Android 3.0 has its spots rough - in many places, in fact. It seems on the surface, but he needs to work under. And around the edges. And…Well, simply that I am pleased that 3.1 is here.
We now have more information about Android 3.1 brings to the party, with the complete review, notes on the Google developers site and changes are deeper and more important than Google implied.
The first big news is that this fixed version in fact default 3.0 that caused images make evil in the application of the gallery. I noticed this shortcoming many times - in part because it feels like such an obvious on a start smear otherwise solid platform of 3.x in nest of bee/Android. While Google has not taken much too many details on what caused the problem first, I have confirmation from Google that 3.1 should resolve this problem. I can some assumptions, but in the end, what is important, it is set - this is why I am looking forward to try 3.1 on an array of tablets and see how to view my photos.
Other additions to 3.1 include support for the accessory open and host USB APIs. By building the USB stack honeycomb, the platform now gets USB host capability and tablets running honeycomb now have level support operating system for the management of the USB devices - including joysticks, joysticks and storage devices - directly. Technical words aside, this means that 3.1 Android tablets can feed the other gadgets via USB.
The newly introduced Open incidental feature aims to integrate devices such as music equipment, robotics and systems in the compressed universe exercise machines (and telephone), via USB.
It's all good news, but there is a single capture: Android 3.1 still is would, at the level of the operating system, management of external storage devices. This detail out in conversations that I had today with Google engineers, explains why the Android file system organization is, thus, a mess and why I had such experiences incompatible with Android and removable storage through various tablets honeycomb I tried (and I tried all those available for) (the moment).
"We do not want to expose the user to the location of the files", explained Hiroshi Lockheimer, Director of engineering at Google. "How are you doing that, as that user?" "The non-bonne answer is with the file browser". Lockheimer says that many of the experiments I've seen so far are that individual equipment manufacturers were allowed, as opposed to what Google has provided in native mode. The good thing is that Lockheimer says that Google looks at ways to achieve this; but the problem has not been resolved yet.
Another element of the update of USB connectivity is the addition of a Media Transfer Protocol, to define how applications can be informed when external cameras are attached and removed. The MTP also governs access to and manage the files and associated metadata stored on attached cameras. This real-world applications are exciting: for example, fans can now easily view images and share in the field, taking advantage of the large screen of the Tablet and the honeycomb ability to view EXIF data in the application of the gallery.
Performance tweaks are also abundant. Google has made improvements in 3.1 Android animation framework, so that animations - such as the one that see you when you click on the Apps menu button at the top of the home screen - flow more smoothly rightcorner. And now you can scroll through the list of recently accessed applications that appears when you click on the button of task-switcher. More recently open applications get priority; Unfortunately, there is no way to manage applications show and in what order - you cannot delete an application from this screen entirely.
Also new: The Home screen widgets can be resized horizontally or vertically, or both. This change allows more flexibility and customization in the layout of the screen, and this means that developers can create widgets that allow you to make better use of available space.
This may seem small tweaks, but this is where many of the improvements are - in small details. As the addition of two new audio formats: AAC ADTS streaming audio and audio FLAC. Real-Time Transport Protocol API support for best-app data manipulation at the request of streaming for VOIP, push-to-talk, conferences and audio streaming applications. The ability for developers to improve how apps can locally cache data to minimize the time to download via a network connection. And the browser gains Web, among the other minutiae, the ability to play back embedded HTML 5 video inline - with hardware acceleration where possible.
Sounds like a lot? We will see how it looks on the shelves in honeycomb. And don't forget, this is simply an intermediate version of OS. Lockheimer confirms will, finally, tablets honeycomb migrate to ice cream Sandwich - a next major update for Android that will unify the Tablet PC and smartphone OS - versions all as gingerbread phones will migrate to ice cream Sandwich. The migration is expected to begin towards the end of 2011.
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