Is Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) the most advanced phone/tablet OS in the world?

[kingrob]

After looking at the new features list on Android version history, Wikipedia, I honestly believe it is.

* Smoother user interface:
1) Vsync timing across all drawing and animation done by the Android framework, including application rendering, touch events, screen composition and display refresh
2) Triple buffering in the graphics pipeline
* Enhanced accessibility
* Bi-directional text and other language support
* User-installable keyboard maps
* Expandable notifications
* Ability to turn off notifications on an app specific basis
* Shortcuts and widgets can automatically be re-arranged or re-sized to allow new items to fit on home screens
* Bluetooth data transfer for Android Beam
* Offline voice dictation
* New interface layout for tablets with smaller screens or phablets (whose screens more closely resemble that of a phone)
* Improved voice search
* Improved camera app
* Google Wallet (for the Nexus 7)
* High-resolution Google+ contact photos
* Google Now search application
* Multichannel audio
* USB audio (for external sound DACs)[73]
* Audio chaining (also known as gapless playback)
* Stock Android browser is replaced with the Android mobile version of Google Chrome in devices with Android 4.1 preinstalled
* The abillity to allow other launchers to add widgets from the app drawer without requiring root access.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_version_history

 

[Jola]

I agree, I have two devices with JB, and IMO it is better than iOS - I also have an iOS device.

 

[kingrob]

I agree, I have two devices with JB, and IMO it is better than iOS - I also have an iOS device.

Just the Apple maps take iOS out of the equation already.

 

[crysis]

A phone with Jellybean is just the gadget to end all gadgets. They continue to amaze me, and a phone that doesn't get boring is the best imho. Gone are the days where a phone was just used to send sms's and call people. If a phone gets boring after a while, its useless. That being said, I think the iOS vs Android war is pretty useless. They are both so strong, its like comparing a 458 italia with a mclaren mp4 12c. At the end of the day, what we should be doing, is mocking people for buying blackbery's.

 

[BeVonk!]

I definitely believe that with Jelly Bean Google has taken the lead. I help people with phone/tablet problems/updates/etc all the time (iOS and Android) and iOS is falling behind at pace now ... still a grid of icons. With the hardware now able to deal with multiple complex widgets Android is pulling ahead. Apple will have to come up with something radical as MS has done with WP8. A grid of icons from 2006 is not good enough anymore.

 

[ebendl]

I'll throw a rock in the bush and say that some of the features are definately advanced and way ahead of IOS.

However, the graphic performance options are pretty much only there to get on par with Apple's graphical performance. Also, some of them are really not that amazing:

Ability to turn off notifications on an app specific basis

 

[The Rookie]

Hello,

While I personally prefer Android,
from an accessibility point of view, I should give it to Apple.
The screenreader called voiceover is much more advanced and superior to google's talkback.
Although I should say that accessibility on Android is progressing, but at a very slow pace.
I only stick with the less accessible android for other awesome customisations like tweaking existing roms, rom modding and the like.
Regards

 

[Creag]

I have JB on my tablet and keep finding new and amazing features to wow.

 

[AlphaJohn]

JB is nice and all but I must admit, Google Now is scaring the **** out of me.

Not for what it can do now, but for what its capable of doing and where it's heading. Google Now + Google Glases + AR Facial recognition and social link-up. I can already see the dam thing showing people's tweets/wall posts when you just look at them.

Not only that, the dam thing is learning your habits and so is Google.

For example see http://www.zdnet.com/google-reportedly-buying-ar-facial-recognition-firm-viewdle-7000005082/

 

[Viva]

Jelly Bean is really great (especially on the Nexus 7), I love that Android is developing so fast now. However, they really need to address some obvious issues with Jelly Bean in the next release, which I'm really looking forward to.

In my reviews, I frequently abuse and pick apart TouchWiz, Sense, and MotoBlur. I point out flaws, say "that's stupid," and wonder what the heck was going on when someone approved whatever half-baked change they've come up with. A lot of the UIs shipping on phones today are bad.
But it's not just the 3rd-party skins. Stock Android isn't perfect either, and that's what we're here to talk about today. Jelly Bean has all sorts of confusing user interfaces, weird bugs, things that don't make any sense, and things that desperately need polishing.
I criticize because I care - that goes for Sense, TouchWiz, and MotoBlur too. I want the Android user experience to be good, and this is a big component in making it better - open, honest discussion of what sucks (and, hopefully, receptive developers). If you always think everything is awesome all the time, and that polish, "nit picking," and user experience don't matter, then you turn into desktop Linux. No one wants that.

First though, a few ground rules. I'm not going to talk about just Android. Any reasonably popular Google app is fair game. Gmail, Maps, Voice, Docs, etc. - the big ones that you think about when you think "Android." So let's get to it. Jelly Bean and its assorted Google Apps are going in front of the firing squad. These are the things that are wrong with Android.

Continue reading..

 

[BeVonk!]

This review of Android was written before Samsung's JB TouchWiz was available as I can kill most of those issues listed as "fixed" or "never happened to me". As he states at the end he had to remove items as he was writing as things were fixed so quickly. The return to scroll position is still a major hastle though, but that is overcome by installing from the PlayStore in GMail kn a browser (felm PC/laptop) instead of trying to do so on the phone itself. PlayStore in GMail is a winner and makes life so much easier.

I was a big critic of Samsung's software abilities, especially with TouchWiz. Since ICS they have made huge strides forward and on JB it is a joy to see and use. Samsung must be credited for upping their game substantially both in hardware and software over the last 18 months. I am not a Samsung fan, but I find myself getting more and more Samsung products these days as they are just so damn good. No wonder Apple are pi$$ing in their pants already.

 

[DominionZA]

Jellybean 4.2 about to take it further.
http://www.droid-life.com/2012/10/0...w-project-roadrunner-new-play-store-and-more/

 

[RyanPCMR]

Yet another Google vs Apple thread?

Looking forward to using this new version of Android, it sounds great!

BTW, Google offers it mostly for free to the companies like Samsung, unlike old, greedy Apple that cannot even take a bit of competition from anyone as highlighted with their patent violation lawsuits. They(Apple) clearly forgot about the customer a long time ago.
Choose a side(Google Android or Apple iOS) and stick with it - I choose Android.

 

[Pakka]

Speaking of TouchWiz, I currently have CM10 installed on my S2, and there are done small things I miss about TouchWiz. When Samsung releases JB for my phone I will dump CM10 again and get the official Samsung Rom

 

[AlphaJohn]

Looking forward to using this new version of Android, it sounds great!

BTW, Google offers it mostly for free to the companies like Samsung, unlike old, greedy Apple that cannot even take a bit of competition from anyone as highlighted with their patent violation lawsuits. They(Apple) clearly forgot about the customer a long time ago.
Choose a side(Google Android or Apple iOS) and stick with it - I choose Android.

No need to choose a side.

I have an iPad, and a Android Tablet, also planning to get a Surface. Thing is I use said devices for unique abilities and yes some do overlap but there are some things that do not.

 

[cerebus]

Jb is great but Google Now crossed the creepy line for me the other day. I was chatting to someone and he mentioned where he lived. Then google now gave directions to his house. I switched it off after that.

Choose a side(Google Android or Apple iOS) and stick with it - I choose Android

Or just use whatever works for you without worrying about absurd 'sides'.

 

[superskully]

Whether JB is great or not, i cannot update my Galaxy S.
Yet i can upgrade my ipad1 to ios 6.

 

[DominionZA]

Whether JB is great or not, i cannot update my Galaxy S.
Yet i can upgrade my ipad1 to ios 6.

You can, but must do it yourself.
Not Googles fault. Talk to the OEM.

 

[CoolBug]

Whether JB is great or not, i cannot update my Galaxy S.
Yet i can upgrade my ipad1 to ios 6.

Actually, you're not comparing apples to apples, my very old TF101 has 4.1

Is the first iPhone upgradable to iOS6?

 

[ebendl]

Whether JB is great or not, i cannot update my Galaxy S.
Yet i can upgrade my ipad1 to ios 6.

No, you can't actually upgrade your iPad 1 to iOS6. The iPhone 3GS is the oldest phone that you can upgrade. That being said, it is a 3 year old device.