“Android System” Hidden Easter Egg
Have Your Sweets and Play With Them Too
If you happened to see the 2012 Google I/O event yesterday then you must be excited about all the changes coming with the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update. Much of the aesthetics remain from 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but this update brings forward many performance and convenience improvements.
It didn’t take long for the software developers and ROM chefs to get their hands on the Android 4.1 SDK after Google released it to the public. Developer DroidVicious at Rootzwiki has released the first ever custom ROM for Android devices, and it is for the amazing Samsung Galaxy Nexus! We’ve installed this ROM, have been testing it for a few hours, and have a lot of screen shots to share with you.
This is a completely stock ROM that is deodexed so it can be themed. Everything that we’ve tested works, and works very fast! This feels several times faster than the best custom ICS ROM we’ve tested. Screen transitions and app openings are fluid and lag-free. The only issue is that Wifi signal strength seems to suffer. After flashing we could only get 1 – 2 bars of signal. No worries because we’ve included a zip file at the end of this article to fix that. Simply flash in ClockworkMod Recovery after flashing Superuser.
Homescreens and Widgets
Jelly Bean has a cool outward ripple effect on the lockscreen. The homescreen launcher defaults with 5 screens in a 4×4 grid layout. The Google Search bar is persistent at the top of every home screen…for now. Most widgets can be re-sized. The bottom dock does not slide like in Nova Launcher.
Jelly Bean Notifications
Enjoy even more improvements to the notification center. Notifications list like they do in Ice Cream Sandwich but two fingers can swipe to expand/collapse them. This enables you to view more of the notification without having to open it. Call back or text a missed call. Respond to calendar event attendees. You can even like and comment on a Facebook status.
Google Now
Google Now is the new voice search feature that’s fully installed on the device. “The right information at the right time” is the tagline for Google Now. It remembers your habits and previous searches to serve results faster to you in the future. You can set a reminder, play music, get directions, check the weather, and much more using your voice. Activate it by swiping up from the lockscreen or home screen.
Nexus Q App
The Nexus Q is a home media streaming device. Connect this to your entertainment center and enjoy wirelessly streaming movies, pictures, music, and more from your mobile devices. Having a party? Let everyone have their share at being the DJ!
Google Play Magazines
This handy little app puts your entire magazine collection conveniently in the palm of your hand. You can purchase single editions or subscribe for a year. The images look beautiful even when zoomed in and you can pan to see closeups of whatever is on the page. There’s a nice ribbon strip at the bottom that allows easy navigation through the magazine. Once you purchase a magazine start by tapping the pushpin on bottom right to download it.
YouTube App
YouTube has some nice improvements on Android. A finger swipe reveals a screen with quick links to your subscriptions, live feeds, categories, and more. The recommendations page is reminiscent of the Google Plus stream with it’s header-like images and dynamic scrolling feel. Overall a nice improvement and we look forward to using it with the Nexus Q.
How to Install On Your Galaxy Nexus
If you have a rooted Galaxy Nexus with ClockworkMod Recovery installed you can upgrade to Jelly Bean 4.1 right away. Follow the links below to download the ROM, Superuser, and the Wifi fix. Copy to your storage and follow the directions outlined below.
Enjoy having a device that you can upgrade at will without needing carrier approval, and Contact Us with any questions.
This version is really great. I just hope that other Galaxy phones can also be upgraded to have it.
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