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Top 10 features of the spanking new Android 4.3
Google is constantly rolling forward, and this is never better exemplified than with its Android OS for smartphones and tablets. The latest update, Android 4.3, brings even more improvements to the OS than before and while they may not be as obvious as Google Now, they are still vastly important.
This isn’t even including several features that Android 4.3 improves upon on its predecessors. Did we mention improved gaming performance and the ability to stream 1080p video? Check out the top 10 improvements and new features that Google has made with Android 4.3.
Top 10 features of the spanking new Android 4.3
1. Restricted User Profiles
While Android 4.2 Jellybean introduced multiple user profiles, Android 4.3 takes this a bit further by enabling a user to especially create profiles for kids.
This essentially means having control over a Master profile and creating profiles with limited use and access to different apps. While it may not seem like the biggest deal, it’s still an excellent ideal for families whose kids have access to tablets.
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Top 10 features of the spanking new Android 4.3
2. Support for Bluetooth Low Energy
For the fitness freaks, Android 4.3 now allows Bluetooth 4 to connect to different low energy devices and recognise their inputs. Common examples of low energy devices would include wristbands which monitor your heart rate during exercise.
So if you’re jogging, for example, the wristband can connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth and update your heart rate in real time. Combined with something like Samsung’s Life Care, it helps you keep track of what level of exercise is required for a healthy living.
Support for Bluetooth Smart Ready and AVRCP 1.3 have also been added, the latter allows you display song names on the car radio.
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Top 10 features of the spanking new Android 4.3
3. Photosphere
When it first launched, Photosphere -- a 360-degree panoramic image capture application -- didn’t exactly work very well. Compared to the iPhone 5’s Panorama, Android seemed to have bitten off more than it could chew.
Android 4.3 seeks to improve this, featuring more accurate image alignment. This helps in “stitching” images together much better than before, which is also helped by new exposure compensation that better melds individual shots together into one cohesive “sphere” while keeping the lighting on each shot looking more uniform.
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Top 10 features of the spanking new Android 4.3
4. Autocomplete on Dialpad
One of the more intriguing and useful features from Android 4.3 is the ability to auto complete numbers when dialling. Simply type a name or number, and as you begin to type more, you’ll be able to see a few choices for contacts at the top of the keypad.
This allows for easy access to multiple contacts at once. Even though custom UIs offer this feature in different forms, this is the first time it comes to stock Android.
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Top 10 features of the spanking new Android 4.3
5. Locating through Wi-Fi
Having trouble finding out where you are or just want a handy little feature that can update your location even if Wi-Fi and GPS are turned off?
Simply select “Scanning Always Available” for Android 4.3 and your smartphone will be able to constantly determine your location, even if you have Wi-Fi switched off.
Given that Wi-Fi is usually better at determining one’s location than GPS, it’s a fairly useful feature to have.
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Top 10 features of the spanking new Android 4.3
6. Google Gaming and Graphics Improvement
A new Google Games app has been implemented which helps in a better gaming experience since it now supports leaderboards and matchmaking. This means you can keep up to date on how your friends are performing, along with entering into multiplayer matches that much more easily.
Graphics performance has also been substantially improved thanks to the Open GL ES 3.0 support.
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Top 10 features of the spanking new Android 4.3
7. Take Pictures with Volume Keys
Photosphere isn’t the only aspect of the camera app that’s been improved. Suppose you want to take pictures with a dedicated camera key, but lack the said key on your device. Android 4.3 now allows you to use your volume keys to take pictures.
There is also quicker access to settings, as users can simply touch and hold on any part of the screen to access different features. Will this result in improved camera performance though? That remains to be seen, but at least you won’t be fumbling for the button on the display any more when taking quick pictures.
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Top 10 features of the spanking new Android 4.3
8. 1080p Video Streaming and Surround Sound
Further enhancing the multimedia capabilities of smartphones, Android 4.3 will now allow users to stream videos in 1080p from services like Netflix.
Other services are expected to follow, but that’s not all -- you can also receive virtual surround sound support for a better overall listening experience. As of now, the Nexus 7 2013 features support for the same.
Google is expected to specify other devices which will work best for virtual surround sound soon.
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Top 10 features of the spanking new Android 4.3
9. Permissions Manager
Ever wanted to specify what your app could and couldn’t do? Permissions Manager reportedly allows that, though for now it’s unsure as to whether it will finally be included or not.
Essentially, this allows you to control just what kind of data individual apps can access. You can thus limit an app from accessing your contacts, location, and much more. Of course, some apps need these different permissions in order to function, hence it’s still iffy as to whether it will finally be included.
But for the power users, we can’t think of anything that would be better.
On a side note, Android 4.3 will also have a tab for any applications that you’ve disabled from use -- in case you ever want quick access for enabling them later.
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Top 10 features of the spanking new Android 4.3
10. Improved Language Support
This has been coming for a long time. Android 4.3 will include support for a larger range of languages such as Hindi, Swahili, Zulu, Arabic, Hebrew and even languages like Japanese which can be read from right to left.
With the ever-increasing popularity of Android in countries like India, it only makes sense to allow the majority of Indians to be able to properly utilise it without difficulties.
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