Android Lollipop - exit new version took place!

Back in January 2013, Google representatives made a statement that they were preparing an update to the operating system called Android 5.0 Lollipop (lollipop), but users who were waiting for the release received a version of Android 4.4 OS codenamed Kit Kat, and the release of the fifth version was postponed.

A year has passed, and finally modern gadgets running on Android have access to the Android 5.0 update, codenamed Lollipop. Initially, LG announced the update for its devices, but Google was ahead of its competitors and smartphones, and Nexus tablets will still receive the new hardware first.

Key features of the Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system

Android 5.0 introduced many innovations that affected the appearance of the operating system and also had a positive impact on the power consumption and speed of devices.

Interface and notifications

1. Material Design. Now the standard design uses bright and saturated colors that will not strain the eyes or irritate them. The interface itself has become more responsive and responds more naturally to requests. The standard control buttons have changed and turned into a triangle (back), a square (context menu) and a circle (home), which gives the interface additional lightness. The Material Design interface will be used in all Google services. The shell itself is based on several layers, each of which can be individually configured, and the reaction to touch or movement will react like real materials: paper, ink, water, etc. Another feature appearance are smoothed fonts that are better perceived by the eyes, and fine-tuning of special features will allow users with poor vision to use the device with maximum comfort.
2. Quick settings. You can access the settings that most often need to be changed using two swipes from the top of the screen, and the shortcut buttons for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have also changed.
3. Lock screen in the new version, Android displays full notifications from applications or contacts, so you don’t have to unlock the device every time.
4. Priority Mode– a new mode that allows you to manage incoming notifications. When the mode is enabled, the user will receive messages only from those applications or users that were previously installed in the list; all other notifications will not be accompanied by sound and image.

ATTENTION! In Priority mode, all new notifications will pop up on top of other windows.

Device Security

The device locking functions on Android OS 5.0 have expanded and a Smart Lock item has appeared. Using this mode, you can access the device only after connecting it to certain devices that support data transfer via Bluetooth and NFC protocols.

A few more innovations:

• Personal Unlocking- will allow you to unlock the device only in certain places, in order to save your user from unnecessary actions when you urgently need to make a call or read mail.
• Factory Reset Projection- if it is impossible to track down a stolen device, you can remotely destroy all data and block the gadget, and the attacker will not be able to use the data.
• unlock with using Bluetooth – this function allows you to unlock devices within the coverage area, thereby gaining access to your account without remembering your login and password.
• Android Beam– a method of secure exchange of information between Android devices, which is activated by lightly tapping the gadgets against each other.

Memory cards and work with built-in applications

In the new version of the mobile operating system, you can link to each application separate folder on a memory card, which will allow him to freely read, write and change data within its limits. This technology will save space on internal storage devices and properly organize the workspace for applications. The only downside is that developers will have to optimize all games and programs for such a system.

Although such a system will allow you to manage even more applications, games and programs installed in system partition, without additional machinations it will not be possible to delete or change it.

Built-in applications from operators and developers can now not only be hidden, but also completely deleted. Speaking of operators mobile communications, then programs will appear only when a service provider SIM card is installed in the device. Previously, this opportunity was available only to those users who used Root rights to control their smartphone or tablet.

Performance and power consumption

Relatively new virtual machine ART will increase the speed of applications. This system was partially used in Android OS version 4.4 Kit Kat and worked in parallel with the Delvik VM or was available in developer mode for testing functionality, but in the fifth version the latter was completely abandoned. WITH using android runtime (ART) the installation speed of applications will be slightly slower, and the launch and operation speed installed programs will be higher. Speed ​​of some applications new system reaches a fourfold increase.

Another feature of ART technology is support for 64-bit processors. Support for 32-bit processors greatly limited the distribution of the operating system on desktop platforms, since the maximum number of supported RAM equaled 4 gigabytes. So this innovation will allow us to create full-fledged and powerful devices. By the way, this technology still uses the Java handler as the main environment

Representatives of Google have repeatedly talked about a project called Volta, the implementation of which had a full positive impact on battery performance. IN latest update operating system, the project was still fully implemented and the operating time of all devices controlled by the “lollipop” increased by at least an hour and a half.

How does this work?
The user can now limit the number of connections of almost any application to the Internet, as well as reduce the amount of system resources allocated for its operation: processor load, amount of RAM, etc.

Internet and media

• Built-in video stream processor Now it works much better, there is a clearer picture and smooth movements. Photography enthusiasts will find a number of new options in camera settings, which will allow them to take a truly high-quality photo. For devices equipped with powerful cameras, it is now possible to take a series of photographs at a frequency of 30 frames per second. By the way, the maximum supported video file resolution is 4K, which allows us to call devices running Android Lollipop a new generation.
• Open GL 3.1 – technology, which will allow the graphics in games to be equal to those of consoles, and will also allow you to run really beautiful and high-quality games on desktop operating systems such as Chrome OS. Open GL is designed specifically for embedded operating systems that come with game consoles, handheld PCs, and other devices.
• Support for external audio devices. A little earlier, in order to connect an external USB device, you had to a whole series operations that most often failed, since inexpensive smartphones and tablets (except for Chinese ones) did not support USB-host technology for the most part. Users who cannot live without music will have the opportunity to not only listen to high-quality audio stream, but will be able to create full-fledged tracks with mixing audio tracks of 5.1 and 7.1 channels.
• Google Assistant. If earlier, in order to greet a smartphone with the phrase “Okay Google,” you had to unlock the device, now the gadget can easily be in your pocket and be locked.

Which phones and tablets will Android 5.0 appear first?

The first to receive an operating system update will be the new phablet Google Nexus 6, as well as the Nexus 9 tablet. Owners of earlier models of the Nexus series (Nexus 4, Nexus 7 (2012), Nexus 7 (2013), Nexus 10 and Nexus 5 will be able to download the update image on the official website, and until the end of November It will be possible to update to Android 5 over the air.

For Samsung Galaxy S3, S4, Note 2, Note10.1 and other flagships, the manufacturing company will release the update, traditionally, last. But for Sony, the appearance of a new version of the OS is an opportunity to update the entire Xperia Z line, which will be done as soon as possible after release.

HTC and LG will transfer their devices to the new firmware within three months after they receive the official API from Google, while LG has officially announced the appearance of Android 5.0 so far only on the LG G3.

Owners of Chinese counterfeits are the least fortunate and will most likely have to make do old version OS, and the further possibility of installation remains in question.

Answers to frequently asked questions

• When will the new version of Android OS be released?
  The official release date of the Android operating system is set for November 12, 2014.
• Where can I download Android 5.0?
  You can download Adroid Lollipop for your device on the official website of your device manufacturer.
• How to install the downloaded update package?
  There are several ways to install Android 5.0, but the most common is the installation method through the system bootloader, by installing the update image from a memory card.
• What is the difference between the fifth and previous versions of the mobile OS?
  The list of main innovations is very large and you can read them in full in this article.

Android 5.0- This is a new step in the development of this operating system. Literally everything has changed: from appearance to program code. The performance of some applications has increased almost 4 times, and their launch speeds up new technology called "android runtime". Externally, the operating system is pleasing to the eye and does not raise any questions. Multimedia functions have also undergone changes, and users can now fully enjoy high-quality video.

Before version 5.0, think carefully. There may be two reasons why you did not receive the update automatically. Either this was an error (during distribution, upon receipt, etc.), or the manufacturer did not plan to update the software for your device. And if in the first case the defect is easy to correct, then the second option makes you think. Of course, the point here is not that the manufacturer doesn’t care about your device or has forgotten about you. Everything is much more prosaic.

Every manufacturer, be it Samsung, Sony, HTC, LG or any other, remembers very well about each of its devices. But he also knows everything in detail technical specifications each model. Much better than you and me! And no matter how much OS developers talk about increasing the performance of gadgets after updating them, numerous tests and user reviews indicate either a meager or zero “increase” in operating speed. But most often, users report a deterioration in the performance of the device after the update. The explanation for this is simple: Android 5.0 Lollipop is brighter and more functional than its older brother, and this requires more resources to work. And all manufacturers also know about this, which is why they do not send an update to your device.

Therefore, let's start with advice: if you think that your device on Android 4.4 Kitkat is working at its limit technical capabilities, then you probably don’t think so! Of course, you can experiment with deleting photos, videos, games and applications, installing accelerator programs, checking for viruses, and so on. But the risk of getting a “brick” after a forced update still remains!

It's worth remembering that there are a few things you need to take care of before starting the installation. Surely you are well aware of them, but, as they say, “Repetition is the mother of learning!”

First, you need to do Backup. After installing the update, there will be nothing on your device except the operating system itself and the programs installed by default. Therefore, SMS, applications, games and everything that you downloaded will have to be done on your own. Good, special programs There are a lot of people who can help you do this.

Secondly, if you decide to install custom firmware, of which there are an incredible variety now, then you will have to take care of Root rights. Just like with Backup, you will need special software.

Thirdly, before you start manipulating the system, make sure that the battery is fully charged and that you have a USB cable (preferably an original one) at hand.

Before moving directly to the Android update process, it must be said that there are not many options for doing this, only two: “over the air” (that is, via the Internet) and through a computer.

Option number 1. “By air”

As mentioned above, there can be two situations here. Either the update arrived automatically, or it needs to be checked and installed forcibly.

If the update came automatically, then there are no problems at all. You will see a notification that a new version of Android 5.0 Lollipop is available. Typically, the same notification will suggest “Update now” or “Delay update.” You know what to choose!

If your Android does not receive the update automatically, you can check for it manually. To do this, open the “Settings” menu, go to the “About device” submenu, then go to the “Updates” section. In the window that opens, tap on the “Check for updates” button. If the update is “found”, install it.

It happens that this method does not work. Then you can go another way. To do this, you must first erase data from Google apps Services Framework. And you can find this application at “Settings” - “Applications”. After the data is erased, restart your phone and check again for updates.

Before moving on to the next method of updating the OS, I would like to note that the options described above will install on your device official firmware. Therefore, you don’t need to think about any other nuances. But it’s better to do Backup anyway!

Option number 2. Through a computer

This method will be of interest to those who want to install custom firmware, as well as to all owners for whom Android 5.0 Lollipop was not originally intended.

I would like to immediately note that for each specific device, be it a smartphone or tablet, the process of installing the OS via a computer is individual. Before you start installing the update, study the algorithm in detail in theory. Read forums, reviews, ask questions. Firmware assembly is individual for each device separately. Install only the one that is suitable for yours.

In essence, the update process via a PC comes down to the fact that you need to download the firmware to your computer and use a certain bootloader program to install it on the device. For many gadgets on the Internet there are detailed instructions on installation, and even video materials with visual reviews. Especially for popular models of the tablet and smartphone world.

The update method will depend on the specific device

We will focus on the main actions that will have to be performed, based on the fact that you have already downloaded the firmware, root, bootloader and backup programs, unpacked everything, installed it and are ready to start.

1. Switch the device to firmware mode (see the instructions for your device).
2. Connect to computer.
3. Launch bootloader and load the firmware into it.
4. , start the installation process and wait a bit.
5. After completion, the device will reboot and turn on with the new version of Android.

This is the structure of the process. In fact, for some manufacturers' devices, this process can be much more tricky. But it’s certainly possible to figure it out!

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to say thank you to those programmers who, despite all the restrictions of manufacturers, bypass the prohibitions and adapt the firmware for our phones and tablets. Also, the people who test these updates, find errors and test again deserve words of gratitude. After all, everyone wants to enjoy new features and new design, not just those who bought their gadget today!

Conclusion (alternative)

In the end, after all of the above, I would like to philosophize a little. Because a number of questions hang in the air:

• Why do device manufacturers only push updates to flagship devices by default?
• Why do they decide whether to update for us?

Android is progressing before our eyes and is quietly tearing iOS to pieces. IN Android Lollipop the interface has become smooth like an English Jaguar, functionality has become wider, energy saving is better.

Lock screen changes

The new notification system provides quick access to SMS/Whatsapp/Wi-FI/GPS and other features. Improved usability according to the three-click rule – this can now be said about Android 5.0!

New application menu

Displaying applications on a white background makes navigation much easier; the application menu has been pleasantly updated and makes navigation easier.

Accounts

You can now create users with different settings and switch between them, for example when roaming or while relaxing in the forest.

Alert menu or notification panel

The drop-down notification menu in Lollipop has become translucent and does not cover the main screen information.

Settings in Lollipop

The settings menu now has a “Contactless payment” section.

Calendar changes

The calendar application has been modified to include a schedule section that shows the event feed and calendar at the same time.

Watch

There is a function night mode, which displays the time when the display is turned off.

Keyboard in Android Lollipop

The keyboard has undergone very big changes in key press animation, design and vibration. Visually it has become better, but from a practicality point of view nothing has changed.

New Google Fit

The system now has a pre-installed pedometer application. Google Fit Google Fit. In the future, the application will be able to provide any information about the user’s health, pulse, blood pressure, etc., provided the necessary additional accessories are available, of course.

What's the result?

The Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system is rapidly developing, leaving competitors behind. What innovations appeared on Android 6 Marshmallow, 7.0 Nougat, 8.0 Oreo - read the links.

Video review of Android 5.0 Lollipop

How to install Android 5.0 Lollipop firmware

To update the firmware to version 5.0 Lollipop, download the files from the link below, launch the PC application, select your smartphone model in it and follow the instructions.

The market for mobile products is structured in such a way that as new versions of the Android OS are released, smartphone manufacturing companies implement their support in their own, both recently released and already proven models. How does this work? At the time of purchasing a new mobile product, it is available basic version system installed by default. After some period of time, Google releases a new Android release. After six months or a little later, depending on the geographic region, when the new version becomes tested and stable, you can install it on your smart phone. As a result, you get a new, modern interface, support for new applications and more settings and customization. In this material we have compiled a detailed guide for you, how to update Android on your phone.

What is a software update on Android and why is it needed?

You need to be aware that as a result of updating or rolling back the operating system, all data stored on the phone will be irretrievably lost. Be sure to do backups all the data you need (address book, notes, photos) to a reliable external storage device before taking any of the steps in this guide. This could be an external drive, a hard drive on a PC (as a last resort, a memory card, but not advisable).

One more nuance. Since updating the operating system will require certain time(from 5 to 10 minutes, and sometimes more), be sure to charge the phone to 70-80% of the total battery capacity so that the update procedure is not interrupted due to problems with the phone’s battery.

Automatic Android update

Here we go to the “Software Update” item. On your device, this section may be located somewhere else, so you may have to go through the settings.

Now tap on the “Update” button, having previously set the option to download updates only via Wi-Fi, so that the update does not “eat up” all your money from your account.

Option in settings menu for automatic update OS

When all the data from the manufacturer’s server has been downloaded, in the menu that appears, tap the “Install” button and wait until the device reboots.

Since in the manner described above you can only update your mobile device to a minor release build, you should also use a special utility from the manufacturer (for Samsung gadgets it’s Kies, for LG it’s PC Suite, etc.) or update “over the air” (most of them). companies that produce smartphones or tablets have such a proprietary feature).

Latest Android update, if it is already available on the server, you can download it to your device at any time using just such a program.

Manually updating Android firmware

Almost all service centers use this method, but we can easily update ourselves, using only available means. Applies to update system application Odin. You can download it on many web resources (for example, on the same w3bsit3-dns.com). Using this technique, you can only install a new version of the official firmware, but not a custom one.

1. download the Odin program. We need version 1.83 (or later) - it is very popular among technicians and is suitable for the vast majority of products

2. find and download an archive on the Internet with the firmware we need. After extracting the contents from the archive (you will first need to download the archiver for Android), you should have 3 files: PIT, PDA and CSC

3. connect the smartphone to the PC. It is critical that the phone is detected correctly in Windows

4. launch Odin. If the device connection was successful, the port name in the program will light up in yellow in the corresponding field

Indication of successful connection of the device to the PC for updating in Odin

5. turn off the mobile device and transfer it to Download Mode by pressing the home, power and volume down keys at the same time

6. Confirm activation of Download Mode by holding down the “Volume Up” key

7. in the central Odin window, select the downloaded files so that they correspond to the PIT, PDA and CSC objects

8. In Odin, click the Start button and wait until all files are updated.

If the Android system update went smoothly, a field with the inscription PASS in green will appear on the application screen.

Successful system update via Odin

Rollback to previous version

Perhaps you updated to one of the latest versions and were not satisfied (the phone is slow, errors appear frequently, there is a need to reboot, etc.). If necessary, you can roll back to any version you need. How to roll back?

1 way

Suitable for those who want to return the basic official factory firmware installed in the device at the time of its purchase in the store. This is quite easy to do. Go to the device settings and select the item responsible for resetting the settings (this can be “Privacy” or “Backup and reset”). On the test phone, this function was available in the “Backup and reset” menu in the “Personal data” category.

Section in the options menu designed to reset the device to its factory state

1. We go to this section of the menu and stop at the “Reset settings” item.
2. A form pops up warning you that all data from the gadget will be deleted. If the backups are already saved in a safe place, feel free to click “Reset phone settings”.
3. The phone begins to reboot. After 5-10 minutes it will boot again, with a clean base system on board.

Method 2 - reset to factory settings (hard reset)

1. turn off the phone/tablet
2. simultaneously press and hold down the “Volume Up”, “Home” (bottom center) and “Power” buttons. The Recovery menu opens.
3. Using the volume keys, check the “wipe data/factory reset” item.
4. press the power key to confirm your choice
5. in the next menu you need to confirm your decision. Select “Yes – Delete all user data” using the keys designed to adjust the volume
6. Press the power button again. The main menu pops up in front of you again
7. Using the power key, select “reboot system now”

Everything is ready. Next time the factory version of the OS will boot.

How to rollback if a custom version of Android is installed (Cyanogenmod, MIUI, Paranoid Android)?

If you installed a custom ROM, you can return the official firmware in the same way as manual update, - using the Odin program already mentioned in the review. First, you will have to search the Internet for files with the firmware you need, individually suitable for your smart model. Perhaps, best resource for searching – mobile portal w3bsit3-dns.com, here you can find any firmware for almost every phone model.

1. connect the mobile device to the PC
2. launch Odin
3. turn off the phone and enter it into Download Mode. To do this, press the home key, power key and volume down key.
4. when the phone is booted, press the volume up key to activate Download Mode
5. on the main Odin form, select the downloaded files as a match for PIT, PDA and CSC
6. in Odin, click the Start button and wait until all the files are updated.

The successful completion of the rollback procedure will be indicated by a green field with the inscription PASS at the top.

Information about a successful rollback to previous version via Odin

How to update Play Market on Android

The first time you boot a fresh system, you have to configure everything again: account, language, mail, time zone, network, etc. The same goes for the Google store. Play Market. An update to this module will become available immediately after setting up a Google account on your mobile device.

Proposal to connect your Google account to the system

As soon as you enter your Google account authentication information, Play Store components will appear in the notification panel, which can be updated just like any other application.

Updates for Play Market components

If you are using custom firmware, you need to go to the store itself at least once to update. After this, an update for the service will appear on the display.

Answers to readers' questions

When will the new Android update be available?

Answer. Since a certain time passes between the immediate release of a new version of Android and the physical possibility of installing it on a gadget (from 2-3 to 6-8 months), you need to be patient and follow the announcements of companies. Among the first products with marshmallow support are devices from the Nexus and Android One lines. As for the Samsung brand, this month they promise updates to 6.0 for the following mobile device models: Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 edge+; in January 2016 – Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge; in February – Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge.

Now about other brands. Sony announced an update for all current devices in the Xperia line, starting from the Xperia Z Ultra GPE released in 2013 and ending with all models of the Z5 series (both Premium and budget). The range of devices from LG is limited to the G4, G3 and G Flex2. HTC, in turn, limited itself to only the last two generations of devices of its own production: One M9/E9 and One M8/E8. In addition, companies such as Motorola, Xiaomi, Huawei, Asus, OnePlus and ZUK promise to equip their flagship devices and mid-level devices with Android 6.0. This list is not yet final. Subsequently, we will keep you updated on the latest announcements.

I have a Huawei U9500 phone, and I did not know or did not understand that I needed to update the version. Now I have Android 4.0.3, how can I update the firmware to the new version, please help!

Answer. Update process Huawei firmware described . In short, there are two ways to update the Huawei U9500 firmware.

1. We take out the battery and hold down the volume buttons on the phone. After this, the Android update process will begin.
2. Go to Settings -> Storage -> Software Update -> SD Card Update, launch the Android OS update.

I have a MFLogin3T tablet and until now I didn’t know that it was possible to update the system. I read it on different sites, tried it, but it doesn’t work. I have Android 4.4.4. How to update the Android version?

Answer. The easiest way to update your phone is through Settings - Options - About device - Software update. IN different versions Android OS partition location may vary. Thus it is fulfilled standard update on Android, download the official software. This is the safest and easiest way.

I have Samsung Duos, version 4.1.2 can’t update operating system to a larger version. Please help me update Android on my phone!

Answer. First you need to find out if it is possible to update Android on your phone to version 5.x. It turns out not. The fact is that the technical characteristics of your phone do not allow you to install newer ones Android versions.

On the other hand, you can download the update for Android from the 4pda forum, where modified firmware is posted. But we wouldn't recommend setting it to enough old phone such updates if you do not have the necessary skills and are not prepared for a drop in the performance of your mobile device.

Lenovo A1000, Android is not updated. I'm trying to update version 5.0 to the newest one. At first everything goes well, but then he writes “Error” and shows an opened Android with a red triangle hanging above it with exclamation point. What should I do? How to update the OS to the latest version?

Answer. Why isn't Android updated? The fact is that Android 5.0 is latest version The OS to which you can officially update the firmware on your phone. At least that's what users of the 4pda forum say. Of course, you can update your phone by installing custom firmware, but no one guarantees stability after such an update.

I purchased NTS one m7. I can't update Android 4.4.2. The device does not find the software update, how to solve this problem? How to update it?

Answer. NTS one m7 can be updated to at least Android 5.1. If you can’t install the official update, try downloading custom firmware on the 4pda forum. Instructions for updating on this device are also collected there (see). In this topic you will find solutions to the problem if the Android OS is not updated.

I have a Moto x play, I don’t want to update the system, the message “Android 6.0.1 software available” constantly appears, which is wildly annoying. Please tell me how to remove this message so that it doesn’t appear again. I even contacted the support service of the smartphone manufacturer itself, All the instructions they gave me did not bring any results.

Answer. To disable firmware updates, go to Android settings, section About phone - Software update and disable updates by unchecking the corresponding item.

A year ago, the memory on my device died (the phone stopped turning on), it was replaced, but the firmware was not the original one (it’s no different, only the yellow Kernel inscription appears in the corner on the startup screen). Naturally, there are no updates for this firmware. Can I use Kies to roll back Android (install the native one) and update it?

Answer. In order to roll back the update, you need to reboot the phone in Recovery mode, select wipe data/factory reset, wipe cache partition and reinstall the firmware from the zip archive previously downloaded to the memory card. You can find the official firmware both on the manufacturer’s official website and on the 4pda forum, in the section with the corresponding name of your mobile device.

Tablet Acer Iconia A1-810. I don't have firmware updates... I click system update and it says "your device requires an update." How can I “force” it (forcefully update the Android system) or update it myself?

Answer. This model The tablet was released about 5 years ago, it does not support new versions of Android, so the manufacturer does not provide firmware updates. You can search for custom (unofficial) firmware on the 4pda forum, but we do not recommend installing them - it’s better to purchase new tablet than experimenting with firmware to the detriment of the stability and speed of the device.

The build number does not open on Android. I called for a long time. What should I do?

Answer. The Android build number is initially available for viewing in the “About smartphone” (“About tablet”) section. If you want to enable hidden settings (section “For Developers”), you can activate them by clicking on the build number, just 4-7 clicks on this line.

More than three years have passed since the release of the fourth version of Android; during this period, four more important updates were presented, and although Android 4.4, compared to version 4.0, has been greatly redesigned and improved, it is still the ideological successor to Ice Cream Sandwich, both at the user interface level , and at the level of other system components. This summer, at the Google conference, the next major version of the OS was announced - Android 5 (at the time of the announcement it was called Android L), the first device with the release version of Android 5.0 went on sale quite recently - on November 3, it was the HTC Nexus 9.



As befits a major update, Android 5.0 brings major changes at all levels of the system, the most significant of which are: a new Material Design graphical interface, an updated notification system, increased autonomy by optimizing energy consumption, mandatory encryption of all user data, support for multiple accounts, final transition to the Android Runtime (ART) application runtime environment, support for 64-bit processors, significant improvements in working with media content; In addition, there are now special versions of the OS for televisions, watches and computers in cars. The review mostly covers the features user interface of the smartphone version of the OS, the review is written based on firmware with Android 5.0 installed on. This review is also the basic material for our site; in future reviews of branded shells for Android from third-party manufacturers, references will be made to this article.

Lock screen

The device can be woken up by pressing the Power button, double-tapping on the screen, or simply picking it up; the latter two methods require hardware support. To unlock your smartphone you need to swipe from bottom to top in any part of the screen, which is much more convenient than the slider in previous version, because now it’s easy to unlock on the go and without looking. You can protect yourself from unauthorized access to your device in several ways: set up unlocking Graphic key, set a password or PIN, or through the Smart Lock function, which allows you to unlock the device when connected to the watch, Bluetooth headset in the car, using an NFC tag or facial recognition. There is one more point: if a guest account is created in the system and it is not password protected, then you can easily unlock the device simply by changing the account in the curtain.



The lock screen displays: status line - it contains the name of the operator, signal indicators cellular network, Wi-Fi and battery level (without the ability to display charge as a percentage); user information; clock, day of the week and date. In the center of the screen, under the clock, a list of missed events is displayed, ranked by importance based on who they came from and from which application; previously, all missed events ended up in the notification shade. If your smartphone is password-protected, you will need to choose one of three options for displaying information on the locked screen: Show notifications in full, Hide personal information, or Don’t show notifications.



From the lock screen you can: access the Camera application by swiping from the right edge of the screen; open the Phone application by swiping from the left edge of the screen; or lower the notification shade by swiping from the top border. Interaction with the list of notifications occurs as follows: double tapping on any notification will send the user to the corresponding application; “swiping” left or right removes the notification; Swiping down from a notification reveals an event preview window, which may contain buttons for quickly interacting with that event, such as “Reply” and “Delete” buttons for an email. In the preview window, below the list, there is a button to delete all notifications.



Desktop, multitasking and notifications

The main workspace was and remains the desktop, which scrolls horizontally. The system retains a separate application menu, which can be accessed from any desktop by clicking on the permanent shortcut in the lower dock. In addition to this shortcut, the lower dock can contain up to 4 arbitrary application shortcuts or folders with shortcuts. The application menu contains icons for all preinstalled and third party applications, when the desktop contains shortcuts only for those applications that the user himself has added.



One desktop can contain up to 16 application shortcuts in a 4*4 grid; in addition to shortcuts, the desktop can contain widgets and folders with shortcuts. A folder can contain up to 16 shortcuts, but you cannot place other folders or widgets in it. By using a long tap to grab any shortcut, folder or widget, you can move it from place to place on desktops or delete it by dragging it to the “Delete” button. To add a shortcut to the desktop, you need to go to the application menu and, using the same long tap, move it to the desktop. If you move an application to the “Delete” icon that appears at the top, the system will prompt the user to delete this application; if you move it to the “About the application” icon, the system will send the user to the corresponding menu. In the “About the application” menu, the application can be stopped, deleted or reset data, including the association this application with certain system actions, from here you can delete the cache of this application.



The desktop settings management menu is called up by a long tap on any free area of ​​the screen. The menu contains three items: wallpaper – allows you to change the desktop picture; widgets – needed to add widgets to the desktop; and settings - a shortcut leading to the Settings application.



The multitasking menu is called up by pressing the dedicated on-screen button. Running applications are displayed in the form of cards located one after another and scrolling vertically. Some applications may be represented by several cards, for example, in the case of Google Chrome A separate card is allocated for each browser tab. Closing the application is done by swiping left or right; there is no dedicated memory clearing button, but there is no need for it, based on the principles of multitasking in Android. Today, the mechanics of multitasking in Android look nice: firstly, returning to the previous application, for example when the user left the VKontakte application by clicking on a link, is done with the on-screen back button, and there is no need to call up the multitasking menu; secondly, the multitasking menu itself is called up in one tap.



Work with notifications in Android 5.0 has been seriously redesigned. Firstly, as mentioned above, a list of interactive notifications appeared on the lock screen. Secondly, the classic call interface on full screen appears only if the device is locked; in all other cases, when incoming call, a small card appears at the top with information about who is calling and two buttons: “Close” and “Answer”. Thirdly, now when adjusting the sound you can activate one of three notification modes: “All”, “Important” and “None”. “Everyone” mode means that the device will notify you about all calls, messages and notifications from any applications, except for those for which notifications are prohibited. If the “Important” mode is set, the device will notify with sound about calls and messages from contacts from a special list and notifications from applications for which the “Priority” parameter is explicitly set. And finally, when you activate the “No” mode, any notifications will be muted, including the alarm sound.



Controls, keyboard

Smartphone control in Google Android 5.0 Lollipop implies the presence of a power button, volume buttons and three on-screen buttons: Back, Home and Multitasking Menu - it is acceptable for the on-screen buttons to be placed on the body in the form of touch or mechanical buttons; In addition, swipes and long taps are actively used. Voice control is widely used; the user can use the phrase “O’key Google” from any screen, including a locked one (hardware support required), to initiate voice control and then dictate a command or search query.



An important role in interaction with the device is played by the notification curtain combined with the switch panel. Compared to Android 4.x, the mechanics of interaction with the curtain have changed slightly. It is called by swiping from the top edge of the screen or double tapping on the status line; if you make another swipe from top to bottom, but in any part of the screen, the switch panel will open; as before, to immediately open the switch panel, you need to do the same swipe, but with two fingers. The switch panel is not customizable; it contains 8 switches and a screen brightness adjustment slider.



The system keyboard has changed in appearance: now the keys are not visually separated in any way, and the main gamma has changed from dark to light, but the principle of its operation remains the same. The ability to install keyboards from third-party developers has not gone away. The dialer remains the same, if you do not take into account the adjustment of graphics to Material Design.



Settings

To the application Settings You can get there: by clicking on the icon in the application menu (or on the desktop), through the icon in the switch panel, or from the desktop settings menu. All smartphone settings are collected into 4 groups: wireless networks, device, personal data and system; and are divided into 19 sections:

1. WI-FI – the main screen of the section contains a W-Fi switch, a list of available networks with the ability to search by name and a button that calls additional functions:
2. Bluetooth – the main screen of the section contains a Bluetooth switch, a list available devices with the ability to search by name and a button that calls additional functions:
3. Data transfer – the main screen of the section contains: Mobile data switch; Mobile traffic limit switch with the ability to set a limit and warning; detailed statistics on traffic use by applications with the ability to select a period; and a button that calls additional functions:
   
4. More - additional settings wireless networks.
5. Screen
6. Sounds and notifications
7. Memory – the main screen of the section contains statistics for permanent memory and a button that calls additional functions
   
8. Battery – the main screen of the section contains: the current charge level in percent; estimated remaining time battery life; basic statistics on battery usage by various applications and devices; and a button that calls additional functions:
   
9. Applications
10. Users – the main screen of the section contains a list of users and a button that calls additional functions:
11. Location
12. Safety
13. Accounts – contains a list of accounts created on the device with the ability to delete and add new ones
    
14. Language and input
15. Restore and reset – this section exists to reset the device settings to factory settings with the ability backup all data
16. Date and time
17. Specialist. capabilities – features that facilitate interaction with the device for people with disabilities are collected here
    
18. Print – displays a list of print services and allows you to add new ones
    
19. About the phone

Basic Applications

Telephone– on the main screen of the application the following are displayed: a search bar with buttons for voice search and calling up application settings, the latest activity and, at the bottom, a button for calling the dialer. The Speed ​​Dial tab contains cards of frequently dialed contacts, the Recent tab contains a list of recent calls, and the Contacts tab contains all contacts.



Contacts is an application for working with user contacts. In terms of functionality, it is no different from the Contacts tab in the phone application.



Messenger (Chat)– the main application screen contains a list of dialogs, search buttons, settings and creating a new message. The application looks as simple as possible and has primitive functionality. What’s unusual is how the application assigns each dialog its own unique primary color.



Gmail– starting from version 5 of Android, the main application for working with by email becomes Gmail. Now you can add to it mailboxes not only from Google, but also from other email services. The main screen displays a list of letters, buttons for searching, settings and creating a new message. Swipe from the left edge of the screen to call up sidebar, which contains a list of folders and a settings shortcut. The settings are as simple as possible.



Google Chrome– is the system default browser. A special feature of its work is the ability to set the display of tabs in the multitasking menu in the form of separate cards. Otherwise, it's the usual Chrome. On to the pros of this browser integration into Google services and ample opportunities for synchronizing tabs, forms, passwords, etc., the disadvantages are that they are not ideal user interface and gluttony for system resources.



Watch– includes: alarm clock, world time, stopwatch and timer.



Camera– the interface of the main application screen consists of a viewfinder, a shutter button and a settings button; icons of shooting parameters can be displayed next to the latter. Swiping from left to right brings up a list of shooting modes, there are five in total: Photo Sphere – allows you to create photographs with a 360° view in all axes, Panorama – allows you to create panoramic photographs with a viewing angle of up to 360° in the horizontal or vertical plane, Blur – allows you to create photos with artificial bokeh effect, Photo and Video. Swiping from right to left will send the user to the gallery. In the Photo settings you can: adjust the exposure; turn on the timer, HDR mode or flash; switch to the front camera.



Calendar- has changed. The main view is now the Schedule, where all events are in one list, which is interesting: the beginning of each month in this list is titled with a nice picture reflecting the main essence of this month. To look at the month, you need to tap on the name of the current month in the header. The view can be changed to Day and 5 days. The add event button appears in the lower right corner.



Photo is a gallery application that contains two tabs: All and Best. There is a function for auto-uploading photos to your Google+ profile.



Calculator– has standard functionality. In portrait orientation, a panel with additional functions (sin, cos, tan, ln, etc.) is called up by swiping from the right edge of the screen; in landscape orientation, this panel is always visible.



Cards is a client application for Google Maps. The main screen contains a search bar and buttons: a side menu button, a voice search button, a north orientation button, a button for determining the current location, and a button for creating a route. The side menu contains buttons: a button for displaying traffic jams, public transport routes, bike paths, satellite view, terrain; and a link to the Planet Earth application page in Play Store. The Your Places section displays home and work addresses and favorite addresses. From here you can save the selected map area to your phone's memory for further use of the application offline.



Branded Applications

Play Store is an application store client and the main branded application from Google. It allows you to purchase, install, and update third-party applications. The “Home” section is a virtual showcase, where in the header there are links to the main sections of the store: Applications, Games, Movies, Music, Books and Press. Below you can see various product selections, for example New or Hottest popular games, in the form of thumbnails of three positions heading the corresponding selection and a link to the entire list, interspersed with advertising banners.



For user convenience, the “My Applications” section consists of two lists: Installed and All. The “Search for applications” section has a more convenient presentation of the catalog of games and applications in tabs, lists and top charts. The “Wish List” section shows all products the user has ever marked as desired.

Play Music is a music player and, at the same time, a client of the cloud music service of the same name. The “Home” section displays a list of your latest actions: tracks listened to or purchased. The “My Music Library” section displays all the user’s tracks purchased or downloaded from the computer, sorted in tabs by artist, album or genre. The “Playlists” section contains, respectively, all playlists created by the user or automixes. The “Automixes” section greatly simplifies the creation of playlists from a large number of tracks; to create an automix, you just need to specify the name of the artist, album or genre, and the application itself will create a new playlist. There is also a link to the Play Store in the side menu, because... tracks can be purchased only from it.



Play Movies is a client of the service for purchasing/renting films and watching them on mobile device. The “Home” section displays links to “My Video Library” and the Play Store section for purchasing films, and a list of store recommendations for the user. The “My Movies” section displays a list of movies purchased or rented by the user. The side menu contains links to the “Wishlist” and Play Store.



Play Games is a client application for the service of the same name. The “Home” section displays basic data about the user: name, level, how many experience points you need to gain to move to the next level. Lists of games are displayed below: recent activity, games played by the user's friends, recommended games, and recommended players to add as friends. The “My Games” section in three tabs contains three lists of games: recent, all and installed. The “Inbox” section in three tabs displays a list of invitations, a list of gifts and requests, and a list of quests. The “Players” section in two tabs displays a list of players from the user’s subscriptions and a list of players – friends of friends. The “Review” section also contains three tabs: Recommended, Popular and Online games.



Play Books- another client of another Google service. The “Home” section displays the user’s recent actions and a list of recommended literature. The “My Library” section in two tabs contains a list of all books and a list of purchased books. The interface of the reader itself is pleasant and convenient. There are two modes for displaying text: the original format - a scan of book pages, and the adapted format, in the latter you can customize the font - type, alignment, size and line spacing. In addition, in both display modes you can change the color of the paper, choosing from three options: white, black and sepia. Books have table of contents navigation, and you can also add bookmarks to the book. Eat convenient search according to words and phrases, you can select a page using the slider below or by explicitly setting the number. The user has the opportunity to upload his books to PDF format from mail or other applications.