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diff --git a/docs/html/sdk/android-2.3-highlights.jd b/docs/html/sdk/android-2.3-highlights.jd deleted file mode 100644 index b076b3d..0000000 --- a/docs/html/sdk/android-2.3-highlights.jd +++ /dev/null @@ -1,446 +0,0 @@ -page.title=Android 2.3 Platform Highlights - -@jd:body - - -<style type="text/css"> -#jd-content { - max-width:1200px; -} -#jd-content div.screenshot { - float:left; - clear:left; - padding:15px 30px 15px 0; -} -#jd-content div.video { - float:right; - padding:0 60px 40px; - margin-top:-15px; -} -#jd-content table.columns { - margin:0 0 1em 0; -} -#jd-content table.columns td { - padding:0; -} -#jd-content table.columns td+td { - padding:0 2em; -} -#jd-content table.columns td img { - margin:0; -} -#jd-content table.columns td+td>*:first-child { - margin-top:-2em; -} -.green { - color:#8db529; - font-weight:bold; -} -</style> - -<div class="video"> -<object width="278" height="180"> -<param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jx3pdWBlZ34?hl=en&fs=1"></param> -<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" -value="always"></param> -<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jx3pdWBlZ34?hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" -allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="278" height="180"></embed> -</object> -</div> - -<p>The Android 2.3 platform introduces many new and exciting features for -users and developers. This document provides a glimpse at some of the new features -and technologies in Android 2.3. For detailed information about the new developer APIs, see the <a -href="android-2.3.html">Android 2.3 version notes</a>.</p> - -<ul> - <li><a href="#UserFeatures">New User Features</a></li> - <li><a href="#DeveloperApis">New Developer Features</a></li> - <li><a href="#PlatformTechnologies">New Platform Technologies</a></li> -</ul> - - -<h2 id="UserFeatures" style="clear:right">New User Features</h2> - -<div> -<img style="float:right;padding-bottom:2em;" src="images/2.3/home-menu.png" alt="" height="280" /> -<img style="float:right;padding-bottom:2em;" src="images/2.3/home-plain.png" alt="" height="280" /> - -<h3>UI refinements for simplicity and speed</h3> - -<p>The user interface is refined in many ways across the system, making it -easier to learn, faster to use, and more power-efficient. A simplified -visual theme of colors against black brings vividness and contrast to the -notification bar, menus, and other parts of the UI. Changes in menus and -settings make it easier for the user to navigate and control the features -of the system and device. </p> - -<h3>Faster, more intuitive text input</h3> - -<p>The Android soft keyboard is redesigned and optimized for faster text input -and editing. The keys themselves are reshaped and repositioned for improved -targeting, making them easier to see and press accurately, even at high speeds. -The keyboard also displays the current character and dictionary suggestions in a -larger, more vivid style that is easier to read.</p> - -<p>The keyboard adds the capability to correct entered words from suggestions in -the dictionary. As the user selects a word already entered, the keyboard -displays suggestions that the user can choose from, to replace the selection. -The user can also switch to voice input mode to replace the selection. Smart -suggestions let the user accept a suggestion and then return to correct it -later, if needed, from the original set of suggestions.</p> - -<p>New multitouch key-chording lets the user quickly enter numbers and symbols -by pressing Shift+<<em>letter</em>> and ?123+<<em>symbol</em>>, -without needing to manually switch input modes. From certain keys, users can -also access a popup menu of accented characters, numbers, and symbols by holding -the key and sliding to select a character.</p> -</div> - -<div style="padding-top:1em;"> -<div style="margin-right:1em;float:left;"><img src="images/2.3/onetouch.png" alt="" height="260" /></div> -<div style="padding-right:2em;float:left;"><img src="images/2.3/selection.png" alt="" height="160" /></div> - - -<h3>One-touch word selection and copy/paste</h3> - -<p>When entering text or viewing a web page, the user can quickly select a word -by press-hold, then copy to the clipboard and paste. Pressing on a word enters a -free-selection mode — the user can adjust the selection area as needed by -dragging a set of bounding arrows to new positions, then copy the bounded area -by pressing anywhere in the selection area. For text entry, the user can -slide-press to enter a cursor mode, then reposition the cursor easily and -accurately by dragging the cursor arrow. With both the selection and cursor -modes, no use of a trackball is needed.</p> - -</div> - -<div style="clear:left"> -<div style="padding-right:2em;float:right;"><img src="images/2.3/running.png" alt="" height="280" /></div> -<div style="padding-left:1em;float:right;"><img src="images/2.3/power.png" alt="" height="280" /></div> - -<h3>Improved power management </h3> - -<p>The Android system takes a more active role in managing apps that are keeping -the device awake for too long or that are consuming CPU while running in the -background. By managing such apps — closing them if appropriate — -the system helps ensure best possible performance and maximum battery life.</p> - -<p>The system also gives the user more visibility over the power being consumed -by system components and running apps. The Application settings provides an -accurate overview of how the battery is being used, with details of the usage -and relative power consumed by each component or application.</p> - -<h3>Control over applications</h3> - -<p>A shortcut to the Manage Applications control now appears in the Options Menu -in the Home screen and Launcher, making it much easier to check and manage -application activity. Once the user enters Manage Applications, a new Running -tab displays a list of active applications and the storage and memory being used -by each. The user can read further details about each application and if -necessary stop an application or report feedback to its developer. </p> -</div> - -<h3>New ways of communicating, organizing</h3> - -<p>An updated set of standard applications lets the user take new approaches to -managing information and relationships. </p> - -<div style="padding-top:1em;"> -<div style="padding-right:1.5em;float:left;"><img src="images/2.3/sipcall.png" alt="" height="190" align="left"/><br> -<img src="images/2.3/ffc.png" alt="" height="190" align="left" style="margin-bottom:1.5em;margin-top:.75em;"/><div></div> -</div> - -<p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Internet calling</strong></p> - -<p>The user can make voice calls over the internet to other users who have SIP -accounts. The user can add an internet calling number (a SIP address) to any -Contact and can initiate a call from Quick Contact or Dialer. To use internet -calling, the user must create an account at the SIP provider of their choice -— SIP accounts are not provided as part of the internet calling feature. -Additionally, support for the platform's SIP and internet calling features on -specific devices is determined by their manufacturers and associated carriers. -</p> - -<div style="padding-right:1.5em;float:right;;"><img src="images/2.3/nfc.png" alt="" height="190" /> </div> - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Near-field communications</strong></p> - -<p>An NFC Reader application lets the user read and interact with near-field -communication (NFC) tags. For example, the user can “touch” or “swipe” an NFC -tag that might be embedded in a poster, sticker, or advertisement, then act on -the data read from the tag. A typical use would be to read a tag at a -restaurant, store, or event and then rate or register by jumping to a web site -whose URL is included in the tag data. NFC communication relies on wireless -technology in the device hardware, so support for the platform's NFC features on -specific devices is determined by their manufacturers. -</p> -</div> - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Downloads management</strong></p> - -<p>The Downloads application gives the user easy access to any file downloaded from -the browser, email, or another application. Downloads is built on an completely new -download manager facility in the system that any other applications can use, to -more easily manage and store their downloads.</p> - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Camera</strong></p> - -<p>The application now lets the user access multiple cameras on the device, -including a front-facing camera, if available. </p> - - -<h2 id="DeveloperApis" style="clear:both">New Developer Features</h2> - -<p>Android 2.3 delivers a variety of features and APIs that -let developers bring new types of applications to the Android -platform.</p> - - <ul> -<li><a href="#gaming">Enhancements for gaming</a></li> -<li><a href="#communication">New forms of communication</a></li> -<li><a href="#multimedia">Rich multimedia</a></li> -</ul> - -<h3 id="gaming">Enhancements for gaming</h3> - -<p style="margin-top:.75em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Performance</strong></p> - -<p>Android 2.3 includes a variety of improvements across the system that make -common operations faster and more efficient for all applications. Of particular -interest to game developers are:</p> - -<ul> -<li>Concurrent garbage collector — The Dalivik VM introduces a new, -concurrent garbage collector that minimizes application pauses, helping to -ensure smoother animation and increased responsiveness in games and similar -applications. </li> -<li>Faster event distribution — The plaform now handles touch and keyboard -events faster and more efficiently, minimizing CPU utilization during event -distribution. The changes improve responsiveness for all applications, but -especially benefit games that use touch events in combination with 3D graphics -or other CPU-intensive operations. </li> -<li>Updated video drivers — The platform uses updated third-party video -drivers that improve the efficiency of OpenGL ES operations, for faster overall -3D graphics performance. </li> -</ul> - - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Native input and -sensor events</strong></p> - -<p>Applications that use native code can now receive and process input and -sensor events directly in their native code, which dramatically improves -efficiency and responsiveness. </p> - -<p>Native libraries exposed by the platform let applications handle the same -types of input events as those available through the framework. Applications -can receive events from all supported sensor types and can enable/disable -specific sensors and manage event delivery rate and queueing. </p> - - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Gyroscope and other -new sensors, for improved 3D motion processing</strong></p> - -<p>Android 2.3 adds API support for several new sensor types, including -gyroscope, rotation vector, linear acceleration, gravity, and barometer sensors. -Applications can use the new sensors in combination with any other sensors -available on the device, to track three-dimensional device motion and -orientation change with high precision and accuracy. For example, a game -application could use readings from a gyroscope and accelerometer on the device -to recognize complex user gestures and motions, such as tilt, spin, thrust, and -slice. </p> - - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Open API for native -audio</strong></p> - -<p>The platform provides a software implementation of <a -href="http://www.khronos.org/opensles/">Khronos OpenSL ES</a>, a standard API -that gives applications access to powerful audio controls and effects from -native code. Applications can use the API to manage audio devices and control -audio input, output, and processing directly from native code.</p> - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Native graphics -management</strong></p> - -<p>The platform provides an interface to its <a -href="http://www.khronos.org/egl/">Khronos EGL</a> library, which lets -applications manage graphics contexts and create and manage OpenGL ES textures -and surfaces from native code.</p> - - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Native access to -Activity lifecycle, window management</strong></p> - -<p>Native applications can declare a new type of Activity class, -<code>NativeActivity</code> whose lifecycle callbacks are implemented directly -in native code. The <code>NativeActivity</code> and its underlying native code -run in the system just as do other Activities — they run in the -application's system process and execute on the application's main UI thread, -and they receive the same lifecycle callbacks as do other Activities. </p> - -<p>The platform also exposes native APIs for managing windows, including the -ability to lock/unlock the pixel buffer to draw directly into it. Through the -API, applications can obtain a native window object associated with a framework -Surface object and interact with it directly in native code.</p> - - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Native access to -assets, storage</strong></p> - -<p>Applications can now access a native Asset Manager API to retrieve -application assets directly from native code without needing to go through JNI. -If the assets are compressed, the platform does streaming decompression as the -application reads the asset data. There is no longer a limit on the size of -compressed <code>.apk</code> assets that can be read.</p> - -<p>Additionally, applications can access a native Storage Manager API to work -directly with OBB files downloaded and managed by the system. Note that although -platform support for OBB is available in Android 2.3, development tools for -creating and managing OBB files will not be available until early 2011.</p> - - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Robust native -development environment</strong></p> - -<p>The Android NDK (r5 or higher) provides a complete set of tools, toolchains, -and libraries for developing applications that use the rich native environment -offered by the Android 2.3 platform. For more information or to download the -NDK, please see the <a -href="http://developer.android.com/sdk/ndk/index.html">Android NDK</a> -page. </p> - - -<h3 id="communication">New forms of communication</h3> - -<p style="margin-top:.75em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Internet -telephony</strong></p> - -<p>Developers can now add SIP-based internet telephony features to their -applications. Android 2.3 includes a full SIP protocol stack and integrated call -management services that let applications easily set up outgoing and incoming -voice calls, without having to manage sessions, transport-level communication, -or audio record or playback directly. </p> - -<p>Support for the platform's SIP and internet calling features on specific -devices is determined by their manufacturers and associated carriers.</p> - - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Near Field -Communications (NFC)</strong></p> - -<p>The platform's support for Near Field Communications (NFC) lets developers -get started creating a whole new class of applications for Android. Developers -can create new applications that offer proximity-based information and services -to users, organizations, merchants, and advertisers. </p> - -<p>Using the NFC API, -applications can read and respond to NFC tags “discovered” as the user “touches” an -NFC-enabled device to elements embedded in stickers, smart posters, and even -other devices. When a tag of interest is collected, applications can respond to -the tag, read messages from it, and then store the messages, prompting -the user as needed. </p> - -<p>Starting from Android 2.3.3, applications can also write to tags and -set up peer-to-peer connections with other NFC devices.</p> - -<p>NFC communication relies on wireless technology in the device hardware, so -support for the platform's NFC features on specific devices is determined by -their manufacturers.</p> - - -<h3 id="multimedia">Rich multimedia</h3> - -<p style="margin-top:.75em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Mixable audio -effects</strong></p> - -<p>A new audio effects API lets developers easily create rich audio environments -by adding equalization, bass boost, headphone virtualization (widened -soundstage), and reverb to audio tracks and sounds. Developers can mix multiple -audio effects in a local track or apply effects globally, across multiple -tracks.</p> - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Support for new media -formats</strong></p> - -<p>The platform now offers built-in support for the VP8 open video compression -format and the WebM open container format. The platform also adds support for -AAC encoding and AMR wideband encoding (in software), so that applications can -capture higher quality audio than narrowband. </p> - -<p style="margin-top:1.25em;margin-bottom:.75em;"><strong>Access to multiple -cameras</strong></p> - -<p>The Camera API now lets developers access any cameras that are available on a -device, including a front-facing camera. Applications can query the platform for -the number of cameras on the device and their types and characteristics, then -open the camera needed. For example, a video chat application might want to access a -front-facing camera that offers lower-resolution, while a photo application -might prefer a back-facing camera that offers higher-resolution.</p> - - -<h2 id="PlatformTechnologies">New Platform Technologies</h2> - -<h3>Media Framework</h3> - -<ul> -<li>New media framework fully replaces OpenCore, maintaining all previous -codec/container support for encoding and decoding.</li> -<li>Integrated support for the VP8 open video compression format and the WebM -open container format</li> -<li>Adds AAC encoding and AMR wideband encoding</li> -</ul> - -<h3>Linux Kernel </h3> -<ul> -<li>Upgraded to 2.6.35</li> -</ul> - -<h3>Networking</h3> -<ul> -<li>SIP stack, configurable by device manufacturer -<li>Support for Near Field Communications (NFC), configurable by device manufacturer</li> -<li>Updated BlueZ stack</li> -</ul> - -<h3>Dalvik runtime</h3> - -<ul> -<li>Dalvik VM: -<ul> -<li>Concurrent garbage collector (target sub-3ms pauses)</li> -<li>Adds further JIT (code-generation) optimizations</li> -<li>Improved code verification</li> -<li>StrictMode debugging, for identifying performance and memory issues</li> -</ul> -</li> - - -<li>Core libraries: -<ul> - <li>Expanded I18N support (full worldwide encodings, more locales) - <li>Faster Formatter and number formatting. For example, float formatting is 2.5x faster.</li> - <li>HTTP responses are gzipped by default. XML and JSON API response sizes may be reduced by 60% or more.</li> - <li>New collections and utilities APIs</li> - <li>Improved network APIs</li> - <li>Improved file read and write controls</li> - <li>Updated JDBC</li> -</ul> -</li> - -<li>Updates from upstream projects: - <ul> - <li>OpenSSL 1.0.0a</li> - <li>BouncyCastle 1.45</li> - <li>ICU 4.4</li> - <li>zlib 1.2.5</li> - </ul> -</li> - - -</ul> - -<p>For more information about the new developer APIs, see the <a -href="android-2.3.html">Android 2.3 version notes</a> and the <a -href="{@docRoot}sdk/api_diff/9/changes.html">API Differences Report</a>.</p> |