Sunday, April 15, 2012

Update - 188



Posted: 11 Mar 2012 04:12 AM PDT

So, what do we have here – two very popular super phones that have loyal, if not rabid, following. These are the phones that have helped redefine what a flagship device should be — and what it should be able to bring to the consumer's table. More than just a reminiscent of past glory, each adds something new to what may seem like an old shell. But haven't you heard before how looks can be deceiving? Find out how the Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE and Apple iPhone 4S stack up against each other. At this stage in the game, what we are taking a glimpse of here are representative of the absolute best from the wide world of Android, and Apple.

DIMENSIONS


Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE:  129.8 x  68.8 x 9.5mm - 130.5 g
Apple iPhone 4S: 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm – 140 g
The Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE is just a hair thicker than the Apple iPhone 4S, which makes it an even impressive feat given the difference in screen size. The S2 HD LTE is also slightly bigger in length and width. Yet, it is lighter than the iPhone 4S. This can be attributed to the plastic build of the Galaxy S2 HD LTE, as opposed to the more stylish glass and metal build of iPhone 4S. We have to say that both are still comfortable to hold in our hands. Nevertheless, we can't help to give full marks to the Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE simply for the fact it packs so much power and screen real estate underneath the hood, without making the smartphone unbearably big or thick.

DISPLAY


Galaxy S2 HD LTE on the left, iPhone 4S on the right
Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE: 4.65-inch, 1280 x 720px, 316ppi, Super AMOLED HD, Gorilla Glass
Apple iPhone 4S: 3.5-inch, 960 x 640 px, 330ppi, Retina Display, Gorilla Glass

On one hand, we have the Super AMOLED Plus display of the Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE that produces vivid images with sharper contrasts. On the other, iPhone 4S uses the much beloved Retina display with a slight advantage for its higher pixel density compared to the S2 HD LTE. Folks, these two phones utilize some of the finest display technologies around, so there's no clear winner between the iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE in terms of display quality.

Featuring a massive 4.65 HD display, the S2 HD LTE still fits nicely in the hand
However, the Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE does come with an enormous 4.65-inch of screen, while the iPhone 4S is perennially stuck at 3.5-inch.  When it comes down to making that choice between the two, we'd go with the higher resolution and bigger screen of the Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE. It is simply as good as a smartphone screen gets.

HARDWARE


On paper, the Samsung Galaxy S2 LTE's dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor is faster than the dual-core 1GHz processor found on the iPhone 4S – whereas the PowerVR SGX 543MP2 GPU on the iPhone 4S has been touted as a better performer than Adreno 220 GPU found on Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE.
It's worth noting that Apple has specifically designed the OS to run efficiently even when it does not utilize the fastest processor in the block. The UI on the iPhone 4S remains one of the smoothest around, even when the 512MB RAM is half the amount available on the Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE.
Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE has the upper lead in the storage department, because unlike the iPhone 4S, it has an expandable memory slot. The storage problem of the iPhone 4S can fortunately be remedied by taking advantage of the new iCloud feature, which enables you to backup all your data, documents, music and app across multiple iOS devices. Still, for some, the ability to insert a memory card with all of their photos and video is preferable and a nice option to have.
At the end of the day, it is pretty hard to tell apart the real world performance of both phones. What little hiccup you may experience will not ruin the overall experience of using the phones, and will only happen rarely.
Additionally, the LTE component of the S2 HD LTE will translate into a vastly superior mobile experience, as the bandwidth speeds it affords are a huge advantage over the significantly slower radios in the iPhone 4S. At home though, on a Wi-Fi network, the experience should be very similar, but also made different because of the size of the displays.

SOFTWARE


iOS 5.0 on the left - Touchwiz 4.0 on top of Android 2.3 Gingerbread on the right
The Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE is not equipped with the latest and most advanced build of Android yet, dubbed Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. If it did have it on board, and out of the box at that, it would have scored even higher in our book. But, if anything, Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread is a matured OS that is still a joy to use, and is considered to be very stable. We do look forward to the promised ICS upgrade for the Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE which will arrive sometimes in Q1 2012.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 4S had to rely on the strength of its software – namely, the long awaited iOS 5 –in order to hide the fact that it's not an iPhone 5. Yes, there are tweaks and improvements all around, like the introduction of a new notification system and the ability to send messages directly to your iOS buddies using iMessage, but the real star of the show is the intelligent assistant named Siri. Gone is the old rigid way of using a specific set of voice commands to check the weather or to send text messages, the ever-informal Siri can follow natural conversation and understand context, as she obediently obliges to all your requests in a Siri-ous way.

CAMERA


Galaxy S2 HD LTE on the left, with the iPhone 4S on the right
The Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE has an 8MP rear shooter that takes superb pictures with lifelike colors and great contrast.  However, the quality suffers a bit when shooting in low-light condition. As for the iPhone4S, it boasts an 8MP camera that can take some crisp photos with better sharpness, color and noise performance. Both phones can capture 1080p video.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the two phones can replace point-and-shoot camera, with the iPhone 4S being slightly in the lead. We'll let the sample photos taken by the two smartphones do the convincing. Bottom line, both are market leaders, and take some of the best pictures out of any devices currently available on the market today.

BATTERY LIFE


The iPhone 4S comes with a non-removable Li-Po 1430 mAh battery, while the Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE uses a removable Li-Ion 1850 mAh. A clear advantage that the Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE has over the Apple iPhone 4S is that you can get relatively inexpensive spare battery or a larger capacity one for those extended business trips. The battery life on the iPhone 4S has been rated at 5-6 hours for heavy, constant use, while you can typically get between 7-8 hours on the Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE. This is, essentially, a worst-case scenario for both devices. As they are both quite powerful, if you use them to their full capacity, you will be able to run their batteries down quite quickly. That being said, with moderate to heavy usage, both should get through a full day with no problems.

Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE


Pros
  • 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED Plus display with a resolution of 1280×800
  • Captures fantastic images and video
  • LTE connectivity
  • Thin and lightweight
  • Replaceable battery
  • Significantly more durable than the iPhone 4S
Cons
  • Outdated OS
  • Less powerful GPU
  • A bit big for those with smaller hands

Apple iPhone 4S

IntoMobile
Pros
  • One of the best looking smartphones around, still
  • Takes excellent pictures
  • Powerful GPU
  • Easy to use
  • Siri
Cons
  • Diminutive 3.5-inch display
  • Non-expandable storage
  • Non-replaceable battery
  • Easily breakable, and usually only takes one drop
Make no mistake – these are two of the very best smartphones in the world. On one hand, it’s an easy choice for those already invested in the Apple ecosystem, and for those that prefer their mobile devices to more diminutive in the hand to op for the iPhone 4S. While it features little in the way of aesthetic difference from its predecessors, it is packing quite a few upgrades internally.
On the other hand, we have the Galaxy S2 HD LTE, which is a cross, essentially, between the Galaxy Nexus, and Samsung’s highly anticipated upcoming flagship, the Galaxy S3. While the SoC (System on Chip, aka processor) is not bleeding edge, it is more than powerful enough to get the job done. For those that love exploring the web or watching movies on their mobile device, they will love the radiant glowing colors, and bottomless blacks that the HD Super AMOLED display affords them. Additionally, the Galaxy S2 HD LTE is set to arrive on AT&T in the coming months, which is an exciting development, and will come as an LTE device. For anyone that’s ever experienced LTE speeds, they always find it difficult to return to snails-pace HSPA, HSPA+, or worse yet (gasp) 3G. With this in mind, LTE is absolutely terrible on battery life, if used constantly and to its full capacity. As we have seen with Motorola’s groundbreaking DROID RAZR MAXX with it’s 3300mAh battery, other companies are going to have to step their games up and offer ever larger batteries, all while maintaining the sub 10mm profile that consumers demand.
Finally, we must appreciate that there really is so much sensationalism over Android vs Apple, and it’s not a lost cause. People are very passionate about both, and for good reason. Never has there existed such intense fervor and competition between two mammoth companies, vying for our attention, our time, our loyalty, and our dollars. The smartphone race has just begun. As it stands right now, less than 10% of the planet has a smartphone. As we enter into 2012, this figure is likely to change dramatically. What we are now on the verge of is a true revolution in mobile computing, where we can finally begin to see that our mobile devices will soon have the capability to truly do everything we desire. Stay tuned for more!

This article, Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE vs Apple iPhone 4S , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 11 Mar 2012 01:41 AM PST

With all the praise that Sony has received for their effort to bring something new to the Android tablet experience, it’s rather a anti-climactic to see how little attention their tablets have received from technophiles in the US.
However, things may change, now that AT&T decided to bring forth the Sony Tablet P to the US. The arrival of this innovative clamshell tablet  to American shores is a couple of months behind the rest of the world, but the group of devs at Pocketables wasted no time in making up the lost ground.  Merely days after the Tablet P became available from AT&T, two Pocketables users have come up with a method to enable rooting on the Sony Tablet P.
According to the instructions offered on the Pocketables forum, it takes but some minor effort on your side to gain that 'Superuser' access on your precious tablet. All you have to do is to download both the ADB installer and the provided rooting program, follow the relatively simple instructions, and you will be on your merry way towards a rooted Sony Tablet P. More details can be found on the forum, but as always, keep in mind that you proceed at your own risk.
The Sony Tablet P is a unique tablet that has two foldable screens, each with a 5.5-inch display of 1024 x 480 resolution. It boasts a dual-core Tegra 2 clocked at 1GHz, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of storage, and Android 3.2 Honeycomb. The other Sony tablet, which has yet to make its ways to the US, is the wedge-shaped Tablet S, which has similar specs to the P model, except for the single 9.4-inch screen. By the way, it’s only a couple of weeks since the Sony Tablet S has received its very own root treatment.
Sony has mentioned that an upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich will be made available for the international versions of its two tablets, but it is currently unknown when the upgrade will make its way to AT&T’s Tablet P model.

This article, Sony Tablet P Rooted Within Days of US Release , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 10 Mar 2012 11:51 PM PST

In order for members of a team to succeed, they need a great amount of teamwork, hard work, perseverance, and effective communication. Sometimes it is hard to keep track and monitor the team's progress when members are not located in the same place, which could result in either mediocre output or a group accomplishment with a red "F" mark. But, with the Taskmind app running on your mobile device, you can work as a team whenever and wherever you are.
Taskmind is a team collaboration app.  It helps you organize the tasks within the group and lets you appoint tasks to specific members, send out important files, and keeps you in touch with your project's progress. This app can be your team coach to maximize teamwork and enhance communication within the group.

Opening the app for the first time requires you to access your Taskmind account. If you don't have one, press the "Register" button to create a free account. After logging in, you will be shown the app's main homescreen.
On the app’s homescreen, you can find all your Taskmind notifications, contacts, projects, and your personal journals.
To begin adding new entries, press the plus symbol button found at the bottom of the app's main homescreen. Adding new entries will require you to supply a brief description about the entry, the assigned schedule, the location, specific members, and all other necessary information for your entry. You can also tap your contacts on your homescreen to see what tasks are assigned to them.

The Taskmind app also allows you to approve or deny tasks and projects offered by your contacts. It will also let you track the time, resume or hold an assigned task, and provide feedback about the assigned tasks.
The best part is that you can contact your team members directly from the app's live text-based messages and notes. You won't need to compose and send out emails just to update your team, or to wait for a long time for their replies. With Taskmind, you can communicate with your members fast and easy from within the app itself.

Under the assignment screen, you can find the "History and Notes" button. Tapping this button will display a brief history of the conversations shared with the group members. You can also tap these messages to mark them as "unread" so you can check them later.
Aside from chatting with the group, you can also attach and share important files to the team. These features will help your team members stay on track and finish their assigned tasks without any delay.
Download and check out the Taskmind app free from the Android Market.
What team collaboration tools do you use on your Android phone?  How effective are those tools?

This article, Taskmind: Collaboration App for Android , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 10 Mar 2012 11:51 PM PST

Everyone loves the Samsung Infuse 4G. With its sleek thickness of 8.99 mm and 4G (HSPA+) capabilities, this phone surely rocked the market. But, like every other phone, it carries unwanted features—bloatware and unnecessary applications—that hide behind its alluring skin. Fortunately, these unwanted features can be removed once you have rooted your phone.
XDA Developers member gtg465x has created a rooting method that will help you root your Rogers Samsung Infuse 4G. Rooting your phone will give you that control and make your phone the way you wanted it to be. So, if want to have that control, follow our step-by-step instructions on how to root your Rogers Samsung Infuse 4G SGH-1997R.

Requirements

  • Rogers Infuse 4G SGH-I997R.  These instructions are for this device only.  These may or may not work with the AT&T variant.
  • A computer running Windows
  • Samsung USB drivers for your phone installed on your computer.  (Install Samsung KIES to get the drivers.)
  • Backup your personal data.
  • Keep at least 50% battery power.  Full charge is recommended.

Disclaimer

These instructions are provided for educational purposes only.  We make no guarantees that they will work at all.  Use these instructions at your own risk and do not hold us liable for whatever undesired results occur to you or your phone through your use of these instructions.

Instructions

  1. Create a new folder named “Voodoo” (without the quotes) in the root directory of your phone’s internal SD card.
  2. Inside the Voodoo folder, create a sub-folder called “disable-lagfix” (again, without the quotes).
  3. Turn off your phone.
  4. Download the root package from here or here (Odin_Infused_Gingerbread_Kernel_v1.zip, 8 MB) and save it to your computer.
  5. Extract the downloaded ZIP file’s contents into a folder on your computer.
  6. Run Odin3_v1.81.exe as Administrator.  (Right-click on the file, then select “Run as Administrator” from the popup menu.)
  7. Power on your phone into download mode by holding down the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons as you plug the phone into your computer via a USB cable.
  8. Check that the ID:COM box in Odin3 is highlighted in yellow.  The COM number is also shown in this box.  If this is not highlighted, or no COM number is shown, Odin3 has not detected your phone.
  9. Click the PDA button in Odin3.
  10. In the browse file dialog, select PDA_Infused_Gingerbread_Kernel_v1.tar.md5.
  11. Click the Start button in Odin3.
  12. The rooting process will begin.  Your phone will automatically reboot afterwards.
  13. Disconnect the phone from the computer only after you see the homescreen on your phone.
  14. Check that rooting is successful by verifying that Superuser is installed on your phone.  Optionally, install the BusyBox app from the Android Market.
Congratulations!  Your Rogers Samsung Infuse 4G SGH-I997R is now rooted.

This article, Root the Rogers Samsung Infuse 4G SGH-I997R , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 10 Mar 2012 03:20 PM PST
projectChameleon_02
For most manufacturers, the home screen is the most important part of the Android interface. Why? Because, on the home screen, they can easily apply their own branding and style, and, in theory, differentiate their devices from the sea of competing Android products. The need for differentiation is understandable, but unfortunately, for end users, overlays like TouchWiz, Sense, or Motoblur are just sources of slow updates, bloatware, and poor performance.
However, it's not like the home screen of vanilla Android is a major step forward when compared to the manufacturers' overlays. All you get in the stock version are apps and notifications, plus the clock widget. For many, that's enough, but others, like the Canadian UX design shop Teknision, think that your tablet's home screen can be much more than a space for shortcuts. Say hello to Chameleon.

Teknision's Chameleon Gives You an Adaptable Home Screen

In case Teknision does not sound familiar, you should know that it's the company that designed the user interface of RIM's ill-fated Playbook tablet. That sleek UI was one of the few aspects of the Playbook that reviewers and customers actually appreciated. Let's see how they did with Chameleon.
At the most basic level, Chameleon is a UX overlay based on Android 4.0 that lets you interact with your tablet in a completely novel way. Instead of relying on grids of apps and notification areas, Chameleon makes use of the entire screen, adding smart widgets for things like email, apps, weather, RSS feeds, etc. It's a bit similar to how the Metro interface works on Windows 8 PCs and tablets. But Teknision's creation is much more than a simple overlay, aiming to provide personalization and contextualization to the typically static home screen.
Here’s a video of the beautiful Chameleon in action:

Personalization: On-the-Fly Profile Changing

Just like the reptile it gets its name from, Chameleon adapts to the environment and to the user. The app integrates facial recognition technology to determine who is using the tablet at any given moment, associating the user with a specific profile. This makes it simple to rearrange the home screen (and the entire Android interface) on the fly, depending on the user that is holding the tablet. It also allows the seamless allocation of security permissions, without the need for passwords.
Chameleon
For instance, you can set up a profile for yourself, with full permissions, and one for your kid, which only shows a few kid-friendly apps, and limits the access to the Play Store or to the browser. Whenever you pass the slate to your child, Chameleon will instantly enter kid mode. Simple and elegant.

Contextualization: a Home Screen that Knows What You Do

Chameleon taps into the tablet's GPS sensor to determine where you are, so it can adapt accordingly. When you are home, you will be shown a dashboard that contains your favorite apps, your RSS reads, or a TV guide. When Chameleon thinks you are at work, you'll see your productivity apps, like Gmail, calendars, or to do lists. It even has a travel mode, for the time you're not at home nor at work.
Along with the widgets and apps, Chameleon can also manage things like setting profiles, statuses on social networks, or email auto-responders. But Teknision is even more ambitious. They are pioneering the use of smart agents instead of simple notifications.
The example they provide to illustrate smart agents is a businessman whose flight is cancelled. Instead of showing a simple notification, Chameleon will attempt to guess the consequences of the lost flight, such as the lost reservations or the meetings that have to be rescheduled, and make intelligent suggestions based on them. The concept is very exciting, but again, very ambitious, so we'll have to wait for a hands-on before we can pronounce ourselves on its feasibility.
chameleon_smartAgent

Chameleon Will Come to Android, One Way or Another

Teknision told BriefMobile that they are "in talks" with several Android manufacturers that are interested in integrating Chameleon into their products. So, there's hope that the rare combination of smarts and looks that is Chameleon will come to an Android tablet sometimes in the future.
And, if the talks don't materialize, Teknision can always put Chameleon on the Play Store as a standalone app. We bet it'll sell like hotcakes. We hope, nevertheless, that big Android names like Samsung or HTC will learn from Chameleon that tablets UI are more than blown up smartphones interfaces, and that they'll bring some of Chameleon's intelligence into the future versions of Sense and TouchWiz.
No related posts.

This article, Chameleon Wants to Redefine the Home Screen. Samsung and HTC, Look and Learn , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 10 Mar 2012 12:58 PM PST
Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Krait
San Diego-based Qualcomm supplies SoCs for many Android makers, with its dual-core Snapdragon S4 (Krait) chip powering several high-profile Android devices that are coming over the next months. But Qualcomm is a fabless firm, meaning that it doesn't actually manufacture the chips it designs and markets. Fabrication is handled by Asian semiconductor specialists, most notably Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
Now, Qualcomm seems to be running into serious issues with its S4 chip. According to a rumor reported by Semi Accurate, TSMC has encountered major problems with its 28nm chip line, causing it to halt production. The issues appeared to have occurred earlier this year, TSMC stopping production on February 15 without resuming it since.
There are several reasons that can lead to such an interruption of the fabrication process, including low yields, various shortages of materials, and defections in terms of design. Generally speaking, semiconductor experts agree that the S4 chip is based on fairly mature technology, which makes it unlikely that the production line halted because of design flaws.

Upcoming Launches Could Be Endangered

The sources cited by SemiAccurate's Charlie Demerjian (hopefully, the name of the blog is no indicator for the authenticity of the rumors it peddles) didn't state the reasons behind the shutdown, but they did mention that TMSC is promising, in private, to restart the lines by the end of this month.
If the chip maker is able to resume production where it left it (a "simple" restarting of the lines), without major changes to the manufacturing process or equipment, there is a good chance that this hiccup will not affect consumers in any way. Luckily for Qualcomm, the channel inventory of S4 chips was well-stocked, meaning that buyers, companies like Asus or HTC, are not likely to experience significant delays.
On the other side, if the problem proves more serious that TSMC currently admits, it can have serious repercussions on a number of devices based on Snapdragon S4 announced for the second quarter of the year. Among them, we can count:
Note that both ASUS and HTC use the dual-core S4 Krait chip as replacement for the quad-core Tegra 3, in the devices sold in US and other LTE markets.
For now, there's no official word on the problem from any of the involved players, but we'll keep you posted as soon as we learn more. Hopefully, it's all just a rumor – the last thing Android needs is an entire season marred by delayed launches.

This article, Rumored Supply Chain Problems Could Delay Major Android Releases , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 10 Mar 2012 09:47 AM PST

ASUS Padfone
Now this is disappointing. If it's true. And it probably is.
A few days ago, I wrote about the Padfone and the tremendous impact that the phone/tablet/netbook from ASUS can have on the way we use mobile devices. I speculated that, by offering a simple way to use our data plans the way we see fit, the Padfone can disrupt the carriers' established extortion business model. I used the word revolution (I am not afraid of big words, you see) more than once.
But I based all my thinking on the assumption that ASUS will make it easy for customers to fall in love with the new all-in-one concept epitomized by the Padfone, by offering the contraption at a decent price. Something like $600.
Well, if one UK online store is to be believed, my whole Padfone revolution article can be classified under the "idealist ravings" tag.
Asus Padfone

900 Bucks before Tax? Please Tell Me This Figure is Made Up

British outlet Flagshipfones.co.uk listed the Padfone as available for preorder. It wouldn't be the first time a store pulls the trigger on new product listings just a tad too fast. All fine and dandy, until you see the presumed price of the Padfone and realize its enormity – £583.32 or €696.83, or $914.35, before tax. So, depending on where you live, you might have to spend close to $1000 or more to get your hands on ASUS' 3-in-1 device. UK and European prices are always higher than the prices in the States, but still, that's a lot of money.
It's good to note that, for now, the UK store is the only source to suggest the upcoming Padfone's price, and, that it's a pre-order listing, so nothing's official yet. And, according to local tech blog somobile.co.uk, ASUS has denied that the price is grounded in any official communication from their side. But again, genuine pre-announcement listings are quite common, even if not always accurate.

Testing the Waters?

There’s another hypothesis – perhaps ASUS is simply testing the waters. After all, the Taiwanese have a completely new product to market, one that eliminates the need to buy several devices. That's a significant added value that is difficult to calculate by simply adding up the manufacturing and marketing costs. Maybe ASUS has leaked the price of the Padfone in order to gauge the reaction of the public.
Hopefully, the outcry that is likely to hit them over the next days will make them realize that a $1000 Padfone will go down like a lead balloon. Seriously, ASUS, you've got something beautiful on your hands. Don't ruin it by being greedy!
How much would you spend on a smartphone-that-you-can-stick-in-a-tablet-and-turn-into-a-laptop?

This article, ASUS Padfone Available for Preorder in UK, Priced at $1100! , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 10 Mar 2012 07:09 AM PST

These days, it's virtually impossible to go through any generalist tech site without stumbling on an "Apple did it again/the new iPad is revolutionary/Android is doomed" op-ed. One of the most ludicrous "analyses" I read predicts an iPod scenario – Apple will master the tablet market for years, just like it does (or it did?) with the iPod, which dominated the now-fading MP3 player market.
Let me say this loud and clear – no way!
With the risk of sounding like a fanboy (whom am I kidding anyway?), I think that Apple is on the verge of losing control over the tablet market. For more than two years, the tablet market has been the iPad market, but now, I really think that things will change. On what argument do I base my affirmations? It's the rise of the low-cost tablet.

The iPad is Off-Sync with What Most People Want


By now, it's clear to anyone that people want tablets, but they want affordable tablets even more. Why did Android take off on smartphones? Because there were so many people looking for affordable devices.
There's no question – the iPad took over the high-end of the tablet market, and is likely to hold it for years to come. But there's a huge customer base that the iPad won't ever reach (at least not in its current form): people who crave a tablet, but aren't willing to spend $400+ on a slate, no matter how "resolutionary" it is.
Even with a price cut, the iPad 2 is still more than double the price of the Kindle Fire or the Nook Tablet 8GB, while the most expensive iPad 3 goes up to $829. On the other end of the tablet spectrum, both the Fire and the Nook have been killing it with their $199 "good enough" recipe, while the $249 quad-core ASUS MeMo 370T has generated a huge wave of excitement. Google itself may be digging hard beneath the walls of the iPad castle. The search/mobile/everything giant is rumored to be in talks with ASUS for releasing a quad-core beast based on the MeMo 370T, that will come at an unbelievable price of $199.
Between the Kindle Fire (due for a revamp later this year), the upcoming 10-inch Kindle tablet, the $249 MeMo, and the $200 Nexus tablet, I believe that the Android war band can muster enough firepower to overcome Apple this year. Up until now, the network effect has worked in the iPad's favor. But with enough people buying cheaper Android-based slates, the iPad may lose the advantage of the dominant position. And then, the network effect will start working in the opposite direction. And then, the iPod scenario becomes the iPhone scenario.

What about the Rumored iPad Mini?


Rumors indicate that the 7.85-inch iPad Mini (or iPod XL, as some call it) will be launched in fall, possibly at Apple's traditional September event. If the reports are accurate, the smaller iPad will face a 4 months delay over the Google Nexus tablet, which is due in May. By the time the iPad Mini arrives, Google will probably have moved millions of units of its $200 quad-core device, putting Apple in a position that it's really not used to – catching-up.
Admittedly, Apple is a road-opener, more than any other modern tech company. They revolutionized the smartphone and created the tablet market from thin air. They are not used to playing catch-up. Releasing an iPad Mini will put Apple in the position of following the trend, instead of setting it. So I doubt that Apple can create a successful affordable tablet, even by sacrificing their precious image.
This is why I think the iPad Mini will be too little, too late. With Google putting its massive weight behind Android on tablets, and a slew of manufacturers competing fiercely in the low-cost market, I suspect that Apple's downsized pad will be a far cry from the iPad's success.

The Writing is on the Wall


In spite of all the Apple hype (really, six-months-old studies presented as current?), the writing is on the wall for the iPad. Android (in its various incarnations) holds almost 40% of the market, and the wave of cheap tablets coming this year will only increase that share.
No, the iPad will not suddenly fall from grace with consumers, nor lose its status as the top selling tablet (or media darling). But sometimes this year, Android will overcome the iPad in terms of units sold. After that, it's the iPhone scenario all the way.

This article, Android will Defeat the iPad. And It Will Happen this Year , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

Posted: 10 Mar 2012 05:31 AM PST

Exclusivity and freebies are some of the oldest tricks in the marketing book, but this is the direction that Samsung is apparently taking these days. The ink is barely dry on the deal that Sammy scored with Rovio (announced yesterday), which gives exclusive contents from Angry Birds: Space to Galaxy devices owners. And now, Samsung is bringing out even more goodies to its Galaxy-toting customers. Teaming up with Symantec, the Koreans give all owners of Samsung Galaxy devices free passes to use the full version of Norton Mobile Security app, for 90 days.
In order to secure, pun intended, your complimentary 90-day subscription of the Norton Mobile Security app, simply head to Samsung's Apps portal and look it up under the 'Utility' category. You will then be able to download the full-featured version of the security app. Note that this is a different version from the Lite one, which is already available in Android Market-slash-Google Play.
The full version of the app is packed with additional and essential security features that you can't find on the Lite version, including Anti-Theft and Anti-Loss Protection, Web Protection, Call and SMS blocking, and more. The app also offers a remote locate, lock and wipe tool, to get you out of the worst nightmare of any smartphone user – losing your precious device.
Once the 90-day trial is over, you will have to shell out $29.99 for the annual subscription, but only if you find the Norton Mobile Security to be worthy of your Android device's decreasing storage space. Otherwise, you can just stick to using the lite version of the app. Be careful not to install just any anti-malware apps you find on the Store, though.

This article, Got a Samsung Galaxy Device? Get a Free 90-day Subscription of Norton Mobile Security , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.

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