When Android software 2.2 was released (Froyo), the aesthetic improvements, interface touch-ups, and general refinement of the software impressed both Android fans and the critics.
Now, next in the line of Android succession, named accordingly in Google’s alphabetically ordered dessert fashion, ‘Gingerbread’ specs and details have officially leaked. To get an idea of how important that is to the average Android user, imagine your phone running a version of steroid-infused Froyo, plus Google Voice calling over WiFi and built in video chat.
That’s how great you can expect Gingerbread to be. The good folks over at Phandroid have provided us with some additional details, accompanied by an extremely fuzzy picture.
Some of the features reportedly shipping with Gingerbread include cleaner and redesigned icons, an updated notifications bar, better integration from Google apps, and lists will now bounce when pulled (similar to iOS). Also, there will be an integrated Google TV app that will serve as a controller to your Google TV provider.
Another interesting update to Android is the gradual conversion to the color green for substantial visuals within the system, which will now be the color that the OS generally centers around. Phandroid pointed out that “the whole interface looks more unified with green becoming the most prominent color.”
One of my biggest complaints with the current Android experience is the unfortunate amount of lag and choppiness of the OS. I’ve never really felt the Google has done everything possible to remedy this issue, even though manufacturers themselves have somewhat improved the speed of the devices. When comparing say, a Droid Eris, to a Motorola Droid 2, the Droid 2 is surely faster, but I’m convinced that has nothing to do with the OS itself–it’s the processor. A 1GHz snapdragon is obviously going to have plenty of power, whether you’re playing a game or browsing the web.
However, when comparing a Droid 2 to an iPhone 4 or even presumably a Windows Phone 7 device, Android’s interface lag becomes extremely apparent. This certainly hasn’t stopped people from purchasing Android phones–Google’s smartphone market-share is growing faster than almost all its competition. Still, lag is a fairly prominent issue, and there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic that Google will work to resolve it.
We can only hope and pray Gingerbread is a smoother, faster version of Froyo. Fortunately, we should anticipate that Google won’t disappoint; in the past, their updates have been phenomenal. Android fans should rejoice, as Gingerbread looks to be a major improvement in one of the most popular smartphone brands available.
For more info. on Google Android, check out Exploring the HTC G2 (T-Mobile) and Desire HD Becomes HTC’s Android Flagship in Europe.
via Gizmodo
