Android 1.5 Cupcake

The update to Android 1.5, code-named Cupcake, is a major upgrade to the operating system that includes a host of new features. The upgrade is so dramatic that one wonders why Google did not market it as Android 2.0.

Under the hood, the operating system is now running on the 2.6.27 Linux kernel. For the end-user, this translates to greater stability, more robust security, and core application enhancements. In addition, Android 1.5 includes the SIM Application Toolkit 1.0, with automatic checking and repair of the SD card file system, and a new API that will allow developers greater flexibility and power for creating apps.

On the surface, users will be impressed with the new capabilities that significantly enhance their experience and address the Android 1.0 release’s most blatant omissions. Certain features, such as the more advanced mobile web browser and the virtual keyboard, are simply Android catching up to the iPhone. Other enhancements are aesthetic in nature, adding eye candy and polishing the user interface, such as the consistent use of UI elements, smooth rotations between landscape and portrait modes, and animated window transitions.

Standards-Compliant Web Browser

The web browser received a drastic speed enhancement due to a new rendering engine and SquirelFish, an optimized JavaScript interpreter. There are noticeable performance improvements in complex web apps that involve a great deal of JavaScript code. In addition to the speed gains, Android 1.5’s browser includes the ability to search for text within a web page, copy and paste within web pages, a unified Search and Go box, and user-selectable text-encodings. The user interface tweaks include tabbed bookmarks, most-visited and history page screens, and smoother scrolling pages.

Home Screen Widgets

Android now offers the capability for users to customize their Home screen with widgets, a small web application that displays live data retrieved from the Internet. Android 1.5 comes packaged with five Home screen widgets: search, calendar, analog clock, music player, and picture frame. Support for third-party widgets is also included.

Smart Virtual Keyboard

Android users have access to the best of both worlds now that Android 1.5 supports both virtual and physical keyboards. The virtual keyboard supports both landscape and portrait orientation modes and works in all applications, including but not limited to SMS, the web browser, Gmail, and third-party programs. It includes auto-correct capability, a suggestion algorithm and dictionary of suggestions, and support for custom user dictionaries. It even supports tactile feedback via screen vibration. In addition, unlike similar platforms, Android 1.5 contains support for the installation of third-party virtual keyboards.

Recording and Sharing Video

Google rectifies a glaring omission to Android now that the platform can finally record and share video. Android 1.5 also includes more advanced support and improved playback for MPEG-4 and 3GP video formats. Recorded video can now be shared via email and MMS, or uploaded directly to YouTube, including privacy controls that allow the user to dictate whether the video can be seen by all or just invited friends. The uploads occur in the background so that they do not interfere with further use of the phone, including continuing to record videos and even uploading more videos.

Additional Benefits

• Snappier overall application performance.
• Voice search through Google’s mobile search.
• Smoother scrolling Gmail conversation list.
• Gmail now has features for delete, bulk archive, and label operations on multiple messages.
• Google Talk friends’ status visible in Gmail, Email apps, Contacts, SMS, and MMS.
• Simple photo sharing (just tap “Share”) using Picasa, Google’s online image service.
• Faster start-up and operating performance using the camera.
• Stereo Bluetooth support.
• Acquisition of GPS location is noticeably faster.

It is evident that Google is striving to perfect the Android platform and has little intention of allowing Apple’s iPhone OS 3.0 to overshadow it. Google has designed the enhancements included in Android 1.5 to bring the user a sleek, streamlined experience while keeping the platform highly competitive.