Android and Android Phones.

Oblepias, Ian LorenzSY1219

http://www.slideshare.net/ianoblepias

What is Android ?

Android, This word means a lot in present High-Tech World. Today Smartphone are known for its operating system which is Android. Earlier there is no option for operating systems like Android in mobile, as usual there are Symbian, java featured operating systems but today things had changed a lot, everyone wants a Smartphone which is functioned on Android only. Even if someone asks me that what smartphone would i should buy? I suggest them to buy a one which consist of android in it with latest version no matter what’s the cost. In a very short span of time android created a reputed place in the market.

What is this Android actually?

Android is a software cluster for mobile devices that includes an operating system OS, key applications and middleware. The Android SDK provides the tools and APIs required to begin developing applications on the Android platform using the Java programming language. About the design, Kernal of Android is based on Linux kernal and further furnished by Google. Android doesn’t have a essential X Window System nor does it support the full set of standard GNU libraries, which makes it difficult to port existing Linux applications or libraries to Android.

After that on 12, November 2007 Android beta SDK was released. Many of you thinking what is SDK? its a Software Development Kit which gives you platform to make new applications, games and other Software. With proper knowledge you can make any application according to your will.

On 23 September, 2008 the first Android device is launched, that is HTC Dream G1 which operates Android 1.0,and after that android shows 1.1 update which was released for T-Mobile G1 only.

On November 5, 2007, the Open Handset Alliance, a bunch of several companies which include Broadcom Corporation, Google, HTC, Intel, LG, Marvell Technology Group, Motorola, Nvidia, Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and Texas Instruments expose themselves in front of media itself. The aim of the Open Handset Alliance is to develop open standards for mobile devices. On the same day, the Open Handset Alliance also unveiled their first product, Android, a mobile device platform which is built on the Linux kernel (version 2.6).

On 9 December, 2008 14 new members accompany, including ARM Holdings, Asustek Computer Inc, Garmin Ltd, Huawei Technologies, PacketVideo, Atheros Communications, Vodafone, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba Corp.

History

Android, Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, California in October 2003 by Andy Rubin (co-founder of Danger),[Rich Miner (co-founder of Wildfire Communications, Inc.),Nick Sears(once VP at T-Mobile),and Chris White (headed design and interface development at WebTV) to develop, in Rubin's words "smarter mobile devices that are more aware of its owner's location and preferences". Despite the past accomplishments of the founders and early employees, Android Inc. operated secretly, revealing only that it was working on software for mobile phones. That same year, Rubin ran out of money. Steve Perlman, a close friend of Rubin, brought him $10,000 in cash in an envelope and refused a stake in the company.[

On November 5, 2007, the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of technology companies including Google, device manufacturers such as HTC and Samsung, wireless carriers such as Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile, and chipset makers such as Qualcomm and Texas Instruments, unveiled itself, with a goal to develop open standards for mobile devices. That day, Android was unveiled as its first product, a mobile device platform built on the Linux kernel version 2.6.The first commercially available phone to run Android was the HTC Dream, released on October 22, 2008.

Since 2008, Android has seen numerous updates which have incrementally improved the operating system, adding new features and fixing bugs in previous releases. Each major release is named in alphabetical order after a dessert or sugary treat; for example, version 1.5 Cupcake was followed by 1.6 Donut. The latest release is 4.2 Jelly Bean. In 2010, Google launched its Nexus series of devices—a line of smartphones and tablets running the Android operating system, and built by a manufacturer partner. HTC collaborated with Google to release the first Nexus smartphone, the Nexus One. The series has since been updated with newer devices, such as the Nexus 4 phone and Nexus 10 tablet, made by LG and Samsung, respectively. Google releases the Nexus phones and tablets to act as their flagship Android devices, demonstrating Android's latest software and hardware features.

InterfaceAndroid's user interface is based on direct manipulation using touch inputs that loosely correspond to real-world actions, like swiping, tapping, pinching and reverse pinching to manipulate on-screen objects. The response to user input is designed to be immediate and provides a fluid touch interface, often using the vibration capabilities of the device to provide haptic feedback to the user. Internal hardware such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and proximity sensors are used by some applications to respond to additional user actions, for example adjusting the screen from portrait to landscape depending on how the device is oriented, or allowing the user to steer a vehicle in a racing game by rotating the device, simulating control of a steering wheel.

Android devices boot to the home screen, the primary navigation and information point on the device, which is similar to the desktop found on PCs. Android home screen are typically made up of app icons and widgets; app icons launch the associated app, whereas widgets display live, auto-updating content such as the weather forecast, the user's email inbox, or a news ticker directly on the home screen. A home screen may be made up of several pages that the user can swipe back and forth between, though Android's home screen interface is heavily customizable, allowing the user to adjust the look and feel of the device to their tastes. Third party apps available on Google Play and other app stores can extensively re-theme the home screen, and even mimic the look of other operating systems, such as Windows Phone. Most manufacturers, and some wireless carriers, customize the look and feel of their Android devices to differentiate themselves from the competition.

Present along the top of the screen is a status bar, showing information about the device and its connectivity. This status bar can be "pulled" down to reveal a notification screen where apps display important information or updates, such as a newly received email or SMS text, in a way that doesn't immediately interrupt or inconvenience the user. In early versions of Android these notifications could be tapped to open the relevant app, but recent updates have provided enhanced functionality, such as the ability to call a number back directly from the missed call notification without having to open the dialer app first.

Notifications are persistent until read or dismissed by the user.

Open Source Community

Android has an active community of developers and enthusiasts who use the Android source code to develop and distribute their own modified versions of the operating system. These community-developed releases often bring new features and updates to devices faster than through the official manufacturer/carrier channels, albeit without as extensive testing or quality assurance; provide continued support for older devices that no longer receive official updates; or bring Android to devices that were officially released running other operating systems, such as the HP Touchpad. Community releases often come pre-rooted and contain modifications unsuitable for non-technical users, such as the ability to overclock or over the device's processor. Cyanogen Mod is the most widely used community firmware, and acts as a foundation for numerous others.

Historically, device manufacturers and mobile carriers have typically been unsupportive of third-party firmware development. Manufacturers express concern about improper functioning of devices running unofficial software and the support costs resulting from this. Moreover, modified firmware such as Cyanogen Mod sometimes offer features, such as tethering, for which carriers would otherwise charge a premium. As a result, technical obstacles including locked boot loaders and restricted access to root permissions are common in many devices. However, as community-developed software has grown more popular, and following a statement by the Librarian of Congress in the United States that permits the "jail breaking" of mobile devices, manufacturers and carriers have softened their position regarding third party development, with some, including HTC, Motorola, Samsung and Sony providing support and encouraging development. As a result of this, over time the need to circumvent hardware restrictions to install unofficial firmware has lessened as an increasing number of devices are shipped with unlocked boot loaders, similar to the Nexus series of phones, although usually requiring that users waive their devices' warranties to do so. However, despite manufacturer acceptance, some carriers in the US still require that phones are locked down.

Foundation:Android, Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, California, United States in October 2003 by Andy Rubin (co-founder of Danger),Rich Miner (co-founder of Wildfire Communications, Inc.),Nick Sears (once VP at T-Mobile),and Chris White (headed design and interface development at WebTV) to develop, in Rubin's words "...smarter mobile devices that are more aware of its owner's location and preferences". Despite the obvious past accomplishments of the founders and early employees, Android Inc. operated secretly, revealing only that it was working on software for mobile phones. That same year, Rubin ran out of money. Steve Perlman, a close friend of Rubin, brought him $10,000 in cash in an envelope and refused a stake in the company.

Google acquisition:• Google acquired Android Inc. on August 17, 2005, making Android Inc. a wholly

owned subsidiary of Google. Key employees of Android Inc., including Andy Rubin, Rich Miner and Chris White, stayed at the company after the acquisition. Not much was known about Android Inc. at the time of the acquisition, but many assumed that Google was planning to enter the mobile phone market with this move.

• At Google, the team led by Rubin developed a mobile device platform powered by the Linux kernel. Google marketed the platform to handset makers and carriers on the promise of providing a flexible, upgradable system. Google had lined up a series of hardware component and software partners and signaled to carriers that it was open to various degrees of cooperation on their part.

• Speculation about Google's intention to enter the mobile communications market continued to build through December 2006. Reports from the BBC and The Wall Street Journal noted that Google wanted its search and applications on mobile phones and it was working hard to deliver that. Print and online media outlets soon reported rumors that Google was developing a Google-branded handset. Some speculated that as Google was defining technical specifications, it was showing prototypes to cell phone manufacturers and network operators.

• In September 2007, InformationWeek covered an Evalueserve study reporting that Google had filed several patent applications in the area of mobile telephony.

Open Handset Alliance:• On November 5, 2007, the Open Handset Alliance, a

consortium of several companies which include Broadcom Corporation, Google, HTC, Intel, LG, Marvell Technology Group, Motorola, Nvidia, Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and Texas Instruments unveiled itself. The goal of the Open Handset Alliance is to develop open standards for mobile devices. On the same day, the Open Handset Alliance also unveiled its first product, Android, a mobile device platform built on the Linux kernel version 2.6.

• On December 9, 2008, 14 new members joined, including ARM Holdings, Atheros Communications, Asustek Computer Inc, Garmin Ltd, Huawei Technologies, PacketVideo, Softbank, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba Corp, and Vodafone Group Plc.

Linux:• Android's kernel is based on the Linux kernel and has further

architecture changes by Google outside the typical Linux kernel development cycle. Android does not have a native X Window System by default nor does it support the full set of standard GNU libraries, and this makes it difficult to port existing Linux applications or libraries to Android.

• Certain features that Google contributed back to the Linux kernel, notably a power management feature called wake locks, were rejected by mainline kernel developers, partly because kernel maintainers felt that Google did not show any intent to maintain their own code. Even though Google announced in April 2010 that they would hire two employees to work with the Linux kernel community, Greg Kroah-Hartman, the current Linux kernel maintainer for the -stable branch, said in December 2010 that he was concerned that Google was no longer trying to get their code changes included in mainstream Linux. Some Google Android developers hinted that "the Android team was getting fed up with the process", because they were a small team and had more urgent work to do on Android.

FEATURES:• Handset layouts• The platform is adaptable to larger, VGA, 2D graphics library, 3D graphics library

based on OpenGL ES 2.0 specifications, and traditional smartphone layouts.• Storage• SQLite, a lightweight relational database, is used for data storage purposes.

• Connectivity• Android supports connectivity technologies including GSM/EDGE, IDEN, CDMA,

EV-DO, UMTS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE, NFC and WiMAX.• Messaging• SMS and MMS are available forms of messaging, including threaded text

messaging and Android Cloud To Device Messaging (C2DM) and now enhanced version of C2DM, Android Google Cloud Messaging (GCM) is also a part of Android Push Messaging service.

• Multiple language support• Android supports multiple languages.

• Web browser• The web browser available in Android is based on the open-source WebKit layout

engine, coupled with Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine. The browser scores 100/100 on the Acid3 test on Android 4.0.

• Java supportWhile most Android applications are written in Java, there is no Java Virtual Machine in the platform and Java byte code is not executed. Java classes are compiled into Dalvik executables and run on Dalvik, a specialized virtual machine designed specifically for Android and optimized for battery-powered mobile devices with limited memory and CPU. J2ME support can be provided via third-party applications.

•Media supportAndroid supports the following audio/video/still media formats: WebM, H.263, H.264 (in 3GP or MP4 container), MPEG-4 SP, AMR, AMR-WB (in 3GP container), AAC, HE-AAC (in MP4 or 3GP container), MP3, MIDI, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, WAV, JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, WebP.

•Streaming media supportRTP/RTSP streaming (3GPP PSS, ISMA), HTML progressive download (HTML5 <video> tag). Adobe Flash Streaming (RTMP) and HTTP Dynamic Streaming are supported by the Flash plugin. Apple HTTP Live Streaming is supported by RealPlayer for Android, and by the operating system in Android 3.0 (Honeycomb).

•Additional hardware supportAndroid can use video/still cameras, touch screens, GPS, accelerometers, gyroscopes, barometers, magnetometers, dedicated gaming controls, proximity and pressure sensors, thermometers, accelerated 2D bit blits (with hardware orientation, scaling, pixel format conversion) and accelerated 3D graphics.

•Multi-touchAndroid has native support for multi-touch which was initially made available in handsets such as the HTC Hero. The feature was originally disabled at the kernel level (possibly to avoid infringing Apple's patents on touch-screen technology at the time).[54] Google has since released an update for the Nexus One and the Motorola Droid which enables multi-touch natively.Supports A2DP, AVRCP, sending files (OPP), accessing the phone book (PBAP), voice dialing and sending contacts between phones. Keyboard, mouse and joystick (HID) support is available in Android 3.1+, and in earlier versions through manufacturer customizations and third-party applications.

•Video callingAndroid does not support native video calling, but some handsets have a customized version of the operating system that supports it, either via the UMTS network (like the Samsung Galaxy S) or over IP. Video calling through Google Talk is available in Android 2.3.4 and later. Gingerbread allows Nexus S to place Internet calls with a SIP account. This allows for enhanced VoIP dialing to other SIP accounts and even phone numbers. Skype 2.1 offers video calling in Android 2.3, including front camera support.

•MultitaskingMultitasking of applications, with unique handling of memory allocation, is available.

•Voice based featuresGoogle search through voice has been available since initial release. Voice actions for calling, texting, navigation, etc. are supported on Android 2.2 onwards.

•TetheringAndroid supports tethering, which allows a phone to be used as a wireless/wired Wi-Fi hotspot. Before Android 2.2 this was supported by third-party applications or manufacturer customizations.

•Screen captureAndroid supports capturing a screenshot by pressing the power and volume-down buttons at the same time. Prior to Android 4.0, the only methods of capturing a screenshot were through manufacturer and third-party customizations or otherwise by using a PC connection (DDMS developer's tool). These alternative methods are still available with the latest Android.

•External storageMost Android devices include micro SD slot and can read micro SD cards formatted with FAT32, Ext3 or Ext4 file system. To allow use of high-capacity storage media such as USB flash drives and USB HDDs, many Android tablets also include USB 'A' receptacle. Storage formatted with FAT32 is handled by Linux Kernel VFAT driver, while 3rd party solutions are required to handle other popular file systems such as NTFS, HFS Plus and exFAT.

Uses:While Android is designed primarily for smartphones and tablets,

the open and customizable nature of the operating system allows it to be used on other electronics, including laptops and netbooks, smart books, e-book readers, and smart TVs (Google TV). Further, the OS has seen niche applications on wristwatches, headphones, car CD and DVD players, smart glasses (Project Glass), refrigerators, vehicle satnav systems, home automation systems, games consoles, mirrors, cameras, portable media players, landlines, and treadmills.

The first commercially available phone to run Android was the HTC Dream, released on October 22, 2008. In early 2010 Google collaborated with HTC to launch its flagship Android device, the Nexus One. This was followed later in 2010 with the Samsung-made Nexus S and in 2011 with the Galaxy Nexus.

iOS and Android 2.3.3 'Gingerbread' may be set up to dual boot on a jail broken iPhone or iPod Touch with the help of OpeniBoot and iDroid.

In December 2011 it was announced the Pentagon has officially approved Android for use by its personnel.

Respectfully Submitted To:Prof. Erwin Globio

MSIT