The official Sony blog published an update today, detailing the progress on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) upgrades on Xperia smartphones. As noted yesterday, the Xperia Play has been removed from the upgrade list. All other upgrades are proceeding as previously announced.
ViewSonic, best known for its wallet-friendly TVs and computer monitors, is now teasing a new range of Android-powered tablets. The Touch and Connect range is said to be in prototype form, and is headlined by the 22-inch model, thus far known only as a smart business tablet monitor. It appears to be running on Android 4.0, though it may also eventually get a model with Windows 8 onboard and multi-touch capability.
Research in Motion may not open up its BlackBerry Messenger service as previously thought. Rumors that the BBM service would expand to Android handsets and iPhones, as evidenced by a photo of a beta app, are in doubt following the replacement of Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie by chief executive Thorsten Heins, according to an unnamed source speaking to the Wall Street Journal.
The Munich Regional Court has found Motorola to be in violation of Microsoft's text-messaging patent involving "communicating multi-part messages between cellular devices using a standardized interface." The judgement follows an International Trade Commission-ordered import ban against Android-based Motorola devices that infringe on a different Microsoft patent for event scheduling.
Research firm IDC has published its latest smartphone market-share report, finding Android and iOS to be responsible for eight out of 10 smartphones shipped in the first quarter of 2012. Android captured 59 percent of all sales, while iOS took 23 percent of the 152 million smartphones shipped in the first quarter. Linux phones maintained the same small share held for four quarters. Symbian and Blackberry shipments continued to drop precipitously.
Google has introduced in-app subscriptions to its Play store, according to the a post on the company's official Android developers blog. From today, App developers can use in-app billing to sell monthly or annual subscriptions from within the app itself. The addition brings Google's app portal in line with the Apple App Store in offering recurring billing to its customers and developers, with all subscriptions being auto-renewing by default.
Google has just began offering the latest version of its Google+ app for Android, version 2.6 (free, Google Play). The update includes a refreshed user interface and a better integration with the Hangout video chat feature. Dubbed Mobile Hangouts, video chats with up to nine friend can now be initiated while users are on the move.
President Barack Obama has ordered all major federal agencies to make more services available on mobile devices in the next year. The administration wants to increase governmental technology use, with agencies ordered to make services available for public access within 12 months. The news comes at the same time as reports that the US Navy will add LTE capabilities to three of its ships, allowing Android smartphones to be used out at sea.
Google’s first foray into the hotly contested tablet market is set to reach user’s hands sometime in July. According to Digitimes, the first Google co-branded Android tablet will start shipping out of ASUS’ factories from next month, with an initial volume expected to be around 600,000 units. Originally rumored for a May release, the tablet was said to have been pushed back in order to trim the entry-price by adjusting its specifications so it can tackle the Amazon Kindle Fire head-on at $199.
In a move that signals a greater commitment to hardware design and manufacture, Google has purchased industrial design firm Mike and Maaike. Mike and Maaike is a studio that worked on the first Google Nexus phone, and the purchase seems to indicate a greater focus for Google on hardware design in the wake of its acquisition of Motorola Mobility.
Microsoft is preparing to release tablet versions of its Office suite for both Apple's iOS and Google's Android platforms, a source familiar with the software has told BGR. The company had been previously rumored to be bringing its Office suite to the iPad, and the new details, if true, will see the productivity suite arriving on tablets in November.
The Kyocera Hydro smartphone running Android Ice Cream Sandwich has been seen at the Federal Communications Commission for testing. Filings on the FCC website under model number C5170 show tests were conducted relating to its CDMA 1900MHz radio, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth support.
The Acer Iconia A510 Olympic tablet will be reaching the UK in June through Carphone Warehouse. The special-edition tablet shares the specs of the Iconia Tab A510, with the main differences being an engraving of the Olympic rings on the back and a pre-loaded trial of Eurosport Player, to watch the broadcaster's Olympic coverage.
Facebook's forthcoming App Center portal will feature a "Send to Mobile" option, allowing users to purchase apps on a desktop or tablet and have a notification delivered to their phones. The feature duplicates capabilities already found in Google and Apple's app stores, but uses Facebook's notification system. The Send to Mobile option is expected to be ready in time for the App Center's launch later this year.
The latest release of the Amazon Appstore allows owners of selected Android smartphones to try out some apps for free before buying them. Users can interact with select apps as though they had been downloaded, running them through Amazon's store. Amazon is planning to roll out the new feature for a wider selection of phones in the coming months.
Meta Watch has officially released a new smartwatch development system with Bluetooth 4.0, capable of integrating with both iOS and Android devices. A previous beta was limited to Android only. In iOS, an app pushes basic notifications to the watch for things like calls and messages. Developers have access to an API, though, which will let their own apps push virtually any information.
At The Cable Show in Boston, Verizon Wireless on Tuesday announced it will soon release a new platform called Viewdini that will allow streaming of video content to subscribers of Comcast Xfinity, Hulu Plus, mSpot, Netflix, and TV sites to their mobile devices. Also, 4G mobile plans are required, and the service will only be available to Android-powered devices first, though support for other platforms is promised, as is content from Verizon FiOS.
Taiwanese chipmaker VIA Technologies has introduced its APC computer, powered by Android 2.3. The Android PC system will cost just $49 and is based on a small footprint Neo-ITX mainboard. It is powered by a low-power WonderMedia ARM processor, rated at 800MHz.
Symantec has discovered a novel implementation of the Android.Opfake malware, one that takes users through a fraudulent app-download process before charging them for what was initially billed as a free app. The malware is notable because it actually directs users through the Google Play app store in the process of defrauding them of money.
Following its publication of an updated list of devices that will get an Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) update, Motorola has moved to explain its decision to omit certain devices. Many users were disappointed to learn that popular devices including the Droid X2 and Droid will not be getting an update the latest version of the Android OS. Instead, they will be left running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), which was released in December, 2010.
Motorola has updated its list of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) updates today. Eleven phones and tablets are scheduled to be updated to the new operating system between now and the end of the year. Two popular phones, the Droid X2 and Droid 3, won't see the upgrade to Android 4.0.
LG has unveilled the Optimus LTE II in Korea. Successor to the Optimus LTE and other Optimus variants, the handset claims to be the world's first smartphone to be released with 2GB of RAM, shortly before the Samsung Galaxy S III reaches Japan in its own RAM-boosted state.
Samsung has just released a new Android app called Cares (Google Play) that aims to improve the customer service experience. It will allow users to check out FAQs, How-To guides, tutorial videos, and troubleshoot issues with their Android 2.1 and newer Samsung devices. Not all devices are covered, however.
An analyst at Asymco has posted an analysis of Google's revenues from its Android operating system, estimating that Android nets Google approximately $2.75 in ad sales per device every year. The figure is dwarfed in comparison to Apple's take from iOS devices.
The specs of an upcoming handset, the HTC Ville C, have been spotted by BriefMobile. They reveal a version of the HTC One S (shown) that is reported to be less costly, mainly thanks to its Snapdragon S3 processor rather than the S4 in the One S. It's being billed as ultra-slim, though exactly how thin isn't known.
The same California jury that couldn't decide on the "fair use" aspects of the Google versus Oracle is now debating Oracle's patent claims. Oracle began this suit in 2010, claiming that Android infringes on its Java patents. Google says that it has not infringed and furthermore, Oracle can't copyright certain parts of Java, an open source language. Closing arguments were made today in phase two of the three-phase, multi-year trial.
Fresh off the announcement of its new mobile phone, Chinese search company Baidu has told TechCrunch that it has big plans the Baidu Cloud Smart Terminal system that runs its new phone. Baidu wants to see Baidu Cloud make an appearance on all major mobile operating systems, including Windows Phone and iOS.
Google is reportedly preparing to shift its Android strategy away from exclusive partnerships that have resulted in the existing Nexus-branded devices. The search giant is said to be embracing multiple hardware makers that will simultaneously develop different devices powered by the next major Android release, referred to as Jelly Bean, unnamed sources have told The Wall Street Journal (sub. required).
Chinese search giant Baidu has released its first smartphone, as it was rumored to be preparing to do last week. The Changhong H5018 is built by Foxconn and is powered by Baidu's own mobile platform, Baidu Cloud.
Netgear has released its first 802.11ac router using the new Wi-Fi specification. The R6300 router, which is said to be capable of combined Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1750Mbps, ships at the same time as announcements for a more budget-conscious R6200 router and the A6200 Wi-Fi dongle, aiming to be the first 802.11ac dual-band USB adapter to market.
Google has announced that Chrome 19 is now available as a stable build, enabling users to try out the new features that were announced early last month. The latest overhaul to the company's browser broadens sync capabilities between devices and platforms. Users can open multiple tabs on the desktop browser, then pick up their Android 4.0 phone and access the same content from the mobile Chrome beta.
A company called Open Mobile has been demoing a method that allows devices running Tizen, Samsung and Intel's in-house mobile OS, to run apps intended for use on Android devices. As a video from The Handheld Blog shows, the technology could allow for future Tizen devices to circumvent the dearth of apps that typically plagues devices based on alternate operating systems.
Samsung has expanded its Android 4.0 update list to include several devices sold through T-Mobile. The carrier appears to have committed to Ice Cream Sandwich for several Galaxy handsets and two Galaxy Tabs.
When T-Mobile releases the Android 4.0 update for the HTC Sensation 4G tomorrow, it will bring with it a mandatory $15 per month charge for the wireless hotspot feature. According to PCMag, some users have thus far got the feature for free. Some other handsets due to get the latest OS soon at the carrier do not carry such a provision, however, including the Amaze 4G.
Voyager Mobile, the new prepaid carrier that was due to launch on Tuesday, has announced it needs to delay the debut due to a malicious network attack on its website. Instead, the service and site will launch in the "very near future," though exactly when this will be remains to be seen. The carrier promises to bring contract-free, all-in plans that start at just $19 per month when users bring their own hardware.
Japanese hardware maker KDDI announced this week it will begin consumer testing of a new Smart TV Box this summer. The device will run on Android 4.0 and connect to HDTVs and enable sharing of content between Android smartphones and tablets. Other details are scarce, though some form of web access is more than likely.
Oracle and Google continued the debate over how to proceed with the ongoing Java patent infringement suit. During the discussion and filing with the Judge William Alsup, Oracle presented a document summarizing why it is entitled to Google's profits from the case -- "super shady" contractors from Noser in Google's Android team. Google disputes the relevance of the filing.
Vodafone Portugal appears to have leaked an official image of the HTC Desire C. The May catalog for the mobile carrier shows the handset before any official announcement has been made by HTC, with published specifications showing it to be more like a Wildfire S than its namesake yet running Android Ice Cream Sandwich.
The crew over at GSMarena have got their hands on Samsung's Galaxy S III smartphone and tested its battery performance. They came away impressed, comparing it to the performance of 31 other handsets in the process. The 2,100mAh battery managed to provide 10 hours and 20 minutes of 3G talk time on a single charge, placing fourth and behind the Motorola Droid Razr MAXX and Samsung's own Galaxy Note and Wave 3 S8600, in that order.
A Japanese company named Seraku is showing off an Android-enhanced mirror that essentially gives users an interactive heads-up display. The Verge spent some time looking at the device, revealing a novel (if not immediately commercially applicable) merger of Google's operating system with home decor.
It appears the Google versus Oracle legal skirmish regarding Java patentability is beginning to wind down. At the beginning of today's hearings, Judge William Alsup granted Oracle's request for a judgement as a matter of law (JMOL) in regards to eight files copied directly into Android from Oracle's code base, and awarded an additional copyright infringement to Oracle. The matters of "fair use" and willful violation have yet to be decided.
Nearly eight months after it made its debut at the app store, the Turntable.fm app is now available for the Android platform (free, Google Play). It's compatible with Android 2.2 and newer versions of the OS, though Android users are reporting a few issues, including incorrect formatting in the chat function and the tendency to crash when there is a lot of traffic in the chat. Despite the launch, it's already in version 2.0.
First introduced at Mobile World Congress, Nokia's Reading app and related e-bookstore for the Windows Phone-powered Lumia range of smartphones will launch in Europe. The two will reach users in France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, and the UK, PaidContent reported. The idea is to bring local-language e-books to markets that haven't yet seen a widespread adoption of the medium.
Yet another Samsung smartphone has been quietly revealed, this time by carrier KT in South Korea. The device, known thus far only by its SHV-E170K model number, would get an LTE radio and sport a dual-core, 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4. It will also ship with Android 4.0.4 onboard, SammyHub reported, but it will have Samsung's TouchWiz custom skin onboard as well.
Google may be planning to roll out an app similar to Apple's Game Center app, a source has told Business Insider. The source contends that Google views such an app as essential to increasing Google's importance in the mobile gaming sphere. Apple's Game Center allows iPhone gamers to maintain a constant username applicable across all Game Center-connected games. The app also includes leaderboards and automatic matching for competitive games.
The iPhone was the bestselling smartphone in Japan during 2011, according to data from MM Research. Apple sold 7.25 million units, giving it 30 percent of smartphone sales, and 17 percent of all cellphone sales. Android, though, was the most popular smartphone platform, beating out iOS with a 69 percent share. Together the two operating systems accounted for 99 percent of Japanese smartphone sales.
Plum Mobile, a newcomer to the smartphone market, was one of the only companies to introduce a slew of new devices this week at CTIA. Although the company's large Might handset clearly takes a bit too much inspiration from Samsung's Galaxy Note, the Wicked 3G appears to be a unique design. We stopped by Plum's booth to take a closer look at the compact entry-level Android handset.
Sprint may soon be adding another Android-powered phone to its lineup with the SPH-L300, a photo of which was shared by BriefMobile. The phone should share the same 1.5GHz, dual-core MSM8960 processor as the Evo 4G LTE. The battery also has mention of Near Field Communications, so the phone should ship with it included.
The HTC Evo 4G LTE has become available for preorder from Best Buy. The Sprint handset, which Electronista was able to try out last month, is being promoted by the electronics retailer with a $50 gift card for those that take up the offer ahead of the May 18 release date.
The Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket HD that AT&T promised back at CES and was subsequently leaked in a roadmap for the carrier will not be sold after all, The Verge learned. The news came during an interview with Ryan Bidan, Samsung's VP of marketing, who explained that there is no point of bringing it out considering the Samsung Galaxy S III was recently unveiled. By the same merit, the VP pretty much confirmed AT&T is getting the S III, though he didn't commit to a date other than that it will arrive this summer.
