History And Facts of Android

Android being its journey as a small startup company based in Palo Alto, California, USA. In 2005 Google took the initials to acquire the small company, hence added variety in its business portfolio. The members who decided to merge with Google with this acquisition were Andy Rubin (co-founder of Danger), Rich Miner (co-founder of Wildfire communication Inc), Nick Sear(X VP of T-Mobile) and Chris White (Head of design and interface development at WebTV). This acquisition spread the rumors that Google had plans of entering in the mobile business as android was a company that made software’s for Cellular Companies.

History of Android

Today android is known powerhouse in the mobile space. Andy Rubin’s first work with android was a Linux-Based operating system; with the target market were the handset makers and carriers. The OP was cored to be adaptable. Year after Google introduced the OP, group of companies such as Google, HTC, Motorola, Intel, Qualcomm, Spring Nextel, T-Mobile, and NVIDIA, merged together to form an open handset Alliance. There goal was to develop a handset for opened standards based on the Linux Kernel. The committee of Open Standards constitutes of 79 companies (mobile and technology), who intensify innovation in mobile, making the consumers experience with mobile user-friendly.

Since October 2008 Android as been available as an open source software and ASOP (Android Open Source Project) is responsible for the maintenance and development of Android. Currently android is offering 200,000 applications through its offline and online market which are operated under Google.

Near the end of December 2008 on 3rd December it was announced that 14 new companies would join the Android Package. The timeline of Android has seen many changes during its original publication, these changes typically are adding new feature and fixing bugs. Code names are used for updating on android; each code name is based on a dessert item. The coding is done in alphabetical orders.

On 9th February 2009 Android 1.1 updated version of Android was released for T-Mobile G1. The new system was able to resolve multiple issues, hide/unhide the dailpad included in the call menu, API changes, Maps, adds details and review, saving attachments from MMS, support for Marquee in layouts.

Furthermore on 30 April 2009 the cupcake (1.5) update for Android was released based on the Linux Kernel 2.6.27, the new features were more attractive for the user as some of them included the ability to upload videos to YouTube and Pictures to Picasa directly from the phone, Recording and watching videos from camcorder, Bluetooth A2DP, automatic connection the Bluetooth headset within a certain distance, animated screen transitions, New folders and widgets that can populate the home screen and lastly softer keyboard with text prefigure.

During the month of September 2009 Donut (1.6) was released, the updates included the speedy searching and camera applications, multiple photo deletion options (mark all, mark), integrated camera, camcorder and gallery interface, improved android market experience.

0n October 2009 the Éclair (2.0) was released the updates included new contact list and browser UI ; modify hardware speed, with support for more screen size and resolutions, live wallpaper, Bluetooth 2.1, updated virtual keyboard, digital zoom, built in flash (camera) support, cleared Google map 3.1.2, motion event class and finally the Microsoft exchange server by exchange active sync.

Moving on the OS committee introduced the 2.0.1 SDK on 3rd December 2009 and 2.1 SDK was released last year on 12th January2010, leading the release of Froyo on 20th May 2010, the most noticeable change in this version was then Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, expandable memory, support for numeric and alphanumeric passwords, voice dialing and contact sharing over Bluetooth, fast switching between keyboards for language change and dictionaries, Adobe Flash 10.1, extra high DPI screen, shortcuts to phone and browser application, modified Microsoft exchange support, Optimized android speed, memory and performance and lastly the integration of chromes V8 JavaScript engine into the browser application.

Recently on 6th December 2010 the team released the Gingerbread SDK (2.3) the alterations included; the improved user interface design, system-wide copy paste functionalities, co-occurring garbage collection for better performance, redesigned multi-touch software keyboard, support for near field communication, input enhancement for the game developers, extra large screen size and resolution WXGA and higher, domestic support for SIP and VoIP telephony, new audio moves such as reverb, equalization, headphone virtualization and bass boost, improved support for domestic code development and support for WebM/VP8 video call back and AAC audio coding.

Domestic support for the multiple cameras and improved power management applications and the feasibility of longer running. Among some of the planned change for the updated android 3.0 (Honey comb) include the polished multi-tasking, three dimensional desktop, Video chat via Google TALK. The latest of the update would be introduced in mid of 2011 named the Ice-cream sandwich.