ClockworkMod Recovery is the de-facto standard when it comes to custom recoveries on Android. It packs a wide variety of powerful features that make it an absolute must have for those of you who like to flash new ROMs regularly while keeping their personal data safe.
The Android app ecosystem is getting stronger and stronger as more and more developers realize that, despite its fragmentation issues, Android is a platform that is worth developing for because of ever increasing market share. We’ve seen big name iOS apps like Instagram and Instapaper release on Android; a trend that was initiated by games when titles Fruit Ninja and Angry Birds made the jump.
Unveiled late last month at Google I/O 2012, the Nexus 7 is one of the most well received tablets since the iPad 2. Critics are absolutely loving the Nexus 7 because it offers the features of a $500 tablet – quad core processor, a gig of RAM, HD display, long lasting battery life, powerful graphics etc. etc. – at just $199. Combine all that with the latest version of Android, 4.1 Jelly Bean, and you get the best in Android tablet experiences today.
Announced at Google I/O last month alongside Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and the Nexus 7 tablet, the Nexus Q is the sort of gadgetry that has, so far, left most of us wondering, “Why, Google?” It has the innards of an Android smartphone, and strictly requires an Android device to work. All it does is stream TV shows, movies and music from the Google Play Store and videos from YouTube. It doesn’t even work on its own as you need an Android smartphone / tablet to control it. To top it off, it costs $299 which is simply unreasonable for a device with such a limited feature set.
Google Glass, despite being shrouded in mystery, is one of the most exciting-looking gizmos around. Various video clips have surfaced which showcase its abilities, with the Project Glass team flirting with every possibility in a bid to turn their sci-fi-esque gadget into a real-life, marketable product. Hitherto, we haven't been offered much information with regards to how everything works, and nobody outside the development team has had a chance to try them out, but a patent application made by Google offers us something of an insight as to the frameworks of its secretive Project Glass.
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean was announced late last month at the Google I/O 2012 keynote to much fanfare. It introduced some long-wanted features like a significantly faster and smoother user interface and a Siri-like* voice assistant, and natural evolutionary features like more powerful notifications, offline voice typing, improved keyboard. Jelly Bean also made plenty of smaller changes to pre-existing features. One such tweak was made in the how the lock screen looks.
If you're a developer, an Android device is like steak to a lion, offering an unrivalled amount of scope for fun to be had. The latest iteration of Android - Jelly Bean - is still in relative infancy, but already, modders and developers have been sinking their teeth into the new OS.
The fact our mobile devices offer various types of connectivity is a wonderful thing, since it allows us to connect to the web with relative ease, lessening the need to open a notebook or fire-up a desktop computer. The convenience doesn't come without its drawbacks, however, and if, for example, you leave Wi-Fi connected indefinitely, you'll find your battery isn't as accommodating as it perhaps should be.
Last month, we notified you of the soon-to-drop Dark Night Rises game, a supplementary offering to the final edition of Christian Bale's Batman trilogy. The title will release for both Android and iOS, both of which are expected to arrive next Friday, 20th July - a day after the movie hits the cinemas worldwide.
Google has been branching out beyond its famed Maps app for the past couple of years in order to offer its customers a more well-rounded and feature-rich navigation experience. With Apple ousting Google Maps from iOS - a large source of the Web company's revenue - the work Google has put into enhancing its own services has been evident.
