Vic Gundotra announced Froyo as a major overhaul of Android that covers “five major areas of investment into the platform.” Screw the wordy intro…let’s get to the facts! First off, there’s too much information to include in one post. Read these articles for more on big subjects:
- Android Market website will be searchable, browseable, syncable
- GoogleTV makes Android, TV, and web one seamless media experience
- Google confirms Android 2.2 with massive list of new features.
Android Market – YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
Search apps inside apps, move apps to SD card, Update all & auto-update. Yes! Yes! Search box has been improved, so developers can make their apps searchable in the homescreen search widget.
Apps2SD – Android will “intelligently” install the app to the SD card based on size. Users will never have to worry about when to install on phone or the SD card. Users can then manually do it (if they choose).
Update All – No longer do you have to deal with those pesky reminders to updated each app. You can press a button and update them all! Android even allows you to auto-update apps so you don’t even need reminders.
Read more after the break.
Android Market browseable online
The Android Market has been update to be browseable online. When you see an app that you want, click download AND IT COMES OVER THE AIR AUTOMATICALLY! No cords to connect, no manual connection necessary.
Android Music Library
You can now purchase music as well. When you purchase a song, it also updates and syncs to your device. Even better, the music you already have can be streamed to your device. Any non-DRM song will be available on your device.
Advertising In-App
Imagine you use the Backgrounds app, which includes AdMob ads. Well, say you have a lot of Beaches wallpapers. Android will display a contextual ad for Kayak. The ad will then go to the website or download the app if you want.
Also include is the ability to scroll down. Say you’re in Flixtser and see an intriguing ad about an upcoming movie. Drag it down and you can watch the preview within the application.
There’s also a new click-to-call option. If you’re in San Fran and DirectTV has an ad for people in San Fran, you can call the number to hear the deal. You can also get information on maps, locations, and phone numbers.
UPCOMING (NOT IN FROYO)
HTML 5 and Beyond – Google showed a sneak peek of the browser being able to make an API call from the browser. Web apps will be able to tap into the accelerometer, access the camera, and more.
Voice search is on steroids! I’ve frequently complained about how bad it is, but after three tests of long, quickly-spoken voice queries, voice recognition picked it up flawlessly. The new technology is crazy! When they said “Call 5th floor restaurant,” the phone called. Google Translate website immediately translated “Help me find the nearest hospital” into French.
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