android 2.2

Google Android 2.2...

What are the biggest new features in Android 2.2?

Where to start? 

The most significant core changes to the

 Android operating system revolve around these four points:

• Speed: Android 2.2 runs two to five times as

 fast as previous versions, thanks to a new

 Dalvik JIT compiler that allows for better

 CPU performance. And with a brand 

new Javascript engine, the stock 

Android browser is also two to 

three times faster than it was in 

Android 2.1. Plus, app switching 

should be noticeably smoother 

due to improved memory reclaim in the Froyo build.

• Flash: Froyo will be the first Android edition with

 full support for Adobe Flash and Adobe Air. 

(If you don't want to use it, you don't have to.

 If you do, you can. Choice -- now, that's refreshing!)

• Tethering: Android 2.2 has built-in support for tethering, 

though carriers will likely have to choose to allow it.

 Of course, you can turn your Android phone

 into a wireless modem on your own --

 right now, with or without Android 2.2 -- if you know how.

• Mobile hotspot support: Along with tethering comes

 the ability touse your phone as a 

Wi-Fi hotspot, spreading your 3G 

connection wirelessly to other devices.

 Again, carriers will presumably have to 

sign off on this and may or may not allow it for free.

(Time out: Are you seeing the Android

 2.2 images on this page? If not, you may

want to click here to view the story in its 

original location. That'll let you see 

screenshots of all these tasty Froyo features in action.)

How will apps change with Android 2.2?

Hey, good question; you're clearly an intelligent 

and amiable individual. The answer is that

 with Froyo, Google's giving us a bunch of 

new ways to take advantage of apps from 

the Android Market and beyond. The highlights:

• SD card installations: Yep, you'll finally

 be able to install apps on your SD card, 

smashing the space limitations of Android 

versions past. You'll be able to select where

 you want each app to be installed -- 

SD card or internal storage -- and even

 toggle it back and forth with a couple of clicks later.

• Auto-update and update-all functionality: 

Froyo introduces the option to have your 

apps automatically update themselves 

when new versions roll in; you just 

configure the permissions to your likings 

and Android does the rest. If you decide to 

stick with manual updates, Android 2.2 will 

let you update multiple apps at the same

 time with a new "Update All" button inside the Android Market.

• App backup: A new option within the 

Android settings menu lets you back up 

and restore your apps' data. You could use 

this to recover lost information or even just 

move data and settings from one phone to another.

• Cloud-to-device messaging: It's as cool as it sounds.

 Android 2.2's new cloud-to-device messaging 

capability means developers can build in Web-based 

functions that will communicate directly with your phone.

 So, for example, you could click on a button in a 

Google Map on your PC and have it automatically 

open the same map -- complete with driving directions -- on your phone. Not too shabby.