Martinis, mojitos, merlots, and more. Whether a fancy cocktail or tasty wine is your favorite, these drink apps will have you blending, mixing, and uncorking in no time.
Untappd
Untappd is a social discovery and check-in network for anyone that enjoys beer. It gives you the ability to easily find nearby craft beers and bars, see what beers are trending, as well as see where your friends are drinking.
Check out the personalized recommendations and use Untappd to find the nearest location you can get the beer you want. Once you’ve got that delicious beer in your hand, use Untappd to track, rate, take a photo, and share it with all your friends. As you explore more beer styles and locations, you will uncover a variety of badges.
Let’s face it. A good amount of these cocktail apps can be quite overwhelming with their massive databases of thousands of drinks. Some of the instructions on recipes don’t even make sense. Drinks and Cocktails prides itself on simplicity.
With that being said, it is not for everyone. Some would complain that it is too simple. Thankfully the app’s interface isn’t cluttered or tacky-colored. It is quite appealing to the eyes and the developer has also handpicks and edits each recipe so you aren’t confused or taken back with the bartender jargon.
It’s a great iPhone app and best of all, it’s free.
Wine aficionados definitely need to try Vivino. You can find information about wine from an unbiased community. You can take a photo of any wine label or restaurant wine list. It’s also possible to search by wine. The app will then show the app’s rating, reviews, price, tasting notes, and suggested food pairings. You can also purchase your favorite bottles through the app.
Save all your bottles in the app’s cellar so you can see what you have on hand. The app’s database has more than 13 million wines from more than 230,000 wineries.
Find places selling the beers you love or those you want to try. Browse up-to-date beer menus for bars, restaurants, and beer stores nearby. Follow your beers and get notified when they become available nearby. Follow bars and restaurants to get notified when they change their beer menu.
Log the beers you drink to keep track of them and easily find your favorites. Find places selling beers you’ve been wanting to try. It’s a free iPhone app.
Always create a perfect cocktail with Cheers. You can easily input the ingredients you have on hand and see what you can make right now. There is also a large catalog of drones that you can narrow down by category or even by excluding ingredients you don’t like.
You can even add you own cocktail to the database for all users to enjoy.
The app is a free download for both the iPhone and all iPad models.
The coloring book for adults features a wealth of intricate designs to color. And to use your artistic creativity, you can choose from artistic brushes and color wheels with more than 700 color shades.
If you want to let your imagination run wild, there is even a blank canvas option where you can create and draw freely.
I’ve been using the app for a few years, after a long, stressful day, and it helps me forget my stress and just focus on the moment. I highly recommend it as a unique way to end your day.
And the app has just been updated with a pair of new features. First up, the color blind mode will enhance color visibility for anyone with color blindness. When turned on, color labels appear above the selected color on the coloring wheel so you’ll know what color you are using.
The color picket has also been improved. Tap the selected color and then glide your finger or Apple Pencil across it. You can then explore the full spectrum and adjust brightness to find the perfect hue.
Lake is for the iPhone and all iPad models. It’s a free download on the App Store now. The free version offers some limitations including the number of drawings and access to certain tools and features.
There is an optional subscription for $9.99 per month or $39.99 per year. There is a free, seven-day trial for both options.
Subscribers will receive unlimited access to all features artists, custom coloring books, and artists.
The retro, 2D pixel art style in Dandara is a blast from the past and looks like it came straight out of the ’80s, especially with all of the bright, vivid colors. Even though it’s pixelated, everything in the game is incredibly detailed, from shading to textures. Animations are smooth and fluid with no lag on my iPhone 8 Plus. Since the game relies heavily on quick thinking and reflexes, the steady frame rate is necessary. The ambient, atmospheric soundtrack is subtle and adds another layer of depth to the game, and it’s quite enjoyable to listen to. Overall, Long Hat House did an excellent job with the visual and audio design of Dandara, making it a sure keeper.
Since Dandara is a metroidvania style game, that means players progress through a series of connected rooms. These rooms contain plenty of traps, obstacles, and enemies that you’ll have to get past in order to explore and move on to the next room. In the case of Dandara, players will be traversing through one giant world called Salt.
You can download the game for $3.99. It’s for the iPhone and iPad.
This is my Spacecraft – Rocket Science for Kids is an experience for Apple TV that shows kids what it is like to be an astronaut. The app has facts about the space science, an intuitive interface, and is suitable for all ages.
Who hasn’t dreamt of being an astronaut? This is my Spacecraft – Rocket Science for Kids lets your children see what it is like to fly through space. They will see how astronauts eat and sleep, learn fun facts about space and the solar system, and explore the vast universe in all its glory on Apple TV. With original illustrations, relaxed play, and entertaining learning, this is a terrific app for the big screen.
For the Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, the app is $2.99.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
In today’s unpredictable, hyper-competitive job market, resumes often disappear into a sea of sameness. Even highly qualified candidates struggle to stand out when their accomplishments echo those of countless others. What sets someone apart isn’t always what’s written on paper, but who’s willing to speak up for them.
That’s why your professional network is more valuable than ever. Relationships you’ve cultivated since undergrad, grad school, internships, previous roles, volunteer work and industry groups hold untapped potential. But it’s not as simple as asking a friend for a favor. To truly leverage your network, you need to understand how to earn and give high-engagement referrals — the kind that open doors and drive real results.
A high-engagement referral isn’t just a polite nod or a casual mention. It’s a personal, proactive endorsement. It signals a high level of trust and alignment between the recommender, the candidate and the opportunity. When someone offers a high-engagement referral, they’re essentially saying, “I know this person well. I’ve worked with them. I believe in their abilities and character so strongly that I’m willing to put my own reputation on the line.”
This type of referral typically goes beyond a LinkedIn endorsement. It may involve crafting a thoughtful introduction tailored to a specific role, reaching out to a hiring manager directly or guiding the candidate through interview preparation. Some advocates even go as far as recommending the candidate across multiple platforms and internal channels. These extra steps show intention and investment, and hiring teams take notice.
Why these referrals matter for leaders
For business leaders, high-engagement referrals can be transformative. Whether you’re building a startup, leading a team or mentoring rising talent, referrals help you attract and retain high-performing individuals. Candidates who come recommended through trusted sources often prove to be stronger performers and cultural fits. The impact goes beyond recruitment. A culture where referrals are encouraged tends to be one where employees are engaged, invested and proud to bring others into the fold. It also elevates your brand as a place where talent thrives and relationships matter.
So why do high-engagement referrals work so well? First, they cut through the noise. In a landscape where hundreds of resumes might flood a hiring manager’s inbox, a trusted referral can bring a candidate straight to the top of the pile. Second, they offer a signal of trustworthiness, adaptability and cultural fit — qualities that are hard to gauge on paper. And finally, they set a positive tone. Walking into an interview knowing someone has already championed your abilities can create instant rapport, boost your confidence, and even influence the outcome.
Of course, earning such a referral doesn’t happen overnight. It begins with clarity. When you ask for a referral, be specific. Tell your contact what job you’re pursuing, why you’re a strong fit and how they can help. Make their job easier by offering a brief message they can tailor or highlighting shared experiences that make your ask feel relevant and authentic.
Even more important is the groundwork you lay before you need the referral. Stay in touch with mentors, colleagues and collaborators. Check in periodically. Share updates on your work. Offer support when they’re navigating changes. The strongest referrals come from relationships that have been nurtured, not neglected until a favor is needed.
Just as you want to receive high-engagement referrals, you should also look for opportunities to offer them. If a former coworker is job hunting and you can genuinely speak to their strengths, take the time to advocate for them. Write the email. Make the call. The value you offer someone else could have a lasting impact — and it positions you as someone who lifts others as you rise.
At the heart of it all is trust. In today’s evolving professional landscape, trust is the currency of opportunity. It’s not just about credentials or connections. It’s about who will speak up for you with conviction — and who you’re willing to stand behind in return.
Build that kind of network. Invest in it. And when the time comes, you’ll have more than a resume — you’ll have real advocates in your corner.
In today’s unpredictable, hyper-competitive job market, resumes often disappear into a sea of sameness. Even highly qualified candidates struggle to stand out when their accomplishments echo those of countless others. What sets someone apart isn’t always what’s written on paper, but who’s willing to speak up for them.
That’s why your professional network is more valuable than ever. Relationships you’ve cultivated since undergrad, grad school, internships, previous roles, volunteer work and industry groups hold untapped potential. But it’s not as simple as asking a friend for a favor. To truly leverage your network, you need to understand how to earn and give high-engagement referrals — the kind that open doors and drive real results.
Heads Up! is the perfect party game! If you’re a game-nighter, you need this game installed and ready to go. It’s a ton of fun, and you won’t waste a bunch of time trying to explain the rules to everyone since it’s so simple.
Created by Ellen DeGeneres, this riotous game-night challenge reinvents charades for the app generation. Pick a category, then hold your device up to your head, screen facing outward, and guess the words using your friends’ clues. It’s a riot to play, and you’re sure to have a great time with your friends enjoying this party game.
The game can be played with only one other person, but where’s the fun in that? If you don’t have a large group, you can most likely skip this one.
Posted by Sa-ryong Kang and Miguel Montemayor – Developer Relations Engineers
Peacock is NBCUniversal’s streaming service app available in the US, offering culture-defining entertainment including live sports, exclusive original content, TV shows, and blockbuster movies. The app continues to evolve, becoming more than just a platform to watch content, but a hub of entertainment.
Today’s users are consuming entertainment on an increasingly wider array of device sizes and types, and in particular are moving towards mobile devices. Peacock has adopted Jetpack Compose to help with its journey in adapting to more screens and meeting users where they are.
Disclaimer: Peacock is available in the US only. This video will only be viewable to US viewers.
Adapting to more flexible form factors
The Peacock development team is focused on bringing the best experience to users, no matter what device they’re using or when they want to consume content. With an emerging trend from app users to watch more on mobile devices and large screens like foldables, the Peacock app needs to be able to adapt to different screen sizes. As more devices are introduced, the team needed to explore new solutions that make the most out of each unique display permutation.
The goal was to have the Peacock app to adapt to these new displays while continually offering high-quality entertainment without interruptions, like the stream reloading or visual errors. While thinking ahead, they also wanted to prepare and build a solution that was ready for Android XR as the entertainment landscape is shifting towards including more immersive experiences.
Building a future-proof experience with Jetpack Compose
In order to build a scalable solution that would help the Peacock app continue to evolve, the app was migrated to Jetpack Compose, Android’s toolkit for building scalable UI. One of the essential tools they used was the WindowSizeClass API, which helps developers create and test UI layouts for different size ranges. This API then allows the app to seamlessly switch between pre-set layouts as it reaches established viewport breakpoints for different window sizes.
The API was used in conjunction with Kotlin Coroutines and Flows to keep the UI state responsive as the window size changed. To test their work and fine tune edge case devices, Peacock used the Android Studio emulator to simulate a wide range of Android-based devices.
Jetpack Compose allowed the team to build adaptively, so now the Peacock app responds to a wide variety of screens while offering a seamless experience to Android users. “The app feels more native, more fluid, and more intuitive across all form factors,” said Diego Valente, Head of Mobile, Peacock and Global Streaming. “That means users can start watching on a smaller screen and continue instantly on a larger one when they unfold the device—no reloads, no friction. It just works.”
Preparing for immersive entertainment experiences
In building adaptive apps on Android, John Jelley, Senior Vice President, Product & UX, Peacock and Global Streaming, says Peacock has also laid the groundwork to quickly adapt to the Android XR platform: “Android XR builds on the same large screen principles, our investment here naturally extends to those emerging experiences with less developmental work.”
The team is excited about the prospect of features unlocked by Android XR, like Multiview for sports and TV, which enables users to watch multiple games or camera angles at once. By tailoring spatial windows to the user’s environment, the app could offer new ways for users to interact with contextual metadata like sports stats or actor information—all without ever interrupting their experience.
This might be a gaming tablet on paper, but that’s only half the story. The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 is a compact slate with plenty of power that can fit into your daily life in a way few Android tablets ever manage. That’s why I’m convinced that this is one of the best Android tablets you can buy, even if you never play a single game on it.
It’s hard to feel genuinely excited about Android tablets these days. The market has become homogenized over the years, offering options that all blur together. Samsung’s got tablets for every price bracket, Amazon’s got its Fire lineup of tablets on a budget, and everyone else is just… kind of there. They mostly look the same, feel the same, and try to do the same things, just with different logos slapped on top.
So when Lenovo sent me a “gaming tablet” to test, I was intrigued. What does a gaming tablet even look like? Does it come with RGB and shoulder triggers? I’ve spent the past three weeks with the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3, and spoiler alert, it doesn’t come with any of those. The good news is that it is a gaming tablet, all right.
But more importantly, it turns out the $549 Legion Tab Gen 3 delivers one of the most fun Android tablet experiences I’ve had, even though I think there’s a very small chunk of people who might actually want to buy it.
Surprisingly premium
Rushil Agrawal / Android Authority
When I first got my hands on the Legion Tab, I had no idea what it cost, and my first reaction after unboxing it was that it felt like a flagship product. I genuinely assumed it would be priced somewhere close to $1,000. You can imagine my surprise when I later found out it costs half of that.
The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3’s premium feeling starts even before you turn on the tablet.
Lenovo includes a surprisingly luxurious set of accessories in the box: a grilled bumper case for the back, a magnetic flap that attaches to it and turns it into a folio case, a glass screen protector, a 68W charging brick, and a USB-C to USB-C cable. The folio case even folds neatly to double up as a kickstand when you set the tablet down in landscape mode.
Rushil Agrawal / Android Authority
The tablet itself feels just as good. Lenovo has gone with an all-metal construction that feels sturdy and premium. The matte black finish might not scream “gaming tablet” the way some might expect, but the industrial style looks a lot more polished than the tired grey or silver shades you see on most tablets. Around the back, the etched Legion logo and a rectangular camera island are the only flashy elements, keeping the design clean and subtle.
There is no SIM card slot or expandable storage, so the only cutouts on the frame are two speaker grilles and two USB-C ports. One is a standard USB 2.0 port, while the other is a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port. That faster port allows for much quicker data transfers and even supports Display output if you want to hook up an external monitor.
Lenovo also considered the placement, putting one port on the longer edge and one on the shorter edge. No matter how you hold the tablet, you can usually plug it in for charging, streaming, or using accessories without much hassle.
That being said, gamers might miss a 3.5mm headphone jack. Technically, you can still plug in wired earphones with a USB-C adapter thanks to the dual ports, but it feels like a missed opportunity for those who want easy, zero-latency audio for gaming. There is also no IP rating for water or dust protection, something Samsung offers with its tablets at similar or slightly higher price points. On top of that, Lenovo skipped a fingerprint reader altogether. You get 2D face unlock if you want, but I ended up relying on a good old pattern lock most of the time.
Its biggest feature is how small it is
Rushil Agrawal / Android Authority
My favorite thing about the Legion Tab is something very few Android tablets even attempt anymore: its size. With smartphone screens getting closer and closer to seven inches, it’s only fair that most tablets these days are chasing screen sizes of 10 inches or more by default. Lenovo flips that trend with a compact form factor that I instantly fell in love with.
The tablet measures 7.79 mm x 208.54 mm x 129.46 mm (0.31 in x 8.21 in x 5.10 in) and weighs approximately 350 grams. Most other tablets easily exceed the 500-gram mark, and while that difference might not seem huge on a spec sheet, it matters a lot when you’re actually carrying the device around.
I could use the Legion Tab single-handedly without it ever feeling too heavy or awkward.
For context, my usual tablet is my aging but ever-reliable Galaxy Tab S7 Plus. As much as I love it, I hardly take it out unless it’s for a long-distance flight, because carrying it feels like a whole production. I need to pack it into a backpack, take it out, find space to set it down, and repeat the whole dance when I am done. The Legion Tab feels more like a Kindle in comparison. You can carry it in your hands on a day out in the park, or just use it to scroll social media sitting on a couch without needing to rest it on something. That ease of use quickly became one of my favorite things about it.
The reason the Legion Tab feels so compact is that it comes with an 8.8-inch display. That is much smaller than the screens you get on tablets like the OnePlus Pad 2 or any of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab models, and as close as you’re going to get these days to a classic Nexus 7-style compact tablet. In fact, it is only slightly bigger than my Galaxy Z Fold 5 when unfolded, although the Legion Tab offers a lot more usable screen area thanks to its aspect ratio.
As far as LCD panels go, the Legion Tab Gen 3’s is excellent.
The display is a 16:10 LCD panel with a 2.5K resolution (2560 x 1600). It supports 98% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and comes with HDR10 support. Under normal conditions, the screen hits a maximum brightness of 500 nits and can push up to 900 nits when High Brightness Mode kicks in.
The screen gets bright enough to be easily usable both indoors and outdoors, colors look rich and punchy, and the viewing angles are solid too. I used the Legion Tab to binge the latest Black Mirror episodes, and I played a good chunk of games on it as well. No matter what I threw at it, the display delivered.
Still, I could not quite shake off the feeling that something was missing. I ended up pulling out my Galaxy Tab S7 Plus just to compare my impressions, and even though it’s three generations old at this point, its AMOLED panel still matches the Legion Tab’s screen. Colors popped a little more, and especially in low-light environments, the deep blacks on the AMOLED screen created a much richer experience.
Rushil Agrawal / Android Authority
I am not saying the Legion Tab’s screen is bad. In fact, it’s probably one of the best LCD panels I’ve seen on a mobile device in recent years. All I’m saying is that if Lenovo were to make just one upgrade to the next-gen Legion Tab, it should swap out the LCD for an AMOLED display. However, I doubt Lenovo will be able to maintain this price point if and when it makes the switch.
Gamers and non-gamers alike will definitely appreciate one thing, though: the 165Hz refresh rate. It makes the entire UI feel incredibly smooth, and most actions on this tablet feel buttery smooth. If your favorite games support 90fps or 120fps gameplay, you can enjoy that full fluidity here too, and it genuinely adds to the gaming experience.
All the gaming performance you need
Yeah, gaming. Let’s get that out of the way now. This tablet comes with exactly the kind of specs you would expect for a device with Lenovo’s Legion branding. It packs 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage. Powering it all is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm’s flagship chip from last year, and it is still a beast.
On paper, this tablet should handle any Android game you throw at it. In real life, it absolutely does.
I tried downloading the biggest, heaviest games I could find on the Play Store, and the Legion Tab had no trouble running them at the highest or near-highest settings. Genshin Impact, one of the most graphically demanding games on Android, displayed its usual warning about overheating if you crank everything up. I ignored it and ran the game at High graphics and 60fps anyway. The Legion Tab kept up just fine, delivering close to 60fps most of the time, with only one noticeable drop to around 40fps during a cutscene transition.
Rushil Agrawal / Android Authority
Another heavy hitter I tested was Bright Memory Infinite, a fast-paced first-person shooter that can actually push 120fps gameplay on this tablet. The Legion Tab handled it really well, with frame rates rarely dropping below 100fps during intense action.
The experience was the same across every other game I tried. Lighter games, unsurprisingly, ran flawlessly. Heat management is also done well. The tablet’s built-in performance overlay showed the temperature rising from around 20 degrees Celsius to about 40 degrees during an hour of non-stop gaming. The tablet’s back got warm to the touch, but it never got uncomfortably hot, and performance stayed stable the whole time.
Battery life is decent, but there are a few caveats.
The Legion Tab only packs a 6,550mAh battery compared to the 8,000mAh or even 10,000mAh monsters you get on bigger tablets. I noticed a 20% drop in battery after around 30 minutes of gaming, regardless of which title I played. That means you should expect about two and a half hours of serious gaming on a full charge. It’s not mind-blowing, but it’s the trade-off for the smaller form factor.
Outside of gaming, battery life held up better than I expected. Standby performance is especially impressive. I left the tablet connected to Wi-Fi for days at a time, and it would barely lose 2% to 3% over 24 hours. One time, I picked it up after five days of just sitting there, fully expecting it to be dead, but it still had over 80% battery left. Regular tasks like watching videos, scrolling through social media, or light browsing also barely dent the battery.
Rushil Agrawal / Android Authority
Topping up is fast too. The included 68W charger brings the Legion Tab from nearly dead to full in just over an hour. You can use either of the USB-C ports to charge, but you cannot plug into both at once, so save yourself the big-brain experiment.
Lenovo also added support for bypass charging, which means when you plug in while gaming, the power can go straight to the tablet’s motherboard instead of the battery. That helps avoid heat buildup and keeps performance steady during long gaming sessions.
Gaming extras
The specs race keeps pushing forward for mobile gaming, and Lenovo will soon launch a version of this tablet with an even stronger chip. The problem is, while there are plenty of great games on Android, there are barely any right now that can push today’s hardware to its absolute limits. That said, if you are someone who plays competitive mobile games and cares more about response times and smoothness than pixel-perfect graphics, the Legion Tab delivers exactly what you need.
It’ll also be a really reliable slate if you’re into retro games via emulation, while still having headroom to spare for heavier load add-ons like custom shaders. The caveat is that you’ll quickly fill up that 256GB fixed storage.
The tablet does everything it can to make gaming feel immersive, too. The dual-speaker setup gets loud and sounds surprisingly good. When you fire up a game in landscape mode, the tablet automatically switches to a panoramic sound mode. It creates enough stereo separation that you can track enemy footsteps in games like PUBG without needing headphones, although a good pair of earbuds still gives you the best edge.
Another highlight is the X-axis haptic motor. It’s sharp, precise, and actually adds a real layer of feedback to your interactions, both in-game and while using the general UI.
Rushil Agrawal / Android Authority
I also loved how the Legion Tab’s smaller size plays well with mobile gamepad controllers like the Razer Kishi Ultra and the Gamesir G8 Plus. Mounting the tablet in one of these controllers takes the gaming experience to another level. Bright Memory Infinite, Asphalt Legends, and even smaller games felt way more enjoyable with physical controls. And because the tablet is relatively lightweight, the whole setup stays comfortable to hold for longer gaming sessions. It is probably one of the best ways to enjoy mobile gaming on a flight or while traveling.
Software-wise, Lenovo keeps things pretty simple. There is a Legion Space app that serves as a basic gaming hub, where all your installed games are displayed in one place. While you are playing, you can pull up a floating overlay from the side of the screen. It gives you access to quick settings, such as switching performance modes (Balance, High Performance, and Energy Saving), or capturing screenshots and screen recordings.
There is one weird omission, though. The tablet does not automatically disable screen timeout while gaming. If your screen is set to turn off after 30 seconds, it will still do that even if you are in the middle of a long cutscene or a loading screen. There is no toggle inside the gaming overlay to keep the screen on, either. The only way around it is to exit your game, dig into the settings, and manually change the screen timeout to “never,” which is annoying because it also disables screen timeout everywhere else. It’s a small but painfully obvious thing that Lenovo should have handled better.
Regular Android with a gamer wallpaper
Outside of the gaming extras, the software experience on the Legion Tab is… fine. Lenovo hasn’t added any special skin or UI changes specifically for gamers. It’s just the company’s usual Android skin, with a Legion-themed wallpaper on top. The tablet ships with Android 14 out of the box, but it got the Android 15 update the moment I powered it on. That’s a good sign, and Lenovo says it will get two more major OS updates after that, which is fine for the type of tablet this is, but not as good as what you get from Samsung or Google.
Lenovo’s UI feels pretty close to stock Android. It’s lightweight, smooth, and maybe even a little too basic. You get a few customization options for themes and wallpapers, and you can run split-screen apps or use floating windows. There’s no built-in AI stuff from Lenovo here, but you still get all the usual Google features like Circle to Search and the Gemini assistant.
There’s a good chunk of pre-installed apps on the tablet, but you can uninstall all of them if you want. What annoyed me more was the setup experience. Lenovo tries really hard to push pages of bloatware and random games onto you, and you have to uncheck each app individually just to avoid them. It’s annoying, but at least it only happens once, so I’m willing to let that slide.
Connectivity-wise, the Legion Tab supports Wi-Fi 7, and I experienced no issues with speed or signal during my time using it at home. There’s no cellular model, though. That might not be a huge issue for most, but with many modern mobile games requiring a constant internet connection, it’s something to consider. Unless you’re okay with tethering your phone or only using the tablet in Wi-Fi zones, this is pretty much a stay-at-home device.
And yes, the tablet does have cameras. There’s a 13MP rear camera, an 8MP front camera, and a macro sensor that I won’t even pretend to take seriously. The rear camera works well enough for snapping documents, and the front camera can handle 1080p video calls or basic streaming needs. You’ll get decent results in good lighting, but don’t expect anything close to the quality of your phone’s camera, especially for portraits or Instagram posts.
Lenovo Legion Tab review verdict: Makes me want to buy a tablet again
Rushil Agrawal / Android Authority
The Lenovo Legion Tab ($549.99 at Lenovo) targets a very specific niche — the mobile gamer — and it nails that purpose almost perfectly. It gives you powerful gaming hardware in a form factor that feels just right. It is bigger than a phone but not as bulky or awkward as a full-size tablet. It fits neatly into mobile gaming controllers, you can hook it up to a bigger screen if you want, it charges incredibly fast, and there is very little to complain about overall.
You still have a few things to keep in mind, like the missing headphone jack, the lack of any biometrics, and the absence of a cellular model. But if your main goal is smooth, responsive mobile gaming, the Legion Tab gets the job done. What surprised me more was how much this tablet started making sense even outside of gaming.
Smartphone screens are already big enough for most casual tasks, such as social media and watching videos, and when I need a bigger screen for work, I would rather open my laptop. Most Android tablets also don’t have the kind of seamless ecosystem integration that iPads enjoy, which makes them feel like an isolated purchase instead of a natural extension of your setup. That’s why my Galaxy Tab S7 Plus mostly sits around collecting dust until I travel.
I never thought I would want a tablet again, but the Legion Tab almost changed my mind.
The Legion Tab feels different because of its size. It’s big enough to make me want to switch from my phone for things like watching YouTube videos or casually browsing Instagram. At the same time, it’s small enough that I don’t have to overthink picking it up. I do not feel like I need to justify using it for a specific task the way I usually do with full-sized tablets. It’s light, quick, and easy to reach throughout the day without even thinking about it.
That compact size does come with trade-offs. This is not the kind of tablet you can treat as a productivity machine or a laptop replacement. If you need to type a lot, multitask with multiple apps, or browse spreadsheets, this is not the right tool for the job. Plus, the battery life takes an obvious hit.
If you are looking specifically for a gaming tablet, the closest competitor to the Legion Tab is the OnePlus Pad 2 ($549.99 at Amazon). It also offers flagship-grade performance, a big battery, fast charging, and a much larger display for the same price. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 FE ($499.99 at Amazon) is another option in a similar price range, and it adds features like a bundled S Pen, an IP rating, and a cellular model option. However, it does not offer the same level of raw performance as the Legion Tab. Plus, both of these alternatives are much bigger and heavier devices.
Rushil Agrawal / Android Authority
If budget is not a major concern, you could also consider the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus ($999.99 at Samsung). It offers an incredible 12.4-inch AMOLED display, flagship performance, and tons of premium features, but it will cost you nearly twice as much as the Legion Tab.
If you are simply looking for a compact tablet, there are almost no real competitors on the Android side right now outside of the Pixel Tablet ($499 at Amazon), which hasn’t aged that well, and is larger anyway. The only real alternative is the iPad Mini ($459 at Amazon), but that decision comes down to which ecosystem you prefer more than anything else.
I still do not think small tablets will appeal to the masses. There is a reason why companies often abandon smaller flagship phones after a few generations. The same might happen with compact tablets. But whether the world embraces them or not, the Lenovo Legion Tab made me remember how fun and practical a well-designed tablet can be.
Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3
Delightfully compact to use • Reliable performance • Brilliant haptics and speakers
MSRP: $549.99
Compact tablet gaming
The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 is a compact Android tablet built for gaming on the go, with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, bundled accessories, and powerful speakers.
These family games are easy to understand, and offer wide appeal for multiple family members to gather around and enjoy.
Marble Mixer for iPad
Marble Mixer includes three different game boards to shoot marbles on. Your marbles can collide with your opponent’s marbles, and there are great physics. Have fun shooting towards point buckets, mouths, and more.
A classic board game is also available to play on your iPhone or iPad. Ticket to Ride is a railway adventure where you’ll try to be the quickest to link cities and reach destinations. You’ll travel the world from Europe to India and can try out different strategies to win.
The easy-to-play game is easy to learn and there is even a tutorial mode so everyone can learn how to play. Along with a local multiplayer option to try out with the family, you can also choose a single-player mode or online multiplayer.
Available for $8.99, you can unlock additional game modes with in-app purchases.
When you mix pong and pinball, you get Multiponk. All it takes is one finger to control your paddle. Give your ball smooth effects and thwart the traps to win the game. Multiponk features solo mode, where you try to beat the computer, as well as a multiplayer mode that supports up to four players at once.
This game is pong mixed with pinball, challenging you to keep control of the ball while avoiding traps. You bounce the ball around, using a single finger to control your paddle. In solo mode, you play against the computer, but the real fun is when you get three friends circled around your iPad for a multiplayer game of Multiponk.
The game is $2.99 and also available on the iPhone.
Another board game adapted for the digital age, The Game of Life brings all the fun to your iOS device. You’ll attend. College, accept a job and play mini games. The different board piece characters look great as they will make their way through life in a 3D animated board.
In the local multiplayer mode, you can play with up to four people on the same device. There is also an online multiplayer option to match with others from around the world.
For the iPhone and iPad, the game is $4.99. In-app purchases are available to unlock additional game modes.
The opera is on, but the tenors all want to steal the spotlight. You and up to three other players each control a singer, trying to nudge and bump each other off the stage. When the fat lady drops into the action, though, who can steal the spotlight back and end the game as King of the Opera?
King of Opera challenges you to bump other tenors off the stage, sumo-style. The song goes on, but each singer battles for his own stage presence. If you can keep the spotlight on you the longest, you just might be crowned the King of Opera.
It’s the perfect game for a night in with a group of friends. Gather around the trusty iPad, and see who can keep the spotlight the longest. King of Opera is hilarious fun, with you and each of your friends vying for control of the stage.
For 1-4 players, the $2.99 game is also available for the iPhone.
In The Witness, players will find themselves waking up on a remote island, and that’s pretty much it. The island itself is full of puzzles (over 500), and there are many different types of puzzles to solve. Some are simple enough to solve, but things do get tricky as you progress. Solving the puzzles are a critical part of the game, as they will help you discover your identity (it’s unknown in the beginning) and how you got on the island in the first place.
Controls in The Witness are simple and intuitive, with the game teaching you the ropes as you go in the start. To move, just tap on where you want to go, and you’ll walk over there. Swiping horizontally on the screen lets you move the camera around so you can check what’s surrounding you. Tapping on puzzle screens takes you into the puzzle. If you double-tap where you want to go, it makes your character run instead of walk. A tap with two fingers stops you in your tracks.
