The ASUS Transformer TF300T was the first, other than the Nexus, of course, Android device to get the Jelly Bean update and I waited with absolutely no patience whatsoever for my device to reflect the update. When it finally arrived, I was desperate to see how this worked in comparison to the previous Android incarnation.
At first the difference was hard to see. I mean, overall the entire Transformer 300 looked the same. It didn’t start singing or leap up to make me a cup of coffee which, let’s face it, would be really nice. However, a bit of playing around and swooping between applications, and suddenly life got a lot more interesting on my Transformer.
The way I can now work with apps and widgets is that little bit more useful. Smart app updates basically send just the amends to the apps, rather than the entire app revisited. Saves on bandwidth (and the cost of it if you happen to be on the go), battery and they are faster to download. Add to this the fact that your home screen widgets can resize easily, and that you get this sort of funky swooping feature when you tap on an app, and you’ve got some useful – and fun – features worth appreciating in Android Jelly Bean.
The one thing that reviewers have constantly pointed out in Android Jelly Bean is that it is smooth. That working with the OS is almost silky in its swiftness. I can’t say that I’ve ever tried to measure the value of an OS vs. silk before, but I can say that my ASUS Transformer TF300T is running faster, feels smoother and is hopping between apps with less judder and pause.
I think that the way you experience Android Jelly Bean is going to also rest on how you work with your ASUS Transformer. The kind of apps you use, how you customise your system and home screen, the pressure you put on the device – these factors are all very personal and will all ultimately be the judge of how Jelly Bean works for you.
Mrs Mario
Mrs.Mario is a freelance journalist who loves to write about anything and everything. She accidentally fell into the cauldron of technology about eight years ago and has been slowly simmering in there ever since. She’s a geek but still has tons to learn about the wonderful world of technology. She also suffers from a rare disease known as “need to game” that demands it’s sufferers play at least one videogame a week. So far, she’s been coping with her ailment admirably.