Android has exploded in popularity. More and more phones are running the mobile phone operating system, but most people don’t know much about it. Here are 5 things that you probably didn’t know about Google’s entry into the mobile phone market.
It Doesn’t Have True Multitasking
Multitastking is something that Android is advertised as having that older iPhones didn’t. And while this is technically true, in practice this is not the case. There are two states that an application can be in: foreground and background. Foreground apps are the ones currently displayed. Background apps are no longer visible. Android has a program that looks at how much of the system’s resources each background app is consuming and, when another resource hungry app is started, kills the resource hungry background apps. This is not unlike the multitasking that is in iPhone.
But where iPhone and Android differ is in processes. Each app has a process. It is a small segment of code that can execute even when the program is closed by the terminator. On Android, all apps are allowed to have these processes. iPhone, on the other hand, only lets certain types of apps do this. This is a strong and powerful approach to multitasking that keeps your phone running smoothly, despite the fact that calling it true multitasking is a bit of a misnomer.
It Is Based On Linux
Android is actually a lightweight port of another operating system called Linux. Linux is free and is often used to run web servers, though some people use it on laptops too. On top of the operating system is put something called the Dalvik Virtual Machine. This is what actually powers everything you see.
One major advantage of running on top of Linux is that your Android device has a file system. So if you save a file on your phone, you can actually brows to where it is saved. On the iPhone, there is no file system. Only the application you saved the file in knows where the file is. Having a file system is great for when you want to back up your data to make sure you don’t lose anything.
There are Custom Versions Of Android
Because it is based on Linux, the entire Android operating system is able to be modified. Programmers have taken its source code and expanded on it, generally making Android devices run faster and have more features. If your phone is not running the newest version of Android, very often the programmers will port that too and make the update available through the service providers. Companies like HTC have gone so far as to completly customize the look and feel of Android to suit their phones, the result of which is known as the Sense UI.
You Can Load It On Your Computer
Other programmers have taken Android and ported it to desktop computers. While it has no major advantages over running Windows, it is lightning fast, boots up in seconds, and is very user friendly for beginners with little computer experience who may already own Android cellphones. Small, lightweight netbooks are already appearing with Android, and new iPad-like tablets are also on the way.
It Is Easy To Make Apps For It
Making apps for the iPhone is difficult, requiring a developer’s license, a Mac with the correct software, and a willingness to plough through the approval process to get your program into the App store – and even then it’s only an option for the technically inclined. Google, however, has no such restrictions. They even released a tool called the App Inventor to encourage more app-building. Using a drag and drop interface, people with no programming experience can quickly learn to make simple Android applications and get started with the Android Market.
This is a Guest Post from Britney Baker, a freelance blogger who normally ranks prepaid phones for PrepaidCellphones.net.