Android 4.4 KitKat is Finally Out, Nexus Devices will soon be Updated

By Kamran Zia -
Android-KitKat

The latest and greatest version of Android has now been officially announced, and it’s named after a candy bar. Android 4.4 KitKat is the next version of Android, soon to grace Nexus smartphones all over the world, and eventually other brands whenever they get around to updating their phones.
KitKat sports an updated aesthetic, getting rid of the Tron blue accents for all white icons in the status bar. Also, the status bar and navigation bar are both transparent on the homescreen. The Roboto font has been tweaked, and the launcher has been redesigned. Icons look different as well. It isn’t a huge change, but it refreshes the look of the operating system and keeps things fresh and modern. And if you don’t like it, remember that it’s Android. Just theme it!
A few apps were redesigned as well. The dialer now has smart searching capabilities, allowing you to find people or businesses without leaving the dialer. Also, the Messaging app is simply gone, replaced by a new version of Hangouts with SMS support built in.
Google Now is no longer an app to be opened with a swipe up, but with a left-to-right swipe on the homescreen. And instead of sending you to websites, Google Now will send you to the proper app to find the information you need. This is definitely an improvement, as mobile sites are pretty terrible way too often.
Google also managed to do some heavy optimizing for all different types of hardware. Since Jelly Bean and Project Butter, Android has been very smooth on high end phones, but low end phones always lacked smoothness. Google’s goal is to provide a smooth and fast experience for everyone, so Android will now run better on older hardware. It even optimizes memory usage for devices with less RAM.This could even allow phones that have reached the end of their life cycle to be updated, if the manufacturer is willing and the chip maker provides the necessary drivers.
This optimization not only helps the OS run on older hardware, but alternative hardware. KitKat can run on some weak hardware pretty well, so having it run on a smartwatch or other wearable accessory is now much more plausible. Is this Google preparing for a wearable device release?
There are a bunch of smaller but still important features included. You can now say “OK Google” at the homescreen to turn on Google Now. There is a new immersive mode which hides the status and navigation bars for true full screen content. The lockscreen now shows full screen album art when listening to music. Receiving phone calls from unknown numbers will pull info from Google Maps to match it to a business. And you can now print from Android. There are a ton of new features to be excited about!
The KitKat 4.4 update should be rolling out to Nexus devices soon, and unfortunately, other devices will have to wait. We have no idea when Samsung, HTC, and LG plan to update their smartphones to the new version of Android, but it shouldn’t be too long considering how fast HTC and Samsung have been lately. Are you excited for KitKat, or is it too small of an update for you? Leave a comment!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Woman clawed by zoo jaguar while trying to take selfie, learns valuable lesson

By Kamran Zia -
Image
Slate A woman’s trip to the Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium, and Safari Park in Arizona was cut short when she was clawed by a captive jaguar (via CBS News ). The woman had climbed over a concrete barrier to get closer to the animal to snap a selfie with her smartphone. The woman was admitted to the hospital with her arm in “pretty bad shape,” according to medical responders. However, she was released shortly after with a series of stitches. According to witnesses on the scene — one of which captured a video of the woman writhing in pain after the jaguar clawed at her arm — the incident began when the unidentified woman climbed over a federally-regulated concrete wall that helps to keep a safe distance between the animal cage and the spectators. Once over the wall, the woman turned her back to the cage to snap the selfie. At some point shortly thereafter, the jaguar reached its two front paws outside the cage and grabbed the woman’s arm. The woman then tried to wrench it out of the
Read more

The 12 best TV shows on Netflix you can binge right now

By Kamran Zia -
Image
Looking for the best shows on Netflix can be hard given the huge selection the streaming service offers. This is why we have created a list of our favorite ones and are ready to share it with you! Netflix gave many critically acclaimed TV shows from regular broadcast and cable networks a second life. Some of the best television shows ever made are now available for binge viewing on the service. In addition, they have a healthy portfolio of original shows and mini series for your viewing pleasure. Best shows on Netflix: Breaking Bad Dracula Stranger Things Mad Men The Office (US) Twin Peaks The Witcher The Walking Dead Parks and Recreation The Good Place Black Mirror Russian Doll Editor’s note : This list of the best shows on Netflix will be updated as TV series leave and others make their debut on Netflix. 1. Breaking Bad Of all of the older shows streaming on Netflix, this series may have benefited the most. Breaking Bad is about a high-school chemistry t
Read more

10 best adult apps for Android (NSFW)

By Kamran Zia -
Image
The adult entertainment industry has come a long way in the last 20 years. Before, all you had were VHS tapes with videos that looked like they were shot in a mafioso’s basement with magazines that you had to ask actual people to get from behind the counter to give you. The horror. These days you can stream and download all the pornography you want, usually for free and in HD, and no one’s the wiser. With tech making it easier than ever to Netflix and chill yourself, it’s only natural that you’ve stumbled upon this page looking for the best porn apps for Android. Please note, if you’re under the legal age in your country, please leave. This isn’t for you. Also, since most of these apps aren’t available in the Play Store, it’s highly recommended that you exercise caution. Let’s get started! Don’t forget to protect your phone against potential problems with the best antivirus apps! Incognito mode gets you almost unlimited adult content. Check out the best Android browsers now! Apt
Read more