10 Most Exciting Features of Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)

After only several weeks from the day Android celebrated its second Anniversary, Google heralded the arrival of Gingerbread, the newest version (ver. 2.3) of its mobile operating system. While its predecessor introduced the nitrus-oxide boost for enhanced performance during its debut, Gingerbread focuses more on addressing UI tweaks for improved gaming and media experience.  Improvements such as a new virtual keyboard with better auto-complete functions; internet call support; and other low-profile innovations are all geared toward this end. Following are the 10 most exciting Gingerbread features that Android are sure to look forward to.


1. Baked In Support for Near-Field Communication

This will allow you to use your mobile phone similar to a mobile payment equipment. Your phone can be used to charge your credit card for purchases made or linked to your loyalty shopping cards. NFC, however, is not merely for mobile payments. According to Google, a simple click will allow you to view virtual posters, stickers and advertisements to get more information about available promotions, locations, and a bunch of other cool stuff without having to log in on an online site.


2. Updated Interface

The traditional grey notification menu bar is gone.  In its place, a black notification bar will adorn the new generation of Android phones. This sets the tone for changes across the entire platform, including transformations in pop-up and contextual menus. According to Google, these changes are not done merely for aesthetics but to increase battery life too. The Nexus S experience showed that super AMOLED panels that display black require less battery power.


3. Software Keyboard Made More Efficient

Google redesigned the software keyboard to feature better-shaped buttons and more space separating the digital keys. This makes the keys a lot more visible and much easier to press.


If you’ve very recently managed to become comfortable with the older version of their keyboard, you will be surprised to find that this new design is a lot easier and more convenient to use. All the new Android phones will come with built-in support for multi-touch and key-chording use. The shift key may be used to capitalize letters like you would when using a laptop or a regular pc keyboard.


To further enhance your typing skills, Google also made changes on how the auto-complete tool looks. While the old drab grey theme used hard-to-read pale black texts, the improved version features a black background with clear yellow-orange texts that are lot more noticeable whilst typing emails and short messages.


4. Gyroscope for 3D Motion Processing

Apple was the first to introduce this feature to the market. An additional sensor catches 360-degree movements for richer and better gaming experience. However, Gingerbread offers more. Google will provide significantly more sensors that can support gravity-based movements, linear acceleration and “barometric” changes.


5. More Efficient Power Management

It is annoying having to install third-party apps just to help support power-hungry Android apps. Proprietary settings apps developed and included by some manufacturers that display various status, draw power from active applications and device settings. This greatly contributes to the problem of power management and efficiency.


Gingerbread provides a straightforward solution to this problem by incorporating the functionality in applications under settings. To make it even more beneficial, Google allowed the operating system to play a more active role in shutting down applications that drain too much power in the background. In simple terms, users can now spend less time checking for active applications that are draining battery power.


6. One-Touch Copy-and-Paste Selection

Copy-and-paste functions can either be a boon or bane depending on the phone brand and the application you are using.  With Gingerbread, selections can be easily made by a simple press-hold procedure. This eliminates the additional step in other applications’ wherein you need to press-hold and still end up with a new window to make selection from available copy options.


7. Unified Download Manager

With Gingerbread’s unified Download Manager, Android users who are used to downloading applications through the browser will have an easier accomplishing the task. Installing APK files from the root menu will no longer be necessary because Android 2.3 can keep track of all downloads regardless of how they were obtained, emailing them to yourself included. This is a very practical feature for managing even in-app downloads as well.


8. Easy to Find Application Manager

To facilitate closing of power-consuming applications, Gingerbread added a shortcut for the Application Manager on the home screen. This is certainly easier since you need not navigate through the settings menu in order to find the proper setting.


9. Audio Sound Processing

Soon, Gingerbread will also introduce an enhancement that will allow platform-level audio output customization.  This means that if given access to Android SDK for Gingerbread, digital sound companies like Dolby and SRS can provide


10. Internet Calling and Multiple Video Support

Although some Android phone models have sported front-facing cameras for some time now, users have had to bear the inconvenience of using third party applications like Firing or Qik to make video calls over IP.  With Android architecture’s making available built-in multiple camera and VOIP/SIP call support, the possibility of making video calls over Google Talk or Google Voice looms to be a very real option in the very near future.