Magazine issues
A no less valuable improvement is the new facility for apps to update by downloading only what’s new, rather than the entire modified installation file. This is a logical move after the increase in application installer pack size from 50MB to 4GB announced back in March.
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It’s not all rosy in the garden though. There’s still no sign of the full Google Music service on this side of the pond, nor the magazine subscription service our colonial cousins enjoy. Also the Nexus 7’s speech system is noticeably more competent at pronunciation when set to Americanese rather than British English. Ask it who the Prime Minister of Israel is while set to US English and the reply – Benjamin Netanyahu – gets pronounced properly but in UK English the name is quite badly mangled.
Yet if you set the system to American, it is far less capable of understanding what’s said to it in the Queen’s English, making you repeat questions several times. Best then to live with the wayward pronunciation of odd names, unless you are happy speaking in a fake American accent.
Separated by a common language: US or UK voice recognition and speech preferences
Verdict
From Ice Sandwich to Jelly Bean isn’t as great a leap forward as Gingerbread to ICS was. Nevertheless, the update delivers increased performance and new features in spades. Is Android now the most refined and powerful mobile OS currently available? The case could certainly be made. ®
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean review
COMMENTS
Re: Better put the kettle on
The stop cheapskating on your product purchases.
If you want the Apple-like update experience, the ONLY way to achieve that is via a network agnostic Nexus device.
Anything else, you are at the mercy of the phone manufacturers and networks. You might want to consider that when you cheapskate on your phone purchase next time. Put up or shut up as they say....
Re: Better put the kettle on
"Anything else, you are at the mercy of the phone manufacturers and networks. You might want to consider that when you cheapskate on your phone purchase next time. Put up or shut up as they say...."
Hi Barry. Nexus devices are rarely cutting edge - they seem more like a reference design for developers, or even for other manufacturers. They often lack some features that other, more expensive, Android smart phones have. People who buy a mid/high-end HTC, Samsung, or Sony phone are hardly 'cheapskates'.
Re: Better put the kettle on
ICS released 8 months ago, yet it took 5 months to reach my phone!
JB now released, look forward to using it in March 2012 when I finally get the upgrade.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN my phone is not compatible!
You going back in time then Mr?
Watch Out!
I can't wait for my first sighting of a VoiceTyping moron walking into a lamppost.
I have seen several TXTing morons walk into lampposts/busstops/letterboxes and on one occasion the doofus in question walked into the road and got run over (he was OK but his phone got trashed).
They will be speaking to their phone/tablet whilst checking that it is typing what they said,..... and WHAMMO!
I'll be lying in a corner laughing hysterically.
Better still you can do Driveby Tourettes.
Just run up to someone VOXing and shout a stream of obscenities at their Phone/Tablet.
Then watch them frantically trying to delete your commentary from their next Tweet.
Oh, it's gonna be SUCH FUN!
