Hello friends, I’m starting to develop a section related to smartphones, now it’s fully operational. Now on the site you will find a bunch of interesting articles about Android smartphones. I will try to convey to users in as much detail as possible about new smartphones, that is, there will be a lot of news. Of course, I will focus on creating materials on working with the OS. So to speak, instructions from A to Z. For now, I’ll start with the simplest thing and write an article about what it is and what its advantages and disadvantages are. Now let's get to the point.

What is Android OS

Android is an operating system based on the Linux kernel, which was purchased by Google in 2005. In 2008, the first version of the operating system was released. This OS is designed for smartphones, tablets and many other devices. At the moment, it is built into watches, various navigators, set-top boxes and players.

Now a huge number of smartphones and other devices with this system are being created. It has gained tremendous popularity, so it has almost no competitors, except perhaps iOS.

I think it’s not worth listing the famous brands of today’s phones, which are growing by leaps and bounds. So, they all use Android. If we talk about a pure system, we can say that it is very fast and productive. Many manufacturers, using this OS as a basis, create their own shell with additional functions, capabilities and design. Some people do this better, and the system flies, but in some devices it’s not so good.

Using the operating system, you have the opportunity to control functions such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, create Wi-Fi access points, that is, turn your phone into a modem and much more. Modern smartphones are equipped with fingerprint and iris scanning sensors, which can greatly improve protection - all of this can be controlled using Android. Naturally, Apple with its iOS is trying to keep up.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages:

• Since it is developed on the open source Linux kernel, the mobile system is also open source, which allows you to create whatever your heart desires for this system.
• The clean OS is highly optimized and is not demanding on devices. It can work on the weakest phone that is currently available, although this is already rare.
• The ability to customize the system for yourself.
• A huge number of add-ons and applications that greatly expand the capabilities of the OS.
• Speed ​​of operation (not in all cases).
• The system is available for the following hardware platforms: ARM, x86, MIPS.

These are the main positive characteristics that I noted for myself. Maybe there is something else. In addition to the advantages, there are also disadvantages:

• An open-source operating system gives manufacturers of smartphones and tablets an advantage to create shells that are not always as optimized and efficient as possible. In addition, the shell update may come much later than the latest version of the official system is released.
• If the system is poorly optimized, then there is a possibility of high energy consumption. And atomicity is now highly valued. But it depends rather on the device manufacturers.
• Because of its popularity, hackers and other bad people write viruses for the OS and look for vulnerabilities. Of course, this OS has certain protection, not like Windows. Therefore the disadvantage is minor.
• There have been cases where several million dollars in total have been stolen from users around the world. This was done by sending SMS without the user’s knowledge.

In addition to the pure system from Google, there are a number of enthusiasts developing their own firmware, which have their own functionality and capabilities. You will see a completely different design; it happens that the firmware of another manufacturer will work better than pure Android.

At the moment, there are companies that create firmware for smartphones and other devices: CyanogenMod, which is now LineageOS, AOKP, MIUI, Paranoid Android, AOSP, Replicant and others.

Enthusiastic developers try to release firmware versions on time, together with the release of a clean OS. But sometimes there is no need to flash the phone, since the manufacturers could take care of it.

Applications and Play Market

Everyone knows that every day hundreds of programs and games are uploaded to the Google application store - Play Market. You can find whatever your heart desires, these are various audio and video players, desktop wallpapers, file managers, of which there are probably thousands, a lot of software for communicating with people - social networks, instant messengers and others. You can also download movies, books and music from there. Of course, there is content there, both paid and free.

A little theory. The Android application code is written for the so-called Dalvic virtual machine. Applications are in .apk format, this is the only format. Until recently, applications themselves could be written in Java, but since 2009 Google added a special package of capabilities that allows you to create software in C and C++. Also, there are many development environments, such as Embarcadero RAD Studio.

As for the application store itself, it was opened in 2008. The agreement was that the software developers would give 30% of the profits to Google. By the standards of 2017, there are about more than 2.8 million applications in the Play Market database.

Of course, unscrupulous users sometimes posted applications with malicious code, which caused a scandal around 2011, but the problems were quickly hushed up and the vulnerabilities were closed.

No matter what anyone says, the direct specific Play Market is the App Store - an application store for iPhone, iPad, iPod and other devices. They have less software than the Play Market. Developers' income is the same as Google's. You create a paid application for which you will give 30% of the profits.

What's inside Android

And now, almost the penultimate point, in which I want to talk about the internal components of the system. Those who use this system should understand it at least a little. And compare it with Windows.

So, Linux differs from Windows in that the latter has information divided into disks and folders, of course, in Linux as well, but it is all displayed differently. Linux systems have a tree structure.

There are also differences in registers. If you create several folders with the same names, then on Windows there will be no difference, but on Linux these will be completely different folders. This also applies to files. These names will be different in Linux - Papka, papka, PAPKA.

The cache for the system and some application will always be saved in a special section - cache.

Surely everyone has seen the folder in the file manager data. This directory has other folders related to installation files and application directories.

Configuration files and software libraries can be found in the app-lib folder.

For applications to work, they are written in Java for a special Dalvik virtual machine. So you may come across a catalog dalvic-cache. Sometimes it needs to be cleaned, for example, before flashing the phone. This is done using root rights or from, but I will definitely talk about all this in future articles.

You will definitely see the directory in the file manager system. From the name it is clear that system settings are stored there, changing which can ruin your system.

In the catalog etc you will find files that allow the system to start normally.

These are not all the folders that are in the Android system. It will take several additional articles to sort it all out.

Additional features

Many people know that each modification of the system has a key name, usually some kind of dessert. For example, Cupcake, which means cupcake. One of the popular versions 4.1-4.3 is called Jelly Bean. But version 4.4 is named after the famous KitKat chocolate bar. The next modification 5.0 and 5.1 is called Lollipop - lollipop. The sixth option is Marshmallow and, finally, the latest version at the moment, 7.0-7.1.2, received the Nougat code.

There is just a little time left before the release of version 8, or as it is called Android O. The beta version of the operating system is already installed on some flagships and works stably. The entire OS will be released at the end of 2017. And yes, the keyword will most likely be Oreo. Below you will see a video of the presentation of the eighth version.

Well guys, I finished the article, now you know what Android is, where it is used, its features. In future articles I will tell you almost everything related to this operating system. Well, I wish you good luck!

Last week, the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service took over Google. She began an antitrust investigation based on a complaint from Yandex. The reason is that Google prohibits the pre-installation of competitors' applications and services on devices running its Android mobile operating system. The price of the issue is quite high. Last year, a billion Android devices were sold worldwide. In Russia, the share of Android smartphones exceeds 80%.
The Village found out how the operating system came to be and why it became so popular.

Smartphone for geeks

Future Android creator Andy Rubin grew up in Chappaqua, New York.
At some point, his father retrained from a psychologist to an electronics salesman, and Andy's room was filled with the latest gadgets. While still in school, he was crazy about computers, and after college he went to work at Carl Zeiss, where he developed robotic equipment. Then Rubin moved to Switzerland and could have stayed there for the rest of his life if not for a vacation in the Cayman Islands in 1989. One early sunny morning he was walking along the beach and saw a man sleeping in a sun lounger. It turned out to be Apple developer Bill Caswell (the girl kicked him out of the bungalow after a quarrel). Rubin talked to him and offered to live in his cottage. Soon Caswell invited him to return to the USA and join Apple (at that time it had just released its famous Macintosh). At the corporation, Rubin was developing the Quadra computer model.

Photo: karitsu

In 1990, Apple spun off its computing device development into a separate company called General Magic, which Rubin joined two years later. Together with other developers, he built a kind of attic with beds above the working open space and began to spend all his time in the office, developing the operating system for Magic Cap mobile phones. But the idea was ahead of its time: telecommunications companies were not ready to accept it, and the company closed.

Then, together with other Apple veterans, Rubin developed WebTV - a kind of prototype of future Smart TVs. In 1997, their company was bought by Microsoft. One day, during a meeting with programmer friends that lasted until late at night, they decided to make a small candy bar that would cost ten dollars and allow one to scan any object and immediately find information about it on the Internet. “It’s like a digital sponge for getting people to websites,” Rubin explained. The friends founded a company in Palo Alto called Danger, named after the robot from the old TV show Lost in Space who kept repeating that word. They added a radio receiver and transmitter to the new device, and then began telling investors about their smartphone with Internet access called Sidekick. Aspiring venture capitalist Greg Galanos believed in the idea and invested money in the project.

In early 2002, Rubin talked about the development of his Sidekick to Stanford students. Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin were present at this lecture for some reason. Afterwards, Page examined the device, saw that Google search was preinstalled there by default, and said: “Cool.”

The birth of Android

In the spring of that year, Page and Brin were already carrying Sidekick smartphones, which could access the Internet wherever there was a connection. The gadget with a small slide-out keyboard has become popular among Silicon Valley geeks. By that time, Rubin had moved from developer to project manager. “I had to switch my mind,” he admitted. Even then, he came up with a business model that would allow him to reconcile device and software manufacturers. But gadget sales were still low. Three years later, Danger changed its director, and Rubin left the company. He went to the Caymans again in search of new ideas and returned with a project for a mobile platform open to all developers. For it, he hired several programmers, and also decided to use the Android.com domain he had once purchased.

Photo: Cedric Sam

When Rubin spent all his savings on development, he called his friend Steve Perlman and said: “I’m broke, I urgently need money.” He withdrew 10 thousand dollars from his account, came to Rubin’s office and poured a mountain of hundred dollar bills onto his desk. In total, Perlman lent Rubin $100,000, which helped complete the creation of Android. In 2005, the entrepreneur began to negotiate with various investors, in particular, he sent a letter to Larry Page. In August of that year, Google bought Android. The amount of the deal was not disclosed; Rubin and other developers went to work for the corporation.

In the mid-2000s, the smartphone market developed at a breakneck pace: BlackBerry and LG entered the market, Apple introduced its first iPhone. There were rumors that Google was also preparing its own gadget. But instead, the company announced in November 2007 the creation of the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of mobile developers supporting open source software. On the same day, it introduced the Android operating system, which, unlike iOS, could be used by any device manufacturer. HTC was the first to implement it. But her smartphone did not become a bestseller: in those years everyone followed new products from Apple, Android devices were perceived only as a cheap replacement for the creations of Steve Jobs.

Market Capture

By 2009, Rubin's team didn't have a truly big sales hit. Then Motorola Deputy Director Jha Sanjay contacted Google and proposed to surprise the world together. A year later, Droid entered the market, which was faster than Apple models and had more additional functions. The new gadget made Motorola profitable again and supplanted the iPhone in the market. Soon, HTC's Nexus and other gadgets entered the market and were received with great enthusiasm by users. They activated 300 Android devices every day, while the iPhone, iPad, and iPod had a total of 275 thousand activations. And since then, Android's share has been growing (a decline was observed only in the fourth quarter of last year).

Unlike Apple, which made its own devices, developed the operating system, and controlled application manufacturers, preventing competitors from selling their products in the App Store, Google declared openness and freedom. It provided Android to gadget manufacturers for free (although to access the app store, you had to provide the corporation with a smartphone for testing). The developers did not submit their applications for pre-approval; the company removed them only based on user complaints. At the same time, Rubin inserted Google search into all gadgets by default.

Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns

Android constantly had updates that were named after sweets: Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Gingerbread, Ice Cream Sandwich, KitKat and others. Developers loved them, and in 2013, more than a billion Android devices were activated, with users downloading more than 25 billion applications.

Founder's departure

By that time, Andy Rubin had stopped directing the project. Sanjay Pichai took his place, and Rubin himself moved to the division developing his favorite robots. But last fall he quit to start an incubator for gadget startups. “I like to do things that interest a lot of people,” Rubin said. His Android changed the world of mobile devices - perhaps his new business will be just as successful.

Meanwhile, the operating system he created is developing further. Recently it became known that Google is going to offer Android users tools for work. Even those companies that do not have Google mail or calendar will be able to use the company's services from their smartphone. Moreover, they will be compatible with the same Google.Docs. Samsung, HTC, Motorola, Adobe, Sony, Cisco and BlackBerry have already expressed interest in this project. There is a high probability that Android will soon become a common tool not only for communicating on the phone, but also for work.

Android operating system from Google

History of Android development, Android updates, Android Market

Section 1. Characteristics of the Android operating system.

Android is portable (network) operating system for communicators, tablet computers, e-readers, digital players, wristwatches, netbooks and smartbooks, based on the Linux kernel.

Android is a relatively young operating system used on a wide range of mobile devices.

Characteristics of the Android operating system

It was originally developed by Android Inc., which was later bought by Google. Subsequently, Google initiated the creation of the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), which is now engaged in supporting and further developing the platform. Android allows you to create Java applications that control the device through Google-developed libraries. Android Native Development Kit creates applications written in C and other languages.

75% of smartphones sold in the third quarter of 2012 were equipped with the Android operating system.

Using Android, you can find both communicators (the most common class) and tablet PCs (tablets), netbooks or smartbooks. Also, manufacturers do not stop experimenting, integrating the OS into various equipment. An Android watch or TV set-top box won’t surprise anyone anymore.

The operating system was developed by Android Inc., which was then acquired by Google and transferred to OHA - Open Handset Alliance, an association dedicated to the development and implementation of open mobile standards. In addition to Google, OHA includes such giants as HTC, Intel, Motorola, Qualcomm, Samsung, LG, T-Mobile and Nvidia.

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Although the OS is based on the Linux kernel, it does not use all the capabilities of this operating system. The reason for this is the use of the Dalvik virtual machine, in which all software runs. But with the release of the Native Development Kit, developers have the opportunity to create native applications in C and other programming languages.

Update historyAndroid

The first version of Android was presented back in September 2008 and only for the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream) communicator. It also received an update to version 1.1, announced six months later.

The rapid development of the operating system began with the versions of Cupcake (1.5) and Donut (1.6). Version 2.0 Eclair became an intermediate version, and version 2.1 bore exactly the same name. It was under the control of the latter that some of the most popular devices were presented - Nexus One and its “brother” HTC Desire.

Then Android 2.2 Froyo was released, giving users support for HTML5 and Flash 10.1 web technologies, which allowed them to gain a significant advantage over their competitors.

Next, the company introduced Android 2.3 Gingerbread with an updated user interface, support for the NFC standard, multiple cameras and high-resolution displays.

But we see the most global changes in Android 3.0 Honeycomb, a special version for tablets. It features a completely different user interface, 3D effects, a user-friendly browser and many other improvements.

Unfortunately, Android 3.0 Honeycomb will only be available for tablets. On communicators we will only be able to see ported versions or...

At the moment, version Android 2.4 is known only from rumors. But perhaps it will become an analogue of the tablet version adapted for smartphones and communicators.

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Since the release of the first version in September 2008, several system updates have occurred. These updates usually concern fixing detected errors and adding new functionality to the system. Each version of the system gets its own dessert-themed codename. Code names are assigned in alphabetical order.

By November 2012, 14 versions of the system had been released. The latest version is 4.2 Jelly Bean.

There is a community of enthusiasts developing completely open versions of Android firmware (such as CyanogenMod, MIUI, Virtuous Quattro, VillainROM, Open Kang Project, Replicant).

Modified versions of Android (also called "firmware" or "custom firmware") are created for:

removing Google services from the Android device (for example, such as data synchronization) - to ensure localization of user data only on the Android device - eliminating the possibility of transferring identification information (IMEI, phone number, GPS coordinates, etc.) to servers Google;

more prompt and frequent (compared to the manufacturers of the devices themselves) provision of new versions of Android OS. It is not uncommon for a manufacturer to stop supporting a model that they consider outdated or unprofitable, and users who want to see new features have to turn to the work of enthusiasts, although many systemically outdated phones have the opportunity to be updated further (Nexus One is a prime example).

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additions to Android firmware with new settings and functions. Such as support for FLAC Lossless Audio, the ability to store downloaded applications on a MicroSD card (for Android up to version 2.2), etc.

To flash an Android device, root access is required (this is called rooting), which gives greater control over the system and applications installed by default. For root access, unlocking the bootloader is not required (an unlocked bootloader allows you to boot two or more OSes on the device). Modified firmware allows users of older phones to use applications available only for newer releases, increases stability, speed, and often gets rid of manufacturer bugs.

All manufacturers of Android devices initially block root access (and the possibility of flashing) with hardware, motivated by the desire to protect the user from installing malware and protect the device from damage. However, due to the widespread use of complex hacker techniques to bypass this protection, manufacturers were forced to meet halfway and create the possibility of officially unlocking phones (Sony Ericsson - Unlocking the boot loader service, HTC - Unlocking Your Bootloader service). The risk associated with possible breakdown of the phone during the unlocking process is transferred to the user, who, in the event of unlocking the bootloader, agrees to the conditions indicating the early loss of the phone's warranty. And some manufacturers went even further and did everything so that an advanced user could not only install other firmware, but also create his own (detailed instructions for replacing firmware, software, documentation on the architecture of the software platform, original firmware code, etc. are provided. ) and support the development of alternative firmware (Sony Ericsson sponsors CyanogenMod). Additionally, this (a Sony Ericsson initiative) eliminates the need to use untested hacking tools for the flashing process (for example, for HTC).

In the conflict of interests of the two parties (manufacturers of the phones themselves together with Google and users) the following motivation can be traced:

manufacturers want to install “advertising” applications on phones that cannot be removed without rooting;

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Google wants to collect as much information as possible about the user: not only personal data such as email addresses or website browsing history, but also information about the user’s movements (GPS coordinates or, when the GPS receiver is turned off, the location of the device based on cell tower signals) in real time , which led to litigation.

Manufacturers do not strive to quickly update the operating system and after about six months they stop supporting the product, thereby forcing buyers to switch to new phone models.

On September 24, 2009, Google addressed the CyanogenMod developers with a letter demanding the removal of parts of the system and applications with closed source code (such as Market, GPS navigation, Maps, etc.) from the alternative firmware. As a result, “closed” applications were removed from the Android version of CyanogenMod, and during the installation process of CyanogenMod, the user has the opportunity to additionally install a software package from Google or additionally install alternative versions of “closed” programs (an alternative version of “Maps”, etc.), which allowed dispute and provided the opportunity for users to be or not to be free from Google applications.

History of Android development

July - Google bought Android Inc.

September 5 - The creation of the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) group of companies was officially announced, the purpose of which is to develop open standards for mobile devices. Currently, OHA unites 34 companies, including the largest mobile operators T-Mobile, mobile device manufacturers HTC, Intel, Sprint Nextel, KDDI, NTT DoCoMo, China Mobile, chip developers Broadcom, Marvell, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, SiRF, Texas Instruments, LG, Motorola, Samsung Electronics, as well as the global giant of the IT industry and one of the main ideological inspirers of the alliance, Google. Simultaneously with the introduction of OHA, the open mobile platform Android, based on the Linux kernel, was announced.

November 12 - the first version of the Android developer package “Early Look” SDK was presented and offered for download.

September 23 - Google, together with the mobile operator T-Mobile and the Taiwanese manufacturer HTC, announced the first device based on the Android 1.0 platform - the T-Mobile G1 smartphone (HTC Dream).

The first full-fledged SDK 1.0, Release 1 has been released.

January 12 - Android 2.1 released. Some sources call this version "Flan", however it is part of the "Eclair" release.

May - Android 2.2 (FroYo) released

December - Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) released

August 15 - Google reached an agreement with the board of directors of Motorola Mobility to purchase the telecommunications corporation for $12.5 billion.

The Droid and Roboto font families were created specifically for the Android platform.

The name of each version, starting from 1.5, of the Android OS is the name of a dessert. The first letters of the names in version order correspond to the letters of the Latin alphabet: 1.5 Cupcake, 1.6 Donut, 2.0/2.1 Eclair, 2.2 Froyo (short for frozen yogurt) ), 2.3 Gingerbread, 3.0 Honeycomb, 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, 4.1/4.2 Jelly Bean, 5.0 Key Lime Pie ( "key lime pie"), Lollipop ("lollipop"), Molasses ("molasses") and Nougat ("nougat") (italics indicate future and/or unconfirmed versions).

The first two were the names of famous robots: 1.0 Astro (“Astro Boy”) and 1.1 Bender (“Futurama”), but they were changed to desserts due to copyrights.

As of February 2011, devices with Android OS confidently led the list of the most popular smartphones in the UK, leaving behind the iPhone 4 with iOS. According to experts, this is the first step of Android OS towards global leadership in the mobile operating systems market.

The official Android websites still do not indicate the minimum hardware requirements to run the operating system (there are only hardware requirements for the Android development kit).

On the official Android website at the bottom left, if you hover over the robot, it performs different movements, and when clicked, it waves its hand.

In version Android 1.6, the developers added the Native Development Kit, which allows you to write your own low-level modules for the system in C/C++, relying on standard Linux libraries. Although, for example, the standard C library on the Android platform, known as Bionic, is not standard and is completely compatible with libc.

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To access Google Play and other services from Google, you must use proprietary applications that the phone manufacturer has the right to install on the phone only after concluding a contract with Google.

Android's competitors have criticized the platform, accusing it of being overly fragmented and hampering developers. Google has denied all allegations, saying that there are no such problems, but, nevertheless, released a tool to overcome the fragmentation problems.

Google's decision not to publicly release the Android 3.0 Honeycomb code, which is only available to members of the Open Handset Alliance or upon individual request after the agreement is signed, has been criticized. Google motivates this by the unavailability of the platform and a measure to prevent careless implementation.

Richard Stallman stated that "it's clear and simple: with the exception of the Linux kernel, Android 3 is proprietary software" and "while Android phones today are not as bad as Apple or Windows smartphones, they cannot be said to be respect your freedom." According to Google, the closed code of Android 3.0 is a temporary measure, but even after the release of version 4, the sources of 3.0 were not open.

According to Lookout Security Mobile, in 2011 alone, about a million US dollars were stolen from Android smartphone users.

On October 21, 2008, the OHA Alliance published the source code of the Android platform. The release included the entire Android stack: the operating system, middleware, and the main end applications written in Java. The total size of the Android source code was 2.1 GB. The "preferred license" for Android source code is the Apache License 2.0. After the release of Android 3.0 Honeycomb, the president of Google's mobile division, Andy Rubin, announced that the open source code of the new version of the system would be delayed due to the fact that the system was poorly prepared to run on communicators and required significant optimizations. This decision drew criticism from analysts: for example, ZDNet columnist Christopher Dawson called Google's move disappointing. But, according to the promises made by the company, Google opened the source codes of the next version of the system - Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - in the fall of 2011.

Android devices

The first device running Android was the HTC Dream smartphone developed by HTC (officially released by the mobile operator T-Mobile under the name T-Mobile G1), the presentation of which took place on September 23, 2008. Soon followed by numerous statements from other smartphone manufacturers about their intention to release devices based on Android. With the release of the third version of Android (Honeycomb), aimed at tablets, more and more manufacturers began to announce the release of tablets on this platform. Google also, in collaboration with various giants of the mobile industry, produces its own devices in the “Google Nexus” series. These devices are the first to receive updates to new versions.

In addition to smartphones and tablets, the Android operating system is also installed on other devices. Thus, at the end of 2009, the first photo frame running on Android went on sale. In June 2011, the Italian company Blue Sky announced the release of the i’mWatch smart wristwatch running Android OS. In August 2012, Nikon introduced the world's first camera that also runs on Google's platform. The already mentioned “Google Nexus” series includes not only smartphones and tablets, but also the Nexus Q media player running on Android.

In addition, enthusiasts have ported Android to a number of well-known devices, including, for example, smartphones on the Windows Mobile platform HTC Touch Dual and HTC TyTN II, on which Android was run in emulation mode. Full porting was also carried out on devices such as Internet tablets running on Maemo - Nokia N810 and Nokia N900 (a port called Nitdroid) - and on smartphones Nokia N9 running on the MeeGo platform and HTC HD2 running on the operating system Windows Mobile, on which the Android OS can be run both from a microSD card and from internal NAND memory. At the same time, the installed system has full, unrestricted functionality. In addition, there is a successful experience of installing Android on some Apple devices - iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad using a special program called Openiboot, which is designed to run various OSes on these devices, including Android. Pre-release firmware with limited functionality appears on devices running the Bada operating system. Koolu not only began porting Android to the Neo FreeRunner, but also built its business on selling these smartphones with Google's mobile platform pre-installed. The first official and public beta release of an Android port of Koolu's Neo FreeRunner took place in December 2008. Android has also been ported to x86 architecture.

Sources

Wikipedia – The Free Encyclopedia, WikiPedia

android.com – Android website

proandroid.net – Android Applications

youhtc.ru – Everything for NTS phones

Are you thinking about buying an Android smartphone or tablet? Almost sure to take this particular brand and not any other! Do you know all the pitfalls of this manufacturer?

Suppose you are planning to buy yourself a brand new smartphone or tablet with the Android operating system on board. This is how everyone does it - I looked at the appearance, read the characteristics and bought it. On the one hand, this seems clearly logical and correct thinking, but not everything is so simple!

If you want to see exact numbers here, why one manufacturer is better/worse than another, then no, you are wrong. But still, don’t be lazy to read this post!

This article is a must-read if you are a geek, a lover of new products and new opportunities! Also, this article will be simply useful to everyone who does not want to step on a rake and have a negative experience using the Android OS.

Well, what about the manufacturers of Android smartphones and tablets! Hold on!!!

This post is based on personal experience of the site and may not meet anyone’s expectations or opinions!

About the Classes...

There are only three classes or categories of product, be it an Android smartphone or tablet:

Budget- cheap devices. Weak technical functionality and, accordingly, software functionality.

Middle class- not ultra cheap, but not expensive either. Interesting solutions are possible through the use of expensive components and cheaper ones (for balancing) or the use of mid-price chips.

Expensive or Premium- the best components. Maximum possibilities!

There are also devices that can be classified as one or the other (transitionable).

Why would you tell me this? The following trend has developed in the Android world: Cheap devices are very popular and have a large community where you can solve any problems, but unfortunately there are not enough “bright minds” here, don’t expect a lot of different custom firmware or solutions to critical problems here. The life cycle of such communities is very short.

Middle class- despite the higher price and better technical characteristics, the communities are very weak and that’s why those who want to get the most out of Android take either cheap or expensive ones, or, more precisely, transitional devices. But as a rule, the existing Android works almost well. The life cycle of such communities is also very short.

Expensive devices- the most desirable Android devices, all the innovations are collected in one package, such devices are often chosen by geeks and, as a result, problems are solved in almost a matter of minutes, undocumented features are often discovered, the release of unofficial patches, improvers, firmware, it’s all there and a lot. The life cycle of such communities is very, very long.

What are the disadvantages/advantages of different Android manufacturers?

Samsung

Samsung is currently the leader in sales of smartphones and tablets. Accordingly, it has a larger overall community. It is extremely rare to remain unanswered.

Samsung advantages:

Large user community

Quickly obtain Root rights to a new device

Quick creation of custom firmware

Release of non-official patches

Good official firmware, rare “glitches”

Hard to kill programmatically

Samsung Disadvantages:

— Knox protection is being strengthened, getting Root is sometimes problematic

— It’s very easy to lose the warranty, there is a custom firmware counter installed, which unfortunately cannot be reset in new ones

— In cheap and mid-price categories, devices almost rarely receive system updates (2 - 3 times throughout their entire life cycle)

— Resource-intensive proprietary interface

- Lack of Fastboot mode

Sony

A Japanese company that has been going through difficult times since 2008. Recently, they have been on the right track by providing the community with detailed instructions on how to compile the Linux kernel and access to the source code on GitHub. But using selinux instructions and having to unlock the bootloader for modifications or troubleshooting makes things difficult.

Sony advantages:

Emphasis on the protective properties of the housing

Nice and nice design

More frequent updates to devices

The desire to get closer to users (official instructions for compiling the kernel)

Availability of Fastboot mode

Sony Disadvantages:

— The need to unlock Bootloader for modifications

— Chance to get a brick when flashing firmware by inexperienced users

— Periodic glitches and malfunctions on official firmware

— Unreasonable price for technical characteristics (more than Samsung)

— Frugal Community

HTC

Once the leader in Android sales, and also a coveted company by many Android users for its excellent proprietary Sense interface. The negative imprint is due to an over-obsession with security.

HTC advantages:

Excellent proprietary Sense interface

Great device design

Stable firmware

Large community (after Samsung)

Lots of patches and firmware

Relatively easy to get Root

Availability of Fastboot mode

HTC Disadvantages:

- Unlock Bootloader for modifications

— S-ON (it is impossible to edit and modify system files when turned on)

- Can also be turned into a brick, but heavier than Sony

- Firmware? Forget it! (in almost 90% of cases)

— Unreasonable price for technical characteristics

Asus

Asus is a fairly well-known company with a solid design and excellent quality components and software.

Asus advantages:

Breakdowns? Forget it!

Great job Android

Firmwares are not released very often, but they are released

Disadvantages of Asus:

— As a rule, all Asus use processors on the x86 platform from here...

- Sometimes not optimized or lack of specific applications

— Low productivity

— Small community

— It’s difficult to get Root (sometimes it takes months)

- If any errors appear, it takes months to resolve (small community) until new firmware is released

Lenovo

Lenovo is a very promising and rapidly growing manufacturer, and has recently become very popular.

Lenovo advantages:

Available devices

Community growing by leaps and bounds

You can get Root practically from the second minute of purchase

Many firmwares (even if initially not created for this device)

Many modifications

Recovery is created very quickly

Lenovo Disadvantages:

— Difficulty in firmware for beginners and due to

— Scraping after unsuccessful firmware

— Difficulty installing drivers

— The devices are cheap, so the community quickly appears, develops rapidly and disappears just as quickly

— Overwriting IMEI and problematic recovery (for beginners)

As of today, the latest version of Android has the serial number 5 and the code name Lollipop. The system has received significant updates in design, functionality, in general, it is practically a newly created product. Google Nexus 5 smartphones have now begun to be updated to this version of the OS, and soon all modern smartphones will receive the latest update. However, we will tell you about the new 5.0 separately, but I still want to start from those times when the Android project did not even belong to Google...

Android: Beginning

Many people believe that the history of Android began in 2008 when the first version of Android 1.0 was released. But in fact, everything started 5 years earlier, in 2003, when Andy Rubin and his friends (Nick Sears, Chris White and Rich Miner) decided to create a mobile operating system and registered the company Android Inc. The developers first focused on devices that could be constantly with users, determine location using GPS and automatically adapt to a person’s needs.

Andy Rubin, creator of Android Source: technobuffalo.com

For investors of that time, it was unlikely that anything was clear at all. Well, who wants to invest money in an incomprehensible startup that doesn’t bring in any money yet... And so it happened that by 2005 Andy and friends spent all their funds, but by a lucky coincidence Google took a closer look at them and on August 17, 2005 the corporation became a full-fledged corporation owner of small Android Inc. It is worth noting that Google at that time did not have any special plans for gadgets, but was more focused on improving its own software and search algorithms. It’s scary to say, but at that time Google did not have any Adsense or even YouTube (it was acquired only in 2007).

Google logo in 2005

In the same year, against the backdrop of legal proceedings between Oracle and Google, it was decided that Android would be a free operating system and, of course, primarily focus on the implementation of Google services. Since Andy Rubin was initially involved in a project related to GPS, and the corporation already had Maps, it was planned to introduce maps into phones. Moreover, there were no smartphones at that time, so the cards could appear on a regular folding phone with buttons. The first images also indicate that Google was looking to RIM's experience with their Blackberry, so if not for a coincidence, touch phones might not have appeared. But, unfortunately or fortunately, the iPhone came out in 2007 and Google sharply revised its strategy. However, the first build of Android 1.0 is being prepared for release in 2008. However, at the beginning of 2007, Google does not have a partner that would release a phone on the new OS. Nokia is too large a company with which there will be a conflict of interest; Motorola has not yet recovered from the rise in sales of Razr models. Google is choosing between LG and HTC. Korean LG is interested in the US market, but it is afraid of cooperation with an unknown partner and uses agreements with Google only to conclude contracts with Microsoft to create smartphones with Windows Mobile. But HTC was ready to work together, and besides, the Taiwanese company could quickly create working samples. The first known prototype was Google Sooner. Here, however, we had to abandon the touch screen; this model was created according to the original specifications, when Google relied on the experience of Blackberry.

Possibly the first Android phone prototype - Google Sooner

Sources report that the first working version dates back to May 15, 2007 and was then called M3. The operating system is very reminiscent of the Blackberry interface, with the Google search bar occupying the main position. In general, if it weren’t for the advent of the iPhone and the trend towards touch screens, perhaps we would now see Android like this.

Screenshot of Android M3, possibly the first working version of the OS Source: 9to5google.com

Android: official start

Google clearly understood that with the release of the Apple iPhone, having a touch screen was simply a necessity, and therefore early development had to be postponed. This was facilitated by communication with operators; in the summer of 2007, their opinion about the future of Android was pessimistic. In August 2007, an article appears in the WSJ talking about Google's efforts with its phone and platform. This material mentions that the company has two prototypes - one is similar to the Palm Treo with a QWERTY keyboard under the screen, and the second is somewhat reminiscent of the Nokia version. Within the Android team there is a race against time, since all previous plans are no good and they decided to abandon them. The team changes the timing, and the M3 is released in the second half of 2007. In version M5, it appears at the beginning of 2008, a status bar appears in it, although experiments with the UI are noticeable to the naked eye. Watch the video to understand the differences between these versions.

It wasn't until August 2008 that Google developed version 0.9 to introduce OS version 1.0 in September 2008. On October 22, 2008, the US operator T-Mobile begins selling the HTC Dream (T-Mobile G1), the first Android smartphone to feature a touch screen and an OS fully integrated for its use. But Google was able to rework the OS only to version 1.6, getting rid of the old ideas that were originally laid down when it was created. Perhaps it is from this moment that the rise of Android begins. Interest in the HTC Dream in the United States was enormous; the operator had sold 1 million devices by April 23, 2009. Such a demand for such an ordinary and simple device once again proved that ideas win, in this aspect it was the idea of ​​​​touch phones that captured the minds of consumers.

Naturally, the very first tests on real users revealed many flaws in the platform, and already in the first year of Android’s existence, Google released the following updates: 1.1. Banana Bread, 1.5 Cupcake (video and photo uploading to YouTube and Picasa, automatic display orientation, predictive input, etc.), and 1.6 Donut (speech-to-text conversion with multilingual pronunciation, WVGA support, optimized work with gestures, etc.) .d.)

Android: second try

Android 2.0

After improving the 1st version, Android received expanded functionality and a good appearance in version 2.0, and then in 2.1 with the same code name Eclair. It became possible to use multiple Google accounts, and the standard web browser received HTML5 support. At the same time, new models of Android smartphones went on sale: NTS Magic and Hero, Motorola Droid and Samsung Galaxy.

At the same time, in 2010, the production of mobile processors with a clock frequency of 1 GHz began. And the first branded smartphone Google Nexus One with a 1 GHz processor appears. Of course, HTC becomes Google's partner. And HTC Desire, Motorola Droid 2 and Samsung Galaxy S received processors with a similar frequency. By the way, HTC will no longer make Google devices until 2014, when the Nexus 9 comes out. In the same 2010, Google released another version of Android, the new 2.2 Froyo , in which the performance of applications using JIT compilation has increased, and support for Adobe Flash has appeared. Well, all the above-mentioned smartphones with a 1 GHz processor received an update to Froyo. In addition, the assembly received updates such as the Chrome V8 JS engine for the web browser, contact transfer and support for BlueTooth docking stations, cloud synchronization, etc.

Google Nexus One and Android 2.2 Froyo

By the way, in Russia many saw Android for the first time in this edition, since this year in our country the demand for touchscreen smartphones begins, Android is gradually becoming fashionable. Until 2010, the “green robot” was seen only by geeks, and even then, more likely on the Internet or magazines than in their own hands.

Android Gingerbread and Honeycomb

It was the third year of Android's existence on the market. It was already a popular OS, but there were still many problems. And now, update 2.3 Gingerbread appears, which until 2013 was installed on a huge number of devices. Indeed, this version of the OS implemented many functions that outlined the prospects for the development of the platform as such - support for SIP telephony, Near Field Communication and Google Talk, work with higher resolution screens, a new download manager and much more.

Together with Gingerbread, Google releases its second branded smartphone - Nexus S. This time the manufacturer is Samsung, and Nexus S was, in fact, a slightly modified Galaxy S. However, Google Nexus S was released clearly too late: on the day its sales began, the company LG announced the first dual-core smartphone Optimus 2X. Now manufacturers are measured not by gigahertz, but by multi-core. As a result, not only LG Optimus 2X, but also Samsung Galaxy S II, HTC Sensation and Motorola Droid X2 received dual-core chips.

Meanwhile, Samsung is releasing another device after the Galaxy S smartphone - the Galaxy Tab tablet. The compact and lightweight seven-inch “tablet” became a good alternative for those who did not like the bulky Apple iPad. But the problem is that Android currently only exists for smartphones. Not a problem, Google thought, and at the beginning of 2011, the first version of Android designed specifically for tablet PCs appeared - 3.0 Honeycomb. It really looked better on Honeycomb tablets than the stretched out Gingerbread smartphone interface. Thus, both smartphones and tablets are already operational based on the Android OS. The business began to expand, and rapidly. Almost all Android tablets are becoming Honeycomb carriers - Motorola Xoom, Acer Iconia Tab, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet, etc.

In the same 2011, at the IFA 2011 technology exhibition in Berlin, Samsung presented its first 5-inch Glaxy Note phablet, which became a very popular device, despite the opinions of skeptics. Then it was, in fact, the first device of this class, and even on Android. It took Apple another 3 years before this; in 2014, the company released the iPhone 6 Plus phablet.

Android 4: from Ice Cream Sandwich to KitKat

Google understands that having two separate systems for smartphones and tablets is not very profitable. More time is spent on development and support. And in the fall of 2011, Google releases Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which becomes the first cross-platform version for smartphones and tablets. The build also includes access to applications directly from the lockscreen, and AndroidMarket is renamed Google Play. According to many experts, it was with version 4.0 that Android began to acquire its usual shape and normal functionality. Now the devices on the “green robot” could also be simply used; they ceased to be gadgets for geeks.

Following the new operating system, Google presented a new smartphone - the Galaxy Nexus, which, apparently, was also developed in collaboration with Samsung. And again, after the release of a smartphone, component manufacturers begin to fight for hardware. Qualcomm introduces powerful Krait processors, and Nvidia announces 4-core Tegra 3 chips. Well, the undisputed leader of Android smartphones in 2012 is the Samsung Galaxy S III, which joins the budget bestseller ASUS Nexus 7 based on the new Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS.

In 2012-2013, nothing special happened with Android after global changes with the unification of the tablet and smartphone versions. However, in 2012, Google makes 2 more branded devices - the LG Nexus 4 smartphone and the Samsung Nexus 10 tablet. In parallel with the new products, an updated build of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean was presented, which complemented the previous version. Now users can fully experience the benefits of using GoogleNow, Cloud Messaging, Android Beam, triple buffering, multi-channel USB audio, etc. Then the Google Moto X smartphone and the 2nd generation Google Nexus 7 tablet are presented, which were not particularly popular in our country due to the fact that Motorola left the Russian market back in 2010.

In 2013, Nexus 5 appeared on the market, again as a result of cooperation with LG. And a new version of Android 4.4 KitKat is coming out for it and other devices. Yes, this is the first time that the version indicator is the name of a commercial product, but let’s not talk about that. The changes affected not only the interface of individual system applications and elements. The promised transparency of the top notification bar has appeared in KitKat, along with a new sophisticated font and support for a full-screen interface from individual applications. With the release of KitKat, access to the Google Now service has become easier. Now its call is unified - you just need to swipe your finger across the screen from left to right. Previously, methods to access Google Now varied depending on the smartphone model (pressing the Home button, shaking, etc.). Additionally, the service is activated by the phrase “OK Google” when the start screen is open. The developers also paid attention to the Hangouts program. Now it allows you to send not only chat messages, but also SMS/MMS. Finally, we note the built-in pedometer in KitKat, which works even in the background, as well as expanded compatibility with printers through Google Print cloud technology. The latter allows you to send documents for printing without any wires, first changing the paper size and specifying the required number of pages.