ANDROID

Android is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an OS, middleware and key applications. User applications can be developed using Android SDK which supplies a host of APIs needed for development using Java programming language. It is based on the Linux kernel. It allows writing managed code in the Java language.

SLICE OF HISTORY
Google acquired Android Inc.USA in 2005 with establishing OHA. The unveiling of the Android platform was announced on 5 November 2007 and released source code. It reached version 2.1 releasing Googles Nexus.

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GOOGLE ANDROID PLATFORM

It is a platform and an operating system for mobile devices based on the Linux operating system. It allows developers design applications in a java-like language using Google-developed java libraries. It supports a wide variety of connectivity such as GSM, Wi-Fi, 3G.

As demonstrated above, the Android platform contains the following layers: Linux Kernel: Android relies on Linux for core system services such as security, memory management, process management etc. Android Runtime: It provides a set of core libraries which supports most of the functionality in the core libraries of Java. The Android Virtual Machine known as Dalvik Virtual Machine relies on the linux kernel for some underlying functionality such as threading. Libraries: Android includes a set of C/C++ libraries. These libraries are exposed to developers through the Android application framework. They include media libraries, system C libraries, surface manager, 3D libraries, SQLite and etc. Application Framework: It provides an access layer to the framework APIs used by the core applications. It allows components to be used by the developers.

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.

Web browser

The web browser available in Android is based on the open-source WebKit layout engine, coupled with Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine. Bluetooth Supports accessing the phone book, voice dialing and sending contacts between phones. Multitasking Multitasking of applications is available. Voice based features

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

Android supports tethering, which allows a phone to be used as a wireless/wired Wi-Fi hotspot. Screen capture

Android has native support for screenshot capture ability by pressing the power and volume buttons at the same time on an Android device.

ADVANTAGES
There are a host of advantages that Googles Android will derive from being an open source software. Some of the advantages include: The ability for anyone to customize the Google Android platform. The consumer will benefit from having a wide range of mobile applications to choose from since the monopoly will be broken by Google Android. Features like weather details, opening screen, live RSS feeds and even the icons on the opening screen will be able to be customized. As a result of many mobile phones carrying Google Android, companies will come up with such innovative products like the location. In addition the entertainment functionalities will be taken a notch higher by Google Android being able to offer online real time multiplayer games.

LIMITATIONS Bluetooth limitations o Android doesn't support: Bluetooth stereo Contacts exchange Modem pairing Wireless keyboards Firefox Mobile isn't coming to Android Apps in Android Market need to be programmed with a custom form of Java. Mozilla and the Fennec won't have that.

SUBMITTED BY, DINEY MATHEW, FM-709, GROUP: - MOB WIZ.