JoltVib

Camera

Probably the biggest updates in 4.2 are focused (no pun intended, really) on the camera. Google has completely revamped the way in which you interact with the shooter, now offering a wildly clever circular menu which can be activated by touching anywhere on the screen in the camera app. The contextual circle lets you quickly swipe in a variety of directions to tweak individual settings, making quick changes dead simple. Google engineers told me they wanted users to have an easier time taking pictures using only their thumbs, and they've definitely accomplished their mission. It worked well for me, though because it's so easy to touch and swipe while tapping to focus, I accidentally switched settings a couple of times while taking pictures. It does take a little getting used to.

The Nexus 4 also now has an HDR photo mode, which produces great results with surprisingly fast processing (if HDR is your thing), and Google has greatly improved its photo editing options, making tweaking your images easier and faster than before. I mean, you'll actually want to use it now. The Android team has added some smart little details, like being able to swipe across your image while editing and compare the changes, and a now includes a history of all your alterations that you can view while working on an image. It's intuitive and works flawlessly.

But perhaps the biggest addition in the camera is the inclusion of a wild new shooting mode called Photo Sphere, which makes panorama shots frankly look like a thing of the past. The easiest way to describe the functionality is to say it's like having the ability to take your own Street View photos... pretty much anywhere. It can be a little tricky to get all the angles right, but Google provides a fairly helpful guide which steps you through the process, and when you do get it right, the results are surreal. Once this features hits the public, I'm sure we'll see all kinds of crazy images appear.

Gmail

Elsewhere, the company has brought a much-needed update to Gmail, and after four versions of the software, it will now automatically scale messages to fit within the width of your window. That means that Gmail has joined the ranks of the iPhone and Windows Phone in this basic functionality — and it will alleviate a lot of headaches for Android users. No more pan and scan; imagine that.

Google has also added a handy swipe to delete or archive function in the messages list, which I took advantage of at every opportunity. It's not the most original addition, but it's one that makes dealing with an unruly inbox a bit easier, and like many of the updates in this version of Android, is focused on one-handed operation.

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