What is Icons8?

Its a web site with many free PNG icons for Windows8, Android, iOS and Mac OSX applications. You can download PNG files and start using them right away at no cost. If you want to download vector formats like SVG, AI or EPS you will have to buy the icon packages.

How to start?

Well there is not much to it, really. Just download the icon packs and start importing them into your application projects. PNG file format is supported by XCode and many other development tools and IDE’s.

What else is good about it?

We have created several posts here on Enfew about free icons available for your mobile application projects.

We think Icons8 folks did very good job in creating these icon sets and they are constantly working on keeping them up to day to reflects new trends in mobile application design and development space. Try the icons yourself and let us know if they fit your needs!

Something we have missed? Leave your feedback in comments.

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But not all is just bad. There are many antivirus companies out there who started to specialize in securing Android smart phones. And the basic versions of most such smartphone antivirus applications are free to use and to install. In this post we present you 5 free such applications created by the best antivirus companies.

1. TrustGo Antivirus & Mobile Security

This free security app from TrustGo Inc. does a great job of protecting smartphones from malware and viruses. As well as preventing them from being downloaded, application will also search out and eliminate any viruses or malware already present on the phone. The TrustGo Antivirus & Mobile Security app also does a good job of protecting users’ personal information and privacy.

2. Norton Security Antivirus

Norton has long been one of the most trusted names in antivirus software, and their app for Android smartphones lives up to the company’s stellar reputation. This free antivirus software protects phones from malware and viruses, and it also has a feature allowing users to lock their phones if they are lost or stolen. It is always nice to be able to protect a device for free with a name as trusted as Norton.

3. NQ Mobile Security & Antivirus

This app from NQ Mobile Security protects users’ smartphones in every imaginable way. This free antivirus app will protect phones running Android software from viruses, worms, spyware, malware and phone hacking. As well as protecting phones from viruses, NQ Mobile Security & Antivirus has a neat feature that allows users to block both incoming calls and text messages from undesirable numbers.

4. Antivirus Security Free

This powerful antivirus app from AVG is one of the best free apps available. AVG is one of the most respected companies in the antivirus business, and they pull out all the stops for this free app. This is one of the most wildly popular of all the free Android antivirus apps. There are already 70 million people protecting their smartphones with Antivirus Security Free. One of the coolest features of this app is the anti theft feature that allows users to quickly locate their phone with Google maps if it is lost or stolen.

5. Bitdefender Antivirus Free

This is another powerful free app that protects phones from all the nasty malware and viruses that are out there. Bitdefender Antivirus Free will automatically scan all the apps on a phone to look for malware and viruses. It also will scan new apps before they are downloaded to detect any nefarious programming. This is a great app for people who do not like to deal with a lot of hassle when they are using their phones. This security app requires no configuration when it is downloaded. It automatically installs and starts protecting the phone right away.

This post is provided to you by team from TopTenReviews.com. Thanks

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Now, most of the enthusiasts are trying to design applications for android tablets.

The framework of android consists of set of APIs (application programming interface) that help the developer to build excellent applications for tablets. However, most of the developers often get stuck when their applications do not respond to the operating systems, because they overlook the various components of APIs while designing the applications.

The Basic Application Components

The android application consists of codes that are written in java languages which are further compiled with other data or resource by android SDK tools. These applications when installed on android platform select each code and run independently. Also, android executes the applications only when they are needed to be. Thus, maintaining a secured environment for the applications and systems.

The catch is hidden here; android provides liberty to share the data amongst the applications. The developers need to arrange a way so that two applications share the data with each other, enabling to conserve lots of system resource, and increase performance at once. The essential application components such as activities services, content providers, and broad cast receivers are independent applications components, and have their own life cycle, yet the developers need to send a message to the system in order to share the data between any of the vital independent applications or the components.

Activity, an application component of the android, offers a screen on which a user performs its activities such as dialing phones, emailing etc. Each application has bundle of activities that are controlled by main activity. The sub components of Activity are fragment, loader, and lastly Task and back stack. While coding, developers should concentrate on these basic sub components as they are interrelated with each other, and are extremely essential for developing the applications and enabling them to act efficiently.

Developers have to be very careful while developing the manifest files, as Android’s manifest files declare the information for the applications related to android system, enabling them to run the codes as per the instructions. If the developers misses the manifest file, then his or her applications is simple going to crash on to any tablets. Manifest files also declare the minimum use of API by the applications, permits the applications to use hardware and software features, and links application to API libraries and many more.

Improvising User Interface

Improved user interface allows the user to interact with the applications with ease, and enjoy the eye catching display of the contents or WebPages.  Android provides developers the various   user interface components and controls them to build a graphical interface for their applications.

The different layouts such as liner layout (align view one by one) and relative layout (based on relation of the views) along with list view, and grid view, helps the developers to define the visual structure for the user’s interface. The layouts can be clubbed with appropriate view to increase the performance of the applications. Developers need to choose whether to declare UI in XML or represent the layout at the run time.

An extended Knowledge of input controls buttons, text fields, check boxes, radio buttons, toggle buttons, spinners and  pickers  as well the actions bars, enabling developers to enhance the user’s interface of the tablets in the most fascinating way. These input controls guide the user to perform their action and action bars to navigate through various web pages or data on tablets without a hitch.

Android powerful OpenGL (open graphic library) API, hardware acceleration and various animation supportive features have eased the execution of 2d and 3d graphics on the tablets.  However, the developers have to determine the Open GL version before its implementation as it is going to affect the performance of graphics and graphic controls on the tablets. It also helps developers during the coding as to decide which one to choose i.e. OpenGL ES 1.0 API that support fixed function or Open GL ES 2.0 API that does not support.

Types of Connectivity Features

Tablets that easily connect and share the data in the flick are said to be on the path of success. Android API equips the applications with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, USB, SIP and other network connections and allows the applications to easily interact with the devices and help users to share the information among each other. The developers need to take care of the factors such as various APIs have good step up and permission to interact with the devices.

Last but not the least; developers have to select the type of storage system they wish to provide to their user in order to store their applications on tablets. Android provides various storage options such as shared preferences for simple data i.e. primitive type, internal storage for private data, SQLite database for complex data, external storage for large data and web storage to store data on web.

The developers need to consistently upgrade their knowledge and understand the significance and vital usability of APIs and their components, permitting them to design and build the resourceful and stunning applications for the android tablets.

This guest post is by Mark Wilston who works with PixelCrayons.com. PixelCrayons offers extended teams to its clients, helping them to reduce Time To Market (TTM) and enhance Return On Investment (ROI) with services such as CMS web management and eCommerce development, Mobile Apps Development. One can hire Android developer here for effective Apps development.

The post Android tablets: Understanding Android APIs appeared first on ENFEW.

1. Beginners Guide To Android By Hemorrdroids.net

Android was released 3 years ago this November. Up until now, it was generally chosen by people who knew what Android was and bought their phone because Android was the OS used. Now, Android is fast becoming a standard in the way that Symbian was 3 years ago.

This means there are plenty of people now choosing their phone because they like the look of it, or they like the price or the hardware specs and perhaps don’t even know what Android is. This is a guide for these people. It may be of no use to you, but you might know someone who will benefit! Read on to start learning!

2.  The Beginner’s Guide to Android By bestandroidappsreview.com

So you’ve picked up your new Android phone and you’re ready to dive right in! But like with any new gadget, you have unanswered questions about the features of Android and that powerful new device you’ve just booted up. And of course there are always unknown tips, tricks, and tutorials that you wish you’d known about beforehand. Luckily, we’ve got all the info that will put you on the fast track to becoming an Android expert!

3.  Welcome to Android: A beginner’s guide to freedom By Androidandme.com

So you’ve scoured the forums, read every review on every tech blog, and have finally decided to make the big jump. You are now a new Android user. Congrats! Welcome to a new and exciting world that has (almost) no bounds. But now what? You’ve setup your phone, synced to your Gmail account, and have a fresh new home screen staring at you. While it may have limitless potential, Android can be a bit daunting to the new user.

4. Google Android: a beginner’s guide By CNET Yahoo!7 Australia

Google’s Android operating system is the new kid on the block, which is seeing an incredible surge in popularity thanks to the support it is receiving from manufacturers. In Australia the range of Android phones is growing faster than any other, and include models across all pricing tiers, from top-shelf handsets to prepaid models as well.

5. Android Phones: A Beginner’s Guide to Google Android

To the average user an Android phone is, in a few basic ways, similar to the iPhone. The key difference between Android phones and the Apple iPhone range is that Apple controls and produces both the iPhone hardware and software whereas Android is a piece of software (operating system) that a phone manufacturer like LG, HTC or Samsung then licenses to incorporate as the core software in their phones.

ALSO <

Android for Beginners Video

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