The new Android 4.3 hidden. Energy saving ... - The Android Free

Of all the news outlets of Google I / O, most technologies or APIs is easy to understand for the average user. For example, the new app Hangouts, or developments in Maps, or even news to developers, they are all new and features that affect the end user, and whose fruits have been checking over these days. But during the talks aimed at developers talked about more, things, more things which, although they have not cornered the headlines are important.

Bluetooth 4.0, saving energy and multimedia more

is absolutely certain that Android 4.3 introduced support for Bluetooth 4.0. So far there are not many devices that support this new communication standard specification, but some, like the Nexus 4 are authentic references for other manufacturers. Undoubtedly, most important novelty Bluetooth 4.0 is the low power mode . In a world in which the battery life is becoming more important, is a very interesting addition to the quiver of Android.

low power mode of Bluetooth 4.0 is divided into Bluetooth Smart and Smart Ready . Bluetooth Smart is aimed at those devices with limited battery serial , handsfree, sensors, and other devices that need a connection light almost constant. But the system really affects is Smart Ready Android. This is a way compatible with the “classic” Bluetooth. The idea is that the device usually use the normal mode, but if necessary, depending on the requirements of the app in question, to use a less power consuming mode. Therefore, the fact that our device and operating system are compatible with Bluetooth 4.0 not mean instant energy savings, but this depends on the needs of the system and the apps .

Besides saving energy, also added support for AVRCP 1.3, a protocol for controlling multimedia devices with our Android , and specially designed for equipment such as televisions, mini-chains, or sound equipment cars. This system can not only perform basic actions such as pausing, but also sends metadata such as the author and the album cover.

Make Android support these developments has not been easy, which is why Google has decided to stop using BlueZ. This is the protocol used by all Linux systems at present by default, and that is included in the kernel (or core), but this has the disadvantage that the Android team could not add new features quickly and without going approval by the Linux community. Hence, with the help of giant Broadcom, has developed its own protocol, called BlueDroid , which will remain free software like BlueZ.

lacking a step not controversial, because it reinforces the idea that Linux and Android should take separate ways to more quickly bring new products to the user, but it is sure to be patiently been weighted by the Android team . But thanks to this movement will soon have Bluetooth 4.0 compliant devices

Graphics Performance Improvement

The way the Android system drawn on the screen has also been improved . And they are not mere change but few actually modify the process by which the instructions just running. For example, the first step, which is the rearrangement . When drawing the interface of a program on the screen, Android now does not place the elements as it picks up, but now reordered according to their characteristics. For example, if we send a box of text, metadata, and another box, the new system ensures that the boxes are drawn one after the other. This will maximize the flow of a more logical.

The next step is the union of similar graphic elements, to cut calls to the GPU . It makes sense, because if you send two text boxes one after another, you must give “less explanation” to the hardware. Just do the same as last time. This is very complex, but basically ends with the fact that fewer calls are made to the hardware, and therefore faster.

Multitasking is an improvement that has not really been exploited until devices have won multi-core processors, and now Android will make a more effective use of these. If the system has multiple cores, rendering operations interface simultaneously be made in these .

Draw

else than rectangular shapes usually more difficult because it involves a larger number of operations per second, with the drop in performance that entails. So now Android can use hardware acceleration to create this kind of figures , which (surprisingly in my opinion) is not done until now.

As seen, are improvements at low level, which will directly affect the routine use of our device. Butter project is on track , therefore. In the end, the goal of all these developments is to provide a graphical interface more responsive as possible, you do not run “stranded” and to display smoothly and quickly, without the need to dramatically increase the power of the hardware.

New

camera app that takes advantage of GPUs

properties graphics processors is that in certain operations are faster than a normal processor, although other negatives do not feasible to replace at the time of executing system code. However, increasing power of GPUs has its uses, and the new version of the Android camera will use .

Camera 3.0 is expected this year, and will use a continuous capture mode , with which when you press the shutter can not only capture a photograph, but it will get more. Using more complex algorithms, mixed and discarded photographs as appropriate, until an image of a much higher quality , and offers the possibility to create 3D images . It is a way that is not new at all, but now needs a lot of power to produce a picture in a feasible time.

That’s where the work you are doing Google to redirect all those computations to graphics processors, and will do with its own engine, renderScript, which specializes in taking advantage of various threads and execute asynchronous tasks, necessary for such complex calculations. The end result is higher quality pictures even in low-cost cameras , in addition to 3D effects without the need for a dual purpose.

These are just two of the more technical aspects that have come out of Google I / O, but it is certain that with the upcoming announcement of Android 4.3 will have more news of the unseen, but that is precisely why they can reach be the most important.

Source | Anandtech