Google Announces Android 2.2 Froyo
May 20, 2010, 10:43 AM by Eric M. Zeman
updated May 20, 2010, 11:44 AM
Today at its I/O Conference in San Francisco, Google introduced Android 2.2 Froyo. Froyo builds on Android 2.1 Eclair and offers a number of improvements. The largest new feature is built-in support for tethering and Wi-Fi hotspots. It also has a refreshed home screen that adds permanent "Phone" and "Web" buttons alongside the Menu key. Google has also taken pains to improve the performance of applications and the Android Market. Users can now update all their applications in one step, rather than each at a time. Google also said that users can choose to have their applications update automatically. Android 2.2 also takes advantage of the Dalvik Virtual Machine. This tool vastly improves the speed of the platform. By incorporating a just-in-time compiler, applications are five to ten times faster than with Android 2.1. Android 2.2 is now more Microsoft Exchange friendly, and includes features such as auto-discovery, contacts sync and improved security controls. Google says it has boosted JavaScript performance in the browser to make it faster, as well. The browser also now includes Adobe Flash Player 10.1. Some of the new APIs in Android 2.2 will help move user and application data from device to device. Among other new features, Android users will now be able to store apps on external memory, instead of the device's internal storage. This should allow for larger apps, which will include more advanced games. The Google App Market has long had a Web component to browser applications, but now users can choose an app from the Web-based Market, and the phone will start downloading the app automatically. Additionally, Google will be offering a streaming music service. Using an app on a desktop PC, Android users will be able to listen to their entire, non-DRM music library over the air on their Android phones. Android 2.2 Froyo will be available today to owners of the Nexus One and the Motorola Droid in the near future. Google also plans to make it available to devices such as the HTC Incredible, EVO 4G and Desire, and the Motorola Milestone.
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