As promised by Google, today, October 17, the search giant released the final versions of application programming interfaces (APIs) and developer kits (SDKs) to start actively developing applications with support for Android 5.0 Lollipop. Firmware images of the final version of the sweet update for the Nexus 5 smartphone and Nexus 7 tablet from 2013 were also published. The deployment of the new version of the green robot will start early next month.
Google I/O 2014 announced that Android 5.0 Lollipop has over 5,000 new APIs - these APIs include material design libraries, new animations, UI elements, new features and more. The API level for apps supporting Android 5.0 Lollipop is Level 21. From now on, apps with API 21 will be published to the Google Play Store.
Google has also released tons of documents to help developers get started on Material Design UI for branded apps, UI for the new Android TV platform, Android Wear and Android Auto app development, and more. All of them are available on the official Google Developers website - you can view some of them below using the links.
Show notifications only at a convenient time for you
- View and reply to messages right from the lock screen. Android can automatically remove important personal information from them so that no one but you can see it.
- To prevent your phone from distracting you during a meeting, simply specify the time interval when you do not want to receive notifications. And if you're waiting for an important email or call, turn on the "Important" mode, and Android will notify you only about important events.
- Now a phone call will not interrupt the game or the movie at the most interesting place. You will always have the option to instantly reject it.
- Choose which notifications you want to receive from which apps. If you wish, you can disable such notifications altogether.
- The order in which notifications are placed on the screen now depends on which application it came from and from. To see all notifications at once, just tap on the top of the screen.
Creating user profiles
- If several people use the phone, create separate profiles for yourself and for them. If you forget your device at home, simply sign in to your profile on any Android 5.0 phone and you'll have access to all your data (contacts, documents, etc.).
- Guest profile. Borrow your phone or tablet without fear that someone will read your messages or see your photos.
- App Lock allows you to restrict another user's access to only one app.
To access the settings you use most, simply swipe down from the top of the screen.
- Android 5.0 makes it even more convenient to turn on the flash, activate the tethering mode, rotate the screen and broadcast the image from your phone to other devices.
- Working with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS has also become easier.
- Android remembers your brightness settings and automatically applies them at the same light level.
Save battery with "Bluetooth Low Energy" technology and connect securely to the Internet anywhere
- Smoother transition from one network to another. The device switches from Wi-Fi to mobile data without interrupting your Hangouts video chat or Skype call.
- The device connects only to Wi-Fi networks that have Internet access.
- The power consumption is set to low when searching for other devices using "Bluetooth Low Energy" technology (such as beacons or smartwatches).
- Added a mode for interacting with devices that support "Bluetooth Low Energy" technology.
Faster and more powerful Android
- Android Runtime (ART) improves the performance and speed of applications.
- Productivity is increased by 4 times.
- Smoother interface for applications with complex graphics.
- Compression of background applications and services. Now you will have even more resources at your disposal.
- Support for devices based on 64-bit processors.
- Support for 64-bit microprocessors based on ARM, x86 and MIPS architectures.
- Work with 64-bit apps designed specifically for Android, such as Chrome, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Play Music, etc.
- Automatic launch of 100% Java applications in 64-bit version.
Expressive graphics, improved photo and video quality, new audio technologies.
- Thanks to the reduced delay in processing the incoming audio signal, it is now possible to work with music services and communication applications that require data transmission in near real time.
- Professional audio applications can now mix up to 8 channels including 5.1 and 7.1.
- With USB Audio support, you can connect USB microphones, speakers, amplifiers, mixers, and many other audio devices to your Android device.
- The Android Extension Pack and OpenGL ES 3.1 support put Android on par with set-top boxes and desktops in terms of graphics quality.
- New features for professional photography:
- shooting at about 30 frames per second at full resolution;
- support for RAW formats such as YUV and Bayer RAW;
- control of matrix, lens and flash settings for individual frames;
- storing metadata such as noise models and optical information.
- Advanced HEVC-enabled video technology allows you to play UHD 4 video, stream high-quality video on Android TV, and enjoy the full benefits of HLS broadcasting.
- On devices that support DSP (such as the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9), you can use the "OK Google" command even when the screen is off.
- Use voice commands to get directions, find information, make a call or send a message.
- Improved the list of available options in the upload files menu.
- Android Beam lets you share files by simply touching two devices together.
Android is progressing before our eyes and quietly tearing iOS to pieces. IN Android Lollipop the interface has become smooth like an English Jaguar, the functionality has become wider, energy saving is better.
Lock screen changes
The new notification system provides quick access to SMS / Whatsapp / Wi-FI / GPS and other functions. Improved usability according to the rule of three clicks - now you can say that about Android 5.0!
New application menu
Displaying applications on a white background makes it much easier to navigate the application menu has been nicely updated, making navigation easier.
Accounts
Now you can create users with different settings and switch between them, for example, when roaming or relaxing in the forest.
Alert menu or notification bar
The drop-down notification menu in Lollipop has become translucent and does not cover the main information of the screen.
Settings in Lollipop
The settings menu has acquired the “Contactless payment” section.
Calendar changes
The calendar application has been modified, it has a schedule section that shows the feed of events and the calendar at the same time.
Watch
There was a night mode function that displays the time on the off display.
Keyboard in Android Lollipop
The keyboard has undergone very large changes in the keystroke animation, design and vibration. Visually, it has become better, but in terms of practicality, nothing has changed.
New Google Fit
The system has a pre-installed application pedometer Google FitGoogle Fit. In the future, the application will be able to provide any information about the user's health, pulse, pressure, and more, with the necessary additional accessories, of course.
What is the result
The Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system is rapidly evolving, leaving competitors behind. What innovations appeared on Android 6 Marshmallow, 7.0 Nougat, 8.0 Oreo - read the links.
Video review of Android 5.0 Lollipop
How to install Android 5.0 Lollipop firmware
To update the firmware to version 5.0 Lollipop, download the files from the link below, launch the PC application, select your smartphone model in it and follow the instructions.
Android OS appeared relatively recently, and we all remember how raw and inconvenient it was. Developers are not sitting idly by! Today, many users have a great opportunity to download Android 5.0 firmware for free for various smartphones and tablets, and then quickly update their device.
The differences between the starting and latest version of the OS are, of course, huge. Google for a long time did not pay attention to the appearance of Android, with a tacit consent, allowing manufacturers to create the appearance of applications themselves.
Main functions
material design
The lack of a standard interface created a number of additional problems. The experts at Google have decided to make a profound change to the Android interface that is simply necessary. Thanks to this, the idea of Material Design was realized, unifying all Google services and products.
Lock screen and application menu
Now, in order to view notifications or disable data transfer, you do not need to unlock your smartphone, as was the case in earlier versions. In Android 5.0, the lock screen is designed in such a way that the user has easy access to notifications, even to the point where you can write a response in lock mode, which greatly simplifies the use of the device.
The updated menu makes it easy to work with applications, both system and user-installed, which are located in one place. Application icons are displayed on a light background, so menu navigation has become much easier.
User change
Special attention should be paid to such an option as a user manager. The function is very relevant for family tablets, which are used by all family members. A separate account can be created for each user. By switching between accounts, using one gadget becomes more convenient for a group of people.
Alert panel
The notification panel has undergone global changes, now, when it drops out, it does not close the main screen, because it is made translucent. In conditions of multitasking using a smartphone, this feature will be an additional plus for ease of use.
Settings
After the installation is done, you will see that the improvements in the settings menu are not so global, you will not find any special differences: all the same icons, all the same functions. The exception is the additional function "Contactless payment" - a section designed for mobile payments.
Extra options
Smartphone, calendar and clock
Voice calls are set to quick calls by default. Contact lists, as well as the call log, you will find if you scroll to the right. Changes to the calendar consists in adding an option to it that displays the schedule. You will see the calendar and all events in one feed.
The application standardly contains local and world time, a timer, an alarm clock, and a stopwatch. Here you can configure turning off the display of time on the display at night, saving a little battery, the setting is called “night mode”.
Contacts, photo and keyboard
The address book is a list of contacts arranged in alphabetical order. The "Favorites" tab allows you to create an additional short list of the numbers that are most important to you.
The way Lollipop snapshots are stored is inextricably linked to Google+; photos can be stored in Google cloud storage. At the automatic level, the program will edit the pictures, it is possible to create interactive and animated albums consisting of a series of photographs. But everything has changed in the keyboard: the interface as a whole, the design of the buttons, the animation when pressing the keys, the vibration response.
Google Fit
In the updated OS, you will find a pedometer from Google - Google Fit. The program will count the steps, show the average speed, display the number of calories burned, but also allow you to systematize and save the results of training and various health information.
This article will explain, including all examples and details, how to install Android on your tablet, smartphone, or other devices.
Also there will be a lot of advice about this.
Step #1. Installing and obtaining ROOT rights
- Click on this button and the program will download;
- Click on the downloaded file and open the Kingo Android ROOT program. (Press "YES" if the system asks permission to start.);
- Inside the program, we can see that the device is not connected yet. We connect our phone via usb;
- We will also need to enable debugging mode (in the program itself there will be pictures with instructions on how to do this). If the instructions are not enough for you, then you need to find the "developer menu" and enable the "USB debugging" option;
1.6. After our program has seen the device, the "ROOT" button will appear;
1.7. We click on it. Ready! You have received ROOT rights to your device.
Step #2. Update Recovery on your device
The next step is to update Recovery.
Recovery or special boot mode - a special mode on the device, thanks to which you can restore the system or download updates for it.
Recovery installation
To install Recovery, we will use the application - ROM Manager, this program is specially made for easy access to the Recovery system.
- To begin with, we must go from our gadget to the ROM Manager website;
- Click on the download button and download this application;
- Next, go to the downloads and click "Install application";
- We go to ROM Manager. And immediately we see the button "CloclworkMod" in the main menu.
Click on it and the application is updated to the latest version;
- The top line will be the name of the model of your gadget. Click on it;
- Next, Recovery will be installed and downloaded to your device (This action requires an Internet connection);
- Recovery has been updated and you can move on to the next item with peace of mind.
Advice! Use ROM Manager carefully and follow the instructions, do not press unnecessary buttons, otherwise you can turn your phone into a brick.
Step #3. Data backup
Backup is the preservation of your data on the device, it can be partial or complete. In our case, complete.
Start backup
For this we will also use the same ROM Manager.
- We go to ROM Manager;
- Then select the line to save the current ROM. We save the file so that we can find it at any time (we write all the names, save the file under a name convenient for us, we also set the current save date);
- After that, the phone / tablet will perform a standard reboot. All actions will take place as usual;
- Also, the backup will be saved on your device to a specific folder that you specify;
- Backup completed.
Advice! Do not under any circumstances delete the backup you have saved. If you downloaded Android and something went wrong, you won't be able to do anything back!
Step number 4. Download and install Android
So we moved on to the Android download itself, all the actions that we carried out earlier were only preparations for installation.
- We find on the Internet on the computer the program itself - Android. And download this archive for yourself;
- We connect our device on which we want to install Android to the computer (via a usb drive);
- Next, we copy the archive to our device, to the internal storage of the phone (Important! The archive does not need to be unpacked);
- Next, go to ROM Manager and go to the tab with the name of our device. We click on it, we see the "reboot" button, click on it. After that, the recovery is rebooted;
- We find in the application a return to the factory settings. We carry out this action. We confirm the execution;
- We also act when we configure WipeDalvikCache;
- On the screen of your device there will be an item Choose ZIPfromSdcard, click on it;
- We type any name for our file, firmware, then click save;
- Press the "Yes - Install" button and carry out the operation;
- We are waiting for the process to end, this may take a couple of minutes;
- Select the "reebot" button, after which the device will restart. The reboot may also take a couple of minutes of your time;
- Ready! Android is now installed on your phone! Congratulations.
- If you have previously made firmware on your phone, then you should not update the recovery;
- In case of an error, just roll back the phone;
- Perform all actions with a full charge of the phone! What will you do if the phone runs out of power during this process?;
- Also select the latest firmware for your device.