10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT GOOGLE ANDROID

1. IT'S OPEN FOR EVERYONE
    Android was designed and developed as an open source, fully customizable mobile phone platform; the first of its kind. This means that manufacturers can customize their phones however they want and design any type of applications without many restrictions.


2. GOOD SOFTWARE NEEDS GOOD HARDWARE
   Due to its ease of availability, developers have taken to manufacturing handsets and tablets running on Android. However, all devices have different hardware confi gurations and if the hardware cannot match the software, it will not give you the best Android experience.


3. IT'S GONE 3D
   
   
   Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), the latest version of the OS, was recently unveiled by Google. At the offi cial launch of Honeycomb, Google displayed its 3D capabilities with the Google Maps and YouTube apps, assuring users that the company has done quite a bit to ensure 3D works well on the platform. This could usher in big changes in the mobile phone marketplace.





4. IT CAN TETHER
   Android has taken pairing devices to the next level. Tethering your Android device with your PC means you can use your service provider's Internet plan with your computer. With 3G services hitting the market, tethering your mobile and PC could see a great reduction in Internet service subscriptions.


5. MAKE SURE IT'S THE LATEST VERSION
   In the space of one year, Google made four revisions to its OS - Cupcake (1.5), Donut (1.6), Eclair (2.0/2.1), FroYo (2.2) and Honeycomb (3.0). With such rapid updates to the OS, manufacturers are finding it hard to develop hardware and modify the OS to suit their latest handsets.
   
   


6. IT CAN RUN MULTIPLE TASKS
   
   
   Android is able to run multiple applications at the same time regardless of whether they are system apps or apps from the Android Market. Android users benefit greatly from this discrepancy, as they can receive notifi cations, listen to music, or even record GPS data without keeping the application open.
   


7. IT'S ALL IN THE GOOGLE CLOUD
   
   
   Android phones don't sync with your computer because they don't have to. Your contacts, calendar and mail are all backed up in the great Googleplex. What this means is that any changes or entries you make to your Google-based organizer will automatically appear on your Android phone.
   






8. NOT ALL APPS ARE VERIFIED
   
   It's safe to install or buy apps from the Android Market, but a simple change in your phone or tablet's security settings can let you install apps from unverifi ed sites. What this means is that not all the apps you use are verifi ed by Android and could do more harm than good.




9. APP INCOMPATIBILITIES
   As mentioned earlier, all phones have different hardware setups. A difference in resolution, processor speed and RAM means that an app that runs perfectly fi ne on one Android device might not work as well on another. Developers need to consider modifying their apps to suit different devices.



10. IT CAN REMOTE WIPE
    Google has added a remote wipe feature with Android 2.2 (FroYo). This remote wipe feature enables users to program the device to automatically wipe its memory clean in certain conditions. If your phone is lost or stolen, a simple SMS, failed password entry or a change of SIM Card can trigger the wipe. It's up to you.