (software development kit) beta was released. The following month (late-September 2008) the Android 1.0 SDK (Release 1) was released. Still in the prototype stage, it was a very primary stage with layers of APIs included was just bout 2. 


Six months later (early-March 2009), Google released version 1.1 for the Android “dev phone”. The Android 1.1 system image delivered an updated version of the framework API.


April, 2009 - 1.5 Cupcake

Android OS 1.5 (Cupcake) based on the Linux Kernel 2.6.27, officially released on the 30th of April, 2009, to developers and the SDK was available for download on the Android Developer site. This OS was an updated version of the prototype 1.1 and boasted of many new features including a brand new User Interface. 


Other additions included video recording and playback (MPEG-4 & 3GP formats), sync to Google account and upload to YouTube directly, Bluetooth A2DP support and improved home screen animations. Auto complete and text predictions were available but not fully accurate. 

September, 2009 - 1.6 Donut

Based on the Linux kernel 2.6.29, 1.6 Donut surely was a better running, improved performance and an enhanced feel Android OS. The main improvements included expanded search framework, text to speech engine and an improved and faster Android Market. 

The Gesture framework and GestureBuilder Development tool was one of the main enhancements of this version. Android 1.6 also provided a much faster camera experience. Compared to the previous releases, launching the camera became 39% faster, and there was a 28% improvement in the time from completing one shot to the next. This version was also a turning point for developers as the API level was 4 and the platform was more tightly knit with the apps running on it. 

October, 2009 - 2.0/2.1 Eclair

Eclair was based on the same Linux kernel as with 1.6 Donut, but was a completely refreshed look and feel UI. Enhancements like Microsoft Exchange support, multiple accounts support, support for more screen sizes and resolutions, conversational style messaging etc. The platform was also optimised to use the hardware better and thus improved the performance and the speed of the OS overall. 

The UI was revised, and the browser now supported HTML5. Backgrounds had a better white-black ratio and the display was accelerated and crisp. An updated version of Google Maps (3.1.2) was offered along with the update. Other additions include live wallpapers, Bluetooth 2.1 and an enhanced virtual keyboard as well as the enhancement of MotionEvent class. The 2.0.1 SDK was released on 3 December 2009 and the 2.1 SDK was released on 12 January 2010. Most Android handsets today run Android 2.1, and it is considered to be of the most stable build of the Android arsenal. 

May, 2010 - 2.2 Froyo

On 20th May, 2010 the 2.2 Frozen Yogurt (Froyo) SDK was released, at the Google I/O Summit. Based on the Linux Kernel 2.6.32, Froyo’s biggest hype as yet, is it’s support for Flash 10.1. Froyo will also bring Increased Microsoft Exchange support like security policies, auto-discovery, GAL look-up, calendar synchronization, remote wipe etc. apart from the significant performance and hardware optimizations, Froyo will be the only Android OS to have full integration with Chrome’s VB JavaScript engine, into the browser application.
 

The best part is that Apps2SD functionality will finally make it possible for apps to be directly installed on the SD card rather than the phone memory. USB tethering and Wi-Fi hotspot functionality coupled with Voice dialing over Bluetooth are some of the coolest features that Froyo has. Nexus One and Motorola Droid have already been updated to Froyo and many others should be updated to the latest version of Android, in the coming weeks/months. 

I really hope that you have thoroughly enjoyed this extensively researched ‘History of Android’. You can always get all this information and more detailed specs on each Android release on the Android Developers page. Let me know what you feel about this article.
Read more at techshake2.blogspot.com

27 Aug 2010

evolution of Android (part 2)

Amplify’d from techshake2.blogspot.com

There were so many prototypes seen around this time, but not until the Google I/O conference 2008, where T-Mobile HTC G1 touch screen phone, running a Qualcomm 200MHZ processor, 256 MB of flash, and 128 MB of RAM was unveiled, did people actually see it in action. This phone was among the first to run the Android OS 1.0. The G1 has been upgraded loads of times ever since, and the latest version runs the 2.1 Eclair.

December, 2008 - The Neo Freerunner


Openmoko, a phone company, announced that it would be implementing basic Android features into its phones, the Neo FreeRunner and the Neo 1973. This version of the device had a 640×480 Touchscreen, an ARM9 Processor running at 400 MHz, both 2D and 3D acceleration, Triband GSM, 1200 mAh battery, 128 MB SRAM, 256 MB NAND Flash, microSD Slot, 2.5mm Headset jack, external GPS antenna connection, Wifi (802.11 b/g), Bluetooth 2.0 and 3axis motion sensors. A pretty impressive device if you ask me.

January, 2009 - World’s Second Android phone


The Kogan Arora and the Kogan Arora Pro from Kogan Technologies, an Australian phone manufacturer, announced that these Android run phones should be available by January 29th, 2009. They advertised it as world’s second Android phone, but I highly doubt that claim, and so do many others. 

Both the Kogan Arora and the Kogan Arora Pro featured 262K color QVGA touchscreen displays, QWERTY keyboards, quad-band GSM and tri-band 3G (HSDPA) support, Bluetooth 2.0, FM radio and a microSD memory card slots.

February, 2009 - HTC Magic does the magic!!!


HTC, the founding members of the OHA, released the Magic on networks across US, Canada, & Europe. Guess what? It becomes an instant hit! This Android handset ran initially on Android OS 1.5 Cupcake and later due to much hype coupled with demand they released them with 1.6 Donut. Very similar to the G1 except for the slide out QWERTY keypad, also an upgrade from the G1 specs.

April, 2009 - HTC Hero a.k.a. Droid Eris 
The Hero has two design versions. The original design is similar in form factor to the Magic, while the U.S. release design is more curved at the edges and has the controversial "chin" removed. Both use HTC's customised UI called HTC Sence, which looks absolutely advanced from the earlier HTC phone versions.
 


Both these devices ran on Android OS 1.5 Cupcake and till recently could be upgraded to the
 later versions of Android, but HTC isn’t sure whether these will get Android 2.2 Froyo.

November, 2009 - Motorola Droid/Milestone & Google Nexus One
Android finally received a big boost with Motorola’s Droid and Google Nexus One, entering the US and European markets at a time when IPhone was the coolest thing around. Originally running on Android OS 2.0 and then released with versions of 2.1 Eclair, both these phones made an irreversible dent in the smartphone market owned by Apple, Nokia, Blackberry and Microsoft.


The Google Nexus One officially became the first phone to be sold as a Google phone since the rumours that started back in 2008. It was also the first phone to receive the first ever update of the Android OS 2.2 Froyo.
 

So you’ve seen the evolution of handsets. Let’s now finally look at the Android OS itself in Part - III
Read more at techshake2.blogspot.com

27 Aug 2010

History and evolution of Android (part 1)

Amplify’d from techshake2.blogspot.com
Have you ever had some basic questions like how did Android begin, or what were the earlier versions of Android like? Through this article I want to dig deeper into this by going back to what happened and how things turned the way it did. Hope these questions help you understand more about Google's crown jewel, 'Android'.

What is Android and was it invented by Google?
Android is a Linux based mobile OS, originally created and owned by Android Inc. a small software company based out of Palo Alto, California. The 'then' version of Android was basically built on the motto of providing a basic, flexible and upgradable OS to mobile phone providers and carriers. But not for long, the innocence of the original team and agenda was lost forever, due to these coming up events.

July, 2005 - Google Acquires Android Inc.
Google's ambition to enter the mobile market was then thought of as a foolish move as companies like Microsoft and Apple were already in the middle of a war and Symbian was almost the most commonly found mobile OS. Post the takeover, rumours after rumours generated with news of Google is to launch its own handsets, with its own proprietary OS. It did not catch on much until....

November, 2007 - OHA Formed


OHA short for Open Handset Alliance was a partnership of 65 hardware, software, and Mobile Carrier companies, including big-wigs like HTC, Motorola, Qualcomm, Intel, T-mobile etc, and of course Google whose objectives were set for  higher open standards for mobile devices and smartphones.

November, 2007 - Android Announced 
With the news of this alliance of industry biggies, Google popped the cherry and announced its initiative on Android. Android, a mobile device platform built on the Linux kernel was a promise to the world that it will be the first Open Source Mobile Operating System.

October, 2008 - Android is Opened up


Delivering on it’s promise, Google finally, released the code of Android under Apache License, a free software and open source license, starting October 2008. Under the Apache License, private companies could now add on their own applications and extensions and sell them, without having to submit them to the open-source community.

So, now you know how Android became the Android of today. Next, we will look at the earliest versions and the earliest phones.Read more at techshake2.blogspot.com

antonius alves's Space

Licenciado em Línguas e Literaturas Clássicas.
Professor.
Interessado em: tecnologia, arte, viagens, música eletrónica, animação, cinema...