My Experiences with Gingerbread (Droid 3.0)

Everything that is not perfect or complete comes with Disclaimer.The long awaited Gingerbread release is out, along with a plethora of user and developer oriented features that will delight and amaze. For me, I’m just excited to have another excuse to use the word “plethora” in a sentence. I mean, really, how often does that happen?
I am an Android user. Yes I have been using it since a couple of months. Hell yeah, I was keen on updating my Froyo with Gingerbread. Unfortunately I was travelling, when HTC rolled out their update. And more importantly none of the airport i checked in had an open wi-fi connection. Finally I installed the Update.

Before I roll out the goodies pack a couple of disclaimers.

1. It’s not Android 3.0. Gingerbread is a minor release, which will be replaced with the big 3.0 Honeycomb release, if you’re looking for the mythical Tablet-optimized version of Android, this is not the droid you’re looking for.

2. Save Desire HD and Incredible S, other HTCs’ will take quite a time.

Google promised User features

1. Updated Interface

Brace yourselves. The familiar grey bar of the notification menu is no more. Gingerbread features a black notification bar. Similar changes will appear across the operating system, in pop-up and contextual menus, for instance. Google says these changes are not only for visual purposes, they’ll help with battery life too. For instance, Super AMOLED panels like the one on the Nexus S use less power when displaying black. New color schemes and various UI changes and polish make Android more consistent and simpler to use.

2. Support for Near-Field Communication Baked In

Android 2.3 will pack support for short-wave radio waves that, among other things, will let you use your smart phone as a mobile payment device. Think: swiping your Droid at a GAP to charge your credit card, or linking all your loyalty shopping cards to your Nexus S. But NFC is about more than mobile payments. Google says you’ll be able to touch your phone to posters, stickers, and advertisements to learn more about promotions, places, and other stuff without having to check into a location or look it up online.

3. Gyroscope for 3D Motion Processing

Apple beat Google to market with this feature, an additional sensor that registers 360-degree movement for fuller, more well-rounded game play. However, Android throws in every sensor it can imagine. Gingerbread will offer software support for linear acceleration, gravity-based movements, and barometric changes (what?!).

4. More Efficient Software Keyboard

Google has also redesigned Android’s software keyboard to include reshaped buttons with greater special separation between the digital keys. Google claims the changes will help make the buttons easier to see and target. If you’re already fast on the stock Android keyboard, get ready to be faster. Now every Android phone comes complete with multi-touch key-chording support for using the Shift key to enter capital letters just like a real keyboard on a laptop. And because speed isn’t just a matter of how fast you type, Google also renovated the look of the auto-complete tool. Whereas it was once a drab grey color with hard-to-see, faded black type, the new dictionary has a black background with yellow-orange letters. That’s definitely going to be easier to glance at while blasting out emails and texts message.

5. One-Touch Copy-and-Paste Selection

Depending on the phone manufacturer and the app being used, copy-and-paste can be a help or a hassle. In Gingerbread, users can press-hold a word to select it quickly. That’s one step less than copy-and-paste in Froyo where press-and-hold launches a contextual menu with options to select all copy or select some copy.

6. Better Power Management

The annoyance of installing a third-party app to help manage power-sucking Android applications is one of the first thing you learn in Android 101. Some manufacturers, Motorola, for instance, account for that problem by including a proprietary settings app that displays the power draw from active applications or device settings. Gingerbread handles the problem head-on by baking the functionality into Applications under settings. Even more useful, Google says the operating system takes a more active role in closing apps that drain too much juice in the background. For users, that translates into less time spent checking in on which active apps are killing battery life.

7. Application Manager is Easier to Find

Speaking of less time, in order to make shutting down resource-hungry apps a whole lot easier, Gingerbread adds a Application Manager shortcut on the home screen. Otherwise you’d need to dig for it in the settings.

8. Unified Download Manager

Android fans who side-load apps or download them via the browser will appreciate Gingerbread’s unified Download Manager. Now, instead of installing APK files from an Android device’s root menu, Android 2.3 will keep track of a download no matter how you add it, even if you email it to yourself. We suspect this will be a very handy feature for managing in-app downloads too.

9. Internet Calling and Multiple Video Support

Android phones with front-facing cameras have been available since the summer, but users have had to use third-party apps like Qik or Fring to make video calls over IP. Now that Google offers multiple camera and VOIP/SIP call support from within the Android architecture, we hope the ability to make video calls over Google Talk or Google Voice becomes an option real soon.

10. Audio Sound Processing

Gingerbread will also offer platform-level customization for audio output. What does that mean? Digital sound firms like Dolby Laboratories and SRS Labs already offer software-based sound packages for notebooks and netbooks, and some smart phones (like the HTC Surround). With access to the Android SDK for Gingerbread, those companies could offer customizations like a virtual surround sound experience for headphone listening on Android devices. And don’t even get us started on the potential for more immersive audio soundscapes in Android games. However, Android would first need to beef up its game selection.

My Experience with the User features.

Overall I can see the darkened skin. My battery responds better than previous. I have to charge my phone less frequent than previous days. A little of appreciation Android can expect out of me for this. The quick setting in the notification area saves my effort to alter some of the frequently used settings like switching on and off wi-fi and other. The Application drawer with its improved interface helped me to locate my frequently used apps with greater ease. And yes i love ease when I am on my android.

The copy and paste is something that i am proud of and apple users i can show you my smart smart phone too. Nevertheless You can chuckle. Keyboard feels good, though I didn’t feel much of a difference. The download manager is something that I was looking for quite a time. Because it really differentiates a Smartphone from other so called Smartphone. Now I can manage my downloaded applications with comfort and luxury.

With New Gingerbread I can feel some difference that HTC promised. The desire HD looks more desirable. However still Waiting for Honeycomb.