By Sergei Shostko

Android 4.0Android 4.0Innovations and improvements

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PresentationIce Cream Sandwich was announced on May 10, 2011 at

the conference Google I / O 2011 and released on October 19, 2011, together with the

communicator Galaxy Nexus.

Matias Duarte, director of Android user interface

development, stressed that logic of the

new Android interface has been thought

out anew, from scratch. Although we have been

shown only the smartphone version, it will

also run on tablet PCs.

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The main difference

If we talk briefly about Android 4.0, we should say that this is a new system combining features of tablet version

and 2.xx 

smartphone versions.

The interface

sometimes differs

according tothe display size.

.

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Special features• One shell for all Android-based devices • Open Accessory API - for integration with various devices• Real-time Transport Protocol API Support for audio• Improved multi-tasking• System tray changing• Improved creation of folders on the desktop• Scalable widgets• Modified lock panel with labels imposition • Improved text input and spelling check• Improved mode of the voice text input • Traffic Control System• Software camera improvements: panoramic photography, image stabilization, real-time

video effects • Support for taking screenshots with OS tools• Updated browser with tabs support, Google Chrome bookmarks synchronization.

Updates of the core WebKit and V8 engine with Crankshaft support • Extended security features: unlock via face recognition, full device encryption, ASLR, a

new VPN API.• Wi-Fi Direct support

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Main screen

There are new virtual buttons replacing the usual hardware and performing similar functions: return, transition to the desktop and calling recently used programs.

For quick access to frequently used applications, a small panel Favorites tray

is implemented, where you can add shortcuts to applications, folders,

and files.

Google search is no longer a widget, it is placed at the top of all desktops.

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WidgetsThe size of all widgets can be changed at your discretion. By

icons zooming, additional information will be displayed .

Now, you can use many functions (checking email, viewing calendar events,

playing music) without launching appropriate programs.

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Folders and applications list

• All applications on the home screen can now be grouped into folders by simply dragging appropriate icons above each other

• Separate section with the widgets

•List of applications lets you view information about

programs, uninstall them or block apps that were pre-

installed by the manufacturer

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Notifications• Improved design and

functionality of the system tray

• On smartphones, all updates will be displayed at the top

of the screen, and on devices with a large

display - in the system tray• You can remove any notification with one finger

motion (swipe)

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Lock mode

music control camera launch drop-down of the top

panel to read messages

sending SMS by call refusal

face recognition 

Google did so that the most popular activities can be carried out without lock

removing:

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Multi-tasking

• improved system capabilities for simultaneous working with multiple applications

• a new, more user-friendly Windows Task Manager displaying a small image of the apps’ work screens

• closing any application with a finger motion (swipe)

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Text input• Improved misprints correction 

• Standard and custom dictionaries• Text drag by selection

•Highlighting of misspelled words.

When you click on them, a menu

with options for correcting appears.• Improved voice input

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Traffic control

• Wi-Fi and 3G traffic consumption

• Consumption statistics for each application

• Limit for preventing and hard switching off the

mobile Internet

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Camera and screenshots

Screenshots taking without root and extra programs. Hold down the power button and volume key, and the screenshot will be saved in the device

memory.

Camera and screenshots

Improved image stabilization while zooming Reduced shutter time  Quick photos saving while video shooting in the same

resolution as the video itself Easy creation of panoramas (rotation through 360 °) Autofocus on people’s faces Simple image processing Improved systemic gallery grouped by time, location and tags

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Browser • synchronization with the desktop Chrome

• view of mobile and common versions of the site •

• up to 16 tabs•pages saving

•runs up to 5 times faster in

some JavaScript-tests 

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Connections

Функция Android Beam позволяет обмениваться данными с помощью NFC. Для инициирования

обмена понадобится лишь коснуться телефонами и подтвердить отправку файла,

приложения, ссылки, карты или контакта.

Функция Wifi Direct позволяет соеденять два гаджета по wifi без использования точек

доступа или интернет подключения (P2P).

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ICS Good Bye

However, not everything is well done. The version is still raw; and

there are some bugs.

To be continued…

• Next time, we’ll tell you about important innovations, which Android 4.0. offers for

developers.

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