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Top five free apps for Android tablets plus a look at the Acer Iconia A500
#12 | 5:37 |
Wednesday May 11, 2011
Android Weekly
Wednesday May 11, 2011
This week, we're switching gears a little for our Top five Android apps for tablets. We'll be taking a look at a great way to find news sites on your tablet, a way to keep your shopping lists in sync, the best means for finding an unobstructed Wi-Fi connection, a way to get the day's news and finally, a way to improve upon the stock Android media player.
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Number Five
StumbleUpon
Anyone that tries to tell you a tablet is a business tool is, well, a business tool. Sure, there are all kinds of productive things you can do. But why bother? After you've checked Facebook for the 12th time, you've Tweeted every single thought that's come to mind, you've refreshed your email endlessly, it's StumbleUpon to the rescue. Hit the Stumble button and based on your interests, you're presented with a site you probably would never have otherwise found. Or you could extricate yourself from that Starbucks chair and free up the space for someone who's actually buying something. Your call.
Number Four
Grocery iQ - Tablet
We all need to eat, and Grocery iQ makes sure the cupboards are never bare. On an Android phone, this is a handy app that lets you ditch the paper lists and get rid of the pencil tucked behind your ear. On the tablet though, it's perfect for using at home. The wider tablet view lets you organize your stores on the left and enter items you need to buy on the right. Then, when it's time to hit the store, your perfectly synced grocery list comes with you on your phone. Sure, the pencil and paper approach is cheaper than the tablet and smartphone approach, but it's considerably less fun.
Number Three
Wifi Analyzer
To date, few Android tablets have a mobile connection. You're going to be relying on WiFi to post Facebook updates and waste time online. Wifi Analyzer will let you find the strongest, most reliable and fastest Wifi connection going. It'll also let you see which channels are already overrun with wifi networks so you can pick a less saturated channel for your own wireless network at home or in the office.
Number Two
Google Reader / Google Reader Play
Sadly, Google Reader isn't optimized for tablets; all you're really getting is a larger view on the same app you'd be using on an Android smartphone. That said, Google Reader is the single best way to pull all your news sources into one place. We'd expect Google to lead the charge when it comes to optimized apps for its tablets. Alas.
For a more tablet-friendly view on Google Reader, fire up your browse and head to google.com/reader/play. Perhaps this is what the Google Reader app will become for Android tablets.
Here's hoping because while Google Reader is very handy on your tablet, it's hardly cutting edge.
Number One
doubleTwist Player
The stock media management app on Android devices is, how do we put this delicately... a steaming pile. doubleTwist steps in to fill the void. Aside from letting you sync any music you may have in iTunes to your Android device, it's also the best all around music and media manager handling podcasts, video and over the air radio streams.
Review of the Day
Acer Iconia A500
$450
The Acer Iconia A500 is the first Android tablet coming out of Acer, and it's a good (if not quite great) first showing.
On the hardware side, we have a very capable dual-core 1Ghz processor and a gig of RAM that keeps things moving nicely. We also get a 10.1-inch capacitive touch screen, front and rear cameras and HDMI out for connecting the tablet to an HDTV to watch movies and view pictures on the big screen.
While the guts of this thing are solid, the same can't quite be said for the overall construction. In keeping the price down below the dreaded $500 balk point for an Android tablet while still offering the latest in tablet specs, some sacrifices have been made. The Acer Iconia A500 clocks in at a relatively wallet-friendly $450.
Submitted for your perusal, a case that feels decidedly plastic-y and a vibration motor that's both sporadic and ill tuned.
Acer's Honeycomb reskin is decent but as we've said countless times before, we'd much rather see stock Android. Sure, shoe-horn your own apps in natively, but don't mess with the program.
What's really highlighted here are the dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and GeForce GPU. HD games really pop and slowdown is scarce. That said, there's a dearth of real HD games available. Such is the price of early adoption.
This tablet will handle your email with aplomb, get you a larger view on just about any site on the 'net and using Google Talk, facilitates video calls. As an approved build, you get full access to the Android Market and the better than 150,000 apps it contains.
Check out Gadget TV on butterscotch.com and our full, in-depth video review of the Acer Iconia A500.
StumbleUpon
Anyone that tries to tell you a tablet is a business tool is, well, a business tool. Sure, there are all kinds of productive things you can do. But why bother? After you've checked Facebook for the 12th time, you've Tweeted every single thought that's come to mind, you've refreshed your email endlessly, it's StumbleUpon to the rescue. Hit the Stumble button and based on your interests, you're presented with a site you probably would never have otherwise found. Or you could extricate yourself from that Starbucks chair and free up the space for someone who's actually buying something. Your call.
Number Four
Grocery iQ - Tablet
We all need to eat, and Grocery iQ makes sure the cupboards are never bare. On an Android phone, this is a handy app that lets you ditch the paper lists and get rid of the pencil tucked behind your ear. On the tablet though, it's perfect for using at home. The wider tablet view lets you organize your stores on the left and enter items you need to buy on the right. Then, when it's time to hit the store, your perfectly synced grocery list comes with you on your phone. Sure, the pencil and paper approach is cheaper than the tablet and smartphone approach, but it's considerably less fun.
Number Three
Wifi Analyzer
To date, few Android tablets have a mobile connection. You're going to be relying on WiFi to post Facebook updates and waste time online. Wifi Analyzer will let you find the strongest, most reliable and fastest Wifi connection going. It'll also let you see which channels are already overrun with wifi networks so you can pick a less saturated channel for your own wireless network at home or in the office.
Number Two
Google Reader / Google Reader Play
Sadly, Google Reader isn't optimized for tablets; all you're really getting is a larger view on the same app you'd be using on an Android smartphone. That said, Google Reader is the single best way to pull all your news sources into one place. We'd expect Google to lead the charge when it comes to optimized apps for its tablets. Alas.
For a more tablet-friendly view on Google Reader, fire up your browse and head to google.com/reader/play. Perhaps this is what the Google Reader app will become for Android tablets.
Here's hoping because while Google Reader is very handy on your tablet, it's hardly cutting edge.
Number One
doubleTwist Player
The stock media management app on Android devices is, how do we put this delicately... a steaming pile. doubleTwist steps in to fill the void. Aside from letting you sync any music you may have in iTunes to your Android device, it's also the best all around music and media manager handling podcasts, video and over the air radio streams.
Review of the Day
Acer Iconia A500
$450
The Acer Iconia A500 is the first Android tablet coming out of Acer, and it's a good (if not quite great) first showing.
On the hardware side, we have a very capable dual-core 1Ghz processor and a gig of RAM that keeps things moving nicely. We also get a 10.1-inch capacitive touch screen, front and rear cameras and HDMI out for connecting the tablet to an HDTV to watch movies and view pictures on the big screen.
While the guts of this thing are solid, the same can't quite be said for the overall construction. In keeping the price down below the dreaded $500 balk point for an Android tablet while still offering the latest in tablet specs, some sacrifices have been made. The Acer Iconia A500 clocks in at a relatively wallet-friendly $450.
Submitted for your perusal, a case that feels decidedly plastic-y and a vibration motor that's both sporadic and ill tuned.
Acer's Honeycomb reskin is decent but as we've said countless times before, we'd much rather see stock Android. Sure, shoe-horn your own apps in natively, but don't mess with the program.
What's really highlighted here are the dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and GeForce GPU. HD games really pop and slowdown is scarce. That said, there's a dearth of real HD games available. Such is the price of early adoption.
This tablet will handle your email with aplomb, get you a larger view on just about any site on the 'net and using Google Talk, facilitates video calls. As an approved build, you get full access to the Android Market and the better than 150,000 apps it contains.
Check out Gadget TV on butterscotch.com and our full, in-depth video review of the Acer Iconia A500.
App of the day
musiXmatch - lyrics plugin Android
Integrated with your favourite music app. More than 5m lyrics in your pocket!musiXmatch...
