Having one consistent set of bookmarks for your desktop, phone and tablet is an appealing alternative to managing different sets or manually adding them one by one. Similarly, ending a browsing session on your PC or Mac and resuming it on your handheld device is a more efficient way to use the web. As an Android user, you have quite a few options for doing this, but I’ll walk through the most seamless methods that I’ve found.

If you’re primarily a Firefox or Opera user, you can simply use their built-in synchronization features. If you use Chrome on the desktop, I’ll show you how to sync your bookmarks between Chrome and Android. If you’re a multi-browser user, you can use the cross-browser solution Xmarks to maintain a single set of bookmarks and one seamless browsing session, regardless of which device or browser you happen to be using. At their core, these tools help remove the discontinuity and unify browsing between your desktop and mobile device. Let’s dive right in.

Firefox Sync

If you’re a Firefox user, Mozilla’s Sync feature automatically syncs your bookmarks, open tabs, history and passwords. Simply create an account to establish one persistent session across all your machines where Firefox is installed. Compared with other popular mobile browsers, however, Firefox is certainly far from the snappiest. Page loading is noticeably slower compared with the default browser or Opera, Miren and Skyfire. It can take a good 30 seconds after launching for the start page to appear. I’ve found  this delay to be exacerbated with Sync enabled, as it checks for open tabs from your last session as well as any new bookmarks that have been added. Firefox has a deep add-on library for both desktop and mobile though and, like the other options here, Sync can be great for quickly bookmarking a link so you can reopen it on your phone if you’re heading out the door.

Opera Link

Opera is still my browser of choice on Android as it seems to offer the best combination of speed and ease of use. With Opera Link, you can synchronize bookmarks, passwords, history and searches in addition to features unique to Opera, such as notes, the personal bar and speed dial. Unlike Firefox Sync, though, open tabs from a previous session are not part of this chronic integration.

Another useful feature is that Opera automatically appends any bookmarks found in the default Android browser in a separate folder within Opera’s bookmarks, eliminating the task of migrating these over yourself. When you add or delete bookmarks from the default browser, Opera will reflect those changes in the Android Bookmarks folder within Opera. This will be especially handy if you wish to use both Opera and Xmarks in tandem, described in further detail below.

Note that Opera Link is not available for the Opera Mini mobile browser (which is intended for slow data connections or limited data plans), only for the full-featured Opera Mobile. Make sure you download the right one. To establish Opera Link initially on your mobile device, navigate to the app’s Settings menu –> Opera Link and enter your account information.

How to Sync Google Chrome Bookmarks with Your Android Phone

Chrome enthusiasts do not yet have an equivalent on mobile platforms. Indeed, the Chrome browser has remained notoriously absent from the Android ecosystem even though Chrome and Android’s native browser both use the WebKit rendering engine. Fortunately, ChromeMarks is a way to soften the wall between desktop-only Chrome and your Android device.

To set up ChromeMarks, your Chrome account must be configured to sync bookmarks. First, make sure you are signed into Chrome by clicking the wrench icon . Once you’re signed in, click where it says Signed in as… and under Personal Stuff –> Advanced, make sure the Bookmarks option is checked. That’s all you need to do. When you open up ChromeMarks on your phone, your Google account should already be selected and you only need to hit Sync. See the video below if you need further help.

Note that this app does not sync these bookmarks to the Android default browser; you have to launch the ChromeMarks app (or hold down the search key) to access them. You can then open the link using any mobile browser you want. Also, the free version of this app only works in one direction – pushing Chrome bookmarks to Android. To create new bookmarks on your phone and push them to Chrome, you need the premium version.

Xmarks

Previously mentioned Xmarks is quite possibly the best solution out there for synchronizing your bookmarks and browsing sessions across different browsers, computers and mobile devices. Compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari, you simply install the Xmarks add-on for each of the browsers you use, and Xmarks will consolidate each set of bookmarks into one unified list. Links added or removed within other browsers will stay consistent across all your browsers in their respective favorites or bookmarks listings.

On Android, there are three ways to access your Xmarks repository. You can download the official Xmarks Android app, which (after its acquisition by LastPass) is now a 14-day free trial, after which you must agree to a $12 annual fee to continue using the app. From the app itself, you can manage your bookmarks and open them using any of your installed browsers. You can also sync your Xmarks list to the default Android browser by hitting Menu –> Settings –> Sync folder with browser.

A second method is for users of the Dolphin HD mobile browser. Xmarks has released an official Xmarks for Dolphin HD app, which is subject to the same two-week trial and annual fee, but automatically sets up an Xmarks bookmark folder separately from any preexisting Dolphin bookmarks. This folder will stay in sync with your Xmarks archive.

The last method is to sidestep the trial and annual fee. You can simply navigate to the mobile site my.xmarks.com, using any mobile browser, and bypass the app altogether.

The only major web browser that does not yet have an Xmarks add-on is Opera. However, as mentioned above, there is a way you can you use both on Android phones and tablets. Since 1) the Xmarks app can sync bookmarks with the default browser on Android and 2) Opera Mobile contains a separate Android Bookmarks folder, that folder will always reflect your Xmarks archive. This of course requires you to pay the annual fee. Or again, you could simply jump to the my.xmarks.com mobile site.

To clarify, Xmarks is FREE for desktop use. Only the mobile apps are subject to the trial and annual fee.

Which of these options do you find most convenient? Have you found other ways of keeping your browsing more synchronized? Let me know in the comments.

 
 
Following Google’s release of Android 4.0’s source code, developers have wasted no time in replicating some of the new features for non-ICS phones. One such feature is the keyboard, and it’s available for free on the Market.

Along with its unique aesthetic overhaul, the Ice Cream Sandwich keyboard supports improved text prediction, configurable auto-correction and a few time-saving shortcuts. Although speech-to-text was not supported upon the initial release of this app, an update today added this functionality. Since this is something I use a lot, I immediately tested the feature to ensure it worked as before. It does.

Overall, it’s a clean look, and seems to better predict what I’m going to type than the default Android keyboards. While many may still prefer Swype, SwiftKey X or Smart Keyboard Pro, this one seems to be the perfect fit for me. Swype and SwiftKey X are well-suited for specific types of users, but can be frustrating for others who are simply wired differently.

Give this one a shot at the link below.

Market Link: Ice Cream Sandwich Keyboard

 
 
If you were to build a smartphone with the most advanced hardware and specs available today, you’d probably end up with the HTC Rezound. A brief rundown of the specs:

• Network: Verizon LTE
• Processor: 1.5 GHz dual-core (Qualcomm’s latest mobile processor)
• Display: 1280x720p Super LCD display
• Camera: 1080p video recording with 8 MP camera
• Memory: 32 GB total (includes 16 GB internal RAM, 16 GB microSD)

This is HTC’s second LTE device, preceded by the Thunderbolt, and it has considerably upped the competition with respect to smartphone displays. At 4.3″ and native 720p, the Rezound delivers a ppi count of 342. By comparison, the iPhone 4/4S “retina” IPS displays are 326 ppi. As explained here, ppi is among the most important specs of a smartphone and the most important for reading and viewing graphics and video. The Rezound’s 342 ppi is far and away the new reference to beat and should provide the clearest, sharpest display yet on any mobile platform.

Additionally, its 720p resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio is optimal for viewing HD video and other widescreen content. The Rezound will preserve the HD resolution rather than scaling or cropping the signal.

The Rezound also features Samsung’s Super LCD screen which, along with the AMOLED screens found on Samsung’s recently released Galaxy S II and Infuse 4G, represent a departure from PenTile as they use Samsung’s ‘Real-Stripe’ design. Real-Stripe is a return to the traditional RGB subpixel matrix and can be applied to both LCD and OLED panels. As a result, there should be no visible pixel structure, regardless of viewing distance or the specific colors being displayed. The phone’s elevated ppi count would likely mask any pixelation issues innate to PenTile anyway, but eagle-eyed users won’t have to worry about it for this phone. Its LCD screen means it won’t enjoy the deeper blacks provided by OLED displays such as the Galaxy S II, but its unparalleled image sharpness should more than make up for that.

Specsmanship aside, the red-and-black theme is particularly eye-catching. When compared with the upcoming Galaxy Nexus, Android’s flagship phone, the Rezound is smaller overall, albeit heavier. What’s more, HTC has already confirmed that the Rezound will receive ICS (4.0).

Photo by Slashgear

If you’re someone who regularly reads online or views heavy doses of video on your phone, the Rezound is undoubtedly the clearest, sharpest smartphone on the market. Its other impressive features are just icing on the cake. If I were buying a smartphone today, it’d certainly be the Rezound.

 
 
Ever since Samsung’s proprietary PenTile display arrived on the mobile scene, it has been the target of malice by nearly all major tech outlets. Its proliferation is palpable, having found its way into the majority of the Android arsenal, from the original Galaxy S and the recently released Droid Bionic and RAZR to Google’s latest flagship phone, the Samsung Nexus. But is it deserving of such universal contempt, or are its finer qualities being overlooked?

One of the biggest concerns today among smartphone users is battery life. We use our phones in an almost infinite number of ways, and we expect the battery life to keep pace. Multimedia streaming, more advanced processors, 4G phones with dual radios (to function in multiple coverage areas) and HD-resolution displays all adversely affect battery life. The display in particular has always been the greatest enemy of battery life, as power consumption increases proportionally with resolution, screen size and brightness level. Samsung anticipated this give-and-take scenario between building a smartphone with more advanced specs and reduced battery life and thus patented a subpixel matrix design called PenTile.

How PenTile Works

Diverging from the traditional RGB subpixel configuration used in nearly all digital display devices, PenTile organizes each pixel into a pair of subpixels, either RG/BW in the case of LCDs or RG/BG in the case of OLEDs. This equates to the same number of pixels as RGB panels but with 33% fewer subpixels (illustrated in the image below). As expected, this has a positive impact on power usage.
 

 
This power savings is manifested in different ways depending on which display technology it is applied to. Compared to traditional RGB designs with equivalent pixel density, RG/BW matrices in LCD displays consume less power given the same luminance level. The reasons are two-fold. In PenTile displays, the subpixels are larger in order to occupy the same screen space and thus a higher percentage of light is allowed passage (think of the difference between shining a flashlight through a fine mesh screen and a thick one). Similarly, the addition of a white (clear) subpixel dramatically increases light transmission from the backlight compared with the high absorption rate of red, green and blue subpixels. As a result, the LCD panel can be driven with less intensity to achieve a given brightness level and is regulated by the image processor’s dynamic backlight control (DBLC).

For OLED displays, PenTile works a bit differently. As OLED is an emissive display technology, each pixel is driven individually with electric current and is not dependent on a backlight. The 33% less overhead devoted to subpixels in a PenTile display clearly prolongs battery life as less voltage is required to drive each pixel, but as should be evident, a white subpixel is less helpful here. OLED PenTiles instead employ an RG/BG design. This choice was less related to battery life considerations and more to the the human visual system’s highest sensitivity to green.

Along with power savings, PenTile designs allow for increased brightness output, especially useful for outdoor viewing. Most manufacturers limit the brightness output of their devices to both preserve battery life and avoid damage to the panel. With PenTile, this is no longer a critical issue.

Quick summary: When compared to traditional RGB displays with equivalent pixel density, PenTile achieves greater power efficiency and higher luminance gains due to increased transmissivity (LCD) and reduced current draw (OLED).

Why Should We Care?

Surely the lower subpixel count has some negative impact on image quality, right? This brings us to the core disadvantage of PenTile designs, which is:

• Increased pixelation

As you will recall, PenTile displays use larger subpixels than traditional RGB displays. This has the side effect of increased pixel visibility, or the appearance that you are looking through a screen door, especially at lower ppi counts (a measure of pixel density). See the example below of the Motorola Atrix, which uses an RG/BW LCD panel.
 

 
Ppi (pixels per inch) is arguably the most salient spec of a smartphone due to the increased amount of close-proximity reading being conducted on mobile displays. Ppi count directly affects pixel visibility and is a function of both screen size and native resolution. As ppi increases, image clarity is improved (pixelation decreases). On many PenTile displays, however, ppi is insufficient to mask screen door effect and can compromise text clarity and overall sharpness.

Pixel visibility of PenTile displays also depends on which display type you are viewing as well as color saturation level. For example, the pixel structure is most visible on RG/BW LCDs when displaying saturated green, and on RG/BG OLEDs when displaying saturated red. This effect is more pronounced at higher saturation levels of those colors on their respective displays, particularly when combined with higher brightness output. While this may not be instantly noticeable at normal viewing distances, the effect is there if you look for it and is pretty obvious when compared side-by-side with a non-PenTile device.

But now as we move into the era of HD-resolution (defined as 1280×720 or greater) smartphones, such as the Samsung Nexus and HTC Rezound, this effect has diminished and even been eliminated on some displays. For the latest HD phones, screen sizes are comparable with older, lower-resolution screens. This means ppi will increase accordingly.

Let’s take a look at a few examples:

1. The Droid RAZR, Droid Bionic, Droid X2 and Motorola Atrix are RG/BW LCD PenTile displays.

RAZR, Bionic, X2: 4.3″ @ 960×540 = 256 ppi
Atrix: 4.0″ @ 960×540 = 275 ppi

2. The OG Galaxy S and the new Galaxy Nexus are RG/BG OLED PenTile displays.

Galaxy S: 4.0″ @ 800×480 = 233 ppi
Galaxy Nexus: 4.65″ @ 1280×720 = 316 ppi

There is a point at which ppi increases beyond the limits of human visual acuity. The latest Android phones have, for the most part, hit that ceiling. The Nexus uses the latest Super AMOLED Plus PenTile screen, running at native 720p and a ppi count of 316. This should appreciably reduce pixel visibility relative to its predecessors. Only those with the sharpest visual acuity or those resorting to magnification will likely have anything to complain about in the way of pixelation on these latest PenTile devices. The thing to remember is a higher ppi count will always result in greater image and textual clarity. Thus, quality can vary substantially among PenTile displays.

Is Color Quality Affected?

Many tech journalists have also stated that since fewer subpixels contribute to image reconstruction on PenTile displays, color is less accurately reproduced. While this might seem intuitively correct, it doesn’t hold much currency under close scrutiny. This is because PenTile displays do not work like standard RGB displays. RGB displays render images at the pixel level, where unique luminance and chrominance information assigned to each of the R-G-B components is isolated to a single pixel. Conversely, images on a PenTile display are subpixel rendered, where subpixels are not restricted to a single pixel in the traditional sense, but can participate in multiple logical pixels within close proximity. This is accomplished via proprietary subpixel rendering (SPR) and adaptive filtering algorithms native to the image processor. So it is actually the case that with PenTile displays, the number of points that may be independently addressed to reconstruct the image is increased rather than decreased. The zoomed image below compares the RG/BG Galaxy Note and the traditional RGB Samsung Galaxy S II. Apart from visible pixel structure, color characteristics appear identical.
 

 
As noted above, the quality of the image produced by a PenTile display almost singularly depends on the image processor fitted to the phone and its underlying algorithms. If there is a bug present in the processor, or if the gamut mappings (RGB to RGBW, for example) are inaccurate, then color aberrations may result. We’ve seen this with the Droid X2. Unfortunately, if color errors are present, they can only be rectified via compensating picture controls. The Galaxy S II included some for the Euro market, but few, if any, U.S. smartphones include these controls. According to Nouvoyance (PenTile’s developer), PenTile displays provide for color and power controls, but it is apparently up to the phone manufacturer whether or not to include them as many PenTile phones do not.

One last point on color reproduction relates to the inherent characteristics of OLED displays. OLED pixels are composed of carbon-based molecules, and each color molecule has a different aging rate. Blue-colored OLEDs lose luminosity faster than do red and green OLEDs, which can result in a dimming effect over time. Smartphone manufacturers attempt to compensate for this by setting the white point higher for OLED screens than on most standard colorimetry models, which causes white areas to appear slightly more blue than is standard. Again, this is tied to OLED technology itself and should not be attributed to PenTile design.

As you can see, there is slightly more to Samsung’s PenTile than the tech sites’ predominant conclusion to “avoid them at all costs.” As phones reach higher and higher resolutions, pixel structure shrinks to negligible levels and PenTile becomes indistinguishable from standard RGB displays. Even though personal visual acuity varies significantly from user to user, the new Samsung Nexus should appear every bit as sharp as non-PenTile phones and, in fact, this issue should not even factor into your purchasing decision. The very measurable impact on battery life that PenTile provides heavily outweighs any of its drawbacks.

Comment if you have a PenTile phone and whether you have noticed any pixel abnormalities. Will you buy the Nexus? Was this post overkill? Does screen quality even matter to you? Sound off.

Sources:

Nouvoyance.com

PenTile Displays