Computer & Technology Digest

Android 7 . 0 ( Nougat ) Release Date : 22 Aug, 2016 API Level : 24 Features : Unicode 9.0 emoji and skin tone modifier support (and exposes a subset of ICU4J APIs). Ability to display color calibration Ability to screen zoom Ability to switch apps by double tapping in overview button Added Emergency information part Added the "Clear All" button in Overview screen Another system partition, which gets updated when not in use, allowing for seamless system updates Daydream virtual reality platform (VR interface) Improved Doze functionality, which aims to prolong battery life Improvements to file browser More Quick Settings options Multi-window support, which supports floating apps on a desktop layout New Data Saver mode, which can force apps to reduce bandwidth usage New JIT Compiler, making for 75 percent faster app installations and a 50 percent reduction in compiled code size Just in Time (JIT) compiler wi...

 Android 6 . 0 ( Marshmallow ) Release Date : 5 Oct, 2015 API Level : 23 Features : Introduction of Doze mode, which reduces CPU speed while the screen is off in order to save battery life Contextual search from keywords within apps. Renamed "Priority" mode to "Do Not Disturb" mode App Standby feature Alphabetically accessible vertical application drawer App permissions now granted individually at run-time, not all-or-nothing at install time. Application search bar and favorites Native fingerprint reader support Direct Share feature for target-specific sharing between apps App Linking for faster instinctive opening of links with corresponding applications Larger Application folders with multiple pages Post-install/run-time permission requests USB Type-C support Demo Mode feature for screenshot-capture usage Automatic full data backup and restore for apps MIDI support for musical in...

Android 5.0 ( Lollipop ) Release Date : 12 Nov, 2014 API Level : 21 Features : Material design, bringing a restyled user interface Vector drawables, which scale without losing definition Support for print previews Support for 64-bit CPUs Android Runtime (ART) with ahead-of-time (AOT) compilation and improved garbage collection (GC), replacing Dalvik that combines bytecode interpretation with trace-based just-in-time (JIT) compilation OpenGL ES 3.1 and Android Extension Pack (AEP) on supported GPU configurations Updated emoji Improved accessibility support (e.g. switch access support) Recent activities screen with tasks instead of applications, up to a configured maximum of tasks per application Redesigned Roboto typeface Refreshed lock screen, no longer supporting widgets Refreshed notification tray and quick settings pull-down Project Volta, for battery life improvements Guest logins and multiple user acc...

Android 4.4W (Kit K at ) Release Date : 25 Jun, 2014 API Level :20 Features : Initial release of Android Wear platform for smartwatches: the same as Android 4.4 "KitKat", but with wearable extensions added Android 4.4W.1 (Kit K at) Release Date : 6 Sep, 2014 API Level :20 Features : UI updates for Google Maps navigation and alarms Android 4.4W.2 (Kit K at ) Release Date : 21 Oct, 2014 API Level :20 Features : Offline music playback GPS support

Android 4.4 (Kit K at ) Release Date : 31 Oct, 2013 API Level : 19 Features : Refreshed interface with white elements instead of blue Ability for applications to trigger translucency in the navigation and status bars Ability for applications to use "immersive mode" to keep the navigation and status bars hidden while maintaining user interaction Action overflow menu buttons are always visible, even on devices with a "Menu" key, which was officially deprecated by Android 4.0. Optimizations for performance on devices with lower specifications, including zRAM support and "low RAM" device API Wireless printing capability NFC host card emulation, enabling a device to replace smart cards New framework for UI transitions Storage Access Framework, an API allowing apps to retrieve files in a consistent manner. Sensor batching, step detector and counter APIs WebViews now based on Chromium engine (feature parity with Chrome for Android  Expand...

Android 4.1 (Jelly B ean) Release Date : 9 July, 2012 API Level : 16 Features : Based on Linux kernel 3.0.31 Smoother user interface: Vsync timing across all drawing and animation done by the Android framework, including application rendering, touch events, screen composition and display refresh Triple buffering in the graphics pipeline Enhanced accessibility Bi-directional text and other language support User-installable keyboard maps Expandable notifications Ability to turn off notifications on an application-specific basis Shortcuts and widgets can automatically be re-arranged or re-sized to allow new items to fit on home screens Bluetooth data transfer for Android Beam Tablets with smaller screens now use an expanded version of the interface layout and home screen used by phones. Improved camera application Multichannel audio USB audio (for external sound DACs) Audio chaining (also known as gapless playback) Ability for other launchers to add widgets fro...

Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) Release Date : 19 Oct, 2011 API Level : 14 Features : Based on Linux kernel 3.0.1 Major refinements to the "Holo" interface with new Roboto font family Soft buttons from Android 3.x are now available for use on phones Separation of widgets in a new tab, listed in a similar manner to applications Easier-to-create folders, with a drag-and-drop style Improved visual voicemail with the ability to speed up or slow down voicemail messages Pinch-to-zoom functionality in the calendar Integrated screenshot capture (accomplished by holding down the Power and Volume-Down buttons) Improved error correction on the keyboard Ability to access applications directly from lock screen Improved copy and paste functionality Better voice integration and continuous, real-time speech to text dictation Face Unlock, a feature that allows users to unlock handsets using facial recognition software Automatic syncing of browser with users' Chro...

Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) Release Date : 22 Feb, 2011 API Level : 11 Features: Based on Linux kernel 2.6.36 Optimized tablet support with a new “holographic” user interface Added System Bar, featuring quick access to notifications, status, and soft navigation buttons, available at the bottom of the screen Added Action Bar, giving access to contextual options, navigation, widgets, or other types of content at the top of the screen Simplified multitasking – tapping Recent Applications in the System Bar allows users to see snapshots of the tasks underway and quickly jump from one application to another Redesigned keyboard, making typing fast, efficient and accurate on larger screen sizes Ability to view albums and other collections in full-screen mode in Gallery, with easy access to thumbnails for other photos New two-pane Contacts UI and Fast Scroll to let users easily organize and locate contacts New two-pane Email UI to make viewing and organizing messages more effici...

Android 2.3 (Gingerbread ) Release Date : 06 Dec, 2010 API Level : 9 Features : Based on Linux kernel 2.6.35 Faster, more intuitive text input in virtual keyboard, with improved accuracy, better suggested text and voice input mode Updated user interface design with increased simplicity and speed Support for extra-large screen sizes and resolutions  Native support for SIP VoIP internet telephony Enhanced copy/paste functionality, allowing users to select a word by press-hold, copy, and paste Support for Near Field Communication (NFC), allowing the user to read an NFC tag embedded in a poster, sticker, or advertisement New audio effects such as reverb, equalization, headphone virtualization, and bass boost New Download Manager, giving users easy access to any file downloaded from the browser, email, or another application Support for multiple cameras on the device, including a front-facing camera, if available Support for WebM/VP8 video playback, and AAC audio en...

Android 2.2 (Froyo) Release Date : 20 May, 2010                                                 API Level : 8 Features : Based on Linux Kernel 2.6.32 Speed, memory, and performance optimizations Additional application speed improvements Improved Microsoft Exchange support, including security policies, auto-discovery, GAL look-up, calendar synchronization and remote wipe Integration of Chrome's v8 JavaScript engine into the Browser application Support for the Android Cloud to Device Messaging (C2DM) service, enabling push notifications Improved application launcher with shortcuts to Phone and Browser applications USB tethering and Wi-Fi hotspot functionality Option to disable data access over mobile network. Updated Market application with batch and automatic update features. Quick switching between multiple keyboard languages and their dictionaries....

Android 2.0 ( Eclair) Release Date : 26 Oct, 2009                                         API Level : 5 Features: Based on Linux Kernel 2.6.29 Expanded Account sync, allowing users to add multiple accounts to a device for synchronization of email and contacts Microsoft Exchange email support, with combined inbox to browse email from multiple accounts in one page Bluetooth 2.1 support Ability to tap a Contacts photo and select to call, SMS, or email the person Calendar agenda view enhanced, showing attending status for each invitee, and ability to invite new guests to events Numerous new camera features, including flash support, digital zoom, scene mode, white balance, color effect and macro focus MotionEvent class enhanced to track multi-touch events Addition of live wallpapers, allowing the animation of home-screen background images to show movement Improved typing ...

Android 1.6 (Donut) Release Date : 15 Sept, 2009                                                           API Level : 4 Features: Based on Linux Kernel 2.6.29 Voice and text entry search and Multi-lingual speech synthesis engine Ability for developers to include their content in search results Support for WVGA screen resolutions Speed improvements in searching and camera applications Expanded Gesture framework and new Gesture Builder development tool Easier searching and ability to view app screenshots in Android Market Gallery, camera and camcorder more fully integrated, with faster camera access Ability for users to select multiple photos for deletion Updated technology support for CDMA/EVDO, 802.1x, VPNs, and a text-to-speech engine

Android 1.5 (Cupcake) Release Date :  27 April, 2009 API Level : 3 Update version of Android 1.2 Beta. This was the first android version given a code-name based on a dessert item " Cupcake ", since then all android version releases were given code-names. Features : Based on Linux Kernel 2.6.27 Auto-pairing and stereo support for Bluetooth (A2DP and AVRCP profiles) Copy and paste features in web browser Support for third-party virtual keyboards with text prediction and user dictionary for custom words Video recording and playback in MPEG-4 and 3GP formats User pictures shown for Favorites in Contacts Specific date/time stamp shown for events in call log, and one-touch access to a contact card from call log event Animated screen transitions Auto-rotation option Ability to upload videos to YouTube and photos to Picasa.

Android 1.0 (Alpha) Release Date : 23 Sept, 2008 API Level : 1 Features: Android Market application download and updates through the Market application Camera support  Folders allowing the grouping of a number of application icons into a single folder icon on the Home screen Access to web email servers, supporting POP3, IMAP4, and SMTP Gmail synchronization with the Gmail application Google Contacts synchronization with the People application Google Calendar synchronization with the Calendar application Google Maps with Street View to view maps and satellite imagery, as well as find local business and obtain driving directions using GPS Google Sync, allowing management of over-the-air synchronization of Gmail, People, and Calendar Google Search, allowing users to search the Internet and phone applications, contacts, calendar, etc. Google Talk instant messaging Instant messaging, text messaging, and MMS Notifications appear in the Status bar, with options to...

1.  Android Version 1. 0 Release Date: 2 3 Sep , 200 8 API L e vel: 1   2 .  Android Version 1. 1 Name: Petit Four Release Date: 9 Feb , 2009 API L e vel: 2   3 .  Android Version 1.5 Name: Cupcake Release Date: 27 April, 2009 API L e vel: 3   4 .  Android Version 1.6 Name: Donut Release Date: 15 Sept, 2009 API L e vel: 4   5 .   Android Version 2.0 - 2.1 Name:  Eclair Release Date: 26 Oct, 2009 API L e vel: 5-7   6 .  Android Version 2.2 Name: Froyo Release Date: 20 May, 2010 API Level: 8   7 .  Android Version: 2.3.3 - 2.3.7 Name: Gingerbread Release Date: 9 Feb, 2011 API Level: 9-10   8 .  Android Version: 3.2 Name: Honeycomb Release Date: 15 July, 2011 API Level: 11-13   9 .  Android Version: 4.0.3 - 4.0.4 Name: Ice - Cream Sandwich Release Date: 16 Dec, 2011 A PI Level: 14-15 10 .  Android Version:...