It has been a whole month since the eagerly awaited Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system update has been released, bringing a new visual layout, performance optimization improvements and power usage efficiency to Android devices.
It was a surprise announcement confirmed and released at the same time with the Motorola Nexus 6 and HTC Nexus 9, somewhere during mid-October. It was followed by Google finally making its source code available on November 3rd, thus marking the official release for general availability and a green light for manufacturers to start implementing it on their devices.
Image Source: www.ibtimes.co.uk
Anyone who has already upgraded their OS to Android 5.0 Lollipop will be able to tell you all the good things that the update came up with. It is surely one of the most important releases in terms of operating systems, revamping the whole idea behind the interface that Android devices display to their users and its corresponding features.
Designs and Features for Android Lollipop 5.0
It would appear that developers have given up on some of the features that stuck with the previous variants the whole way, since its inception. Instead, as soon as you make the upgrade, you are greeted by a clean, simple interface that does not hold back on the premium, elegant feeling.
The new menu feels familiar and yet, refreshed and different – while the grid idea stays even in the new operating system, it now flies out like a window on the Nexus 9, with a more bi-dimensional artwork to it.
Developers have named the style Material Design, which focuses on the way the fundamentals of light, surface and movement are keys to how objects move and interact in relation to each other. The system is not heavy on shadowing, but the more simplistic fashion is still bringing several animation flourishes that maintain the feel of the operating system far from boring.
Personalization has always been a strong point of Android operating systems, and the Android Lollipop really takes the crown in that department. The simplistic looking interface became easier to use than ever, letting you have a shot at customizing your own, personal, version of it.
The notification system has gone through its own metamorphosis process, now behaving less intrusive than before, and joining the quick settings buttons in the pull-down menu in an intuitive way. The lock screen is happy to display new functionality as well, now presenting a drop-down like menu for the notifications, replacing the hidden swipe-down function of older Android OS versions.
Important information has never been easier to access without even having to unlock your phone, a change that mimics the iOS to some extent. On top of that, the notification system is now highly customizable itself, letting you choose what shows, when it shows and where it shows most of the time.
Seamless Performance for Android 5.0 Lollipop
Android 5.0 Lollipop feels responsive on more than one level. One would be the dynamics in the lock screen – most gestures will probably earn you a reaction in some way, making the operating system feel very interactive and capable. On another level, we would be discussing system performance on the upgraded operating system.
While it was expected that the Lollipop would run like a well-oiled machine on the new Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 that brought it into the spotlight, due to it being heavily optimized for that family of technical specifications, there was some concern regarding older models.
Thankfully, due to the less loaded, simplistic and light nature of the Android 5.0 Lollipop, older devices running on as low as 512 MB of RAM have shown no complaints so far, manufacturers making sure to give this wonderful option to lower-end devices just as well as high-end ones.
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The camera and recording component is also getting plenty of love from the new operating system, the application that goes with it having gone through an almost complete revamp itself. It still goes by the general rule that seems to guide the direction in which Android 5.0 Lollipop is heading – less clutter, more space and comprehensive usage for your delight. The camera app is showing off some new features such as the Photo Sphere, Panorama mode and the Lens Blur and many more optimization options to go with your usual photo snapping and video recording. Changing resolution, quality levels and location data are all part of the customization process of your camera usage, whether you will be using this on new Android releases or older models.
All in all, there’s not much we can say against the Lollipop upgrade for Android devices. Not only that it brings a much-needed visual and functional upgrade to existent devices, but it managed to improve performance and battery life altogether, boost up security and pave up the way towards the next generation of smartphones. The latest OS upgrade really does show promise and with the updates and preemptive introduction of support for files and development tools leads us to believe the developers are proud of it and that the Android 5.0 Lollipop is here to stay for a long time.
Android 5.0 Lollipop Says Hello to HTC One M7 & HTC One M8
Flagship Android device owners were able to rejoice on Wednesday when the company push-released the latest, most expected operating system update over-the-air, thus starting a two-week phase in which most HTC One M7 and HTC One M8 users can finally get their hands on the upgrade.
It has barely been out for less than a few days and we are already being shown the 5.0.1 version that seems to be bringing a few bug fixes and minor tweaks to the original version, proving – in case we needed proving – that developers are showing very high hopes for this operating system. It is the biggest upgrade we have seen in a very long time, if not ever, and will surely be hosted on the new, surprise devices incoming as soon as the next year starts. With no time to spare, let’s take a look at how the new operating system has been dealing with its implementation on HTC devices so far.
Image Source: theunlockr.com
The update can be grabbed over-the-air, meaning you can download it straight from your settings menu and apply it whenever you feel fit. Although there have been some leaked versions of the Android 5.0 Lollipop travelling before the update release, we can only speak of the changes on the latest, official download of the operating system.
Judging by the state of things that the HTC One Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrade entails, the update seems to be well in its final developing and testing phase. The promise that most recent Android smartphones will receive an upgrade to the new operating system in no more than 90 days starting with the moment it’s sent in code to manufacturers might prove to take less than expected, given how far the Android 5.0 Lollipop has already come.
Some of the HTC users might however find themselves embarking on a little longer wait, as Google Play Edition devices won’t be released until this Friday. The delay was caused by several attention-worthy bugs that could not be let go, in spite of the system still being in testing phase.
The screenshots and opinions of the few who managed to get their hands on the update do give us some insight into what we should expect from this operating system update on HTC devices. The OS seems to have kept the best of both worlds: the lock screen looks very similar to what we have been used to, minus the notification system that pops up to show off the new flexibility of the software. Important information and events can be viewed without unlocking your HTC, a simple swipe taking you to the corresponding application upon unlocking, or marking it as read – depending on your preference.
The drop-down menu seems to have made it safely to the HTC devices as well, allowing you to view the notifications with a two-finger pull-down, or accessing many of the quick settings with a regular drag. The design of the menus seem to rely on hues of gray or classic white, and swiping through them brings out the new Android 5.0 Lollipop animations into focus. A very clever Easter egg has been added to the operating system, which can be easily accessed from your settings.
Image Source: androidandme.com
If you go to your About Phone menu and hold a tap on the Lollipop listing as current operating system, you’re in for a surprise. This launches an application that’s your Lollipop-customized, Android-tested and approved version of Flappy Bird – even more difficult than the original.
There’s no telling if this is planned to stay as more devices receive the Lollipop update, but it sure is a very entertaining, hidden feature.
The security feature that allows you to create a temporary, guest account on your phone in a similar manner to how accounts work on Windows computers, is a very nice addition to the device. It can be accessed from the drag-down menu of your HTC and takes less than seconds to set up.
Wrapping up…
Animations are subtle yet omnipresent, which gives the HTC a more animated feel in comparison to what we’ve been used to so far. The device did not appear to have any problems running as smoothly as technology can give you nowadays.
While the operating system is bringing some tweaks to power usage, reckless on-screen time with display brightness set all the way up did not reward us with more than 6 hours until the battery was starting to demand a charger’s attention.
Not very different from what any regular smartphone user is accustomed to, but taking all of the customizations and options the Android 5.0 Lollipop gives you to reduce batter drain, you could be looking at not having to charge your phone for a very long time in moderate-usage conditions.
As of right now, all HTC One M8/M7 model users can proceed to download the Lollipop update to their device, other HTC models still awaiting official release of the operating system.
Considering the 90 day update promise that was started on November 3rd, most of us should be looking at the next 2 months for potential updates. What we do know is that HTC is working hard on the Android 5.0 Lollipop upgrade for all of its devices, and on a new look to the HTC Sense.
Roxanne Briean
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