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Android Lollipop 5.0 — the sweet new take?

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The newest version of Android coming from Google, surely seems to be a huge upgrade with a host of compelling features and functionalities. Google has baptised this latest OS as Android Lollipop 5.0, and continues the naming convention of using dessert names with predecessors such as Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice cream sandwich, Jelly Bean and Kitkat.

While some of the major enhancements includes features such as collaboration across Android devices, enhanced performance, a sleeker material design, ease of set-up and use, enhanced security, new quick settings, enhanced battery and power saving, improved notifications, and support to about 68 + languages, we have covered a few of these in details below.

Enhanced design

There is a spanking new bold, colourful and attractive user interface which enhances the user experience across all the devices. The intelligent use of lighting and shadow elements, usage of bright colours ensure that the user is captivated.

Run-time environment: ART, the acronym for Android RunTime (ART), is a new 64-bit compatible run-time environment which Google claims will improve the response and performance of the apps by up to 4 times, even if there is heavy usage of graphics, animations or multiple windows.

Multi-device collaboration

The 5.0 powers not just the smartphone or tablet but also loops in other Android-running devices such as smartwatches, Android TV or even the cars. The collaboration ensures that searches or apps used on one device can be seamlessly experienced across the other devices too.

Power for the long run

A new battery saving functionality ensures that the battery life extends by about 90 minutes and the interface shows the time needed to recharge and time left on the device before one needs to charge again.

Enhanced security

One can use Android Smart Lock to secure the smartphone or tablet by simply pairing it with any other device like a wearables. The newer crop of devices are built with auto-encryption to help protect data. Similarly features are built in to protect against malware, spam-ware and other vulnerabilities.

Device sharing

There are features which ensure ease of sharing with closed ones. So in case one forgets or misplaces a phone he or she can call family or friends by logging onto another Lollipop-running phone. One can share any Android device with guest user mode or create multiple user accounts to allow family or friends to log in to the device. A personal profile ensures that one’s data cannot be accessed by others. One can also “pin the screen” so some other user using the phone can access only just that content and not anything else — a feature ideal for parents so that their children don’t misuse the phone.

Improved connectivity

5.0 has a new routine which ensures that the scanning of Bluetooth devices in the vicinity is optimized thereby saving power and also an improved network selection algorithm ensures that the device connects only if there is a secure confirmed Internet connection available on Wi-Fi. With additional enhancements which ensure that there is better connectivity with home devices such as Google TV, a simplified device set-up, revamped display and notifications,

Android Beam for ease of sharing between Android devices, support for multiple languages and media enhancements, the Lollipop 5.0 seems like a sure-fire winner.

Android 5.0 Lollipop has started to make its way in newer devices as slowly more and more manufacturers and carriers have started sending out updates for the same. Indeed, the newest Google dessert undoubtedly seems to be the sweetest of them of all.

prashant.vadgaonkar@hotmail.com