We take a look inside Android 2.0 E‰clair to see what it offers over other versions of the OS
Launching in October 2009, Éclair didn't change the base Linux kernel
from the previous 1.6 Donut build. It was, however, a slightly more
extensive update with some key features which would help to better shape
and define the character of the Android system as it stands today.
Most notably, account synching and integration was extended
considerably, enabling users to add and synch multiple email and contact
accounts simultaneously to one device. Éclair also added exchange email
support and the ability to combine multiple account inboxes.
Bluetooth
support was upgraded to version 2.1, while contact cards were made more
intuitive - users could now tap a contact and be presented with call,
text, email and a variety of other communication options.
Messaging was updated with a search function, allowing you to search through both SMS
and MMS messages. Éclair also added an auto-delete function meaning old
messages could be deleted after an inbox limit is reached.
For manufacturers, camera support was greatly enhanced, allowing a
much more complete camera experience on new handsets. Support was added
for camera flash, digital zoom, scene modes, white balance, macro focus
and colour effects.
The Webkit browser was updated with a new interface, a double-tap
zoom function and, most significantly, HTML5 support. Overall system
performance and interface responsiveness was ramped up while display
support was extended to allow for more varied screen sizes and
resolutions.
Lastly, Google maps was updated to version 3.1.2 and multi-touch receptiveness was tweaked to be more sensitive.
Also part of the Éclair update, subsequent patch versions 2.0.1 and
2.1 fixed several minor bugs and included some small API changes.
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