How to: find your tablet's operating system and version number

If you've recently become the proud owner of a new tablet, you may be wondering which operating system is installed. In this article, we'll help you figure out which OS your tablet is running, information you'll need to both install new apps, and use your device properly.
The first thing you need to do is avoid the most common mistake: mixing up the brand of your device with the operating system (OS). The hardware (the tablet) and software (the operating system that makes it work) are two very different things; thinking they're the same is like saying the team and the game they're playing are the same things.
Samsung, Apple, LG, and Kindle are some examples of hardware manufactures which make the physical product. This differs from the operating system, like Android, iOS and Windows, which is intangible and which runs programs, lets you play games, and helps you browse online.
The applications you're able to install, the things you can do, and the way these functions perform vary depending on the operating system you have on your tablet. As a result, knowing which OS is installed on your tablet is crucial. To identify your operating system, we'll show you the most popular tablets, as well as the appearance and characteristics of each.
We'll also show you how to find out the version number of your OS, which will help you determine which applications you can use. Some apps, for example, are only available for the latest operating system, as well as some specific functions that may have been introduced in the latest version of the OS.
Now, let's have a look at the different operating systems for tablets and how to recognize the version number.

Android

Tablets running on Android are, at present, the most widely used. Produced and developed by Google, Android runs on devices like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 and 3, the Nexus 7:10 or the Kindle Fire (very different from the ebook reader), but also on many other models.
The Android icon is a green robot, just like you see in the image on the left. If you have a tablet with this OS, you should be able to see the word "Google" in the top left corner of your home screen, as seen in the screenshot below.

To be sure you have an Android tablet, you can use the following method to figure out the version number. There are two ways to do it:
Method #1:
Go to whatismyandroidversion.com from your tablet. On the page that opens, you can see the OS version installed on your device. If you see "Android not detected", your tablet has a different operating system.

Method #2:
Go to the Settings of your device. You can access Settings by touching the time at the bottom right of the screen, followed by the wheel icon (or horizontal bars), and then again clicking on the same icon.

On the next screen, scroll down the left column until the last item, About tablet, and click here. On the right, under Android version, you should see a number - that's the Android version you have installed on the device.

What's the Android firmware?

On Android devices, you're not always able to update to the latest version of the OS. This is because the firmware (the code that the operating system is based on) is "branded" by the manufacturer of the tablet, meaning that once the new version of the OS is released by Google, it passes through the hands of the manufacturer of the hardware, like Samsung or HTC, and is modified.
Take this metaphor as an example: a particular pair of jeans is produced in a factory, after which it's distributed to clothing stores like H&M, where they apply their logo to the jeans. These jeans will only be available once H&M releases the branded ones. The same is true for versions of Android: if you have a Samsung tablet, for example, you'll have to wait until Samsung releases the branded version of the operating system before you're able to install it.

iOS

The Apple operating system is exclusive to the iPad. The symbol of this OS is a bitten apple, so if you see this symbol when you turn on your device, you've definitely got an iPad, which runs iOS.
To be 100% certain, check out the main screen, which should look like the one below. To find out the version number of your iOS operating system, press the gears icon, where you can see Settings.

In the window that opens, under General in the left column, click About in the right column.

On the right side of the new screen, look for Version; to the right of it you'll see a number. This will be the version of your operating system.

Windows 8 and RT

With the release of Windows 8, Microsoft has launched itself into the world of tablets. The interface is identical to the PC version, and if you have this OS installed on your home computer, then you'll know at a glance whether it's also the one installed on your tablet. If not, we can help.
Once you've logged onto the device using either your account or through Windows Live, the main screen you'll see is very similar to this:

The version of Windows on your tablet will be either 8 or RT, but can also be updated (or not) to Windows 8.1. To find out which version you have, just slide your finger across the screen from right to left to bring up the sidebar (also called the Charms Bar) and press the magnifying glass icon.

In the new screen, type "winver" and then press Enter on the program icon that appears on the left.

The program will take you to the desktop interface. In the window that pops up, you can see if you have Windows 8 or RT and the version number of your operating system.

How to create a Wi-Fi hotspot on an Android phone

Imagine you’re out with your friends. You have an urgent message to send via WhatsApp, you need to check Facebook, or check a route with Google Maps. But you can’t do it. You’ve exceeded your monthly data limit or you simply do not have a data subscription on your mobile device. What do you do?
The answer is that you ask one of your friends to share their connection with you from their Android phone. They can do this by creating a Wi-Fi hotspot – i.e. an access point on the device with a web link. Here's exactly how to do it.
This demonstration is on Android devices with firmware 4.x, but if you use a 2.x version of the OS the procedure is almost identical.

How to create a wireless hotspot

1. Open the Settings menu. Under Wireless & Networks, go to More > Tethering & portable hotspot > Configure Wi-Fi hotspot.

2. At this point you should set the login details for your hotspot. Assign a name to the network (SSID), define a password and press Save.

3. Now that you’ve correctly configured the hotspot, you need to enable it. Back on the Tethering & portable hotspot menu tap the Portable Wi-Fi hotspot option to check the box.

4. Now the hotspot is operational and you’ll be able to find the WiFi network from any WiFi-enabled mobile device (doesn’t have to be an Android), and access it by entering the password that was set in step two.

How to: set up your Windows PC as a wireless hotspot

You don't have a wireless router? With Windows, you can turn your PC into a Wi-Fi hotspot in a few easy steps. You can also use this trick at work or in college to get fast mobile internet access. We're going to show you how to do it.
Here we explained how you can make your Android Smartphone into a hotspot

 

1. Check if your network driver supports hosted networks

On individual computers, Virtual Router Plus can't access the local network. The driver for your network card must support hosted networks. You check if this is the case in two simple steps.

• Press the Windows key and R. Type CMD in the character field Open and click OK.

• A window appears with the Windows command line. Enter the command netsh wlan show drivers and press Enter or Return. Windows then lists details of your network drivers. If at Supported Hosted Networks the entry is Yes, then you can set up a wifi hotspot.

2. If your PC has no wireless adapter: Buy a USB wireless adapter and connect it:

You can buy a USB Wireless LAN adapter online for less than five dollars. Insert the adapter into an available USB port and you're ready to go. Drivers are unnecessary in most cases - Windows automatically detects the device.

3. Install Virtual Router Plus

Download Virtual Router Plus and install the program.

4. Starting and adjusting Virtual Router Plus

The freeware requires only three simple pieces of information: Under Network Name (SSID), enter a name. Then enter a secure password (as secure as possible) and choose your internet connection for Shared Connection. Click on Start Virtual Router to activate your personal Wi-Fi hotspot.

5. Connect the mobile device

Your Windows Wi-Fi hotspot now shows as an available network on your mobile device. After entering the password, you can use the internet connection from your PC on your tablet, laptop, or smartphone.

Troubleshooting: Hotspot cannot be found
If your mobile device can't find the Wi-Fi hotspot, click on Stop Virtual Router in Virtual Router Manager, and then on Start Virtual Router again. Use this method to solve any connection problems, but we're fairly confident you won't have any.

Virtual Router Plus 2.6.0

Setting up an ad-hoc wireless network in Windows 8 is no longer possible and turning your computer into a Wi-Fi hotspot requires a third party, dedicated application. Such a tool is Virtual Router Plus, designed to help you share your Internet connection with any Wi-Fi enabled device, such as a smartphone or a tablet.

Virtual Router Plus comes in handy for anyone who needs to share a wired Internet connection via Wi-Fi. Since it comes with just a few configuration options, this application is suitable for any type of user, whether it is a beginner or a more experienced one.

The main interface prompts you to configure the connection by providing the name of the network, the password that clients have to enter in order to access the new wireless network (which must have a length of minimum 8 characters), as well as select the connection you want to share.

Other than that, simply press the 'Start' button and the Wi-Fi network is ready to use, without any additional configuration requirements. Once this easy setup process is over, a notification message is displayed and the application starts running silently in the system tray.

Any Wi-Fi enabled device detects the newly created network, enabling you to navigate over the Internet using the laptop or the computer as an access point.

The application uses the WPA2 protocol for encrypting the connections, in order to make sure that the data transfer is secure and prevent information theft.

Designed with ease of use in mind, Virtual Router Plus enables you to setup the new hot spot in no time. It provides you with a simple method for turning the computer or laptop into a Wi-Fi router and get Internet access on other Wi-Fi devices without a lot of hassle.

File size : 1.75 MB

                                                           

Nokia PC Suite 7.1.180.94

Nokia PC Suite is an application designed to enable Nokia phone owners to transfer important files from the mobile phone to the computer and vice versa, but also to control some of the handheld's features straight from the desktop.

The tool is supposed to provide some new functions to those who purchased a Nokia phone, including editing, backing up and synchronizing the files. Nokia PC Suite pretty much does that, as it is an easy to use application with a very pleasant and intuitive interface you should become accustomed with in a matter of minutes.

All functions can be accessed from the main interface, as soon as the phone is successfully connected to the computer. There are four connectivity options available: Bluetooth, infrared, serial cable (CA-42) and USB cable, with the last one being the fastest.

At times, some connection problems may occur while trying to pair the mobile phone and the computer. Also file transfer or other functions of the application could become unavailable. If this occurs, your should disconnect the devices and try to establish a new connection.

The messaging function of Nokia PC Suite comes in quite handy since it allows you to write an SMS message on you computer and send it to someone in the address book. However, note that the message is not automatically transferred to the phone's “Sent” menu.

The synchronization and backup features enable you to keep the important content stored on your Nokia phone safe and ready for a quick restore. You can sync notes, contacts and calendar and thus keep them up to date on both computer and mobile device.

Another very useful function you will find in Nokia PC Suite is the video viewing and conversion. You can use it to turn any movie into the video format supported by your Nokia phone.

Bundling a lot of powerful functions that allow you to effortlessly control and manage the content on your mobile phone, Nokia PC Suite offers a pleasant experience overall.

File size : 38.77 MB
                                                   

HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.2.3

All Windows users surely know by now that there is always more than a single solution to each computer issue, be it software-related or hardware. The same applies when it comes to formatting a disk, as one can rely on the tool integrated in Windows or on a dedicated third-party app.

HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool is a tiny freeware utility which has been designed for the HP Drive Key or DiskOnKey USB 2.0 devices. Installing it does not represent a problem whatsoever, since it is very compact and it can be run out-of-the-box, i.e. no installation is actually required.

The interface of HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool resembles the look of the Windows-integrated utility.

Users simply need to specify the device they wish to format, select the file system and assign the volume a label, then optionally choose quick format or enable compression. One also has the possibility of creating a DOS start-up disk, by either using the internal MS-DOS system files, or the ones located at a specific path.

One of the differences between HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool and the regular formatting tool found in Windows is the fact that this third-party freeware allows users to select USB drives, while the Windows version does not provide this option.

Moreover, unlike this tiny utility, the Windows tool does not offer a NTFS volume label for format; the freeware in discussion also allows users to create a FAT32 volume which is larger than 32 GB. In addition, HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool enables users to rename all their USB flash drives in any way they want.

Furthermore, HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool can be used to delete space on Flash drives that cannot be removed in the traditional way, create bootable USB drives, or simply remove any tracks of malicious software that may have infected it.

To wrap it up, if handled with care, this application can make it on the list of indispensable tools when using Windows, successfully enhancing its functions.

File size : 96.00 KB
                                                    

Nero 9 Free 9.4.12.3

Writing data on CDs or DVDs is a job for specialized software and among the most well-known brands in the business Nero definitely stands out. This particular edition is special because it comes cost free, but also without many of the tools included the full suite.

Installation shouldn’t be too difficult, however you have to be extra careful and pay attention at the third-party code included in the package. Also, please note that the setup will take a while until it successfully copies and installs the files on your computer.

If you used Nero in the past, everything is straightforward. It has a pleasant and clean interface, with the main functions displayed at the top of the main window on tabs.

The functions you can use are not so many, in fact, the free edition only offers basic data copying and burning features. Just pick the files you want to copy on a disc, make the final adjustments, for burning speed and disc name and you’re ready to go.

As with the other editions of Nero, you will still be able to create disc images, that is add files to a compilation and select the 'Image Recorder' as the destination drive to create an NRG image.

During our tests the discs were created promptly and with no errors. If the speed doesn't meet your expectations, keep in mind that the overall time that a compilation is burned in depends on a variety things. To name some, the optical drive and discs you use, the amount of data to be written and the speed at which you want the process to be carried out.

Even though a bit heavy on resources and with a lengthy install for what it brings to the table, the free edition of Nero offers exactly what one would need to create discs in no time. For anyone who only needs to create CDs and DVDs on the fly, this application might be the right answer.

File size :  54.53 MB