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- Android Ice Cream, Honeycomb ported to Galaxy Tab, Sony’s Android tablet: US Update
- Keep your iPad’s battery charged on the go with Griffin’s PowerJolt Micro
- Sony will release an Android tablet in 2011
- Original Samsung Galaxy Tab plays nice with Android 3.0 Honeycomb [video]
- Android is UK’s favorite smartphone OS: the votes are in!
- Google prepares to end Android fragmentation: we all scream for Ice Cream
- B&W Zeppelin Air review, iPad 2 and Nokia E7: Teatime Tech
- iPad 2 review: A musician’s take
- Best iPhone apps: app of the day = Max & The Magic Marker
- Nokia E7 tops our Best Nokia phone chart, but for how long?
| Android Ice Cream, Honeycomb ported to Galaxy Tab, Sony’s Android tablet: US Update Posted: 04 Apr 2011 04:06 PM PDT 
Android fragmentation as we know it could finally be coming to a close. At Google I/O in five weeks, rumors suggest that Google will announce Ice Cream, the next version of Android. Purportedly Android Ice Cream would run on all devices, smartphones, tablets and even the Google TV. New research data has shown that Android is now the most popular smartphone OS in the UK. With 28 percent of the British smartphone market in its pocket it looks like nothing can stop Android domination. A video has been released over at xda-developers showing the original Galaxy Tab and its 7-inch display running Android 3.0 Honeycomb. The port is still a ways off from a final release, but if you're the daring type we've got your instructions on how to give it a go. According to Sony's CEO Howard Stringer, the company will release an Android 3.0 tablet by the end of Summer 2011. Will we see the world's first Playstation-certified tablet this year? Last up on today's agenda is a neat little accessory for your iOS device, the Griffin PowerJolt Micro Car Charger. This 12-volt car charger delivers 10 watts of power, enough to charge the iPad and fast-charge any iPhone or iPod. That wraps up your daily tech news for Tuesday. As always I'm Nick Marshall and I'll see you again tomorrow. Related posts:
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| Keep your iPad’s battery charged on the go with Griffin’s PowerJolt Micro Posted: 04 Apr 2011 03:55 PM PDT 
Full disclaimer, the Griffin PowerJolt can charge a number of devices — one of which is the Apple iPad. The key here is that this 12 volt car charger delivers 10 watts of power, enough to charge the iPad and fast-charge any iPhone or iPod. Knowing that this car charger has the goods for fast iPhone charging might be enough to land your business (it just about scored mine). Now, onto the remaining details. The PowerJolt Micro features a USB power port so you're looking at a universal charger being marketed to iOS owners. Another key feature, besides the fast-charge for iPhones and iPods, is its SmartFuse circuit breaker — a critical piece of technology that protects your priceless gear from being fried. The retail price on the PowerJolt Micro is 15.49 GBP ($24.99 US), but Amazon has it in stock for a bit less so we'd recommend taking a look there first. Available Now | Amazon | $10.27 GBP ($16.57 US) Related posts:
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| Sony will release an Android tablet in 2011 Posted: 04 Apr 2011 03:36 PM PDT 
Here's what we know about Sony's foray into the world of Android tablets. The tablet will be released by the end of Summer 2011 and it will ship with Android 3.0 Honeycomb. This, in itself is major news, especially if you've followed Sony Ericsson's history of landing Android updates. The other confirmed tidbit from the story is the tablet will be hitting the United States first. With the Xperia Play debut unfolding, Sony is poised to redefine what it means to be a gamer on Android. Adding tablets to the mix could prove quite interesting, especially when you consider the tablet could even be Playstation-certified. Of course we're not sure how well that would turn out since slide-out controls are the real selling point to the Xperia Play. Come to think of it, how about we just use our Bluetooth-enabled PS3 controller and game on our Sony Android Honeycomb tablets? Sounds good to me. Anyone else have ideas about how Sony's entry into the tablet space may unfold? [via Bloomberg] Related posts:
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| Original Samsung Galaxy Tab plays nice with Android 3.0 Honeycomb [video] Posted: 04 Apr 2011 03:18 PM PDT 
We know, normally a product would not be referred to as legacy so early its life cycle, but such is ever-evolving world of Android. Like the Hollywood spotlight, your moment can be gone in a heartbeat. Fortunately for my fellow Galaxy Tab owners, the openness of Android and the downright ease of rooting the Tab will let our trusty sidekick enjoy a long and fulfilling life — with or without officially updates. There's certainly a ways to go in this Honeycomb port, but with enough determination we're believers that anything is possible. Stay tuned as Kyle from galaxytabs.com pushes forward to make our Galaxy Tab Android 3.0 dreams a reality. If you're brave enough to try the port on your own, hit the link below for a quick tutorial to get you off and running. [via daily-mobile.se] Related posts:
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| Android is UK’s favorite smartphone OS: the votes are in! Posted: 04 Apr 2011 02:57 PM PDT 
Let's recap the results: Android finished first with 28 percent, iOS second with 26 percent, BlackBerry OS fourth with 14 percent and Windows Phone 7 didn't make the finals. Today's news should not come as a total shock — I mean, Android had already become the most popular smartphone OS in Europe last month (IDC Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker). Nonetheless, Android is king and even more so when you look deeper into Intelligent Environments findings. Among Brits aged 25-35, Android holds a whopping 36 percent share of the smartphone market. Is there anything that can stand in the way of Android? via Android Central Related posts:
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| Google prepares to end Android fragmentation: we all scream for Ice Cream Posted: 04 Apr 2011 02:45 PM PDT 
Details on Google's plans to merge the Android branches surfaced this morning over on GTVsource and Phandroid. While details are scarce, for now, the key ingredient here is that Android Ice Cream will be pivotal in the future of all Google-powered products. For lack of a better term, the synergy created by offering a unified platform could bring endless possibilities to the way our Android tablets and smartphones communicate, share data, or more importantly — receive OS updates. We'll be the first to admit, we're not in the business of predicting the future. In fact, Android Ice Cream might be just the tip of the iceberg at Google I/O next month. The good news here is that a unified build of Android could not have come at a better time. via Phandroid Related posts:
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| B&W Zeppelin Air review, iPad 2 and Nokia E7: Teatime Tech Posted: 04 Apr 2011 10:10 AM PDT 
First up, let’s talk Apple – and apps. We checked out a brand new iOS arrival, console hit Max & The Magic Marker, and asked a musician just what he made of GarageBand on the iPad 2. We also set loose our full review of the B&W Zeppelin Air music streaming iPod dock, so check out if it’s a must have for audiophiles. Elsewhere, in mobile, we placed the Nokia E7 at the very top of our best Nokia phone Top 5 list, and checked out the best mobile phone deals of the week, so if you’re on the hunt for an upgrade, be sure to take a look. Still want more news? Roll on over to the homepage and help yourself to it all as it breaks! Related posts:
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| iPad 2 review: A musician’s take Posted: 04 Apr 2011 09:48 AM PDT 
You might have seen our iPad 2 review already, but we thought we’d give you a different perspective from that of a jaded gadget hound. After all, the iPad 2 really is what you make of it, a super thin conduit to all the apps available on the iTunes App Store right now. With that in mind, we gave our iPad 2 to a musician for a week to see how he got on with GarageBand for iPad, one of our favourite new features in Apple’s tablet ecosystem. Read on to see just what they made of it.
“I’m amazed that the’ve crammed so much into what is still being called just an app,” says Andy Cowan, 26, a guitarist and pianist based in London. “It’s not far off the full program. I was expecting it to be far less useful, but actually it does pretty much the same job.” We gave our iPad 2 to Andy Cowan, 26, a guitarist and pianist based in London. We wanted to see what someone schooled in using GarageBand on a MacBook to record music made of Apple’s finger friendly software slate conversion, and whether he could comfortably use it in place of the OS X original. In a few short days, he’s already become a convert: “I’m tempted”, he tells us when we ask him if he now plans to buy an iPad 2. Cowan typically connects his (acoustic) guitar to his MacBook Pro running GarageBand via an Apogee One, but for testing with the iPad 2 we also gave him Griffin’s GuitarConnect accessory, which lets you plug in your guitar through the iPad 2′s 3.5mm socket, and listen in through headphones, removing the need for a bulky amp. Though he found “a certain amount of cable noise”, that’s to be expected from a peripheral that connects through the headphone socket rather than through the iPad 2′s 30-pin port. Certainly given the price (£20.99) it wasn’t an issue: “It’s not a disaster and very probably using an electric guitar with distortion you wouldn’t notice.” As for GarageBand for iPad itself, Cowan was impressed at how easily it allows you to add tracks and other instruments on top. “The touchscreen lets you use a keyboard and other software instruments, like drums, which is really useful, as it means you don’t need a bulky MIDI input to record piano lines, or bass or drum pads.” The touchscreen controls of an iPad, smaller size and resolution than a Mac display naturally mean some features are streamlined or hidden away on the iPad version of GarageBand, however, and if you’re a serious musician, you’ll come up against them quickly. Check out our best tablet Top 5 now “The main difference is that whilst initial set up and multi track recording is probably a bit easier and quicker, the processing and tinkering that goes on afterwards, like correcting timing and getting rid of bum notes, is a little harder,” says Cowan. “The full program is just bigger and has more options when it comes to fine tuning.” But is it still comprehensive enough for GarageBand veterans to use and enjoy? Does it serve a purpose for more than casual use? “Easily,” says Cowan. “The real strength of the iPad version is portability and speed of producing something – if you need to get an arrangement or demo down quickly, or want to experiment with particular layers of sound, it’s ideal. The touchscreen piano is incredibly useful as well, as in fact are the touchscreen guitars and basses, where you can tap and even bend strings on screen to get sounds.” We asked Cowan who an iPad 2 might make the ultimate mixing deck for, and how. “For encouraging and developing creativity, it’s excellent, but probably less so for trying to produce professional demos or virtual studio recordings. For that, the full GarageBand probably still has the edge, and programs like Logic would do the job better.” “Of course, they’re all more expensive, so the iPad option is cheaper to get started.” The iPad 2 currently starts at £399, while the cheapest MacBook will set you back £867. “If only my MacBook had a touchscreen,” he concludes. If indeed. Have you been jamming on your iPad with GarageBand? What do you make of it? Shout up in the comments! Related posts:
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| Best iPhone apps: app of the day = Max & The Magic Marker Posted: 04 Apr 2011 09:05 AM PDT 
Occasionally games take a trip round the houses and consoles before they reach the iPhone. Today’s best iPhone apps entrant, Max & The Magic Marker, is one of those and it’s at its best in its iOS incarnation. A member of the same drawing adventure genre as Scribblenauts(which should come to the iPhone), Max & The Magic Marker is a really inventive game with fiendish puzzles and a really enjoyable way of solving them.
 You play Max (owner of that magic marker) and have to draw objects to make your way through the levels with multiple solutions available at every stage. Max & The Magic Marker easily deserves its spot in the best iPhone apps list and is a solid candidate for the best iPhone games list too. See it in action below… Out now | £1.19 | iTunes Related posts:
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| Nokia E7 tops our Best Nokia phone chart, but for how long? Posted: 04 Apr 2011 07:28 AM PDT 
Long time readers will know that we’ve had a love-hate relationship with Nokia for some time. We love its hardware to pieces, but we continue to have our dreams crushed by the phone vendor’s insistence on improving its Symbian software at a glacial pace.  Still, of the phones running Symbian, there’s no doubt the Nokia E7 is the best: its large screen and solid slide out keyboard make the OS much more usable, and it’s packing plenty of horse power under the bonnet to stream HD video to your TV and whatnot. What we want to know is how long you see the Nokia E7 staying there. It looks likely the first Windows Phone 7 Nokia won’t hit until 2012, and it’s been all quiet on the Symbian front in the meantime, save for a new Nokia E6 leaked last week. Will you be buying the E7, and can anything replace it? Shout up with your thoughts in the comments below! Related posts:
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