Android

The tablet industry could see sales of $49 billion in just another four years, says a new report from Strategy Analytics.

If the forecast comes true, that would mean a jump in revenues from essentially zero in 2009 and could open the door for tablet sales to surpass those of every other consumer category except TVs and PCs by 2015, according to the research firm.

The surge in demand for tablets is also expected to translate across the world, according to Strategy Analytics.

"We predict 80 percent of the value of the tablet market in 2015 will reside in … Read more

As an avid Evernote user, I've really enjoyed watching both the service and its Android application evolve. That's why I was pleased today when I learned that the latest update would add security options, a new widget, and shared notebooks.

Likely to be the most welcome feature is the new ability to collaborate on notebooks using an Android phone or tablet. Mobile users now can search shared notebooks from other Evernote customers directly from their device, with full editing and sync capabilities. The person sharing the notebook must be a Premium subscriber to use the editing feature, but … Read more

Another once-exclusive iOS app has now joined the Android family. The Sonos Controller app lets owners control any of the Sonos network audio streamers in their home.

Originally announced in February (it's arriving a few weeks after its originally intended March delivery date), the Sonos Controller is a free download from the Android Market. It's designed to be compatible with any smartphone running Android 2.1 or later with a screen size of HVGA (320 x 480), WVGA (480 x 800), or WVGA (480 x 854). Android tablets are not officially supported at the current time.

Anyone who's familiar with the Sonos Controller for iPhone will find the Android version to be all but identical, though the latter offers voice search--a nice upgrade over the iOS version. The Android app will no doubt be welcomed by Sonos owners (or prospective owners) who were looking for control options beyond the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Mac, and Windows software controllers that are currently available. But Sonos' Apple-centric fans also have two reasons to celebrate:… Read more

I love the Honeycomb OS. It's not perfect by any stretch, but it's such an improvement over using Android 2.2 on tablets, that I'm willing to accept it and all its imperfections. I'm sure at some point I'll grow dissatisfied with it and begin blaming it for every inadequacy in my life.

You have to understand, before Honeycomb, testing tablets using the Android 2.2 OS increased chances of apoplexy by 89 percent. Really.

OK, that's not actually true, but on many tablets, it was a very frustrating experience.

The T-Mobile G-Slate by … Read more

When LG first announced the T-Mobile G2X at CTIA this year, we were absolutely excited that the U.S. would finally get its own version of the LG Optimus 2X, which was the first dual-core processor smartphone at the time it was announced. Of course, with the Motorola Atrix 4G and the upcoming Droid Bionic, the G2X won't be the only dual-core phone on the block. But with plenty of multimedia features, HSPA+ support, and a clean Android interface, the G2X still manages to come out on top as one of the best Android phones we've seen this year.

Before we get into its insides, we have to note how handsome this phone is. It's sleek, with gunmetal gray accents, and a soft matte finish on the back. Weighing at around 5 ounces, it has a decidedly solid feel in the hand that tells you this is a premium handset. The 4-inch WVGA IPS LCD display is crisp, colorful, and stunning against the glossy black surface. The blacks are not quite as deep as that on a Super AMOLED or qHD display, but we still thought it was great for watching HD video and playing games.

And for those tasks, you'll appreciate the dual-core processor.… Read more

If you're concerned about the number of foods you eat that contain pulverized insect bodies, or worry about all the ways another Coke or Pepsi might contribute to your early demise, boy, have I got an app for you.

The folks at the Center for Science in the Public Interest are wagering you're willing to fork over a buck to find out how truly disgusting and/or dangerous the ingredients in your food are with their new "Chemical Cuisine" app. Download it for 99 cents for iOS or Android and you have instant access to an encyclopedia of all those indecipherable ingredients on food labels--things like cochineal extract or carmine, which comes from those unfortunate aforementioned insects and is used to add a nice pink, purple, or reddish hue to your yogurt and other munchies.… Read more

Update: CNET's full, rated review of the Acer Iconia Tab is now available.

Google's tablet-friendly Android 3.0 OS (aka Honeycomb) is arguably the biggest advancement for tablet computers since the introduction of the iPad. It delivers souped-up versions of Google's celebrated mobile apps (Gmail, Maps, Books, Talk, Navigation, and Market) to the big, multitouch-enabled screens of 10-inch tablets, and weaves Adobe Flash into a killer tabbed Web browser. There's only been one big problem: the OS has been trapped on a relatively hefty, high-priced tablet called the Motorola Xoom.

The Acer Iconia Tab A500 is … Read more

If you thought this year's dual-core smartphones were fast and powerful, wait until you hear what Samsung has cooking. According to an unnamed official, Samsung is planning to go a step further and release a 2GHz dual-core smartphone by next year.

Yes, that means that your Android handset could rival your Netbook or laptop in terms of processing prowess. It is very likely that these new chipsets will fall under the new Exynos brand that was announced earlier this year. Samsung is also rumored to be considering selling these new CPU units to other smartphone makers.

After having spent … Read more

There's a major holiday approaching, and that can mean only one thing: a new Angry Birds Seasons update! Sure enough, version 1.4.0 just roosted in the App Store, bringing with it 15 new levels for everybody's favorite chocolate-infused holiday (besides Halloween): Easter.

As Angry fans know, this is becoming a regular happening. After Angry Birds Halloween made its debut last year, developer Rovio followed up with free Christmas-themed levels--and changed the app's name to Seasons.

In February, things turned romantic with new Angry Birds levels for Valentine's Day. In March, the Birds celebrated St. Patrick's Day … Read more