Best Android Tablets

We round up the best Android tablets on the market, from the Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab to the underrated Acer Iconia Tab.

Tablets were the hot item of 2011. Every phone and PC manufacturer jumped onboard the new hot trend, but few of them have seen much success so far. It’s still the iPad’s market to lose, though Amazon and Barnes & Noble have put forth some good low-cost challengers. With most consumers yawning at straight Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) tablets, perhaps these branded tablets will take off. If you have a bit more money to spend though, we recommend you check out something like the Galaxy Tab 8.9. Below are our picks for best Android tablets. 

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9

	Screen: 8.9 inches, 1280×800 pixels OS: Android 3.1 with TouchWiz UI Processor: 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 RAM: 1GB Storage: 16GB internal Camera: 3MP rear, 2MP front Connection: 3G and/or Wi-Fi Price: $450
Description: The Galaxy Tab 8.9 is currently our favorite pure Android tablet. All of the new Samsung tablets are similar and good (10.1, 7.0, 7.7), but the 8.9 seems to be the perfect size for a tablet, enabling the full screen utility that comes with a 10.1-inch, but without the weight and bulk. It’s just small enough to thumb type on too.

How to maximize battery life on your Android phone or tablet

Frustrated by how quickly your favorite mobile gadgets die? Follow these simple tips to get longer battery life out of your Android phone or tablet.

Almost everything about Android phones is getting bigger and better. The screens, processors, and antennas are larger and faster but one thing just can’t keep up with the rest – the battery. Batteries are being taxed further and further with all of these new technologies, and they haven’t quite caught up.

Here’s a quick guide to make sure that you get the most out of your Android’s battery so your phone spends less time plugged into a wall.

Multitasking

One of the great features on Android phones is being able to run multiple apps at the same time.

The drawback is that running multiple apps in the background eats up tons of precious battery life. The Android Market features several app manager applications, but the most effective way to keep tabs on applications is already built into the operating system.

By going into the settings menu you can see what apps are currently running, and how much processing power they consume. To do this go into the settings menu and tap “applications.” Then hit “manage applications.” Shut down applications you aren’t using, or ones that are eating up battery life, by clicking on the name of the app and then tapping the “stop” button.

If you own an Android device built by HTC, Motorola, or Samsung you most likely have a useful customized version of the built-in application manager. For example, Samsung’s TouchWiz features a widget that shows how many apps you currently have running, and will allow you to close apps one by one, or all apps at once with a single click.

It sounds overly simple, but ensuring that you don’t have apps running in the background when you don’t need them will save your battery. Each application might be taking up a very small amount of power, but it adds up over time.

Take Control

One surefire way to waste battery life is leaving hardware that isn’t being used turned on. Examples include leaving GPS and Bluetooth on all day, instead of only when needed.

Nearly all recent Android phones – Android version 2.1 and newer – have a widget called “power control.” Its sole function is to save battery life.

This handy widget enables you to turn on or off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and Sync with the touch of a single button. It also enables to you reduce the brightness of your screen. Unless you are directly using the Wi-Fi, et al, there is no reason to leave it on.

However, Sync and auto-brightness for your screen are handy features. It’s up to you if you want to turn those off or down.

Unfortunately, if your phone came with a custom skin it is possible the “power control” widget is not included on your phone. Most likely, though, the device should have a very similar widget or feature.

Some of the new 4G phones offer a 4G toggle switch to turn off the power-hungry 4G antenna. It’s better to have it off until you start consuming tons of data. Keeping on top of all these features throughout the day should prolong battery life.

Fade to black

This tip will only help those of you who have an AMOLED screen, essentially this refers to any recent devices from Samsung. We’ll skip the lesson about how screen technology works, and just say that AMOLED screens don’t use power to display black pixels.

If you keep the screen’s background as black as possible you will save a massive amount of power. Screens are one of the most power hungry aspects of phones, by reducing the power that the screen needs to operate you will drastically improve battery life.

Wrap it up!

Android gets a bad rap for being a power hungry operating system, and it can be if left unchecked. However, by shutting off applications that aren’t in use and only turning on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS functions when needed you’ll be amazed at how much longer the battery lasts.

Under average usage your device should easily last all day, and maybe then some. Of course, if you stream Netflix all day then bets are off.

Facebook’s photo app: Dissecting the latest details

The allegedly leaked information on the Facebook photo app has fully surfaced, and here's our quick takeaway about what's (hopefully) bound for your iPhone.

This morning, the world got a hold of an early look at Facebook’s photo-sharing app. Being the social networking giant it is, Facebook is poised to take the mobile world by storm with what could easily be the photo app to rule them all. Even the brief glimpse and limited information we’ve had about the project have been enough to yield praise and excitement over the forthcoming application. Now TechCrunch has revealed more thorough insights about its early look at the Facebook mobile photo app that could make a convert out of even the most loyal Instagram addict. Here are some of the initial impressions we can gather from what’s available thus far, as well as a couple of the most intriguing features.

More than just a photo app?

There’s the distinct possibility this is more than just a photo-sharing app. It could very well be an entirely redesigned Facebook application, something that mobile users have been petitioning for. The depth of what this app seems to offer also makes us wonder whether it’s being designed with the iPad specifically in mind (there currently is no official Facebook app for the iPad). Whether it’s a redesign for smartphones or Facebook’s first go at a full-blown iPad app, some of the images make it look like there’s more than photo sharing at play here.

Facebook and Apple go head-to-head over social-mobile tech?

A new patent from Apple revealing geo-social networking software and a few leaked Facebook mobile projects suggest the two industry titans may be edging in on one another's territory.

Apple and Facebook are two Silicon Valley titans that have a stranglehold on the digital world. And until quite recently, it seems like they have each been content to dominate their respective arenas of technology: Apple’s being mobile and Facebook’s being social. Of course every Web 2.0 company understands the need to not be the best at one thing but at least try to be the best at everything, and recent projects from Apple and Facebook that have surfaced reveal they are both taking this to heart. Looks like some toes are about to get stepped on.

Facebook gets mobile

Facebook’s been rather quiet on the mobile scene. Its official app hasn’t been anything to write home about (unless you’re complaining about it, as many have), it hasn’t released an iPad app yet, and all those Facebook phone rumors haven’t panned out (at least yet) unless you’re counting the deep Facebook integration with the INQ Cloud. When Apple announced that iOS 5 would feature Twitter at its core, it seemed solidified that Facebook’s mobile ambitions have either stalled or are in flux. But after yesterday’s revelation, we’re more inclined to think Facebook might want to go its own way. Details about a forthcoming Facebook photo-sharing app of some sort surfaced, showing off a highly-developed project that would take elements from all the most popular photo-sharing apps out there and combine them with the mass appeal that the world’s largest social network has. It’s uncertain whether this is a standalone app that will complement Facebook or something to be woven into its current app; whatever it is, it’s getting hype for all the right reasons. It would be a natural transition for Facebook to segueway into mobile: The camera phone is inarguably one of the most popular features of the smartphone, and photo-sharing apps (especially those that integrate with Facebook) are big business. Take into account that Facebook is the world’s most popular photo-sharing platform, and you can see the progression toward the company getting a firm foot in the mobile door.

Adding to Facebook’s mobile mix is this Project Spartan business. Facebook is allegedly planning to redesign its apps for the mobile Safari browser via HTML 5. The assumption here is that the social network wants to take away some of the strength Apple’s App Store gives it over mobile while also giving users a way to access apps on mobile browsers. A Facebook Web app store has possibilities, but call us skeptics for the time being. But if anything, it’s an indication Facebook isn’t totally content playing second fiddle.

Apple gets social

Facebook’s not the only one edging in on another’s territory. Apple has filed a patent application to connect iOS users to those in their general vicinity who have similar interests. “A user of a mobile device can identify another user using another mobile device who is close by, if both users have requested to participate in networking. Common interests and experiences of two or more users located close to each other can be identified from content, including automatically created usage data of the mobile device.” The patent goes on to explain that users will be notified about their potential friend and “means of initiating communication” will be provided. Apple says meeting new people with similar backgrounds can be difficult and time-consuming, and letting your iOS device pull your data and then search the area for another iOS user with similar software could cut down on the tedious process. Bundle this with some sort of platform to find, collect, and access these found contacts and you have a viable Apple social network on (or rather, in) your hands.

Right off the bat, this doesn’t seem as fluid a step as Facebook’s mobile-photo project does. There have been third party apps with similar concepts that have been passed off as creepy or raise privacy concerns. Of course, being an official iOS app means it will bear more weight with users, but after Locationgate, not every Apple aficionado is as trusting with this information. That said, it has promise: The immediate fanfare social app Color received was due to its technology and revolutionary way of seeing social networks in relation to geography. If Apple can harvest this idea and avoid Color’s missteps, the app could find a fast following. And the very things that Color got wrong, Apple notoriously gets right. Simple, intuitive UI, well-executed product launches, automatic user base. Color co-founder Peter Pham (who recently left the company), a former employee of Apple, praised its self-explanatory applications and UIs, saying Color wanted to mimic this – something it wasn’t able to do, partially contributing to its user isolation. And the fact that Color hasn’t been able to build a database of loyal years means the app hasn’t be able to work as it should, and everything iOS comes with hoards of fans willing to try its services at launch.

Are Apple and Facebook stepping into the ring?

Just because Apple and Facebook have respective social and mobile aspirations, does it mean the two are about to become enemies? There are two of the most powerful companies in the world that also happened to have a bit of a past. There was some documented fallout after Facebook pulled integration with Apple’s Ping service, and there have been ample undocumented whispers about remaining tensions between these two ambitious companies. An all-out public airing of grievances a la the Facebook-Google data wars fiasco seems unlikely, as both Facebook and Apple tend to keep their business cards close to their chests. But it’s clear that being the best at one thing isn’t good enough, and each know that mobile and social platforms and applications are only going to continue dominating the digital landscape. Having a tight grip on one simply isn’t enough.

Facebook wants to turn the Open Graph into a mobile app store

Facebook unveiled plans to push mobile payments via the Open Graph, and it could challenge other mobile operating systems.

You might not think Facebook would be making waves at Mobile World Congress, but you’d be wrong. Today the social network announced its new mobile billing service – signaling it very much intends to compete with mobile app stores, namely iOS and Android marketplaces.

First, the details of the announcement: Facebook is partnering with AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica, T-Mobile USA, Verizon, Vodafone, KDDI, and Softbank Mobile Corp. to begin its own system, which will allow users to make charges via the Facebook platform as long as their phones are covered by one of the above mentioned networks.

Facebook is also pushing to standardize HTML5, an effort that would make it easier for developers creating mobile apps – payment based services included. To that end, Facebook has introduced a test service called RingMark. “There’s rampant technology fragmentation across mobile browsers, so developers don’t know which parts of HTML5 they can use to deliver their apps to customers,” CTO Bret Taylor said earlier today. Essentially, this would turn the Open Graph into Facebook’s app store, a place for easy monetary transactions.

The single-step application would eliminate the need for SMS device verification, an annoying roadblock users begrudgingly often deal with when making purchases at the moment. The SDK will be released in the near future so app makers can make their products available via Facebook, which of course, drives its Open Graph activity.

Facebook has long had mobile aspirations and the Open Graph is how it will realize them. The Open Graph is Facebook’s app store, and it’s one that isn’t subject to what OS you use – whether you have an iPhone, an Android, a Windows Phone, whatever, you can access and make purchases via the Facebook app library. Yes, at its most basic, this means you’re using an app store within an app.

Now, Facebook’s already bagged users: There are more than 800 million of them, and the Open Graph has performed well from the outset. But Facebook’s doing its very best to make this as appealing as possible to developers. The Pay Dialog is all developers will need to integrate into their own apps, which supports desktop and mobile, supports app-specific currency, and doesn’t required additional permissions since Facebook and the carriers work out these details. That all sounds pretty nice to developers’ ears.

It became pretty clear in Facebook’s S-1 filing that mobile is where the money – and users – are at. It’s the future of Facebook, as well as where it plans on making real money. Monetizing mobile, however, hasn’t hit quite yet, and a simple, user- and developer-friendly mobile payment system would tie all the loose ends together. 

Samsung exec admits: ‘We’re not doing very well in the tablet market’‎

It was a frank assessment no one was expecting, but at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, a Samsung executive admitted "we're not doing very well in the tablet market."

So often company executives beat about the bush when it comes to talking to the media, dressing up their talk in flowery language, attempting to avoid the burning issue, trying desperately to cast things in a positive light — when actually things might be looking pretty darn bleak.

And so it’s somewhat refreshing to hear that at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, Hankil Yoon, a product strategy executive for Samsung, put it in no uncertain terms when describing the company’s efforts to take on Apple’s iPad. “Honestly, we’re not doing very well in the tablet market,” he told a media roundtable.

We kind of knew that already, but to hear it straight down the line from someone at the company may have left a few at the discussion retrieving their jaw from the floor.

Yoon’s honesty could arguably be taken as a sign of confidence about how Samsung views its future prospects in the tablet market. If there’s any panic among company executives about its place in the market, no doubt Yoon would have uttered something more evasive, indirect and ambiguous.

Despite investing much money and time in developing, manufacturing and marketing its range of Android-powered tablets, the devices have up to now failed to catch the imagination of consumers.

Samsung’s first foray into the tablet market was in September 2010 — five months after the launch of Apple’s iPad — with the 7-inch Galaxy Tab. Since then it has launched a range of devices with various screen sizes and specifications, and this week added to the collection with the unveiling of three more: the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, and the Galaxy Note 10.1.

The Korean company is also pushing its new 5.3-inch Galaxy Note device, a large phone or small tablet, depending on which way you want to look at it — some in the industry have simply nicknamed it a “phablet.” DT’s Jeffrey van Camp, who reviews the device here, said that making a call on it “feels like you’re holding a brick to your face,” and that you need big hands to use it comfortably as a single-hand device.

Speaking to PC Mag, Kevin Packingham, senior vice president of product innovation for Samsung Mobile, suggested that Samsung has been feeling its way in the tablet market with the launch of so many devices. “2011 was the big introductory year for Samsung on the tablet side,” Packingham said, adding, “I think we’ve kind of reached a point where we understand what the market looks like, and we’re now optimizing the tablet portfolio to go after the segments where we can be successful.”

While Samsung will be hoping its 5.3-inch Galaxy Note sells well, it continues to face a big challenge when it comes to its larger devices, an area of the market that Apple dominates with its iPad.

While acknowledging that Apple has a strong product, Packingham said he believes Samsung can turn things around. “There’s no doubt that Apple has a really great user experience,” he told PC Mag, “but that’s where Samsung has made tremendous advances in the last two years.” Indeed, such advances have caused Apple to look over its shoulder and engage with Samsung in a number of ongoing patent disputes around the world.

Packingham added that the Korean company is attempting to change the mindset of consumers who go to Apple without even thinking about it. “We are trying to connect with those consumers who may have historically considered an Apple product and get that chance for them to reconsider their decision [and] give Samsung another shot,” he said.

Despite Yoon’s honest assessment of the current state of play, it seems that Samsung is in the tablet market for the long haul and believes it can, over time, chip away at Apple’s market share with its own iPad alternatives.