8 How you can Improve Google Android [Android]

We adore Google Android. an awful lot. But despite this summer’s 2.2 solid Froyo update, we are able to’t help but feel that there’s something missing. Several things actually. But here’s where they may be able to go right.

1. Built-in Flat-Rate Music Service

Ask any Android user what they truly want in their smartphone, and you’ll hear an analogous response over and over: a music service that permits downloads, streaming music, and automatic syncing. This is often the holy grail for the Android army, and it’s the single truly glaring weakness Google has when compared to Apple’s iOS and Microsoft’s new WinPhone.

Don’t get us wrong; we appreciate that Android is open-ended enough that we are able to use quite a number media players and clients to upload/download our media. And increasingly more, the emerging presence of streaming players and services are releasing us from localized media. But regardless of how you chop it, the facility to purchase and synch songs between your PC and your phone is a miles-needed fix. If Google is basically smart, they’ll mirror the WinPhone’s ability to synch wirelessly via Wi-Fi while plugged into an AC outlet.

Based on leaks from Google and other blog sites, it’s clear that Google is working on a Google Music service, probably as soon as the 2.3 Gingerbread Update. For details on what this may entail, click here .

2. Simultaneous Upgrades Across All Devices

This is way and away our biggest complaint with the Google Android OS . The upside of the device’s open-source nature is proving to have a big downside for consumers: We’re repeatedly forced to watch for operating system upgrades because the handset manufacturers and wireless service providers should training session kinks in their interface customizations. The Samsung Epic 4G is a superb example of this; it has literally taken months for Sprint and Samsung to deliver the Froyo 2.2 update and, as of this writing, we still haven’t seen it. Google has to decide how to deliver across-the-board OS updates to all devices.

3. Increased Resolution Support

Support for resolutions up to 1280 x 760 feels like a no-brainer, particularly in light of the approaching wave of Android tablets and large-screen smartphones. It seems like higher resolutions are definitely on the to-do list for Android 2.3, that is scheduled for release at the tip of the year, thankfully.

4. GPS and Google Maps

We hate to assert it, but we’re starting to suspect that there’s something strange occurring with some combination of Google Maps and Android’s GPS services. Of all of the mid-range and high-end phones we’ve tested, we’ve yet to work out consistent (and fast) GPS lock-on and performance in any device. That’s an issue.

5. Increased Privacy

Theoretically, all smartphone browsers are private, particularly when protected with a password. But given how frequently our phones change hands – both intentionally and unintentionally – wouldn’t it’s nice if we could maintain some type of temporary or pass-word protected private-browse mode? All three major desktop browsers have some form of private-browse mode for an analogous reason. We’ll go one step further here, however. Besides (or in place of) an individual-browse mode, we wish the native ability to password gate individual apps, media, documents, and smartphone functions on our Android devices. This fashion, we will keep our slightly odd musical preferences to ourselves.

If you’re inquisitive about private browsing via an application, investigate cross-check the TorProxy and Shadow apps .

6. Gaming Achievements

We appreciate the plethora of awesome games on the Android platform, but Microsoft’s implementation of Xbox Live-style achievements within the Windows Phone 7 operating system is a new standard. It’s a subtle but universal truth: Unlocking achievements is a robust incentive to keep gamers hooked-even on mobile devices. The notion of a unified front around games is an ideological departure for Google, so it’s not a possible evolution. Not any time soon as a minimum.

7. Built-in Screen Shots

We’re a bit of biased because we regularly find ourselves taking screenshots of our smartphone devices for the stories we write. But we’re baffled as to why we now have to root our Android phone as a way to take screenshots. Apple’s iOS means that you can quickly and easily capture any screen in your phone by pressing the Home and Sleep button. Why not you, Google?

8. Improve Battery Life via OS/CPU Optimization

Talk to any Android power user and you’ll hear an identical complaint over and over. Standard, out-of-the-gate battery life sucks. Initially, we theorized that this was because Android smartphones were overpowered for the OS. But then we considered that the iPad and iPhone 4 are built on an analogous platform, and that Microsoft’s Windows Phones are also built on roughly an analogous hardware platform. Both of these competitive smartphone families deliver a lot better battery life. Our conclusion: Google must optimize their OS code to be more efficient. To be fair, Apple and Microsoft both have head starts on their mobile code. Google should catch up fast.

Imagery by Sam Spratt using Rich D’s awesome Android 3d Render . Look into Sam’s portfolio and become partial to his Facebook Artist’s Page .

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This post is tagged: glaring weakness, handset manufacturers, open source nature, training session, wireless service providers