One of these missing apps is Kindle. While you will easily find Amazon’s eBook reading app on the HP TouchPad in the USA, outside of the country (in places such as Europe and Australia) Kindle isn’t listed in the HP App Catalog. As tablets are popularly used for reading, this is clearly disappointing. Thankfully, however, there is a way of installing the webOS Kindle app on HP TouchPads in territories where the app is unavailable.

So Why Is the HP TouchPad Kindle App US-only?

style="margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/amazon-kindle-logo.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="205" height="205" align="left" />Well, to begin with it depends on your definition of “US-only”. For many TouchPad users in North America, the Kindle app is an easy to use and enjoyable eBook reading experience. But these are the lucky ones. Thanks to some initial confusion or a problem with the app (the reason has never been made clear) the Amazon Kindle app was shipped with some first wave TouchPads but then removed from later devices, replaced with a placeholder “coming soon” app.

Fortunately, if your US-based TouchPad doesn’t have a working Kindle app, you can now find it via the HP App Catalog.

Preparing Your HP TouchPad

Before proceeding to install the Kindle app on your HP TouchPad, you will need to download a few tools (this method can be used on Windows and Mac OS X). The first thing you should do is head to href="http://hotfile.com/dl/128523150/76e47a4/com.palm.app.kindle_0.11.499820_all.ipk.html">this link and download the Kindle .ipk file. An .ipk is the installer file format used on webOS.

After doing this, download the webOS Quick Install software from href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2774158/WebOSQuickInstall-4.3.1.jar">here. This is a tool that allows the testing of unapproved applications on webOS devices such as the HP TouchPad, and requires you to have Java installed on your computer (available from href="http://www.java.com/getjava">here).

Next, connect your HP TouchPad to your computer using the supplied USB cable. The Connected dialogue box will appear, but you can select Close to continue – the USB Drive mode cannot be used for this process. You will then need to find Developer Mode, revealed by typing the following string into the search box: webos20090606

Tap the Developer Mode icon to proceed and then slide the switch in the top-right corner to activate; you may be prompted for a password, but click Submit to bypass this.

The next stage is to run the downloaded webOSQuickInstall-4.3.1.jar (you might have a different version) file and follow any prompts to download additional software (such as the Novacom driver for creating a stable connection between your computer and the tablet).

Installing The Kindle App

With all of the above installed and running, adding the Kindle app – which is in beta so might be slightly unreliable at times – is a simple task.

The webOS Quick Install application on your desktop computer will display a largely empty screen with a handful of buttons, including + and – on the right-hand side. Click the + button to browse for the previously downloaded Kindle .ipk, which will have a filename in the form of com.palm.app.kindle_0.11.499820_all.ipk (although the version number at the end may differ). Select this file and then click the Install button and wait a few moments.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/muo-hptp-kindle2.png?323f2c" alt="Sideloading the Kindle app onto your HP TouchPad" width="580" height="371" />

When the process is complete the .ipk file will no longer be listed in the Files to Install section of the webOS Quick Install application, so you will be free to close the software (it can be relaunched by running webOSQuickInstall-4.3.1.jar).

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/muo-hptp-kindle4.png?323f2c" alt="Signing into the Kindle app on the HP TouchPad" width="580" height="435" />

Next, double-tap the menu button on your HP TouchPad and go to the Downloads tab where you will find the Amazon Kindle app listed. Tap to launch and enter your credentials (or register) to continue.

A few moments later, the main screen of the app will appear. If you have used Kindle in the past,  your books will be listed; otherwise you will be prompted to visit the Amazon Kindle store, where you will find free and paid-for titles to download direct to your TouchPad.

Reading Books On Your TouchPad

Amazon’s Kindle app provides similar functionality to tablets and mobile phones as can be found on the popular dedicated eBook reader. Utilizing an Amazon account and providing access to the Kindle store, the app allows the user to download free out-of-copyright titles (such as the works of Shakespeare and Charles Dickens) as well as find the latest titles to download and read on their device.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/muo-hptp-kindle5.png?323f2c" alt="HP TouchPad Kindle app book library" width="580" height="435" />

With versions available for Mac, iOS, Android, Windows and Windows Phone, Kindle apps extend the functionality of the dedicated device to users of other hardware, often those for whom an Amazon Kindle app would be desirable if it didn’t mean carrying multiple devices. The HP TouchPad version of Kindle is just as good as the others and will allow you to download and enjoy books on your tablet wherever you are.

If you are a HP Touchpad owner, and you tried to download the Kindle app using this method, let us know if you were successful.  Or maybe you know of another way to install the Kindle app on the Touchpad?

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This, however, could introduce some issues. If tablets are being used like computers, they could be exposed to the same threats. Which begs the question – how can you secure your Android tablet?

Permissions – Like The Phones

The entry to understanding Android on any device is href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/control-permissions-applications-permissions-denied-android/">permissions, and in this respect Android tablets work much like the phones. Heck, this same system isn’t even Android exclusive – Google has already adapted the same idea to Chrome extensions and web apps.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/androidtablet4.png" alt="" width="560" height="233" />

Permissions are very simple. Before you download an app, you are given a list of permissions that app requests of your device. These are not optional – if you download the app, you are agreeing to the permissions. Once permission is given, it can’t be revoked unless you uninstall the app.

You therefore need to be very careful about what you download. Reading permissions can seem annoying – but do it anyway. An app that is malicious can easily get up to mischief without you knowing, and while such instances in the real world remain limited, they do exist.

Downloading An Antivirus App Is A Good Idea

As I point out in virtually every Android security article, antivirus apps for the platform remain a bit of an open question. Comprehensive, objective tests of their ability to defend again threats remain rare.

However, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/avcomparatives-reviews-android-security-apps-finds-flaws-news/">a recent A/V Comparatives study did show that most security apps were able to protect against a test selection of malware threats, and the study goes so far as to recommend that all Android users install antivirus software.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/androidtabletsecurity2.jpg" alt="" width="351" height="399" />

Which one should you download? I’m a fan of  href="http://usa.kaspersky.com/products-services/home-computer-security/tablet-security">Kaspersky’s Tablet Security, and recommend it as a first choice, but does require a pricey $20/year subscription. That may seem like a lot, and if you want free, href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.lookout&feature=search_result">Lookout Mobile Security can work well – but keep in mind that the app’s $2.99/month premium option totals to almost $36/year.

Treat It Like A Laptop

When it comes to network security, tablets are much like laptops. They almost always connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi, and are subject to all the href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/combat-wifi-security-risks-connecting-public-network/">security risks that results from that. Fortunately, your Android tablet supports secured wireless connections, and that’s a feature you should always use whenever possible. The issue which is of concern is the chance that a hacker will be able to obtain your browsing data if you use an unsecure connection, and it applies to tablets just as with laptops.

One useful feature is Android’s built-in VPN support, which you’ll find in your tablet’s settings. Just enter the VPN address and your username/password for it, and you’re off! You can use this with many href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-completely-free-vpn-services-protect-privacy/">VPN services to provide yourself with secure browsing over unsecured networks.

Use Honeycomb’s Encryption

Android has not been particularly popular with enterprise users because of a general lack of focus on enterprise security, but there has been some inroads made in that direction, one of which is the encryption feature on Honeycomb tablets.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/androidtabletsecurity3.jpg" alt="" width="495" height="258" />

The feature is found in the Location & Security section of Honeycomb’s settings, and can encrypt the contents of your tablet’s memory. Doing this does not make it unhackable, nor does it mean that someone couldn’t intercept your Wi-Fi transmissions, but it does means it will be difficult for anyone to steal your data if the tablet is lost or stolen.

If you do encrypt your tablet, remember that you also won’t be able to access the tablet’s data if you are locked out of your tablet. Backing up important files is, as always, a good idea.

Conclusion

Security for tablets is far from mature, just as the threats that may exploit a tablet are far from mature. There is some degree of security via obscurity available as of now, as many website exploits and viruses simply won’t work against tablets. That’s not going to last forever though. Security threats will become more and more common as the devices themselves become more and more popular. This process will take many years, but hey – it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a head start.

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The Fire comes with 1GHz dual-core CPU, 8GB of internal storage, 512MB of RAM, free storage on class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/amazon-launches-cloud-storage-service-5gb-free-news/">Amazon Cloud Storage and the new “Amazon Silk” browser. It does not, however, have access to Android Market, only to the Android Appstore. Appstore is currently not available worldwide, which means that in certain locations Fire users might not enjoy the full experience the tablet can provide.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/2011-10-01-14h58_44.png" alt="2011-10-01 14h58_44" width="571" height="297" border="0" />

Along with Kindle Fire, Amazon has unleashed some other new members to the Kindle family. They are now offering the newest version of the Kindle for only $79, and a new Kindle Touch with touch screen in both 3G and wi-fi only versions. You can also still get the old keyboard version if you want.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/2011-10-01-14h57_29.png" alt="2011-10-01 14h57_29" width="580" height="142" border="0" />

What do you think about Kindle Fire? Are tablets really the new way to read books or does the whole thing defeat the point of eReaders? Tell us in the comments.

Source: class="vt-p" href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/28/amazon-fire-tablet-unveiled-7-inch-display-199-price-tag/" rel="nofollow">endagdet

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Amazon could be just the company to present a competitor with sales volumes similar to the href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-20-free-apps-ipad/">iPad. Allow me to explain why this upcoming tablet could be a serious challenge for everyone else.

It’s About The Money

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/kindletablet1.png" alt="kindle tablet" width="400" height="338" />

As competitors to the iPad have been released, their prices have surprised many. Traditionally, Apple has been a luxury brand, particularly in the laptop and desktop markets. With the iPad however, there’s not much of a premium to be paid. The entry-level model is accessible at $499.

Part of the reason why Apple has managed to keep prices low despite excellent hardware is the app store. When a consumer buys an iPad, they are not just handing Apple the purchase price of the tablet. They’re also buying into an ecosystem where every song, every app, and every movie purchased funnels a bit more dough into the vaults of Cupertino.

Android tablets so far have not been able to harness this because they’ve used Google’s href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/android-market-marketplace-for-android-apps/">Android Marketplace. Amazon has its own app marketplace however, as well as its own services for books, music and movies. Rumor has it that the Kindle tablet will start at $250, and the fact that Amazon can sell the tablet as a loss-leader no doubt contributes to this very low price.

The Complete Experience

The fact that Amazon has a complete line of services to bundle with its tablet is also an advantage. Many geeks, including your truly, have bemoaned the fact that Apple’s iPad is bound to the app store unless it is href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/jailbreaking-ios-pros-cons-voiding-warranty/"> jailbroken. For the average consumer, this is preferable. It provides a simple, consistent user interface.

Although it will be based on Android, rumor has it that Amazon will customize the operating system and integrate its own storefront into the device. This should give consumers a better user interface, which will make the device less frustrating to use than your average Android Honeycomb device.

Sized For Your Pleasure

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/kindletablet2.jpg" alt="amazon kindle tablet" width="440" height="297" />

One aspect of tablet design I’ve never understood is the insistence on a ten-inch form factor. This is something that I don’t think Apple has right. While a larger display does allow for more pixels and a better multimedia experience, it also creates a device that’s a bit heavy and difficult to handle without two hands free.

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-reasons-avoid-blackberry-playbook/">BlackBerry’s PlayBook, which I generally don’t like, did prove to be much easier to wield than its competitors. Rumor has it that the Kindle tablet will be of similar size, with a seven-inch display. If that is true, they’ll have created a device that strikes the perfect balance between usability and portability.

Clash Of The Marketing Departments

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/kindletablet3.jpg" alt="kindle tablet" width="453" height="301" />

Marketing has long been one of Apple’s greatest strength. The brand’s image is reinforced by a wide range of TV and online ads, and Apple’s prominence ensures that the company’s new products are fondled by the press. It’s free advertising!

Companies like Acer, ASUS and even Motorola simply don’t have the same excitement behind them, but Amazon is in a better position. The company is still considered an innovator and is, of course, the web’s biggest online store. This gives Amazon the marketing platform required to launch a successful device, as the original Kindle proved. While there’s no doubt that Apple’s brand is stronger, Amazon is at least in the same ballpark.

Conclusion

Please note that while I am comparing Amazon’s tablet to the iPad, I’m not suggesting that the Kindle will “kill” the iPad, or any such nonsense. In fact, if the pricing rumors are correct, the Kindle tablet will only partially compete with the iPad.

Still, the Kindle tablet would be the first product to present a serious challenge to the iPad. Will it slow Apple’s sales, or will the iPad juggernaut continue on without hesitation? I’ll leave those predictions to you.

Image Credit: href="http://www.engadget.com" rel="nofollow">Engadget

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Being restricted to the mobile version of a website can be annoying since they often lack features offered by their desktop version. If you would prefer to view the desktop version of websites on your Google Android Honeycomb tablet, you will be delighted to hear that there are two simple ways to achieve this. Read on to find out how you can toggle between the desktop and mobile versions on your Honeycomb tablet.

Change The Honeycomb Browser User Agent Setting

The Honeycomb browser’s user agent is set to ‘Android’, which most websites interpret as ‘smartphone’, thus displaying the compact version of their website. To change this, you need to change the respective user agent string.

• Open the native browser on your Android Honeycomb tablet.
• Type about:debug in the address / URL bar and press Enter.
• Don’t expect anything to happen; it will probably look like nothing happened.
• Next, open the browser’s settings via the icon in the top right corner.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/AndroidBrowser02.png" alt="enter debug mode" border="0" />

• Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
• Switch to the Debug tab via the left-hand menu.
• On the right side now select UAString.
• Select Desktop.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/AndroidBrowser03.png" alt="change user string setting" border="0" />

• Click the Back button in the bottom left corner of the browser to exit settings.
• Repeat step 2 to exit debugging mode.

Note that the setting may be reset every time you reboot your device.

Interestingly, the browser on Android-based smartphones has a different user agent setting, which reads ‘Android Mobile’. This actually allows websites to differentiate between tablets and smartphones. Unfortunately, not all websites support the two different settings and surprisingly, href="http://blogs.computerworld.com/17882/android_honeycomb_browser_user_agent">this includes Google Mail.

Use A Different Browser

You may find that some mobile websites are actually more convenient than their desktop counterparts. In this case you probably don’t want to change the user agent setting since switching back and forth between different settings is quite a hassle. The alternative solution is to use a different browser which allows you to toggle easily between the desktop and mobile version of a website.

A browser I highly recommend is title="Dolphin Browser HD" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=mobi.mgeek.TunnyBrowser&feature=search_result">Dolphin Browser HD. To rapidly switch between the mobile and desktop versions of a website, you also need to install the title="Dolphin Desktop Toggle" href="https://market.android.com/details?id=mobi.megeek.DesktopToggles&feature=search_result">Dolphin Desktop Toggle add-on. Once installed, you will find a toggle button in the right-hand menu of the browser. The right-hand menu opens when you attempt to slide the browser window to the left. Pressing the toggle button will load the respective other version of the website, if available.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/AndroidBrowser01.png" alt="toggle between mobile and desktop website version" border="0" />

Are you still undecided which tablet to get? There are at least title="5 Things To Consider Before Buying A Tablet PC" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-buying-tablet-pc/">5 Things To Consider Before Buying A Tablet PC. Maybe you would like to title="Try Google’s Android Mobile OS on Your Computer with Live CD" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/googles-android-mobile-platform-computer-live-cd/">Try Google’s Android Mobile OS on Your Computer with Live CD? And if you have made up your mind about getting an Android Tablet, be sure to review title="The 3 Best Android Tablets Available Today That A Buyer Should Check Out" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-android-tablets-today-buyer-check/">The 3 Best Android Tablets Available Today That A Buyer Should Check Out.

If you already own an Android device, have a look at these resources:

• title="Best Android Apps" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/best-android-apps">Best Android Apps
• title="10+ Tricks To Try With The Google Android Operating System" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/tips-tricks-google-android-operating-syste/">10+ Tricks To Try With The Google Android Operating System
• title="7 Of Google Android’s Little Annoyances & How To Fix Them" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-google-androids-annoyances-fix/">7 Of Google Android’s Little Annoyances & How To Fix Them
• title="How To Write Your First Google Android Application" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/write-google-android-application/">How To Write Your First Google Android Application
• title="A Quick Guide To Developing Android Apps With Google App Inventor" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/quick-guide-developing-android-apps-google-app-inventor/">A Quick Guide To Developing Android Apps With Google App Inventor
• title="How To Install Google Android On A Windows Mobile Phone" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-install-google-android-on-a-windows-mobile-phone/">How To Install Google Android On A Windows Mobile Phone

Why did you get yourself an Android Tablet or why do you think you need one?

Image credits: title="Android Settings" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=65521246" rel="nofollow">Palto

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