Google has recently announced the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean which is seen by many experts as the next big thing in the world of Android. Although there are only a number of optimizations and features which are introduced in the system, there are no major changes or functionality that is introduced here. The Android 4.1 update would be made available to the developers by mid-July and seem to have much more promising and innovative features.
Built on the core of Android 4.0 ICS, the 4.1 Jelly bean is seen as the major facelift of the ICS. Google is desperately trying to take on with the iOS and has introduced a number of features which are much better then iOS, Windows or BlackBerry.
So here we introduce you some of features which are a part of Android 4.1 and can take on the other OS platforms for mobile:
Smart Widgets: The Google in its statement describing the Android 4.1, has said that the new OS would have the capability of automatically aligning the widgets based on the user preferences and interests. There are APIs that have been developed by the search giant that would let you take the advantage of this functionality. You can play online games on it very smoothly over Wi-Fi or 3G. Apple on the other hand, has not embraced for the resizable widgets in its latest offering, iOS 6.
Google Beam: This is the most anticipated feature that is being expected out of the Jelly bean. The Google Beam allows you to share your images, audio, video and other digital data at the lightening speeds. The Beam uses the NFC which is an effective alternative to the Bluetooth. Google is going an extra mile in the area of NFC Smartphone Integration where a number of tasks are done at the simple tap on the phone.
Google Voice Search: The Siri that was introduced in the iPhone 4S last year brought about a revolution in the field of voice based personal assistants. The Siri has been worked further upon and has been integrated with the local databases like Yelp and Wolfram Alpha. Google voice search on the other is linked to the main search engine and a small microphone icon is provided on the upper right corner. Besides this, there is a card based search and responsive voice feedback which looks more natural are some of the other additions.
Google Maps: The Android 4.1 has been integrated with the Google Now which is a mapping service that utilizes the satellite navigation experience for the pedestrians and motorists. Besides this, the Street View, 3D and indoor mapping are some of the additions that are given in this feature. Apple on the other has decided to phase out the Google Maps completely from its ecosystem. The Apple Maps are an alternative to the Google Maps and its claims to have more than 3 million businesses listed on it.
Richer Notifications: This is another area where the company has done some excellent work and improved the overall experience of the notifications. The notifications used to be text based in the earlier versions of the Android but the now you are the sole master of your phone and can control which notifications you can opt for. There are larger and richer notifications which can be expanded or collapsed by using a simple gesture such as pinch. The notification system also includes a number of other types such as photos, audio and multiple actions can be initiated against it. Apple on the other hand has discussed and worked a lot on the notifications in its newly developed, iOS 6. The Facebook has been integrated deeply in the OS which would mean that the Facebook notifications would appear directly on your notification taskbar.
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