Elise - A Responsive Blogger Theme, Lets Take your blog to the next level using this Awesome Theme

This is an example of a Optin Form, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. Find out more...


Following are the some of the Advantages of Opt-in Form :-

  • Easy to Setup and use.
  • It Can Generate more email subscribers.
  • It’s beautiful on every screen size (try resizing your browser!)

Saturday 8 September 2012

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Poweramp Full Version Unlocker Free Download


Powerful Music Player for Android
This application unlocks 
Poweramp (Trial), powerful music player
for Android. Please install Poweramp Music Player (Trial) 
application first. Unlocker removes the trial period limitation. Any 
version of Poweramp can be unlocked (v2.x and v1.x).

Key Features


  • plays mp3, mp4/m4a (including alac), ogg, wma*, flac, wav, ape, 
  • wv, tta, mpc, aiff (* some wma pro files may require NEON 
  • support)
  • 10 band optimized graphical equalizer for all supported formats, presets, custom presets
  • separate Bass and Treble adjustment
  • stereo eXpansion, mono mixing, balance
  • crossfade
  • gapless
  • replay gain
  • plays songs from folders and from own library
  • dynamic queue
  • embed and standalone .cue files support
  • support for m3u, m3u8, pls, wpl playlists
  • OpenGL based cover art animation
  • downloads missing album art
  • 4 configurable widget types
  • configurable lock screen with optional Direct Unlock
  • headset support, automatic Resume on headset and/or BT connection (can be disabled in settings)
  • scrobbling
  • lyrics support, including lyrics search via musiXmatch plugin
  • tag editor
  • visual themes, including support for external/3rd party skins
  • fast library scan
  • high level of customization via settings
  • works on Android 2.1+, optimized for Android 2.3/Gingerbread, 3.0/Honeycomb, 4.0/ICS
  • localized into Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish
  • Read more about Poweramp 
Screen Shot Poweramp




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Wednesday 15 August 2012

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New Blogger App For Blogging On Your Android Phone


there's an app for that bloggerOne of the things Blogger have been working on over the last few years is making posting to your blog more Versatile.This was evident with the introduction of Phone And Email Posting To Blogger launched in 2009.That update allowed you to post from your phone via SMS, MMS And Email.Today Blogger Launched it's very own app for your android phone that will make it even easier to post to your blog wherever you are.

I think the idea behind making it as easy as possible to post from your Mobile Phone is more about what you can post in real time rather than being an alternative to using your laptop.With The option to publish a post with a text message, Email and now via an app you can take a picture or short video and have it on your blog instantly.


There's An App For That

To get the new Blogger App you can find the Free Download Here - Blogger App Download

You can get more information on the official Blogger Blog here -
Blogger Buzz Android App.

Drop Your Comments, Views And Questions Below.
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Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Review

Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich review
We've finally got our hands on the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus, so we've taken an in-depth look at Google's latest OS: Android 4.0, or Ice Cream Sandwich to its friends.
Google has told us that this is one of the biggest overhauls of the operating systems since it unleashed the Android project three years ago - and there's certainly a lot to plough through.
From enhanced contact menus to improved keyboards and NFC capabilities, even the most ardent Android users will have to spend some time getting used to the new OS - so let's dive in.

Interface

The most noticeable change with Ice Cream Sandwich is the interface - it might follow the same principles as the Android of old, but the way it's used is radically different in a number of ways.
Firstly, Android 4.0 is designed to work without buttons. That's not to say your Galaxy S2's keys won't work when the update happens, but going forward, it's going to be pristine bezels all the way.
Ice cream sandwich review
Now to navigate around, you're offered three softkeys: Back, Home and Multi-tasking (or Recent Apps). The latter is particularly new for phones, and comes from the Honeycomb UI - basically a set of thumbnails that show recently opened apps.
Here's the new part: swipe sideways to shut down an application, which will greatly help reduce the battery consumption of your phone if there's something silently updating in the background.
The Home and Back buttons are the same as they've always been, but no longer have a 'long press' function attached... so you can't automatically call up the keyboard, for instance.
If you move into something media-ish, such as watching a movie or browsing the web like a pro, these three buttons shrink down to tiny dots, so you've got more of the screen to look at. However, remember what each dot does, as pressing it will take you home/open the recent apps etc and you might not want to.
Ice cream sandwich review
For Android fans, this presents something of an issue: with the menu button gone, you'll have to hunt around the screen for three vertical dots which have taken its place. However, these can be anywhere, so sometimes you'll get distracted trying to work out how on earth to alter settings.
The multi-tasking pane also seems an odd choice for one of three buttons - it used to be you could access this functionality by long-pressing the home key, and it makes more sense to keep this and then have the multi-tasking slot taken up by a menu key.
Ice cream sandwich review
However, despite the odd placement, the multi-tasking pane is cool - simply swipe horizontally on any open app to shut it down, in a similar way to the Cards system on webOS - it certainly helps keep open applications under control.
The home screens are once again limited to five, but this time there's no option to get rid of those you don't want. It's not a huge issue to some people, but with the expandable widgets and loads of apps you'll be looking to download, we'd have expected more.
However, we wouldn't worry too much about that - the Nexus S only had a limited number of homescreens, but as soon as the rest of the industry got its hands on the OS there were millions of the things flying around.
There's a plethora of tiny tweaks and changes to the Android OS that we were impressed with, ranging from the Tron-like blue theme that pervades throughout the OS to the ability to unlock the phone simply by using your face.
Ice cream sandwich review
The latter security option is more novelty than anything else, with Google outlining at the start that it's not meant to be 100% secure.
We also found a few issues with getting it to recognise our face in varying light levels, or even working out which bit of the picture was a face - not the most effective for unlocking your handset, but when it works it's a great party trick.
The notifications bar has been given a functionality overhaul to now include larger information slots - if it's a contact that's sending you a message or a missed call, their contact photo will now appear too, which is a nice touch.
Ice cream sandwich review
And sometimes you want to get rid of some notifications, but not others - this has been taken care of by allowing you to swipe away the updates about apps and messages you don't care about, making it easy to maintain your info bar.Settings has also been given a spot in the notifications pane, meaning no matter where you are in the OS you can always duck out and tinker with the phone - this is excellent news for some applications that need GPS or Wi-Fi enabled swiftly.
However, we would have though Google would have copied the likes of Samsung or HTC here and offered one-tap switching to these elements - it works really well on most phones, so we're surprised by its omission.
The other new addition is the dock at the bottom of the screen - this stays on every home screen, and like iOS can be altered to contain the applications you like to tap away at the most.
Ice cream sandwich review
Folders are more iOS-like too, with users given the ability to drag and drop icons on top of one another from the home screen to create bundles of apps which you can simply rename. Given Apple's ire about Google 'stealing' certain elements of its UI, we can't help but think this will create a little more angst down on Infinite Loop.
Ice cream sandwich review
Google is clearly also thinking about giving users more ability to enjoy apps than ever before by putting a link to the Market in the top right hand corner of the menu screen, which we really liked as it meant we always knew we could quickly update our app catalogue when needed.
The other big change is widgets have been brought to the fore: you can now look at each one on the menu screen without having to actually select it - this really helps when a new application you've downloaded has an associated widget and you're wondering whether to waste time popping it on the home screen.
Ice cream sandwich review
Overall, we love what Google has done with the Ice Cream Sandwich UI. It's nothing mind-blowing, but the little touches here and there will add to user delight, and that's what's needed to chip away at those that are dyed-in-the-wool iPhone users.
People 
The contacts system has been much improved with Ice Cream Sandwich, with a completely different font (called Roboto, and used throughout Android 4.0) and pleasantly clean blue and white interface to roll through.
The contacts list is the same as it's ever been - insofar as it's a list of people with contact pictures next to their name. But the differences are quite large: for instance, social networking updates from the likes of Google+ and Twitter are available by tapping to open a contact profile then swiping to the left.
There's no Facebook integration as yet, but that's likely to be on the way soon as the social network updates its API. We've reached out to both parties to find out, so we'll let you know when we do.
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The layout is lovely though, especially on the larger screen of the Galaxy Nexus making it easy to scroll through all your buddies in one go. The large tab to let you jump the correct letter of your contact's name has gone, but now just sliding your finger along the right hand side of the screen is enough.
The downside to the OS, and one that the likes of HTC will leap upon to improve, is the linking of the contacts together. You have to open the person's profile, tap the menu to edit, then tap the menu again to Join contacts together from other social networks.
Ice cream sandwich review
It's a really long-winded way of doing things, and one that should be almost automatic - even the suggested contacts once we'd asked to join them together weren't very accurate.
We do like the Google+ integration, as while it's not the most widespread social network around there are some nice tweaks.
Ice cream sandwich review
For instance, the Groups tab now has automatic links to your Google+ Circles making it easier to connect with the people you care with. However, you've also got a favourites tab to play with, and as there's no way to mass communicate with a Circle from the Contacts tab, it's a little redundant.
Messaging 
Google promised to keep updating the keyboard on its new versions of Android, and once again it's come up with a new version of the software - and it's pretty good.
There's not a whole heap of visual changes, bar the predictive suggestions: these have been dropped to just three per word, making it easier to select the word you're after.
Smaller, more subtle vibrations have also been added to each keypress to make it easier to register inputs... we tested this out and it doesn't seem that different to normal haptic feedback, to be honest - but a lot of users are loving it, so we'll give it a crowd-sourced thumbs up.
The accuracy is excellent too on the new keyboard, with even fudge-fingered attempts at writing yielding almost perfect texting. Speech to text is also enhanced, with real time feedback - no longer do you have to wait until you've finished speaking to see what the phone thinks you said, with the cloud-based prediction delivering results as you speak.
Ice cream sandwich review
It worked well over Wi-Fi, but we'll be interested to note how well it works when it comes to 3G network speeds, as Google hinted it had integrated this functionality thanks to the proliferation of 4G signal in the US.
If, like many, you're looking to compare Google's voice recognition to Siri, we'd say that the former is definitely inferior to Apple's effort - but not by a huge amount.
It seems to struggle more with English accents over US, as our buddy Hank (NB - not his real name but included to make it more authentically YooEssAy) was much more accurate with his voicing than we were.
There's no Universal Inbox to speak of here, but we do love the updated Gmail app - sure, HTML emails still don't render as well as they could, but the overall look and feel is improved substantially. The options are all well laid out at the bottom, and the ease of swiping left and right is highly impressive.
Messaging has always been a decent option on Android, and with Ice Cream Sandwich it's a real step forward.
Internet Browser 
As with most inbuilt features on Ice Cream Sandwich, there's a change to the internet browser too.
One of the big differences is the change to the tabbed browsing - now you get to see your entire set of open internet pages simply by scrolling vertically through live thumbnails. It's a nice touch - while it doesn't add much when it comes to functionality, it's much easier to jump between windows than before.
Ice cream sandwich review
Another great notion is the ability to 'Request desktop sites'. This means that while the Android browser might default to the mobile version of some internet websites, some users will need the full content.
Simply tap the relevant option in the menu and you'll get the full flavour instantly, which is very useful for the kind of sites that won't let you jump to the main page easily (BBC iPlayer springs to mind).
Ice cream sandwich review
A sad fact of UK life is that we a) either never have any 3G coverage when we need it or b) are on such a restrictive data plan that we hate having to spend our KBs unnecessarily. Google has thought of this with the option to save pages for offline reading. This basically takes a snapshot of the web page without including the hyperlinks, making it easy to read but not navigate through. But then again, if you're offline you can't link out anyway... so it's not a big deal.
Ice cream sandwich review
We can't fully comment on the speed, as it's partly dependant on hardware how fast things will load; but in tests with the Galaxy S2, which has roughly comparable specs to the Nexus, we noticed some websites popped up much faster.Ice cream sandwich review
But on the Galaxy Nexus we love the internet browser. While other devices might not be as responsive, the browser is quick, slick and responds well to the touch. We're annoyed there's no Flash video on board, but let's face it: the death knell has sounded for that platform, and it will still be coming next month.
Camera
The camera on the Android 4.0 system is much upgraded again, after some real leaps forward from the likes of Éclair and Gingerbread.
The settings are the same as before, with the likes of white balance, exposure and Scenes all inbuilt into the OS. The Scene modes are probably the least important of the lot, as only Night Mode really offers up anything in the way of discernible difference.
However, we liked tinkering about with the exposure settings to capture our shots - this yielded some real differences.
Ice cream sandwich review
The big talking point of the new camera app on the Galaxy Nexus is the zero shutter lag, which is simply ace. It's up there with the iPhone 4S in terms of speed (and probably just beats it, to be honest) and means you can take some cracking shots in the blink of an eye.However, you do sacrifice auto focus to achieve this - but if it's a well-lit scene, you shouldn't have any issues.
The other new feature is the panorama mode, which does as you'd imagine: helps you capture widescreen shots. The phone will help you by telling you to go faster and slower to capture the picture, but the results can be erratic.
Android 4.0 now has a built in editing tool as well, meaning you can alter the quality of your shots very easily - it might not be a full editing suite, but does come up with some nifty ways to tweak your snaps to improve them before never showing them to anyone ever again.
Ice cream sandwich review
It should be noted we're trying all this on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, which is a very powerful phone. Should the same options be offered on single-core devices with a lot less RAM, we doubt the same shutter speed could be achieved.

Video recorder

The video recording has also been improved thanks to the Ice Cream Sandwich update, with the ability to record in time lapse mode, set the white balance and also add in silly video effects too.
We're impressed with the way the latter works, with the phone able to track your face and keep things like a big nose on the screen at all times. Is it useful? No - but it's very 'Google' in the frippery it brings to the phone.
Ice cream sandwich review
It's likely some of these features won't make it to the less powerful phones, as they'll require a little more raw power - but we were impressed with the 1080p footage captured on the Nexus camera.Media
The media capabilities of Ice Cream Sandwich have been much improved in our eyes, with all aspects of the media experience updated to make it that much easier to manoeuvre through your phone.
While some areas could still do with tweaking, we're a world away from the super-basic music app and complete lack of video player on the first Android release.

Music

The music player on Ice Cream Sandwich has been completely overhauled to make it more in keeping with the super-blue theme that pervades throughout the OS.
Ice cream sandwich review
Once opened, you're presented with a playlist of recent songs and albums you've listened to, which instantly makes you feel like the music player is more personalised.
Swiping left and right will get you to Albums, Artists and Songs - although we'd prefer the option to choose the order of these, as many people prefer to jump straight to the songs if they're hankering for a spot of Girls Al... erm, Michael Bub.... erm.... oh sod it. We have awful taste in music.
Google has chucked in a little search icon at the bottom of the app too, along with the 'Now Playing' bar. This makes it simple to jump to a song or artist you've got on your mind.
Ice cream sandwich review
The actual music player itself isn't much to write home about, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. We're talking big album art, and play/skip buttons. Press the little up arrow and you can like/dislike the song or shuffle and repeat songs.
We're not sure what liking a song really does, but we hope it improves the Shuffle aspect.

Video

The video portal has taken on a much larger significance from Google since it unveiled its movie download service, and as such your personal collection will be boosted too.
The new red-themed offering sees you taken to a dual-tabbed arena: one the left side, all the videos you've rented from Android Market, and the right all your personal videos.
Ice cream sandwich review
The big boost here is the clear and easy to use thumbnails with description of each vid; if you've ever used an HTC phone or read our reviews of one, you'll know of our ire at the lack of any kind of signpost as to which video is which.
Whether this system on offer here will continue when manufacturers get all skin-happy on the OS, we don't know - but it at least bodes well.
Ice cream sandwich review
The video player is still disappointingly basic though, with only a slider bad and pause button to mess around with. We're still gobsmacked Google hasn't bought one of the clever apps already on the market (for instance, MVideoPlayer) and offered that as a free premium app to download.
Ice cream sandwich review
We get that simplicity is key for a lot of people, but we really would love a bookmarking system, or the ability to change the screen brightness in the app. If Google now does this - you heard it here first, people.

Books

The Books app is pre-installed in the Galaxy Nexus, and is set to be a staple feature of the Android 4.0 OS too.
It's one of the better e-reading experiences on a mobile phone no matter what the size of the screen - the page turning animations lend a very book-esque experience that many will enjoy.
Ice cream sandwich review
It's a lot like the Kindle app to be honest, although the scroller along the bottom of the application will alert you to the different chapters you're bouncing through, making it easier to find the page you're looking for.
There's also a neat 'view original pages' feature for older books, where the original edition is scanned in to be viewed as the first eyes would have done. It's a cool feature, but one we turned off pretty quickly - we want to be able to read a book properly.
Ice cream sandwich review
The interesting thing is these books are actually stored in the cloud, so each will load the first time you start reading... although the option to make them available offline makes a lot more sense.
Ice cream sandwich review
Given books don't take up much space, we're more than happy to make sure everything is cached... we don't want to be left hanging on the Underground.
Virdict 
Ice cream sandwich review
We'll jump right out and say it: Ice Cream Sandwich is the step forward Android has been crying out for. It's slicker, faster and more intuitive than ever before, and Google should be applauded for improving an already decent system.Google has offered up data management too - you'll be able to set a limit to how much data the phone uses, with warnings and updates on which apps are the most byte-hungry. This is the sort of thinking smartphone users will love.

We liked

The overall look and feel of Android has been streamlined, and that's a real plus in our eyes. Google's OS might be a world-conqueror right now, but that doesn't mean people always know how to use it in the same way they might an iPhone.
Things like contact pictures in the notifications bar, the lack of hardware buttons and moving settings to always be accessible are the sort of things many will love, plopping things where you intuitively expect them to be.
The internet browser's improvements to include desktop sites and offline reading are welcome too - anything that gives the user extra control is a good thing in our opinion.

We disliked

One of our larger gripes with Ice Cream Sandwich is, at times, the over-simplicity. Things like the video player being nothing more than a slider and play button are fine, but we expect to be able to do more with the app as we see fit.
There's also the issue of how the OS will work on less-powerful devices - will the fancy animations and services be as palatable on something that costs less than £100?
The other gripes are truly minor: support for file types, no place for Google Wallet as yet, too few home screens and no way to see them all at once.
These are things that will be fixed with updates or manufacturers simply improving on the OS in the months to come.

Verdict

Google needed to make sure it kept its OS refreshed and current, and Ice Cream Sandwich ticks that box in so many ways.
It's worth remembering that this is the foundation for manufacturers to go and build on - there's a lot more to come in the next 12 months.
However, if this is the platform Google will be using on all Motorola devices when the acquisition is complete then it's a good enough OS in its own right.
In terms of how good you'll think Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich is, it all boils down to personal choice. We're excited to see how manufacturers will customise it and extol the virtues to improve media or the home networking options, but others will simply be huge fans of the simplicity - our score is a mixture of the tools Google has offered up and the base level of performance on show.
But make no mistake - Ice Cream Sandwich is the most accessible and easy-to-learn OS from Google, and that's going to be key in the wars against Apple and Microsoft.
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Android security apps: do you need them?

Android security apps: do you need them?
There are plenty of apps like Norton Tablet Security - but do you really need them?
Malware, malware, viruses, attacks, phone numbers being stolen, lives put at risk, solar flares wiping out the communications grids and so on. All of those scenarios have been blamed on Android recently, as anti-virus companies pitch Google's mobile OS as the next worst thing that'll ruin your life.
But is Android malware an actual real thing? Or is it largely a myth, proven only in exploits performed under laboratory conditions?
Chet Wisniewski, from anti-virus firm Sophos, told us: "It is not terribly widespread outside of China, but the number of malicious apps is increasing dramatically."

"In 2010 we saw around 40 threats, in 2011 more than 400. Evidence for 2012 suggests that number will continue to increase. To date the majority of threats are on unofficial/pirate markets, but we have seen several apps make it onto the Google Play store, only to later be discovered and deleted."

Why is Android vulnerable?

"The ability for users to load software 'off market' opens the door for malicious applications to be distributed without the need for a vulnerability," says Wisniewski, meaning anyone can write an app and anyone can install anything on their Android phone, granting it permission to go wild with their personal data.
Google's main defence is the Android Permissions notifier, which tells you exactly which phone features an app will be able to access once installed. The problem is, no one reads these permissions. It's a boring list of things most of us don't understand. How is the everyday man expected to know if it's right or wrong for a particular app to require access to his contacts details?
There's also the problem of software updates, which has been the bane of Android over the last year or two, as Google relentlessly releases new OS versions and the networks struggle to keep up.
Google Play
Google Play: plenty of security apps are available through the store
"The other factor that increases the risk for Android users is the lack of patches that fix the vulnerabilities that are discovered," says Wisniewski. "Even if Google fixes the flaws in the core version of Android, most carriers and phone makers lag far behind integrating the fixes, if they bother at all."
Which all sounds very worrying, but then again it's common practise and advice throughout the tech world - always update to the latest version of any software. If you've been stranded with an unsupported Android model that's sitting on version 1.6 of the software, you may well be more vulnerable. The hackers have had longer to work on exploits.

Do you need an Android security app?

Wisniewski thinks so, explaining: "Not all security applications are the same, some are more of a marketing effort than a true security application. As the number of attacks increase it is likely we will need to provide protection on the device as well as more carefully screening applications submitted to the marketplaces."
At the other end of the spectrum, a famous rant published on Google+ by Google man Chris DiBona, who's the Open Source Programs Manager at Google, said: "Virus companies are playing on your fears to try to sell you bs protection software for Android, RIM and IOS. They are charlatans and scammers."
Chris DiBona
Google's Chris DiBona: security companies
Most Android malware scare stories are based around one of two extreme premises - theoretical breaches discovered by researchers in their offices but not actually spotted in the real world, or apps that spawn numerous pop-up adverts designed to pull in ad revenue for the few days they're allowed to run riot on Google's Play Store.
The latter is by far the most common. In the run up to the Android launch of iPhone smash Temple Run, numerous clones popped up on the Play Store. Some were rather malicious, redirecting users' browsers to ad-covered web sites and inserting bookmarks, but they didn't have the power to break your phone beyond repair – nor were they technically malware, as they were only doing what users had granted them permission to do so.
No security or anti-virus app will stop something you're specifically handing permission to, so they are, in cases like this, entirely useless.
So while there's certainly a lot of boundary-pushing, invasive software that can legitimately take its place on Google's Play Store, actual reports of phone-breaking data-thievery are extremely rare to come across.

Is my phone infected?

Sophos' most recent Android malware report concerned a game called 'The Roar of the Pharoah' which, it claimed, contained a trojan that could gather your phone number and IMEI code, with the ability to send SMS messages to premium rate services.

Only problem is, this app wasn't found on the Google Play Store. Sophos found it on unnamed "unofficial download sites," so it's entirely possible that no users whatsoever were infected by this apparent threat that gained a lot of internet column inches over the past month.
Another common Android malware fighter and evangelist is McAfee. Its 2011 threat update [PDF] made for worrying reading, claiming that two new viruses - Android/NickiSpy.A and Android/GoldenEagle.A - were found on Android phones in the last quarter of 2011.
Android Nikispy
Android/NickiSpy.A came to the fore late last year
Symantec supplies some data on the number of infections, which show that the Android.Nickispy trojan, which is claimed to have the ability to record users' phone calls, has infected between 0-49 devices. Which is statistically about zero when Google's selling 700,000 Android gadgets every day.

Will it get worse?

Anti-virus firms say yes it will, while Google has recently introduced an app-scanning tool it calls Bouncer, designed to detect common forms of malicious code uploaded to its Android Market and delete them before they can inflict pain on users.

With over 200 million Android devices out there today, and a rather patchwork approach to updating their software, it's inevitable that some older models will be exploited and found more
The rule of thumb is to keep it official, only downloading apps through Google's Play Store, as at least that way you have some form of safety net and the backing of Android's own army of app-checking reporters. And check those permissions when installing an app, as boring a task as it may be. They're your first indication that something's trying to work its way a little too deeply into your phone.
And while anti-virus apps from the big name PC software protection companies are on the rise on Google's Play Store, they won't stop the adware spam apps and fakes, as they rely on you granting them permission to run.
As with most things in life, the sad fact is you're going to have to start paying more attention to the small print if you want to stay exploit free.
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Tuesday 14 August 2012

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15 best Android tablets in the world

15 best Android tablets in the world
Our list of the best Android tablets in the world - regularly updated
If you're looking for a tablet and don't fancy an iPad, then Android is currently the way to go. (Don't know what an Android tablet is? Check out: what is an Android tablet?)
There are other options out there; Windows 7 tablets are available, the BlackBerry PlayBook is on sale now and the HP TouchPad has come and gone in a flurry of £99 ($150) panic-buying. But Android 4.0 (soon to be Android 4.1) is currently the main OS rival to the iPad, and the products are still making their way onto the shelves.

We've saw the launch of Nvidia's next-generation Tegra 3 chip which has taken 2012's quad-core Android tablets to new heights. The likes of the Asus Transformer Prime are beckoning in the new era, and the iPad is starting to feel the heat.
Some tablets have 10-inch screens, others seven, and there are big differences in battery life, processing power and on-board RAM. So while we wait for the likes of the Amazon Kindle Fire 2, let's see what the current best tablets are...

1. Google Nexus 7


Google Nexus 7
Best Android tablet for: quad-core power on a shoe-string
Manufactured by Asus to Google's specifications, the Nexus 7 ushers in a new era of affordable, quality Android tablets.
Packing a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 12 core GPU, 8GB and 16GB internal storage and 7-inch 1280x800 screen, the Nexus 7 certainly has the skills to pay the bills, but at a highly attractive price point.
Laughing in the face of its closest rival, the Amazon Kindle Fire, it looks like Google has got the budget end of the tablet market all wrapped up, that is until the Kindle Fire 2 and iPad Mini come to the fore.
Quick verdict
A quad-core processor, beefy GPU and the first device to run Android Jelly Bean, the Nexus 7 certainly packs a punch. It may not tread a lot of new ground, but the Nexus 7 is a solid performer and easily the best tablet a couple of hundred bucks/pounds can buy.

2. Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

Asus Transformer Prime
Best Android tablet for: tablet come netbook usability
Some alternatives...
15 best Android tablets in the world

Asus wowed us when it launched its Eee Pad Transformer TF101 and with the Transformer Prime it has managed to go one better.
The Transformer Prime packs a mighty 1.3GHz quad-core processor into a super-slim 8.6mm chassis and although it shipped with Android 3.2, the Prime was the first Android tab to receive the upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich.
That huge processor means using the Transformer Prime is a breeze, with it able to process full HD movies and multiple apps with ease.
You also get a super-crisp 10.1-inch IPS display (1280 x800), a surprisingly good 8MP camera capable of recording 1080p video and 32GB of internal storage, with a microSD card slot available if you need more space.
Quick verdict
It's a close run battle for the top Android tablet accolade, but the Transformer Prime just pips the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with its super fast Tegra 3 quad-core processor, slender style and additional keyboard dock.

3. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1


Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Best Android tablet for: the out-and-out tablet experience
While the Asus Transformer and Slider offer something a little different at an unbeatable price, our number 3 - the Galaxy Tab 10.1 - offers a direct alternative to Apple's iPad 2 - although it's found lacking when put up against the new iPad.
Sporting the Tegra 2 dual-core CPU, it's both marginally thinner and lighter than the iPad 2. This was some achievement, especially when you consider the fuss Apple made about how thin and light the iPad 2 was on launch.
Quick verdict
As an out-and-out tablet, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is brilliant. It matches the performance of other Tegra 2-based tablets while beating the pants off them in the portability stakes. This tablet is lighter and thinner than the iPad 2. So unless that keyboard dock of Asus' Transformers is a serious draw for you, this is one to consider.

4. Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9

 

Best Android tablet for: portability and power
In at number four is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 - and it's a funny little thing. It's essentially the same as its older brother, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, but with an 8.9-inch screen. It's slightly thinner and lighter, and consequently more convenient for anyone wanting to stuff it in a bag.
Apart from these physical attributes, the internal components are basically the same. So you get the same slick performance and overall tablet experience. We've put this above the 10.1 because of the increased convenience owed to its slightly smaller size, but that shouldn't put you off going for the 10.1 if you're after a bigger screen.
Quick Verdict
It's ideal for anyone who thinks 10.1 inches is just slightly too big for a tablet, but also finds 7-inch options a tad too small. A great screen, and premium features across the board make it a superb option.

5. Asus Eee Pad Slider


Asus Eee Pad Slider
Best Android tablet for: doing things a little differently
The Apple iPad is the daddy. It doesn't matter what the arguments for Android are, the fact is that the iPad is still just about the best out-and-out tablet out there. And that's why the Slider is such a compelling option - it's not a straight iPad-competitor, it offers something different. The slide-out keyboard offers flexibility and functionality not on offer elsewhere.
It's a different prospect to the Transformer Prime above in that it cannot be disconnected from its keyboard, nor does it pack the Tegra 3 innards.
But what it does do is make it easier to work on the train, type emails and documents with the convenience of not needing a dock or peripheral. What's more, the screen is the best we've seen on a 10-inch Android tablet, and it's also the most responsive. It's not for everyone, but it's one of the best tablet for showing off everything that Android can do.

6. Asus Eee Pad Transformer

Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101
Best Android tablet PC for: replacing your netbook
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We love the Asus Transformer. It's been around for a while now, and in our opinion, it's still one of the most compelling Android tablets available. Not only is it powerful and well featured, it's designed to work with a keyboard dock which turns it into a fully-fledged Android-powered netbook.
The fact is that Android as an OS is still lagging behind iOS in terms of tablet usability, so products need a USP. And on that score, this is the tablet that changed the game.
With the release of the Transformer Prime and Transformer Pad 300, you may well find this tablet at discounted prices. And thus could be had for a bargain if you search hard enough.

7. Asus Transformer Pad 300


Asus Transformer Pad 300
Best Android tablet for: Transformer Prime power on a budget
The Transformer Pad 300 offers up the power of a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, a 10.1-inch display and 12 hour battery life into a device which is £100 cheaper than the Transformer Prime.
A big plus point for the 300 is the fact that it comes running Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box – keeping it bang up to date with the Android OS – even if Android 4.1 has just popped up.
However the price difference is noticeable when it comes to the materials used to build the 300, with its plastic body not feeling as premium or solid as the more expensive Prime – that said, the Transformer Pad 300 is still a great tablet.
Quick verdict
Individual needs and budget will determine if the Asus Transformer Pad TF300 is right for you, but we applaud Asus for marrying value and performance, and the TF300 comes highly recommended.

8. Sony Tablet S

Sony Tablet S
Best Android tablet for: PlayStation gaming
As a veritable mega-giant in the consumer tech universe, Sony's landing on Planet Tablet was always going to be interesting. Blasting off alongside the fold-in-half Tablet P, the Tablet S has a unique wedge-shaped design and top-end specs.
It's a very decent and refined tablet, and has the unique feature of having access to original PlayStation games. The only issue is that it's not as tidy as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and not as versatile as the Transformer. Apart from that, it's one of the best Android tablets out there.

9. Toshiba AT200

 

Best Android tablet for: 10-inch Portability
The AT200 is the world's thinnest clocking in at a super slender 7.7mm thin, which means you can slide it into your bag without issue and at 535g, you probably won't notice it's in there.
You get a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 TFT display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 5MP rear camera, 2MP front camera and a decent array of ports including micro SD, USB and HDMI.
Toshiba has also dropped the price of the AT200 just a few months after launch to keep it competitive in the market, but it's exclusively at Carphone Warehouse in the UK for the time being.
Quick verdict
The Toshiba AT200 is a good, solid and portable device, delivering everything you'd expect from an unfussy Android slate. If you're looking for a standard tablet experience, the AT200 is certainly worth a look.

10. Acer Iconia Tab A510


Acer Iconia Tab A510
Best Android tablet for: cheap ICS and quad-core action
For your financial outlay, the Acer Iconia Tab A510 represents a shrewd investment, especially for people willing to accept a few minor flaws.
There are cheaper tablets out there running Ice Cream Sandwich, but these budget offerings do not offer the sheer power of the Tegra 3 platform, and the lightning-fast Android 4.0 experience.

11. Huawei MediaPad 7



Best Android tablet for: keeping in your jacket pocket
Seven-inch tablets are a much better fit for the human hand. Huawei's new MediaPad 7, unlike the iPad, is so small that you can comfortably stick it in your inside jacket pocket, making it a fully portable no-brainer.
Huawei made much of this being the first Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet, but that's not much of a big deal now that Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) has landed. In fact there's nothing about the MediaPad 7 that's a big deal. And that, for us, is the big deal.

12. Motorola Xoom

Motorola_XOOM

 

Best Android tablet for: sleek good looks and solid performance
The Motorola Xoom was the first Honeycomb tablet to hit the shelves, and is thus the grandfather of the Android stable.
Current prices are starting at about £300 ($470), which is great value for a 10-inch tablet of this calibre and it's thus worthy of your attention. Solid build quality, decent battery life, good performance. Beware though, the Motorola Xoom 2 already here.

13. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0



Best Android tablet for: budget 7-inch tablet performance
If the idea of a capable, portable, fun and comparatively low cost tablet appeals enough to you to make you part with £200 ($300), then this is your tablet.
However, those who strive for the best experience, the sharpest screen and the most slender, curvaceous build will see that Samsung has cut corners with the Tab 2 7.0.

14. Acer Iconia Tab A200


Acer Iconia Tab A200
Best Android tablet for: basic tablet usage
Although the market for budget tablets is getting increasingly crowded, the Acer Iconia Tab A200 offers a lot for its relatively low price.
It's replicating some of the policies that have made its laptops increasingly popular. That is, an unremarkable chassis with a brief smattering of necessary ports and a concentration on offering decent power at a very attractive price.

15. Orange Tahiti


Orange Tahiti
Best Android tablet for: new users already on Orange
The Orange Tahiti is a great own-branded tablet form a retailer that is looking to push the device much in the same way as it would a handset, with a small one-off payment plus monthly contractual fees.
But there are certainly better devices on the market that, in the long run, would prove better value for money.

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