I goto Settings/About/Software Info all the time. I see the version # but it doesnt ever show what its called and that was what confuses me.
For whatever reason, Google (the Android developer) gives nicknames to the actual version numbers of Android, like this:
- 1.5 = Cupcake
- 1.6 = Donut
- 2.0/2.1 = Eclair
- 2.2 = Froyo
- 3.0 (expected) = Gingerbread
- (Number not widely known?) = Honeycomb (said to be coming for things like the new Samsung Tab (read: tablet device)
The basic Android operating system (in general, regardless of version number) is then given some additional feature customizations (via services, applications or the "launcher" (the part that you see kinda tying it all together)) and/or themes (graphical presentations of the users interfaces) - and these are then final ROMs that everyone typically refers to by developer or organization name - CM6, HTC Sense Android, etc, etc.
Depending on how each developer (big corporate iron like HTC or agile independent developer) wants to track things, they'll then tack things such as "-part2" to the version number - or a software build number (showing their own unique version history with numbering that makes sense only to them) - and also similar info about the kernel.
We all just toss around 2.2 or Froyo interchangeably (those names are, per above) depending on the phase of the moon or the dog's mood - no special meaning to using numbers or nicknames so long as we all know the number-name conventions.
If you care to know more of a tech overview of the details under the hood, then the dry stats are here -
Android (operating system) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
And the fun videos explaining a bit here, a bit there are on YouTube -
Click here to see more Android vids on YouTube
OK - probably that's all stuff that a lot of folks know, but for those that needed it, thanks for letting me re-post this stuff.