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Android 1.5's Live Folders: Looks nifty

Google's plans for Cupcake, version 1.5 of its operating system, include a lot of features that are suspiciously familiar to those Apple's iPhone already has. But here's an original concept that sounds pretty useful so far.

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Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
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2 min read

Updated: April 24, 2009, at 1:10 p.m. PT with a comment from Google.

Last week Google tantalized Android developers with an early version of its software developer kit for Android 1.5, the upcoming version of its mobile operating system. Included with it is a laundry list of new features coming out, many of them suspiciously familiar to those Apple's iPhone already has. But here's one, highlighted on Friday, that the iPhone doesn't have: Live Folders.

Google Android 1.5 Live Folders
Google

Loosely lumped into the category of "more home screen widgets," Live Folders are essentially shortcut views into a folder on the phone where you'll be able to view all the contents of your e-books, e-mails, RSS feeds, and playlists for example, without launching the application itself. Live Folders will also include real-time updating, so if a new e-mail comes in while you're viewing the in-box from your home screen, you'll see it appear.

The Live Folders feature could potentially be available on any third-party app you download from the Marketplace, though it seems to lend itself best to social, informational, and entertainment content--I'm thinking your Netflix queue, Facebook status updates, video playlist, and so on.

It's not entirely clear from the Android team's blog post how exactly the feature will display on the home screen, but Google tells us that Live Folders will live on the home screen like a shortcut icon; developers can choose to make them read-only or to give them the ability to launch the app from within a list view. For example, selecting a "favorite" contact from that folder would open their record in the phone book.

Live Features will include a few basic Live Folders to get you started when Google Android 1.5 phones ship, like a view into your contact list. The rest will be up to developers.

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