Plugged In By Renato Cruz Sogueco

Dig the Droid > Thanks to an open policy that encour- Another option to consider is the ages sharing, Android, ’s mobile Google Nexus 4, manufactured by , now runs on 79 Google in partnership with LG: www. percent of the world’s smartphone and google.com/nexus/4/. The Nexus isn’t tablets. Android’s astonishing popularity waterproof and its screen measures only hasn’t made it a generic, one-size-fits- 4.7 inches, but it’s free of skins – the all system. In fact, manufacturers have pesky, proprietary software and fea- gone to great lengths to customize their tures that companies add on to enhance Android-run products; all of the op- Android and position their products as tions can make the marketplace seem unique. In practice, skins often sap the crowded, even overwhelming. This device’s resources, leading to slow re- month, we’ll cut through the clutter and sponsiveness and shorter battery life. phabulous ’s Galaxy Note II provide recommendations on how you You can purchase the Nexus phone blends the best of a phone and a tablet. can go Android painlessly. contract-free online or at your closest T-Mobile location. AT&T also carries the they work alone. Here again, Google Best in Smartphones phone. In addition, many people opt for comes to the rescue with its new Nexus When consumers choose Android over inexpensive, pre-paid providers, such as 7, manufactured with , and the Apple iPhones, they’re often doing so Straight Talk (StraightTalk.com). , with Samsung, http://www. because of screen size. With a 5-inch google.com/nexus/7/. For speed, size screen — compared to the iPhone 5’s and screen clarity, the ’s high- 4-inch screen — the Samsung Galaxy resolution 323 per inch (PPI) is a S4 Active is our top recommendation. winner, and especially good for aging The phone has 16 GB of storage and eyes. The Nexus 7 is a great deal at retails for about $199 at AT&T: www. $229 for the 16 GB version, compared samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/ to Apple’s iPad mini (retail $329) and SGH-I537ZBAATT. Samsung’s Tab 3 (retail $299), which The Active version of the Galaxy are both more expensive with lower PPI phone is water-resistant, so it will (pixels per inch). survive a splash in a flower bucket. Before you buy a Kindle Fire HD, (Samsung says it can withstand 3 feet consider that built its own of water for 30 minutes.) Unfortunately, customized Android ecosystem for the Active is only available through the Kindle and has replaced Google’s AT&T. If you must stick with another Play Store with its Amazon App store. for laptop diehards Asus’s You’ll find most of the common apps in carrier, the regular Samsung Galaxy Transformer offers the optional keyboard S4 — also $199 at most other carriers dock for touchpad-leary types. Amazon (Facebook, Pinterest, Netflix, — is a good choice, too. (Just be careful etc.), but it will not match the scope of around those buckets!) Best in Tablets and apps found in the Play Store. Don’t even For tablets, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab consider a Nook; it’s been discontinued. www.samsung.com/us/mobile/ If you don’t mind holding a 6-inch galaxy-tab is the obvious, solid choice. screen to your head when you’re Don’t Be Cheap The tablet comes in a variety of screen making calls, phablets can be a good If you buy an Android device, spring for sizes, from 7- to 10-inch screens, and solution. The Galaxy Note II, www. the newest, top-line devices which fea- ranges in price from $199 to $350. samsung.com/galaxynoteII, is larger ture the latest Android version, 4.3 or If you want to ditch the laptop but than a phone and smaller than a tab- “Jellybean.” (Google has a sweet tooth still crave the “laptop feel,” consider let — and it takes the place of both when it comes to naming — the next the Asus Transformer Pad, www.asus. devices. Another good option in this version 4.4 is named “KitKat.”) Some com/Tablets_Mobile/Transformer_ hybrid category is the , manufacturers cut costs by loading de- Pad_Products/ ($350 to $599 plus www.asus.com/Tablets_Mobile/ vices with older Android versions; a third $150 for the optional keyboard dock.) ASUS_Fonepad. of still run on Android 2.3, according to The Asus Transformer has an optional Renato Sogueco is SAF’s chief OpenSignal. Older versions can be in- full QWERTY keyboard dock with a information offer, liaison to the SAF compatible with the latest apps, be less touch pad that adds more than 10 Technology Committee and a regular secure and may run slower on less pow- hours of battery life and a USB port. contributor to Floral Management. erful, cheaper (if not free) smartphones Android tablets don’t usually come [email protected] you get when you purchase with a two- with as much bloat ware, but both Asus year contract. and Samsung skin their tablets when

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