Android, A Brief Introduction
As an advanced Android user and a hardcore Nexus fanboy, I might start sharing some discoveries I found tweaking around my phone and maybe some apps review. Since some of the apps that I will share will require some stuff such as root access, Xposed Framework, and maybe more. I figured that I might as well introduce these stuff beforehand.
So, let's start from the beginning. In this post, I'll introduce what is Android, the versions of it, and the "versions" of it. Let's know a little deeper about this green little robot that shook the smartphone world as of late. I'll assume that reader are tech-literate on basic tech-jargons such as apps, user, OS (Operating System), UI (User Interface), UX (User Experience), etc..
Founded by Andy Rubin and acquired by Google, Android is an open source smartphone OS which is based on Linux kernel and designed mainly for touch screen devices. Open source meaning that the source code behind the OS is released by Google under a certain licence which allows it to be freely modified and distributed by device manufacturers, wireless manufacturers, and enthusiast developers. This results a variety of "versions" of Android such as TouchWiz UX, Xperia UX, CyanogenMod, etc.. which will be discussed on the third part of this post.
Even though Android is open source, it is required to have Google's Services; such as Play Store, Google Search, and Google Play Services, in to the device. But there are Android devices which doesn't use Google's Services such as Amazon's Fire OS and the recently announced, Nokia X Software Platform. Since the elimination of Google's Services require a major change to the OS itself and most apps requires these services, not all apps can be run on the forked OS.
Android is an ever evolving OS that keeps on evolving to this day. From the firstly commercially available, rumouredly named Apple Pie (1.0), to the current KitKat (4.4). Android based their upgrade codename alphabetically and are based on the name of a dessert or sweets, which is sweet (bad pun). A one digit upgrade (x.0) usually brings major changes especially on the UI, a point O upgrade (0.x) also brings major changes but usually on performance and features though some changes to the UI could be or are present, and a point O O upgrade (0.0.x) usually are just bug fixes and also some minor features addition.
Here are the commonly known versions of Android:
Usually Android is related to the word lag, but ever since Jelly Bean's Project Butter, everything about lag almost nearly disappeared on a device with some good specification. And with KitKat, Google aims to have Android to run smoothly even in low-end devices.
As mentioned on the first part, Android is freely modified by anyone who are capable of such thing. This brings us other versions of Android which are based on which manufacturer made them or who modified them. These are separated into, my opinion, 3 parts:
Pure Android
As the name suggest, this is pure Android, how Android is meant to be by Google's visions. The very base of every Android version, almost like the blueprints of it all. It is fast, simple, and comes with the basic features. I highly DO NOT recommend this for new users as it is very basic and usually targeted for developers. Through Google's Nexus project and the recently Google Play Edition devices, pure Android is accessible for everyone and with a great price* (on selected countries only).
OEM Customized Android
OEM, Original Equipment Manufacturer, each has their very own unique version of Android skins or User Experience. Samsung has the TouchWiz UX, Sony has the Xperia UX, HTC the Sense UX, etc.. Many with their very own unique features that adds more functionality to the Android OS such as TouchWiz's Multi Window feature. This is what I would recommend for first time Android user as it offers more basic yet better features compared to pure Android for average users.
However, heavily customized Android skins usually cost a decrease in performance, these are usually present on Samsung devices. But yet some people wants its features without entering this zone, which brings us to the last version of Android:
Custom Made Android
This last category are modified versions of the two before it. Some wants pure Android with more features, some want OEM features but more closer to pure Android. And through Android's openness, some developers took their time and made a modified version of them. Most are based on pure Android, several are based on OEM Android.
You'll see that the OEM-based modified versions are different to each device while pure Android-based usually are the same. Some of the most famous pure Android-based are: Paranoid Android, CyanogenMod, Slim ROM, Purity ROM, and any more.
This concludes today's post, I hope it helps some people into knowing Android a little deeper. So, which Android version are you using?
Source:
Wiki Android OS
Wiki Android Versions
 |
| The icon of Android |
So, let's start from the beginning. In this post, I'll introduce what is Android, the versions of it, and the "versions" of it. Let's know a little deeper about this green little robot that shook the smartphone world as of late. I'll assume that reader are tech-literate on basic tech-jargons such as apps, user, OS (Operating System), UI (User Interface), UX (User Experience), etc..
Android, the Open Source Smartphone OS
Founded by Andy Rubin and acquired by Google, Android is an open source smartphone OS which is based on Linux kernel and designed mainly for touch screen devices. Open source meaning that the source code behind the OS is released by Google under a certain licence which allows it to be freely modified and distributed by device manufacturers, wireless manufacturers, and enthusiast developers. This results a variety of "versions" of Android such as TouchWiz UX, Xperia UX, CyanogenMod, etc.. which will be discussed on the third part of this post.
Even though Android is open source, it is required to have Google's Services; such as Play Store, Google Search, and Google Play Services, in to the device. But there are Android devices which doesn't use Google's Services such as Amazon's Fire OS and the recently announced, Nokia X Software Platform. Since the elimination of Google's Services require a major change to the OS itself and most apps requires these services, not all apps can be run on the forked OS.
 |
| Some of Google's Services |
Versions of Android
Android is an ever evolving OS that keeps on evolving to this day. From the firstly commercially available, rumouredly named Apple Pie (1.0), to the current KitKat (4.4). Android based their upgrade codename alphabetically and are based on the name of a dessert or sweets, which is sweet (bad pun). A one digit upgrade (x.0) usually brings major changes especially on the UI, a point O upgrade (0.x) also brings major changes but usually on performance and features though some changes to the UI could be or are present, and a point O O upgrade (0.0.x) usually are just bug fixes and also some minor features addition.
Here are the commonly known versions of Android:
- Cupcake 1.5
- Donut 1.6
- Eclair 2.0
- Froyo 2.1
- Gingerbread 2.3
- Honeycomb 3.0-3.2
- Ice Cream Sandwhich 4.0
- Jelly Bean 4.1-4.3
- KitKat 4.4
Usually Android is related to the word lag, but ever since Jelly Bean's Project Butter, everything about lag almost nearly disappeared on a device with some good specification. And with KitKat, Google aims to have Android to run smoothly even in low-end devices.
The Other Versions of Android
As mentioned on the first part, Android is freely modified by anyone who are capable of such thing. This brings us other versions of Android which are based on which manufacturer made them or who modified them. These are separated into, my opinion, 3 parts:
Pure Android
As the name suggest, this is pure Android, how Android is meant to be by Google's visions. The very base of every Android version, almost like the blueprints of it all. It is fast, simple, and comes with the basic features. I highly DO NOT recommend this for new users as it is very basic and usually targeted for developers. Through Google's Nexus project and the recently Google Play Edition devices, pure Android is accessible for everyone and with a great price* (on selected countries only).
 |
| Pure Android KitKat |
OEM Customized Android
OEM, Original Equipment Manufacturer, each has their very own unique version of Android skins or User Experience. Samsung has the TouchWiz UX, Sony has the Xperia UX, HTC the Sense UX, etc.. Many with their very own unique features that adds more functionality to the Android OS such as TouchWiz's Multi Window feature. This is what I would recommend for first time Android user as it offers more basic yet better features compared to pure Android for average users.
.jpg) |
| A Samsung device running TouchWiz UX |
However, heavily customized Android skins usually cost a decrease in performance, these are usually present on Samsung devices. But yet some people wants its features without entering this zone, which brings us to the last version of Android:
Custom Made Android
This last category are modified versions of the two before it. Some wants pure Android with more features, some want OEM features but more closer to pure Android. And through Android's openness, some developers took their time and made a modified version of them. Most are based on pure Android, several are based on OEM Android.
You'll see that the OEM-based modified versions are different to each device while pure Android-based usually are the same. Some of the most famous pure Android-based are: Paranoid Android, CyanogenMod, Slim ROM, Purity ROM, and any more.
 |
| CyanogenMod's logo |
This concludes today's post, I hope it helps some people into knowing Android a little deeper. So, which Android version are you using?
Source:
Wiki Android OS
Wiki Android Versions
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