Android 5.0 Lollipop

     Hello and welcome back.  I have been gone awhile but I have plans for this blog again.  One of them is my adventure into the world of Android development.  I have been learning about developing for Android recently but more on that in another post that will  be dedicated to my Android endeavors.  Today, on the other hand, I want to talk a little bit about Android Lollipop.

     Android 5.0, aka Lollipop, is due out in the next several weeks.  It will be coming to Nexus devices as well as the LG G3.  Then Samsung, Motorola, and HTC will start updating their phones.  Luckily my wife has a Droid Ultra and I have a HTC One M8 for smartphones and we also have a 1st gen Nexus 7.  Google said they would bring it to the 1st gen Nexus 7.  Because of these devices I should be getting access to the new version of Android very soon.  I will talk more about it when it comes out but here are some of the highlights of the features that will be coming to Android Lollipop.

Default Encryption

     Android will now encrypt everything on your devices by default.  This will protect your data in the event that someone gains access to your phone by nefarious means.  Not only that but it should keep the prying eyes of the government away from your Android devices as well.  Good news all around.  :D

Material Design

     Material Design is the new design standard for Android.  It works off a design idea that is based on the idea of paper and ink.  The whole idea is that everything happens on the screen has to be believable as if it was happening inside of the phone.  So no flipping things over because it would "break the screen."  Everything has to pull, shrink, and move over and under each other for the animations.  Lots of big bold colors against white backgrounds or other bold colors.  I really like the new theme and can't wait to try it out.  Several apps on the Play Store are already using the new theme.  Some of them are:

Gmail

Textra - The texting app I use.

Google Chrome

The Play Store app itself.

Google Wallet

Evernote

Google Drive

Multi-User Accounts

     This has been on Android Tablets for awhile but is finally coming to smartphones.  I am sure not a whole lot of people will take advantage of this but maybe if you have kids that you let play on your phone.

More Quick Settings

     In the next version of Android Google will also be adding more quick settings.  Most Android phones allow you turn on and off things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Airplane mode in quick settings.  But in the new version of Android, you will also be able to turn on your "flashlight" and enable your phone to stream to your chromecast as well as a few other things.

All of these additions and others should make this update on of the largest updates to Android since Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwhich.  I am really excited about.  Leave your thoughts below in the comments and let me see if you are as excited as me!

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