Android Tablets

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you’d like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with “Insert Coin” as the subject line.

If you’re an Android tablet owner, you’re likely very familiar with the drill: after you unlock the device, you’re presented with a static home screen full of apps and widgets, which may or may not be relevant to your current need. The creators of Chameleon, a home screen replacement for Android 3.2 / 4.0 tablets, would like to change all that with a dynamic environment that’ll adapt to your current GPS location, WiFi network or the time of day. Users may design and customize their ideal layouts, which may include news and social feeds in the morning, a calendar and tasks for the work environment and an assortment of entertainment options for the evening at home. Switching between these layouts isn’t a problem, either, as you’ll be able to flick between home screens just as you would with the standard Android interface.

Like a good rug, the interface is attractive and really pulls everything together. Chameleon is currently a Kickstarter project, and its creators intend to unleash the creation into the Google Play Store this September. Those who donate $5 or more can expect early delivery of the app, which is currently slated for August. It never hurts to be early in line, and Chameleon might just rekindle your love for Android tablets. For a quick peek of what’s in store, check the video after the break.

[Thanks, Greg]

Continue reading Insert Coin: Chameleon adaptive home screen replacement for Android tablets

Insert Coin: Chameleon adaptive home screen replacement for Android tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 08:15:00 EST.

A new report claims that makers of tablets that will run Windows RT (also known as Windows 8 ARM) are having issues making the tablets at prices that are competitive with the iPad and Android tablets. Read more…

Samsung’s next major smartphone release has seen a large amount of carrier pre-orders for its new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S III. Read more…

It’s likely overkill for those interested only in some basic tablet modding, but the folks from Liquidware (no strangers to the DIY scene) have a new bit of kit that should please those looking to take on a more ambitious project. Dubbed simply Amber, the kit is described as “80 percent of the way to a tablet” — you’ll get a 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor, a 7-inch capacitive display and a customized version of Android 2.3, but no pesky casing to get in the way of any other additions you see fit to add. That convenience comes at a bit of a cost, though. The Amber will set you back anywhere from $983 to $1,674 depending on the kit you choose. Head on past the break for a quick look at it on video.

Continue reading Liquidware debuts Amber, a customizable Android development tablet

Liquidware debuts Amber, a customizable Android development tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 02:07:00 EST.

As spring reaches full blossom, it’s not just the flowers that are beginning to show — so are the new slates heavy hitters teased back at CES. So, what does that mean? It means it’s high-time that we cast a fresh glance over the tablet landscape, took in a deep breath of slate-infused air and exhaled a hearty Engadget tablet buyer’s guide. We’ve been running the smartphone equivalent for a little while now, so we thought it only fair to give the now-mature tablet category one of its own. We’re going to look at the main categories of fondleslabbery and carve out what we think are the finest offerings on the market right now. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for something big, small, just good enough or so powerful that it could replace your laptop: we’ve collected our favorites and shepherded them safely into this one humble guide. Of course, if you want to cast your net a little wider, you can always check out our tablet review hub, but if you struggle with indecision, head on past the break to see what’s hot right now in Tablet Land.

Continue reading Engadget’s tablet buyer’s guide: spring 2012 edition

Engadget’s tablet buyer’s guide: spring 2012 edition originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 14:15:00 EST.

Samsung started making 2GB low-power mobile memory last year, but as the 1GB-equipped phone you likely have in your hand shows, the chips weren’t built on a wide-enough scale to get much use. The Korean company is hoping to fix that now that it’s mass-producing 20-nanometer, 4-gigabit LPDDR2 RAM. Going to a smaller process than the 30-nanometer chips of old will not just slim the memory down by a fifth, helping your smartphone stay skinny: it should help 2GB of RAM become the “mainstream product” by the end of 2013, if Samsung gets its way. New chips should run at 1,066Mbps without chewing up any more power than the earlier parts, too, so there’s no penalty for using the denser parts. It’s hard to say whether or not the 20nm design is what’s leading to the 2GB of RAM in the Japanese Galaxy S III; we just know that the upgraded NTT DoCoMo phone is now just the start of a rapidly approaching trend for smartphones and tablets.

Continue reading Samsung mass-produces 4-gigabit LPDDR2 memory, aims to make 2GB a common sight in smartphones

Samsung mass-produces 4-gigabit LPDDR2 memory, aims to make 2GB a common sight in smartphones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 12:01:00 EST.

Smartphone sales numbers from first quarter 2012 show that Samsung represented more than 40 percent of all Android smartphone sales, while no other competitor managed to top 10 percent. Read more…

Gartner claims that worldwide, overall sales of mobile phones went down two percent in the first quarter of 2012. It’s the first time since 2009 that the industry has seen a decrease in sales. Read more…

Some call it diversity, some call it fragmentation. However you slice it, there’s a lot of Android devices out there. OpenSignalMaps has tracked a staggering 3,997 unique phones, tablets and other Google-powered gadgets, and has put them into a chart weighted by popularity. Not surprisingly, it’s powerhouses like Samsung’s Galaxy S II and HTC’s Desire line that dictate the platform, while that Concorde Tab you bought in Hungary sadly doesn’t have much traction. The normally signal mapping-oriented crew is careful to warn that the actual variety might be less: there’s 1,363 one-timers in the group, and some of those may be custom ROMs and the endless carrier-specific variants that OEMs are sometimes eager to make. There’s even more to look at through the source, including Android 2.3′s continuing dominance and the mind-boggling number of Android screen resolutions, so click ahead for an even fuller picture.

Visualized: Android’s device diversity cut up into 3,997 little pieces originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 17:41:00 EST.

Traditionally in the Android development cycle, major versions have launched at the end of the year (exception being Gingerbread/Honeycomb). According to the Wall Street Journal, Android Jelly Bean should launch this year, “by Thanksgiving”.

Will this be Android 5.0 or another version? That depends on Google’s plans for their I/O developer event happening in June. Andy Rubin’s team has two options: one, launch an Android 4.1 version with some improvements at I/O (and call it Jelly Bean), and then give a new name to Android 5.0. Two, use the event to showcase upcoming features of Android 5.0 Jelly Bean, and release it this fall.

Now, the rumor in WSJ says that Google is getting five manufacturers (probably Samsung, HTC, Motorola, Sony and LG – no love for Huawei, Google?) to release “Nexus devices”, all at the same time, this fall. How is this possible? Well, Google plans to give all of them early access to the next major version of Android, much like Microsoft does with Windows and WP7 manufacturers.

Google plans to launch the next version of Android with all of them at once , with some less important manufacturers launching a little later.

So what does this mean for us, the users? It means that we get to choose from at least 5 phones and maybe some tablets, too (some manufacturers will choose to release both a phone and a tablet), so our choices for stock Android devices will greatly improve. Even better, they will all be available from day one. That means that, if you don’t like a particular Nexus device, you have several others to choose from, and you won’t have to wait many more months until other devices appear.

This deal means that stock devices will flood the market. Also, manufacturers will have early access to the Android code, meaning that they will also be able to upgrade their skins faster and  launch new devices faster. However, the first devices will still be only stock Android. And Google should make sure of that through a formal agreement.

According to WSJ, the Nexus devices will most likely be sold through Google’s Play Store in US, Europe and Asia, which again is a great move for Google, because they’ll be able to wrestle control over Android from carriers. It won’t hurt carriers too much, because at least in US, most people still buy phones through carrier subsidies, but it should work very well in markets in Europe and Asia.

Overall, this is a very smart move from Google, that will benefit themselves, the consumers, and even the manufacturers.

NEXT: HTC Negotiates with Google for Potential Jelly Bean Nexus

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