The highlights of what will be offered in Android 2.0 are now available, revealing a range of improvements to the platform.
Google today released the SDK for Android 2.0, and the new version introduces many new features for users and developers. Here are the highlights:
Contacts and accounts
- Multiple accounts can be added to a device for email and contact synchronization, including Exchange accounts. (Handset manufacturers can choose whether to include Exchange support in their devices.)
- Developers can create sync adapters that provide synchronization with additional data sources.
- Quick Contact for Android provides instant access to a contact's information and communication modes. For example, a user can tap a contact photo and select to call, SMS, or email the person. Other applications such as Email, Messaging, and Calendar can also reveal the Quick Contact widget when you touch a contact photo or status icon.
Email
- Exchange support.
- Combined inbox to browse email from multiple accounts in one page.
Messaging
- Search functionality for all saved SMS and MMS messages.
- Auto delete the oldest messages in a conversation when a defined limit is reached.
Camera
- Built-in flash support, Digital zoom, Scene mode, White balance, Color effect and Macro focus
Android virtual keyboard
- An improved keyboard layout to makes it easier to hit the correct characters and improve typing speed.
- The framework's multi-touch support ensures that key presses aren't missed while typing rapidly with two fingers.
- A smarter dictionary learns from word usage and automatically includes contact names as suggestions.
Browser
- Refreshed UI with actionable browser URL bar enables users to directly tap the address bar for instant searches and navigation.
- Bookmarks with web page thumbnails.
- Support for double-tap zoom.
- Support for HTML5
Calendar
- Agenda view provides infinite scrolling.
- Events indicate the attending status for each invitee.
- Invite new guests to events.
Media Framework
- Revamped graphics architecture for improved performance that enables better hardware acceleration.
Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 2.1
- New BT profiles: Object Push Profile (OPP) and Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP)
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