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Are 500M Androids a success or no? Call me “maybe.”
It used to be iPhones at every turn, but now there are plenty of Android sightings. That makes sense since there are now 500 million Android devices activated since 2008. That’s more than total iOS devices, however, Google hasn’t yet monetized its broad Android base. Read more »
Did you hear that? A billion smartphones shipping by 2016
The smartphone boom that began with iPhone and captured fire with the release of Android-based devices is going to hit a fever pitch soon and by 2016, DisplaySearch expects a billion smartphones to ship, making me wonder if there will be a need for feature phones. Read more »
Samsung says Jelly Bean update for Galaxy S III in October
photo: Samsung
Samsung isn’t known for speedy Android software updates, but it’s apparently making an exception for its fastest selling phone, the Galaxy S III, which recently surpassed 20 million in sales. The company said it would start the Android 4.1, or Jelly Bean, software update in October. Read more »
Google goes big with free Wi-Fi campaign
photo: Flickr user Suttonhoo
Boingo and Google have been gradually expanding a free Wi-Fi experiment across the country, using a sponsorship model to open up public hotspots to consumers. But today they scaled big, announcing 4000 new hotspots in the program. There’s a catch though: it’s not available to iPhones. Read more »
Simple Nexus 7 mod enables 720p video recording
The lack of a rear camera on the Nexus 7 disappointed some and even the front camera is limited. The sensor is 1.3 megapixels, but only captures VGA video. Adding a few lines of code to a rooted Nexus 7 changes that to 720p video. Read more »
Nasuni says it gives smartphones first class access to enterprise data
Nasuni, the startup that built its business bringing secure unified cloud storage to mid-sized businesses and companies with remote branch offices, is attacking the BYOD problem with new support for iPhone and Android devices, says CEO Andres Rodriguez. Read more »
Ads on Kindle Fire HD tablets: Bad news or just business?
Amazon’s new Kindle Fire HD tablets are impressive and aggressively priced, but unlike prior Kindles, you can’t pay extra to turn off the special offer ads. Business models are clearly changing to reflect the new digital economy, but has Amazon gone too far this time? Read more »
Android this week: 3 new Droid Razrs; Tablet sales up; Galaxy S III on a roll
What’s normally a quiet time turned into a busy week: Before the new Kindle Fire HD tablets launched, Motorola introduced three new Razr phones while Samsung touted its Galaxy S III sales figures: 20 million to date. Android tablets sales are on the rise too. Read more »
Daily Android tablet sales nearing 40% of iPad sales
The common belief that “there’s no tablet market, just an iPad market” may be changing. Based on the number of daily device activations, the gap between Google tablet sales and those of Apple’s iPad is closing. Improved software and the Nexus 7 tablet are likely reasons. Read more »
EyeEm revamp heralds semantic phase in photo-sharing wars
With the photo app’s new ‘Discover’ feed pulling context from an impressive variety of sources, and with monetization plans including an entry into the stock photo business, we may be seeing evolution past the focus on art filters. Read more »
Watch out tablet-makers, Amazon’s new Kindle Fire tablets are hot!
Tablet makers: Amazon just put you on notice with several new products, all of which are low in price and high in content. The new Kindle Fire HD line brings high-definition to Amazon’s tablets as well as an innovative, but limited, 4G LTE plan. Read more »
Galaxy S III is a global hit: 20 million sold (and counting)
Samsung’s Galaxy S III continues to sell at a torrid pace…. for an Android device. Surely the new iPhone will outsell this one handset, but the success of the Galaxy S III shows that the gap between Android and iOS is lessening over time. Read more »
Focused on healthy growth, RunKeeper sets its training plans free
Which is better for a mobile app: short term revenues or long term relationships with a growing user base? RunKeeper thinks the latter is better over time and it can monetize later. The exercise tracking app for smartphones dropped fees for its training plans. Read more »
Kobo takes aim at Amazon with two new e-readers and a tablet
Though most eyes are on Amazon’s Thursday press conference, Kobo is angling for early attention with its announcement of two new e-readers and a new 7-inch Android tablet called the Arc. How do the devices stack up to the competition? Read more »
With rumored phone, Amazon wants to be on all screens
photo: Amazon
Amazon’s press event could bring more than a new tablet and e-reader: A smartphone may be shown as well. It makes sense because consumers don’t just buy products, they buy ecosystems. And Amazon has one that it can extend to the small screen of a smartphone. Read more »
Motorola goes big and small with Razr line-up
photo: GigaOM
Motorola, now owned by Google, unveiled a trio of Razr devices that are big and small. The Razr HD and Razr HD Maxx offer big 4.7 inch screens with large batteries while the Razr M goes for a smaller profile but a big screen and battery. Read more »
Nokia’s Lumia transition is complete. Will it pay off?
With new Lumia handsets, Nokia’s transition plan is effectively complete. While the company worked hard to get here — and it shows in the new hardware and software — the road ahead is still long as Nokia asks consumers to switch away from iOS and Android. Read more »
That was quick: Galaxy Note II for T-Mobile coming soon?
Having just launched the Galaxy Note six weeks ago, could T-Mobile be readying the Galaxy Note II? Aside from the original phone out of stock on T-Mobile’s website, a leaked screenshot and product name indicate that T-Mo could go big with the new Galaxy Note II. Read more »
RadioShack goes mobile, starts reselling Cricket service
photo: Flickr / bekathwia
RadioShack joins the ranks of the mobile virtual network operators, partnering with Leap’s Cricket Communications to resell its prepaid smartphone and feature phone plans. The deal both expands Leap’s retail presence and allows RadioShack to sell service plans, not just handsets. Read more »
Samsung strikes back: Galaxy S III outsells iPhone in U.S.
photo: Samsung
Samsung hit a billion dollar setback in the courts against Apple in August, but that same month it sold the top smartphone on 3 of the 4 big U.S. carrier networks. The Galaxy S III beat out the iPhone 4S, making for a good sales battle. Read more »
Russia may get its own national flavor of Android
Umpteen hardware and software brands are re-making Android in to their own mobile operating system, scrubbing any trace of Google. Russia’s government could be the next to jump aboard. Read more »
Without a Galaxy Note, Verizon outs 5-inch Intuition by LG
Having passed on the popular 5.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Note, Verizon Wireless will sell the Intuition by LG later this week: A 5-inch Android 4.0 handset that blurs the lines between smartphone and tablet. Will consumers like the 4:3 aspect ratio or will it be a turn-off? Read more »
Zite’s new Android update ditches support for large-screen tablets
photo: Zite / Google Play
Personalized tablet magazine Zite is releasing a large upgrade to its Android app Tuesday afternoon. Among the changes: The end of support for large-screen Android tablets, enhanced sharing options and bug fixes. Read more at paidContent »
China’s iOS, Android growth up more than 400% in last year
The rate at which Android and iOS-powered mobile devices are being adopted worldwide is far outpacing that of any other technology. That growth is being driven by purchases outside of early-adopting markets. The most dramatic growth is in Asia, South America and the Middle East. Read more »
MobileTechRoundup podcast 275: Samsung now in Apple’s Galaxy of patents
First up in this week’s audio podcast: Apple’s landslide court victory over Samsung and what it could mean to Android. Next, some impressions of the Galaxy Note 10.1 and thoughts on some upcoming events and potential device announcements, plus the slick features in Sony’s new Reader. Read more »
Android this week: Apple v. Samsung; Nikon Android camera; $15 Nexus 7 case
The week ended badly for Samsung, but did it do the same for Android in general? Perhaps, since Apple’s patents protect navigation features used by all Android devices. My new Nexus 7 case and Nikon’s Coolpix S800s camera with Android uses patented features too – uh oh. Read more »
Video look at the useful $15 Blurex Nexus 7 case
Can a $15 tablet case really be any good? After just one day with the Blurex Ultra Slim case for Nexus 7, the answer is yes. Aside from protecting the tablet, it gives full access to all controls and offers three viewing angles in landscape. Read more »
Report: Verizon to sell LG’s 5-inch phone as the LG Intuition
After selling 500,000 units of its Optimus Vu, LG is reportedly partnering with Verizon to bring the 5-inch smartphone to the U.S. The timing is odd, as is the phone’s 4 : 3 aspect ratio, given the success of the Galaxy Note and its coming soon successor. Read more »
Android apps make Nikon’s Coolpix S800c a smarter digital camera
Combining two products into one doesn’t always make for one that’s better, but Nikon is onto something here by adding Android 2.3, Wi-Fi and a touchscreen to its latest digital point-and-shoot. Instead of using Nikon’s imaging software, you can download the app of your choice. Read more »
Say hello to “GoNote”, an Android laptop you won’t likely want
Taking two successful products and combining them has to make one even better product, right? Not necessarily. Case in point: The $234 GoNote available in the UK. It crams Android 4.0 into a very low-end laptop and suggests that it’s just right for students. Not likely. Read more »
iZettle goes to Android, lays out a challenge to Square and its rivals
Swedish payments startup iZettle is the leading European rival to Jack Dorsey’s Square. And now that the Scandinavian company is adding Android support to its arsenal, the potential for conflict between the two companies just got a lot bigger. Read more »
How to get a telepresence robot without NASA’s budget
Don’t have the $2.5 billion budget that Nasa spent to design, build and launch the Mars Curiosity rover? For a fraction of the price you can virtually be in two places at once thanks to telepresence robots for every budget, including those using iPads or smartphones. Read more »
Move over Galaxy Note, LG’s 5-inch smartphone goes international
LG is taking a page out of Samsung’s playbook with the Optimus Vu: A 5-inch Android smartphone that doubles as a tablet. LG is launching the phone internationally next month but it could be a tough sell due to the wide form-factor and aspect ratio. Read more »
Jolla says its MeeGo handsets will run Android apps
Jolla, the mobile startup staffed by former Nokia executives who want to keep the company’s MeeGo software alive, says it will use existing technology to bring in apps from other platforms — including Android. Will it be enough to boost the plucky company’s fortunes? Read more »
How much better is GPS over Wi-Fi positioning? Yelp knows
Global positioning systems provide better location accuracy over solutions that use Wi-Fi networks, but just how much better is GPS? Yelp sifted through its check-in data to see and not only found out the accuracy variance, but also an interesting location tidbit on iPhones vs Androids. Read more »
Why the Google Play experience will soon rival iTunes
After months with a sub-par user experience, the Google Play store is gaining needed improvements. Application updates comprised of just changed code now helps limit mobile broadband use while gift cards and wishlists are coming soon, per the latest version of Google Play. Read more »
Dolphin Browser proves it’s ready for an HTML5 future
No mobile browser has passed through the first two hurdles in the Ringmark test, a tool created by Facebook that checks for a wide range of HTML5 support. That is, no mobile browser until now. The most recent beta of Dolphin Browser for Android just did. Read more »
Martian watch brings Siri and voice calls to your wrist
A number of connected watches have hit — and been funded on — Kickstarter lately, but the newest doesn’t just show information from a smartphone; it works as a hands-free speaker phone. The watch also supports voice commands so you can use it directly with Siri. Read more »
The Apple Roundup: Trial judge again calls for peace between Apple & Samsung
Here’s our daily pick of stories about Apple from around the web that you shouldn’t miss. Today’s installment: Apple-Samsung judge wants CEOs to try to settle, the truth behind smartphone market-share numbers, Office won’t be Retina-ready any time soon, and a refresher on Apple’s patent strategy. Read more »
