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android-apps

It wasn’t just here in the U.S. and it wasn’t just iPhone users; the mobile app obsession has gone global and is now bigger than ever. Here’s a look at some of the most interesting statistics involving the abundance of mobile apps we devoured this year. Read more »

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IOS, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 have collectively hit 991,524 apps available in their stores with the big million unit milestone set to be reached in the next day, said an analytics firm. It’s a reminder of just how big this modern app market is. Read more »

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Apple and Microsoft are reportedly poised to support NFC next year in their handsets, according to a report from Digitimes. Apple’s support of NFC could be especially helpful for the nascent technology, helping expose it to a mainstream audience. Read more »

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One in every two smartphones sold in the world is an Android device, according to Gartner, which said that Google’s mobile platform has doubled its share in the past year and surged to a 52.5 percent smartphone market share worldwide in the third quarter. Read more »

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The Kindle Fire isn’t just getting attention from consumers. Developer interest is on the rise, making Amazon’s new device the top Android tablet developers want to code for in North America, just a few points behind where the iPad debuted, according to a new developer survey. Read more »

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Nokia eked out a decent third quarter based on strong feature phone sales, helping the company beat analyst expectations. But the real challenge awaits next week, when Nokia unveils its first Windows Phone 7 device, which will show how its bet on WP7 is faring. Read more »

anotheros

The race in mobile has defaulted to Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems, but that hasn’t stopped Samsung from thinking about open-sourcing Bada, or Microsoft from pushing ahead with Windows Phone 7 and a partnership with Nokia. But do we need another mobile OS? Read more »

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The Mango software update will roll out to existing Windows Phone 7 devices starting today and should get to all devices within a matter of weeks. It sets up Microsoft to finally get into the smartphone game in its second year with WP7. Read more »

Windows Phone 7.5

Windows Phone 7 is increasingly catching the eye of smartphone buyers but awareness is still a major hurdle. The NPD Group reported that while Android is the top choice of smartphone owners, 44 percent of current and upcoming smartphone owners are considering purchasing a WP7 device. Read more »

Windows 8 Start Screen

Microsoft and Intel unveiled initiatives Tuesday that show how the Wintel partners are trying to separately navigate a new post-PC world. Microsoft unveiled Windows 8, which will work on ARM-based tablets and computers while Intel announced a partnership with Google to optimize its chips for Android. Read more »

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Windows Phone 7 sales have been slow, but Microsoft is steadily building up the platform with more apps and features. The latest is the ability share a mobile broadband data connection in the Mango software update, but it appears carriers will have control over its use. Read more »

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Microsoft’s hardware requirements for Windows Phone 7 Mango devices will add support for front-facing cameras, and Skype will support them. To help broaden the appeal of Windows Phone 7 smartphones, Microsoft should deeply integrate Skype into the platform and consider adding unique services. Read more »

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Nokia introduced the next major version of its Symbian platform, called Belle, on Wednesday, in addition to three new handsets that will run it. Although there’s some innovation, particular around NFC support, Belle will look familiar to Android owners: more homescreens, better widgets and pull-down notifications. Read more »

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Group messaging and conversation apps are everywhere these days. But despite all the competition, a new entrant with a less-is-more approach and emphasis on privacy might be just what some users are looking for. That’s exactly what the new iPhone app Glassboard offers. Read more »

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Microsoft continues to push its game service on Windows Phone 7 as a key differentiator from other platforms. In addition to the Mango improvements hitting Microsoft phones soon, the Xbox Live experience is gaining four new functions, including Parental Controls and in-game add-ons available for purchase. Read more »

Subscriber Content

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Google rocked the mobile world on Monday, August 15, with the news that it will buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, marking a 63-percent premium for the handset manufacturer. It’s a move that ushers Google into the exclusive club of companies that control both the hardware and software elements of their smartphone offerings, and it will enable Google to design handsets that are more closely integrated with Android. However, the deal doesn’t come without its risks, and it remains to be seen just how it will affect other handset makers, competition from Microsoft and the crucial patent issues currently surrounding Google. Companies mentioned in this report include Apple, Research In Motion and Samsung. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »

App Store

Since 2007, Apple has led the way in a tightly integrated mobile product, combining hardware, software, ecosystem and IP. Competitors have taken notice because four of the six main mobile platforms have followed; the latest is Google’s purchase of Motorola. So where does this leave Microsoft? Read more »

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Google wants to “supercharge” Android with its acquisition of Motorola Mobility, but what exactly does that mean? Some think we’ll see Google try to provide a hardware/software platform combo to rival Apple, but there are a few big reasons why that won’t happen anytime soon. Read more »

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Matt and Kevin are back with the weekly podcast, this time sharing hands-on impressions of Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 Mango software update. Plus thoughts on the new Acer A100 7-inch Honeycomb tablet, HP’s TouchPad and Research In Motion’s smartphone strategy with several new handset models. Read more »

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Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 platform is set to improve with Mango, a software update coming soon. I’ve spent some time with Mango on my smartphone, and it didn’t take long to impress me. Microsoft has a tough road ahead due to competition, but Mango will help. Read more »

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Chris Weber, the newly appointed head of Nokia North America, is confident that his company, along with his former employer, Microsoft, has what it takes to compete with Apple and Google. He said Nokia-Microsoft could take advantage of the fragmentation in the Google Android ecosystem. Read more »

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Microsoft is looking at speech technology in the Mango update of WP7 to help the platform get back into the smartphone game. But with Apple also positioned to announce Nuance technology in iOS 5, it shows that speech is becoming table stakes in the smartphone wars. Read more »

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Nokia’s transition to Microsoft Windows Phone 7 will cost Nokia far more market share and profits than it will ever gain by dumping the Symbian operating system, according to Tomi Ahonen, an ex-Nokia employee turned analyst. But his blame on Stephen Elop, Nokia’s CEO, is unfounded. Read more »

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Fujitsu is launching a smartphone that doubles as a handheld Windows 7 computer. While the idea of a full computer in your pocket sounds attractive, this device strikes me as the worst possible combination of brands for a mobile device that runs for two hours. Read more »

Boxing, CC licensed from Flickr user Claudio Gennari

Walking the smartphone tightrope was always going to be tough for Nokia, stuck between its struggling Symbian platform and upcoming Windows Phone models. But after warnings about its performance, the company has now revealed its numbers for the last three months — and they don’t look good. Read more »

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