Another sweet treat from Google

GOOGLE is either a care-free and fun company, or it at least plays for that reputation.
For the company has just announced the name of its next generation Android operating system, and once again it is a playful name that appeals to the sweet tooth in all of us.
Sticking with their plan to name their software revi¬sions after desserts in alphabetical order, Android has now gone through Cupcake, Donut, Éclair, Froyo (or fro¬zen yogurt), Gingerbread, Honeycomb, and Ice Cream Sandwich.
And today, Google has unveiled Jelly Bean – and the Android-ified creation now sits outside the Googleplex in Mountain View, California.
With Android soaring in success – with close to a mil¬lion devices purchased each day – Google has begun building statues to take pride of place at Google’s head¬quarters.
While users have been guessing at the name "Jelly Bean" for more than a year – it was either that or Jammy Dodger – the release of the statue is the first proof from Google (although eagle-eyed observers did see the com¬pany handing out jellybeans at a conference six months ago).
Jelly Bean, version 4.1 of Android, is still under wraps, and little is known what will come from it. However the version number is an indicator – version 4.0, or Ice Cream Sandwich, was a big upgrade, unifying the operating system for both tablets and smartphones.
4.1 is likely to simply bring a bit of polish, bug-fixes, and a couple of new features. However, it has been given a full new name, likely to bring attention to the antici¬pated Google Nexus tablet expected to be unveiled this week at Google’s developers conference.
Wired has a few suggestions for what it would like to see in 4.1.
The magazine’s first suggestion is to ditch Android’s in-house browser, and move to Google’s Chrome brows¬er, which is still in ‘beta’, or a work-in-progress.
Chrome works well on Android, despite occasional "freezing" bugs, and syncs well with desktops to allow you to continue your browsing on the move.
Wired also calls for "gesture support", already estab¬lished via third party apps. This allows bespoke screen-gestures.
For instance, drawing an "M" on your screen could open the messaging app, something no other mobile sys¬tem offers.
The I/O conference will likely see the unveiling of the Google Nexus tablet, and more details about the Google Goggles project – which sees information overlaid on your view of the world via a pair of glasses. We may also find out more about Google’s self-driving cars. – Mail Online