Robo Defense for Android Game Review

The game Robo Defense for the Android phone has taken the ever popular free approach with additional features if you purchase the full game. However, the great part about Robo Defense is that it is a fully functional game even if you do not choose to purchase the game to unlock all the extras. Right now, Robo Defense is the best free game in the Tower Defense genre mostly because they are able to fund development with the number of people who purchase the full game. This game is one of the top downloaded games on the free Android game marketplace and is consistently ranking within the top 10 Android games on most game review websites.

The general concept of this game is that an army is coming to attack your base and you cannot let them get all the way to the entrance of your base. Thus, you must defend the battlefield outside your base with towers. The towers can be used to block enemies as well as shoot machine guns, rockets, slowing guns, anti-air, and flame throwers. The amount of towers does not seem too impressive when you first load up the game, but just remember that every tower can be upgraded at least once and some can be upgraded significantly more than that.

For each army unit that is coming to attack you that you kill, you get money. With the money you can buy different towers or upgrade your existing which makes this game almost like "leveling up" as you buy new units.

This game is incredibly addicting and very fun. It is highly recommended that you play the free version before purchasing the full game because the tower defense genre is very much a niche genre within the gaming world as is definitely not for everyone. But for those who love tower defense, Robo Defense is the best one out there for the Android phone right now so it is advised that you pick it up. After all, it's free on the Android Marketplace.

The Apple iPhone 4S in White or the HTC Sensation XE

There is an ongoing debate regarding the best phone manufacturer in the market. Some say that Apple's smartphones are the best. Some say that Android manufacturers are the best. Although there is no way to put this debate to rest, we can take a closer look at the phones' features and hardware to make you better device what to get. We will explore Apple's top handset the iPhone 4S in white and one of Android's top phones the HTC Sensation XE.

The iPhone 4S in white is currently the Cupertino firm's biggest seller. It has sold over 4 million units on the first weekend it went on sale. There are various reasons why hordes of people were so attracted to the handset. First of all, it comes with powerful hardware. The phone comes packed with a 1 GHz dual-core processor under the hood. It also comes with a 3.5 inch Retina Display. This may be smaller compared to the 4 inch touch screens offered by the competition. However, it does have more resolution to offer. Lastly, it sports an 8 megapixel camera.

When it comes to software, the smartphone comes pre-installed with the latest iteration of the iOS. This is the iOS 5. This updated operating system has a number of new features to offer. This includes Twitter integration, iMessage, and more. The phone also comes with an application unique to the handset. This is Siri the personal assistant. This app is a voice-commanded virtual assistant that can do anything from sending text messages to finding out about local information.

The HTC Sensation XE is a monster of a handset. This phone is one of the reasons why Android is now the top smartphone seller around the world. The phone comes packed with a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor under the hood. This is one of the most powerful processors within a mobile phone. It sports a 4.3 inch touch screen that will allow you to enjoy from more real estate for your touch interface needs. It also comes with an 8 megapixel camera.

What makes the HTC Sensation XE unique is its audio technology. It sports Beats Audio technology by Dr. Dre. It comes with Beats headphones that offer one of the best sounds the technology has to offer. It also comes with special software that will allow you to enjoy more from your music.

As you can see, both phones come with unique features for you to enjoy. The choice is yours. Will it be the Apple iPhone 4S in white or the HTC Sensation XE?

iPhone Application Developer - Market Positioning

iPhone application developers are supposed to make hay till the sun shines on the iPhone.

The sale of iPhone is being boosted by built in features as well as add on applications available on the Apple Store. The demand of iPhone applications is going on increasing. On the other hand there are many mobile app developers that are now offering a wide array of app development services. Market positioning has now become necessary for most of the applications developers.

Some street smart ways for market positioning are as follows.

Offering free Applications:
The app developers usually offer free app just to create a space in the market for themselves. This strategy is usually adopted by the new comers. Even the experienced players resort to this strategy at times. The free applications may be offered free to the consumers but not to the businesses. This offer may be valid for a specific time limit only but may be charged for extended use. The app developer may resort to this strategy to create a base of subscribers.

Functionality:
Market positioning of the app is also possible on the lines of the functionality of existing application. The applications that are already on sale and operational are needed to be studied for their functionality. If they are not fulfilling the needs of the app buyers they can be improved upon and then offered as new application.

Professionalism:
The existing app may not have a professional look. This could be the major cause for limited marketing prospects of the application. The app developer may refine the look of the application, making it look more professional and attractive.

Potential of Niche Market:
iPhone app. can be developed either for mass public or niche market. The app. developers usually make a mistake by relating the niche market to limited potential and mass public market to unlimited potential. This is not true in all the scenarios. It is very much possible that the application for niche market may have a high potential. The applications for the medical services are the best examples of niche market applications with high potential. When the application developer is offering his/her services to a particular industry or niche market, after some years of experience it is very much possible that he/she may become a monopoly leader or at least a leading application developer for that niche market segment. This can help the application developer to create a strong footing base for the application developer to offer a range of services in the future.

When any iPhone application developer goes for market positioning strategy, it is a clear signal to those who want to avail the services that he/she is the best professional iPhone application developer for that niche market.

Top Mid-Segment Android Phones of 2011

Within a year of its launch, Google's Android OS for cell phones and tablets has captured the imagination of several generations of cellphone users. Unlike its competitors like Symbian and BADA, Google Android is as smooth as it gets. At the present time, the world is waiting for the release of the next version of the Android OS, which promises to be better than all its predecessors. In this post, we take a look at some of the pocket friendly cellphones that run on Android.

LG Optimus One - This Google branded phone from LG is probably top of the list because it was one of the first to offer Android 2.2 Froyo at an inexpensive price. It is the first Android cellphone which sold more than a million handsets worldwide. This baby from LG comes with a 3.2 inch capacitive touchscreen which is one of the best that I have come across in recent times. The phone has a 3 mega pixel camera which churns out some decent snaps. If you happen to be a gamer, this phone will give you plenty of joy. It also comes with a 1500 MaH battery which keeps it ahead of its competition. The LG Optimus One is the best entry-level android phones around and if sales figures are anything to go by, it is probably the best around.

HTC Wildfire - This phone is the closest competitor to the above mentioned model at the present time. If looks were something to go by, I would easily pick this ahead of the Optimus. The good thing about this phone is that it has a 5 megapixel camera instead of a 3 MP - which is the norm in this range, and a 384 MB RAM instead of a 256 MB one. However, the only flip-side is the fact that this phone still comes with Android 2.1 Eclair and is yet to receive an upgrade in some countries.

Huawei Ideos - The Huawei Ideos has received top ratings in the International market and is a highly rated Android 2.2 Froyo smartphone. The company says that it worked closely with Google to build this phone and it has a lasting effect on you. You can upgrade it to a higher version of android if you wish to do so. It has a 2.8 inch capacitive touch screen display and the touch is pretty good. However, it has a very slow processor compared to the other phones on this list. If this is something that you are willing to compromise on, the Ideos is a great cell phone.

Samsung Galaxy Ace - This is a gem of a smartphone from the house of Samsung. It has a 3.5 inch capacitive touchscreen display - the best of the lot - and also comes loaded with a 5 megapixel camera, A 800 MHz ARM 11 processor, and a 1350 MaH battery. The Galaxy ace also runs android 2.2 Froyo and the Samsung TouchWiz 3.0 user interface along with the Android interface. The rest of the specifications are in sync with the rest of the smartphones listed here - Bluetooth 2.1 A2DP, 3G, WiFi, GPS, and a micro SD card slot. This phone looks awesome and is perfect if you can stretch your budget a wee bit.

iPhone Application - Starting a New Chapter in Communication

Ever since the iPhone has been launched into the market by its manufacturers the Apple Inc, it has been selling like hot cakes. Not only its design but also its features are amazing and unique. The entertainment features are in plenty. By downloading the applications, one can add on to the built in features of the iPhone. Within 30 hours of launching the iPhone, the sale of iPhone has touched 270,000. Apple Inc. has very well understood the needs of the iPhone users and what the smart phone users want in general. Apple Inc. has started designing and developing products that can support iPhone applications developed by third parties too.

Over the years Apple Inc. has launched a series of successful operating systems and devices. These products include iPod, iPhone 3 G, iPad, and Mac OS X. A closer view of iPhone will reveal that it is a blend of three devices. The three devices are internet device, mobile phone and a wide screen.

Most of the people having iPhone now try to access the internet through the iPhone device that they have. Now the website needs to be compatible with the operating system and the platform of the iPhone to be displayed on the screen of the iPhone. It is to facilitate this that Apple Inc has launched iPhone Mac OS X. This Device is web interactive. It is equipped with X code tools and visual features. The SDK and X code tools of Apple Inc facilitate the applications developer with a wide array of support. The developer can manage the repository of the source-code.

Apple Inc. has introduced a novel system of marketing. It has launched the iTunes store which is also called Apple Store. The developers need to submit their applications to the Apple store. The users of the iPhone can only download applications from the Apple Store. So the application developed by the developer needs to be first approved by the Apple store authorities and then only put for sale on the Apple Store. When the iPhone application is sold 70% from the revenue generated goes to the developer while the remaining 30% is retained by the company. Apple Inc. thus provides income generating opportunity for the developers and is proving to the society that it is a socially responsible organization. When the application is approved by the authorities at Apple Store, the user who downloads the application is sure that the application is not going to harm the device. The user of the iPhone is facilitated with a wide choice of applications. This way the iPhone user can add as many features to the device as he/she wants.

5 Android Tablet Apps for Making Free Phone Calls

Android offers a wide variety of applications and among these are those that allow free phone calls. Communication is indeed an important part of living, and fortunately, technology has made it easier for you to connect with others at no cost. Here are some Android applications that do just that:

1. Google Voice

The Android version of Google Voice features real-time functionality. This allows you to receive text and voice messages instantly as they arrive. This is unlike the earlier version wherein the software would check for new messages only once every 15 minutes. The application has an "inbox synchronization" feature which when activated, displays any messages that arrives within seconds. Also, you could make international calls with your Google number. You can also send free text messages with this application.

2. Fring

The new version of the Android Fring has a brand-new profile screen and a new look on the buddy list. A dialer has been added. This makes Fring attractive to its users, aside from its capability of making calls. The updated buddy list is now made friendlier. It displays your buddy's picture and mood line; same goes with the call screen.

You can also personalize your profile by adding a picture and editing your mood to let your friend know how you're feeling. You can also add your e-mail address and phone number.

Also, the new Android Fring provides a better communication experience through its voice improvements and bug fixes.

3. Skype

The new Android Skype is quite similar to the iPhone version. When signing in, you could immediately see who of your contacts are online. You can send messages and make calls over Wi-Fi or a standard 3G connection.

Call quality is quite clear. There might be instances when the connection jumps but all in all, the experience is pleasant.

The Skype looks fantastic physically. Navigation is easy and the menus are colorful and sharp.

4. Guava

With Guava, you can make free calls to any US number using your Google Voice and Gizmo5 account. Also, Guava allows you to receive calls to your Google Voice number provided you have an internet connection. You can also send text messages to US phones with this application.

5. Viber for Android beta

Viber lets you call Viber user over 3G and Wi-Fi connection. This application also allows free text messaging. With Viber, you can have unlimited calling and texting to any Viber user on either Android or iPhone.

The Android version of Viber is said to have unique features such as full call screen and pop-up text message notifications. Also, you can set Viber as your default dialer.

If you decide to purchase an Android gadget for yourself, do not forget to take advantage of the vast virtual market. Although some applications for communication come with a certain price, it would be best to start downloading the free applications first to determine which ones really work for you. Most Android applications offer occasional updates, so any bug or glitch in the system will be fixed in due time.

iPhone Vs Android

AT&T has the iPhone and until just recently the smart phone Goliath was king of the castle. Back in late October, Verizon Wireless unleashed the Motorola Droid, a device that runs on the android platform. Another Android phone gaining a great deal of hype is the Nexus One by Google. Apple actually went after Google with a patent lawsuit. It's no secret that Apple's Steve Jobs and Google CEO Eric Schmidt aren't very fond of one another. The Google CEO was asked to step down from the Apple Board and an Anti-trust investigation was started. Schmidt said he wanted to "Kill the iPhone" and Jobs to offense to that saying something along the lines of,

"We didn't enter the search game, they entered the phone game so they clearly want to kill the iPhone."

So the war of words had begun. The Google Nexus One is already available on the T-Mobile and AT&T networks and will be available for the Verizon network in the second quarter of 2010. With Apple being the first player in the touch screen mobile device arena there hasn't been a worthy adversary until now.

The new Android platform is growing by leaping and bounds everyday and many mobile app developers are creating iPhone apps but also latching on to the android platform. One of the drawbacks to the Android platform early on was that the Apple App Store dwarfed that of Android but over the recent months more and more Android apps are becoming available and Android is actually taking a decent portion of the market back from Apple.

Here are some comparisons between the technologies.

Android:

Operating system: Android OS that uses a modified version of Linux kernel. Originally developed by Android, Inc. and recently purchased by Google; Allows developers to write managed code in Java.; Allows users to multi-task.

Phones available on the Android platform: Motorola droid, HTC Nexus One, HTC Eris, HTC Hero,HTC Tattoo, MyTouch 3G, LG Eve just to name a few.

iPhone:

Operating system: iPhone OS-Derived from the Mac OS X, shares the Darwin foundation. The OS has four abstraction layers, the core OS layer, the core services layer, the media layer and the cocoa touch layer. The OS uses less than500 MB of the device's memory. Unable to multi-task.

Phones available on the iPhone platform: Apple iPhone

From just looking at these stats, I think the Android Platform is going to be the next big thing with smart phones. The iPhone just seems so locked up and controlled. I know you can "jailbreak" the iPhone but who wants to do that to their device? I really like the Nexus One, it has a sleek design and has the ability to multi-task. I know the apps aren't to level of the iPhone just yet, but give them time and I'm sure they will be more than worthy in a year or so.

Android Application Development - The Newest Trends Of Success!

Android-based smartphones and their apps are increasing day-by-day. There is a tremendous rise of apps and innovative games, utilities and business apps with each passing day. The market is booming at the rate of 32 per cent every month while there are at least a dozen number of new gadgets and smartphones coming up every 2-3 days. Industry experts believe that the surge is primarily owing to the popularity of superb smartphones including Motorola Droid, certain HTC models, and the free, always available, open-source nature of the OS.

Advantages of Android platform

One of the primary advantages include multiple technologies like GSM, EDGE, CDMA, Wi-Fi technologies to transfer data via mobile networks.
Comprehensive design libraries with 2-D and 3D graphics.
Image, audio and video libraries.
Much needed features including high-resolution Video camera, Touchscreen, accelerometer and GPS system.
Peer-2-Peer using Google Talk.
SQLite module integrated for data storage.
Signed apps and signing of apps for publishing

There are various mobile app development companies and Android development companies which can be found offshore, in India, China, and the Phillipines. Using the latest development technologies and tools many Android programmers make the best use of Android SDK and leverage the Open Source Simple programming language to churn out innovative and inventive Android applications.

Android developers have in the recent years, successfully created innovative apps within the Android framework and also create third party mobile apps, for PDAs, Pocket PCs and other gadgets.

Some of the general Android app development services include:
Web-based app development for different Android-based phones
Custom app development based on client requirements
Java mobile app development for creating games, business apps and utilities
Software creation for different uses
Third-party libraries creation
Security mobile solutions and entertainment apps including multimedia
Apps leveraging Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS support features of Android
Utilities and its design/ implementation
Testing and quality assurance for Android projects

There are many who are experts and experienced in using Android SDK for meeting their client requirements. Many have even created 2D and 3D apps with the help of Open GL technology. Some of the general in-demand apps consist of:
Business apps
Games
Security apps
Communication apps with location-based service
Utilities
Barcode Scanning systems
Travel apps
Multimedia apps

Our continued success in Android app development has propelled the satisfaction levels of our clients and have reposed us with extension of their already-awarded projects. We have also created apps related to the social networking domain including apps which make use of the new hardware features like accelerometer and motion sensors.

Android Market Versus Apple App Store

There has been a lot of discussion lately about the differences between Apple's iPhone and phones based on Google's Android. While these discussions typically center on hardware, usability and the operating system, they rarely discuss the differences between the Android Market vs. the Apple App Store. There are a number of differences between the two, some of which primarily matter to end-users and others that matter primarily to developers.

Open vs. Closed System. The single biggest difference between the Android Market and the Apple App Store is the difference between an open and a closed system. Apple's system is a closed one. Applications must be submitted to Apple for review and Apple ultimately decides what may or may not be sold in the Apple App Store. In contrast, Android Market is an open system. Developers can directly publish their applications to the market without having them filtered through a central authority. This means that the Android Market is likely to have a greater variety of applications and content but end-users have to accept that the applications are not being screened. There is a definite trade off. The Android Market does support a community rating and comments section, however, which helps buffer against poorly designed or malicious applications.

Refunds. Another big difference between Android Market and the Apple App Store deals with paid applications. The former allows an end-user to obtain a refund by uninstalling the application within 24 hours of purchase. This makes it much safer as an end-user to purchase an application. If you buy an app that does not work properly or does not seem to meet your need, uninstall it within 24 hours and you get a full refund. The Apple App Store does not offer refunds on applications, so while the applications are screened by Apple, it is still buyer beware. You need to make sure an application will meet your needs before you purchase it.

Developer Initiation Fee. Another notable feature that distinguishes the two stores is how much it costs a developer to join. Android Market charges a fee of $25 to sign up as a developer. This fee then allows you to publish your apps in the market. The Apple App Store charges $99 to become a developer. Keep in mind that paying this fee does not mean your application will get added to the app store. Apple reviews all applications for acceptance so paying the fee does not guarantee that your app will be published. Both markets charge 30% of any paid application sales. Apple keeps this 30% while Google pays the 30% to the wireless carriers. This may result in greater cooperation from and adoption by wireless carriers for Android.

Competition. For a developer trying to get a new application noticed, there is less competition in Android Market. Currently Android Market hosts about 20,000 applications while the Apple app store has over 100,000 applications. There is a lot more room for new and innovative applications in the Android market.

There are a number of differences between the Android market vs. the Apple app store. Some of these differences matter more to developers and others to end-users. Being an open system and offering refunds to end-users makes the Android market a great asset for end-users. The openness ensures a greater variety of offerings and the ability to get a refund makes trying a paid application a low-risk venture. For developers, Android offers a lower cost to get started and an arena with much less competition in which to make your application stand out.

LearnComputer! (learncomputer.com) provides instructor-led Android training courses for individuals, small businesses, and corporations. Please see our computer training catalog for complete details!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Dorf

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