Joe

The top 5 LG phones on the Android platform

Posted by Joe on February 3, 2012 | no comment | Filed under : Anything Android

As smartphones become even more popular and features become even more advanced, LG is making it a mission to keep up with the changing face of cell phones. From phones designed for gamers to the incorporation of 3D technology, LG phones are setting the precedent for the future of smartphone innovation. Here are our top five favorites:
Read the rest of The top 5 LG phones on the Android platform…

Joe

4 Android travel apps you should know about

Posted by Joe on January 4, 2012 | 2 comments | Filed under : Applications

Anyone who travels even a couple of times a year needs a travel app on her Android smartphone. Having all of that information right in front of you, whenever you need it, is more than a convenience. At times it can save your hide. Here are a few of the best travel apps for Android.

Read the rest of 4 Android travel apps you should know about…

Joe

Will cheap Ice Cream Sandwich tablets sell?

Posted by Joe on December 7, 2011 | 1 comment | Filed under : Tablets

Pictured above is the NOVO7, which is actually the world’s first Ice Cream Sandwich tablet. It’s a 7-inch device that features a 1GHz processor with 1080p HD video output — not top of the line, but certainly not assembled from the scrap heap. It’s not much with the rear camera, just 2 megapixels, and the front-facing one is just VGA. While there are some downsides, the upside is considerable. That is, the device is selling for just $100. That’s a pretty magic price point. Can it work for this device?

Read the rest of Will cheap Ice Cream Sandwich tablets sell?…

Joe

Sprint admits to installing Carrier IQ on devices

Posted by Joe on December 2, 2011 | 1 comment | Filed under : Service Providers

If you haven’t been paying attention, a service called Carrier IQ has cause a bit of a stir lately. The premise is pretty simple. Manufacturers or carriers install the software on your phone. The software then monitors pretty much everything you do, and then reports back to the installing party. Clearly this causes some issues with users; no one wants someone spying on their actions. In the past few days carriers and manufacturers have spoken up regarding their relationships with Carrier IQ. The latest is Sprint, which admitted that it uses Carrier IQ. Does this make you feel less easy about using a Sprint Android phone?

Read the rest of Sprint admits to installing Carrier IQ on devices…

Explore Your Green Thumb with Android Apps

Posted by Lyndsey Rabon on November 28, 2011 | 1 comment | Filed under : Anything Android, Applications

I have been gardening since I was old enough to play in the dirt. For me, gardening is more than a hobby…it is a great stress reliever, a healthy way to break a sweat, an exercise in self-reliance, and a creative outlet. The payoff — whether it is in the sweet smelling flowers that attract foraging honey bees and an assortment of butterflies, or the abundance of fresh seasonal vegetables I can share with family and friends — is always rewarding, and it makes me feel accomplished to reap the fruits of my labor. The secret to gardening isn’t in the fertilizer, it’s in the apps.
Read the rest of Explore Your Green Thumb with Android Apps…

Joe

Podcasting delight: BeyondPod $1.99 this weekend

Posted by Joe on November 24, 2011 | 1 comment | Filed under : Applications

On one of my other sites we feature a reasonably popular podcast. We offer many ways to enjoy the podcast, though because it’s hosted on iTunes we do promote it in that way. With the increasing number of Android users we’ve received a number of questions on how they can get the podcast in their favorite podcast application. That has turned us onto a number of podcasting apps, but I’ve seen none better than BeyondPod. If you’re looking for the most comprehensive Android podcast app, look no further. Best of all, it’s on sale for just $2 this weekend, down from $7 normally. Now is the time to jump aboard this train.

Read the rest of Podcasting delight: BeyondPod $1.99 this weekend…

Joe

Can you use your Android to stop smoking?

Posted by Joe on November 22, 2011 | 2 comments | Filed under : Gaming

Yesterday a friend sent a message that always brings joy. “I’m quitting smoking starting Friday.” The conversation then turned to different ways to prevent relapse. His idea was to get a pack of mini cigars — cigarillos. They’d be for extreme situations, since you can’t possibly smoke them often (and you don’t inhale them). They’re also universally stale, so the taste would likely drive him further away. But then he revealed one aspect of smoking that I find so many smokers share: part of the addiction is keeping the hands busy. It would make sense, then, that a touchscreen phone could help keep hands busy when cigarette cravings appear.

Read the rest of Can you use your Android to stop smoking?…

Joe

Controlling your TV from your Android

Posted by Joe on November 9, 2011 | 1 comment | Filed under : Anything Android

Where is the damn clicker? It’s a line that nearly everyone has uttered multiple times. For some reason some people — perhaps most people, or at least it seems that way — are incapable of putting the remote control back in its proper place. Or, for that matter, any place in plain sight. We’ve reached a point as a society where it’s more acceptable to stare at a blank screen than it is to actually get up and change the channel.

It was only a matter of time before someone developed a way for our smartphones to control our TVs. Apple actually jumped out on this one, releasing an app that lets iPhone and iPad users control Apple TV units from their smartphones or tablets. But that’s one specific device. This new development for Android lets you use your smartphone to control everything on your TV.

Read the rest of Controlling your TV from your Android…

Joe

Samsung releases the 7-inch Galaxy Tab

Posted by Joe on November 4, 2011 | 1 comment | Filed under : Tablets

While there’s been plenty of hype for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, it’s not the only Android tablet Samsung plans to release this year. In fact, they’ve recently released the follow-up to their 7-inch Galaxy Tab from last year. It’s a bit early, since it was supposed to hit shelves on November 13th, but right now you can grab the new Galaxy Tab 7-inch device. As with the 10.1, the 7-inch version ranks among the best Android tablets on the market. Even better, it doesn’t suffer from the same pricing pitfalls as its larger sibling.

Read the rest of Samsung releases the 7-inch Galaxy Tab…

Joe

GameStop gets into the Android tablet game

Posted by Joe on November 3, 2011 | no comment | Filed under : Tablets

It was only a matter of time before GameStop got into the tablet gaming market. They’re already taking iPad and iPod trade-ins, which signals a start to their platform expansion. There were also rumors that they’d release their own gaming-centric Android tablet. While that could still happen at some point, they’ve gotten a head start by offering a number of existing Android tablets — pre-loaded with seven games.

Read the rest of GameStop gets into the Android tablet game…