Thursday, August 30, 2012

Android Smartphones Nano, Satellites in Space, NASA



We all have been using smartphones for quite a while now using mobile OS such as iOS, Android, RIM etc.

And they have eased as well influenced our lives in many different ways but the one that has dominated the smartphone market is Android. Google has certainly provided the world with something amazing and now they are taking this amazing operating system to the next level. Android works pretty well on Earth but how will it work in outer space.

To answer that question, NASA is conducting some experiments; the team at NASAs Ames Research center in Moffet Field in California has recently been reported to conducting experiments regarding miniature satellites based on Nexus One Android handset.

Called the PhoneSat by NASA, the project is basically part of a larger program called the Small Spacecraft Technology Program. Basic idea behind this program is to transform small consumer electronics into nano satellites and send them into space. We still do not have any word as to when the PhoneSat project will be launched but we are told that by the end of the year three PhoneSat will be blasted off into the space.

According to the details provided by NASAs Space Technology Program, they have already created two prototypes and will be launched at different dates. The first one is called PhoneStat 1.0 which is more of a mini-model and provides little functionality.

It will work as a test dummy and if demonstrated the capabilities of sending back operational health and image data from space, it would certainly open doors for new possibilities.

The satellite is made up of almost four primary parts, two of which are the external radio and the external batteries and the third one is Nexus One itself. The fourth and the most important one is the watchdog circuit which will scrutinize the whole system and may reboot Nexus where necessary.

All of this will then be translated into a small shell, not bigger than a coffee cup, and to ensure the smooth working of the satellite three such cup are added with each weighing around 4 pounds.

Then there is PhoneSat 2.0 which is much advanced satellite, it performs same functions but its much advanced.

Instead of Nexus One, there is Samsung Nexus S in it along with two-way S band radio along with a GPS receiver and solar arrays. PhoneSat 2.0 will be able to dig further into the space with the help of solar array whereas radio will help command the satellite from Earth.

It is also integrated with magnetorquer coils, simply put they are electromagnets which help interact with Earths magnetic field and also with reaction wheels to steer the unit in outer space.

NASA has been pushing Nexus One to its limit just to ensure how it will perform. Back in July 2012 NASA launched 2 Nexus Ones into space, one set crashed landed while other survived, they have also put PhoneSat 1.0 to thermal vacuum test and vibration and shock tables test and it came out successful in all the tests.


Via: Android Smartphones Nano, Satellites in Space, NASA

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

A Look At Chinese Low Cost Android Tablet Market


The tablet has become a device that seems to be found in many homes these days, especially in the wealthy part of the world, where people can afford it in addition to their regular laptop.

Wherever you go in the west though, chances are that each coffee shop has its own share of tablet wielding people, which watch videos, tweet and update their Facebook, while sipping on their lattes. While millions of tablets are being sold, not everyone is able to afford the units sold by the best companies, so models from Apple, Motorola or Samsung are usually out of reach for many people.

The Chinese tablet market is dominated by this kind of customer, the one that cant afford to spend a lot of money on a device he will use for entertainment only. Some of the popular cheap chinese android tablets include Ainol, Onda and Cube. You probably wont recognize these brands if you live in the US or Europe as they are marketed almost exclusively in China and some parts of Asia.


Western citizens generally have a certain idea about Chinese made products, knowing that theyre cheap and in many cases lacking in quality. For many of their products, it seems to be true that you get the quality that you pay for, but that is not always true.

Since quality is often associated with high prices, companies are able to raise their prices and convince people to pay them, simply by getting their logo on a device. The truth is, Apples iPad, iPhone as well as Samsung line of Galaxy Tab tablets were all made in China, so products of quality do come out of this country. You just have to know where to look.

One big difference between the Chinese and the American tablet market is that the manufacturers from China also have to compete with the international companies with better brands. Chinese brands dont stand a chance in the US against giants like Apple or Samsung, and they have a bit of a battle with them on their own turf as well. They fight on price usually, being able to make their tablets locally and passing the savings to the consumers.

The Chinese companies that make tablets usually do it just for the internal market, so they try to create products that are affordable and at the same time they dont have a huge difference in performance and quality from the models that are imported and more expensive.

Their challenge is to create products which have the same capabilities as the expensive devices sold by the giants, with good battery life and smooth gameplay experiences for games like Angry Birds.

While there will always be companies that try to sell knock-offs, the Chinese market has plenty of legitimate companies that are trying to sell to the local consumers quality products built locally.

The truth is that in many cases theyre succeeding and some of these tablets are good enough to be comparable with tablets offered by the big brands.

The design of these tablets is certainly quite slick in most cases, insuring that youre not going to attract attention by going with an ugly tablet at the coffee shop.


Via: A Look At Chinese Low Cost Android Tablet Market

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Android Tablet Gaining Market Share From Apple



A piece of good news for android tablet fans. In a recent study done by Frank N. Magid Associates, android tablets are fast closing the gap in terms of market share with Apples iPad. Frank N. Magid Associates found that the iPad share went down to 50% from a record high of 72% during the previous survey.

The main reason for the huge market share is the introduction of cheaper android tablets such as the Amazon Kindle Fire and the Google Nexus 7. If you take into consideration for example, the Google Nexus 7 which cost $199 verus the new iPad which starts at $400, its easy to see why.

Microsoft Surface is also expect to take some market share away from Apple when it launches so Apple is facing tremendous pressure to respond. An article here on iPad3-release suggest Apple might release the iPad Mini in September to regain its lead by offering the cheapest iPad ever offered. However, at this point, whether iPad Mini exist is purely rumor and the pricing is not known.

With that said, the survey conducted was only with around 4500 smartphone users so may not be a true indication of things. One of the main reasons consumers buy iPad in spite of its higher price tag has been brand loyalty and the size of its App store (around 500,000 apps). Simply put, it has apps available for just about everyone.

If Android ever wanted to be the dominant market leader in the tablet market, it is vital Google started to place more emphasis on getting better quality developers on Google Play.


Via: Android Tablet Gaining Market Share From Apple

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