WikiPad faces delay as team tries to refine the experience

Originally set to make its debut this morning, the WikiPad gaming tablet has officially been put on hiatus in order to ensure the “first product is the best tablet and entertainment experience at launch.” The tablet, originally available for pre-order since September, is a 10-inch tablet running Android that intends to change the scope of mobile gaming.

The company has said that customers who pre-ordered the device up until today, October 21st, will receive “refined and upgraded bundles” when the device is eventually released. The delay is attributed to the company choosing to take advantage of a “last minute opportunity”which will allow them to “perfect the WikiPad bundle.” Of course there’s no word on when the device will hit stores, so stay tuned for the latest updates. Moreover, you can read the official statement after the break.

Google Shows off Nexus 10, Nexus 7 and Nexus 4 in new commercial

In celebration of launching the Nexus 4, Nexus 10 and Nexus 7 with mobile, Google has released the first commercial touting its versatile product line. The new 1-minute ad illustrates the company’s updated Google Now interface, ultimately showing the limitless use cases for the new software. Google’s Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 are slated to launch on November 13th for $299 and $399, respectively. These new additions will make their debut alongside a refreshed version of the Nexus 7 with 3G and 32GB of storage for $299.

One Power Guard will extend battery life for rooted and custom ROM users

Battery life might be the biggest concern of any Android power user. Custom kernels, scripts, and applications are some of the many tools users have to squeak out as much battery life as possible out of their devices. Of course, as batteries get better, so do the apps that we use to manage these batteries.

ASUS Padfone 2 images surface ahead of October 16th announcement

We’ve already received our invitation from ASUS to attend its October 16th event where it’s expected that the company will finally unveil the successor to this year’s wildly versatile Padfone. While the phone/tablet-hybrid’s rumored specs have already leaked, today actual photos of the elusive device have emerged, revealing its reenvisioned design.

Though the entirely new package falls in line with the original Padfone’s unique form factor, it seems as though ASUS has really spent some quality R&D time on the new iteration. Both the handset and tablet appear to have been crafted with top-notch build quality (which ASUS has been notorious for over the past year), though this is something that can’t obviously be confirmed until we get a chance to play with the device. Pricing and availability remain a mystery, but you can jump past the break to catch some additional photos.

Source: evleaks

Google continues push for better quality tablet apps with new checklist for developers

All of the buzz last summer about the Google Nexus 7 brought a double-edged sword with it. On the plus side, it helped generate interest in tablet apps for the Android ecosystem. On the down side, it made apparent the softness of the tablet-optimized app market. In a post on the Android Developers Blog, Reto Meier, Android Developer Relations Tech Lead, reveals Google has taken notice and wants to help address the issue. In today’s blog posting, Meier announced the availability of a Tablet App Quality Checklist to help guide developers in building better tablet apps for Android devices.

According to Meier, developers who use the new checklist can expect to reap benefits like increased user engagement, better monetization of apps, and more downloads of apps by tablet owners. These benefits can be achieved by working on focus areas included in the checklist, like optimizing layouts for larger screens, taking advantage of the additional screen real estate, improving resources like icons that are used in tablet apps, and adjusting font sizes and touch targets for tablet screens, among others.

Meier’s post includes a promise to provide tips everyday this week on developing better apps for tablet devices. He indicates Google is preparing to make some adjustments to the Google Play store to help highlight well designed tablet apps in preparation for the upcoming holiday shopping season.

Developers who want to look over the checklist or users who just want to know more about what Google thinks makes good tablet app design can hit the source link for more info and links to the checklist.