By: Fadjar Efendy Rasjid, S. Kom.

The smart phone is familiar to users of mobile phones, smart phone (smartphone) is a cell phone that has a high rate capability, sometimes with computer-like functions. There are no standards that define plant definition smart phone. For some people, the smart phone is a phone that works using the entire operating system software that provides a standard and basic relationships for application developers. For others, just a smart phone is a phone that provides advanced features such as e-mail (electronic mail), internet and the ability to read electronic books (e-book) or there is a keyboard (either built-in or external) and a VGA connector. In other words, the smart phone is a mini computer that has the capability of a phone.

Growth in demand for sophisticated tools are easy to carry anywhere making great advances in processor, memory, display and operating system outside of a cell phone line since a few years.

The title above will explore the use of the Android operating system on a smart phone or often called a Smartphone.


Operating System

According to Indonesian Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, operating system or in English: the operating system or OS is a software system whose job is to perform control and management of hardware and basic system operations, including run software applications such as word processing programs and web browser.

In general, the Operating System is software on the first layer is placed on computer memory when the computer starts up. While other software is run after running the Operating System and Operating System will perform the core public service for the software. Common core services such as access to the disk, memory management, task scheduling, and user interface. So that each software no longer need to perform the core duties of the public, because it can be served and performed by the operating system. Section of code that perform the core duties and the general is called the "kernel" an Operating System.

Operating system-the primary operating system commonly used computer systems (including PCs, personal computer) is divided into 3 major groups:

1. Family of Microsoft Windows - which is comprised of the Windows Desktop Environment (version 1.x to version 3.x), Windows 9x (Windows 95, 98, and Windows ME), and Windows NT (Windows NT 3.x, Windows NT 4.0 , Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 7 (Seven), which was released in 2009, and Windows Orient which will be released in 2014)).
2. Unix family of operating systems that use the POSIX interface, such as SCO UNIX, family BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution), GNU / Linux, MacOS / X (based on a modified BSD kernel, and known by the name of Darwin) and GNU / Hurd.
3. Mac OS, is the operating system for computer output is commonly called Apple Mac or Macintosh.

While mainframe computers, and super computers using many different operating systems vary, generally a derivative of the UNIX operating system developed by vendors such as IBM AIX, HP / UX, etc..


Android Operating System

Android is a software for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications. Development applications on the Android platform using the Java programming language. A series of core Android application include an email client, SMS program, calendar, maps, browser, contacts, and others.

By providing an open development platform, Android offers developers the ability to build applications that are very rich and innovative. Developers are free to take advantage of the hardware, access to location information, run background services, set alarms, add a notice to the status bar, and much more.

Android relies on the version of Linux 2.6 for core system services such as security, memory management, process management, network stack and driver model. The kernel also acts as an abstraction layer between the hardware and the software stack.


History of Operating Systems Android

Android is the operating system for mobile phones based on Linux. Android provides an open platform to developers for creating their own applications for use by a variety of mobile devices. Initially, Google Inc.. buy Android Inc.., newcomers who make software for mobile phones. Then to develop Android, formed the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of 34 companies for hardware, software, and telecommunications, including Google, HTC, Intel, Motorola, Qualcomm, T-Mobile, and Nvidia.

At the inaugural release of Android, 5 November 2007, with the Open Handset Alliance Android states support the development of open standards on mobile devices. On the other hand, Google released the Android code under the Apache license, a license is open standard software and mobile devices.

In this world there are two types of distributors operating system Android. The first fully supported by Google or Google Mail Services (GMS) and the second is a completely free distribution without the direct support Google's otherwise known as the Open Handset Distribution (OHD).


2007-2008: early Products

Around September 2007 a study reported that Google filed a patent application mobile phone (Google finally introduced the Nexus One, one type of smart phones using the Android operating system. This mobile phone manufactured by HTC Corporation and is available on the market on January 5, 2010).

On December 9, 2008, announced the new members who joined in the work program Android ARM Holdings, Atheros Communications, manufactured by Asustek Computer Inc., Garmin Ltd., Softbank, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba Corp., and Vodafone Group Plc. As the formation of the Open Handset Alliance, OHA announced their first product, Android, the mobile device which is a modified Linux kernel 2.6. Since Android was released has been carried out various reforms in the form of bug fixes and new feature additions.

The first phone using Android operating system is the HTC Dream, which was released on October 22, 2008. At the end of 2009 is estimated at least in this world there are 18 types of mobile phones that use Android.


Android version 1.1

On March 9, 2009, Google released the Android version 1.1. Android version is equipped with an aesthetic update to the application, alarm clock, voice search (voice search), sending messages with Gmail, and email notifications.


Android version 1.5 (Cupcake)

In mid-May 2009, Google released a mobile phone using Android and the SDK (Software Development Kit) with version 1.5 (Cupcake). There are several updates including the addition of several features in this mobile version: the ability to record and watch videos with the camera mode, upload to Youtube videos and pictures to Picasa directly from the phone, A2DP Bluetooth support, the ability to automatically connect to a Bluetooth headset, animated scenes, and on-screen keyboard that can be tailored to the system.

Donut (version 1.6) was released in September by displaying the search process better than before, the use of a battery indicator and control applet VPN. Another feature is the gallery that allows users to select photos to be removed; cameras, camcorders and interface the gallery; CDMA / EVDO, 802.1x, VPN, Gestures, and Text-to-speech engine; ability to dial a contact; technological change text to speech (not available on all phones; procurement VWGA resolution.


Android version 2.0/2.1 (Eclair)

On December 3, 2009 re-launched Android phone with version 2.0/2.1 (Eclair), changes were made to the hardware optimization, improved Google Maps 3.1.2, change the UI with a new browser and support for HTML5, the new list of contacts, support flash for the camera 3 , 2 MP, digital zoom, and Bluetooth 2.1.

To move quickly in the competitive next-generation devices, Google held a competition to invest with the best mobile applications (killer apps - applications seeding). This competition with prizes $ 25,000 for each selected application developers. The competition was held during the two stages of each step of the selected 50 best applications.

With the growing and increasingly growing number of Android handsets, a growing number of interested third parties to distribute their applications to the Android operating system. Famous application is converted into the operating system Android is Shazam, Backgrounds, and WeatherBug. Android operating system on its website is also considered important to create native Android applications, for example by MySpace and Facebook.


Android for the open source community (open source)

Android has many advantages as a software that uses computer code base that can be distributed openly (open source) so that users can create new applications in it. Android has native applications such as pushmail integrated Google Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Calendar.

The fans of open source and then build a community that builds and share-based Android firmware with a number of adjustments and additional features, such as FLAC lossless audio and the ability to save downloaded applications on the microSD card. They often update the firmware and packages combines elements of the functions of Android that has not been officially launched in a carrier-sanction firmware.


Smart Phone (Smartphone)

There is no agreement in the industry about what makes the phone a "smart", and the notion of a smart phone that also change with the time. According to David Wood, Executive Vice President of PT Symbian OS, "The smart phone can be distinguished from ordinary mobile phones in two fundamental ways: how they are made and what they can do." Another definition emphasizes berbedaan of these two factors.

Most tools are categorized as smart phones using different operating systems. In terms of features, most smartphones support full email facilities with a complete personal control functions. Other functions may include a miniature QWERTY keyboard, touch screen or D-pad, camera, setting a list of names, speedo, navigation software and hardware, the ability to read business documents, music player, photo browser and view video clips, internet explorer, or just secure access to corporate e-mail open, such as those offered by the BlackBerry. Features that are most often found in smart phones is the ability to store a list of names as much as possible, unlike regular cell phones that have a maximum limit of storage list of names.


Conclusion

Use of Android in the smartphone operating system at present widely used by companies producing mobile phones. Because of its superiority as a software that uses computer code base that can be distributed openly (open source) so much so that applications can be downloaded by penggguna smartphone without paying the application fee. Believed to be a smartphone that uses the Android operating system will be less costly than a smartphone that uses the operating system that paid.

References:
http://www.android.com
http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_ (sistem_operasi)
http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistem_operasi
http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telepon_pintar