Skype not only patched a security hole in the Android client, it added 3G calling as well, which I’m testing as a primary voice solution. More Amazon tablet tidbits appear, lending credence to a new device soon. Meanwhile, the T-Mobile G-Slate Honeycomb tablet gets a review. Read more »
Matt and Kevin share hands-on impressions of three devices this week: the BlackBerry PlayBook from Research In Motion, T-Mobile’s G2X Android smartphone and the G-Slate Honeycomb tablet. Join them live for the podcast and you can participate in the show through the live chat room! Read more »
You could see this one coming from a mile away: Samsung has struck back against Apple’s patent lawsuit against it with a few of its own. The… Read more at paidContent »
There were 5 billion apps downloaded in 2010, with that number predicted to balloon to 21 billion by 2013. The infographic below details how… Read more at paidContent »
Note-taking service Evernote has released a major update to its Android app. It includes document sharing features that make it possible for web workers to use Evernote as a collaboration tool. Meanwhile, its competitor Catch has added a premium version that also includes sharing features. Read more »
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just hear the your social networking updates while working, running or driving? RadioMe, a beta application for Android devices, delivers just that. But constant audio powered by Twitter or Facebook may not be what some people want to hear. Read more »
From AT&T’s controversial proposed deal with T-Mobile to the ever-changing tablet landscape and the rise of near field communications, there were many stories to report from the first quarter of 2011. Here’s a look back at some of the key trends in the mobile technology space. Read more »
An updated Skype client for Google Android devices is available today with two notable improvements: a security patch and support for voice calls over 3G networks around the world, including the U.S. Could Skype be planning a data-only handset for voice calls over mobile broadband? Read more »
T-Mobile’s G-Slate, the newest Google Honeycomb tablet, arrives April 20 for $529. The 8.9-inch tablet sits squarely in between the size of Apple’s iPad and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab. Is there room for such a slate, even if it offers both 3-D video and 4G mobile broadband? Read more »
It has been a magical few months for Instagram, a mobile photo-sharing startup. It has grown from nothing to more than 3.2 million users, and raised $7 million in funding. In this video, co-founder and CEO Kevin Systrom shares the story of Instagram. Read more »
What will it take to reinvigorate the venerable Sidekick brand? T-Mobile thinks it knows and has teamed up with Samsung on the Sidekick 4G. My teenage son reviews it on video and is impressed. Me too, since the device has solid hardware and runs Google Android. Read more »
Apple is apparently also tweaking its App Store rankings to factor in more than pure download numbers, a welcome sign if true. It could be an attempt to mimic what Google’s done with the Android Market, which now appears to take into account engagement data. Read more »
This week brought news of several hot new Android handsets: one is already available online, while the other two will arrive soon. With dual-core processors, high definition video capability and fast connections, these will help drive the Android “army” which grows by 350,000 devices each day. Read more »
Love it or hate it, Google’s Android platform continues to storm the mobile market with 350,000 device activations per day. That annual run rate now rivals all iOS devices sold by Apple in its first three years. Here’s a timeline of how Google accomplished it. Read more »
Sprint launched the fourth green-themed phone for its customers and its first eco-friendly Android phone. Called the Replenish and made by Samsung, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse showed off the device during an event with the Commonwealth Club on Friday afternoon in downtown San Francisco. Read more »
Google — already facing heat on accusations that it is exerting more control over its Android platform and stymieing competition in some cases — is dealing with new antitrust complaints from two Korean Internet companies that claim Google is blocking operators and manufacturers from pre-installing their search engines. Read more »
T-Mobile is launching its first dual-core smartphone in the G2X, a 4G-capable Android 2.2 handset. I took an early video look at the graphical prowess of this LG-build phone back in January, and you can see the benefits such a chip brings to the smartphone. Read more »
iOS is gaining back some ground on Android in smartphone market share, according to Millenial Media’s Mobile Mix report released Thursday. The report also found that Apple’s mobile platform is still the most lucrative for paid app developers by a considerable margin. Read more »
RIM will launch its much vaunted and eagerly awaited Blackberry PlayBook on April 19. In this review, I take a look at the 7-inch tablet and how it stacks up against its rivals, the iPad and the Honeycomb Android family of tablets. Read more »
As more family members begin using smartphones, mobile software and web services, isn’t it time we used them to help us better manage our family lives? These apps are the first I’ve found to help keep my family working together for events, location and shopping lists. Read more »
Google has worked out carrier billing with Sprint, which should be rolling out in the next few days to all Sprint customers using Android devices. That could help boost software sales in the Android Market, as consumers prefer carrier billing to other methods. Read more »
The launch of the Playbook tablet is a big moment for Research In Motion boss Mike Lazaridis — his company’s attempt to take on the iPad. But the attention is all going the wrong way today, after the BBC revealed how he walked out of an interview. Read more »
Cloud computing, a surge of smartphone growth and increased wireless connectivity have created an ideal environment for the introduction of the media tablet — a consumer-grade device best suited to leisure-based computing activities such as gaming and social networking. This report forecasts the media tablet market, which is expected to grow at a 54 percent compound annual growth rate over the next five years. We forecast revenues and regional growth, including China’s growing importance in the market, and provide a competitive analysis of tablets from Cisco, Research in Motion, Apple, HP and others. Additional companies in this report include Samsung, Dell, Microsoft and Motorola. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
News of HTC’s latest smartphone brings yet another mobile video store for rentals and purchases. Unlike apps, which are very platform specific, content shouldn’t be dependent on a device brand or processor. The video industry needs to wake up and finally free up mobile media. Read more »
A long-awaited update to Nokia’s Symbian operating system improves the browser and keyboard on existing handsets, and the company is launching two new smartphones. Ovi Store downloads are up 25 times from a year ago. If this continues, Nokia might not need Microsoft after all. Read more »
The HTC Sensation 4G, just announced for T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network, seems to have it all: a dual-core CPU; large, high-resolution display; and high-end camera for 1080p video recording. Topping it off are two key software features in an updated HTC Sense and HTC Watch. Read more »
With the launch of its first iPhone app today, 8tracks users can now listen to the company’s personally curated mixtape-style playlists on the go, but the company is also growing up. It’s raising capital, moving headquarters and hiring a full time staff. Read more »
Many who are developing apps and services for mobile devices don’t pay much attention to the innards of the networks themselves. But we should be paying attention to all the underlying networking technologies, mostly because it helps us think about what these front-end services can do. Read more »
Samsung’s successful strategy of designing one solid smartphone paid off for the Galaxy S, which sold 10 million units last year. Now, the Galaxy S II is due to arrive in the U.K. on May 1 and it’s loaded with everything a handset needs in 2011. Read more »
After teasing with Android tablets in January, hardware makers are finally launching products. Three new models were announced this week and the Wi-Fi editions are priced less than Apple’s iPad. The $249 Nook Color e-reader is still a bargain and about to gain its own apps Read more »
Acer’s answer to the iPad 2 will cost $449 and is now available for pre-order from Best Buy in the U.S. Hardware specifications are only part of the equation, and Honeycomb has room for improvement, but this pricing gives consumers a reason to consider the A500. Read more »
A new report indicates that 8.8 million tablets are now in use at small and medium businesses in the U.S. The majority are surely Apple iPads, given that competing devices are just now appearing. Three new Android features for enterprise from Google could help Android adoption. Read more »
Barnes & Noble has picked up the pace to turn its Nook Color device into a full-fledged Android tablet on the cheap. The $249 e-reader will soon see an updated version of Android and the company is now accepting third-party applications for its software store. Read more »
Google’s VP of engineering Andy Rubin hit back at a recent Businessweek article suggesting that the company was exerting much more control over mobile operating system. But in defending Android’s openness, Rubin seems to be setting the company up for more stories questioning Android’s openness. Read more »
Is Nokia’s Symbian operating system relegated to a historical footnote by 2015? Research firm Gartner thinks so, but Nokia’s transition to Windows Phone 7 could take a few years and Google’s Android platform isn’t yet entrenched in the low-end segment just yet: Symbian may survive longer. Read more »
Samsung’s 7-inch Galaxy Tab has long been tied to carriers due to the integrated mobile broadband radio but Samsung is finally introducing a device free from carrier contracts. Priced at $349, the Wi-Fi device launches on April 10 and includes an internal storage boost to 32GB. Read more »
Google is hoping its new, tablet-friendly version of Android can help it become a major player in the mobile enterprise. For that to happen, though, it will need to continue to move to fix its fragmentation problems. Read more »
Within the next five years, smartphones will account for more than one-third of all handsets sold worldwide, thanks largely to platforms like Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. This research covers the global handset platforms market for the period between 2011 and 2015. We first examine the factors contributing to this worldwide growth, from a slowly recovering economy to the rise of technologies like 4G and LTE. Regional factors affect growth, too, and our research includes a forecast for the following areas: the Americas; Europe; the Middle East and Africa; and Asia-Pacific. Forecasts are on a global and regional basis for the most important platforms: Android, Apple iOS, BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows Mobile. Companies mentioned in this report include Apple, Google, Nokia, Research in Motion and Microsoft. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
As mobile apps become more sophisticated, they can be preferable over their desktop counterparts: fully functional, but faster and easier to use. Two major computer makers recognize what this means: the potential for huge disruption through a subtle merger of traditional desktop computing and mobile platforms. Read more »
We’re down to the last 10 days of the U.S. tax season and that means many procrastinators are either panicking or are calmly filling out their extension form. This list of five mobile apps can help you quickly file or prepare your taxes before the deadline! Read more »
