Saturday, April 14, 2012

Google Alert - android

News9 new results for android
 
Android this week: Galaxy Tab 2 launches; MotoActv wows; Amazon supports freemium;
GigaOM
With Android 4.0, dual-core processor, two cameras and integrated GPS, the Galaxy Tab 2 is a low-cost Android tablet with few limitations. It can run any third party app from Google Play, take and sync pictures or be used as a GPS navigation device.
See all stories on this topic »

GigaOM
Instagram, Facebook Deal Sparks Privacy Concerns: Here's How to Quit
PCWorld (blog)
Last Tuesday the popular photo-sharing app debuted on Android, opening the once iPhone-only Instagram service to the Android masses. And then on Monday, Facebook announced that it was acquiring Instagram for $1 billion--raising worries among some about ...
See all stories on this topic »
What Can a Zero-Permissions Android App Do?
PC Magazine
By Sara Yin Before you download an Android app, a developer has to present you with a list of system-level resources the app needs to access in order to run. These are simply referred to as Permissions; the purpose of Android Permissions is to let you ...
See all stories on this topic »
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 review: The anti-Kindle Fire?
CNET
Samsung's new Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 offers expandable memory, dual cameras, and a full Android experience for only $250. by Eric Franklin April 13, 2012 5:08 PM PDT Follow @nidopal The Kindle Fire. Sure, it's low-priced and has a built-in Amazon content ...
See all stories on this topic »
Android Trojan Found in Japanese-Themed Apps
PC Magazine
By Mark Hachman A new Trojan has been found, and removed, from the Google Play/Android Market, McAfee reported on Friday afternoon. The Trojan hid itself in applications that promised trailers of upcoming Japanese-language video games, or those that ...
See all stories on this topic »
Fake Angry Birds Strikes Android Users With Malware
Huffington Post
On Thursday, Sophos reported that a malware-packed fake version of Angry Birds Space had "been placed in unofficial Android app stores," potentially placing millions of Android users at risk. On Friday, Mashable reported that the malicious software ...
See all stories on this topic »
Why Facebook bought Instagram for a billion dollars
ITworld.com
By the (other) numbers Instagram reported it had more than 30 million members before its launch on Android earlier in April. (Instagram said that in its first few days of release for Android, the app was installed more than a million times per day.) ...
See all stories on this topic »
Why Android Ice Cream Sandwich's virtual buttons suck
ZDNet (blog)
By Jason Perlow | April 13, 2012, 10:57am PDT Summary: What idiot on Google's Android team put the home button directly underneath the spacebar? I know that I can't be the only person with an Android 4.0 device that's extremely annoyed by this.
See all stories on this topic »

ZDNet (blog)
How to root your Verizon Galaxy Nexus
ITworld.com
Rooting an Android smartphone is not for the faint of heart. Follow our simple guide to better understand how to root a Samsung Galaxy Nexus April 14, 2012, 7:44 AM — If you're anything like me, you always have to have the latest and greatest piece of ...
See all stories on this topic »

Blogs5 new results for android
 
ASUS Transformer Pad 300 set for US release ... - Android Community
By Michael Crider
If you've been dying to get your hands on some quad-core tablet action but can't stomach the $499 entry price for the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime, you're in.
Android Community
Sony Xperia phones getting Android 4.0 update starting mid-April ...
By Adi Robertson
The eagerly-awaited Android 4.0 upgrade that Sony promised for Xperia arc S, Xperia neo V and Xperia ray all 2011 Xperia phones now looks to be just around the bend. On its blog, Sony has announced...
The Verge - All Posts
Fake Angry Birds Space game for Android has malware
By George Tinari
Android users, be on the lookout for a fake version of Angry Birds Space that secretly downloads malicious software to your smartphone.
IntoMobile
Generate Memes, Next Issue, and More
By Leslie Horn
Magazines, memes, and tools to keep you on top of your game are coming at you in this week's best Android apps. With a crafty alarm clock, a handy note taking tool, you'll have all the help you need in taking care of your business.
Gizmodo
Sony's SmartWatch: An Android smartphone for your wrist? - The ...
By The Week
Sony's new wrist-worn communication device brings our Star Trek future a baby step closer. Oh, and it tells time, too...
The Week: Most Recent Home Page Posts

Web1 new result for android
 
Pebble: E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android by Pebble ...
Pebble Technology is raising funds for Pebble: E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android on ...
www.kickstarter.com/.../pebble-e-paper-watch-for-iphone-and...


This once a day Google Alert is brought to you by Google.

Delete this alert.
Create another alert.
Manage your alerts.

Android Authority

Android Authority


MessagEase Keyboard: Optimized keyboard layout for faster typing

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 06:19 PM PDT

Do you have very big fingers? Many users have problems typing on their mobile phones because they have big fingers, which in turn causes inaccurate typing because the letters on the onscreen keyboard are so small.

Because of this, many users have a hard time in composing messages and consume a significant amount of time just to type several words. To solve this problem there is now a new type of onscreen keyboard called MessagEase Keyboard which is developed to optimize the number of words that a person can type. The keys of the keyboard are larger than that of a usual QWERTY keyboard, which makes typing easier.

As described by its developers, MessagEase is a smart, fast, and accurate way to enter full text on your Android device.  It is also claimed to be the world’s fastest touchscreen keyboard. This claim seems very justifiable because based on user reviews of the app, many users actually like it. Some like it because it helps reduce mistakes when typing.  Though, it does take some getting used to, especially if your QWERTY habits are deeply ingrained in your fingertips.

How It Works

The aim of this app is really to make typing faster and to reduce mistakes when typing words. The keyboard has nine keys that represent several letters.  Because of such compression, there are fewer but larger keys. As a result, mistakes are minimized because you don’t accidentally tap other keys beside the key that you want to tap, which is what usually happens when you use a QWERTY keyboard.

This keyboard resembles the old-school keypads of the first Nokia phones, but what makes MessagEase Keyboard even better is that each of the nine keys represent the most frequently used letters: A, N, I, H, O, R, T, E, and S.  Tapping on the key will input the main character that it represents.

The nine main keys also represent the less frequently used letters.  To input such letters, you simply slide your finger in the direction of the minor letter–either towards the center key (“O”) or away from the center key.

So, for instance, to input the letter V, slide from the A key towards the O key.  To input the letter M, slide away from the R key towards the O key.  To input the letter P, slide away from the O key towards the I key.  And so on.

MessagEase Keyboard also has a word prediction feature so that you don’t have to type all the letters of a word.

The latest version of the app has new features such as improved gesture recognition, expanded word list, enhanced text entry prediction, word prediction, and even voice-enabled speech input via Google Voice integration.  You can also change the shape, size, and color of the keys, as well as the default language.

MessagEase Keyboard is absolutely free in the Google Play Store. Download it now and try a new way of typing your text on your Android phone.

Have you tried the odd layout of MessagEase Keyboard?  Does it live up to its promise of faster and easier typing?

No related posts.


This article, MessagEase Keyboard: Optimized keyboard layout for faster typing , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Kickstarter at its finest: Pebble e-ink smartwatch will connect to Android, last 7 days on a charge

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 12:07 PM PDT

The Pebble is a fully functional smartwatch which connects to your smartphone to deliver information to your wrist. The folks at Pebble Technology want to help you create the ‘perfect watch’ by offering you many downloadable applications, and the ability to write your own too.

What can it do?

Plenty. Probably more than they advertise since a software development kit has been announced for it. Right now, the most advertised uses are music control, reading text messages and emails, a GPS accurate pedometer, incoming caller display, and of course, a pretty watch. The official specifications are:

  • Load apps using Bluetooth
  • 144 x 168 pixel display black and white e-paper
  • Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR
  • 4 buttons
  • Vibrating motor
  • 3 axis accelerometer with gesture detection
  • Distribute apps via Pebble watchapp store
  • Waterproof – Good enough for swimming!

The watch gets all its web data and apps via a Bluetooth connection to your Android phone. This means that, in theory, it can display any information you like. The designers claim the watch can last up to 7 days on a single charge.

The best way to get a grasp of the features this little watch offers, is to look at this promotional video:

How can I get one?

Right now the entire project for the Pebble Watch is receiving funding from members of the public like you and me over at Kickstarter. You can pledge any amount you like to help the project, but pledge $115 or over, and you can start selecting rewards. The first on offer is one of these watches when they are released! If you are interested, get one now. Once the kick-starting ends, the watch prices will rise.

So far over 14,500 people have reserved/bought a watch, and a few more thousands have chosen more expensive rewards. The project has passed $2 million pledged already. I’m looking very forward to getting mine in the post later this year!

Final Thoughts

This is the sort of futuristic toy that will make us even lazier than we are today, but in a good way! Rather than having to change the channel on your Google TV, you can press a few buttons on your watch. The same goes for changing music on your stereo. If you are one of the fancy folk who uses your phone to alter room lighting, this could be achieved in the same way.

So what do you think of the Pebble? I think it’s an exciting, affordable multi-use product, with an interesting future.


This article, Kickstarter at its finest: Pebble e-ink smartwatch will connect to Android, last 7 days on a charge , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


We are all a bunch of social buyers, says study

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 11:56 AM PDT

How often do you share your online purchases across social media? Turns out that people find recommendations on social sharing websites equivalent in value to Google searching when it comes to buying a product.

After all, it makes sense that word of mouth has more sway than a Google search ever could. If you are browsing eBay and find two items you like, and your friend says they already have one (along with a good speech about it), then you’re far more likely to buy the recommended product. Seems that the same thing takes place on Facebook and Twitter. People who read that their friends have recently bought a product helps them discover products which they might like themselves.

The ‘Social Impact Study‘ by Sociable Labs shows that 75% of shoppers that read about a purchase shared over social media have clicked on the product link, thereby taking them to the retailers web-page for that product. A staggering 53% of shoppers then go ahead and purchase that product. Shoppers really do see social sharing as one of the most helpful tools in finding the right product to buy.

After purchasing a product, 81% of customers are valuable social re-sharers themselves, this creates a highly viral cycle of buying and sharing.

It’s not just sharing across websites like Facebook and Twitter that aid online purchases either. Most shopping websites now have the familiar ‘Like’, ‘Tweet’, or ‘+1′ widgets on the page of every product. When users casually decide to click these and add a single point of recommendation, they all accumulate together and can heavily influence the decisions of buyers. Even when comparing two near-identical products, if one is covered with Facebook Likes and Google +1′s, that product becomes more attractive and desirable than the other.

So, one in four of online retail customers come from the social media side of the web, and not a search engine. The act of social network sharing is very influential!


This article, We are all a bunch of social buyers, says study , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


How Kazuo Hirai plans to save Sony from mediocrity

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 11:08 AM PDT

What a difference a couple of decades — and some bad moves – made for Sony. This is a company that has created some of the world's most iconic and beloved piece of electronic gizmos (Walkman and PlayStation, anyone?), but now sees itself playing second fiddle. We're talking about a multimedia powerhouse that was once close of buying a troubled company called Apple in the early 1990s, which has ironically outgrown it now 30-fold in terms of market value ($18 billion compared to Apple's $581 billion).

There's no sugar coating the fact that Sony is ailing badly, and this is the sad reality that that Kazuo Hirai, the new CEO of Sony, inherits upon taking the helm from Howard Stringer. A condition that begs for Hirai to work on his magic once more, just as he did when the Sony veteran successfully revived the company's gaming unit.

Just how bad of a state Sony is currently in right now? In 2011 alone, the electronics giant suffered a $6.4 billion loss. In the more traditional TV market that Sony once sat comfortably upon the throne, it hasn't been in the black for eight years in a row, with losses amounting to $10 billion. Sony has also been left in the dust by the likes of Samsung, HTC, and even LG in the smartphone market.

While it’s very hard for one man alone to change the fortune of a company, the chances are somewhat better when that man is Kazuo Hirai. During a news conference at Sony's headquarter in Tokyo, a confident Hirai told reporters, “I am determined to transform and revive Sony." And we tend to believe him. The new game plan that he has set will have Sony focusing on three core business: digital imaging, gaming, and mobile products.

For the company's digital imaging business unit, Sony plans to accelerate the development of digital imaging technologies, such as image sensors and signal processing technologies, which will not only be geared towards the consumer market, but also to professionals in the media, medical, and security fields.

For its gaming arm, the company will move away from using physical media by expanding the availability of downloadable game titles for its handheld gaming consoles like the Vita and PSP, as well as for Android tablets and smartphones.

Finally, for the recently established Sony Mobile unit, Hirai said that he wants to make sure that Sony will become a leading player in the smartphone market, with handhelds becoming Sony's hub in the mobile business. Content from Sony Entertainment Network will be tightly integrated into all of its mobile devices. The goal has been set quite high, as Hirai plans to triple the unit's revenue in the next three years to $22 billion. Overall, Sony is seeking a sales target of $105 billion in two years for all of its business units.

The devil is in the details and we’re eager to see more of the strategy being unfolded. If the newer crop of Xperia smartphones is any indication, we're inclined to think that Sony is heading in the right direction. Focusing on developing tightly integrated smartphones (preferably Android flavor) as one of its business cores will do Sony wonders. Just look at Samsung and how the mobile unit there has became Samsung’s biggest cash cow. The power of the PlayStation brand and Sony’s huge multimedia resources will be  key differentiating factors. And they should help the electronics giant move away from mediocrity.


This article, How Kazuo Hirai plans to save Sony from mediocrity , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Ainol Novo 7 Elf review and promo code

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 10:53 AM PDT

Can a $150 tablet be any good? We recently had a chance to spend some quality time with the Ainol Novo 7 Elf, and, we must say, for the price, it’s an excellent tablet.

Almost everything is made in China these days. The combination of low cost resources and cheap labor seems to be an irresistible draw for most companies in the tech industry. Hot out of the furnace of an industrialized and modernized China, rises an unlikely competitor in the tablet arena. One that seeks to provide acceptable quality products at affordable prices. All that without the “bleeding edge” factor of high end products.

Ainol is a Chinese company, and when we heard that our friends at The Taken Shop were stocking some Ainol Novo 7 tablets, I jumped at the chance to do a review for all of you. Can cheap tablets really be good? Let’s see.

Acceptably Fast

It is surprising that this device is fast and smooth, considering it’s powered by a single core Ice Cream Sandwich tablet. Frankly, it worked just like any dual-core tablet out there, except for an expected processor bottleneck when doing some more serious multitasking. The stock ROM is decent, and packs a punch. It’s equipped with the full Google services set, but the guys at The Taken Shop said that they could root your device and install a pure Google ROM instead. That's pretty useful, since Chinese OEMs often struggle with poor software implementation.

Unlike other China-made tablets, the Ainol Novo 7 comes with 1GB DDR3 RAM and a powerful Mali 400 GPU. That looks very impressive on paper, but it turns out average in real life. App switching is brilliant, but that CPU bottleneck does little for power users.

On the media side, the Novo 7 Elf puts many other tablets to shame as it plays 1080p videos perfectly – surprising, since the tablet's display is a 1024×600 resolution. There's no noticeable lag, and it's a great entertainment device. Casual gaming is great on this tablet, though high-end 3D gaming will leave much to be desired.

Display

On its own, the display is fitting for daily use. It's sharp and crisp, but the LCD falters in direct sunlight, but it’s not like you'll use a tablet under the sun that much. The tablet’s screen is vibrant enough for web surfing and entertainment.

Connectivity

The Ainol Novo 7 Elf only comes with WiFi. There's no Bluetooth. There's no 3G. If WiFi is all you need, then that's great. You'll either find yourself enjoying the simplicity of it, or you'll be scrambling around for an internet connection. The bundled on-the-go USB cable does help a lot, though. There's a 3.5mm jack for audio, as well as mini usb support and mini HDMI support.

Storage

The Novo 7 Elf has a basic 8GB internal storage, with about 5.8 GB of free storage. However, it supports a micro SD on the side of the tablet that lets you bump up the storage capacity with up to an additional 16GB.

Camera

This is one tablet without the extras. There's no rear camera for any photography, which I must say is the right track. I think that’s it's not practical nor fun to shoot photos and videos on a tablet. That's what your smartphone is for. Instead, the Chinese were smart enough to incorporate a 2MP front facing camera that's good enough for Skyping and video chatting.

Build quality & battery life

The Elf is made of plastic, which makes it quite sturdy and light. It feels great on the hands. The tablet has a non-removable 3700 mAh battery, which is great, and, considering that it's only WiFi enabled, it does last days without needing a charge, as long as you don’t use it relentlessly for demanding games or streaming on the move.

Price and conclusion

At $184USD, this is definitely an affordable tablet for all. It's cheap and it simply works – if you can live with the averge performance. Without a doubt, it can rival other tablets in that price range, for the Novo 7 Elf is a great first tablet for the kids that won’t leave a bid dent in your bank account.

For a limited time, you can get an additional 10% off this tablet from our buddies at the Taken Shop as well as an Androski kit. This offer is only till the 15th of April 2012. Promotional code – ANDROIDAUTHORITY

Plus, they are running a promotion that gives you a free case, worth $11. It's great value for money considering the potential Ainol holds.


Ainol Novo 7 Elf Specifications

Size and Weight:187mm x 111mm x 12mm, 353 grams
Operating System:Android v4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
CPU:AllWinner Many Core A10 1.2GHz processor
GPU:Mali 400
Memory:1GB DDR3 RAM
Storage:8GB internal storage
Display:7 inch Capacitive Screen 1024×600 pixel resolution
Expandable Memory:TF Card (microSD) up to 16GB
Camera:Front facing 2 megapixel
Sensor:3 axis Gravity Sensor
Connectivity:WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, 3.5mm audio, mini USB, mini HDMI
Battery:3700MAh (up to 8 hours)

Ainol Novo 7 Elf standard package comes with:

  • The tablet
  • Standard DC Charger
  • Earphone
  • Mini USB cable
  • OTG USB cable
  • Product manual & leaflet

Value Added Free Gifts:

  • 1 unit of leather casing (worth RM35.00)
  • 1 set of Android collectibles @ Androski Figure Pre-assembled Avatar Kit (worth RM50)
  • Optional custom firmware installation, Android Market (Play Store) installation & rooting service (upon request only).

 Gallery

Ainol-Novo-7-Elf-6 Ainol Novo 7 Elf 1 Ainol Novo 7 Elf 2 Ainol Novo 7 Elf 3 Ainol Novo 7 Elf 4 Ainol-Novo-7-Elf-5 Ainol-Novo-7-Elf-7


This article, Ainol Novo 7 Elf review and promo code , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Google might not sell Motorola’s hardware division after all, according to fresh report

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 09:09 AM PDT

If you haven’t got enough drama from the Motorola-Google merger, which is closing to a year in the making but is still not a done deal, a new episode of the soap-opera involving the two companies has apparently debuted.

I am talking about Google's plans for Motorola's hardware division, which are murky, to say the least. Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that, according to "trusted sources", Google might be planning to get rid of Moto's hardware department as soon as possible, with Huawei shaping out to be the most likely buyer.

However, according to an even fresher rumor, coming from Digitimes (who else?), Larry Page and Sergey Brin are actually far from being prepared to sell off Motorola.

The guys at Digitimes are citing sources in "Taiwan's handset industry" and appear to be convinced that Google is very interested in the hardware business, at least for now. That seemed pretty unlikely until now, as it could lead up to conflicts in the "Android family", but we have to admit that today's report makes at least as much sense as yesterday's did.

We talked yesterday about Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony, and all the other Google partners in the Android business and how they could become dissatisfied with a preferential treatment given to Motorola. Then again, we must keep in mind that the smartphone vendors are currently doing pretty well (especially Sammy) and they wouldn't want to risk their positions in the market by venturing outside Google's protective wing, would they?

Also, in all honesty, HTC and Samsung were themselves given preferential treatment in the past from Google, with the Nexus co-branded smartphones, so why shouldn't Moto receive its chance as well?

Another good point that today's Digitimes report makes refers to Motorola's hardware division and how it not only covers smartphones and tablet PCs, but also STBs (set-top boxes). Moto has some long-term cooperation relationships with telecom carriers and cable TV operators as well, so Google's executive team might not be very keen in giving up on all these potential money-making machines so fast. Google TV might benefit from Big M’s expertise in this matter. Plus, Apple might release its long-rumored smart TV this year, so Google will need all hands on deck to counter it.

While this rumor seems credible enough to at least be taken into consideration when talking about Google's relationship with Motorola, we should keep in mind that it's nothing else than a rumor coming from fishy sources. Also, it contradicts yesterday's speculations, so things could go either way, as far as I'm concerned.

What do you guys think? Is Google seriously thinking about selling Motorola's hardware division or will it keep the department running and get into the hardware manufacturing business. Or, are the search giants' executives as undecided as these rumors seem to be, at least for now? I personally incline towards the third option and think that they still don't have a definitive plan concerning this area of business, but that's just my humble opinion.


This article, Google might not sell Motorola’s hardware division after all, according to fresh report , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Must have moar tablets, says Samsung. Two brand new tabs coming?

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 06:47 AM PDT

Just when we thought that Samsung has exhausted its tablet quota for the year, the company is now rumored to be bringing out a couple of unheard of Android tablets into the market as early as June. The source of the rumor was an internal document coming all the way from la France that outlines the Korean company's Smart TV line, with some side information that details the compatibility of the Smart View app for Samsung's phones and tablets.

As you can see on the diagram, there are two new Samsung tablet models listed there, the Espresso 10 and Espresso 7, along with their expected release date. The Samsung Espresso 10 apparently will come out in June, while the Espresso 7's release date status is still TBC. There's no other information given except that the two Espresso tablets will ship with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Since Samsung hasn't really thrown us any bones, we can only speculate about what the Samsung Espresso tablets will be packing inside. It's possible that these are two new high-end tablets that are still missing from Samsung's roster this year. If that's the case, then they probably will be powered by the quad-core Exynos chip that Samsung is still developing. They may also come with a higher screen resolution than HD.

Let's not discount the possibility that the Espresso might be a codename for the Galaxy Tab 2 tablets in France. We're not so sure about this one, because espresso is more of an Italian thing than French. Unless you mix it with milk, which technically makes it a café au lait. Anyway, this could also be the work of someone who has too much free time on their hands. So until there's more information about these supposed Samsung Espresso tablets, we suggest you focus your attention more on news like the price cut on Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 or the delayed Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1.


This article, Must have moar tablets, says Samsung. Two brand new tabs coming? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Want a tablet on a budget? Get the original Transformer!

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 06:16 AM PDT

So you want to get in on the world of Android tablets but don’t want to spend a lot of money? Well don’t worry! I had the same urges a few months back and got myself an Asus Transformer for £200/$317. Now, you may be asking why I am recommending a tablet that already has a younger and more powerful brother, the phenomenal Asus Transformer Prime. Well, if you are after a tablet which is still very fun, powerful and most importantly, affordable, this could be the toy for you.

First off, lets assume that you are a bit tight on cash (like most of the world it seems). Nevertheless, your heart yearns for a slice of the modern computing age – Android on a big screen. The Transformer ranges in price from $360 to $390 and can be acquired in so many places, including Amazon, eBay, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, just to mention the most important. Many sellers on eBay will go all the way down to $150 if the device is second hand. What’s important about the Transformer is that the price is decreasing every day, but you still get your money’s worth.

The specifications are not to be sniffed at either, remember that this device only came out early last year, and still rates very highly on benchmark tests.

The best part about the Transformer (for me at least) is the huge development community that stands behind it, supporting users with custom software and tweaks, partly because it is such a fun device, and partly because it wound up having a strong userbase. Long story short, there are plenty of ROM’s and tweaks available for you to enjoy.

The Specifications

At the end of the day, these are what we all care about, so I will lay the important ones out for you. What does $360 get you? Plenty, I promise.

  • OS: Android 3.2, though you would immediately be asked if you’d like to upgrade to Android 4.0.
  • Display: It’s a crisp 10.1″ LED WXGA screen, at 1280×800. It supports multitouch for up to 10 fingers, and has Gorilla glass – the scratch resistant glass that doesn’t care how many oddities get flung upon it.
  • CPU: The processor is NVIDIA’s beautiful Tegra 2. It is a dual-core chip, clocked at 1Ghz.
  • Internal Storage: This comes as 16 or 32GB, depending on the device you buy, it’s important to remember that the tablet has a microSD slot supporting up to 64GB.
  • Cameras: A 5MP Rear Camera, and a 1.2MP front-facer that always looks very crisp. Especially in Video Chats!
  • Outputs: Stereo speakers with SRS premium sound, and a great high quality microphone. A Mini-HDMI output! An Audio/Mic headset socket.
  • Sensors: G-Sensor, Light Sensor, Gyroscope, E-Compass, and of course, GPS.
  • Battery: This is fantastic. It lasts up to 9.5 hours alone, and will keep going to 16 hours with the keyboard dock accessory

The Keyboard Accessory

It’s called the Transformer for a reason, you know. The Transformer can sit itself happily into a keyboard dock, which not only makes typing a breeze but adds another 8 hours of battery life! The keyboard itself has a battery which (if docked) charges up along with the tablet when plugged in. This gives you (if you play your cards well) up to 16 hours on one full charge. Fantastic.

Unfortunately the keyboard accessory is another $120 and sold separately, so if your coin-filled coffee jar marked ‘Tablet Fun’ really is low, you probably don’t need this accessory. However, if you want to get a computing experience unlike any other, in which a tablet becomes a touchscreen netbook with two batteries, then it’s certainly a nice thing to have. It also has two USB ports for external connections such as memory sticks, and an SD card slot. And if you are a fan of video game console emulators on Android, you can plug your USB controllers into the dock. No bespoke adaptors necessary.

Which ROM is best?

As far as I am concerned there are two main contenders, Cyanogenmod 9 and AOKP. Cyanogenmod tries to be as close to stock Android as possible, with fixes and additions that better their community. AOKP has a similar objective, but tends to add more customization and has regular releases.

As to which one you should install, well it depends (as most things do) on your preferences. Cyanogenmod has a pretty slow update/nightly build cycle, however, they in turn have a great reputation for stability. Though AOKP is not unstable, very occasionally one or two things can slip up and need restarting. However AOKP has a much shorter release cycle, with new builds coming out, sometimes, every week.

Some people may think “Why is that good? You have to keep reflashing software”. Well yes, but the point is the AOKP team is very quick to incorporate new features and have everything ready for users. When Android 4.0.4 was released, AOKP merged the changes into ‘Build 29′ and released it all in a few days. As of writing, you can use Build 31. Two builds for fixes came out within a week! Most of the time you can flash one build over an older one, preserving your applications and settings. Sometimes the developers specify that a device must be wiped first to avoid conflicts with old software.

Though both ROMs offer great levels of customisation, AOKP takes the trophy here. You can alter everything from the Power Menu options to whether the WiFi indicator shows an icon or a percentage. All of this is achieved with ‘ROM Control’, which is a very tidy and well organised Settings category, far more so than ‘Cyanogenmod Settings’.

As for day-to-day use, there is really not a lot between the two ROM’s, when I first installed AOKP over CM9 I couldn’t tell the difference. If you require stability, use Cyanogenmod or even the stock Ice Cream Sandwich build. If you like to have new builds regularly and don’t mind a few bugs here and there then AOKP is a lot of fun.

My cluttered homescreen on AOKP Build 29. Loving it.

The best way to start your rooting and ROM-flashing journey is by rooting a TF101. Just remember that this voids the warranty. Afterwards, to flash a custom ROM, you need ClockworkMod recovery, here is our guide for that. Then the general guidelines to installing a ROM like CM9? Take a read of this.

In my opinion, you haven’t truly enjoyed Android until you are running a lightning fast custom ROM. That said, if you aren’t comfortable with the idea of custom ROMs, don’t worry. The default Asus builds are good too.

I go into far more detail on Rooting and how to get a grasp of it in this article. I also explain what a Custom ROM actually is in this article.

Well supported by developers

Android applications are constantly undergoing optimization to make them tablet-friendly and natively scaled. That way, they don’t have to be stretched or zoomed in, which nine times out of ten looks awful. Due to it’s large userbase, the Asus series of Tablets (including the TF101) are always amongst the first to receive such optimizations.

Overclocking?

Most ROMs, including the aforementioned, do not currently support overclocking (operating the CPU at frequencies higher than 1Ghz). There are some kernels available on XDA and RootzWiki which you can use that do allow overclocking, however, it is inadvisable to wipe/replace a kernel image that came with a ROM, and better to flash a totally new ROM which supports the special kernel.

To be honest the Nvidia Tegra 2 CPU already runs everything like a train. If you ever clocked up to 1.6Ghz (the highest most semi-stable kernels offer), I doubt you would ‘see’ much of a performance increase. Certainly not one that would justify running your CPU past its intended speed.

If you really wanted a Tegra 3 feeling, you could certainly get it with some custom kernels on XDA. Unfortunately running a 1Ghz CPU at 1.7Ghz causes system crashes for most people, so you wouldn’t enjoy the speed for long. But there have been some good reports of clock boosts up to 1.4Ghz being stable.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully some of my points here have interested you in the original Transformer. It’s an amazing, yet affordable tablet that is highly versatile, well built, and ready for anything you throw at it. If you go shopping, remember that this isn’t the Transformer Prime (TF201). The older model and subject here is the TF101.

So that’s all. If you’re looking for that affordable tablet then I promise you that the original Transformer won’t disappoint.

What are your thoughts on the device?

No related posts.


This article, Want a tablet on a budget? Get the original Transformer! , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Google’s Larry Page talks about focus on cheap tablets, just about confirms the Nexus Tablet

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 05:52 AM PDT

Even though we've been hearing for many months all sorts of rumors and speculations about a so-called Google Nexus Tablet,  manufactured in cooperation with Asus and ready to hit the market this summer, the gadget hasn't been officially confirmed by anybody involved in its making.

However, the tablet's unveiling might be closer than anyone had thought, with Larry Page's most recent statements just about confirming it. Page, one of Google's two co-founders, made a public statement concerning the search giant's latest quarterly earnings report and, aside from commenting on some pretty unsurprising figures, he talked a bit about "the lower end of the tablet market".

According to Page, "there's been a lot of success on some lower-priced tablets that run Android" and "we believe that there's going to be a lot of success on the lower end of the market. It's definitely an area we think is important, and we're quite focused on it."

Okay, he didn't actually reveal any kind of specific plans that Google might have right now, but that "focus" on the lower end of the market could only mean one of two things, as far as I'm concerned. Either Page's company is actually working on the Nexus Tablet, as all rumors and speculations point towards, or Google has some different plan to force its Android partners to cut costs and drop prices.

Of course, the first possibility is the more likely of the two, but unfortunately we don't have anything new to report on that front. Things stand as they did a week ago, when we last reported that the Google-Asus co-branded tablet is likely to hit the market in July at a price of $250 or less.

Getting back for a second or two at Google's latest quarterly earnings report, let's quickly take a look at the most important numbers. With $10.64 billion earned in January, February and March, Larry Page's and Sergey Brin's company has gone up 24% from the same time last year, while also gaining one percent since the last quarter of 2011.

46% of Google's total income comes from the United States, with the rest of 56% coming from the rest of world, while the overall costs for Q1 2012 were of $7.25 billion, giving the company a nice $3.4 billion profit.

The numbers are far from surprising (or impressive, for that matter), being pretty much predicted by financial analysts a while back. It's obvious that Google is still a money-making machine and does pretty well by any standards, but that one percent increase in earnings from 2011′s last quarter to this year’s first three months should be a bit alarming for the company's executives.

That's about all we have to report today on Google, Larry Page, and their plans for the future, but keep in touch with our website, because we are bound to find out more exciting details about that Nexus Tablet we are all so eagerly awaiting for.


This article, Google’s Larry Page talks about focus on cheap tablets, just about confirms the Nexus Tablet , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Samsung clicks Undo on Galaxy Note 10.1

Posted: 13 Apr 2012 05:21 AM PDT

undo samsung galaxy note 10.1

If there's one thing that Samsung has perfected is the art of making seemingly last-minute changes to its tablets and phones. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, for instance, has seen its release date go from June to something more akin to “we'll know it when we see it”.

At a press event yesterday, a representative of the South Korean electronics manufacturer said that they can't provide any information about the release date of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. And here's the kicker, what we saw of the Galaxy Note 10.1 in Barcelona on February, may not be what the final product would look like.

This can only mean one thing: Samsung is planning to do a major overhaul of the tablet's exterior. That's probably not all, since it was reported last week that the processor that the Galaxy Note 10.1 will use has been bumped to a 1.5GHz quad-core Exynos 4412 one, as opposed to the 1.4GHz dual-core chip that the prototype was touting back at the Mobile World Congress.

So why did Samsung go through the trouble of showing off the Galaxy Note 10.1 at the MWC even if the design was nowhere from finished? Well, the Barcelona event is still one of the biggest tech gatherings in the world, so the company probably felt that they had to have something flashy in lieu of what people was expecting the most – the Samsung Galaxy S3. Since the introduction of the tablet, of course, we've seen the new iPad coming into the picture, which may have played a role in Samsung's decision to delay the Galaxy Note 10.1 and do some redesigning work. There's a long history of rivalry between the two after all.

Whilst we sit and wait for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, at least we have details about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 tablets. In case you missed it, Samsung is planning to sell the 7-inch version of the tab for a delicious $250; and it's coming out at the end of the month. Don't need an S-Pen stylus in your life? Then the $400 Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 can be an option – all in ICS flavor.

What's your wish list for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1? A higher screen resolution than the supposed 1280 x 720 one? Share your wildest Galaxy Note 10.1-related fantasy in the comments section below.


This article, Samsung clicks Undo on Galaxy Note 10.1 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.