Tablets

How to vastly improve Android tablet battery life

As I wrote earlier this year, Android battery life can be atrocious. Most of the Android-powered phones I've tried end up dead overnight if they're not left on a charger, and Android tablets are just as bad.

I can understand phones having power issues, what with all their syncing and pinging and fetching. But tablets aren't phones; they should be able to last for days--maybe even a week--before needing an AC assist.

Witness my iPad: it consumes almost no power when it's not being used, so even if I don't touch it for a week, it'll have juice left when I pick it up--nearly as much as when I last put it down. But every Android tablet I've ever tested? Dead after a day--maybe two--whether I use it or not.

The culprit for this, it turns out, is a couple of "phone services" baked into the Android OS. They have no business on a tablet, but there they are, sapping the battery unnecessarily.… Read more

Lookout stops segregating tablets

One of the odd quirks about the Lookout Mobile Security app for Android (download) has been that it required a cell phone number to install. Those days are over, as Lookout released today an Android version of its app that will work on phones and tablets running Android 1.5 or later. The security app also will work on Apple devices running iOS 4.0 and up.

It was very difficult, if not impossible, to run earlier versions of Lookout on a tablet because the app's activation process and other device recognition protocol were done via text message. The … Read more

'Millions more' may own a Kindle Fire, Bezos says

Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos told investors today that his company is "building millions more" Kindle Fire tablets than originally planned.

Bezos' boast came during Amazon's conference call with investors to report its third-quarter earnings, which did not thrill the market nearly as much as the Kindle Fire is apparently exciting consumers. The numbers did not live up to Wall Street's expectations, and Amazon's stock price took a big dive in after-hours trading.… Read more

How to skip iCloud.com upload process for iWork documents

iCloud and iOS 5 brought with it a slew of new features with them when Apple launched the software duo earlier this month. One of the advertised features was the ability to sync iWork documents (Pages, Keynote, Numbers) using iCloud with the iWork apps on iOS. … Read more

HTC Jetstream review: Again, why is this so expensive?

Price matters to everyone to some extent. If you're a prospective vendor planning to sell a tablet that, at its cheapest, is $700, you had better offer something uniquely compelling.

Too many tablets are out there vying for consumer attention and, with limited funds, we need a compelling reason to bite. A tablet that simply does the same things other tablets do in a different package just ain't gonna cut it.

It needs a feature or a quality to stand out, like the Sony Tablet S's ability to play Playstation games or the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.… Read more

Changers charger offers social solar, rewards

You're using the power of the sun to charge your gadgets. That's kind of awesome. Why keep it to yourself? A new solar charging system from German startup Changers makes your eco-consciousness just as obvious as driving around in a Prius.

The actual charger ventures into familiar territory with a solar module and a battery. It can generate up to 4 watts per hour, enough to fill up the battery in four hours. It is designed to charge smartphones, tablets, and other small electronics.

Normally, a solar charging system would sit quietly by, laboring in silence. Not this one. It hooks up to your PC or Mac by USB, tracks your CO2 savings, and tells all your friends about it over Facebook and Twitter.

The device also tracks your energy production on Changers.com and dishes out credits that can be spent with the company's retail partners. There's no word yet on who those partners are.

The $149 Changers Starter Kit is currently available for preorder, with deliveries starting up within a few weeks. Don't worry, the sun will still be waiting for you.… Read more

Siri runs on iPad, but Apple ignores it

I talk to my iPad 2 all the time, but it never answers me back. Still, there is a small kernel of hope that Siri may one day start chatting me up via my Apple tablet.

Developer Jackoplane posted Twitter screenshots of a successful port of Siri to a jailbroken first-generation iPad. That's exciting news for jailbroken-iPad users, but there is a wrench here.

Apple's servers have their ears plugged and they're saying, "La, la, la, I can't hear you!" every time Siri tries to talk to them. The servers, you see, only recognize Siri when it's coming from an iPhone 4S.… Read more

Crayola Trace & Draw turns iPad into art pad

You can already transform your iPhone into a baby toy and let your cats paint on your iPad. Now it's time to turn your toddlers loose on your Apple device.

The Crayola Trace & Draw system from Griffin Technology is an iPad 2 case designed to bring out your young one's inner Matisse or Motherwell.… Read more

Keep your phone, tablet safe from cooking madness

When I hastily grabbed my phone to check a recipe during my first attempt at bibimbap, gunk from my fingers landed on the phone screen, nearly seeping into the speaker and damaging my favorite kitchen companion.

And it really is just that. With fruitful recipe apps like Allrecipes and Epicurious, along with my phone's built-in timer and calculator for measurement conversions, my iPhone and iPad are extremely useful tools, right after a freshly sharpened knife and KitchenAid mixer.

There's just one problem: these gadgets are hanging out in the dangerous war zone that is the kitchen. Chopping, rinsing, and transporting ingredients always involves the inevitable splashing, and your phone or tablet is right there, vulnerable to these kitchen elements and your messy fingertips.… Read more

Sony's Music Unlimited comes to Android tablets

Music Unlimited, the streaming-audio service from Sony, has recently become available for Android tablets.

Originally debuting on Android phones, the Music Unlimited catalog of more than 10 million tracks joins Spotify, MOG, Rdio, and Rhapsody as one of the premiere on-demand music providers for owners of Android tablets. Music Unlimited is available in the U.S., France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.

Version 1.2 of Music Unlimited also ushers in compatibility with the Sony Tablet S, and an enhanced user interface. The updated UI enables several improvements: faster playlist creation; easier discovery of related artists/songs; quicker navigation between album and catalog views; and enhanced search results.

Sony offers two types of monthly subscriptions for Music Unlimited, including $3.99 basic and $9.99 premium plans. "Sony Tablet users who are first-time subscribers to the Music Unlimited service can get a 180-day trial of the Basic subscription plan," according to the press release. A 30-day free trial is available to anyone. … Read more