Tag Archives: apps

Jun 12

Android Apps On Your PC With BlueStacks App Player

Posted on by

So you’re sitting in your office desk, and you just ran out of things to do (or you think you have), and you get the itch to try and beat your latest score on Fruit Ninja. The problem is that you don’t want to have your boss see you on your Android smartphone or tablet playing it…what do you do? Enter BlueStacks App Player for PC, a winner of the Best of CES 2012 award.

With BlueStacks App Player, you can run some of your favorite Android Apps on your Windows PC or tablet in full screen resolution! You simply use your mouse to point and click like any other PC application. The App Player turns what would be touchscreen gestures into mouse clicks within the apps. Once you have a BlueStacks account, you can begin to keep your Android apps sync’d between your devices as well, so the latest game you just installed on your smartphone, is waiting for you on your Windows PC as well. To get BlueStacks for yourself, you have to go to BlueStacks.com and sign up to be a Beta tester, where they will email you when it becomes available to download. It’s currently free as well. Have a look at the video below to get an idea of what this app can do for your spare time on a PC, especially if you prefer to game with a mouse instead of touchscreen.

Source – BlueStacks

 

Born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, I run a Corporate Information Services team at a worldwide software company. I enjoy keeping up with all things Android and technology related, whoopin butt online in ModNation Racers, keeping up to …

Jesse Bauer’s author page — Author’s Blog

Jun 09

How and Why You Should Upgrade Your Nook Color to ...

Posted on by

Root the Nook Color

I’ll make this easy on you. A simple search will reveal a hundred different directions for rooting your Nook Color or you can go here.

My nine year old grandson has no fear when it comes to rooting smartphones or tablets. He thinks this is an innate ability young people absorb through breathing or drinking water. On the other hand he doesn’t suffer consequences like someone who has to pay for the devices he crashes. Mom and Dad pay and/or fix his many…experiments. Remember the commercial with the guy throwing a Wii controller at the TV screen? My grandson has done that. As an older person I hesitate to void a warranty or otherwise run the risk of messing up an e-reader I use every day. Know what you’re doing before you root any device.

Use a bootable SD card

The Nook boots first from the SD card slot before reading the internal ROM. Thus, if you have Android installed on a bootable SD card simply insert it in the slot and turn on the device. Boom…instant Android tablet-almost. Sounds simple but you’ve got to have that bootable SD Card. You can make your own or buy one. I’m cheap so I made a bootable SD card with nookhoney04. Instructions here, much more information here.

First you must have a way to read and write to an SD card. My computers have no SD slot and for some reason the external reader wouldn’t work. I finally put the SD card in the printer and installed nookhoney04 over the network. After several aborted attempts the card finally worked and the Nook booted up in Android. This is when I found out I had to do a LOT more to get access to Google apps. I figured up the hours I’d already spent on this project and looked at what I still needed to do. I briefly considered turning my grandson loose on the project….then sanity returned. Along the way in all the researching I found sites that sell SD cards with everything already installed. I weighed the cost, the time and frustration, and ordered one. Alright, I wimped out, but boy am I glad!

I purchased an SD card from N2acards for $30 with everything installed. I’m not recommending them nor do I have anything to do with the site. Do a search and you can find several sites that sell such cards. I’m happy with what I have. I put the card in the slot, booted up and it worked. This particular card uses Android 4.1, or “Jelly Bean.”

The Android experience on the Nook Color

Barnes and Noble is shooting themselves in the foot by not using the full Android capabilities. Why should they care if I have access to other books? I’m still going to use their services just as much as I always did and now I have a real tablet. Everything works better. Even battery life is better. The browser is much better and I have access to thousands of apps. Aside from the standard apps on the desktop I’ve added Nook, YouTube, Earth, Maps, IMDB, and yes-Amazon Kindle. This is an upgrade well worth the money. Check it out.

In between writing jobs Gerald designs and builds wood composite kayaks, canoes, and other small boats. His varied experiences and interests give him a rich and unique perspective from which to write. Ge…  View profile

Jun 09

How to Install the Google Play Store (Android ...

Posted on by

Bought a new Android tablet and noticed there is no way to access the official Android Market? Well, Android Market has now become part of Google Play. Learn how to download in this article.

Help! My Android Tablet Has No Market App!

With more and more Android tablets becoming available, from lowly 500 MHz efforts running Android 1.6 to high-end devices powered by Nvidia Tegra 2 processors (like the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer) there is every chance that more and more users will want to access apps from the Android Market, which has recently become part of Google Play.

However this might not be possible on some tablets. If you have a device such as the Advent Vega tablet, you will quickly find that there is no access to the Google Play Store.

Normally the Store can be viewed and apps downloaded by tapping on an icon which opens the repository of free and paid for software. Many devices come with customized versions of Android that omit the Store because Google has decreed that it isn’t yet ready for these larger-screen devices.

While some tablets provide their own marketplace for Android apps, many don’t. This leaves new owners of high spec tablets unable to use their devices effectively – unless they somehow find a way of downloading the Store to their tablet.

So How Do I Download Android Market to My Tablet?

The first thing you need to do is root your tablet, or confirm that your Android tablet has a low level of user security. For instance Advent Vega tablets will allow you to install some apps that otherwise require root access, and as you will see in the section below, there are locations other than the official Market from which you can download Android apps.

Next, run the browser on your tablet, and visit:

theandroidsoul

This will download Google Play Store to your Android tablet, and after restarting your device the app will update to the latest version.

An alternative to this is to flash (a term to install a new version the OS) your Android tablet to run a different build of the operating system that already includes the Market.

(Image credit: author)

Alternatives to Google Play Store

A quick search for the term “non-market apps for Android” will reveal an interest selection of alternative online repositories of free and paid-for apps that can be downloaded to an Android tablet via the browser.

All you need to do is visit sites like www.freewarelovers.com and browse for the apps – clicking the links will download the files to your tablet. Without using Google Store these apps will not install automatically, so you will need to drag down the status bar and tap each download to install it.

However there is yet another alternative to these unofficial markets – Amazon has a store app for Android, offering pretty much the same selection of apps that are available via Google Store but without useless, adult/offensive and malware apps cluttering things up.

http://www.brighthub.com/computing/hardware/articles/111954.aspx

Jun 08

appsbar Passes 50,000 User Milestone With More ...

Posted on by

New York, New York (PRWEB) December 06, 2011

appsbar today announced that it has swelled to a community of more than 50,000 do-it-yourself app builders who have reached more than one million app downloads.

“appsbar has rapidly changed the app landscape as an entire new community of individuals continue to drive the direction of how and why we build and use apps,” said appsbar founder Scott Hirsch.

As appsbar continues its tremendous growth as the first, all-free, professional-level, customizable app builder, the website has become the leading do-it-yourself resource for developing apps for Android Market and Apple iTunes.

appsbar was launched in April 2011 as the first free way anyone can build and publish apps to the most popular app stores. With no cost to join the community, no cost to design an app and no cost to publish an app, it has emerged as a new powerful force in the app world. Since the website was launched, It has swelled to a community of more than 50,000 app builders, who each receive about 900 downloads for each app they publish. A unique level of personalization has contributed to appsbar apps having more than one million downloads.

“appsbar has allowed an entire new segment of people to engage and influence the app world – from small business owners who take advantage of a new marketing tool to everyday people who want to engage their friends,” Hirsch said. “appsbar has helped more people take part in and benefit from the exciting world of apps. As our users continue to evolve the app world, we will continue developing the free-to-use tools they need.”

appsbar gives individuals countless ways to personalize apps with videos, images, sounds and more. Users can buy and sell music through their apps, design and deliver their own digital coupons, and share their content across social networks and email.

Beginning Jan. 2012, appsbar users will be able to share and display their apps on websites including Facebook. Every appsbar app will be optimized to be displayed and used on programs running HTML5 programs and Facebook’s iframes. appsbar apps is are currently automatically optimized for downloads through Android Market and Apple iTunes.

Starting at appsbar, anyone can choose to build an app from a quick-start easy-to-use template or start from scratch to build an app that reflects their unique personality. Each appsbar app gives users the ability to build pages of videos, sounds, and pictures. Builders can connect their apps to their social network sites, calendars and more. Businesses can add catalogs of merchandise, order forms and interactive maps to their location to engage customers.

“appsbar has emerged as the industry’s leading tool for simply and efficiently building and publishing apps,” Hirsch said. “Even the least tech-savvy can follow a step-by-step process that shows how the app will look on their smartphone or tablets.”

About appsbar:

appsbar was launched in 2011 to fill the gap between over-simplified apps and costly, professionally-produced apps. appsbar was developed by Appsbar Inc., a company founded by Scott Hirsch. appsbar has grown to a community of everyday app developers and opened the way for businesses and people to engage with friends and brands online through the development of customizable digital tools. For company contact information and partnership opportunities, visit facebook or appsbar

###

Joe McGurk

appsbar

212.843.9344

May 19

Create An IPad Application The Easy Way

Posted on by

The arrival of the Apple iPad tablet computer in 2010 led to a lot of people gaining interest in knowing how to create an iPad application. The device filled a niche that previous tablet computers failed to fully take over. Its touch based controls made it easier to use and less intimidating to non-computer literate people compared to laptops and netbooks. It also complemented the iPhone and iPod Touch, so there was no need to get rid of any of the two if you wanted to add an iPad to your arsenal of gadgets. If you would like to know how to create an iPad application, read on.

One of the best things about the iPad is that it also continues Apple’s policy of making development easier on their new iOS devices. Pretty much anybody with an idea, sufficient drive, and the know-how can learn how to create an iPad application on their own and have it released on the App Store. The latest iOS software development kit (SDK) from Apple is freely available on their site and even comes with some samples to help you get started. It also lets you make apps not only for the iPad but for the iPhone and iPod Touch as well, making your horizons that much broader.

Aside from having a larger screen, the iPad also comes with features like split view, popovers, and customizable keyboards. The new iPad 2 is even more powerful than the original, thanks to its dual-core processor. Since some of the iPad’s features can’t be found in its smaller cousins, the iPhone and iPod Touch, an aspiring developer will need to familiarize themselves with how to make full use of the new features when they create an iPad application. Thankfully, Apple has made a programming guide that teaches developers how to fully implement and take advantage of the iPad’s features into new apps.

It has already been mentioned that the iOS SDK lets you create an iPad application for all of Apple’s hand held iOS devices. This means that you can build universal apps – applications that work not only on the iPad but on the iPhone and iPod Touch as well. With a universal app, you do not have to create an iPad application for three separate versions of your app that only work with a specific device. If you decide to go down this route, you’ll have to take into consideration the features of all three of these devices and how to make your app wok identically when used with any of them. To make it easier for aspiring developer, Apple also has a freely available guide that outlines how to make your app work well with all three iOS devices.

With all of these readily available resources at your fingertips, it has never been easier to start learning how to create an iPad application and finally put all your great app ideas to good use.

Visit us NOW and get the tools you need to get started! Create an iPad application!

http://www.streetarticles.com/personal-tech/create-an-ipad-application-the-easy-way

May 05

How to Watch Live TV on Your iPad

Posted on by

Apple’s iPad 2 is in a class of its own as far as tablet computers are concerned. With more than 25 million iPads sold so far, it is unarguably one of the hottest gadgets to be launched in the electronics market in recent times. With a brand new A5 chip, Wi-Fi+3G connectivity, 512 MB of RAM and a 9.7 inch screen, the tablet PC weighs only 600 grams, making it one of the most easily portable tablet computers ever launched. Having gotten hold of your brand new iPad 2, you must be still exploring what all its capable of. One of the little known uses of the device is that it can substitute your television! It is actually possible to watch all TV channels on your iPad. You can prop it up anywhere, anytime and enjoy your favorite TV shows.

Watching Live TV on iPad 2

Gone are the days when being able to watch cable TV on computer was a novelty. Now you can watch TV even on mobile devices! With the launch of the Apple iPad, several technologies geared up to offer services for this new Apple gadget. Today there are many apps launched on the App Store and TV tuner gadgets launched in electronics stores that make live TV streaming on the iPad possible. Here are five suggestions you could follow.

Get EyeTV!The EyeTV app available on App Store works with your home Wi-Fi network to broadcast live TV on your iPad. You need a TV tuner and encoder installed on your home PC and a Wi-Fi network, for this app to work for you.

Install Hauppauge BroadwayOne of the best technologies to hit the market in recent times is the Haupauge Broadway. This device takes in live TV content from your set top box, encodes it into Apple video format and transmits it to your Apple iPad using the Wi-Fi connectivity of your home wireless router! What is more, you can access your live TV from anywhere around the globe by watching the content hosted on the Hauppauge server!

Use OrbliveOrb Live provides you another way of watching live TV on your Apple iPad. If you have a computer with an installed TV tuner card, along with Orb Caster software, all live TV content can be broadcasted on to your iPad over a Wi-Fi network. Check out the Orblive website for more details.

Get SlingPlayer MobileThe SlingPlayer Mobile apps lets you watch live television on the go, on your iPad. For this app to work on your iPad, it must ally with a SlingBox, which is a TV tuner and recording device. The Slingbox can transmit all live television output from your set top box over the Internet or stream it on any device over your home wireless network. Along with SlingPlayer Mobile, it can transmit live TV directly to your Apple iPad. Check out the SlingPlayer Mobile website for more details.

Use Channel AppsIf you don’t want to spend a lot and intend to watch only specific TV channels, there are apps geared to offer this service. An example is the TV.com application offered on App Store, which provides access to channels from the CBS network. Another such applications is ABC Player which grants access to all ABC channel shows. All these apps directly stream TV content over the Internet. You will need a high speed 3G or Wi-Fi connection to use them.

Using either one of EyeTV, Orblive, SlingPlayer Mobile or Hauppauge Broadway gadgets, you can watch live TV on your Apple iPad, quite easily. With the addition of live TV viewing, your tablet becomes the complete entertainment solution. Follow up any one of the suggestions presented above and enjoy all live television action on the move!

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-to-watch-live-tv-on-ipad.html

May 01

The Necessary Reasons To Own An Android Tablet

Posted on by

Compared with laptops and notebooks, the have powerful advantages in its light weight and huge touch screen which displays the good viewing. The words such as portable, light, perfect and so on can best describe the features of. The appearance of decreases the user’s burden to carry. What’s more, the inner powerful performance makes it possible for the user to enjoy the surfing, listening and watching from the tablet.

Taking place of the Apple’s iOS, the Google’s Android OS becomes the most popular operating system for portable devices. Although it looks almost the same with Windows in some aspects, it is unique in its home page of the tablet which collects all the favourite apps and makes it become the shortcut to be operated easily.

There are some features that Android tablet owns. First one is about the connection. The apps of android support many Google services which we always search and love to go. For example, Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps, translate, shopper, Google Voice and so on. The next obvious character that android tablets own to make it different is open source. That is to say the code can be got from Google. And the tablet can be adjusted according to the practical use. You don’t need to pay for a lot but enjoy the OS’s advantages of the tablet. Then the android is free to any manufacturer to use. Thus different tablets with android provide a huge choice for the consumers. The last outstanding difference of android tablet is its functionality. Unlike the traditional electric device which can only do one thing at the same time, the portable android tablet can allow you do many things at the same time, such as browsing the web while reading eBooks or listening to music. The function of multi-task is so fantastic that attracts a lot of consumers.

When you use the android OS, you will be delighted to find that it is similar with Apple OS and Windows in which the shortcuts on the home screen bring a lot of convenience for you. If you want to do something in the tablet, just select the right folder. Thanks to the multi task, you are able to let many apps run at the same time. You can change it casually according to your favors and needs.

Another benefit is the app source which can be got from the android marketplace that exist different kinds of apps. Most of them are free which is so efficient for you. In other words, owning an means that you can get access to the top quality free system, free apps and different tablets to choose. Thus, buying an Android tablet is so necessary because of its modern, useful and practical advantages.

Android tablet

The Necessary Reasons To Own An Android Tablet

Android tablet

This Tablet PC Post was also found by:

    cost accessdata mpe
Apr 29

Tablet PC’s and the Future of Newspapers and ...

Posted on by

Tech fanatics and bloggers were quick to herald the introduction of tablet PC’s as the next big thing since sliced bread. The media hype that followed was enough to send jitters down the spine of newspaper and magazine publishers. Sadly, the skyrocketing popularity of Slate PC’s coincided with an ad recession that saw small time newspapers and magazines close shop. The new buzz word became apps and if you didn’t own one, you were doomed in the future.

As it turns out, all these fears were unfounded. In general, there has been a decline in sale of subscription newspapers and magazines; but not due to Tablet Computers. According to analysts, reduction in newspaper sale was more as a result of the economic recession than technological revolution. In fact, the economic recovery has brought back advertisers and print sales have begun to stabilize.

The reason for the turnaround is simple to explain. The popularity of Tablet Computers and Smartphone’s is not driven by news. Hard news falls behind games, music, movies, books and other entertainment applications found on these devices. Hence, most of the news content that is sampled on slates and Smartphone’s is also read on print. As a matter of fact, many people use tablet computer news applications to supplement rather than replace their main news sources.

Initial reactions to Tablet Computers among publishers were varied. Some were quick to commission for news applications and immediately set up digital divisions. Others took a watch and wait approach, while the rest brushed off the threat. The first batch is probably the most frustrated currently since they are seeing no immediate returns. Most slate users do not find it necessary to pay for online news content. The figures for development and subscription of news applications are also quite prohibitive.

All in all, no forward-looking company can ignore the ever-growing tablet computer apps market. Currently, there are more than half a million apps in the market with three percent representing news companies. Albeit there is no particular rush for newspapers and magazines to join the apps market, the option should still be kept open. It is important for newspaper and magazine publishers to study the tablet consumer market before investing in apps. As such, they will be able to reinvent themselves online and not simply replicate what others are doing.

Tablet computers have become all the rage since they were introduced in the market a couple of years back. Many people thought that newspapers and magazines had been relegated to the deathbed. Contrary to this, publishers are witnessing substantial returns from sales and advertisement. However, many publishers have also taken note of the potential in the tablet computers apps market and joined the fray.

You can get state of the art slate and touchscreen tablet computers by clicking on http://www.meebox.us.

Apr 29

New Take on the Alphabet in a Language Adventure ...

Posted on by

Brookline, MA (PRWEB) December 15, 2011

Parents are all too familiar with the alphabet book: “a is for apple, b is for banana,” yet they know this literary staple is a useful learning tool for their young children. Pinwheel Books, an independent publisher of children’s books and animated apps based in Brookline, MA, has now published a twist on the alphabet book that will delight both children and parents with its unexpected pairings of letters and words.

In “Francisco’s Fabulous Friends: An Adventure from A to Z” the quirky alliterations are brought to life with illustrations of animals engaged in active pursuits. They are all friends of Francisco the Frog, who introduces them to the reader; for example: “Oscar the ostrich is operatic. He needs a spotlight, don’t you think?” Francisco’s friends defy cliché and the book operates with a gentle humor.

Taco Matthews is an author and illustrator of children’s books. She created Francisco the Frog as a character many years ago, when she was a landscape designer in her native Japan. She has illustrated four children’s books (one presented as a story on Japanese television). As a graphic designer she has created posters for the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. Taco lives with her husband and two children in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is at work on Francisco’s next adventure, Francisco’s Fabulous Figs, a counting book, also to be publisher by Pinwheel Books.

Francisco’s Fabulous Friends: An Adventure from A to Z is available in print ($14.95) and electronic editions ($4.99) as an application for the iPad, iPhone, Nook, Kindle, and other e readers. To preview the book online, readers may go to pinwheelbooks

  • * *

One parent’s review of Francisco’s Fabulous Friends: “I downloaded the electronic version of this book to my iPad and my 2.5 year old loves to “read” it! I like that it’s not simply the usual “A is for apple” “C is for cat” story. Instead, for each letter, 3 words are given – typically one simple one, one name of a “friend,” and one more advanced word. For example, F says “fish, Francis, fashionable” then goes on to give a sentence including all 3 words. Very cleverly written and beautiful illustrations! Also, the more advanced words make it a great book for older siblings to read with their younger brothers & sisters. Would definitely recommend!” (Posted on Amazon Books.)

  • * *

ABOUT PINWHEEL BOOKS

Pinwheel Books is a small publisher of children’s books, ebooks and animated apps located in Brookline, Massachusetts. It was founded by award-winning journalist Sylvia Pagán Westphal. In addition to publishing print books, the company produces animated children’s apps for clients in the publishing industry.

Pinwheel’s book and e-book “Sam and Ben,” about twin boys who are not at all the same, has become a big hit among the twin parenting community. It will soon be launched as an animated app in the Apple App Store as wel as Android tablets. The book and e-book is also available in a Spanish edition, called “Samuel y Benito.”

###

Sylvia Pagán Westphal

Pinwheel Books

617-794-7976

Apr 28

Android Tablets: What Are The Benefits Of Android ...

Posted on by

Android tablets are one of the coolest ways to surf the net and watch videos in existence! They are super portable, light and have a huge touch screen display which makes viewing a pleasure. Unlike laptops and even netbooks, they save a lot of weight and space by only including the components needed for media consumption (surfing, listening and watching).

They run Google’s Android OS, which although a relatively new operating system has already overtaken Apple’s iOS as the most popular OS for portable devices! It looks quite similar to Windows in some ways, most notably being the ‘home page’ of your tablet which is like a ‘desktop’ full of shortcuts to your favourite apps. Some of the key benefits of Android are:

• It’s open source. This means that it is free and that anyone can get the code from Google and manipulate it to make it suitable for their device. Why is this good? You’re not paying for an expensive OS, but still get a top-notch OS for your tablet.

• The Google connection. Android has apps for most of the major Google services that we’ve come to love and rely upon, including: Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Voice (like Skype) as well as translate, shopper and finance.

• Choice of hardware. Don’t fancy an iPad, but want an Apple tablet? I’m sorry you can’t. However Android is free for any manufacturer to use and so tablet fans have a huge choice of different tablets, from expensive ‘name brands’ to great value Chinese versions.

• Huge leap forward in functionality. Consider an old-fashioned portable DVD player, or MP3 player where you can only do one thing, either watch DVDs or listen to music. An Android OS device is a powerful, portable PC. They allow you to do hundreds of things, from web-browsing to reading eBooks to playing games; and all at the same time if you want to multi-task!

If you’re worried about whether you can use an Android tablet then think about this question? Can you use a mac or pc? If the answer is yes then you’re sure to be delighted with Android OS as it is so similar in many ways to Apple OS and Windows. You have your shortcuts on your home screen, but also folders full of your applications, pdfs and media files as well. So to do something just select the right folder like on your computer! It is different in some ways too, and not in a negative sense! Android is great at multi-tasking. You can have many apps open and running at the same time which is brilliant when you’re flipping from the page you’re browsing to your music library to change tracks.

It also benefits from a brilliant app source, ‘Android Marketplace,’ which is filled with great apps for all kinds of purposes, from Facebook to horoscopes. They are especially great because most of them are free, and you don’t often get much for free in life!

So in summary, when you buy an Android tablet you’re getting a top quality operating system for free, hundreds of thousands of cool apps for free and a huge choice of different tablets for any budget. It’s also easy for anyone to use and will sync seamlessly with your Google account. Where are the cheapest tablets though? You need to go online and check out the reputable online stores selling them, then you’re assured of the best value as opposed to the big shops.

For a huge range of Android tablets at tiny prices you need to come to Virtual village.co.uk or paste this link into your browser: http://www.virtualvillage.co.uk/android-tablet-pc