The Android Operating System is by far one of the most popular mobile operating systems in existence nowadays. This is mostly down to the fact that it is completely open source, and that means any manufacturer can slap it onto their phones or tablet devices. That being said though, it is still a fantastic operating system, and there are a number of features that it packs which dare I say it…. make it cool. This is seven of my favourite features on the Android OS.
Custom Home Screen
This is by far one of my most favourite features of the Android Operating System. Basically you make your home screen as beautiful as you like using any combination of widgets or applications to do so. Display the exact information that you want on your home screen and you will have access to it as soon as you unlock your device. I literally lose hours designing my home screen each and every time I purchase a brand new Android device.
Different Keywords
On the Apple devices you are limited to just one type of keyboard, and let’s face it, it isn’t easy to use. However, if you use the Application Store on the Android you can download a plethora of different keyboards for you to play around with. Typing on a tablet computer really has never been so easy!
Widgets
I suppose widgets ties in with the custom home screen idea a tad. Widgets are one of the most fantastic things about the Android Operating System, it is a surprise that Google hasn’t jumped upon this yet. The idea of widgets is that you can see information that is important to you without having to go through the rigmarole of opening up an application.
Open Source System
This is one of the better features of Android. As it is completely open source, many people have played about with the code. This means that you can end up with a much smoother user-experience than with the stock version. It also means you can speed up the device quite easily by accessing features that would normally be ‘hidden’ on other operating systems.
Flash Compatibility
Ok, sure this feature mostly exists only in older incarnations of Android, but many devices are still making use of this version of the operating system. You really won’t realise how prevalent flash usage is on the web until it is snatched cruelly away from you. Experience flash support when you purchase an Android device.
Notification System
Yes, the Apple Operating systems have this feature, but to be perfectly honest, it is difficult to use. Looking out for notifications is incredibly easy on Android Devices. Just look to the top of the page and you will see tiny little symbols to indicate whether you have new messages or not. It really is completely unobtrusive, and this is one of the coolest features of Android which doesn’t seem to get much praise.
Smart Updates
With Smart Updates you don’t have to download the entire application, instead you only download the parts which have been updated. This saves time, especially if you have some larger downloads. Sadly though, it only appears on Jelly Bean.
