The BlackBerry Messenger application (BBM) is making its way from BlackBerry devices to both the Google Android and iOS platforms this summer.

The announcement reveals that iOS and Android users will be able to download and use the app for free.

The application will first debut with only core BBM functionality, which will then extend to other aspects of the BlackBerry system later in the year.

Among the apps features are BBM chats, multi-person chats, voice note sharing, and BlackBerry Groups with message and file sharing between up to 30 members.

According to BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins, ”we’ll bring voice, screen share, and of course, channels later on.”

Heins says the launch date for BlackBerry Messenger is “subject to approval by Google Play and the Apple App Store.”

BBM is compatible with iOS 6 and devices running Android 4.0 and later.

The BlackBerry Messenger platform has been an integral part of the company’s platform for years and opening it up for use outside of BlackBerry devices might signal the company’s rumored move towards software only development. According to Andrew Bocking, executive vice president of  software product management and ecosystem at BlackBerry:

“For BlackBerry, messaging and collaboration are inseparable from the mobile experience, and the time is definitely right for BBM to become a multi-platform mobile service.”

More than 60 million monthly active users currently take advantage of the BlackBerry Messenger service, and more than 51 million of those users engage with BBM for an average of 90 minutes per day. With more than 10 billion messages sent each day with BBM, now seems like the perfect time to massively expand the BlackBerry Messenger apps reach.

With many companies now providing “bring your own device” support, the move to allow cross-device BBM use could help some business users stick with their familiar BlackBerry-based smartphones and maybe even try out BB10.

Will you be downloading BlackBerry Messenger when it arrives for iOS or Google Android?

BlackBerry Messenger Coming This Summer To iOS, Android Platforms is a post from: The Inquisitr

We’ve heard it a million times, and yet another study claims that Apple’s iOS still beats the better selling Google Android OS in terms of overall web usage.

The analytics guru’s at Piper Jaffray studied US mobile web traffic in April 2013 and found that iOS controls a 69 percent market share, up from 66.4 percent in March 2013.

The Jaffray study also finds that Google Android now commands a 28.7 percent market share for web usage, up from 26.5 percent in March 2013.

According to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster:

“For the second straight month in our tracking of the data, iOS gained on Android as a source of mobile traffic. We believe the traffic data continues to demonstrate that iOS is not only the leading platform in the US, its users are generally more engaged with their mobile devices.”

Munster examined traffic from the following 10 mobile websites: Answers.com, Tumblr, ChaCha, Examiner, LinkedIn, Bleacher Report, Hubpages, White Pages, Squidoo, and Dictionary.com.

The final result was simple: Apple and Google are gaining ground at the expense of Windows Phone, BlackBerry, and other mobile platforms. The study found that other mobile platforms have fallen from 4.9 percent market share to 4.5 percent.

Interestingly, the study found that the usage gap between iPhone and iPad users has continued to shrink. While iPhone users represented 60.3 percent of traffic in March 2013 and iPad users represented just 39.7 percent of the company’s mobile web traffic, the iPad jumped to 41.7 percent in April 2013.

With more Android devices appearing on the market every week and Apple shares slipping, the remainder of 2013 will be an interesting time for investigating Apple’s shrinking stranglehold on the mobile market.

Apple iOS Still Kicking Android Butt In Terms Of Mobile Usage, Study Finds is a post from: The Inquisitr

A new market share study from the team at comScore claims that Apple is winning in the US smartphone market while Google Android is helping the search giant win in virtually every other country.

According to recently acquired data, Apple’s smartphone market share increased from 36.3 percent in Q4 2012 to 39 percent in Q1 2013. The same survey finds that Google Android devices lost US market share, slipping from 53.4 percent to 52 percent over the same reporting periods.

Apple has continued to receive increased interest in the United States while Google Android smartphones appear to have peaked in 2010.

BlackBerry 10 and Windows Phone devices are not fairing well at this time; however, as we learned from their quick fall from grace, customers are willing to jump ship in a heartbeat if a new piece of technology captures their imagination.

Apple, in the meantime, is dealing with a slow release schedule, which leaves more than one year between major updates to both its iOS platform and iPhone hardware.

In a chart representing the shift in mobile dominance, Horace Dediu at Asymco explains Google Android’s growth in the US mobile market compared to other OS’.

Notice in the Asymco chart that third place competitor BlackBerry also managed a slight increase, more than likely do to the one million plus Q10′s the company is believed to have sold in Britain and its home country of Canada.

With the HTC One already selling and customers clamoring at the chance to own a Galaxy S4, it will be interesting to see what this market share study has to say about the mobile space when 2013 draws to a close.

iPhone Dominates In US As Android Wins Internationally is a post from: The Inquisitr

Research firm IDC believes the Google Android tablet market is besting Apple iPad shipments. The study focuses on Q1 2013 shipments in which the research firm says 56.5 percent of the market was dominated by Android. The company’s study claims that Apple achieved a 40 percent marketshare. 

In third place, the IDC study claims that Asus managed to best Amazon as the third largest single vendor with a 5.5 percent share. If that number is correct, Asus has managed 350 percent year-over-year growth.

While those numbers are impressive, the study focuses solely on “shipping” units and not on the actual number of end-user sales. Apple has long claimed that it only ships enough devices to fulfill immediate orders. Android manufacturers, on the other hand, tend to ship millions of extra devices in an attempt to flood the market. In Q1 2012, Samsung told press reporters that it has shipped 2.3 million Android tablets. Then, during its Apple patent lawsuit, Samsung revealed just 1.2 million tablet sales when asked by a federal judge.

Even if 70 percent of all Android devices have actually been sold, Apple would still lead the market based on sales.

The IDC report focuses on every brand of tablet, even knock-off and local tablets that feature the Google Android OS.

While Google Android devices might be shipped more often, it is the Apple iOS platform that still dominates ad impressions, internet access, app downloading, and various other connected metrics. It is those metrics that have led many analysts to believe Apple is still dominating between 60 and 80 percent of the tablet market.

Sales “share” and shipments “share” are too very different things, and, while Apple is sure to lose some of its market as more competitors emerge, the market is still being left wide open.

The IDC study does not adjust for seasonal sales. Some companies such as Amazon receive most of their tablet orders during seasonal periods, most specifically during Q4.

While Apple may very well be losing market share to the Android tablet market, the IDC study does note that Apple is still the single largest tablet vendor with more than 40 percent of market sales.

Apple Tablet Shipments Lose Ground To Android is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Apple iPad tablet has once again taken  the top spot for consumer satisfaction. The team at J.D. Power and Associates ranked the iPad at the top of its 2013 US Tablet Satisfaction Study.

J.D. Power spoke with 1,857 tablet owners who owned their devices for less than one year. Apple devices finished on top of the survey for both tablets and smartphones.

The win for Apple is the second year in a row for its tablet category win. J.D. Power and Associates started the survey after tablet sales skyrocketed, thanks in large part to the Apple iPad tablet line.

The Apple iPad scored 836 out of a possible 1,000. That score was just good enough to edge out the Amazon Kindle Fire, which scored a 829 out of 1,000.

Both the iPad and Kindle Fire scored well above the industry average of 822. Following behind the top device were Samsung (822), Asus (818), and Acer (784).

Each of the tablets in the J.D. Power And Associates tablet survey were combined to determine the best tablet. The survey’s factors included performance, ease of operations, styling, design, features, and cost. J.D. Power ranked overall performance at the top of its list.

The Apple ipad also scored at the top of the J.D. Power’s Circle Ratings. Apple scored a five on the industry-best rating; other manufacturers scored three or less.

The study also found that tablet owners who share their devices with other users are significantly more happy with their tablet purchases.

J.D. Power and Associates also discovered that tablet owners tend to surf the internet more on their tablets than their smartphones.

With an Apple iOS tablet fighting neck-and-neck with the an Android-based tablet it looks as if customers are finally leveling the playing field.

Apple iPad Wins J.D. Power And Associates Tablet Satisfaction Survey is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google on Friday began to restrict auto-updates from outside of its own Google Play store. Before the restriction was put into place. popular apps such as Facebook Home could roll out updates to users without Google Play access required.

Google claims the move will help improve overall security for Android Apps by placing the upgrade path back into the Play Stores control.

In response to its decision, Google released an updated terms of service (TOS), which added new wording to its “Dangerous Products” section. In that section, the company’s policy now reads:

“An app downloaded from Google Play may not modify, replace or update its own APK binary code using any method other than Google Play’s update mechanism.”

The new restriction is placed in the same section reserved for malware, viruses, and other harmful software and hardware issues.

While the idea behind the restriction is sound, the move does block many legitimate apps that use automatic updates for testing and other purposes. For example, Facebook Home pushes out small updates to a small subset of users. If the Facebook Home updates go over well, Facebook rolls them out to users on a large scale.

Some legitimate apps that allow for updates outside of the Google Play Store did so to quickly fix security issues and other problems with their apps.

Facebook must now remove the functions that allow for automatic updates outside of the Google Play Store. We are not sure at this time how long Google is giving developers to remove the restricted updating.

Google Bans Auto-Updates Outside Of Google Play Store is a post from: The Inquisitr

A new piece of malware discovered in the Google Android Play store has been downloaded millions of times. The malware is part of a grouping of questionable Russian developed clone apps. Despite the questionable materials, the apps featuring the BadNews malware have been downloaded repeatedly.

Security firm Lookout has discovered 32 different apps from four separate developer accounts that feature the BadNews malware.

The firm believes that the malware has been downloaded two to nine million times, although determining the full number of downloads and infections is hard because of the Android App ecosystems fragmentation.

The security firm notes that some of the apps may have been developed by honest developers who simply chose bad ad networks that passed along the malware.

Google uses its Bouncer software to constantly scan apps for malware; however, BadNews made it past those scanners by posing as an ad network and then passing along malware via its various ad spots. The developer didn’t turn on the malware via remote code until it had been downloaded millions of times.

So far, Lookout says it has found two things that the program appears to do:

• Fakes alerts encouraging you to download other infected apps as well as things things like AlphaSMS, which hijacks your phone and silently signs it up for premium SMS services
• Sends your phone number and unique device i.d (the IMEI) back to the malware’s mothership

If you think your Android smartphone may have been infected, you can check a full list of known affected apps and then determine your next set of actions.

Do you think Google Android apps need to be more closely monitored to ensure tricky developers can’t so easily steal user data and sign them up for expensive and unwanted services?

New Google Android Malware Has Been Downloaded Millions Of Times is a post from: The Inquisitr

Archos has made the leap from Android Tablets to Google Android-based smartphones. The company on Friday debuted three new entry, mid, and high-end smartphones.

The new Android-based devices include the Archos 35 Carbon ($99.99), Archos 50 Platinum ($219.99), and Archos 53 Platinum ($249.99).

Archos plans to launch all three smartphones in Europe sometime in May. The devices do not require a contract, which may make them a more attractive offering given their relatively low price structure.

The company’s mid-range Archos 50 Platinum features some nice options including a 5.0-inch full black IPS display that is powered by a quad-core CPU running a 1.2GHz processor and 8 megapixel camera. The company claims that that the Archos 50 Platinum offers end-users an “experience similar to the Samsung Galaxy S3 for half the price.”

The Archos 53 Platinum, in the meantime, offers a 5.3 inch screen, while the Archos 35 Carbon pushes out a much smaller 3.5 inch display.

“The smartphone market is shifting, as SIM-free sales versus subsidized sales are increasing, and Archos is prepared to respond, as we can offer retail channels affordable, unlocked and feature-rich smartphones without the need to subsidize,” said Loïc Poirier, CEO of Archos, in the statement. “Furthermore smartphones and tablets are interrelated markets that have quickly crossed over with the arrival of ‘phablets’ — half-phone, half-tablet devices. It only makes sense that this should be our next phase of products as this would be a natural fit for our brand and long term growth.”

Here are the company’s three devices for comparison purposes:

All three smartphones operate on the Google Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean OS, and they support 3G speeds but lack 4G LTE compatibility. The devices also feature Dual SIM card slots,cloud storage, and both rear and front-facing cameras.

Google Android is still dominated by the Samsung Galaxy S line of smartphones, and the HTC One has finally released in the US. The real question will be whether or not consumers are willing to give an untested line of smartphones a chance.

Archos Debuts Google Android Smartphone Line is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google will use its ownership of Motorola Mobility to create smartphones that feature the stock version of Google Android, stronger build factors, and smaller device sizes. d

In an interview with PC Mag, company design chief Jim Wicks says the company is following the doctrine of “better is better” and not “bigger is better.”

Wick goes on to further his company’s stance on smartphone size:

“Certain people like a large screen, but there is a sweet spot for consumers that we’re currently exceeding in the market … There are some people that like a big display, but there’s also a lot of people that want something that’s just about right.”

The company plans to focus on simplicity in design alongside narrow bezels, scratch and drop resistance, and other straightforward design offerings.

Wicks calls the mobile OS that will be used an “unadulterated version of Android.” Wicks adds, ”From a software and UI perspective, our strategy is to embrace Android and to make it the best expression of Android and Google in the market.”

The new Google based Motorola smartphones will offer only a small line of devices available across a wide range of carriers. Originally, rumors pointed to Motorola creating various devices that would be offered exclusively to specific wireless carriers.

Speaking of the company’s approach Wicks proclaims:

“We are going to try and drive a more singular expression of our brand across multiple carriers … It’s a fundamental change in model.”

So what exactly is the “perfect screen size?” A leaked shot of the alleged Motorola X Phone showcases a 4.8-inch display with Gorilla Glass 3 and Google Android Jelly Bean.

News of Motorola’s focus on build quality arrives at the same time that Samsung is rumored to be examining steel body designs in place of its current plastic build found on the new Samsung Galaxy S4 and prior smartphone devices.

Motorola Smartphones To Feature Smaller Sizes, Stronger Builds, And Stock Android OS is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google chairman Eric Schmidt has announced that 1.5 million Google Android devices are now activated every single day. The former CEO of Google also says that more than one billion Android devices will likely have shipped by December 2013.

Google Android has witnessed a meteoric rise. In September, Google announced 1.3 million units per day, and, in June, that number sat at just 900,000 devices. Google is now shipping more than double the number of daily Android devices compared to its 700,000 milestone in December 2011.

Speaking at the Dive Into Mobile conference Eric Schmidt says that Google’s biggest hope is that it can soon hit the $100 price point for smartphones. Schmidt believes that lowering the cost of his company’s devices will ultimately bring the “next five billion people looking to get connected” into the fold.

Smartphones are expected to drop in price over the next two years, and, according to Schmidt, “As long as memory requirements don’t massively increase, these devices will trickle down.”

During his speech, Schmidt showcases just how far Google Android has come by loading the newest version of Google Android on the OS’ first ever smartphone: the T-Mobile G1. Schmidt showed off the device and then told those in attendance: ”It actually works… it’s just a little slow.”

Eric Schmidt says Google’s two biggest hurdles will be pricing and capturing the smartphone browser market. The Google chairman says developing parts of the world need broadband access that is reliable and cost effective.

Do you think the lowering of smartphone prices and new advances in mobile data technology can help usher in a worldwide expansion of the smartphone and mobility market as a whole?

Google Android Activating 1.5 Million Devices Each Day, 1 Billion By December is a post from: The Inquisitr

An Android antitrust lawsuit is complaining about Google giving away the Android OS for free.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie will be the next big iteration of the Android operating system. Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie rumors say the next major release of the Android operating system by Google will happen some time in 2013. No exact details have been released but it’s expected to use the faster Linux 3.8 kernel and bundle in several new features. Google is also working on the Google Glass, which will incorporate the Android OS and can be used in all sorts of interesting places.

Ironically, Microsoft is leading the charge in the FairSearch initiative comprised of 17 companies, including Nokia and Oracle. The Google Android antitrust lawsuit is being filed with European authorities and the companies are asking they launch an antitrust investigation into Google’s dominance of Internet usage on mobile devices. They argue it’s unfair for Google to bundle so many apps with its free Android OS, much in the same way Microsoft was successfully sued for bundling Internet Explorer with Windows.

Thomas Vinje, the group’s Brussels-based lawyer, specifies the reason for the Google Android antitrust lawsuit:

“Google is using its Android mobile operating system as a Trojan horse to deceive partners, monopolize the mobile marketplace and control consumer data. … Android phone makers who want to include must-have Google apps such as Maps, YouTube or Play are required to pre-load an entire suite of Google mobile services and to give them prominent default placement on the phone. … Google’s predatory distribution of Android at below-cost makes it difficult for other providers of operating systems to recoup investments in competing with Google’s dominant mobile platform.”

At this point you’re probably wondering, “If Google makes everything free, then how do they make money?” The open source Android operating system could be called a loss leader. Google makes its vast amount of money through advertising and a percentage of every app sale on Google Play.

The Google Android antitrust lawsuit strikes at the heart of open source software in general. For example, Linux is technically free and the runs the vast majority of servers, but companies that make the distributions make money by offering services to install and maintain the Linux servers.

Do you think the Google Android antitrust lawsuit is fair to complain about Google giving away software for free?

Android Antitrust Lawsuit Complains Google Gives Away OS For Free is a post from: The Inquisitr

There are plenty of reasons someone could need a disposable number from Burner App. Perhaps they are an international man of mystery; more likely they just went on a date with someone and they aren’t sure if it will work out. In any case, the disposable phone number solution is now available for Google Android smartphones.

Burner launched in August 2012 for the Apple iOS platform and quickly became a favorite for number burning customers.

The app is really simple to use. Just push the “Create Burner” button, pick an area code, and choose which number your new burner should forward to. Click one more button, and you’re ready to go. The secondary number connects to your phone via its real number. The Burner app can be used to send and receive calls and texts.

Each new customer receives one free Burner number and then the app charges $2 for 3 credits. Those credits provide users with a “Mini Burner,” which lasts for 7 days, 20 voice minutes, or 60 texts, whichever comes first.

Customers should be warned that, while Burner provides anonymity, it does store user information. That means police can still grab a user’s info with a subpoena. The company is careful to remind users that it is a legally operated US business.

Burner is a profitable platform that has been sitting at the top of the iOS App Stores utilities charge for months.

In releasing its first Google Android app, the team at Burner also updated its iOS app with improved notifications for missed calls and voicemail. iOS customers will also notice better call history management and the ability to customize your voicemail greeting.

You can pick up the Burner app at no charge from the Google Play store.

Now go off into the night and prank call your friends. Then let us know what you think of the Burner app.

Burner App Launches For Android, Provides Disposable Phone Numbers is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Facebook Home platform will be officially released on April 12 through the Google Play Store. In the meantime, the new “Facebook phone” interface has leaked in APK form.

The build, pulled rom a pre-release HTC First ROM, is said to be buggy and incomplete (Chat Heads are not working). Despite issues with the build, users are downloading the product for a quick preview.

Facebook Home’s new build will work on devices with a maximum resolution of 1280×768 pixels, and it requires users to uninstall their previous Facebook app. The old app must be uninstall since the APKs are re-signed and can’t install over top of existing installations. Unfortunately, because of the setup, devices with Facebook install in the base ROM are excluded. On the other hand, the leaked APK means some Android smartphones not receiving the Facebook Home setup can still be used.

The leak consists of 3 APKs, which can be downloaded here: Main Facebook app (katana), Integrated-with-your-SMS Messenger app (orca), and Home / Launcher ‘shell’ app (home).

Users with a baked in Facebook ROM can still use the APK setup with root access and some more advanced hacking methods.

To install the 3 APK files, visit the APK store and download the “APK Installer.” Next download the files to your Android device by plugging it into your computer and moving the files into your smartphone’s downloads folder. Launch the APK Installer app and go from there.

Once you have downloaded and installed the platform, you can use the options menu to hide or default to notifications.

User beware: If you decide to install the SDK files, they were signed with test keys, which can present a direct security risk. You can resign the APKs with your own private key for security purposes.

Are you going to use the Facebook Home app when it releases on Friday?

Facebook Home APK Leaked Ahead Of Friday Release is a post from: The Inquisitr

But what would happen if Facebook built an actual home out of brick, pipes, and electrical wires?

The team at The Joy of Tech imagine what a Facebook Home would look like in real life.

From the home’s foundation to a dying squirrel in the home’s front yard, The Joy of Tech team really does think of everything.

Would you like to live in a Facebook Home?

Facebook Home In Real-Life, A Humorous Look At A Socially Built House [WebComic] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kids these days are technologically advanced. 1-year-olds figure out how to move around iPads, 9-year-olds are developing computer programs, and teens are getting in all types of digital trouble. Now a new Kickstarter project known as the MiiPC is attempting to allow parents to follow their possibly mischievous children around the web.

The MiiPC is a Google Android powered PC that keeps track of all online browsing and the content children are coming in contact with.

The MiiPC connects to most computer monitors or TV screens, allowing parents to track internet usage by way of a mobile powered app.

Running on the Google Android OS the platform allows each family member to access their own separate desktop account, thus ensuring monitoring matches the child.

The platform monitors both website visits and app usage, the perfect way for parents to tell if their child is doing homework for school or goofing off with Candy Crush Saga.

If your child won’t get off the device when told the MiiPC offers a remote logout option and the ability to prevent future logins.

Parents also gain access to a log of online use that can be controlled in real-time.

Apparently parents really want to make sure their children are safely browsing the internet, the MiiPC reached its $50,000 funding goal in less than 24 hours and has now achieved $108,062 at the time of this posting.

Here is a video of the MiiPC:

Money earned so far has come in the form of 750 backers. There is still 40 days remaining in the Kickstarter campaign.

The MiiPC is available through Kickstarter at the very reasonable price of $99. The devices won’t ship until August but you can get your order in now and be at the front of the line.

Are you interested in the MiiPC and its ability to track internet usage for your children in real-time?

MiiPC Runs On Android, Monitors Web Activity Of Children is a post from: The Inquisitr

Apple Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller doesn’t give a lot of interviews, but, when he does, it is usually no holds barred . The Apple VP spoke about user acquisition rates and claimed that users flock form Google Android to Apple iOS based devices at four times the rate of Apple to Samsung turnover.

Schiller explains to the Wall Street Journal that he Google Android users are becoming increasingly miffed with the platforms fragmentation, which often leaves users with outdated smartphones before the lifecycle of their devices have come to an end. Schiller also claims that Android users have a “poorer user experience.”

Not surprisingly, Phil Schiller decided to attack the Google Android OS platform just days before the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone will be unveiled.

Schiller continued to play on the offensive by questioning various reports which recently claimed that iOS users were losing their loyalty to Apple. Many publications have focused on a lack of popular features from Apple, specifically the company’s late arrival to 4G LTE and its still lacking NFC support.

While Schiller admits that Apple devices are outsold by the Google mobile OS, he also notes that Android devices are often given away for free or at deep discounts. Schiller also points out that Samsung lists “shipped devices” numbers and not actual sales.

Schiller also noted that recent studies have shown that Apple iOS users are far more likely to spend their mobile time on the internet when compared to Google Android users.

Schiller’s view of Apple’s user dominance appears to be over shadowed by investors. Apple has witnessed large declines in market share over the last year as the Samsung Galaxy III continues to maintain strong sales even following the release of the Apple iPhone 5.

Do you think Apple is sinking to Google Android, or will the Cupertino company’s OS ultimately win the smartphone war?

Apple’s Phil Schiller Attacks Android OS, Says Users Flock To iPhones is a post from: The Inquisitr

A new study by the team at web video network provider Ooyala has found that Apple iOS users are still dominating the video viewing space. According to IDC statistics, Apple users account for 67 percent of mobile traffic viewing times spent on web videos compared to Android devices with 33 percent of the market.

Apple dominates the space despite the fact that 68 percent of all smartphone shipments are Google Android- based compared to Apple’s 19 percent market share.

While the numbers are skewed in Apple’s favor, it should be noted that Ooyala examined “time spent” viewing videos and not the number of videos actually viewed. The study may show that Apple users simply choose to watch longer video. The study could also show that Google Android users choose to navigate the internet in different ways compared to iPhone users. For example, Google Android users may visit Facebook more than YouTube or spend more time using Google Maps than YouTube. The study unfortunately does not delve into overall mobile usage statistics.

Another theory for the skewed Apple numbers is that Android sales have actually been much weaker than originally reported. Google Android manufacturers report shipped units, while Apple shares information pertains to actual device sales. In the recent Apple versus Samsung lawsuit, the tech firms were ordered to reveal actual sales numbers. While Samsung shipped 62 million smartphones, its sales were listed at only 21 million units from mid-2010 to mid 2012.

The skewed shipment numbers could mean that Apple’s 19 percent share of the mobile market in North America is also incorrect. In fact, based on Samsung’s shipped versus sales figures, Apple could control closer to a third of the US and Canadian markets.

Regardless of actual sales figures, one fact appears to be constant among mobile traffic studies: Apple users continue to absorb internet hours at a much faster rate than Google Android users. That fact is not a good sign for Google considering the company released Android free of charge as a means to buoy its internet usage statistics across all of its platforms.

iOS Users Dominate Mobile Video Views, Study Finds is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google CFO and Senior VP Patrick Pichette spoke at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference this week and admitted that Motorola smartphones are lacking the “wow factor” found on devices from other manufacturers.

According to Pichette, Google plans to have Motorola up to its design standards within five months. Pichette says Google during the acquisition of Motorola Mobility realized there was already an 18-month product pipeline in place. Google has not been able to influence Motorola’s legacy devices in the pipeline much, which explains why they are still behind the times.

According to the Google CFO:

“We’ve inherited 18 months of pipeline that we actually have to drain right now, while we’re actually building the next wave of innovation and product lines.”

At this time, Google does not believe that Motorola smartphones feature anything that is “wow — innovative, transformative.”

Pichette further notes that going through such a transition on a massive scale is not an easy process. The company is dealing with thousands of employees while trying to infiltrate a culture that was built-up over decades.

Google has been careful to play down its Motorola acquisition. When the merger was first announced, many Google Android partners were worried that Google would favor Motorola over other Android manufacturers. However, since the acquisition, not a single Motorola smartphone has rolled out under the Google Nexus brand. Instead, Google has allowed LG, HTC, and Samsung to create its line of Google branded devices.

It should be noted that, during the merger request, Google promised to keep the Android OS open and free for at least five years and ensure fair competition among its already established partners.

At this time, it is believed that the Motorola X phone will be the first “Google-inspired” smartphone to be manufactured through the new partnership. The X-phone is believed to include Google service integration that has never been used on other phones.

In the meantime, Google continues to push the boundaries of modern technology. The company is moving full-speed ahead with its Google Glass project, has developed a very capable autonomous vehicle, and is constantly working to develop new cloud-based platforms with little to no charges for customers.

Google CFO: Motorola Phones Have No ‘Wow’ Factor is a post from: The Inquisitr

RadioShack posted a loss of close to $140 million in 2012, but Joseph Magnacca, the company’s new CEO, believes he can turn it around, and he’s giving himself 100 days to turn in a plan that will do it, The Dallas Morning News reported on Wednesday, February 27.

Magnacca didn’t specify what his next steps would be following the 100-day-deadline, but he did outline some of the areas where he would be looking to cut losses and increase profitability.

In a conference call with analysts, Magnacca rebuked his company’s focus on wireless business, stating that “some of the heritage we had inside our business” may have been lost.

According to The Dallas Morning News report, profit margins for products like the iPhone 5 and Android-platform smartphone devices are low and have been weighting down the company’s performance despite a somewhat successful holiday push with Google Android phones.

An unsuccessful partnership with Target has also held RadioShack back, and according to Dorvin Lively, executive vice-president and CFO for the company, that is now “winding down.”

(Analysts have estimated the partnership resulted in approximately $37.5 million in operating losses for RadioShack.)

Magnacca said he wanted to focus on products with higher margins as well as the “do-it-yourself” customer.

Lively added that some products receiving more attention from the company will include iPhone and smartphone accessories, which showed a 2.2 percent increase in 2012 to $1.3 billion.

The improvement ended a yearly decline dating back to 2008 for this category.

Reuters noted RadioShack may also have to close stores and sell businesses if its fiscal house isn’t in order by 2014.

Fourth-quarter results revealed a $139.4 million loss on overall sales of $4.26 billion.

Do you think RadioShack will be able to come out of its losses without closing additional stores?

RadioShack CEO Sets Deadline (For Himself) is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Samsung HomeSync TV box used the mobile heavy MWC event in Barcelona to debut its new Android-based TV box.

The HomeSync device can sync multiple devices at one time while providing private store for all of a users content. The device features a decent 1TB hard drive and provides up to eight accounts per household.

The Samsung HomeSync also provides instantaneous uploading and downloading of content to all connected devices on its hub.

The Android-based TV box also features file encryption and user-specific ID and password access so users can choose to keep some files private as they deem necessary.

Along with storing data, the Samsung HomeSync also offers streaming of content directly from a users Galaxy device via wireless connectivity. The streaming option, which offers full 1080p HD, provides access to a devices home videos, photos, and apps.

Thanks to the TV box’s Android connectivity, users are also given access to the Google Play Store where they can download apps. Users can then interact with their app choices via the TV box and through its device syncing capabilities.

The Samsung HomeSync features plenty of video support including H.264, H.263, MPEG4, VC-1, Sorenson Spark, WMV7/8, MP43, VP8, and DivX.

The TV box also offers audio support for MP3, AAC LC/AAC＋/eAAC＋, WMA 9std/10pro/Lossless, FLAC, Vorbis, AMR-NB/WB, Wav, Mid, and AC-3.

The Android TV box will be available in April 2013 starting in the US. Pricing has not yet been revealed.

Will you be picking up the Samsung HomeSync TV box when it officially arrives?

Samsung HomeSync TV Box Debuts At MWC, Delivers Android Capabilities, 1TB HDD is a post from: The Inquisitr

Apple lost its dominant footing in the online ad impressions space for smartphone and tablet markets in 2012, according to a new study by mobile ad network Millennial Media.

The company’s tracking data for the mobile market found that Apple increased its ad impressions by 72 percent year-over-year. However, Samsung’s Galaxy S series witnessed an increase of 182 percent. While Apple still controls a 15.59 percent share of the global ad impressions market, Samsung’s 4.24 percent share is a large advance for the company. In comparison, the BlackBerry Curve line drove 3.91 percent of the global marketplace.

Both Apple and Samsung witnessed approximately a five percent increase across Millennial’s network.

The study also found that the once dominate Apple iPad line commanded only 58 percent of the global tablet market. The combined Google Android market, in the meantime, took in 41 percent of the global sector.

Apple has fought an uphill battle for market dominance in the tablet space as Android partners continue to emerge. Reaching their own levels of success in 2012 were the Amazon Kindle Fire, Acer Iconia, and Motorola Xoom (although on a less prominent note). Apple also fought against the Google Nexus tablet line and the Samsung Galaxy Tab series.

Despite increased competition in the tablet space, it was smartphones that accounted for 75 percent of overall ad impressions, up from 68 percent in 2011.

Still holding on for a small piece of the ad impressions pie were non-phone and non-tablet devices such as e-readers which made up 20 percent of the global ad impression space. Non-tablet devices actually increased their 2012 share by five percet of the overall market.

Apple Smartphones And Tablets Lose Ad Impression Ground To Android Devices is a post from: The Inquisitr

The HTC One is the smartphone manufacturer’s flagship device for 2013, and it will soon arrive in the United states.

According to HTC Source, the  Google Android-based smartphone will go on sale March 22.

Formerly named the HTC M7, the AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint-bound device will cost just $199 on a two-year contract. At that price level, HTC customers will receive 32GB of mobile storage space. For an additional $100, customers can pick up a 64GB option.

The new HTC One smartphone features a metal unibody casing that will be made available in both black and silver/white versions.

Features on the smartphone is an LCD display that supports native 1080p resolution with a display of 4.7 or 5-inches diagonally.

The HTC One is running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon Pro quad-core processor with a clocked speed of 1.7GHz. The move to Qualcomm is a departure from HTC’s 2012 flagship smartphone the One X, which features a Nvidia Tegra 3 processor. The Tegra 4 processor will not be ready for production until July 2013.

In anticipation of the new smartphone, the official HTC website is running a countdown clock alongside a few teaser images for the new Google Android phone.

The HTC One will be fully revealed by the smartphone manufacturer at an event on February 19.

Hands-on demonstrations for the HTC One are expected at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

European smartphone buyers will be able to grab the flagship Android device on March 8.

Do you plan on picking up the HTC One smartphone, or do you have your eyes on the Samsung Galaxy S IV or yet another Apple iPhone?

HTC One Launching March 22 For US Market is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Umano news app offers readers a curated selection of articles which are read by voice actors. The app, which launched a few months ago for iPhone users, is available for Google Android smartphones.

The app showed up fairly late in the release process considering it was designed by former Googler Ian Mendiola and his team at SoThree. The developers rushed to complete their Google Android build after they realized that many people at their release event were using Android-based smartphones.

Just like its iPhone counterpart, approximately 20 articles are chosen each day by the Umano team and then read by real voice actors to give each article a natural feel that surpasses robotic counterparts.

The Umano Android app is divided into six categories: Entertaining, Must Know, Geeky, Entrepreneurial, Inspirational, and Scientific

Umano does not have partnership deals with any publishers, but Mendiola says that, “if content owners would like their content taken down, we’re happy to work with them.”

Umano also comes equipped with several platform-specific features including Google+ integration and rich notifications. The app also features easy playback controls that are included in app notification popups.

The Android app does not yet include the playlist and offline download features found on the iPhone version of the news reader.

Eventually, the Umano team hopes to add personalization features to the Umano app, which will allow developers to choose user specific playlists for later use.

Will you take advantage of the Umano news reader app when you’re driving to work or just driving around town?

Umano News Reader App Launches For Google Android is a post from: The Inquisitr

Online storage and collaboration company MediaFire has announced its first Android app, and, with that announcement, the company is giving users access to 50GB of free online data storage.

According to MediaFire CEO Derek Labian:

“Users today demand the tools to not only access their content on the go, but do many of the same tasks traditionally performed on desktop computers. Whether it’s accessing their personal files or important business documents, the new MediaFire for Android app provides desktop capabilities in a mobile experience, allowing users to quickly and securely store, backup, organize and share all their personal and work data anywhere, anytime.”

MediaFire’s Google Android app joins the company’s already competent offering which includes iOS apps for iPhone and iPad devices.

Files uploaded from the app are stored on MediaFire’s secured servers and are then accessible via mobile apps and through a users desktop and internet browser.

MediaFire provided The Inquisitr with the following list of features found on its new Android app:

• Keep all your important files at your fingertips

• View documents, spreadsheets, presentations, video, and listen to audio

• Take and upload pictures and videos directly in the MediaFire app

• Upload Android gallery images

• Create and manage folders of files

• Share files on the go via email, SMS, links and through other Android apps

• Quickly search all your MediaFire files and folders

Android users can download the new app HERE.

Will you be taking advantage of the new MediaFire app for Google Android?

MediaFire Launches Android App, Gives Users 50GB Free Storage is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sony has unveiled the Xperia Z mobile phone, set to be released this March. It debuted at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Xperia Z runs on Android software and is Sony’s attempt to compete with the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy technology.

The Sony Xperia Z is waterproof and dust resistant, submersible in liquid up to 3.3 feet (1 meter) for up to 30 minutes. For those with a propensity to lose a cell phone to an accidental toilet or bathtub drop, this might be the next phone for you. Its body is composed of a sleek glass-fiber polymer metallic material frame and anti-shatter glass.

The Sony Xperia Z has a 5 inch (12.7cm) full HD 1080p display, 13 megapixel camera with HDR video support, along with the following:

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, 1.5 GHz Qualcomm quad-core processor (Snapdragon™ S4 Pro quad-core processor), Bluetooth 4.0, HD voice, GPS, 4G LTE, 2GB RAM, 16GB integrated memory with microSD card, and a NFC chip. The NFC chip allows owners to play back video on their TV simply by tapping the phone against it.

President and CEO at Sony Mobile Communications, Kuni Suzuki says:

“With Xperia Z, we are bringing over half a century of innovation in TV, imaging, music, film and gaming to create a super-phone experience that truly stands out. With great specifications, Sony’s media applications, one-touch functions and outstanding battery life, Xperia Z is well positioned for leadership in the smartphone market. By putting smartphones at the heart of our strategy, Sony is enabling people to create, enjoy and share content and experiences like never before.”

Sony Unveils The Waterproof Xperia Z Phone is a post from: The Inquisitr

COMMENTARY | The Nvidia Project Shield is an interesting amalgamation of technologies that allows this portable Android gaming console to bridge the game between Android, console, and PC gaming. But what if attempting to cover so many bases is a mistake in of itself?

Investors so far are not that impressed with Nvidia’s announcement of Project Shield at CES 2013. According to Barron’s, “shares of Nvidia (NVDA) are down 9 cents, or 1%, at $13.06, reversing pre-market gains, after the company last night introduced the fourth version of its Tegra application processor for tablets and smartphones, and also said it would begin selling its own video gameconsole running Google’s (GOOG) Android software.” But this does not necessarily mean that Nvidia will fail in their efforts. It just means that investors have not yet had time to analyze the data and conclude what Nvidia’s financial prospects may be for this new venture.

According to Anandtech, Nvidia’s open approach to software should allow gamers many choices in how they use their Project Shield:

“On the software side of things Project Shield is running what NVIDIA is calling ‘pure Android’, which in this case is presumably a reference to them not doing any skinning/customizations, ala MotoBlur, TouchWiz, and other OEM customizations. This means that Project Shield is capable of running standard applications (something NVIDIA made sure to demo) and is otherwise usable as a standard Android device. Meanwhile NVIDIA’s Shield application is where gaming takes place, effectively launching users into NVIDIA’s own sandbox, where gamers can pick up Shield-optimized games from the TegraZone store and then run them on the device.”

Gamasutra believes that Nvidia is attempting to cover all the current tech trends by bridging the gap between Android, console, and PC gaming. While Nvidia obviously sees this strategy as a strength, Gamasutra believes that riding the fence and not optimizing for one approach will be Project Shield’s downfall:

“Nvidia is attempting to combine the best of both worlds, but it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll better the competition in either trend. You could argue that it would be tidier to own an Nvidia Shield rather than both an Ouya and a Steam Box. That may well be the Shield’s saving grace, and if Nvidia can get the hardware out to the public — and prove the device is worthwhile — before Valve has the time to make a move, then it could be a viable option. As of now I’m incredibly skeptical, and most likely the Shield is going to be non-news by the time the next round of consoles has been revealed.”

Their biggest argument is that the Sony Xperia Play enjoyed limited success because most Android games are not optimized for controllers but instead are focused on using the touchscreen. This makes the controller interface a novelty and many Android gamers end up returning to their pocket smartphone in the long run as their primary portable gaming device. The Ouya gaming console faces a similar challenge and they are asking that game developers produce special ports of their games. But unlike Ouya, Nvidia has a long history in the gaming market and developers may support them better. In addition, the Project Shield still has a touchscreen while both Ouya and GameStick games must be ported in order to be played at all.

You might argue that the same could be said of Sony. But in the case of the Xperia Play I say that it was more focused on being a smartphone than a dedicated gaming console. The analog controls on the Xperia Play were very twitchy at best, while the Nvidia Project Shield should be more comfortable with most gamers. Of course, this could be seen as a knock against the Shield since I doubt it’ll easily fit into most pockets, but the same could be said of the Nintendo DS. The Xperia Play was almost too early to the market, as Android gaming really didn’t come into its own until last year.

Really, the long term success of the Nvidia Project Shield, and likewise the Ouya, rides on the willingness of Android game developers to support dedicated game controllers. Otherwise, like the Xperia Play, these consoles will wither on the vine. Besides gamer recognition, the biggest advantage that the Nvidia Project Shield will have over competitors like the Ouya is the wireless video bridging technologies that brings PC gaming to the home theater. While there are already wireless HDMI bridges out there the Shield will enjoy the benefit of being immediately useful while the Ouya will have to wait on game porting. In addition, I wonder if it’s possible to game on the Shield and use the PC for productivity/internet at the same time?

Do you think the Nvidia Project Shield will fail?

Nvidia Project Shield Set To Fail In Gaming Business? is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nvidia Project Shield will be Nvidia’s first foray into the portable Android gaming console business, and some people are already saying that it will be a failure. Similar to the Xperia Play by Sony Ericsson, the Project Shield comes with a high resolution screen built onto a gaming controller that operates very similarly to the Playstation 3 Dual Shock design.

According to Tech Spot, the Nvidia Project Shield is based on the new Tegra 4 mobile chip, and shares the clamshell design of the Nintendo DS, albeit without the bottom screen. Powering the device will be 38 watt-hours of Lithium-Ion battery cells, meaning that Project Shield will have what amounts to a tablet-capacity battery life of five to 10 hours.

The operating system is based on a streamlined version of Android, and thus unlike competitors like Ouya or the Kindle Fire HD it can play any of the games on Google Play. It’s got a MicroSD slot, 3.5 audio jack, micro USB, and HDMI capable of outputting up to 4K or Ultra HD resolutions. The Project Shield’s 5-inch screen is a touchscreen, and is capable of 720p display at 294dpi. If you’re complaining that it’s not 1080p, then you should read The Inquisitr’s article on the effectiveness of high resolutions on smaller screens. Wireless connectivity is also available, with WiFi for data and Miracast plus additional formats for video output.

Speaking of video output, the Nvidia Project Shield will be able to bridge the gap between PC and console gaming, bringing your PC games to your home theater system. According to Anandtech, by “leveraging the Video Codec Engine video encoder inside their recent GTX 600 video cards, Project Shield devices will be able to connect to PCs to do remote gaming. Project Shield will of course also be able to function as an endpoint for any cloud game service providers using NVIDIA’s GeForce GRID technology.”

Because Steam now has its Big Picture mode, the Nvidia Project Shield can be used to navigate the store without having to move back to your PC. The controller configuration is similar to the XBox 360 Controller for Windows so playing most new PC games should be a cinch. Speaking of Steam, Valve Software is rumored to be working on a Linux-based gaming console of their own and it’s possible Nvidia might find itself in competition with the largest PC digital distribution system in the world.

At this point NVIDIA has not announced hard pricing or availability, but we have been given guidance that “Project Shield will launch in Q2 at a price competitive with other mobile gaming systems and tablets.” But we might estimate that Project Shield might be priced somewhere around the $249 price mark by comparing against other competing products. Do you plan on buying a Nvidia Project Shield?

Nvidia Project Shield: Android Gaming Console Powered By Tegra 4 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google Android smartphone manufacturers have rolled out enough Android 4.0 devices and upgrades to push the OS towards a 40 percent share of the Android market.

News of the marketshare increase arrives just as Android 4.0+ users near ever closer to outnumbering legacy users. In fact,  4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and 4.1/4.2 increased in marketshare by 5.1 percent in the last month.

Google notes that most of its recent marketshare gains have derived from Android version 4.1, which climbed by 3.1 percentage points while 4.2 added 0.4 points.

Despite more smartphones sporting the Google Android 4.0 platform, the leader is still Android version 2.3 Gingerbread, which is installed on nearly 46.6 percent of all Android devices. Currently more than 500 million Android based products have been sold.  Google Android 2.3 numbers include versions 2.3 through 2.3.7.

While Google Android 2.3 still dominates the market, its numbers are down from 50.8 percent just one month earlier.

Despite Google Android 4.0+ making a big push for market space, 60 percent of Android devices are still installed with an Android version other than 4.0.

With marketshare numbers drastically changing in favor of new Android OS’, it appears that manufacturers may finally be getting a hold on fragmentation issues, which in the past caused long delays in the release of new mobile OS options.

Do you think Google Android updates will eventually start to roll out at faster rates as the platform continues to mature?

Google Android 4.0 Now Controls 40% Marketshare is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Apple iPad line of devices may still be the top-selling tablets on the market, but they are quickly losing ground to the Amazon Kindle and various other Google Android based tablets.

The team at Chitika Insights examined more than 100 million smartphone and tablet ad impressions from December 1 to December 27, 2012 throughout Canada and the United States. The firm found that tablet use among Amazon, Samsung, Google, and Microsoft gained a 5.5 percent market share over the same period. In the meantime, Apple iPad devices lost 7.14 percent of the market.

The Amazon Kindle Fire line saw the biggest improvement, increasing from 3.03 percent of the market to a 7.51 percent share. Samsung’s Galaxy tablets also witnessed a large jump from 1.38 percent to 4.39 percent. In third place was the Google branded Nexus tablet, which rose from a marketshare of just 0.92 percent to 2.04 percent. Even the struggling Microsoft Surface tablet line showed improvement from 0.17 percent to 0.40 percent.

The biggest loser in the study appears to be the BlackBerry Playbook, which decreased from a 0.68 percent ad impression share to just 0.02 percent.

While the Apple iPad line lost some market share, its 7.15 percent drop still leaves the company with a 78.9 percent stronghold over the tablet market.

In the coming weeks, Chitika expects Apple to increase its market share close to the 80 percent mark as new devices are used less frequently and current Apple users level the ad impression playing field.

Do you think increased competition in the tablet market will continue to chip away at the marketshare for the Apple iPad line of tablets?

Kindle Fire, Android Tablets Chip Away At iPad Marketshare is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google Android sales have dominated the worldwide mobile landscape for the last several years, and China is largely responsible for that dominance. According to research from Informa Telecoms & Media, China accounts for one-third of all Google Android handsets.

The research firm notes that two-thirds of handsets sold in China in the past year were powered by Google Android powered handsets.

In the United States where Google controls an 11% share, the company is expected to account for one out of ever two mobile phones purchased in 2013.

Malik Saadi, principal analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media, reveals:

“Despite the economic downturn, the global smartphone market is enjoying healthy growth and consumers are actually spending more to acquire more technologically-advanced devices. It is estimated that around 786 million smartphone devices were sold in 2012 (including the devices powered by non-certified variants of Android that are proliferating in China), which is 45% more than the total number of smartphones sold in 2011.”

The Chinese smartphone market experienced 85% year-over-year growth in 2012. While Android smartphones continue to exceed expectations in China, the Apple iOS platform has managed just a 5% market share in the country.

Analysts warn that Google Android’s market share will likely begin to falter by 2016 as more alternative mobile OS enter the market place. With Windows Phone 8 showing improvement over prior Windows mobile OS and Firefox prepping a low-cost HTML5 based alternative, the market is definitely shrinking. Android could also face competition from the BlackBerry 10 OS, which has so far received decent early reviews.

China Responsible For One-Third Of Smartphone Sales is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Japanese toilet company has created a Google Android-powered toilet that can provide heated seating, “butt showers,” and other hands-free operation all with the tap of a user’s smartphone display.

The toilet can play sounds and music, can be opened and closed with smartphone controls, and can even be flushed via the user’s smartphone.

Creating a modern marvel of porcelain is a huge step forward for Japan where many of the countries subways are still met with holes in the ground, a relic of old-fashioned Japanese toilet design.

The new Android-powered toilets are created by Japanese company Lixil and are being released under the model name “Satis.” The company will debut three models for the new smart-tech toilets in 2013.

The toilets are bluetooth-equipped in order to make them easily connectable for any major smartphone currently available on the market.

For “frequent travelers” to the toilets, users can set their own personal settings and even play music through a set of speakers located right on the commodes.

Home buyers of the toilets can even check electricity and water usage for the toilet to determine monthly operating costs.

If you’re fanatical about your toilet usage, the commode also provides a “toilet diary,” which provide visit lists and other information to keep users up on their health.

Perhaps a toilet that tracks your usage and plays music is a bit of overkill; then again, in a country where a hole in the ground constitutes an acceptable toilet, perhaps this is a move in the right direction.

Japanese Toilet Controlled By Google Android Smartphone is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Facebook Android app was updated on Thursday, bringing with it major speed improvements that make the app 200 percent faster than the previous version.

To drastically increase app speeds, the team at Facebook reworked the program from the ground up, removing HTML 5 support and instead focusing on native code found through the Google Android SDK (Software Development Kit).

Along with faster Non-HTML 5 speeds, SocialNewsDaily lists the following new additions:

• News feed and your Timeline load faster
• Photos open with a tap so you can quickly like and comment
• New Stories bar lets you see more stories without refreshing

Facebook’s biggest additions are faster load times and faster scrolling capabilities. However, the new app also features a New Stories bar, which only displays when new updates from your friends or pages are posted. The new bar shows users new updates as they scroll to catch up while reader older updates. Users can find the News Stories bar just below the navigation section on their mobile app.

Clicking the News Update bar will also bring the user back to the top of their Facebook app page.

The Facebook Android app is already being praised for its “neat and clean UI” and its “much faster” load times.

Facebook photo fans will particularly like the near instant access they receive for photo viewing, a feature that caused loading headaches on Facebook’s previous versions of its mobile OS.

You can use your Android smartphones update feature to receive the new Facebook Android app or you can download it from the Play Store.

Facebook For Android Gets Update, Now 200% Faster is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google Android in its pure form is susceptible to malware attacks and other various security issues. The team at Boston-based startup Optio Labs is attempting to avoid Android security issues by creating a custom version of the mobile OS that allows for Enterprise level protections.

The new Android for enterprise solution allows tech departments to control what can and cannot be accessed depending on location, network, or running apps.

Not only can the new Android OS display sensitive company data, it can be set to turn off texting, camera use, and other functions based on location. The latter feature allows companies to protect sensitive data that shouldn’t be removed from its current location.

According to Technology Review, by utilizing a Bluetooth beacon, the new Android OS can receive a cryptographic tether to a device for added security. The program could also use near field communications (NFC) to send secure information and in theory to “bump” information to fellow employees.

Jules White, co-founder of Optio Labs, explains:

“You can dream up just about any rule, it can be your GPS location, or an indoor location detection: when you are in this specific room you can use these apps and connect to this data, but the moment you walk out we will delete the data, shut down the apps, prevent you from getting access to them.”

By eliminating a user’s ability to install malware, while at the same type offering enterprise level encryption, the team at Optio Labs could find itself on the receiving end of many enterprise orders. In the meantime, the tech firm has already announced sales to several undisclosed systems integrators and smartphone manufacturers.

Optio Labs will see its first custom Android OS phones arrive to market in late 2013.

Optio Labs Creates Enterprise Version Of Google Android, Offers High-End Security is a post from: The Inquisitr

RadioShack will launch a new buy-one-get-one-free deal on Sunday that targets Google Android phones on the AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless networks. Customers who purchase the Samsung Galaxy S III or Motorola Droid Razr 4G LT will be given the option to choose from one of four other smartphones at no additional cost.

Customers will also receive RadioShack’s current offer, which involves $10 back for every $50 spent on products, a deal that runs through early January 2013.

AT&T Wireless customers who purchase the Samsung Galaxy S III will have the option to pick up the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket at no additional cost when activating or renewing a two-year contract.

Sprint Wireless customers can also receive a Galaxy S II at no additional cost with the purchase of the Galaxy S III. For Verizon customers, the S III will land an additional Galaxy Stratosphere II 4G LTE with no added fees. Verizon customers can also purchase the Motorola Droid Razr 4G LTE and receive a second of the same device at no additional cost.

Customers who purchase the Samsung Galaxy S III for AT&T Wireless, Sprint Wireless, or Verizon will also receive a $50 Google Play credit if they purchase their smartphone in-store. Online Verizon and Sprint buyers will also receive the same Google Play credit.

RadioShack continues to lead the way in terms of Google Android holiday sales, offering various deals for picking up the Samsung Galaxy S III with numerous Google and RadioShack supported sales.

Will you be taking advantage of the RadioShack BOGO Android sale?

RadioShack Launching BOGO Sale For Android Phones On Sunday is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Google Nexus 7 has been a huge success, and now Google and Asus have teamed up to produce more of the popular Android tablets.

According to BGR, Google recently approached Asus to order more units. Google had only expected to ship 2.5 million Nexus 7 tablets in 2012 but has since upped its expectations to 5 million units.

The 7-inch tablet has been largely seen as a cheap and capable alternative to Apple’s more expensive iPad and iPad mini devices. While the Nexus 7 started at just $199, the iPad mini’s lowest price option costs $329 and comes equipped with fewer features.

BGR believes that Google may have in fact surpassed the five million orders mark in order to ensure that the Nexus 7 is in mass supply for the holiday shopping season.

Google’s own reports have placed Nexus 7 shipments at one million tablets per month. Thanks to larger than expected orders for the Nexus 7 and other company products, Asus has posted its highest quarterly profit in four years.

The Google Android OS dominated 70 percent of smartphone sales in the last quarter. As more customers gravitate towards the Android OS, it is likely that they will also choose Android tablets over iOS options, a fact that might help explain the company’s increasing sales.

The Google Nexus 7 has become so popular that it recently received Ubuntu support courtesy of Canonical.

Throw in the Google Chrome OS, which is picking up speed with sold out notebooks, and you are left with a company on the verge of pure web and mobile domination.

Google Nexus 7 To Pass 5 Million Sales By End Of 2012 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google Android 4.2 users may have recently noticed a strange bug in the new mobile OS: the platform’s month of December is missing via the contacts applications. The bug, which was discovered this past week, is found in the latest version of Google’s OS.

The problem was found via the People contact app when users tried to enter a date of birth. As shown above, the calendar skips from November to January without any mention of December.

Both phone and tablet versions of the OS suffer from the same problem.

The bug has already been reported in the Android Bug Tracker and should be fixed via an update.

Google may choose to fix this newest mobile issue via a minor OS fix or via the next Google Android 4.2.1 update.

A user on the Android code site first discovered the issue on November 14, writing:

“Today I was inserting birthday of a friend in my contact list so that I can sync the birthdays in my calendar. I noticed that the December month is missing. When I pressed new event the calendar came but it was not having the option for the month December.”

According to The Guardian:

“This issue is known as an off-by-one mistake, where the array that’s used for the month references is zero-indexed, so it goes {0,1,2,3… 11}. But the month numbers go {1,2,3….12}. If you shift the index by 1, but forget to allow the highest value of the array to be 12 rather than 11, you’ll kill December.”

The issue currently affects people who try to add a birthday to their contacts calendar.

Android Jelly Bean Steals Christmas! Bug Accidentally Deletes December From Calendar is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Google Android mobile OS controlled 75 percent of the Smartphone market in Q3 2012. According to a new study by market analysis firm IDC, the jump in market share was a direct result of faltering market reach for Nokia’s Symbian platform and Research In Motion’s Blackberry mobile OS.

According to the study, Google Android smartphone shipments increased by 91.5 percent during Q3 2012. Apple, in the meantime, watched its Apple iOS shipments claim 57.3 percent of the smartphone market.

IDC  suggests that 181.1 million smartphones shipped in Q3 2012, a jump of 46.4 percent from one year earlier.

Based on current estimates, Google Android devices accounted for 136 million of those sales and iOS smartphones accounted for 26.9 million units sold.

Overall, Apple is believed to hold a 14.9 percent share of all smartphones currently on the market, up 1.1 percent from Q3 2011. Android is estimated to control 17.5 percent of the overall market based on end of Q3 numbers.

Suffering at the hands of Android and iOS was Symbian, which watched its share drop from 14.6 percent last year to 2.3 percent this year. The report also found that the Symbian-based smartphones were down 77.3 percent.

Research In Motion, in the meantime, now controls 4.3 percent of the market, more than half of its market share during the end of Q3 2011.

Microsoft has fared better, shipping 3.6 million units since the same period of 2011. While the Windows Phone OS has improved its market share, the company still only controlled two percent of Q3 2012.

In terms of market share by company, Apple still leads a quickly growing Samsung smartphone division.

Google Android Claimed 75% Of Q3 Smartphone Market Share is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Google Nexus 4 was revealed on Monday, despite the fact that Google was forced to cancel its official New York City press release in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy ravaging the area.

The device which features the new Google Android 4.2 Key Lime Pie OS is the first Nexus device to be manufactured by LG.

The Google Nexus 4 features an impressive 4.7-inch display that outputs at 1280 x 768 pixels of resolution. The smartphone is powered by a snappy 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and it impresses with an 8MP rear-facing camera.

The devices 8 or 16GB memory options are then supported by 2 GB of RAM, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, NFC and Bluetooth.

For users looking to connect via 4G LTE you’re out of luck. The Nexus 4 instead features only HSPA+ mobile data connectivity. The biggest advantage to the device however is likely the fact that it comes with a no thrills version of Google Android 4.2. One of the biggest complaints among many users is that OEMs tend to bloat out the Android OS with their own additions.

In terms of the devices physical design LG definitely borrowed its inspiration from the Optimus G which can be seen in the Nexus 4′s rounded edges with a slight curve.

The biggest plus for users might be the inclusion of wireless induction charging. Wireless charging is quickly becoming the new standard in device charging, however with most devices a separate connector and battery cover are required.

The LG Nexus 4 arrives on November 13 and will cost $299 for the 8GB version and $349 for the 16GB model.

T-Mobile customers will also be able to pick up the 16GB version for just $199 with a 2-year talk+data plan.

Google Nexus 4 Unveiled Despite Hurricane Sandy is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google Nexus 7 users who appreciate a nice install of Ubuntu are in luck. Canonical on Sunday announced a Linux distribution that can run on the Google Android powered tablet in place of the factory-installed Jelly Bean version of the Android OS.

Canonical is quick to point out that the installation is meant to promote the development of future Ubuntu iterations for mobile devices and not for general use.

The process according to the Ubuntu wiki outlines the installation process which includes starting with an unlocked Nexus 7 bootloader. Installing the distribution package also requires a computer that is already running Ubuntu and the Ubuntu Nexus 7 Desktop Installer.

Installation is a breeze (or at least it should be) and only takes about 15 minutes to complete.

The best part of the Nexus 7 Ubuntu install? Users can revert back to Google Android Jelly Bean if needed.

Ubuntu installs for mobile devices has seen a large push in recent times as more users abandon their traditional PC or desktop systems for smartphones and notebooks.

According to Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth, the future of Ubuntu installs will focus on battery life, numbers of running processes, and memory footprint.

Ubuntu Developers at this weeks Ubuntu Developers conference were encouraged to bring along a Google Nexus 7 tablet and prepare to install the newest version of Ubuntu for mobile devices.

This is hardly the first time the Nexus 7 has been hacked; last month developers managed to change the devices camera so it can shoot and record in 720P high-definition output.

Google Nexus 7 Tablet Gets Ubuntu Support By Canonical is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google Android tablets are quickly chipping away at Apple’s iPad dominance according to a new study released by Strategy Analytics. According to the research firm Apple is still the clear leader with 56.7 percent of tablet shipments but that number is down from a 64.5 percent share in Q3 2011.

Android took much of its market share from Microsoft and other tech companies who witnessed drop offs in shipments last quarter.

The tablet market was very healthy in Q3 2012 with 25 million units shipped, up 43 percent from Q3 2011. While manufacturers are shipping more tablets then ever before Strategy Analytics notes that the past quarter was the slowed in terms of tablet growth since the release of the original iPad.

According to the report Apple shipped 14 million iPad last quarter, Android tablets in the meantime shipped a still impressive 10.2 million units.

Android gained its market share after Apple tablet shipments increased by 29.2 percent since Q3 2011 while Android tablets increased by 41.3 percent.

Much of Google’s success has relied on the release of the Amazon Kindle Fire line of devices and its very own Google Nexus tablets.

Microsoft saw an increase to 400,000 tablets but its market share fell from 2.3 to 1.6 percent as the market grew at a faster rate than Microsoft sales increases.

Worse for the wear was Research In Motion who’s BlackBerry OS fell from 4.1 percent in Q3 2011 to just 0.4 percent at this time.

With Apple finally releasing the iPad Mini and Google prepared to announce the next Nexus tablet it will be interesting to see what type of market share each company earns by the end of 2012.

Android Tablets Gain Market Share But iPad’s Still Rule [Sales Research] is a post from: The Inquisitr

With the imminent Windows 8 releasing this Friday many people are questioning the impact that Windows 8 will have on the smartphone and tablet market. The question really is not whether Microsoft can make an impact on the smartphone market. It’s really a question of which company will first created a unified computing platform that is overwhelmingly accepted by the public.

What do I mean by unified? Let’s say in 3 to 5 years your smartphone is your ONLY computer. Never going to happen, you say? Let me pull out my crystal ball and predict how we might be using computing devices in the near future.

After fighting your way home by using augmented reality, when you reach your home or office you pull off your smartglasses and drop the smart-device-once-known-as-a-smartphone onto a docking station that wirelessly charges your batteries. This docking station provides wireless power via an electromagnetic field, WiFi 802.11ac broadband internet, Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, and Intel Wireless Display outputs high definition video to your large monitor (whether it be on your desk, built into the wall, or floating holograph style). The smart device’s Operating System automagically adjusts the Graphical User Interface to match the different input/output devices. In addition, due to the broadband internet connection, any software that is beyond the processing capabilities of the smartphone’s hardware can be provided through a cloud platform. When you’re done at the desk and ready to work in another room you pull out your LapDock or a tablet interface. But if you’re really in a hurry you can just use your SmartGlasses which also have the ability to project a transparent keyboard onto any surface.

But what about the gamers…who’d give up HD resolution graphics with all the settings maxed? That’s where a cloud service like Gaikai would come in. It was Java based and it streamed HD video and audio games. If your internet connection is good enough, like mine, you can’t tell that you are not playing the games locally. With Gaikai your PC could be ancient and you played the latest games at their max. For a smart device like we’re envisioning the only necessity might be a HD video decoding co-processor built into a docking station so that video rendering is smooth. Otherwise, the only other thing I’d want is a bluetooth Xbox 360 controller.

Sounds too SciFi? Most of that technology I just mentioned is already available or at least in the testing phase. The real question is when it will become widely available. I expect the transition to be complete by 2015/2016. Both Apple and Google are racing against Microsoft to reach this goal of a unified platform. But who will be the winner?

Google currently has the lead when it comes to being used on all platform types. Android 2.x was smartphone based and Android 3.x was tablet based. Android 4.x merged the two together. Keyboard and mouse support is already added, in addition to high definition video output (Lenovo announced near the beginning of the year the first smartphone, the K800, to use Intel Wireless Display). Chromebooks already provide much desktop functionality so I expect that Google will introduce desktop type functionality in the next Android releases while still keep compatibility with existing Apps in the Market.

Apple is right behind with the iOS. The iPhone and iPad use pretty much the same OS. Their difficulty is merging the Mac OS X with the iOS. But the Mac OS X has almost as many apps as Windows 8, which gives them an edge over Google once the operating systems are unified. CNET has an article describing the predicted actions of Apple.

Now Microsoft may be way behind on smartphone market penetration but obviously they’re dominant on the desktop. The question is whether they can leverage this to take over the smartphone/tablet market as well. The other possibility is that Google or Apple will leverage their leads in the mobile market to take over the desktop environment.

Microsoft will be the first to launch a fully unified OS with Windows 8. All Windows 8 Native Apps will be based upon HTML5 plus Javascript. This is perfect for being cross-platform, so eventually all Windows 8 Apps will function on desktop, tablet, and smartphone. The question is whether they will be optimized for switching between platforms.

Microsoft’s biggest issue is that they may scare off their desktop users. The new Metro interface is a huge departure from what people are used to. It’s been reported that Windows 8 does nothing but confuse first time users. But it’s also designed for touchscreens as the primary input device. I believe that Microsoft needs hardware manufacturers to quickly produce a hardware platform that functions like I described earlier in order for the advantages of a unified platform to be noticeable/useful.

Personally, I felt that Microsoft made a mistake with their decision to do away completely with the Windows 7 Aero desktop interface. As a unified operating system Windows 8 should have switched modes depending on what input/output devices are connected. For example, if I have a smartphone it would switch to a Windows 7-like desktop if I plugged it into a monitor with HDMI and connected a bluetooth mouse and keyboard. It’s kind of like how you can switch between the mobile and desktop versions of a website.

Microsoft’s biggest strength with Windows 8 is that it will provide backwards compatibility for all old Windows applications. If the smartphone version could do the same when plugged into a desktop dock I could easily see many people making the switch to Windows 8. So it logically follows that whichever hardware manufacturer provides a hardware platform to match the unified software platform then they would have an advantage.

While Windows 8 is earliest out the gate it still has some shackles holding it back from full acceptance. Who do you think will win the race to becoming the favorite unified operating system; Microsoft, Google, or Apple?

Windows 8: The First Unified Operating System is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone will soon receive the Google Android ‘Jelly Bean’ update in the United States. The Android 4.1 update was confirmed on Wednesday by Samsung; however, the company noted that the update is ultimately dependent on carrier support. What that means is that certain providers will push out the upgrade faster than others.

Samsung did not give an exactly release date, only noting that it will be rolling out “in the coming months.”

The US roll out follows this months international update, which starts with Poland and then spreads throughout Europe.

Samsung notes that the 4G model of the device, which will roll out in the UK on Everything Everywhere, will come already equipped with the Jelly Bean OS pre-installed.

Given the availability of the OS upgrade at the time of the 4G model roll out, there is a good chance that other UK Galaxy S III handsets will receive the software upgrade at the same time.

Samsung has recently announced system upgrades for various smartphones manufactured by the handset provider. Among devices receive Android updates are Tab 2 7.0 and 10.1, S II, Note, Tab 7.0 Plus, S Advance, S II LTE, Music, Chat, Ace 2, Beam, Ace Plus, Mini II, and S Duos.

Also bringing the power of Google Android 4.1 into the mix is the Galaxy S III Mini, which was announced just several weeks ago.

Are you excited to get your hands on the power of Google Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, or will you be sticking to your current Google Android install?

Samsung Galaxy S III Receiving Jelly Bean Update ‘Soon’ [Confirmed] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google Analytics is a great tool for discovering when new web browsers and mobile OS are being tested ahead of release. This week’s discovery showcases some users beta testing Google Android 4.2 “Keylime Pie,” the next iteration of the company’s uber-popular mobile operating system.

The Android Authority was delving through OS information when it stumbled upon the Android 4.2 notice in its analytics account, suggesting that Google is in final testing for the new OS.

The data not only revealed what is likely final testing for the OS, it also showed that it was being run on the Nexus 7, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Sony Xperia Arc S, and even the entry-level Samsung Galaxy Y.

There is no guarantee that the Google Android 4.2 OS will arrive on all of those devices, but it’s a good sign that Google is testing its new OS on lower-end options.

Several rumored devices were also featured, specifically the Motorola Occam and Motorola Manta devices. Trying out Google Android 4.2 on Motorola Mobility devices makes sense now that Google controls the company.

Android Authority claims that Android 4.2 information has been showing up on devices since August.

With the follow-up to Jelly Bean on the radar and Apple suffering its first major outcries against its mobile OS, now would be the perfect time for Google to capitalize on its technologies to attract Apple users over to its competent and always improving operating system.

Are you excited for the upcoming release of Google Android 4.2 Keylime Pie, or will you be sticking beside the Apple iOS offering?

[Image via Pocket-Lint]

Google Analytics Spots Some Devices Running Google Android 4.2 ‘Key Lime’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Steve Wozniak may be the co-founder of Apple Computer, but, when it comes to touting the company’s new iOS 5 platform, he says it’s really no different than the Google Android OS in terms of application use.

Wozniak hopped on SlashDot on Monday to answer questions about the new Apple mobile OS when he revealed no significant difference between the programs.

According to Woz:

“There are more than enough apps and they are generally the same quality on each platform.”

When asked if the similarity in “innovations” justified patent lawsuits that are almost always started by Apple, he responded:

“I wish that instead of all these lawsuits Apple was sitting down and cross-licensing with the other players. I would like my iPhone to be the best it could, even if someone else did some of the things first.

That statement couldn’t ring more true for millions of iPhone 5 users who are still without NFC, wireless charging, built-in advanced text messaging, and other features commonly found on devices from other manufacturers.

Wozniak was also asked if the “personal computer” was disappearing, to which he responded:

“The days of being fixed to a larger machine are over. It’s easier to throw an iPhone out the window than a Macintosh!”

Steve Wozniak literally flew to Australia so he could be one of the first people in the world to buy the iPhone 5; obviously, we know where his loyalties are still held. With that being said, it’s nice to see an electronics pioneer admitting that Apple needs to back off its crazy patent lawsuits and focus on differentiating its own mobile OS whenever possible.

Steve Wozniak: iOS and Android Apps Are Pretty Much The Same, Apple Needs To End Patent Lawsuits is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google on Thursday rolled out its newest update for Google Maps on Android. With the update users will find themselves with some new and useful features.

Announced via the Google Latlong blog Google revealed that the program now adds search capabilities while allow Android users to more easily move between Google Maps while operating various Android based devices when signed into their Google accounts.

The biggest update is likely the persistent search results and mapping history features. With the search feature users signed into a Google account with web history enabled will now see app auto-completing for entries if they have searched for them in the past on any signed in device.

On the mapping side the app now displays a user’s mapping search history and directions history. Users can also still choose to save certain locations such as “home” and “work.” Saved locations also now pop up when the search function is used.

As always the Google Maps application and its update are available for free via the Google Play Store.

Keiji Maekawa, Software Engineer at Google Maps ends the post with the following message:

We’re always working to make your Google Maps experience more comprehensive, accurate and useful across all devices. To learn more about these features you can visit our site.

With Apple Maps finally available on iOS 6 and less than stellar reviews being given to Apple’s first mapping attempt these new updates to Google Maps for Android should allow the company to maintain its mobile dominance in the mapping market.

Give Google Maps for Android a try and let us know what you think of the new features.

Google Maps For Android Gets Updated, Offers New Features is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google Android activation numbers are out of control. Google Chairman Eric Schmidt on Friday announced that the company is now turning on 1.3 million devices per day. That number is 400,000 more than the 900,000 devices Google claimed to be activating back in June 2012. Google in December 2011 announced activation numbers of 700,000 per day.

CEO Schmidt also announced that nearly 500 million devices are now running on the Google Android OS.

While activation numbers appear to have doubled over the last eight months Electronista is quick to point out that Google has not broken down new device activation numbers versus reinstalls of its mobile OS platform. Google also doesn’t appear to differentiate between smartphones, tablets, smart watches, MP3 players, digital cameras and various other devices that are running one form or another of Google Android.

Regardless of what type of devices Android is being activated on the rapid activation numbers provide Google with an excellent branding effort that places the Android OS into the minds of consumers, creating a more likely scenario in which they will purchase other Android based devices for compatibility reasons.

In a recent study by comScore Android continues to lead the smartphone market with 52.2 percent market share while Apple trails with 33.4 percent of the smartphone segment.

The Google Android operating system continues to expand its product holdings thanks to its open source nature which allows for customized system builds as required by various device manufacturers both mobile and non-mobile in nature.

Are you surprised by Google Android’s huge daily activation numbers?

Google Android Now Activating On 1.3 Million Units Per Day is a post from: The Inquisitr

Amazon executives on Friday confirmed that the new Kindle Fire HD tablets run on the Google Android 4.0 ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’ OS.

During the company’s Amazon Fire HD press conference on Thursday officials had steered clear of the devices OS type, likely because the HD tablet has been heavily customized, making Android 4.0 less recognizable to users.

In an attempt to make the mobile OS its own Amazon has removed almost every mention of Google from the operating system and the company even removed default Google Apps and the Google Play store.

Amazon heavily customized the Android OS so it can place its own app store on devices, thus earning money from every downloads initiated by customers. You may recall that Amazon had a similar practice when it heavily modified the Android 2.3 ‘Gingerbread’ OS for the original Amazon Kindle Fire.

In keeping with tradition Amazon’s new devices feature strong cloud integration that provides Amazon users with plenty of storage and app access.

In the meantime Amazon’s chopped up Google Android 4.0 interface also now includes an integrated ad mechanism built directly into the heavily customized OS. When the Amazon Kindle Fire HD is in lock screen mode it will now show an Amazon ad for special offers from Amazon.com. Amazon has also decided to take over the bottom left-hand corner of the home screen with a similar ad which is sure to rub many users the wrong way.

Amazon is likely to sell the Kindle Fire HD at little to no profit margin to customer as it did with the original Amazon Kindle Fire. The company then earns its profits through profit sharing earned by app, book and other platform sales.

Amazon Kindle Fire HD Running On Google Android 4.0 ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Adobe on Wednesday revealed the newest edition of its Photoshop Touch platform for both the Google Android and Apple iOS mobile platforms. Dubbed version 1.3, the new application brings plenty of new features for top of the line devices.

One of the biggest upgrades is the ability to leverage the full power of the new iPad’s high-definition Retina display alongside the ability to support print-resolution up to 12 megapixels with up to 16 layers. For iPad 2 users, the program supports up to 10 megapixels. To set the MP output beyond the default value of 4.2MP with 10 layers, users can visit the apps preferences for overall display output.

Adobe has also added two new effects alongside a three-finger tap and Apple Photo Stream support. The program also includes better overall performance via the organization, file picker, and tutorial browser.

Also throw in is a “pixel nudging option that provides users with the ability to create precise movements for higher end editing projects.”

Adobe has also provided three-finger tap gestures which allow users to toggle between 100 percent view and “fit screen” view.

Also added are “Shred” and “Colorize” effects.

Both the iOS and Android options feature support for smartphone and tablet devices, ensuring proper output for each type of device.

Adobe Photoshop Touch costs just $10 and can be grabbed for Apple via the iOS App Store and for Google Android devices on the Google Play store.

Here’s a second look at the Adobe Photoshop Touch update:

Do you plan to download the newly updated version of Adobe Photoshop Touch? Not convinced yet? Here’s the official update release video:

Adobe Unleashes Photoshop Touch Update For iOS, Android is a post from: The Inquisitr

Here’s a story told all too often these days, the Google Android and Apple iOS mobile platforms have once again chipped away at BlackBerry’s market share in the mobile sector.

Analytics firm comScore announced on Wednesday that Google Android now controls 52.2 percent of the smartphone market, while Apple’s iOS platform has gobbled up 33.4 percent of the market. Increases at both tech firms has meant a decline of BlackBerry OS market share to just 9.5 percent.

That number is 2 percentage points lower than Research in Motion’s previous quarter for the mobile OS.

In further news that Apple needs to hurry up and release the iPhone 5, Samsung in the last quarter led the mobile marketplace with a 25.6% share of the market. In second place was LG with 18.4% and following in third place was Apple which claimed 16.3% of all devices sold for the quarter.

According to comScore those numbers were based off a survey of 30,000 participants.

The comScore metrics also revealed:

“For the three-month average period ending in July, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices.”

The survey also discovered some interesting facts about mobile usage in the United States. For example text message was up by 1.5 percent to 75.6 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers. The survey also found that application downloads increased to 52.6 percent, a bump of 2.4 percent compared to last quarter. More users are also browsing the web on devices with 51.2 percent of mobile customers surfing the web from their smartphones. One of the sectors with the smallest gains was the gaming industry which saw a bump of just 0.7 percent for a total of 33.8 percent.

Do you think RIM’s days are numbered?

iOS, Android Increase Market Share As Blackberry Falters Once Again is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Google Nexus 7 is going mobile. Asus is believed to be working on a 3G variant of the popular Android tablet, which is currently only offered in Wi-Fi form.

According to MoDaCo, news of the new 3G variant was revealed by a “very well placed insider.” The Google Nexus 7 3G model is expected to launch in “around six weeks” with the devices main hardware remaining largely unchanged.

The Tegra 3-powered Android tablet has been a huge success since announced with global sales finally proving that buyers are willing to forgo an Apple iPad for an Android-based tablet device. The Google Nexus 7 was so well received by reviewers and consumers that its 16GB version sold out online right after launching.

Google has not yet revealed sales numbers for the Google Nexus 7; the company must surpass at least 5 million unit sales to pass the Amazon Kindle Fire as the top selling Android tablet to date.

While Google may not yet have outsold the Amazon Kindle Fire, the company’s tablet is based off a more traditional, non-modified version of Google Android 2.3. By proving that Android models can sell, Google may find more manufacturers lining up to take on Apple with the help of the open-source OS.

In the meantime, sales of the Google Nexus 7 could fall off in the coming weeks as Amazon prepares to announce the Kindle Fire 2, which the company has promised will feature some major upgrades.

Given the choice, would you choose to purchase the Amazon Kindle Fire 2 or the Google Nexus 7?

Asus Preparing Google Nexus 7 3G Version is a post from: The Inquisitr