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top android devices

Top 5 Android Devices

If you’re a fan of open source technology, you’re likely spurning Apple’s phones and tablets in favour of Android. However, the difficulty when investing in an Android model is the variety out there, which can make choosing a phone or tablet quite a challenge. Ironically, this array of technology is also one of the OS’s major draws.

Other reasons to choose Android over Apple include the use of widgets over installing apps, the wider variety of app marketplaces and the compatibility with Flash. However, there are drawbacks too – Android is less widely regulated so it may pose increased security risks to your phone or tablet.

If you do choose to go Android, there is a plethora of innovative technology out there, each one offering something a little different. So to help you in the decision making process, here are five of the best Android technologies to suit a variety of needs.

  1. Google Nexus 7 Android Tablet

One of the major selling points for the Nexus 7 is the price tag. Available at just $199, this beats all branded major competition and is a superb option for households or individuals on a budget. Smaller than the iPad, experts claim this might be more easily comparable to a Kindle – especially with its heavy focus on book and film apps. It has been described as a way for users to access and consume web content, and buy in particular from Google’s app stores. It is the ideal hybrid model – larger than a smart-phone but smaller than the average tablet – which makes web browsing highly portable, yet more easily visible.

  1. Samsung Galaxy S3 smart-phone

The Samsung Galaxy S3 makes the Top 5 Android technologies list due to its impressive quad-core processor, HD display and 4.8 inch screen – great features for a smart-phone. In terms of operation, it also boasts a surprisingly powerful battery, which allows it to keep its charge for longer; ideal for busy people on the go.

3.  Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

If there is one thing that puts people off purchasing a tablet it’s the touch screen typing capabilities. Sometimes you just want a regular QWERTY keyboard. While other tablets offer plug-in typing facilities, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is an Android tablet with the physical benefits of a Netbook – it has a foldable and removable keyboard dock. Plus, it’s slimmer and lighter than the iPad, it has a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and it can process full HD movies too.

  1. Arnova ChildPad

The Arnova ChildPad has made it onto the list due to its innovative use. It is a tablet aimed at children and one of the few that runs an Android OS. This give kids the ability to use child-friendly Android apps without annoying mum and dad (by stealing their tablets). At 7 inches it’s smaller than the average 10 inch tablet which suits smaller fingers down to the ground and it comes fully loaded with 30 apps tailored for kids.

  1. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

At number five, is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 – the Android tablet most comparable to the iPad. It is both lighter and thinner than Apple’s model, offering a dual-core CPU which offers users a good speed and an 8 mega pixel camera to boot.

So there you have it – five Android technologies suitable for five different uses – and one thing’s for sure, you don’t get this level of choice when you buy from Apple.


This article was submitted through TechGeec’s article submission form.

Amy Boff writes for Appliances Online. When she isn’t checking Facebook she enjoys walking her dog. Follow her on Twitter @AmyBoff

Apple’s New iPad

It’s hard to believe we could fit so many great ideas into something so thin.

A large, high-resolution LED-backlit, IPS display. An incredibly responsive Multi-Touch screen. And an amazingly powerful, Apple-designed chip. All in a design that’s thin and light enough to take anywhere. iPad isn’t just the best device of its kind. It’s a whole new kind of device. Watch the iPad video

LED-backlit, IPS Display

The high-resolution, 9.7 inch LED-backlit, IPS display on iPad is remarkably crisp and vivid. Which makes it perfect for web browsing, watching movies, or showing off photos. It’s also been designed to work in any orientation — portrait or landscape. And because it uses a display technology called IPS (in-plane switching), it has a wide, 178° viewing angle. So you can hold it almost any way you want, and still get a brilliant picture, with excellent color and contrast.

Multi-Touch

The Multi-Touch screen on the iPad uses the same revolutionary technology that’s in an iPhone. But for iPad, the technology has been completely reengineered for the larger surface, to make it extremely precise and responsive. So when you’re zooming in on a map, flicking through your photos, or deleting an email, iPad responds with incredible accuracy. And it does just what you want it to.

Thin and light

One of the first things you’ll notice about the iPad is how thin and light it is. The screen is 9.7 inches, measured diagonally. So overall, it’s slightly smaller than a magazine. And at just 1.5 lbs and 0.5 inches thin,1 it’s easy to carry and use anywhere. There’s also a slight curve to the back. Which makes it easy to pick up and comfortable to hold.

10 hours.

Up to 10 hours
battery life

To maximize battery life, Apple engineers took the same lithium polymer battery technology they developed for our notebook computers and applied it to the iPad. As a result, you can use iPad for up to 10 hours while surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching videos, or listening to music.2

Wireless

With built-in 802.11n, iPad can take advantage of the fastest Wi-Fi networks. And it’ll automatically locate available Wi-Fi networks, which you can easily join with a few simple taps. iPad also comes with Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR, which lets you connect to devices like wireless headphones or the Apple Wireless Keyboard.

3G

iPad will also be available in a 3G model, with super-fast data speeds up to 7.2 Mbps.3 So if you’re traveling, or you happen to be somewhere that doesn’t have a Wi-Fi network, you can still get a fast connection for surfing the web, downloading email, or getting directions.

Performance

Apple A4 chip.The A4 chip inside iPad was custom-designed by Apple engineers to be extremely powerful, and yet extremely power efficient. So the performance is unlike anything you’ve ever seen on a touch-based device. Which makes iPad fantastic for everything from productivity apps to games. But at the same time, the A4 chip is so power efficient that it helps iPad get up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge. And iPad is available with a choice of 16, 32 or 64GB flash storage.4 Which gives you lots of room for your photos, movies, music, apps, and more.

Connectivity

The 30-pin dock connector on the bottom of the iPad allows you to dock and charge it. It also lets you connect to iPad accessories like the Camera Connection Kit or the Keyboard Dock.

Audio

The powerful, built-in speaker produces a full, rich sound. Which makes watching a movie or listening to music even more enjoyable. It also comes with a headphone jack and a built-in microphone.

30-pin connector. Built-in speaker.

Accessories

There are lots of great accessories that have been specifically designed for iPad. The Keyboard Dock, for instance, is a dock with a full-size keyboard. There’s also a standalone Dock. And because iPad has built-in Bluetooth 2.1, it’ll work with an Apple Wireless Keyboard, too. There’s also a Camera Connection Kit that lets you import photos from a camera or SD card. There’s even an iPad Case that not only protects it, it also allows you to use iPad in various positions, to make it easy to type, look at photos, or watch movies. And through a range of accessories, iPad can output to TVs, projectors and displays. Learn more about iPad accessories in Tech Specs

Technical Specifications

Size and weight1

Height:
9.56 inches (242.8 mm)
Width:
7.47 inches (189.7 mm)
Depth:
0.5 inch (13.4 mm)
Weight:
1.5 pounds (.68 kg) Wi-Fi model;
1.6 pounds (.73 kg) Wi-Fi + 3G model

Display

  • 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
  • 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)
  • Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
  • Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

Wireless and Cellular

Wi-Fi model
  • Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n)
  • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology
Wi-Fi + 3G model
  • UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900,1800, 1900 MHz)
  • Data only2
  • Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n)
  • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology

Location

  • Wi-Fi
  • Digital compass
  • Assisted GPS (Wi-Fi + 3G model)
  • Cellular (Wi-Fi + 3G model)

In the Box

  • iPad
  • Dock connector to USB cable
  • 10W Power Adapter
  • Documentation

Environmental Status Report

iPad embodies Apple’s continuing environmental progress. It is designed with the following features to reduce environmental impact:

  • Arsenic-free display glass
  • BFR-free
  • Mercury-free LCD display
  • PVC-free
  • Recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure

Capacity3

  • 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive

Processor

  • 1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip

Sensors

  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light sensor

Audio Playback

  • Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
  • Audio formats supported: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
  • User-configurable maximum volume limit

TV and Video

  • Support for 1024 x 768 with Dock Connector to VGA adapter; 576p and 480p with Apple Composite A/V Cable, 576i and 480i with Apple Composite A/V Cable
  • H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats

Mail attachment support

  • Viewable document types: .jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel)

Languages

  • Language support for English, French, German, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Russian
  • Keyboard support for English (US) English (UK), French (France, Canada), German, Japanese (QWERTY), Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, Italian, Simplified Chinese (Handwriting and Pinyin), Russian
  • Dictionary support for English (US), English (UK), French, French (Canadian), French (Swiss), German, Japanese, Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, Italian, Simplified Chinese (Handwriting, Pinyin), Russian

Accessibility

  • Support for playback of closed-captioned content
  • VoiceOver screen reader
  • Full-screen zoom magnification
  • White on black
  • Mono audio

Battery and Power4

  • Built-in 25Whr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
  • Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music
  • Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system

Input and Output

  • Dock connector
  • 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack
  • Built-in speakers
  • Microphone
  • SIM card tray (Wi-Fi + 3G model only)

External buttons and controls

  • On/Off, Sleep/wake
  • Mute
  • Volume up/down
  • Home

Mac system requirements

  • Mac computer with USB 2.0 port
  • Mac OS X v10.5.8 or later
  • iTunes 9.0 or later (free download from www.itunes.com/download)
  • iTunes Store account
  • Internet access

Windows system requirements

  • PC with USB 2.0 port
  • Windows 7, Windows Vista; Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 3 or later
  • iTunes 9.0 or later (free download from www.itunes.com/download)
  • iTunes Store account
  • Internet access

Yet another unbelievable feature: The price.

With iPad, you get all our latest innovations. And all our most advanced technologies. In one of the most revolutionary products we’ve ever created. All at a price that’s well within reach.

16 GB 32 GB 64 GB
Wi-Fi $499 $599 $699
Wi-Fi + 3G $629 $729 $829
  • Prices in US Dollars. International pricing will be announced at a later date.
  • 3G data plan sold separately.

Leave a comment below to tell us what you think of the new iPad.

iZel: Fold It. Place It. View It.

iZel Banner

I am sure that many of you have thought about purchasing a stand for a number of your devices but you just weren’t sure which one was right for you. Let me tell you that the iZel is the best multimedia device stand on the market today. It’s safe, sturdy, and relatively inexpensive. For a price of $24.95 you pick one up over at MyiZel.com.

One of the greatest features of the iZel is that it is portable. It is capable of unfolding into a flat 0.3 inch piece of plastic and rubber which can easily fit inside many pockets, purses, bags, or pouches. Another great feature is that the iZel can hold it’s shape due to two small plastic pegs which fit into two small holes. If you wish to have the iZel‘s “legs” closer together (preferably for a portrait view) insert the pegs into the inner-most holes. For the “legs” wider (for a landscape view) simply insert the pegs into the outer-most holes. The stand can also support a variety of devices such as the iPhone, iPod, iPod Touch, Zune, BlackBerry, Amazon Kindle, Nintendo DS, PSP, and many other devices.

The iZel can be used for a variety of occasions. Some examples may be on an airplane (watching videos on your multimedia device), at a table while eating (watching videos while eating), on a small table/desk to display a slide show of pictures. Personally, I mostly use it to display my iPod Touch 2G and my LG Voyager on my desk while charging them.

You can guarantee that your device will be safe while using the stand, too. Although it is made out of plastic, all of it’s edges are coated with a flexible elastomer so that it will not scratch your device while also provide a stable, slip resistant support. The iZel also features a ratcheted adjustable support that can be easily extended or retracted to modify the viewing angle of the device’s screen by a range of up to 30°.

If you travel a lot, readily have people visiting, or enjoy watching videos on your multimedia device, it is highly recommended to check out the iZel over at MyiZel.com for a price of $24.95.