TechWire

The C, D, E of Android

Now you must be wondering why it is the CDE s instead of the standard ABC s when discussing Android. This is not about the basic ABCs of Android. Rather it is about the Google Android version alphabet. We are still searching for the answer to why A and B have been missed (but we have a guess*) and you are most welcome to share any info on that.

Down below is how Google alphabetically and interestingly introduced their Android versions.

C for Cupcake

D for donut

E for Éclair

F for Froyo

G for Gingerbread

H for honeycomb

I for Ice cream sandwich

J for jelly bean

And K for Key lime pie

 

Now we will discuss flavor and taste of the desserts from C to J which are already served on the table while waiting to discuss about dessert K which Google is still cooking inside the oven…

Android Versions

 

 

Android version Release date Key features introduced
Cupcake 1.5 30 April 2009
  • Interactive widgets on home screen
  • Inclusion of copy and paste in the browser
  • Auto-rotation of the screen
Donut 1.6 15 September 2009
  • Multi-lingual speech synthesis engine
  • Introduction of WVGA screen resolution, and kicked off the trend of the ‘large screen’ phone.
Éclair 2.0, 2.0.1, 2.1 26 October 2009
  • Live wallpapers
  • Turn by turn directions in GPS
  • High resolution screen with better contrast ratio
  • Support for HTML 5
  • Tighter integration of Exchange and Google services
Froyo 2.2.x 20 May 2010
  • USB tethering
  • Wi-Fi hotspot feature
  • Full desktop experience’ in web browsing
  • Voice dialing
Gingerbread 2.3 – 2.3.2, 2.3.3 – 2.3.7 6 December 2010
  • Improved UI design with increased simplicity and speed
  • Included support for screens with even higher resolutions improved compatibility of sensors, gyroscopes and barometers
  • Universal copy/paste functions
  • Near Field Communication (NFC) support
Honeycomb 3.0, 3.1, 3.2.x 22 February 2011
  • Optimized tablet support with a new virtual and “holographic” user interface
  • System bar and Action bar for fast access
  • Multiple browser tabs replacing browser windows
  • Support for video chat with Google talk
Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.1, 4.0.2, 4.0.3,  4.0.4 19 October 2011
  • OS compatible with both smartphones and tablets
  • ICS was fast, fluid, and elegant
  • Refined look of UI with eye-pleasing Roboto typeface
  • Soft buttons for phones
  • Face unlock feature
  • NFC payment with Android Beam
  • Simpler folders
  • Integrated screenshot capture
Jelly bean 4.1, 4.2 9 July 2012
  • Smooth UI with ‘Project Butter’
  • Better alternative to IOS Siri with Google Now
  • Expandable notifications
  • Multiple user accounts (Tabs only)

 

*’A’ for Apple pie and ‘B’ for Banana Bread? Since Google is silent on this, we are really not sure though.

Any guesses of the features of the dessert in the oven, the Android Key Lime Pie?

   

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