Tablet World.pdf

Notifications
The Notifications bar has been enhanced and can now show more detail, such
as including a text message or photo. Some notifications can be expanded or
collapsed with a two-finger gesture. As well as showing more information, users
can respond to the notification via multiple action buttons without opening the
associated app. You could respond to a missed call by returning the call directly
from the alert, for example.
Google Now
One of the best new features in Jelly Bean is called Google Now, the latest
development in Google search. Its aim is to stay one step ahead of you, offering
the answers to your questions before you ask them.
For Google Now to work at its best it needs to get to know you. When
logged into your Google account, it will use your search history to learn what
sort of things you look for. If you’re happy to divulge your search habits, location
and similar information, Google Now will quickly become a useful tool.
Dictation and keyboard input
Until Jelly Bean, Android’s voice-input feature has required a data connection to
function. Now, you can dictate an email or text message, for instance, regardless
of whether you have a mobile or Wi-Fi connection. Words appear onscreen
almost immediately after they’ve left your mouth.
Voice search
As before, you can use the microphone icon to perform a voice search. Like
Apple’s Siri, you can have the answers read aloud to you. Android also gets one
over on Siri in the UK, since you can search for local businesses and attractions.
Chrome
Google Chrome is the default web browser. It offers an excellent tabbed
browsing experience and things such as your bookmarks, most visited sites and
even open tabs can be easily synchronised with the desktop version of Chrome.
There are other nifty settings, too, such as the ability to configure text scaling.
Flash
The biggest issue with Jelly Bean is its lack of Flash support. This puts it in a
similar position to the iPad, on which Flash-based web and video content is
inaccessible. If you’re happy to do a bit of hacking there are ways around this.
New in Jelly Bean 4.2
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean is preloaded on Google’s own-brand Nexus
devices. It hasn’t announced when the free update will roll out to other
devices – as always, if and when your specific device is upgraded will
depend on whether its manufacturer decides doing so is worth its while.
A new feature is the ability to configure multiple user accounts,
each with its own Home screens, backgrounds, widgets, apps and
games. It’s a snap to switch between users, without logging out.
Gesture typing is another neat addition, which in effect turns
Android’s keyboard into a Swype-style keyboard. You glide a finger
over the characters you wish to use, and it intelligently works out
what you’re trying to write, automatically inserting spaces.
If you like taking panoramic photos, Photo Sphere is great.
This camera feature allows you to take continuous pictures in
any direction, then stitches them together in a sphere.
Also new is wireless display technology, which lets you share what’s on your
device on a larger screen, expandable notifications for more apps, lock-screen
widgets, and quick settings in the Notifications bar.
Note that not all these features will necessarily be available on all devices
running Android 4.2, since the manufacturer will the OS how it sees fit.
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean FEATURE
“Google Now
aims to stay
one step ahead
of you, offering
the answers to
your questions
before you
ask them”
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