More employees toting mobile devices don’t have to cause harm to large enterprises with strict IT compliance rules. In fact, those employees armed with tablets and smartphones can be trained to become brand ambassadors on social media sites and to help the company’s image. Read more »
Consumers waiting for a Facebook phone will see one tomorrow, July 17, but it won’t come from Facebook. The HTC Status, for AT&T’s network, has a dedicated Facebook button for sharing. T-Mobile’s myTouch 4G Slide camera has impressed so far. Could it replace your point-and-shoot? Read more »
Last weekend I had on of my eureka moments around mobile video chat. It’s gonna be big, perhaps as big as 29.6 billion video calls made in 2015. So to all the naysayers who think video chat is just plain weird, hear me out. Read more »
The ITC has ruled that Android manufacturer HTC has infringed on two Apple patents, handing the iPhone maker an early victory that could have large implications on HTC’s business in the U.S. and potential impacts on the overall Android platform. HTC is appealing. Read more »
Google CEO Larry Page addressed a question about what Google’s plans regarding Android’s patent situation, but generally side-stepped the query, pointing to Android’s momentum before finishing with a modest commitment to the platform. It seems like a missed opportunity to signal support to manufacturers and developers. Read more »
Zinio now supports Google Android handsets, bringing content from 1,000 digital magazine publishers to smartphones and small tablets running Android versions 2.2 and 2.3. A first look at the new software shows a positive experience, but it may be better suited to devices with larger screens. Read more »
The T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide smartphone launches later this month and pairs the latest version of Google Android with an advanced camera. Here’s a quick video overview of the upcoming dual-core handset with QWERTY keyboard, mainly focusing on the new camera modes and 8 megapixel sensor. Read more »
Google released its second-quarter financials on Thursday, hitting its first quarter with more than $9 billion in revenue. But on a call with financial analysts, it gave a whole bunch of nonfinancial metrics for how its various businesses are growing. Read more »
Apple’s hold on developers has gotten stronger with the apparent help of the iPad 2 and Verizon iPhone, cutting into gains from Android, according to Flurry. The latest numbers suggest that even with the fast advance of Android, developers still like their prospects on iOS, Read more »
What apps do mobile workers need to get their jobs done? A new Forrester report has identified eight “must have” categories of mobile collaboration apps. Here’s a run-down of all the categories outlined, together with some of our recommendations for apps to use in each category: Read more »
Daniel Ek, co-founder of Spotify talks to me about Apple, Android and his service on consumer devices and in cars. More importantly he shares his vision about the company and what he wants it to be when it grows up in a couple of years. Read more »
Sprint today introduced the Motorola Photon 4G, the company’s first WiMAX handset with international support, and will launch the smartphone on July 31. Featuring a 960×540 high-resolution display and dual-core Tegra 2 processor, the Android smartphone works across borders, but sadly leaves the 4G behind. Read more »
PayPal today unveiled a new peer-to-peer payment functionality that allows Android users to pay each other by tapping two near field communication (NFC)-enabled devices together. The feature shows how PayPal is gearing up for NFC as part of its larger push on mobile payments. Read more »
WhitePages’ new local discovery app is launching on Android first, in part because the platform allows it the ability to better track the efficacy of location-based ads. It’s another sign that Android is appealing to more developers. Read more »
The second quarter of 2011 in mobile was all about smartphones, thanks to Google’s Android, Apple’s iOS and mobile data consumption ramping up. In the tablet space, the iPad lacked any real competition, though that dominance will surely fade as more and more alternatives — from Cisco, HP and others — emerge. Elsewhere, location-based marketing finally made some headlines, and the groundwork for near-field communications looks to be finally falling into place. Additional companies in this report include Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft and Research In Motion. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Users that search for VLC on the Android Market get to see a whole bunch of apps that kind of look like the popular open-source video player, despite the fact that VLC for Android hasn’t been released yet. The foundation behind VLC wants to change that. Read more »
Enterprise employees have shifted from the gray and controlled world of corporate IT to the colorful Oz of consumer technologies, but according to data from an IDC/Unisys survey, everyone is in need of some kind of wizard to sort things out. Read more »
The first handset with a dedicated Facebook button, aptly named the HTC Status arrives on AT&T’s network July 17. At $49 you won’t get a high-end handset with a peppy processor, but if simple Facebook sharing is your thing, the Status hits the right buttons. Read more »
The Android Express has taken Google and a number of manufacturers on dizzying ride to the top of the smartphone market. But with Android’s patent strength increasingly under fire and companies lining up for their share of licensing fees, is the platform headed off the tracks? Read more »
Verizon’s latest smartphone launch coincides with a move away from unlimited data plans, which goes into effect on Thursday. The Motorola Droid 3 is available for ordering online now and is in stores on July 14 for $199 with a 2-year contract or $459 with no contract. Read more »
Facebook’s Skype integration involved a lot of slimming down of Skype’s native client and making it work in a browser, creating the back-end integration between Facebook and Skype and scaling up Skype’s network to handle the expected flood of traffic. Read more »
Google updated its Maps for Android software Wednesday, bringing a new feature for those who take public transportation, as well as some additional functions for everyone. But a Labs feature can help smartphone owners on limited data plans: downloadable maps for offline use are available. Read more »
Zynga is ramping up its mobile efforts as it prepares for its IPO. Here are a few key strategies the social gaming company should pursue as it prepares to take on established developers in the fast-moving world of mobile gaming. Read more »
Google said Android is a $1 billion business. Microsoft, with its barrage of patent licensing agreements with Android manufacturers, could be on its way to making $1 billion off Android if its licensing deals pan out. That could make Android way more lucrative than WP7. Read more »
Mobile phone manufacturer HTC has purchased VIA Semiconductor’s graphics business. The deal is indicative of the need for compelling graphics on mobiles as well as an admission that mobile device makers may get an edge if they can bring some silicon capabilities in house. Read more »
With mobile games booming beyond iOS, there are a new set of opportunities opening up for a host of enablers like Seattle-based Zipline Games, which is offering a multi-platform SDK for game development as well as a back-end cloud service for mobile games. Read more »
Apple’s iOS is now the number two smartphone platform in the U.S., according to market research firm comScore. Apple rose to second place during the three-month period ending in May, up 1.4 percentage points to 26.6 percent of total U.S. market share. Read more »
As the mobile app market grows, it’s creating new opportunities for app marketing companies like Tapjoy, which has raised $30 million even after running into an Apple ban on one of its products. The new money highlights the opportunities available as the app market booms. Read more »
An app that allows phones like the Nexus S to access the Google Videos movie store found its way to the Android Market a few days ago, only to be quickly taken down again. The leak could hint at movie rentals coming to more Android devices. Read more »
While almost no one is looking forward to Los Angeles’ so-called Carmageddon, an upcoming closure of a busy freeway, crowd-sourced traffic app Waze sees an opportunity to shine. The company is teaming with the local ABC affiliate to beef up ABC’s real-time traffic information for drivers. Read more »
According to a Google employee, Google+ has an official iOS app currently undergoing the App Store review process at Apple. Other Google apps on iOS have fewer features than their Android counterparts, but here are three things Google can’t leave out of this one. Read more »
Just as Google smartphone sales may have peaked by comparison, the introduction of Google+ could provide a boost to Android’s market share in the long run. While there’s an iOS and HTML5 version of the new social service, the experience is likely best on Android phones. Read more »
An Android developer is pulling its game app from the Amazon Appstore for Android, calling it a “disaster” because of a number of shortcomings. It’s the complaint of one developer, but it highlights some of the challenges in building a mature market for apps. Read more »
Japan’s KDDI has seen the future of cellular service and Wi-Fi (and even WiMAX) has a starring role. Its heterogeneous network is the future of mobile broadband, and could lead to lower operating costs and perhaps cheaper prices for end users. Read more »
A consortium led by Apple, Research In Motion and Microsoft has bought up Nortel’s 6,000 patents for $4.5 billion in an auction that could lead to further trouble for Google, who was outbid for the trove of intellectual property. Read more »
An open letter by a RIM executive describes the problems the company is facing and what it needs to do to come back. But it also highlights how precarious the situation is for RIM, which can’t afford to lose the trust of its employees. Read more »
Apple has just passed the 100,000 mark for apps available that are tailored specifically for the iPad. Compare that to under 200 for the Google’s Honeycomb tablet OS. It’s a margin that says the Android/iOS tablet battle isn’t the same as the smartphone war. Read more »
Skype just announced that video chat is finally coming to Android devices, though only to a few so far. The feature is part of a big update for the Android app that includes a UI redesign that adds usability to the app. Read more »
I’ve been playing with Google+ on my Android handset to get a sense of what it has to offer. The verdict: Google made some thoughtful decisions for mobile users for the Google+ service overall, but Huddle isn’t as intuitive as other group texting platforms. Read more »
