android

These days, big-budget blockbuster movies are usually accompanied by story-driven mobile games. They usually tie in with the movie plot in many ways, and sometimes they put you in the shoes of the main character. The idea behind these types of games is great, but more often than not, they are completely disappointing.

With that in mind, I found four that are actually not so bad. Sure they're not perfect or even great, for that matter. But they do have specific qualities that make them enjoyable, especially for big fans of the movies.

Monsters University: Android (99 cents) | iOS (99 cents) … Read more

You've seen plenty of torture tests of the most popular phones, like the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S4, but what about a smartphone that was actually designed to take such abuse? I'm looking for your help in crowdsourcing a torturous regime to impose on a device that, in my estimation, is just asking for it.

I've got my hands on a Kyocera Torque, which is a $100 Android phone on Sprint's 4G network -- it's been endorsed by TV survivalist Bear Grylls for its rugged design, which meets military standards for dust, shock, extreme … Read more

For a long time I've been a fan of N2A Cards, which sells a simple plug-and-play way to turn Barnes & Noble's Nook tablets into full-blown Android tablets. After all, if you've got good hardware, why not unlock its maximum potential?

Now Kindle owners can get in on the action. N2A's new N2Aos service will install Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) on your first- or second-generation Kindle Fire, replacing Amazon's heavily customized -- and, some would say, limited -- operating system with the real deal.

There are, of course, a few important considerations.… Read more

Google is preparing to launch a new service that will be integrated into Google+, according to a new report.

The folks over at Google Operating System, a blog that monitors the search giant, say they have obtained an image of a new service the company is working on called Google Mine. The screenshot describes the feature as allowing users to "share your belongings with your friends and keep up to date with what your friends are sharing." The app also lets users share items within certain Google+ Circles.

The idea appears to center on user interests and sharing … Read more

PC users who like to tinker with their Windows systems with things like overclocking use CPU-Z to get useful hardware and system data for their projects. The developers over at CPUID have now brought CPU-Z to the Android community. Whether you've rooted your Android device and are looking to overclock it or if you're just curious about your hardware's internals, CPU-Z can help.

CPU-Z for Android divides the displayed data into four tabs: SOC (system on chip), System, Battery, and Sensors. SOC shows you details of your Android device's CPU, including name, architecture, and clock speed. … Read more

Apple has fired a not-so-subtle shot over Android's bow with a new chart displaying its lack of operating system fragmentation.

The company recently started publishing how many people are running different versions of its iOS software. The chart, which is available in Apple's iOS Dev Center, shows that 93 percent of its users are running iOS 6. Another 6 percent have iOS 5 running on their devices. Only 1 percent of iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch owners are running an earlier version.

Apple highlighted its success at getting people to its latest operating system at the Worldwide Developers … Read more

Windows 8 and Jelly Bean make on odd couple. But Windows may be the odder of the two in an increasingly mobile world.

Samsung on Thursday announced the Ativ Q laptop-tablet hybrid running both Windows 8 and Android.

While it appears to be a Windows 8 laptop first and Android device second, the fact that Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) is only a tap away signals that Samsung believes consumers need a pathway out of Windows to a more mobile-centric world.

Not unlike what Hewlett-Packard has done with SlateBook x2 laptop hybrid. Though in HP's case it's an … Read more

Hey, guys, remember Vine? That's what we might be asking each other if this whole video-on-Instagram thing pans out.

If you haven't heard, Instagram today announced the addition of video capturing and sharing capabilities to its widely used photo app. The new features are now available on both Android and iOS, and so far, users seem to be really excited about the moving pictures.

But how exactly do Instagram's new features stack up against Twitter's video-sharing baby? While Instagram's update may have borrowed copiously from the Vine (also available for iOS and Android) experience, the … Read more

My gut reaction to seeing the $299 price tag of Nvidia's Shield gaming handheld: way overpriced.

And that was after Nvidia cut the price of the Android-powered device -- which will be available June 27 -- by $50 on Thursday.

But in reality, the Shield may end up being a relative bargain for folks who want a dedicated gaming device. It comes down to the video games available on Android. Many are free, or cost 99 cents. An "expensive" game would run you $10.

Now compare that with the Nintendo 3DS or PlayStation Vita. An average 3DS … Read more