News Week of May 22, 2011

Is the iPad the $500 portable computer of choice?

Honeycomb 101: Getting to Know Your Android Tablet

Not sure how to get started with your new Android tablet? Fear not: We've got you covered.

So you're the proud possessor of a shiny new Android tablet. Now what?

Google's tablet operating system is a little different from the versions of Android you may have seen before. Unlike the iPad, which is basically a blown-up version of the iPhone, Android Honeycomb tablets are designed to take full advantage of the extra screen space--and it's up to you to decide how to use it.

Of course, flexibility and simplicity don't always go hand in hand, and Honeycomb can be a bit overwhelming at first. But once you get the hang of it, you'll find that its power and its potential for personalization can be pretty darn sweet.

Here's a quick guide to help you get started.  (Source:  JR Raphael, PCWorld)

Apple iOS 4 Products Found to Have Non-GPS Location Tracking Feature

A location-tracking feature in Apple�s popular iPhone 4 and iPad 3G has users concerned for their privacy and advertisers wondering about future geo-targeting uses.

A recent discovery by computer security researchers Alasdair Allan and Pete Warsden has many Apple iPhone 4 and iPad 3G users nervous. In an interview with NPR, Warsden claimed that while uploading information from his iPhone, he noticed that a file called �Location D� popped up on his computer. The file contained latitude, longitude and text map data that traced virtually everywhere the phone had been. It seems that Apple has inserted a secret location-tracking feature that does not rely on GPS tracking, but instead finds its location relative to cellular phone towers and WiFi signals. The data is kept in an unencrypted file on the phone. A software program already created by Allan and Warsden allows anyone to make a detailed map tracing the user�s every movement.  (Source: Annie Hay, 90Octane)