The iPad is Apple’s new tablet computer. While this is exciting news because previous tablet computer devices have been horrible, one might want to hold off on their purchase for a bit. There are many Android based tablet devices that are soon to come out. These might offer some advantages.

Android hasn’t yet made it’s splash into the market place, but in a few years it will be practically the most popular smart phone operating system which will also be on netbooks and tablets. This means that you are working with a body of software that works together on multiple devices.

With an Android tablet, you will have access to all this software that anyone can create. One might argue that as of today the iPhone applications run on the iPad means there are hundreds of thousands of programs to run, but eventually with open development Android will overtake them. Currently one needs Apple’s permission to offer an application. Google is not requiring permission to make applications for Android.

Android will have advantages like Flash capabilities. It’s true that the web as a whole is moving away from Flash so it might not be a point in a few years. But the idea is that on an open platform it’s possible to use or not use the plugins you want. Under Apple development you are told what you get and that’s it.

Android tablets will be less restrictive about hardware and ports. Having a tablet with a USB port is a huge advantage since you already have flash drives, keyboards, and other forms of media that work with it. The iPad does not offer these standardized ports.

While it’s all speculation at the moment, one should consider the longer term tablet market place and what it will look like later in the year to get the best deal possible.

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Android is not just an operating system that runs underneath a user interface. It is also a suite of well-integrated apps that make it possible for users to use the various hardware capabilities of their Android smartphones and Android tablets.

In the latest version recently released–Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich–Google has further fortified not just the operating system but also the apps that come along with it. In this post, you will get an overview of some of the most important apps that Google drastically revamped in Android 4.0.

Better Web Browsing

For faster browsing, Android 4.0 includes a tabbed browser, which offers you quick previews of Web pages and allows you to swiftly switch from one open tab to another.

The browser can save up to 16 tabs and you can remove unused tabs with a simple flick gesture. Plus, it can also automatically sync Chrome bookmarks on your desktop with your Android phone. No need to install additional apps to sync your bookmarks on your device.

By default, the new browser in Android 4.0 opens mobile versions of Web pages. But, it also gives you the option to switch to the full desktop versions of the same Web pages.

The browser also now includes the option for saving Web pages for offline reading, as well as accessibility features, a history of most visited pages, and an incognito mode for private browsing.

Next-level Gmail

The new Gmail in Android 4.0 displays two-line previews of each email–so you’ll get a quick preview of what each email contains.

The new Gmail app also includes an action bar below each message. The action bar provides quick access to the most common actions that you perform on your messages. The app allows you to swiftly browse through your emails by swiping from left to right.

Another interesting feature is Gmail’s offline search. The new Gmail app allows you to search within emails within the last 30 days without your having to go online.

Easier Calendar App

The new Calendar app features a simpler and more readable design, which makes it easy for you to follow your everyday schedules.

It also features pinch-to-zoom functions, which allows you to display more details or just the overview of each day just by pinching the screen with your thumb and forefinger.

Photo Snapping and Editing Made Better

Android 4.0 features a drastically revamped Camera app that has zero shutter lag, which allows you to capture precious moments faster.

Users can also now enjoy panoramic photo shooting. Such camera mode allows you to sweep the camera in one smooth motion to capture a subject in panorama mode.

The new Photos app in Android 4.0 also makes photo sharing much easier. Just click on a photo and choose where to share it–either on Facebook, Google+, or Twitter.

The Camera app now includes built-in photo editing tools never before seen in any previous build of Android. So, with Android 4.0, you can now directly edit, crop, or filter your photos right on your Android phone or Android tablet.

The Gallery app has also been given a total makeover. It has been redesigned to display big pictures, with labels rendered in the Roboto font. The layout this time is more magazine-like. Photos are also automatically sorted not just by album but also by geo-location or by custom tags.

Other cool new features in the Camera app are Continuous Focus, Zoom While Recording, Time Lapse, and Video Snapshots–all of which make your Android phone’s camera more powerful than ever.

People App Centered on People

The heavily redesigned People app now, more than ever, places stronger emphasis on improved communication, interaction, and faster sharing of information.

The People app goes beyond a mere list of contacts. The People app now shows a wider range of information about your contacts–phone numbers, addresses, social networking sites that they hang out in, and much more

Just like the photos in the Gallery, your contacts are now shown in the People app in a magazine-style layout. Each contact’s page displays a high-quality photo of the contact and the contact’s most recent social networking updates.

The People app also supports voice mail retrieval much better, and also provides a non-offensive way to reject incoming calls from your contacts.

With this new and heavily improved suite of apps in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, one can be sure that using an Android smartphone or an Android tablet with Android 4.0 will be nothing less than pleasurable and convenient.

To name the Samsung P1000 Galaxy Tab as an oversized Android smart phone could appear just a little goofy -however the truth is what it is, the Galaxy Tab is at present the largest Android smart telephone that we all know of.

In contrast to other tablet devices which can be being introduced -in addition to the Apple iPad, the Galaxy Tab has telephone functions. It may possibly make and obtain voice calls and SMS messages; a function that’s missing in other devices. That is really a big distinction when it comes to hardware, although we significantly doubt the practicality of the idea. Whereas the inclusion of SMS is pretty convenient, the ability to deal with voice calls just isn’t exactly one thing that we’re certain we wish in a tablet.

In spite of everything, being interrupted from studying an eBook, watching a streaming film or even taking part in an app recreation is acceptable with a regular telephone -however not if you find yourself dealing with a tablet. Nonetheless, it is an added allure; even though the secondary function is extra suited to desktop devices.

In any case, the Galaxy Tab is confirmed to be available on retailer shelves by the time November 1 hits.

Which means that followers of the Korean producer will lastly get to check out the highly effective Android 2.2 Froyo operating device. While we definitely will not advocate this system as a substitute for a mobile phone, it does an especially satisfying job as a touch screen media tablet system instead.

It will probably handle eBooks, movies, games and a wide variety of other functions. Additionally, the pre-loaded Google features also look wonderful on the larger screen. Shopping via the content on Google Earth and Maps is solely breathtaking. The touch screen controls are additionally way more intuitive that fiddling round with a mouse.

With only a month away earlier than the official launch, these planning to get this tablet higher begin saving up.

Find more news about google android phones at android phone.

Farmers are typically early adaptors of new technology, especially tools that enable them to save money and increase overall profits. So it’s not surprising that as smartphone apps migrate from the era of cute games into fully interactive databases that are functional and extremely user-friendly Agribusiness would be on the leading edge.

A good AG app runs quietly in the background of the farmer’s everyday life, but is at the ready to be used to help him in his daily tasks. One of the biggest challenges each farmer faces is decisions related to marketing his grain. Small decisions on cash price, delivery period, who the grain buyer is, as well as basis and offset can dramatically affect a farm’s profit and loss.

Of course, traditional costs for fertilizer, land, irrigation, seed and fuel always need to be applied to the farming operation.

The average farmer needs to factor in dozens of variables to create a complete overview of the farm operation. Smartphone AG apps make this much easier. In addition to being able to send commodities pricing and breaking news to the producer, having both historic and up-to-date information in the palm of his hand allows the farmer to make much more informed decisions on marketing his grain

One of the first mobile Android AG apps on the market is Farmer’s Partner. Android apps are popular with many farmers because Verizon coverage typically reaches more rural areas than other mobile phones.

As the adoption of smartphones continues to increase among farm producers we’ll no doubt see many apps serving the AG market and today’s farmer.

When the T-Mobile Sidekick first debuted way back in 2002, it became the standard for the instant messenger on the go. Looking back on the very first Sidekick causes some to reminisce on the experience of what it was like to be able to ‘seamlessly’ keep in touch with our friends.

However over the last few years, even with the introduction of new Sidekick models, the Sidekick has been unable to keep up with the newer smartphones. This may all change…

T-mobile has been in the development of a project known as Project Emerald. It is speculated that this ‘Project Emerald’ is to be a new sidekick, different from any other that came before it. It will be running the popular Android OS that can be found on the G1, My-touch and many other high powered phones.

Now the sidekick has been dead for some time. So you may be wondering, how much of an improvement can this sidekick be, and whether or not it will be able compete with the other high end phones. However, with HTC being the developer of this device, it is OK to assume that it will be a great device. It is also speculated to have a Snapdragon processor, a front facing camera,, a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display, and 16 GB onboard storage. Its quite possible that it will run the HTC espresso that has been found on the my-touch slide layered with Android 2.1.

So far there hasn’t been much mention of a keyboard, however with a name like Sidekick Twist, it’s believed to have one. It is also believed that the Twist will be a 4g device to compete with the Evo 4g. We can look forward to seeing this device sometime this year.

And remember, in a world where the sidekick couldn’t be revived; Android does!

If you have had your Android phone for more than say…five minutes, chances are you have already been looking for an app that displays the current weather. All Android phones come pre-installed with some form of weather app, but almost all of those are very basic and limited in features.

Today, I am going to review one of my favorite Android weather apps, WeatherBug.

Look And Feel

When you first install WeatherBug, the first thing you may notice is that the free version is supported by ads. Using my “Sherlock Holmes” detective skills and a compass from a cereal box, I have deduced that there must be a paid verison of the app that removes these. Sure enough, after long nights and gathering statements from random passerby’s, I have confirmed (by looking at the Android Market for about 30 seconds) that there is indeed a paid, ad-free version. More on that later.

The app’s layout is quite simple, and it works well that way. When you open WeatherBug, you instantly get the current temperature, wind speed and direction, as well as a short term forecast. At the bottom of the page, you will see some icons. Each of these icons will give you some more detail as to what is going on around you; But we’re talking weather here, not which bars have the best happy hour.

The second icon from the left displays the 7-day forecast, which by swiping to the side of the screen, will break that forecast down into different parts of the day. By swiping again, the forecast is broken down even further into an hourly forecast.

The next icon to the right will display a map on which you can enable layers. This one is easily my favorite and most used screen. Here, you can display current radar, satellite, and temperatures. While being able to see these is nice, one major feature of the “Elite” version is the ability to watch “moving” radar. Simply put, you can view the radar in motion, which is quite handy if you have a storm nearby. The best part about this feature is that the map is provided by Google, meaning you are basically looking at Google Maps with weather radar. That’s awfully nice if you are on a road trip and need to see if you’re heading for a storm.

Moving again to the right, the next icon looks like a camera, and that’s because that is exactly what it is. By selecting it, you will be able to scroll through different live weather feeds in your area. This is really nice if you want to see what kind of weather is happening in the town next to you, or somewhere else nearby.

The next icon breaks down the temperature, precipitation, wind, sun, humidity, and pressure into specific details; And I do mean specific. The meteorologist in all of us can feel right at home with all of this data.

Do you have allergies? The next icon summarizes the pollen count and is accompanied by a national pollen map, showing where the highest pollen counts have been observed.

After that, there is a movie reel icon that displays a video on the national weather forecast. If you’ve been missing your local television news forecast, fret no more, because it’s built right in.

Next to that is the advisory panel. Any weather alerts or advisories for your area are displayed here. If you want, you can set Weatherbug to notify you if there are advisories in your area, that way you don’t have to check this screen too often.

Last but not least is the help section. Here you will find answers to common problems or questions within the app.

What I Like About This App

WeatherBug is chocked full of information. Being that there is so much of it, the interface is very organized. Lesser apps would make you feel overwhelmed by the amount of data at your fingertips, but WeatherBug makes you feel like you’ve been using it for years.

What Could Be Better

My least favorite feature with this app is the live cameras. While they may prove useful to some people, you cannot select cameras in a specific area, and the cameras themselves are not very clear.

Understandably, the clarity of individual cameras is not the responsibility of the makers of WeatherBug, but a little more customization to the selection of cameras would be nice.

Elite Version

As stated earlier, the free version of WeatherBug is ad-supported. Some of you may not be bothered by the ads, but personally, there is a lot of information to be seen, and I don’t want it ruined by ads. Also mentioned earlier, animated radar maps are a feature of the elite version. This was a must-have for me because there are very few weather apps out there that offer this feature while giving so much more information too. Also with the elite version are some pretty nice widgets. The elite widget (actually named that) is a radar map for your home-screen, so if you want to see the radar at a glance, you don’t even have to open the app. Besides, you’re getting all of this for a whole two dollars. If you can’t spare two dollars for an awesome weather app, then what are you doing with a smartphone?

Overall

WeatherBug is quite easily my weather app of choice. Being somewhat of a perfectionist, I have tried almost every weather app out there; Even many paid ones. With great features like animated maps (Elite), temperature overlays, alerts, pollen count, detailed forecasts and more, this weather app sits atop the mountain while telling all the other apps what the weather is like.

WeatherBug is available on the Android Market for free. (Ad supported) You can also purchase the Elite version for $2.00 which will give you more features, and no ads.

It seems like I’ve been waiting forever, but the next update for Angry Birds on Android finally came out over the weekend! I was actually late getting it because I thought I had set all of my Android apps to auto-update, and this time Rovio decided to make us do a manual update. Needless to say, I demolished my battery yesterday trying to kill those evil green pigs!

The newest levels (30 in all for Android, only 15 for those Apple people), are now Western-themed, showing pigs in sombreros and cowboy hats for our amusement. The developers have also added the ability to slice through ropes and drop really sharp and/or heavy objects on those unsuspecting bacon factories who have stolen our eggs once again.

There has been a small uproar about this update, which is making it unpopular among gamers. This update requires access to your phone’s SMS (text messaging) system for a new feature Rovio is rolling out called “Bad Piggy Bank Payments,” which gives the user the ability to purchase The Mighty Eagle via text messages that charge to the phone bill or balance instead of having to use a credit card (which a lot of people don’t use or even have). The system doesn’t do anything else with the SMS outside of that, so if you don’t use the Bad Piggy Bank, you’ll never have to worry about it.

A final bit of news about Angry Birds was the Super Bowl / Angry Birds Rio combo in the 4th quarter of last night’s game. I won’t reveal the spoiler here, but it turns out there’s a bonus level involving Golden Eggs and a bit of tricky play you’ll have to do in order to accomplish it. The hardest part for me was getting to the level where the Golden Eggs was hidden.

Next up: Be on the lookout for a possible addition to Angry Birds Seasons for the holiday that happens in 7 days! Maybe we get to crush some cupid pigs? Tune in to The Android Apps HQ in order to find out all the latest news and updates on the best apps for your Android OS.

What better way to target and advertise to mobile phone users than right on their device! That this is a real and tangible form of advertising can be seen in Google’s acquisition last year of mobile advertising aggregator Admob for $750 million, and Apple’s acquisition of Quattro’s mobile ad network for $275 million. Also, don’t forget Apple’s announcement of their own iPad advertising network.
 
Mobile advertising aggregators have access to numerous mobile channels, whether in the form of text message campaigners, mobile websites or on device apps such as for iPhone, Android and Blackberry devices. Ads are sent down in text or banner form.  Mobile banner ads can have click to call functionality, or move the user to the advertiser’s mobile website or offer. Ads can typically be targeted by way of demographics, location and type of device.
 
As an example, download the CBS news app or go to CBSNews mobile and you will see advertising banners at the top or bottom of the page. The ad serving engine is smart enough to realize the type of phone that is being used to view the content, and for my phone was able to send a banner from Bank of America, advertising their new mobile banking app specific for the Android phone from which I accessed the site.
 
This type of advertising is powerful! Being able to send content that is user, device and mobile relevant increases the probability of effectiveness and marketing efficiencies. In addition, the click through possibilities for mobile ads to click to call, click to IVR, click for deliverables, and more, extends the value of the advertisement to be an interactive experience that benefits from the technology integrated into mobile devices – not possible through print, radio, television or even email advertising.
 
In this way the mobile device and the ad networks that serve it are replicating traditional communications channels such television and radio, but adapted for a new technology. Notably, this adaptation is benefiting from the nature of the mobile phone as the most personal of mediums, where even though a user may change their device or carrier, they are unlikely to change their telephone number or mobile logins – the starting point for many mobile campaigns that seek to develop ongoing relationships with their mobile consumers.

Mobile devices are with users 24/7, being always on, always available. The ability to serve relevant ads directly to this user tied medium is of incredible value. The ability to leverage the demographics of the user, optimize for the user’s device and utilize information garnered from previous interactions with the user in the mobile relationship is… priceless. (and yes, Mastercard has been reported as a mobile channel app participant)

There are millions upon millions of marginal blogs orbiting the stars of cyber space. If you want to be noticed, it’s important to pay attention to at least a few of the fundamentals of solid design. Keep these five tips in mind when either designing your blog or having it designed for you.

5 quick tips for beautiful blog design

1) Your site should be easy to navigate and intuitive for the user. Keep your links up top, or along the sidebar. Don’t assume your visitor knows where to go or what to do. Make your design like a guiding hand.

2) Keep your site clean of clutter. Simple navigation and a clean site can make any blog look infinitely better. If you walked into a business with stuff falling from every shelf, you would probably walk right out. Blog design is no different.

3) Learn the basic principles of color theory for your design. Certain color combinations = no no no. If you see a site using colors you like, you can use a color picking tool to find out what the colors are and implement them in your own design.

4) Don’t use giant honking graphics when a smaller graphic will do. Exceptions can be made when your site is centered around images, in which case, your readers will know what to expect. For everyone else, though, make your post images clickable so people readers can choose if they want to see the larger image.

5) When it comes to monetizing your blog, nothing can make a site look more blighted than a ton of ads! It’s the internet equivalent of a highway littered with billboards. Eventually your readers will either tune them or you out. Find the right mix for your readership between ads and content. If you aren’t making much money on the ads, you should probably consider going without ads and find another way to earn revenue.

A blog can be your online space to either make a living or share your voice. Make it as welcoming to others as possible.

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