Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Features: 5 Tips For The Nexus 7 Tablet, See The 'Buttery Smooth' OS In Action [VIDEO]

By Lisa Eadicicco | August 01 2012 6:38 PM

Google's next operating system update, known as Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, is being rolled out for a number of mobile devices, one of them being the Nexus 7 tablet. At Google's I/O developer's conference at the end of June, the company showcased the new operating system along with its fresh self-branded tablet.

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While Android users are still fixated on Android 4.0 Jelly Bean, Google may be preparing to launch its next mobile operating system in just a few short months.

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The search-engine giant has posted a number of tutorial videos on its website to help users get acquainted with the Nexus 7, but a new promotional ad familiarizes owners specifically with Jelly Bean features. What can the new "buttery smooth" operating system do for your Nexus 7 tablet? Here are a few key takeaway tips from the video.

1. Face Unlock. This is a feature that was introduced in the Galaxy S3, which allows the device to unlock by sensing when the user is looking at it. Face Unlock also prevents the screen from blacking out. But with the Nexus 7 there is an option to configure the feature so that a user can blink to unlock the device.

2. Enhanced Notifications. With Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, there are new features that come with its notification system. As the video shows, users can expand notifications through a variety of gestures. Jelly Bean users can pinch, zoom and slide their fingers to expand certain notifications, and can also swipe the ones they wish to hide.

3. Google Voice Search. Similar to Apple's Siri, users can ask a question to their Nexus 7 tablet and receive an answer based on data. For example, in the video the users asks for sushi restaurants in the area, and the voice activated search automatically retrieved responses.

4. Google Now. Described as a feature that give users "just the right information at just the right time," this feature provides information based on previously performed searches. To access it on the Nexus 7, simply swipe up from the bottom of the tablet or touch the Google search bar on the home screen.

5. Google Play Widgets. These icons provide quick and easy access to movies, magazines and other media on a user's device. It also has a recommendation feature that suggests new purchases for Google Play patrons.

Most of these features are no secret to anyone who has been following the rollout of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, but it is interesting to see them in action on the Google Nexus 7 tablet. It was recently reported that Samsung may be testing the new Jelly Bean operating system for its Samsung Galaxy S2 and S3 devices, but no release date has been revealed.

Check out the video below to see for yourself.