Whenever we talk about and discuss tablets, we only refer to Apple's iPad, the Nexus 7 from Google and ASUS, as well as the Kindle Fire and Samsung's Galaxy Tab range of devices. While they may be the most popular and relevant devices in that category at the current time, we mustn't forget the tablets which at one time looked like they would make a great impact on the industry.
The fabulous Nexus 7 has only been released for a very short time and already it has managed to win over most of the doubters with its impressive specification and overall pleasurable user experience. The device itself feels like a premium build product, and the integration of Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean provides the perfect companion quad-core Tegra 3 processor which Google and ASUS have packed under the hood.
Android Jelly Bean (4.1) seems to have gone down a treat among those using it, and it certainly seems as though Project Butter - a movement to make Android a lot sleeker and lag-free - has done the trick. With any new operating system, the temptation for many is to simply mod and tweak in order to decipher just what it's capable of, and for those having done a little - maybe too much - modding on their Nexus device, you'll be pleased to know you can grab a fresh, stock copy of your mobile OS.
Jelly Bean (4.1) is Google's latest and greatest Android release, and while many of the newer devices will be seeing (or already have seen) an OTA update of the buttery new operating system, it now appears the Samsung Galaxy S II - an oldie but goodie - will also be treated to the tasty new firmware.
Some smartphones just outright refuse to die. The HTC HD2, released in late 2009, is the most recent example of this. It was the first smartphone with a 4.3” display*, powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM, a 5-megapixel camera. The HD2 was the last smartphone that was based on Windows Mobile 6.5, but later, thanks to vibrant community support, the device was able to run Windows Phone 7, and Android all the way from 2.2 to the recently released 4.1 Jelly Bean.
We’ve already discussed everything you need to know about Jelly Bean in one of our previous post, but if you’re not in the mood to read the lengthy post itself, you should know that Android 4.1 brings vastly smoother user interface, more powerful notifications, better keyboard with next word prediction and offline typing, and lastly, the amazing Google Now.
CyanogenMod is the most popular aftermarket custom firmware (AKA custom ROM) on Android for one very important reason: it receives constant support from the community, enabling owners of old smartphones to try out the latest versions of Android and allowing owners of the latest smartphones to ditch their smartphone manufacturer’s custom skin for a more vanilla Android experience.
Although Android certainly trumps Apple's iOS when it comes to reach, versatility, and number of devices available, one area in which Google's mobile operating system has always struggled is security. Malware on the platform has been steadily increasing over the past year, and with security one of the main concerns of consumers, it's essential the Web company does its level best to combat the problem.
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 Amazon Kindle Fire is not your archetypal Android tablet by any stretch of the imagination, but that hasn't stopped members of the modding community from treating it as such. With Android Jelly Bean now beginning its official rollout, those looking to install it on their Amazon tablet can now do so thanks to an AOSP-based Jelly Bean (4.1.1) ROM.
