What the heck is Android ?

You might heard from a friend or sibling that their phone uses android or you might have seen the advertisements at different places. Well, on this article, we will be discussing what android is and it's feature, which products comes with android, and where to download android applications.

What is Android?

Android is the name of an open-source operating system used for smart phones and tablet computers. It is an easy to use operating system that powers more than a billion devices across the globe - from phones and tablets to watches, TV, cars and more to come. It is owned by a prestigious high tech company called Google, located at Santa Clara County, California, USA. Android is now over 8 years old.

Some basic features of Android

Android has tons of features that are way efficient than other competitors in the tech industry. Since it is open-source by it's nature, it also has unique powerful features. Some of it's features are:

1. Controlling your phone from your computer

This feature lets you actually control your Android phone from your PC, whether you just want to send texts from Chrome or access any of its other functions right from a web browser.

2. Custom ROMs

While there are a lot of third-party apps that give you advanced features on Android, one of the coolest parts about the entire OS being open source is that people can take it, tweak it all over, and install their version instead of the one that comes with your phone.

3. Widgets

Sure, they take up a bit of space, but there's no substitute for the convenience of having a big weather widget right on your home screen, or a music widget to show you the currently playing track. Even more useful are the to-do list widgets, that take an "in your face" approach to productivity, which is not only effective but necessary from people, as they don't require you to actually look for your to-do list, they're always reminding you of what you need to do.

4. Infrared Transmission

The Android operating system supports a built-in infrared transmitter, allowing you to use your phone or tablet as a remote control.

5. No-Touch Control

Using Android apps such as Wave Control, users can control their phones touch-free, using only gestures. Have messy hands but need to turn off your screen or change a song? Simple. This could prove especially useful if you’re driving, so you can keep both eyes on the road.

Which products come with Android?

There are many android products these days. Few of them are listed below.

1. Android Wear

Android Wear is a version of Google's Android operating system designed for smartwatches and other wearables. Android Wear smartwatches feature always-on displays, so you'll always see important info like time, calls, and notifications. Respond to messages right from your watch, even when your phone isn't with you.

2. Phones

In a nutshell, an Android phone is a powerful, high-tech smartphone that runs on the Android operating system (OS) developed by Google and is used by a variety of mobile phone manufacturers (Ex. Samsung, Huawei, etc.). Pick an Android mobile phone and you can choose from hundreds of great applications and multitask with ease.

3. Tablets

An Android tablet is a tablet-sized PC that runs on Google's Android operating system (OS). Ex. Samsung & Huawei tablets. Android tablets include almost all the key features found in a regular tablet PC, including office applications, games, Web browsers and many other programs.

4. Android TV

 Android TV is a smart TV platform from Google. It was announced in June 2014 and with Android 5.0 Lollipop, Android TV is now fully launched and marching into our lives. Android TV is the successor to Google TV, the company's previous stab at a big screen platform.

5. Android Auto

Android Auto is a smartphone projection standard developed by Google to allow mobile devices running the Android operating system (version 5.0 "Lollipop" and later) to be operated in automobiles through the dashboard's head unit.

Where can I download Android Apps?

There are tons of places to find free and paid android apps without Google's help. Here is a list of the most used android app stores.

1. Amazon Appstore

The Amazon Appstore is probably the highest profile alternative to the Google Android Market. Amazon has a well-organized app store which you can navigate on the web or using a mobile app.

 

2. Getjar

This particular app Store has been around for a very long time. I distinctly remember using their website to download apps on my Nokia phone almost a decade ago.

 

3. Opera Mobile Store

Opera has been around for a very long time and by now they have made a name for themselves with amazing browsers. There are a ton of apps at Opera mobile store, but they are not at the level we expect from a fully featured PlayStore alternative. However, if you are worried about your security and only want to download apps from reliable sources, this is as reliable as it can get.



 4. AndroidPIT

Not only does AndroidPIT offer a web-based app you can use to download and purchase apps, but the company maintains an app news blog and a page with the latest “test reports,” or app reviews.

 

5. Mobogenie

If you’re looking for an easy to use and reliable PlayStore alternative for your Android device, then this one has all the ingredients you may need. This website comes with an installable client which can be downloaded and run on your PC.