Android Done For?

So while researching some stuff as I was designing a flash based site for Beasthood Inc I ran into some issues with availability on mobile devices. Of course everyone knows Adobe Flash, the vibrant coding engine that makes animation and gameplay on our favorite websites function, was only reserved for full computers... that is, until Google came alone with the Android system and took over as the only mobile device capable of running it. This seemingly small addition is the reason Android soared into relevance and why many overlooked its choppy usability and horrid battery life. But now, with the release of the newest OS, Android 4.0 (ice cream sandwich), for some odd reason Adobe has this up stating they will no longer support them. This means the very high end graphics processors and coding capability that made Android a viable competitor to the Apple ipad and iPhone devices has ceased to exist for future development. With HTML5 its only possible replacement being YEARS away from being standard, what will keep Android afloat? Its a cold world out in these tech streets, every android device out now just simultaneously became "old". As of now "certified" devices will still be supported for the Adobe Flash install (which sounds like corporate code for "those who pay us kickbacks"), so expect your full computer browsing experience to get worse and worse as time goes on. R.I.P. Android, twas a good run.

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Android Battery Life Extender Tips by @ChicagoKing

Droids are 1/3 of the leading smart phones next to the Blackberry & the iPhone. The problem most people have with Droids are the battery life. Here i will give you a few tips on making your battery life last MUCH longer

 

1) Download a Task Killer

 

Android phones run "background apps". Applications that will run even after you think you have closed them. The best Task Killer is "Advanced Task Killer”. Make sure you download the one with the BLUE CROSS on the Android logo. Once you download it, the logo will remain on screen. When you pull your screen down it'll say "Ongoing Apps".

 

Now open the app > hit the menu button > go to settings > scroll to auto kill & set it to "Aggressive" > Click on Auto Kill Frequency and set it to your preference. "Every Half hour" would be your best bet.

Another good option would be to set the Advanced Task Killer as a widget on your phone screen. This way every time you tap on the widget it kills all the background apps instantly.

 

2) Mobile Data

To get on the web or use apps that require the internet (Facebook, twitter, dictionary) you have to have access to the internet. Whether it be the phones mobile network or Wi-Fi. Now the phones mobile internet consumes A LOT of battery life. A simple fix to this is to turn the mobile network off when you're not using an app that needs Internet, or when your phone is locked etc.

There are 2 ways to do this. You can hit you menu button > settings > wireless & networks > and look for the Mobile network box Uncheck the box to turn off your mobile internet. Another way is to add the mobile network widget on your screen somewhere. Hold down on your screen > add widget > settings > mobile network

Now all you have to do is click the mobile network widget & BAM mobile network is off. Also turning off your mobile network will not interfere with you getting calls or receiving texts, so don’t worry. Now if you are at home or somewhere with access to Wi-Fi CONNECT IT AND TURN OFF YOUR MOBILE NETWORK. This is extremely helpful, especially if you don’t have unlimited data. Using your own Wi-Fi does not contribute to data used on your phone plans data consumption.

 

Follow these instructions & your battery life will last you just fine. And as a side note , it doesn’t hurt to get a second battery with an external charger. Ebay is your friend

*Some versions of Android will require slightly different steps to the menu option available above*

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Must Have Apps: ArcMedia - Player Extraordinaire

 

 

You ever been sent a video from a Pretty Young Thang Droppin it like its hot on her Webcam for you and you can't play it on your phone at work because it was saved in Windows Media Video format? Oh, Just me? Well...

Either way, Windows Media Video is pretty annoying because its optimized for Windows Operating System/Phones and I feel Microsoft wants to keep it that way in a feeble attempt to keep their mobile devices relevant in the mass market. Usually when you try to play these files on a Blackberry device you will only get Audio, on Android and Apple mobile devices it won't even open and play. Luckily though, for you horn toads, the ArcMedia app available in the Android Market for free will do the job just fine. In some cases it will buffer and you lose up to a few seconds on the start and ending of the video, but at least it shows.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONALITY

For you non Freaks, this application actually includes a streaming and download function for videos on major websites in mp4 and even flv which includes Facebook & YouTube so you don't have to wait for that slow buffer, you can actually download your favorite vids and take them on the go now to be viewed with no internet connection at all. Great for Plane rides and road trips where you may not always have a signal.

The free version of this app does have a few advertisements but they are not intrusive to me at all, but there is an ad free version for a one time fee of $3.26 if you are so inclined to do so. Clink the Picture below to get the free version to test out for now.

 

 

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Must Have Apps: Shop Savvy - Scan & Save Cash

 

 

My first step into Extreme Couponing (because I'm not about that Clip n Save Life) is Shop Savvy. At first glance its a simple Barcode scanning app that will allow you to use your phones camera and internet connection to find the price of random items further making associates in the workplace expendable (which is kinda scary in the long run) but it goes a step further to actually check all local and internet prices of that same UPC so that you can genuinely see if you are getting the best available price on a Product.

Now of course when checking the local prices keep in mind these are not guaranteed and are based off other peoples scans and editing of Pricing data so the app will not count as price verification. Also before dashing out to drive 5 miles down the road to save 20cents check to see if the store you're in has a Price Match Guarantee so you won't have to bother (You will still need to find it on the company website to verify). If the item you are seeking is something you don't need immediately and you are trying to save a few bucks the Online sites are almost always cheaper but they do also need to be shipped and that cost is not included in the scan. So Happy Shopping Folks, Go save some Cash.

 

 

The App even goes further to give you exclusive online and local deals on Products along with Reviews on Products you have scanned so that you can make informed decisions.

 

                                                          

 

For some reason the Android App seems to get more Local results than the free Apple one, but for $1.99 you can upgrade to the Premium version which I’m sure is more functional. Evil Geniuses, smh.

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Must Have Apps: Download All Files

 

Tired of the Limitations your Android device puts on the types of files you can download directly to your device? Download All Files is the app you need to further unlock the capabilities of your Google Powered Mobile OS by allowing you to retrieve any Email attachment or Browser file easily. This plug-in integrates to your menu options and only pops up when applicable so "learning" how to use it is as simple as telling it where to save your file. I have personally don't Photos, zip, mp3, wav files, mp4, and even wmv as large as a few hundred Megabytes with no problems at all. There have been absolutely no bugs so far for me and many of the other Half a Million downloaders who give it a 4 out of 5 star rating on the Android Market. Unleash your Android device and get this Free App today.

Click Here to Download from the Market

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Must Have Apps: SuperBox 10-in-1

 

New Phone, New Operating System, New Menu Settings, New Layout... It can all get pretty annoying getting accommodated to a new device once you’ve been accustomed to something for so long. Especially if it’s not logically where you’d think it should be. So why hasn’t anyone made a simple way to put all the most important features of your device in one place to ease that learning curve? Well, someone has.

This Free Application has saved so much frustration for me switching to the Android Operating system and definitely the single most important program on my Phone (besides Words With Friends of course). Super Box is actually a 10 App Utility jam packed with diagnostic information, task killers, install/uninstall programs, security and media scanning software.

 

 

INFORMATION 

The Information section will give you diagnostic information about your device along with your battery life, detailed usage life remaining and even Battery Temp/Health Status. This helps in knowing why your phone may be running slow, also how and when your battery dies. Watch out for High Battery temps (> 90˚) because it will lead to draining of the battery and can also slow the performance of the Phones processor. (Normal Room Temp is between 59˚ & 77˚ F)

 

 

APPS

For all your Application needs this will Install and Uninstall files (even if not downloaded from the Android Market), analyze, determine & move capable Applications to the Memory card that can be ran for additional storage and a Cache clearer of Applications storing information you may not even be using.

 

 

 BATTERY SAVER

TaskKiller is not as violent as it sounds, it simply is made for non jail broken (or rooted) phones so that you can close applications and services running in the background that are not all necessary. Be careful when using this app, its easiest to use the "Kill All" which will do the job, but will also stop things you may need like alarm clocks, daily reminders, widgets etc. Read before acting.

The Settings menu isn't anything but a custom menu that allows you to get to the most commonly used menu options of the phone. To me it is better situated than the regular menu so I tend to use it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHERS 

File Manager is another function already included in the Android OS but this brings it to all one area and also adds the tweak of auto scanning your entire phone, including memory card, to separate installable program files, Music, Movies and Photos into one easy to read alpha numerical list without having to remember exactly what folder your file is in.

Safe Guard isn't an app isn't as necessary as it would've been before the existence of unlimited everything plans but with an open source software as Google's Android program it's definitely something you'd want to check out if you want a secure device for business purposes. This will scan all the apps in your phone to show you High, Middle and Low level security risks to your data. It will show you apps that have the ability to scan your data, send messages, call others, send historical data on usage to a third party, read contacts, Access your location, see your SD card and even use the internet on your phone to operate without your approval.

 

 

 

All in All the App simplifies many functions on your Android Device, gives you tools that non techie people can utilize to improve the performance of your device and helps you locate files quickly and easily. It doesn't run in the background either so you don't have to worry about it doing more harm than good. Enjoy

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Chrome Book - The Future of Business Computing

 

 

Google, as we all know, is focused on Open Source computing and is trying to take over not only Apple as far as rapid Growth over time but now going after Microsoft's share of Computers. The Google OS, not Android, is starting to be marketed as a new Web based computing environment made to utilize the Cloud based format many companies are racing towards. This device does not run on the Microsoft platform at all or have much internal hard drive space, instead it saves All info on a web based server accessible by the internet anywhere in the world from any Chromebook device. What this means for business customers is that they can access, edit, save and share all info without worrying about security protocols, trade secrets being released or high cost Server based systems while realizing significantly lower tech support costs. Sounds dope right?

What does this mean for the average user? Not much to be completely honest, the machine itself only has minimal specs for computing that would mainly be beneficial for someone using Basic Business applications such as Spreadsheets, Word processing and PowerPoint slides on its 12inch HD screen. Essentially the machine is only as strong as new age netbooks with a Dual Core processor which is great for basic Office functions up to and including Movie Watching, Social Networking (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter etc.), Internet Research, and keeping in contact with Webcam conferencing, Emailing and instant massaging. Think about this device as your Smartphone with a bigger screen, a 6-9hr battery life and 10second boot up time. Below is an example of the Specs and Price you will get with one of these new ChromeBooks which are available for Pre-Order at Best Buy and Amazon.com right now. 

 

These ChromeBooks range in price from $379 - $500 as of right now by Acer and Samsung, huge names in Computer manufacturing for Business applications with the main difference being if the unit is Wi-Fi only or 3G Verizon built in which includes an Internet connection up to 100MB per month for Free*.

 

*100MB Free includes 2years of Service from the date first used.

Other Subscription Plans available on a 30day contract basis except “Limitless Day Plan” which expires in 24hrs from activation but has no GB Usage Cap.

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