10 top apps for your Honeycomb Android tablet
— -- New Android tablet owner? Once you're done familiarizing yourself with your device and have learned how to use the Android Market, it's time to download and install apps that'll make your new gadget a lot more useful. While not all apps on the Market are compatible with your Honeycomb tablet, you still have thousands to choose from — many of which are completely free!
To help you decide which among the bevy of free titles to download first, here are 10 of the handiest and best free Honeycomb-optimized apps. Even if you've had your tablet for quite some time, you may still spot one or two that you haven't encountered yet.
1. Tablet Keyboard
Download: Tablet Keyboard for Android
Especially useful for tablets in the 10-inch size range, this app splits an on-screen keyboard down the middle so you can type with your thumbs while holding your device with both hands, perfect during hectic times when you find yourself on your feet most of the day. The downside is that it has no predictive text or spell check, so it's all up to you to dot your I's and cross your T's.
2. Kid Mode
Download: Kid Mode for Android
This app will keep your children busy with games, storybooks, videos, and a drawing board while you go about your day. It could also be a great, age-appropriate way to introduce technology to curious kids. Unfortunately, you have to pay the rather hefty fee of $59.95 per year to access most of the storybooks and the parental lock function. But as the upgrade is completely optional, your child can still access most of the app's features even without paying for premium membership. Family members whom you register on the Kid Mode website can also send video mails to the app that your child can watch on your tablet.
3. Minimalistic Text
Download: Minimalistic Text for Android
This app may overwhelm you the first time you use it, as it gives you complete control over what you want a text widget to look like on your home screen. But once you learn how to tweak fonts, backgrounds, and widget types and sizes, you'll have a great tool you can use to personalize your tablet. Use Minimalistic Text to create different types of widgets like clocks, system monitor gauges, and weather and temperature monitors — or simply to create blocks of pure text for aesthetic purposes.
4. iTriage
Download: iTriage for Android
Has anyone in your family ever been down with an illness with symptoms you've never seen before? iTriage can help you if and when that happens. It tells you what you could be suffering from, based on the area of the body that's afflicted and the symptoms you're having. The app is in no way a replacement for a doctor's diagnosis, and that's why it has a search function that you can use to find doctors who specialize in particular conditions. You also get a directory of all U.S. hospitals, clinics, and emergency care facilities with addresses that you can look up on Google Maps.
5. Lookout Security & Antivirus
Download: Lookout Security & Antivirus for Android
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