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Android 2.2 is the most important Android update yet. It's not a game-changer, but it's huge in that it's mature enough to appeal to average (technically inept) users. Other than a minor version update of Android 2.2 that will follow towards the end of the year, 2.2 will be the last major update for Android in 2010, Google said. Although Android launched to a slow start a year ago, Google has been busy adding new features, squashing bugs, and filling missing pieces. The breakneck pace of development has resulted in three milestone releases over the past six months.Not every existing Android phone will be upgradeable to Android 2.2 because individual device updates depend on phone makers and carriers, not Google. Unlike previous versions that seemed rough and half-baked, Android 2.2 comes across as a sleek and mature operating system. It touts customization for end-users and device makers who can take the source code and make it their own. End-users will notice a number of nice-to-haves, like a panel that you pull down from the top bar to reveal notifications (incoming email, text messages, missed calls, etc.). From there, you just tap on a desired notification to jump right into it. Also cool are voice commands and the Google-powered search box that indexes stuff on your phone, inside supported apps, and on the web, including app and web suggestions.Android 2.2 now supports multi-touch (plus the Apple-owned pinch zoom), following up on version 1.6 that added gestures support. It's widely believed that Google did not enable multi-touch in Android at Apple's request, in times when Google's CEO Eric Schmidt still had a seat on Apple's board. Another key addition is an advanced 3D graphics support via OpenGL ES2.0 (like on the iPhone 3GS) that unlocks the power of the latest mobile GPUs.It also enables upcoming phones with impressive hardware, like the Droid, to run 3D games that match the stuff you find on the iPhone and PSP. When it comes to th ird-party software, Android is gaining momentum. Its app store, Android Market, carriers over 45,000 free and paid apps. It's a far cry from the App Store's 150,000 items, but average users have all the usual stuff, from Facebook and Twitter clients, to news readers, entertainment apps, fart machines, etc.Android 2.2 for developers: Android 2.2 also has a host of features allowing anyAndroid application developer to enhance apps with new capabilities. New syncing APIs allow programmers write apps that sync with various contact sources. The Quick Contact form can be embedded inside apps to simplify in-app contact management. The new Bluetooth API will appeal to game developers because it allows apps or games to interface over short distances via peer-to-peer connectivity, just like the iPhone OS 3.0 does.