Articles about Tablet

What is it with Gingerbread? Android 2.3 is yet again the most popular sweet in the family, according to the number of devices accessing Google Play during the 14 days ending October 1, with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich steadily growing.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean reported the highest growth, managing to reach a 1.8 percent Android distribution that is 50 percent higher compared to the previous data released by Google that placed the latest member of the Android family at just 1.2 percent distribution. The continuous growth is impressive, but no where near as significant per the overall scheme of things and not even close to Ice Cream Sandwich.

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I typically don't write about rumors, since too many are obvious (and so look like someone simply guessed and wrote a story), while others aren't adequately sourced (who and why is uncertain). But readers have asked me today about the next Google Nexus device following new rumors it's coming within 30 days.

Duh, I can reasonably speculate that based on Google's past two Nexus phone launches October is reasonable debut. But something is different this year: Way fewer rumors, which could mean: 1) There is no imminent Nexus; 2) Google has cooked up something special. Or 3) You tell me another reason. It's the silence that has my interest more than the noise.

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After Intel and its OEM partners announced the new Windows 8 Pro-based tablets running on the new Atom Z2760 processor, codenamed Clover Trail, Hewlett-Packard introduced the ElitePad 900 which the company labels as "a True Tablet for Business" and government, with accessories that crowd the spotlight.

Hewlett-Packard on Monday did not give much away in terms of technical specifications, but a few details were provided. The ElitePad 900 is known to come with a 16:10 10.1-inch display, a 9.2mm thickness and 1.5lbs weight without any accessories. CNC-machined aluminum is used on the tablet, with Corning Gorilla Glass 2 protecting the display. The processor used is "next-generation Intel mobile" and together with "x86 compatibility" it is likely to come with the new Intel Atom Z2760 SoC, that was previously announced. There is an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash as well as a 1080p forward-facing camera, with the latter a standout feature among tablets and smartphones which still hang around the 720p mark.

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A week after the Android Open Kang Project team announced the implementation of a new release schedule, they delivered on their promise by releasing AOKP Jelly Bean Build 4, providing along with it a number of interesting statistics.

Since June, the Android distribution reached a little over 180,000 official installations worldwide, and that is impressive for what is basically a small team of developers. The number of custom Android distributions based on AOKP code reached almost 430,000. The focus is still on AOKP Jelly Bean Build 4 that is based on Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean build number JRO03R, so what does it bring to the table?

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In the consumer market, Intel is best known for making chips that go into PCs of various design, and with the newly announced Intel Atom Z2760 processor, codenamed Clover Trail, the Santa Clara, California-based corporation is looking to make a dent in the mobile tablet market as well, where its presence can be considered abysmal at best.

The new Intel processor is designed to fill the gap between Windows RT-based tablets running on ARM chips and full Windows 8 Pro-based tablets on Intel Core i processors. Intel looks to be planting its Clover Trail flag in the middle ground, offering compatibility with desktop applications and improved mobility through good battery life and a compact package.

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Call me a pioneer. Those who have followed my contributions of late will have noted that I'm somewhat of a post-PC fanatic. I've taken it upon myself to blaze a trail into an IT future that features virtually no Microsoft or Intel technologies. Along the way, I've managed to stitch together a fairly functional post-PC solution. However, my journey has not always been a smooth one, and I will forever carry the scars of slings and arrows gone by.

For example, as I write this I'm sitting in the nearly empty family room of the new waterfront condo my wife and I just bought near Manalapan, FL. And as is often the case with a new property, I have yet to set-up any sort of Internet access -- nor do I plan to do so since we'll only be staying in the property for a few days before returning to Mauritius.

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Say goodbye to Ice Cream Sandwich and hello to Jelly Bean! Acer's flagship Android tablet, the quad-core nVidia Tegra 3 Iconia Tab A700 gets an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean adrenaline shot in Europe, with extended availability likely to follow in the near future.

According to XDA Developers members, the Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update for the Acer Iconia Tab A700 tablet is available only in Germany at the moment. The update brings along a few notable changes, the biggest of which obviously is operating system upgrade in itself, but it is reported that Google Chrome as well as Acer Cloud are included in the update among the usual Google Currents, Play Books and Play Music. Allegedly, there is an effect on touch sensitivity as well which, according to the same user that reported the changes, is an improvement over the previous version.

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If you are a CyanogenMod 10 nightly user, then CM10 Downloader is a must-have on your Android device.

The app is designed to download CM10 nightly builds for your Android smartphone without involving the use of other apps, and it provides the option to download the necessary Google Apps package. If you don't want to manually check for a new build, and if you're trying to avoid using cellular data, it also comes with a scheduler option that will automatically check for you, and download updates via Wi-Fi. Pretty nice, isn't it?

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Do you own a Windows laptop, iPad and Android smartphone? Welcome to the post-PC era, which transition IDC describes as "profound". During second quarter, smartphones and tablets commanded 69 percent of smart device shipment share, dwarfing PCs.

"Recent shipment data clearly demonstrates that we have fully entered into the multi-device era, where individuals are buying and using multiple devices per person, most often with different combinations of operating systems", Bob O'Donnell, IDC vice president, says. "The implications of this development on application developers, device makers, Web service providers, businesses and even individuals is profound".

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Spring Design, the company that made headlines two years ago for its a dual-screen Android-powered e-reader, is keeping its dual-screen Android tradition alive with a new app that launched in public beta today called ScreenShare.

ScreenShare is an application that lets you connect your Android tablet with your Android-powered smartphone via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, so you can utilize the tablet's screen to access data on the smartphone. In a roundabout sort of way, it is a way to connect your Wi-Fi-only tablet such as the Nexus 7 to a mobile data connection.

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Dear Google, that's it! I've had enough! Enough of the random lockups and reboots. Enough of the buggy browser and convoluted multitasking. Enough of Android!

Google, I've given you a fair shot. I drank the Kool-Aid. I joined the Android Army. And I wore my green robot tattoo thingy with pride. However, I could never shake the feeling that I've been running with the wrong crowd.

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In the land of the rising sun a new tablet --the Google Nexus 7-- is making its first appearance.

The popular 7-inch tablet sporting Android 4.1 Jelly Bean was launched by Google in Japan. Like with the European launch, the Nexus 7 only comes in one flavor -- the 16GB model and it is available for purchase directly from Google's local Play Store for a price of 19,800 Japanese Yen, which is roughly $255.

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What? You're looking for iPhone 5 stories, since it launches today. I want to break with the pack, and write about something else. Shocking, isn't it? Windows tablets is worthy topic.

While you can expect many different Windows 8 or RT tablets next month, Microsoft's own Surface is the trailblazer. I've got some concerns, which apply to other tabs running the new OS -- five big barriers I think Surface will face at launch.

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Microsoft is taking a considerable risk with the Windows 8 ecosystem and major push into the post-PC era. There is no room for error and to get it right all the parts must work in perfect harmony. Windows 8 faces stiff competition and must dismount all preconceptions it's a weak tablet operating system.

Microsoft enters the market fully prepared to take its opponents head-on. Instead of copying adversaries, the company takes the more mature approach of offering a different user experience. Every competitor should fear Windows 8 tablets, and I've got five reasons why.

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The traditional personal computer is returning to the niche from whence it sprang at the dawn of the Internet age, but general purpose computing isn't dead yet.

With consumer desktop and notebook computer sales in decline, and lower-powered, general purpose devices such as the iPad encroaching on resource-light communications and data management tasks in the workplace, the PC business is gearing down. Former consumer PC market leader Dell has all but exited the consumer hardware business and has been on an enterprise software and services buying spree.

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