AndroidBoards

Android just announced the release of a new development branch named “cupcake“. Cupcake supposedly includes new application features including ”bug fixes, a video recorder, the ability to save MMS attachments and more.” Other improvements include better bluetooth support, HTTP handling and improved JavaScript functionality. Although this branch is strictly marked as development, these features and likely more are sure to be included in a release in the new future.

The Android developer community is more than a bit upset these days with the way Google has been handling SDK releases. First it started with some minor complaints about the lack of SDK updates, but the fire has grown exponentially with recent news that Google has been “playing favorites” and releasing updated SDKs to the winners of the Developer Challenge and a select few others.

The news came through an unlikely means when Google’s Android advocate accidentally sent a note intended for the winning Developer Challenge developers to a much broader audience of developers.

“Ahhhh, now it makes sense,” one developer wrote on the Android forum. “So they’ve been making private SDK releases while the rest of us suffer with the pile of bugs from the 4+ month old release.”

Many developers have stated that they plan to leave their ambitious Android projects to take up the widely-available, well-made and popular SDK for the Apple iPhone. Google had better shape up – and quick – before the most important aspect of their entire project pulls away leaving the Android project in a smoldering heap.

Seriously, Google, get it together.

The new version is out! Check out Engadget’s new gallery or hit the download links below to get your copy now. Discussion is under the new section called “General SDK Talk” in the forums. Grab the download directly after the break.

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