Product Reviews Net » Google Android http://www.product-reviews.net News, Reviews and Debates Tue, 21 May 2013 22:50:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Android 4.0 SDK available for download now http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/19/android-4-0-sdk-available-for-download-now/ http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/10/19/android-4-0-sdk-available-for-download-now/#comments Wed, 19 Oct 2011 03:29:25 +0000 Jamie Pert http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=143279 Samsung and Google’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich press event has now finished and we have a long-list of things to tell you about, first of all we can confirm that the Android 4.0 SDK (software development kit) is already available to download, which is great news for developers who want to take full advantage of the advances that Ice Cream Sandwich brings to the table.

To get the new SDK you must install the SDK Start Package first (you can get it here), once installed simply add the Android 4.0 SDK components to your SDK – this link shows you how to do this.

Anyone who has developed Android applications before has tons of new features to take advantage of, you can see fully detailed platform highlights here, we are most excited about the resizeable widgets, NFC capabilities and the new Social, Calendar, Visual Voicemail, Text services, accessibility, Text-to-speech, keychain, VPN and audio remote control APIs. These APIs should really improve the offerings which arrive at the Android Market.

We will talk about the true abilities which these APIs will allow for throughout the day, we were very impressed by what we saw, yet disappointed that a few of the demos didn’t go to plan and no solid details regarding Ice Cream Sandwich’s release were given, therefore we will have to keep you posted.

Are you a developer? If so, which API will you be testing out first?

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Toshiba AT200 tablet specs impress, thinner than Galaxy Tab 10.1 / iPad 2 http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/09/01/toshiba-at200-tablet-specs-impress-thinner-than-galaxy-tab-10-1-ipad-2/ http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/09/01/toshiba-at200-tablet-specs-impress-thinner-than-galaxy-tab-10-1-ipad-2/#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:40:20 +0000 Jamie Pert http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=139905 When we posted our Toshiba Thrive review summary it has to be said that in terms of design it lacked the quality of some of it’s most popular rivals, however a press releases has gone public which talks about a new ultra-thin, ultra-light Toshiba tablet called the Toshiba AT200.

Before we start to drawl over the specs let’s get started with its physical design, the AT200 is said to weigh feature a 10.1-inch display and weigh 558 grams, not only is it light but it measures in at just 7.7mm – now that’s thin! To our knowledge this is the thinnest and lightest ever 10.1-inch tablet and quite frankly makes the 8.8mm thick iPad 2 almost sound chubby.

So what have Toshiba squeezed into such a narrow and featherweight form-factor? Well the 10.1-inch LCD outputs at a resolution of 1280 x 800 and the AT200 runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb, we don’t know how much RAM there will be, however things sound promising as Engadget says it is powered by a dual-core TI OMAP 4430 (1.2GHz) processor.We are also led to believe that there will be 64GB of internal storage.

Other tech specs include WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, also there is a micro-USB port, a microSD memory card slot, HDMI-out and front and back HD cameras (5 megapixel on the rear and 2 megapixel on the front) . Other technical specifications are currently being kept quiet, but we should hear more soon.

In the press release Toshiba were keen to mention full access to the Android Market, a rich web experience thanks to Adobe Flash and augmented reality functionality – we just wonder how much it will cost – it doesn’t sound cheap and there is not mention of a SIM-card slot for 3G / 4G connectivity. Apparently the AT200 is headed for a Q4 2011 release in Europe, we are sure that more juicy details will be uncovered soon.

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Android phones vs. iPhone: Quality or quantity, which prevails? http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/07/27/android-phones-vs-iphone-quality-or-quantity-which-prevails/ http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/07/27/android-phones-vs-iphone-quality-or-quantity-which-prevails/#comments Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:31:32 +0000 Chris Cook http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=137672 The sales of Android smartphones have soared over the last two years, gaining Google the dominant percentage of share in the market from having almost none. In terms of devices sold they have taken the lead, having shipped more than their rivals like RIM and Apple. All is not as smooth sailing as it seems however as despite the sales they also have a high return rate percentage, in some cases as much as 30-40%.

This news has got us asking the question whether it is quality or quantity that is most important when trying to gain the highest market share. To some extent quality does prevail over quantity, take Apple for example, they only have one smartphone the iPhone, which allows them greater quality control. This is why the sales of their device have been so successful and also explains their low return rate of 1.7%.

Apple only has the iPhone and still manages to have a large percentage share of the smartphone market as consumers are highly satisfied with the product. Google on the other hand, has a number of different handsets available, making the quality control much harder to handle so you get a variety of Android smartphones to choose from but they also vary in level of quality of hardware used.

The percentage of return rates for Android devices above is a statistic that only accounts for some of their smartphones sold. Truth is that some devices may have an even higher return rate of maybe 50% and some will almost certainly have little or no return rate. Take the Samsung Galaxy S II for example, one of the most successful selling Android smartphones yet, selling 3 million in just 55 days. The HTC EVO 3D is another example of a high end Android device that would have return rates much lower than 30% if any at all.

As TechCrunch explains the Android OS appeals far more to people who may be looking to make their device open platform, but to the average phone user it may seem complicated. This means the more simple iOS handsets could appear easier to use and leave customers more satisfied. Whatever the reason for the high return rate, the Android sales continue to grow, but you can’t help but think they could be so much larger if their return rate was not so high. So which do you think will prevail, quality or quantity?

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Could Apple be to blame for Samsung Galaxy S II holdup? http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/07/18/could-apple-be-to-blame-for-samsung-galaxy-s-ii-holdup/ http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/07/18/could-apple-be-to-blame-for-samsung-galaxy-s-ii-holdup/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:42:49 +0000 Peter Chubb http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=137000 The Samsung Galaxy S II or S2 as it is also known has yet to be released in the US for reasons unknown. We had first thought that it was to do with the Motorola Droid Bionic, and how it was able to adapt to the North American market easier than Samsung handsets. However, there are a few other theories, and the latest is to do with the recent litigation between Apple and HTC, and how this could have an affect on the Samsung drama as well.

As with HTC, Apple and Samsung’s issues are to do with patents in the US. If Samsung are found guilty then they might have to pay a set amount for each handset they have sold; by delaying the Galaxy S II this would decrease the amount they would have to pay Apple. With the South Korean phone maker not knowing which way the courts will rule, surly it is easier for Samsung to hold off a while?

There is no denying how good the Galaxy S II is, recent UK sales figures have proved that. This would mean that the handset would also sell very well in the US; you only have to look at the original Galaxy S for proof of that. We just cannot see Samsung waiting too long on the litigation outcome, as they are sitting on a smartphone that could make them millions.

Samsung should just go ahead and work around the issue when it comes to it. Apple lost out to Nokia back in 2009, so now Apple has to pay Nokia a certain amount for each iPhone sold – don’t see this harming sales or profit in any way do you? Samsung make more than enough profit on each handset, thanks to them doing most of the manufacturing themselves.

The Droid Charge, Infuse 4G and Galaxy Tab 10.1 are all popular devices, and Samsung did not delay their release. We can come up with all these theories, but I guess we will never know the reason for the delay. Maybe there is a simple explanation, such as the rumors that we have heard regarding the disagreement that Samsung are having with some of the U.S. carriers.

Now surly it would be in the interest of one US carrier to agree to whatever issue there is and get their version of the Galaxy S II out before their rivals? Sprint would be the best one to do this, as they were said to have the best Samsung Galaxy S smartphone last year with the Epic 4G. The first reason was because it had a QWERTY keyboard and second reason was due to the fact that it allowed customers to use the 4G network.

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Galaxy Tab 10.1 update coming soon, announced list of changes http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/07/04/galaxy-tab-10-1-update-coming-soon-announced-list-of-changes/ http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/07/04/galaxy-tab-10-1-update-coming-soon-announced-list-of-changes/#comments Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:54:13 +0000 Jamie Pert http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=136001 Samsung has recently confirmed that a software update for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is coming soon, today we will go through the list of upcoming changes which will come as part of the update and also ask you what further improvements and new features you would like to see.

Firstly we can confirm that when the update is rolled out your Galaxy Tab 10.1 should show a notification which will allow you to easily install the latest software version. If you want to manually check for updates simply go to ‘Apps’ (via the top right corner of the homescreen), then choose ‘Settings’, followed by ‘About Tablet’, here you will be able to force your tablet to check for the latest software, however please remember that the update has not gone live just yet. You will only see the update if you are signed in to your Google and Samsung accounts whilst connected to the internet via WiFi, before performing the update please ensure that you have sufficient battery life and also unplug any chargers etc.

You can see a full list of changes over at Samsung.com, sadly we don’t know what this software version is going to be called, but we can confirm that there is lots to look forward to, in this brief article we will summarize what Galaxy Tab 10.1 owners have to look forward to.

The most noticeable change will be the new UI, once the update has been installed you will be using Samsung’s TouchWiz UI, this gives the user a more intuitive and fluid experience. The new user interface brings a new magazine-like widget called Live Panel, an easy way of accessing commonly used apps which is called Mini Apps Tray, an improved clipboard feature which gives the tablet better copy and paste functionality and another widget which is called Indicator Quick Panel, this allows you to adjust settings easily such as screen brightness, volume, notifications and WiFi.

Also a new premium video/movie feature is coming, this allow you to rent and purchase TV shows and movies, once you have paid for your content you will be able to share it to up to five Media Hub-enabled devices.

If you use your Tab 10.1 for business you will be happy to hear that enterprise-centric changes are coming, such as on-device encryption, Cisco / F5 VPN capability, Sybase Afaria support and there will also be more exhaustive EAS IT policies available.

Finally the update will install a few new apps and services, such as Amazon Music Cloud Player, Amazon Kindle (eBook access), Words with Friends (a social wordgame), Swype, FindMyMobile, Mobile Printing and it will also promote the use of Samsung Hubs. As previously mentioned you should check out Samsung.com for all of the details.

Do you own the Tab 10.1? If so what additional changes would you like to see?

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Hulu Plus launches for Android, six smartphones supported http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/24/hulu-plus-launches-for-android-six-smartphones-supported/ http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/24/hulu-plus-launches-for-android-six-smartphones-supported/#comments Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:15:25 +0000 Jamie Pert http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=135369 On January 7 we told you that Hulu Plus was coming to Android smartphones, well now we can confirm that the video streaming service and app has launched for this platform, however only a handful of devices are supported.

The app’s officially description tells us that Hulu Plus for Android currently supports the HTC Inspire 4G, Motorola Atrix, Motorola Droid II, Motorola Droid X, Nexus One and Nexus S, as you can see there is not a lot of love for HTC’s long-list of offerings just yet, also there are no Sony Ericsson models supported yet either. The good news is that more devices will be supported throughout the year, therefore we will have to keep you posted as we hear updates on the matter.

Hulu Plus for Android is free to download, however to take advantage of the service you must agree a Hulu Plus subscription which costs $7.99 per month (with no commitment necessary), this will give you access to tons of TV programs and movies. Popular offerings currently include this season’s Family Guy, Glee, The Office and Grey’s Anatomy, if you are a fan of classic shows you will be glad to hear that yoy can watch episodes of Miami Vice, Desperate Housewives, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The X Files and much more, there are also hundreds of movies available to watch from the Miramax and the Criterion collections.

As you would expect the app has been developed to offer a great user experience and has all of the functionality that you would expect, this includes searching, browsing and you can also manage your queue, also if you use Hulu Plus on other devices you will be able to seamlessly resume playback on these devices from where you left off on your Android device. Something which we also have to mention is that you will be able to watch videos via 3G, 4G and WiFi connections.

If you have used Hulu Plus on your Android device we would love to hear from you, therefore feel free to share your thoughts on the app / service in the comments section below. Do you think Hulu Plus is worth $7.99 per month? We think that pricing seems fair. If you would like to find out more about Hulu Plus for Android you can read the app’s full description, view screenshots and even read user reviews over at the Android Market.

Will you subscribe to Hulu Plus for Android?

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5 of the best educational Android apps for kids http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/22/5-of-the-best-educational-android-apps-for-kids/ http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/22/5-of-the-best-educational-android-apps-for-kids/#comments Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:44:37 +0000 Marlon Votta http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=135281 Educational applications are a brilliant form of keeping those children stimulated when they’re bored or on their school holidays, with so many to choose from, this is our guide to some of the best educational Android apps for kids.

ABCs is a free app ideal for younger children. This app will show alphabet flashcards and use phonetics and images to help small children learn their ABCs. A random letter quiz allows them to put their own progress to test; putting a star on the more challenging letters will help them practice by repetition. Learning the alphabet is an essential part of a child’s development that makes this a great educational app.

Kids Numbers and Math is also a great app for learning numbers with counting exercises, identifying high and low numbers with voiced instructions. This app will also teach the basic arithmetic of adding and subtracting. With multiple languages, this can be used for early learning and integrating language. In addition, this app contains the essential needs for kiddies’ education.

Kids Connect the Dots Lite is based on the old dot-to-dot principle where children will learn to match up all the dots to reveal a beautiful picture. This will give those little ones a sense of accomplishment when they get to see the finished article. Connect the dots is a simple idea with 25 images for them to try out. Having your child create a picture from dots can help with drawing skills and coordination.

Kid Mode Play and Learn is another free app that allows you to put your phone into kid mode and protect your phone by locking the Home button. This app is ideal for under 8-year-olds and has fun educational games and videos to keep children occupied and captivated.

Shrek Forever After Memory Game is a great free app as children love Shrek. This memory game will stimulate their minds while they have fun. There is an option for them to choose various difficulty levels by choosing 6, 12 or 16 tiles. While this game seems to be aimed more at the fun side of education, memory skills are all a part of learning.

This is just five of the many different and stimulating Android apps out there to discover. With more coming out daily and some that are free, children these days are spoilt for choice. For anyone with a small child helping them progress is somewhat easier when there is a game involved. For more information on great devised lists for top Android educational apps try thinkTank, dNewAndroidapps.com and bestAndroidappsreview.com.

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Best new Android apps before July 2011 http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/21/best-new-android-apps-before-july-2011/ http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/21/best-new-android-apps-before-july-2011/#comments Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:41:34 +0000 Marlon Votta http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=135201 Find out what are the best new Android apps before July 2011, a few sites have listed some of the best apps during June, so we thought it would be good to point to a few of our favorites and some lists that show great apps.

With Android going up in the world the App Store still has more than three times as many apps as Google’s Android Market, but by the looks of it things are starting to change with the number of Android apps more than doubling since last August. So the forecast for Android users looks good. This month sees the release of Adidas MiCoach fitness training app, one of the best training apps on the Android. Also the Napster, music streaming service gets its own Android app.

Netflix is eventually on Android! Only on select phones but more are coming soon. Google Music is one of the biggest new launches on Android, and the player app lets you enter your MP3′s stored in the “cloud” on your Android phone. Cyberlords Arcology is a great RPG with a retro feel. ShakeCall is a fun app that lets you answer incoming phone calls at a shake of your phone. Google Earth has an update to the Google Earth for Android app brings satellite imagery and 3D building to Honeycomb tablets.

Trainline Tickets allows you to look up UK train times in a flash. White House is The official White House application. News Republic for those who want news on their mobile. ADW.Launcher is the desktop replacement app to compete with LauncherPro. Befunky is a photo editor for your phone, Episodes is ideal for streaming Television to your Android and doubleTwist Player is a media player and streamer, and it’s free.

These are just a few to mention with further compiled lists available on websites such as Trusted Reviews, The Street and ReadWriteWeb. You may find that you are now becoming spoilt for choice. It seems that Android apps have bright new future ahead of them.

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Apple iOS and Google Android get new National Park app http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/21/apple-ios-and-google-android-get-new-national-park-app/ http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/21/apple-ios-and-google-android-get-new-national-park-app/#comments Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:04:03 +0000 Marlon Votta http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=135188 Chimani, LLC have today released Chimani Zion National Park 1.0 on Apple iOS and Google Android. The new National Park app is free on the iOS for a limited time.

Zion National Park is the 7th most visited national park in the United States and Chimani have given you the opportunity to explore the great Zion Canyon with a 45 minute audio tour, using the high-resolution GPS-enabled map with continuous updates for ranger led activities. Containing over 75 photos and lots more to offer this app is ideal for mobile devices with a working map function that does not need a data or cellular connection.

There are over 250 unique points of interest for you to discover with sunrise and sunset information for over a year. More than 29 hiking trail descriptions are available including a special Safety section, a guide to the great scenic viewpoints and information on camping areas, restrooms, picnicking and parking. There is also an accessible free shuttle bus schedule.

With every trail in a custom made map of the park, this application is the best way for you to get around without missing any great scenes. The GPS function “where am I” works throughout the park, but is not available for the non-GPS enabled devices like the iPod Touch. Containing over 30,000 map tiles to give you detailed zoom levels you will have everything you need to get to your desired location.

This easy to use application has a favorites feature and pages of National Park symbols to keep you informed and aware of certain areas. There are a few Chimani National Park apps available for Android versions and the original iPhone versions and they all compliment the National Parks that they are used for, including Grand Canyon National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Yosemite National Park, Cape Cod National Seashore, Acadia National Park and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

The Chimani apps are a great way for you to explore national parks; with Chimani Zion National Park, you will get the opportunity to appreciate beautiful views and surroundings. The Android version can be downloaded from the Android Marketplace (keyword: “chimani”) for a limited time only Chimani Zion National Park 1.0 is free and available on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch at the App Store.

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HTC listen to consumers, Desire will get Android 2.3 Gingerbread http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/15/htc-listen-to-consumers-desire-will-get-android-2-3-gingerbread/ http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/06/15/htc-listen-to-consumers-desire-will-get-android-2-3-gingerbread/#comments Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:47:28 +0000 Jamie Pert http://www.product-reviews.net/?p=134624 Lately we have heard that the HTC Desire would not be getting an update to Android 2.3 Gingerbread, we asked whether this would prompt Desire owners to jump ship to iPhone, however we are now hearing that HTC has made a u-turn.

According to the official HTC UK Facebook page they will launch a HTC Desire update to Gingerbread, the statement reads: “Contrary to what we said earlier, we are going to bring Gingerbread to HTC Desire”, you can see the official post here.

We wonder whether HTC decided to bring this update due to the massive reaction which they must have received from HTC Desire owners, let’s face it there are millions of HTC Desire owners out there as it sold well in 2010 and helped HTC establish themselves in the high-end smartphone market and probably played a part in Android’s massive growth over the last 18 months.

Sadly HTC did not tell us when the update will arrive, however as you would expect it depends greatly on carriers, when we hear more we will keep you posted.

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