How to talk the Android talk

Ice Cream Sandwiches and Honeycombs … it can be difficult to keep up with the smart phone lingo.

Which is why at Two Fruits One Robot have compiled a breakdown of all of the Android terms and phrases, so you’ll be speaking like a tech-pro in just about no time. From rooting to resetting, below is a guide to assist just about any Android-user, especially if you’re a beginner.

Versions: One of the first things to understand is that Android runs off of different versions as it continues to be upgraded. Android has a few versions including Gingerbread (Android 2.3), Honeycomb (Android 3.0), Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) and their latest version – Jellybean (Android 4.1). These represent upgraded and updated versions of Android, where Jellybean is said to be the fastest and smoothest version at this stage.

Android: Another important thing to understand is that Android refers to a type of operating system that is Linux-based. Google plays a huge role in the operating of Android.

ADK: Accessory Development Kit. This is the lingo that the top tech guys use as reference to the platform on an Android, each with its own source code and hardware specs, where they can build their own accessories. Accessories are things like exercise machines or audio docking stations. If you’re new to the Android world however, you don’t need to worry about this.

App: An app refers to an application, which you can download from Google Play. There are thousands to choose from, some free and some paid-for. These include games, tools, entertainment apps, work apps, sports apps and many, many more. This is one of the most entertaining ways to use your Android smart phone and one of the greatest reasons to enter the Android world. The process is simple and the benefits revolutionary.

Dev. or Developer: When we refer to developers, we are often talking about the person or company that has developed the software or the application. Developers of apps range from individuals to big companies, which is why it is so great that Google Play often lists the developer’s website when you’re downloading an app. In this way you can get used to developers whose apps you like and contact them directly if you have any queries or issues.

Interface: This is everything that you can see on your Android smart phone, including what you interact with on your screen. You’ll find, especially when it comes to apps, that you’ll be able to tell which interfaces are really smart and sleek compared to others that haven’t been developed to their full potential.

OS: This refers to the operating system – the software that runs your smart phone. Your operating system is Android, but other examples include Mac OS X and Windows.

Reset: You don’t need to worry about this now, but there may come a time when you need to reset your Android smart phone to get rid of any issues or problems. The most important thing about this is that you need to have backed up all of your information and data because it will be wiped clean. You can read more about resetting your phone here.

Root: This is also a word you don’t need to worry about too much unless you’re quite tech-savvy yourself, but it is important to understand because you’ll see it come up a lot. This is process – not recommended to the beginner – whereby a user gains super access to their Android smart phone, allowing them the permission to have more control over their settings.

SD Card: Your SD Card is your Secure Digital memory card. You can save some of your apps, contacts and data like photographs onto the SD card, freeing up storage space on your Android smart phone.

Theme: This is what makes your Android completely your own where you can customize everything from your icons to your backgrounds. There are tons of themes available on Google Play.

Understanding your Android and the language around it will ensure you’re always on top when it comes to knowing your smart phone.