Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Google Alert - android

News10 new results for android
 
Baidu launches Android phone with eye on Windows Phone, iOS
CNET
Dubbed the Changhong H5018, the smartphone runs on a forked version of Android that's powered by the Baidu Cloud Smart Terminal platform. The device was manufactured by Foxconn and will be released on China Unicom's network, according to the search ...
See all stories on this topic »
Android continues to conquer the world
CNET
Demand for phones with Google's mobile OS jumped across the world since around the start of the year, says research firm Kantar WorldPanel. by Lance Whitney May 15, 2012 9:15 AM PDT Follow @lancewhit The firm's latest research showed that Android ...
See all stories on this topic »
Samsung Lists T-Mobile Devices Getting Ice Cream Sandwich
PC Magazine
By Angela Moscaritolo Samsung has updated its list of devices scheduled to receive Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, adding four T-Mobile gadgets. According to the list, T-Mobile's version of the Galaxy S II, Galaxy S Blaze 4G, Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, ...
See all stories on this topic »
Dear Google: Android Needs Your Help
PCWorld
I know you've been battling lawsuits, getting your self-driving cars licensed, and focusing on Google+, but it might be time to show Android that you still care. Your neglect is starting to show for those of us who depend on Android.
See all stories on this topic »
Firefox for Android Preps for Prime Time
Wired News
By Scott Gilbertson Mozilla has released an update for its Firefox for Android beta mobile web browser. The latest beta sports a redesigned interface that looks a little less like Firefox and a little more like a native Android application.
See all stories on this topic »

Wired News
Google's Android gains share in smartphones-survey
Reuters
Android share surges in Spain, Italy, Germany * Apple gains in US, Britain; slips in Europe * Windows Phone share jumps to 3-6 pct on Nokia switch * Nokia's Symbian, RIM fall most By Tarmo Virki HELSINKI, May 15 (Reuters) - Google's Android smartphone ...
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Sony launches its first Android-powered Walkman in Singapore
CNET
by Timothy Fernandez | 15 May 2012 6:01pm SGT Sony has finally brought its Walkman range of portable audio devices into the "smart device" age with its latest Z-series music player running on Android 2.3. While manufacturers such as Samsung and Philips ...
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CNET
Facebook Hires Team Behind Android Photosharing App Lightbox
TechCrunch
Facebook has just closed a deal to hire about seven employees from Android photosharing app developer Lightbox. The Lightbox Photos app will shut down, has already been stripped from Google's Play marketplace, and people have until June 15th to ...
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Google's Android gains share in smartphones: survey
Chicago Tribune
HELSINKI (Reuters) - Google's Android smartphone software stretched its market lead in early 2012, helped by new models from handset makers like Samsung and HTC and piling the pressure on rivals like Research In Motion and Nokia.
See all stories on this topic »
Native Android Firefox finally beta-ready
CNET
After months of development, the overhauled Firefox for Android and its new native Android interface graduate to beta. by Seth Rosenblatt May 15, 2012 9:00 AM PDT Follow @b1g1nj4p4n Mozilla updated Firefox for Android beta (download) today with an ...
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Blogs5 new results for android
 
Baidu's New Forked Android Phone: China's Search Giant Wants To ...
By Ingrid Lunden
And while that device is designed on a "forked" version of Android — forked Android devices being very popular in China — Baidu says that it doesn't want to stop there: the idea is to take its platform, the Baidu Cloud Smart Terminal, to other ...
TechCrunch
Video of Android apps running on…. Tizen? — Mobile Technology ...
By Kevin C. Tofel
The Samsung- and Intel backed Tizen mobile operating system could give both companies an out from using Google Android. But without apps, how successful can Tizen be? Perhaps the platform should look to Android again, but only for the ...
GigaOM
Tizen OS will run Android apps
By Dan Graziano
Tizen, the mobile operating system being developed by Samsung and Intel, can support programs written with Samsung's Bada SDK as well as Android applic.
BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech
KDDI reveals its Summer 2012 colection: Android smartphones are ...
By Mat Smith
It's that time of the season again, as Japan's mobile carriers unveil more alternate-universe models that we'll probably never see elsewhere. Leadin.
Engadget
What do Apple and Microsoft's June developer ... - Android and Me
By Dustin Earley
This June is going to be huge for mobile operating systems. Not only is Google hosting I/O, where they should be announcing several exciting things, but Microsoft will be announcing products and services at the Windows Phone Developer ...
Android and Me


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Android Authority

Android Authority


Segmentation of the Tablet Market

Posted: 15 May 2012 03:24 AM PDT

This is a follow-up to my article, from a couple of months ago, analyzing the segmentation trends in the tablet market. Since I wrote that article, we have seen some more data on the market share trends of the iPad and Android tablets, including some very interesting data on the Kindle Fire. Now, let’s have a look at how the data stacks up against my predicted trends.

iPad vs. Android: Market Share Trends

Before I get into this, let’s have a look at the historical market share trends of the iPad and Android tablets over the past couple of years, in terms of quarterly sales.

Tablet-Market-Share-Trends

This shows a fairly clear trend that the market is moving towards Android tablets and away from the iPad. In fact, this shows that the iPad has lost market share in every successive quarter in which there hasn’t been a new iPad launch. In Q2 2011, with the launch of the iPad 2, the Apple sales cycle gave the iPad a marginal boost in market share, which it again lost in the next quarter. Similarly, Android tablets seemed to have received a similar boost, in Q4 2011, with the launch of the Kindle Fire, which seems to have tailed off in Q1 2012 in advance of the new iPad launch.The tablet market’s Q1 2012 performance has been considerably muted, with a 38% decline in shipments. As per NPD, this seems to have been driven by build up of inventory during the holiday season, specifically for the Kindle Fire. This does not mean that the Kindle Fire was a flash in the pan. Rather, since we are tracking shipping figures, we need multiple quarters of consecutive QoQ data to get a good estimate of sales trends.

Even the iPad’s sales volume at 11.8 million actually came in under expectations. With the new iPad launched in March, it is possible that the iPad may temporarily make some more market share gains in Q2 before the major Android tablet launch in Q3.

The biggest threat to the iPad’s market share will be in the last two quarters of the year, with two major product launches – the Nexus tablet and the new Kindle Fire models. I’ve explained the reasoning for this statement in the section below. Hence, it  makes sense to stick with my original prediction of Android’s quarterly tablet sales overtaking the iPad, in Q4 of this year.

Android Tablets: Segmentation Trends

Now, the section above gives us a good view of where the tablet market is headed, but it doesn’t really explain why. The key reason is market segmentation. A recent survey from comScore highlights the market share of Android tablet usage, among individual tablets, from December 2011 to February 2012. At first glance, it looks like the Kindle Fire has killed every other tablet, but there’s a little more to it than that.

First, let’s divide Android tablets into segments as follows:

1) Low Cost Media Tablet - Kindle Fire

2) Media Tablet - Samsung Galaxy Tab Family, Motorola Xoom, Toshiba AT100, Acer Picasso, Sony Tablet S

3) Hybrid Tablet - Asus Transformer, Acer Iconia, Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet K1

4) Others - Dell Streak, Other (ComScore has included the B&N Nook Color here)

It is important to understand that since this data shows usage share, actual sales performance would be even more pronounced. Also, since the tablet market is growing at an incredible pace, constant market share implies the segment is growing at the same pace as the market, not a flat sales performance. Now, let’s have a look at this data again.

Android Tablet Segmentation

Now, these figures look a lot more interesting now. Let’s see what this means.
1) The two fastest growing segments in the tablet market are the low cost media tablets (Kindle Fire) and the hybrid tablets. This seems to be consistent with my prediction of segmentation trends in the tablet market.

2) As I’ve stated before, a low priced forked tablet is no guarantee to success, as the presence of the Barnes & Noble Nook Color seems to be minuscule. The key factors to a successful low cost tablet are acceptable content & good marketing push.

3) Most of the Kindle Fire’s gains seem to be at the expense of Media Tablets (since most of the tablets in “Other” would also be Media Tablets). Again, this is no surprise since the functionality offered by all media tablets is practically the same, albeit at different levels of quality. However, since the Kindle Fire is at an industry leading price point it has emerged as the winner. This is also the same problem the iPad seems to be facing.

4) This also highlights that there is plenty of room in the low cost media tablet segment for more competition. With the release of the Nexus Tablet and new Kindle Fire models, the presence of low cost media tablets will be strengthened even more and the primary victims will be other non-low cost media tablets (both Android media tablets and the iPad).

Conclusion

Looking at the trends highlighted above, it looks like the iPad losing the tablet market share crown by the end of this year is a likely outcome, with Apple’s current strategy.

Apple’s decisions over the next year will be very interesting to watch. It seems necessary for Apple to release a low cost 7.85″ mini-iPad, at the rumored $300 price point. However, this would have a significant negative impact on Apple’s profit margins, which is the primary factor driving Apple’s stock price.

Apple has already seen shrinking margins on newer iPad models because of its inability to raise prices, due to competitive pressure. Since hybrid tablets are more of a long-term play, Apple’s only other option is to retain the existing iPad and hope the market share loss can be contained. It looks like Apple may soon have to pick a lane in the margins vs. volume strategy, and either choice will have a long-term impact on Apple’s stock.


This article, Segmentation of the Tablet Market , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Early benchmarks show Samsung Galaxy S3 leading the pack in battery life. One X left in the dust

Posted: 15 May 2012 12:32 AM PDT

Still doubting that the battery inside the Samsung Galaxy S3 will have enough juice to comfortably run the flagship phone's 4.8-inch SUPER AMOLED HD screen and quad-core processor? We have some good news for you, then. According to battery benchmark tests, Samsung Galaxy S3's 2,100mAh battery won’t disappoint at all.

First, we'd like to turn your attention to one rather non-scientific evidence from blogger Eldar Murtazin, who recently posted a screenshot of his Samsung Galaxy S3's battery usage. The phone’s battery was shown to still be 42% full, even after Murtazin supposedly used the phone for over 20 hours. According to him, he listened to music for five hours on the phone, amongst other multimedia usages, and used it on a 3G network for an hour, before making the switch to a WiFi connection.

Galaxy S3 battery test murtazin

The next set of proofs comes from the folks at GSM Arena, who have just concluded their own battery benchmark tests for the Samsung Galaxy S3.

On the 3G talk time test, which measures how long the phone can be used to talk on a single charge, Samsung Galaxy S3 lasted 10 hours and 20 minutes. This was good enough to beat Galaxy S2's 8 hours and 35 minutes, as well as competitors like the HTC One X, which clocked close 9 hours and 57 minutes. Motorola Droid Razr Maxx and its monster-size battery lasted 20 hours and 24 minutes.

The Samsung Galaxy S3's SUPER AMOLED HD screen is proven to be quite detrimental for web browsing, but it still performed admirably. The phone lasted 5 hours and 17 minutes in the web browsing test, a good one hour more than HTC One X's performance. Again, the Droid Razr Maxx was king with 7 hours and 23 minutes.

Who doesn't love to catch up on their favorite TV series while on the road or to avoid awkward conversations during lunch break? You'll be pleased to know that the Samsung Galaxy S3 managed to last 10 full hours of video playback. Though it can't beat Droid Razr Maxx's time of 14 hours and 17 minutes, it almost doubles HTC One X's 5 hours and 45 minutes.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 may not be the absolute dream phone for everyone, but it's apparent from the benchmark tests that its battery performance is something that Samsung has gotten right.


This article, Early benchmarks show Samsung Galaxy S3 leading the pack in battery life. One X left in the dust , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Seven major alternatives to Google Drive

Posted: 15 May 2012 12:00 AM PDT

So, Google has opened up Google Drive to us. While some are welcoming it with open arms, other are taking a stand against what they perceive to be a blatant ripoff of Dropbox and similar services. Other people just don’t like the ‘privacy policy’ in the Google Terms Of Service, which must be agreed upon when you join. Whatever your own thoughts are on the matter, here are the best alternatives to Google Drive as a web storage service.

Dropbox

dropbox

You knew it would be here. It’s safe to say that with the arrival of Google Drive, Dropbox is feeling threatened to say the least. Here is what the CEO sarcastically tweeted regarding Google’s web-storage service announcement:

I’ve used Dropbox for a year or two now, and never had a single complaint or problem with it. Setting it up is easy on any device, it’s simple to use, and sharing your files with others is a breeze. However, whilst Dropbox offers a default 2GB to free customers, Google Drive offers 5GB.

The best part of Dropbox for me is that it supports Linux systems. Since that is all I use, no other service can rival Dropbox. It’s near essential in my work now. When I take screenshots on my devices for reviews, I use the Dropbox Share option and watch it appear on my desktop a moment later. This feature alone makes the service highly convenient.

DropSnap

dropsnap

If you use Dropbox to save photos you take for viewing on your computer later, then DropSnap compliments Dropbox perfectly. It sends your precious moments up to the cloud straight from your Android phone. The idea behind the app is a bit like LightBox but with a focus on Dropbox users.

The basic operation of this app involves setting a folder to be synced, and then as soon as a new photo is added, the program alerts the user that it’s ready to sync. The application is free, however you can make a $3.99 in-app purchase to make the syncing process totally automatic.

Box

box

Though geared up towards slightly more professional environments, Box works just as well as Dropbox. One of the distinctions between the two is that Box is slightly better suited towards projects. Instead of automatically syncing every change you make to a file, like Dropbox does, Box waits for you to choose to upload and “commit” the file for you or others to access later.

Box has a very attractive and fully functional Android application for you to enjoy. The computer version is browser based, and has an appearance that is similar to that of Dropbox. Personal users of the service get 5GB upon completion of free sign-up. However, if you bought a device in the Sony Xperia line within the last year, you probably were able to take advantage of the 50Gb offered by the Sony/Box partnership.

SugarSync

SugarSync is quite a bit more complex and feature-rich than Dropbox, and puts it to shame in that regard. While it offers the same basic service that Dropbox does, it’s easy to get lost and confused in all the options. The Android application is rather basic but gets the job done. However, it doesn’t have tablet optimization. Users are provided with 5GB of storage.

Amazon Cloud Drive

amazon-cloud-drive

Amazon is a new player in the cloud. They’ve designed their offering to be a hybrid between a storage service and what appears to be a Pandora-esque  music service. You can’t stream other users’ music; you can only stream what you upload and they’ve even built in a nifty app called the Cloud Player. The service comes as part of the Amazon MP3 Android app, launched so far only in the US.

LG Cloud 

lg-cloud

Last but not least, LG announced recently it will jump into the cloud storage game with its service, aptly named LG Cloud. This app is a bit tricky because your cost of service depends on what your usage will be. LG says it is proud of its RTS (Real-Time Streaming) which delivers almost instant streaming from the cloud.  Free or paid, however, the typical 5GB of space is provided to users.

Manufacturers Storage

android Manufacturers

A lot of devices today come pre-loaded with web-storage features offered by the manufacturers. I remember my Transformer came with “Asus WebStorage”. HTC also has an arrangement with Dropbox which ensures each HTC customer receives an additional 25GB of storage.

On a sidenote, Samsung has acquired mSpot in order to launch their own service, S-Cloud. The flagship Samsung S3, recently unveiled to the public eye, will have an Android app to provide access to this service. Rumors are also swirling about the idea of an “S-Radio” feature being integrated into the service. Either way, it’s clearly a counter maneuver to LG’s Cloud. Details have yet to be provided on whether more than the industry-standard 5GB will be provided to free users.

Which is best for which task?

For management of your own files across several devices, whatever they may be, Dropbox is awarded the gold medal. If you’re looking to collaborate as a team, then I would recommend Box, although Dropbox claims to be designed for teams too. If you are looking for storage on a team project, try both and see which one suits you best. If you want lots of features and high levels configuration, give SugarSync a go. If you want a reliable service to store your music and videos and then stream to your Android device, Amazon Cloud Drive has the goods for you.

What’s your favorite?

No related posts.


This article, Seven major alternatives to Google Drive , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


HTC One X issue breaks Android multi-tasking

Posted: 14 May 2012 11:18 PM PDT

Android multi-tasking has been praised for years as one of the best multi-tasking systems in the mobile industry. UI wise, webOS has always been better, because it was much more intuitive, but ICS has solved much of that problem, at least if manufacturers keep using the software buttons and multi-tasking button (which Samsung doesn’t do with the Galaxy S3).

iOS took years before it implemented “some” multi-tasking capability, and even now it still only works for a few types of apps. WP7 multi-tasking is also quite poor and doesn’t keep almost anything in the background, not even an IM. RIM may have the most advanced multi-tasking system right now, because every single app keeps running in the background, although it remains to be seen, with BB10 smartphones, if that was a wise choice or not for battery life. But even so, Android multi-tasking remains at least a top 2 in the industry.

Unfortunately, HTC seems to be taking that position way down (some even say worse than iOS) with the One X. They’ve implemented such aggressive memory management that once you switch to a different application, your previous application will be deleted from memory, so if you use multi-tasking at all on your phone, that means those apps will have to load again.

This is not how Android normally manages multi-tasking. Usually, apps stay in memory until there is very little of it left, and only then the “oldest” apps in memory start to drop out, and make room for the newest apps in memory. This allows the user to easily switch between many previous applications without reloading them every time.

Android may or may not need a bit more aggressive memory management, so that if you have 1 GB of memory, or even 2 GB like some new phones will have, it shouldn’t wait until you have only 30 MB left to clear up the old apps. But killing them as soon as you enter a new app, seems like a huge, well, overkill. It makes the large amounts of RAM modern Android devices have almost useless, and breaks the multi-tasking experience for Android users.

Here’s a video depicting the problem, courtesy of YouTube user wrxdrunkie:


This article, HTC One X issue breaks Android multi-tasking , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Thai Government to buy almost a million Android 4.0 tablets for $81 each

Posted: 14 May 2012 10:55 PM PDT

It looks like tablets will be popular in schools in the future, and should replace the netbooks and even the low-end laptops that governments from around the world have tried to buy in the past for educational purposes. Tablets are easier to handle and easier to use than a PC, not to mention much cheaper. So it’s a perfect fit. We’ve covered before the cheap Aakash tablet that the Indian government has commissioned for school children, and now it seems that other nations are walking down the same path.

The Thai Government is making the biggest educational purchase so far in the tablet market, buying 400,000 7-inch tablets for $32.8 million right now, and the authorities are considering buying another batch of 530,000 such tablets if everything goes well. The goal of the program is to eventually provide all first-graders with such an educational device.

It’s hoped that replacing traditional books and paper with interactive devices will eventually help the SE Asian country’s educational system to meet the challenges of a rapidly developing society.

The tablet in question is a 7-inch Android 4.0 device, called Scopad SP0712, which will have a 1.2 Ghz processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage, and even GPS. The display doesn’t look half bad either, and it seems to be a capacitive one, which should offer a much better experience than some $100 tablets with resistive screens.

We don’t know what’s the resolution, but hopefully it’s 1024×600, which (for the average consumer) is a minimum for 7-inch tablets (1280×800, ideally). My guess is it’s only 800×480, but even though that’s pretty low, remember that we’re dealing with first-graders from Thailand here, who have probably never held a tablet. I think they will be extremely impressed anyway.

Plus, we can see from an older version of this tablet running Gingerbread, that it works quite well:


This article, Thai Government to buy almost a million Android 4.0 tablets for $81 each , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


T-Mobile rolls out ICS update for HTC Sensation 4G on May 16, HTC Amaze 4G coming soon

Posted: 14 May 2012 10:35 PM PDT

HTC-Sensation t mobile

T-Mobile USA has updated its support page for the HTC Sensation 4G, finally bringing some news on the Android 4.0.3 ICS upgrade that owners of the phone have been longing for. After promising early in the month that the update to Ice Cream Sandwich would be here "very soon", the carrier is now ready to open its dessert bar on May 16.

As stated on T-Mobile’s website, the OTA update for the HTC Sensation 4G will roll out starting May 16. Aside from all of the features of ICS that one can expect, such as Face Unlock and re-sizeable widgets, you will also get HTC Sense 3.6 as part of the package. T-Mobile promises improved battery life performance as well.

If you're getting weary about not seeing the OTA update, you can also push for it manually by requesting the ICS update from your phone. You might even get it early if you try it now, who knows.

In other related news, the support page for another HTC phone on T-Mobile has also been updated. Owners of HTC Amaze 4G, get ready to receive the Android 4.0.3 ICS upgrade on your phone in the coming weeks. Previous leaked document showed that the ICS upgrade for the HTC Sensation 4G and the HTC Amaze 4G was scheduled for June 16. Since the HTC Sensation 4G is getting it early, the HTC Amaze 4G might just get it around the same time as well. We'll keep you posted.

Any sign of ICS yet on your HTC Sensation 4G?


This article, T-Mobile rolls out ICS update for HTC Sensation 4G on May 16, HTC Amaze 4G coming soon , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Best Android apps for meditation and relaxation

Posted: 14 May 2012 09:00 PM PDT

Are you always busy and can never find the time to unwind? A good night’s sleep will always be your easiest getaway from a stressful day. Unfortunately, that’s easier to say and harder to do, especially when you’ve got a lot of things on your mind, not to mention all the noise caused by your neighbors or other people in the house. Don’t worry because you can now use your Android device to help you meditate, relax, and sleep. Here’s a list of the best Android apps found on the Google Play Store for meditation and relaxation.

Qi Gong Meditation Relaxation

Tai Chi is a famous way to exercise, helping us to relax the mind and the body by relieving stress and relaxing the muscles. On the other hand, it requires years of training and commitment, which can be difficult for busy people. Qi Gong Meditation Relaxation is an app that teaches Qi Gong, which is a basic form of Tai Chi, through video tutorials. It teaches the three methods of relaxation, namely breathing, muscle relaxation and guided imagery. The app also comes with relaxing audios, such as the sounds of meadows, a mountain cabin, a day on the farm, a magical forest for children and a rainbow of emotions, letting you experience tranquility. You don’t have to pay a single cent for this app. Learning how to meditate and relax is yours for free!

Buddhist Meditation Trainer

If you’re too busy and you’ve got a lot of things on your mind, it’s easy to lose focus. This could end up in a mess as you begin to jumble things in your mind when you don’t even know what to do first. That’s why it’s necessary to find time to relax and meditate to restore some order to your busy life. Buddhist Meditation Trainer can help you out. It’s a simple app that helps in training on relaxation and enlightened meditation.

The app fulfills its purpose by providing you with quotes to meditate on. It has a meditation timer to measure the duration of your meditation and it features 10 levels of enlightenment. So you won’t get swept up in the hustle and bustle of a busy day, Buddhist Meditation Trainer can give you daily notifications so you’ll never forget to meditate. Buddhist Meditation is a free trainer for happiness and enlightenment.

Self-Hypnosis for Meditation

Are thinking too hard about the things around you? Self-Hypnosis for Meditation is an app that can help you achieve a peaceful mind. The app does this by providing sound tracks which have been professionally designed to help the mind find its way to different states of meditation and relaxation. Metaphors and suggestions are also used by the app to train your mind and your subconscious to be at peace. All that needs to be done is to follow the step by step instructions and to posses the commitment to achieve relaxation. Self-Hypnosis for Meditation is free to download from the Google Play Store.

iZen – Art of Zen Meditation

There are a lot of ways to achieve relaxation and one of them is Zen meditation. iZen is an app designed to help you practice Zen meditation. The app works by providing Zen music to help the mind achieve tranquility and peace. Zen music claims to help the mind reach a state of inner calm that cannot be achieved while meditating even in absolute silence.

The app has a timer which you can set based on how long you would want to meditate. The Zen music will end based on the time setting of your session. The app currently has eight meditation tracks and four of which are available in this free version. Attain inner peace by using iZen.

Relax and Rest Meditations

Famous forms of meditation involve relaxing and finding inner peace or enlightenment by just listening to the tranquil sounds of nature. Relax and Rest Meditations is different because of its guided meditation. This app guides you through your meditation as you listen to a sweet and peaceful voice throughout your session. It also provides you with written meditation tips to enhance your experience and make it more effective.

This app is flexible because you can use it depending on the available time you have. It has a 5-minute Breath Awareness Guided Meditation for your short breaks while you’re on the job, a 13-munite Deep Rest Meditation if you feel like sleeping, and a 24-minute Whole Body Relaxation for a complete meditation that you can do at home. You can decide whether you want to listen to natural sounds during your session. It has three nature tracks available namely rain, ocean, and stream. On the other hand, you need to pay a small fee to enjoy the benefits of this app.

Hypnosis – (Free) Relaxation

Another app that makes use of hypnosis is Hypnosis-(Free) Relaxation. It’s not like what you see in the movies where people get hypnotized by watching a pendulum swing in front of their eyes. This app simply works with guided meditation where a voice speaks throughout the session. It claims to help relax the mind with the use of voice audio and music tracks.

The app features an option to switch between a female or male voice depending on the user’s preference. It also has an audio mixer where the volume contrast of the voice audio/music can be adjusted. It has six basic relaxation options along with two cycling music tracks. You also get new sessions and updates every week. Try Hypnosis-(Free) relaxation for free from the Google Play Store.

Calming Music to Tranquilize

Tranquil and soothing music is always the best partner for doing Tai chi. It gives you a sense of inner peace as you listen to those kinds of sounds. Calming Music to Tranquilize is an app that gives you several choices of tranquil sound tracks. Whether you want to do your Tai Chi session or you just want to meditate, you can listen to these tracks to to relax and refresh your mind.

This app introduces you more to the Chinese culture with its Chinese style interface. It features different meditative states and elaborate descriptions. Find time to relax and listen to traditional Chinese music with this app, it’s free at the Google Play Store.

Deep Sleep with Andrew Johnson

Another app that helps you to get a good night’s sleep is Deep Sleep with Andrew Johnson. Deep Sleep also gives you guided meditation, designed to relax and clear your mind to get you to sleep. All you have to do is listen to the voice audio and you’ll hardly notice when you have fallen asleep. This is would be a great thing for people who experience sleeping disorders like insomnia. Deep Sleep with Andrew Johnson will guide your mind to a restful sleep. Though the app is not free, it is definitely worth trying.

Yoga Nidra Meditation (Free)

Another famous relaxation technique and exercise is Yoga. It has several variations and Yoga Nidra Meditation is an app that lets you experience yoga in a different way. It helps in relaxation through guided meditation. Yoga Nidra has several benefits, including relaxation, the reduction of stress and anxiety, improving the immune and lymphatic system, detoxifying your body and more.

Yoga Nidra Meditation is easy to learn, and it can be done anywhere. You can use your own background music and choose to measure your sessions with your own alarm. The free version of this app only has a 7-minute guided meditation. To have longer meditation sessions, you have to download the premium version of the app.

Relax Melodies

Most of the apps that we have featured so far utilize relaxing music to help attain a state of calmness or deep sleep. Relax Melodies also does the same. What’s different about this app is that it can be customized. You can mix your favorite sounds to create, save, and name your own tracks. You can choose from 41 ambient sounds and you can also adjust sound volume individually. Relax your mind and go to sleep easily with Relax Melodies. You can download it free from the Google Play Store.

Whether you want to relax for a minute while you are working or you want to get a good night’s sleep, there is an app for you. Try it now, download an Android app that would help you relax and unwind from your stressful day. If your favorite meditation and relaxation app didn’t make it to the list, share it with us in the comments section.


This article, Best Android apps for meditation and relaxation , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


All major UK carriers unveil their Samsung Galaxy S3 offerings

Posted: 14 May 2012 10:43 AM PDT

xl_Samsung_GalaxyS3_3

With technology enthusiasts in the United States still not knowing when (and for what price) to expect the Galaxy S3, Sammy's new flagship phone, things are starting to shape up in Europe.

UK's most important carriers have officially announced when they’ll put the phone up for sale and how much it will cost. The good news is that you'll be able to get the Galaxy S3 free of charge. The bad news is that not all carriers offer the next Galaxy for free, and those that do require some hefty new plans to be activated.

Vodafone will be the first UK carrier to sell the S3, one day before all its competitors, and will also be the first to offer both the 16 and the 32 GB versions. Starting on May 29, you'll be able to get the Galaxy S3 for free if you choose the £36 a month two-year plan, including 1200 minutes, 3000 texts and 500 MB of data.

O2, Three and Orange will start selling the Galaxy S3 on May 30 and, like Vodafone, they all have plans allowing you to get the phone without paying anything upfront. Three's plan is the most affordable and will cost you a mere £34 a month, Orange will charge you £36 each month, while O2's contract will get £41 out of your pockets every 30 days.

As for included options, all three plans are pretty generous, with O2 leading the pack with a slight advantage, offering 600 minutes of voice calls, unlimited text messages, and 1 GB of data a month for two full years.

The latest UK carrier to announce its exact plans for the Galaxy S3 is T-Mobile. Unfortunately, on May 30, T-Mobile customers will not be able to get the Samsung Galaxy S3 free of charge, the phone's starting price on-contract being £49.99.

However, you should keep in mind that T-Mobile has, by far, the most generous plans in the UK, the Full Monty two-year agreement (going with the S3) including unlimited data, texts and calls to other T-Mobile customers, as well as 2,000 minutes of monthly voice calls to other networks. You'll only have to pay £36 a month for all these, so, in the long term, T-Mo's offer might actually be more affordable than those of Vodafone, O2, Three, or Orange.

What do you UK tech geeks have to say about your carriers' offers? Are you satisfied with the prices and plans announced for the Galaxy S3? Will you be getting in line for one of Sammy's new flagship phones on May 29 and 30? What is the best deal money can buy, in your opinion?


This article, All major UK carriers unveil their Samsung Galaxy S3 offerings , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Virgin’s LG Optimus Elite pre-orders already sold out, on sale Tuesday for $149.99

Posted: 14 May 2012 10:28 AM PDT

LG might not represent a force to be reckoned with in the high-end smartphone market niche, but when it comes to entry-level Android devices, the company has had its fair share of success. The latest low-end device to enjoy a US release is the Optimus Elite, available on Sprint for a couple of weeks already and set to hit Virgin Mobile tomorrow.

The pre-orders for the eco-friendly 3.5-incher on Virgin Mobile started last week and, much to our surprise, the phone's stocks have already been exhausted. Could the interest over the Optimus Elite have been so high that Virgin simply doesn't have any devices left? Or could it just be a marketing scheme, a way to build up hype around the phone with just hours before its official release?

I personally think that the second version is more likely, but we will find out tomorrow if there are enough Elites for both for the pre-order customers and for the people who haven't shown an interest in the phone so far.

The LG Optimus Elite, offered by Sprint for $29.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a two-year agreement, will go on Virgin Mobile for $149.99. The price is without any contract obligations, and Virgin is also putting at your disposal a nifty $35 a month plan with unlimited data and messaging, as well as hundreds of talk minutes.

If you don't know what the phone is all about, you shouldn't expect too much raw power, as it packs a modest single-core 800 MHz processor and features 512 MB of RAM, as well as a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and 4 GB of internal storage. Sporting a 320-by-480 display, the Elite runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread out of the box, which is disappointing, but comes with NFC and Google Wallet, which might make up for the poor software at least in some small part.

Sprint has also been heavily advertising the handheld’s Carbon-free and ULE Platinum certification, and being eco-friendly and all. Nevertheless, Virgin Mobile has’t mentioned anything about such features on its official website, so this version might be less "earth friendly".

How do you guys feel about Virgin’s LG Optimus Elite? Will you be watching the carrier’s website closely tomorrow to see if there are actually any phones left? Is the Elite worth $150? Hit us with a comment and tell us your opinions!

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This article, Virgin’s LG Optimus Elite pre-orders already sold out, on sale Tuesday for $149.99 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Best Android apps for personal financial management

Posted: 14 May 2012 09:00 AM PDT

With the tough economic situation of today, we could use any help we can get in order to stay on top of our financial situation and to monitor our budgets effectively. Perhaps you could use some help in keeping track of your financial health. Android Authority has done a search for you and we now bring you the best apps for personal finance management:

Mint.com

Managing and monitoring your entire personal financial portfolio can be daunting. And if you're a busy bee, it's even more challenging to extract a quick yet comprehensive view of your cash flow right when you need it. All that is about to change with the Mint.com app.

Mint.com for Android makes it really easy to track your spending, budget your cash, and manage your hard-earned money. It conveniently pools all of your personal finance accounts into one place so you can access the information you need from anywhere, even when you're offline, as the app saves data from your latest download. Charts and graphs that are easy on the eyes give you an overview of your financial situation, while email or text alerts make sure you don't miss your next payment due date or fall behind on your bills.

Don't worry about anyone hacking into your personal finance accounts. Mint.com for Android is password-protected and even if you lose your phone, you can log on to Mint.com and disable device access within minutes.

 

Easy Money

If you're getting lost in the confusing maze of your finances and it's threatening to swallow you whole, the Easy Money app will help you make sense of everything and regain control. A data entry system that's simple and intuitive makes the work easier for you, and income and expense categories that are fully customizable give you the flexibility you need, whether you prefer the big picture or going down to minute details.

Interactive reports and graphs bring the fun back in budgeting and make comparing expenses vs. income convenient. Monitor your accounts by setting limits and keep track of these using color-coded "financial health" bars.

Have multiple accounts in multiple currencies? Easy Money will gladly take on the task of tracking across these accounts. You can also take photos of bills and receipts for later archiving and tracking and QIF and CSV files can be exported to desktop expense trackers. Repeating and split transactions are supported, and other nifty features include a Checkbook Manager, a Home Screen Widget, SD card back-up, and a 4-digit security PIN.

 

Money Lover – Expense Manager

Need to manage your dollars, dineros, or yen? Look no further than the Money Lover app. A simple way to track and monitor your finances, Money Lover supports 45 types of currencies and operates in various languages such as English, Vietnamese, Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, French, among others. If you're a travel bug, you'll find this app to be of utmost utility.

Keep tabs of your cash flow by adding financial details—specify if cash coming in is from your salary, sales, or dividends and take note if cash going out of your wallet is for the bills, food, or gas. The Money Lover app also acts as a financial calendar, reminding you of payment deadlines, scheduled transactions, or recurring deposits.

As with other Android apps, widgets are also available for your use, but make sure not to save the app on your SD card, as this will disable the widgets.

 

Financisto

An open source personal finance manager, Financisto is somewhat the darling of developers (and app users alike). In addition to being a fully functional tool for personal finance management, Financisto prides itself with lending a caring ear to its customers' feedback and with being able to deliver on requests and fixes promptly.

What Financisto lacks in the colorful graphs and charts department it makes up for in the added features it offers to users at zero charge. One big feature that it boasts of is giving users the ability to back up all their information to the cloud on storage clients such as Dropbox and Google Docs.

Supporting multiple accounts and currencies, scheduled and recurring transactions, and QIF/CSV import and export, Financisto comes with a handy camera feature that allows you to take photos and attach these as supporting documents for transactions. Organizing is made easy with hierarchical categories with custom attributes. Now that's an app you can tailor to suit your needs!

 

AndroMoney

If you're looking to manage some of your personal finances on your mobile device while on the go but you're also doing some of that on your laptop or desktop, then the AndroMoney app is for you. Powerful and easy to use, AndroMoney supports back-up to MS Excel or Mac Number for synching across multiple devices and operating systems.

AndroMoney's built-in number pad allows to you make rapid calculations with a tap of a button. Graphs and charts that illustrate cash flow help make you informed decisions. Coupled with a password protection feature, AndroMoney is a powerhouse that supports multiple accounts, account balance and transfer, and any currency with downloadable rates.

Manage your categories effectively with AndroMoney's neat custom attributes. You can also choose from among simple, detailed, or custom budgets, and the app provides you with an expense and income summary. What's not to love about AndroMoney?

 

MoneyWise

A fully functional power budgeting tool, the MoneyWise app address your need to be in full control of your budget by offering you professional filtering options that make keeping an eye on your cash flow a breeze. Users can add as many details to their categories as they would like, and these can then be used to filter through different kinds of information to make sure you have the data you need at a given time. This saves you a lot of trouble from having to dig through huge piles of information and keeps the clutter away.

The professional graphs are another plus for the MoneyWise app, as it allows users to construct graphs by category and to prepare graphs for expenses over time, aiding in analysis and making informed financial decisions. Currencies can be switched when traveling and a cool feature marks transactions as cleared by the bank so that you won't keep wondering about the status of your payments.

 

Expense Manager

If you work around your budget within timelines, you'll find a great buddy in the Expense Manager app. Organizing and tracking your income and expenses by week, month, and year as well as by other categories is sure to keep you on top of your budget and in good financial shape.

Expense Manager supports cloud (for Android v.2.2) and SD card backup, so you can rest knowing that your data is safe. The app also allows you to take pictures of receipts for when you can't spare time to record transaction details. A reliable search feature is included, as well as payment alerts, import and export capabilities, and support for multiple accounts and scheduled payments.

In order to make the currency exchange rate work, though, you will need to be connected to the Internet. Other than that, Expense Manager is a simple and smart tool that can help you stay liquid and stable.

 

CWMoney Expense Track

The CWMoney Expense Track app is perfect for those who would like to inject a little life into their drab budgeting activities. The UI Theme Select feature gives you the freedom to choose elements of the app interface, making expense tracking more enjoyable and personalized.

The app's handy calculator can help you make quick computations and projections. The detailed categories can also be made to have custom attributes, making sorting and tracking easier. Transfers, filtering, pie chart reporting, data export to Excel XML and CSV, and data back-up to Dropbox, Gmail, or FTP are among the features that make the CWMoney Expense Track a reliable budgeting partner.

Having to switch through multiple accounts and multiple currencies won't be a problem for users of the CWMoney Expense Track app. Users of devices with a camera will delight in the app's ability to take pictures of receipts or documents for later reference.

 

Easy Envelope Budget Aid

With budgeting, the adage sometimes also holds true: the more, the merrier. There's more fun and less stress if more people are involved in making the budget work. Plus, you can be more motivated to learn how to live within your means if done with a partner or group.

The developers behind the Easy Envelope Budget Aid (EEBA) app know this and more. By designing an app based on the old school method of separating cash into envelopes for different purposes, the guys who built EEBA understand that a little fun in budgeting can go a long way.

With the EEBA app, virtual envelopes help keep you within budget. Users can easily check envelope balances and track expenses using this proven cash budgeting method. Register so you can synch your phone with 2 or more users for a shared budget.

Data back-up is done on EEBA's site so you'll never lose your data due to a faulty app update or error. Transactions can be downloaded to CSV and bank account statements can be imported in QFX formats. The add-free, free forever version offers 10 regular and 10 annual budgeting envelopes. Isn't that a sweet deal?

 

Pageonce

Using spreadsheets to track your budget is so last century. And you can forget about falling in line to pay your bill. With Pageonce, you can automatically track, control, and pay your bills all within one reliable and safe app.

Staying on top of your bills used to be a chore, but now Pageonce helps you relax and get everything in order. Set up bill due date reminders so you'll never overlook a bill payment again. Get account notifications and real-time alerts that protect your account and monitor your transactions. Throw in your investment portfolio, frequent flyer miles, and mobile phone minutes/text/data usage in the mix! Track them all using just one app.

Pageonce support transactions to all major banks, credit unions, and credit card companies in the country. No need to use multiple apps for different purposes. With the Pageonce app, view all your balances, transactions, payments, due dates, and other financial information at a quick glance.

 

That’s a whole bunch of apps to choose from, all suited for your individual financial management needs. Which app would you go for?

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This article, Best Android apps for personal financial management , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.