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In Pictures: Google Android L Feature Tour And Preview

Tags:
  • Google
  • Mobile
  • Smartphones
  • Tablets
  • Android
  • Software
Last response: in Photo reports comments
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August 21, 2014 11:56:43 PM

Android L looks to be major, but how does the new interface, abandonment of Dalvik and the introduction of new features affect performance?


In Pictures: Google Android L Feature Tour And Preview : Read more

More about : pictures google android feature tour preview

August 22, 2014 12:45:18 AM

Am i the only one who hates this new simplistic design style ? And why the hell do they keep on using white background on settings / phone dialer etc... when i`m in low light and i use my phone to actually blind me ? ..and they don`t offer the possibility to change it to black.
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August 22, 2014 12:48:18 AM

Am so excited and eager to get the update asap. I hope they will give my old girl Galaxy Nexus one more update.
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August 22, 2014 1:07:10 AM

No, you aren't. I loved the dark interfaces. Everything on my Note 3 is that way.

And I despise the card-style interface that is popping up everywhere now, it seems. What is the point of all these beautiful displays if all you are going to us is black text on white squares? Do I even need to mention that for some displays, like the Note 3, bright colors use more battery?

Forcing eye-piercing white down our throats, minor, meaningless graphical changes, a a parameters screen that now shows LESS information, no meaningful performance gain? For what? A couple of nice things (rotating view of running apps) and a tiny gain in storage space? It looks like the took the worst design ideas from Apple and M$ and decided to out-ugly both. Bleh.
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August 22, 2014 1:26:14 AM

Really? Everything is going to be white and square?? That keyboard looks horrendous! The notifications, is a step back...
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August 22, 2014 1:33:05 AM

My only cons is the keyboard. I think it's a kind of hard to press?
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August 22, 2014 1:33:24 AM

They might want to check the keyboard.
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August 22, 2014 2:35:26 AM

I hope they fix the problem with Auto brightness in nexus 5 and some Google camera bugs.
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August 22, 2014 2:47:45 AM

Guess I'll poke my eye out.

Horrible puns aside, it's as if they kept the people who designed Android into a decent thing to look at and brought back some of the original designers who made the original Android look like crap.

A circle for the home button, a back arrow that makes me want to skip to a different scene, and a square that infers nothing...I feel like a 4 year old with that shape toy (triangle/square/circle).

Still don't understand the fascination with flatness and oversimplification either. It's like we're going backwards technologically.
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August 22, 2014 3:42:53 AM

Don't worry guys, Samsung will make sure you never see this.
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August 22, 2014 8:30:29 AM

awesome ! the new look kinda looks like htc sense
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August 22, 2014 9:09:01 AM

Any chance they fixed the SD card issue?
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August 22, 2014 9:09:46 AM

I'm with other people on the brightness and the white backgrounds, I'd prefer a choice in that matter. I have a Moto X and I think Motorola ( I know, it was Google) added these features to that phone with Active Display and Assist. Plus, I think there's already a batter saver option that did the less than 15% or 10% battery life feature?
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August 22, 2014 10:28:38 AM

It's beta, complain to them in the google discussion forums and I'll bet they look into it as they hear more cries.
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August 23, 2014 12:51:40 AM

Going from black to white background will use more battery on AMOLED screens. Screens are responsible for 80-90 of power consumption. So on AMOLED screen devices project will the net effect of white screens and project Volta be positive? It would be better to enable user defined settings for black or white screens backgrounds.
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August 23, 2014 4:44:51 PM

Teal on white = no. FireFox OS here I come...
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August 24, 2014 5:44:19 AM

FYI there is no screen type that benefits from a white background.
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August 24, 2014 10:31:52 PM

That multi tasking window is a total mess. I really hope HTC fixes this with sense skin.
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August 24, 2014 10:40:01 PM

The multi tasking screen is a total mess. Can't even tell where one app begins and another ends. Clearly legible titles and the ability to fit more apps on screen at once is far more important than this rehash of MS's Flip 3d eye candy, which doesn't even work well on the desktop let alone a phone. I don't want my apps going past my face like I just yanked on a slot machine handle. Please HTC fix this crap with your Sense version.
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August 25, 2014 12:26:31 AM

Oh well... Cyanogen mod, here I come!
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August 25, 2014 2:03:05 AM

I am so excited to hear it.
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August 25, 2014 4:08:49 PM

Quote:
Teal on white = no. FireFox OS here I come...


Or just use Cyanogenmod. They will certainly have theme pickers between Kit Kat and Lemon Meringue Pie in the release based off this.
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August 26, 2014 2:53:21 AM

Quote:
My only cons is the keyboard. I think it's a kind of hard to press?


It's actually alright! You can currently download an .apk for the new keyboard (you have to uninstall Google's keyboard if you want to use it first), which, surprisingly is pretty decent. Haven't had any more problems with it than with the old style, and I've got quite stocky fingers.

Saying that, I'll probably wait for HTC to update the One before jumping on to a custom ROM, be interesting to see what HTC do with it considering a lot of the design choices are the same (lots of white backgrounds).
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August 26, 2014 8:58:17 PM

looks like Windows 8 in the making!
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August 27, 2014 1:45:12 PM

I installed Android L on my Nexus 7 (didn't want to deal with flashing it onto my Nexus 5) and it's actually pretty good. The keyboard takes a little getting used to but works well.

My biggest complaint is figuring out how (if it's even possible) to hide notifications all at once when there are 2+ available.

On the Nexus 7, the settings options are presented in two columns instead of just 1 column requiring you to scroll less. Overall positive.

The design style of Android L is probably the biggest change that's actually noticeable. It's polarizing as you guys have mentioned as some will love it, others will hate it.
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August 28, 2014 11:27:37 PM

white background isn't economic
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August 29, 2014 2:41:58 AM

randomizer said:
Don't worry guys, Samsung will make sure you never see this.


I can only say F*** to Samsung`s Android modifications, rooting my S3 to Kitkat 4.4 and not having to deal with Samsung`s bloatware made my phone so fast.. a friend of mine told me "wow your S4 moves so fast" .. when i told him that it`s only an S3 he was kinda surprised.

Using the Paranoid 4.5 with Kitkat on S3. I`ve never been so happy with my phone.
Apex Launcher to remove the Google Now Homescreen (i don`t use it)
X Dialer with Dark WP7 theme + 8SMS app to use instead of Hangouts. Quick Pick for Gallery and DSLR Camera but sadly only for photos still rely on internal Camera app for video.

http://i57.tinypic.com/nbcdnc.png
http://i59.tinypic.com/243j1fr.png

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August 31, 2014 10:01:06 AM

copying cyanogen mod i should say
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September 7, 2014 9:55:44 PM

Great wonderful points.
Each and every single point mentioned above has its own importance.
But Anyways,
thanks for this article...
I really love it !!
keep it up good work !! :) 

Thanks and Regards,
Jemmi Wilson.
http://explorequotes.com/
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September 13, 2014 12:35:43 PM

Looks like their trying to pull off a Windows 8 look.
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September 21, 2014 10:14:38 PM

Ok.

Well I mixed feelings about that.

I find the multitasking interesting. I HATE the look of the keyboard
and the notifications are ugly (they look like the notifications on my rooted nook)

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September 21, 2014 10:17:08 PM

Quote:

It's beta, complain to them in the google discussion forums and I'll bet they look into it as they hear more cries.

I kind of doubt it. Its well known that Google has made negative changes
to many of its products and services despite massive user complaint.

At this point I am confident they do not care about user feedback
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October 1, 2014 8:21:16 AM

Dark interfaces are better. The kitkat icons for home, menu, back are better,
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!