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After the big success of Apple’s iPad, a flux of new tablet models have come onto the market, and many of the early competing tablets have been released in the same size, such as Samsung galaxy note 10.1, Google Nexus 10, Microsoft Surface RT and so on. But some people are finding that a small model is a bit more portable and easier for tasks like reading or gaming, and now they are in huge demand. We have seen several launches in the last few months, the latest being Samsung Galaxy Note 8, HP Slate 7 and Sony Xperia Tablet Z, etc. Here we take a look at the top small 7-8 inch tablets available in the market 2013.

• Samsung Galaxy Note 8

This is one of the best small 8-inch tablets awaiting to be launched in the market. Samsung has designed the device as a medium one between the Note 2 phablet and the Note 10.1 tablet PC, in order to compete directly with Apple iPad Mini, Google Nexus 7, Amazon Kindle Fire HD. Samsung's latest S Pen device boasts an 8-inch 1,280 x 800 TFT display, 1.6GHz Exynos 4 Quad processor and paired with 2GB RAM. The device runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 and also support for Smart Stay, Multi-Window and Air View functionality, Popup video and note, as well as AllShare Play and Cast.

• Apple iPad Mini

If you want the full, polished Apple tablet experience in a smaller package, the iPad Mini is your wise choice, but the price seems a bit steep, that is to say good alternatives are available for less money. Apple’s iPad mini features a 7.9-inch non-Retina Display at a pixel density of 163 ppi, A5 processor which isn't as robust as the one in the fourth-gen iPad and iPhone 5,  5 mega pixel rear camera and 1.2 mega pixel front camera with 720p HD video and ships in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB storage. The device runs on Apple iOS 6.

• Google Nexus 7

With a stunning 7-inch display, all day battery life, even more storage, and mobile data to keep you connected, Nexus 7 is the perfect travel or commute companion.

 The Nexus 7 features a 7-inch display, an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core chip, 1 GB of RAM, and 8, 16 or 32 GB of internal storage. Incorporating built-inWi-Fi and near field communication (NFC) connectivity, it is marketed as an entertainment device with integration with Google Play, serving as a platform for multimedia consumption of e-books, television programs, films, games, and music. And the tablet was the first device to ship with Android version 4.1, nicknamed "Jelly Bean".

• Kindle Fire HD

The Kindle Fire HD is now available for order for only $199. This is the long anticipated Amazon tablet which is being marketed under the Kindle brand although it appears to be much more than an eBook reader. It runs on Android OS but comes with its specialized browser called Amazon Silk which claims faster speeds. The devices comes with a 1280x800 HD display, dual-core processor with an Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core, World's first tablet with dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi for over 35% faster downloads and streaming. And it delivers over 11 hours of reading, surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music.

• HP Slate 7

Though this is not as well-endowed as Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8, nonetheless it is in a class of its own and very useful. It is HP’s first Android tablet. The company earlier ditched its own webOS-based TouchPad, which hit stores as a hyped-up iPad killer a few years back. “The HP Slate 7 won’t wow anyone with its specs or features, but at $169 it’s a reasonably priced low-end 7-inch slate,” says PCMag. The most exciting feature with the Slate 7 is its ability to print. HP has an own native app to do the task simply. Wi-Fi connectivity, Beats Audio integration are some other outstanding traits of the tablet PC. The device powers with a dual-core A9 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage, a 7-inch, 1,024 x 600 display and dual 3MP / VGA cameras and so on.

• Asus Fonepad

It is another low end tab from Asus. It is a 7-inch tablet PC with voice calling capability. That is, you can mount a SIM card inside the device and make calls as you do on a phone. The Fonepad is coming with an Intel Atom processor onboard. It is to be priced at $270. The selling point of the device will be its voice calling feature. Apart from this, the Fonepad is coming from the maker of Nexus 7, a market-hit small screen tablet from Google.

The FonePad has a 7-inch display, which packs in 1,280x800 pixels, making this the same size and resolution as the Nexus 7. It lacks a rear camera, but finds space for a 1.2-megapixel front-facing snapper, which should come in handy for video calling. The device powers with Intel's Atom Z2420 processors, clocked at 1.2GHz and backed up by 1GB of RAM and is running on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

See also: Gift guide to full-size tablets for 2012 Christmas

According to the latest news, Samsung highly-anticipated galaxy s4 will be available for pre-order on April 16 for AT&T customers for $249.99 with a new two-year agreement, but there's still no word when the phone will actually hit shelves. That is to say, if you've been waiting eagerly to buy Samsung's Galaxy S4, you'll have to wait at least another month. Can you wait until that time or maybe you can pick other superphone like the Nexus 4, which have always been Google’s pure, untarnished vision of its platform. Today we compare the specs and features of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and LG Nexus 4.

Size
Compared to Samsung galaxy s4, the nexus 4 is a bit shorter, narrow and thinner. The size differences here are pretty minor.

Display
The Galaxy s4 features a 5-inch screen, larger and sharper than the Nexus 4, the device which have a display of 4.7-inch. The Galaxy S4’s Super AMOLED has blacker blacks (technically no light comes through black pixels) but hyper-saturated colors. The Nexus 4’s IPS display, meanwhile, leads to better viewing angles and more accurate color reproduction.

Processor
The Nexus 4’s Snapdragon S4 Pro chip is a beast. Ditto for both versions of the Galaxy S4: the North American version’s quad core Snapdragon 600 and the international version’s octa core Exynos chip.
So In terms of benchmarks and experience, the galaxy s4 is going to beat the Nexus 4.

RAM
The two devices are tied up, each with 2 GB of RAM.

Storage
In this aspect, Samsung galaxy s4 have a big advantage than Nexus 4. Storage options of Galaxy s4 are provided in the form of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of internal memory, while Nexus 4 only comes 8GB and 16GB. At the same time, only the Galaxy S4 allows you to expand its storage with a microSD card.

Cameras
The Galaxy S4 has a 13 MP camera, and sports several new camera software features. Dual Camera combines video or images from the front and back cameras, under a variety of templates. Also included is Drama Shot, which takes bursts of shots and combines them automatically into a collage. Nexus 4 packs a 8 megapixels camera, but you don’t have to worry about the Nexus 4’s shooter. It takes great shots, and can easily replace a point-and-shoot.

Wireless
There’s no LTE for the Nexus 4. It does support HPSA+, which offers faster than 3G speeds ... but LTE it is not. You’ll also need to sign up with a GSM carrier for the Nexus 4, as CDMA (that's Verizon and Sprint in the U.S.) networks aren’t supported.

Battery
Although Galaxy s4 powers with a 2600mAh battery while Nexus 4 only packs with a 2100mAH battery. Does that mean the Galaxy S4 – with more capacity – will get better uptime? Maybe, maybe not. Still now, we have no answers.

Software
The Galaxy S4 will ship with the latest version of Android, 4.2.2, runs its own operating system. Samsung is increasingly hiding its Android roots under a heavy layer of “TouchWiz” – complete with a bevy of crazy features (facial-recognition scrolling, fitness tracking, photos with accompanying audio clips ...).

Meanwhile, the Nexus 4 – like all Nexus devices – runs “pure Google,” or stock Android. What you see is exactly what Android’s creators and designers intended - and nothing more.

Though the two phones run the same version of Android right now, that may not last long. Without manufacturer skins or carrier clayware, the Nexus 4 will be first to receive future Android updates. Samsung has improved its support for updates, but GS4 owners will have to wait much longer for Key Lime Pie (or whatever the next major version is called) than Nexus 4 owners will.

So will you buy the Nexus 4 or wait for the Samsung galaxy s4? Welcome to share your opinions below.

See also:  Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. HTC One vs. iPhone 5, Will Samsung Continue to Rule the Universe?

“What’s his name again? Wasn’t he the guy in that movie with the battle of the bands?” Now, while you're watching a movie on Google Play, you can find out that it’s Jack Black (of course!), who was born in Hermosa Beach and is 43 years old. And with one click you can search the web and learn the fun fact that his parents are both rocket scientists.

We’ve added info cards to the Google Play Movies & TV app so you can easily learn more about the actors, related films and even what song is playing in many of your favorite movies. When you’re watching a film on your tablet, simply press pause and cards will pop up with information about actors on screen. You can tap on an actor’s face to learn more about him, like his age, place of birth, his character in the movie, and his recent work, or scroll through the info cards to learn more about the movie or soundtrack. When you resume the movie, the cards will disappear.


This new feature is offered for hundreds of movies in Google Play and we’re adding more every day. If you’re in the U.S. and have a tablet running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and higher, download the latest version of the Google Play Movies & TV app to check it out. We hope to bring info cards to more movies in more countries and devices soon.

Posted by Ben Serridge, Product Manager for Google Play

While the offline models are less comprehensive than their online equivalents, they are perfect for translating in a pinch when you are traveling abroad with poor reception or without mobile data access.

So go out and explore another language or another culture without worrying about Internet access. There’s a whole world offline out there.

Posted by Minqi Jiang, Associate Product Manager

Easter is just around the corner, and it is a good time to gather together with family and friends to enjoy the wonderful moment of happiness. Apart from those traditional ways to celebrate Easter, have you got any planning on how to celebrate this Easter grandly? Have you prepared something special for your lovely Kids as Kids love Easter and they love music or Easter movies, too? If you get in some trouble and still have no ideas, don’t worry, just try things below to make your own Easter celebration special in 2013.

Happy Easter Ideas:

1.  Funny Easter game:  Bubble Blast Easter
Do you like Bubble Blast games? If you do, then you can’t miss Bubble Blast Easter, a full HD Magma Mobile game, which mixes the Easter and Bubble blast experience to give you great enjoyment. The game now offers Puzzle mode with 2500 levels and Arcade mode to play freely. Just celebrate Easter with a brand new version of the Bubble Blast Series.

2.  Funny Easter game:  Angry Birds Easter
Angry Birds Easter is available in the Android Market since the year of 2011. It's the same Angry Birds you've come to know and love, with a loose Easter theme tied in, so far as bunnies and eggs are concerned. Fling some Angry Birds, break some stuff, kill some pigs, free some eggs. Really fun.

3.  Easter Songs for Kids

• The Easter Bunny is Coming
• If You Love the Easter Bunny, Say I Do
• Easter Bunny Hop
• 12 Days of Easter
• Here comes Peter Cottontail
• Hop and Stop!!!
• Five Little Easter Eggs
• I Saw A Little Bunny
• Here Comes Peter Cottontail
• Easter Parade

4.  Watch Easter movies with kids and family
The best way to understand the holiday spirit might be watching Easter movies, as the Easter-themed movies would be more efficient in delivering the holiday spirit into people’s hearts. There are many Easter films that you can choose, like《The Easter Bunny Is Coming’ to Town》,《The Great Easter Egg Hunt 》,《Rise of the Guardians》,《Easter Parade》,《Hank and Mike》,《Walton’s Easter 》,《Alice in Wonderland》,《Hop》,《The Passion of the Christ》,《The Easter Egg Adventure》and so on.

5.  Easter Wallpapers
Use some nice wallpapers to decorate your mobile device can always bring you into good mood. The app called Easter Live Wallpaper is one app that can bring you beautiful and romantic Easter wallpaper. It is totally free.

By the way, Wanna enjoy the Easter DVD or Blu-ray movies on your Google Nexus 7, Nexus 10, Samsung galaxy note 10.1 and other mobile devices? Just Get a 35% off  Blu-ray or DVD Converter for Windows or DVD Converter for Mac and easily convert Easter Blu-ray or DVD movies to any video format! You may also be interested in this Easter Discount Party of multimedia software.

See also:  Best Easter iPhone and iPad Apps for Kids in 2013

I have been a loyal fan of Google Reader for a long time since Google has announced that it will be shutting down Google Reader on July 1, 2013. Fortunately, it's not the end of the world. There are a number of great news reading apps on the market and now we simply have to get used to the idea and find a new RSS reader replacement by July 1st. Today, we’re going to find the best News Reader replacement for Google Reader,taking into account that the service needed to be as close to Google Reader's feature set (syncing, multi-platform, web-accessible) as possible.

1.  Feedly
I have tried quite a few of them and my personal favorite is Feedly, which is available as a web app, just like Google Reader, but they also have apps for iOS and Android.
You can use Feedly subscribe the content of your favorite sites, rss feeds, tumblr blogs and YouTube channels.  And when you run feedly on a phone and on a tablet, the configuration will automatically syncs between both devices.

Now the feedly UI is custom tailored for a 4" phone, a 7" tablet and a 10" tablet. You will get an experience which is very close to a personalized magazine if you run feedly on a tablet.

2.  Google Currents
Google Currents delivers beautiful magazine-like editions to your tablet and smartphone for high speed and offline reading. But you cannot follow your subscriptions on the computer or on devices where these apps are not supported. That’s quite a drawback.
The app includes features like:
Publisher editions: you can read full length, in-depth articles, videos, fine photography, and slideshows from Publishers such as Forbes, The Guardian, TechCrunch, PBS, Saveur, and more.

Google Currents uses Google search technology to deliver the hottest breaking stories in categories such as world, entertainment, sports, science, and more. As you travel to different countries, additional breaking stories are added to match your location. And Currents uses Google translate technology to translate editions into a preferred language of your choice. 44 languages are supported now.

3.  Pulse
Pulse News brings all your favorite blogs, magazines, social networks and newspapers in one place for FREE. Just tap on an article to see a clean and elegant view of the news story. Save stories for reading later across all platforms or sync them with Instapaper, Read it Later and Evernote.
With this app, you can also share a story via Facebook, Twitter, Google + and email as easy as one tap. Pulse for android now has been downloaded by over 20 million users.

4.  NewsBlur
NewsBlur has a really well built interface that's also similar to Google Reader, but with some useful bells and whistles that make reading a bit more fun or easy on the eyes.
You can toggle the original view and display articles the way they show up on their respective sites, or read them the way they're presented in their RSS feeds, or view them text-only to get rid of the images and the page fluff. You can share stories with friends, save them for future reading, star them, start your own "blurblog" of featured stories you want to share, and more. Free accounts are capped at 64 blogs, 10 stories at a time, and public sharing options. Premium users ($24/yr) can subscribe to as many sites as they want, get all the latest stories at one time, get faster site refreshes, can share publicly or privately, and of course support the service.

 NewsBlur have apps for iOS and Android.

5.  Flipboard
Flipboard brings together world news and social news in a beautiful magazine. Once you pick a few topics, your Flipboard is built and you can instantly start flipping through the pages of news you care about and stories and photos friends are sharing. You can Connect Flipboard to up to 12 social networks, streamlining your reading and activities like commenting, liking and sharing. Services include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, Google Reader, LinkedIn, Flickr, 500px, Sina Weibo and Renren.

Google yesterday officially announced its new note-taking service, named Google Keep, which allows users to sync notes and to-do lists across your computer, phone and tablet using your Google account. But now the app right now is only available for android devices running Android 4.0.3 and up, or through the Google Drive Web site. Today here I will introduce you how to get started with Google's new note-taking app Keep.
Of course, in order to get started with Google Keep on your android device, you should download the Android app and install it on your device in advance. You can find the tool at drive.google.com/keep or in the Play Store for Android 4.0 and up.

After installing the app you'll be prompted to select the Google account you want to use with Keep. Once that's done, you can begin keeping notes. There are four different methods you can use to enter a note:

• A quick note directly from the text box on the initial screen.
• Add a checklist by tapping on the check mark icon.
• Create a voice memo by tapping on the microphone. All memos are instantly transcribed, keeping both the audio and text in the note.
• Add a photo as a note by tapping on the camera.

At any time you can add a checklist to an existing note by tapping on the menu button and selecting "Show Checkboxes."

You can also add a photo to any existing note by tapping on the camera along the top of the screen. Any photo you add has to be taken at the time you add it; you can't add previously snapped photos from your Gallery.

Once you're done with a note you can archive it by swiping in either direction across the note.
To rearrange notes you simply tap and hold on a note and drag it to where you want it. You can change the layout between multicolumn and single-column view through the menu.
Now There are two widgets included with the app. The first widget will place a shortcut bar to create notes with, and will let you scroll through your existing notes directly from your home screen. The second widget is only a shortcut bar. Should you be using an Android device running Android 4.2 or later, you'll be able to add either widget to your lock screen for quick access to your Keep entries.

The Google Drive page for Keep is pretty straightforward. You can add, edit, archive, and delete your notes with just a few clicks, mirrors the basic function as the Android app.
The combination of various note types is nice; a checklist for shopping, photos to help you remember something, and voice notes for when you can't type a long note. But can it beat alternatives like Evernote, which now had 34 million users? The answer is no and There's some work Google need to do with Keep.

Source: Google via CNET

Every day we all see, hear or think of things we need to remember. Usually we grab a pad of sticky-notes, scribble a reminder and put it on the desk, the fridge or the relevant page of a magazine. Unfortunately, if you’re like me you probably often discover that the desk, fridge or magazine wasn’t such a clever place to leave the note after all...it’s rarely where you need it when you need it.

To solve this problem we’ve created Google Keep. With Keep you can quickly jot ideas down when you think of them and even include checklists and photos to keep track of what’s important to you. Your notes are safely stored in Google Drive and synced to all your devices so you can always have them at hand.

If it’s more convenient to speak than to type that’s fine—Keep transcribes voice memos for you automatically. There’s super-fast search to find what you’re looking for and when you’re finished with a note you can archive or delete it.

Pro tip: for adding thoughts quickly without unlocking your device there's a lock screen widget (on devices running Android 4.2+).



Google Keep is available on Google Play for devices running Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich and above. You can access, edit and create new notes on the web at http://drive.google.com/keep and in the coming weeks you'll be able to do the same directly from Google Drive.

Posted by Katherine Kuan, Software Engineer

HTC announced its sexy htc one smartphone last month and The most interesting thing about the One is its 4-megapixel "Ultrapixel" camera, which attracts a lot of attention when it hits, especially since other phones are nearing the next 13-megapixel frontier, such as Samsung galaxy s4. Samsung finally took the wraps off the highly anticipated Galaxy S4 last week.

HTC says the new One captures 300 percent more light than current competing smartphone sensors, offering "astounding low-light performance.” So today just follow me to see how HTC One’s camera stacks up against Samsung's new flagship Galaxy S4, iPhone 5, Nokia Lumia 920, Nexus 4 and most of the latest Smartphones.

Samsung Galaxy S4 vs HTC One
HTC One vs HTC Droid DNA
HTC One vs Samsung Galaxy S3
For now, take a peek at the comparison shots above, and declare your own winner. Do HTC’s UltraPixels win out?