HTC Details First Round of Android 4.0 Upgrades

Early next year, seven smartphones from HTC will be upgraded to Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich, the company said on Monday.

Since Google officially announced the arrival of the new version of Android, users have been worrying about if and when their smartphones will get the new version of the mobile OS. HTC said it knows how excited its fans are to get their hands on Google's latest version of Android.

The Sensation, Sensation XL, Sensation XE and EVO 3D, as well as U.S. models Rezound, EVO Design 4G and Amaze 4G, will be the first batch of smartphones to be upgraded, according to HTC.

That will leave some HTC smartphone owners happy, but several models are missing from that list. Users whose phones aren't on the list shouldn't worry too much, at least not yet, and instead "stay tuned for more updates on device upgrades, timing and other details about Ice Cream Sandwich," HTC said.

Android 4.0, which has been developed to work equally well on phones and tablets, includes a mixture of improvements and new features.

Google has created a new font optimized for HD displays and eliminated all hardware buttons in favor of adaptable software buttons, as shown on the Galaxy Nexus. Google has also improved the keyboard, made notifications more interactive and created resizable widgets, it said.

Android Beam is one of the new features in Ice Cream Sandwich. It uses NFC (Near-Field Communications) technology to share Web pages, YouTube videos, maps, directions and apps by tapping two phones together.

The last few weeks have been good for HTC. The company reported its highest-ever quarterly revenue and it has become the largest smartphone vendor in the U.S. during the third quarter, and the fourth largest in the world, according to data from market research company Canalys.

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Posted in: Android

Google Says It Rejected Sun’s $100 Million Java-Android Deal

Google Inc. rejected an offer by Sun Microsystems Inc to pay $100 million in royalties to use Java in its development of the Android operating system before Sun was acquired by Oracle Corp. (ORCL), a Google lawyer said.

Robert Van Nest, Google’s attorney, said yesterday at a hearing in federal court in San Francisco that the proposed $100 million three-year “all-in” deal in 2006 was for a technology partnership to jointly build Android, rather than for just a patent license.

Separately, Oracle won permission yesterday to question Google Chief Executive Officer Larry Page in a deposition about his knowledge of the search-engine company’s alleged infringement of patents that Oracle got when it acquired Sun.

Oracle, based in Redwood City, California, is seeking as much as $6.1 billion in damages from Google in a lawsuit that claims Android software uses technology that infringes Oracle’s patents. Google denies infringing and asked U.S. District Judge William Alsup at yesterday’s hearing to throw out Oracle’s damage estimate.

Alsup said it appeared that Google “has a product out there that is in direct violation of these patents,” and pressed Van Nest to explain why the Mountain View, California- based company discussed a license with Sun.

“There wasn’t any specific discussion of patents,” Van Nest said. While a few lines of code in Android are “identical” to Java, that code probably came from a third party, he said. “We are investigating that,” Van Nest said.

Programming Language

Android uses a Java programming language that is open to anyone for free, said Van Nest.

Alsup cited a document to a Google executive from Google’s Android project leader that said, “‘We conclude that we need to negotiate a license for Java.”

“Don’t you think a good lawyer will convince a jury that it’s a license for patents?” Alsup said.

While Oracle’s damages may be in the millions or billions of dollars, Alsup said it was “crazy” for Oracle to equate its damages to the entire market value of Android.

Michael Jacobs, Oracle’s attorney, told the judge that Google adopted “the entire architecture” of Java into Android.

“Our position is that there is no infringement, there is no willful infringement,” Van Nest said.

Oracle sought to depose Page about negotiations from 2005 to 2010 between Sun and Google over a Java license for Android and Page’s decision to acquire Android due to its strategic value, according to today’s court filing.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu ruled that Oracle may depose Page for two hours “soley on topics relevant to the willfulness of defendant’s alleged patent infringement, and the value of Android” to Google, according to the order.

The case is Oracle America Inc. v. Google Inc. (GOOG), 10-03561, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco)

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Posted in: Android,Google

Google + Nicole's 10 favorite Android apps (CNET 100)

Google+

Call me an early adopter if you must, but count me in with the millions of people who have fully embraced Google+, Google's latest attempt at a social network. I am really digging the Circles paradigm, where you're invited to group up your friends and colleagues into separate circles, so you can fine tune who you choose to keep in touch with. I also find the interface clean and intuitive, and I have to give props to Google+ for being much more privacy-aware than a certain other competitor.

One of the best things about Google+ is its Android app. Just download it from the Android Market, and within a couple of taps, you're ready to go. The mobile app is well designed, and you can switch Circle views by just swiping left to right. It's also easy to check notifications, and posting photos couldn't be simpler. Even better is the Huddle feature, which is only accessible on mobile handsets. This brings group messaging to a whole other level--you can send one text to a designated Circle, for example, and all members of that Circle will get that message. This is a great tool for organizing parties. Even though Google has just released the iOS version of Google+, the Android app still wins out with a key feature: the ability to customize the main stream with your own chosen circles.

Source :http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-19736_7-10008683.html

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Posted in: Android,Google

Lenovo's Android Tablet Story: Netflix, Storage and a Pen

The Android tablet market is getting saturated to the point where we've seen almost everything, from thin-and-light beauties to port-packed workhorses, but Lenovo's still trying to squeeze a few more ideas out of this generation of tech specs.

To begin with, Lenovo has decided that consumers and business users have different needs, and so the company has split its Android offerings into two tablets. In one corner, we have the IdeaPad K1 (pictured above), with its rounded edges and light frame suggesting that it's here for leisure, mostly. In the other, we have the ThinkPad Tablet (pictured below), which is all business in its sharp black frame with a somewhat puzzling set of hardware navigation buttons. (Android Honeycomb builds navigation into the software.)

Lenovo's K1 and ThinkPad will be the first Netflix-certified Android Honeycomb tablets, allowing for playback on TVs and other big screens through mini-HDMI output. But don't expect this exclusivity to last; Netflix just updated its app to support more smartphones, and crafty users have already side-loaded the app onto several tablets.

(LIST: Tablets: 'Why Should Somebody Buy This Instead of an iPad?')

The K1's other standout feature is storage. While most tablets in the $500 price range come with 16 GB of storage, the $499 K1 has 32 GB on board. Otherwise, there's not a lot to rave about on paper. Weight and thickness are roughly on par with an original iPad, and after witnessing the generous connectivity options of Toshiba's Thrive, the K1's combination of microSD and full-size USB doesn't seem like a breakthrough. At least Lenovo's bundling $50 worth of apps -- not trialware, I presume -- including Angry Birds and Documents to Go.

The ThinkPad, priced at $479 for a 16 GB model, is loaded with features that'll put most consumers to sleep, like corporate-level software pre-loading, corporate-controlled app stores and Citrix app virtualization. But an optional $30 active digitizer pen that converts notes into text, along with a full SD card slot, might make the ThinkPad worth considering outside of work. Like its consumer-focused sibling, the ThinkPad has a weight and thickness that's closer to a first-generation iPad at 1.65 pounds and 0.52 inches thick. Both tablets also have dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processors.

(MORE: Lenovo May Unveil a 23-inch Tablet This Year)

Frankly, I don't find myself writhing with anticipation over either tablet, but maybe that's not the point. As with the PC market, a saturation of Android tablets with slightly different configurations simply means that prospective buyers are more like to find the one that fits their needs. If you demand lots of storage and Netflix support or digital pen for accurate note-taking, Lenovo will have you covered starting this August.

Product Page: Lenovo Tablets

Read more: http://techland.time.com/2011/07/21/lenovo-android-tablets-netflix-and-a-pen/#ixzz1SkrOViqu

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Posted in: Android

HTC's fate up in the air

The ITC ruling puts the fate of HTC and smartphones such as the AT&T Status, the first smartphone with an integrated Facebook button, up in the air.

(Credit: Josh Miller)

The Taiwanese manufacturer of smartphones continued to suffer from an administrative law judge's initial ruling from the U.S. International Trade Commission, which found HTC in violation of two of Apple's patents. HTC's stock in retreated more than 4% to their lowest level in six months, Bloomberg reports.

While an administrative law judge's initial decision doesn't represent a death blow, it doesn't bode well for the final decision. If the six-member ITC panel find agree with the decision, it could impose an embargo preventing the importation of HTC smartphones.

HTC has vowed to fight the decision, and would appeal to the commission before it makes its final ruling. Apple referred to its initial statement from March 2010 when the first complaint was filed.

"We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in the release at the time.

Giving HTC some hope is its recent decision to acquire S3 Graphics for $300 million. S3 holds crucial patents that an ITC administrative law judge had determined in an initial ruling that Apple was violating. While investors initially lambasted the acquisition, criticizing the fact that HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang was a shareholder in S3, the patents are invaluable if the ITC decides to favor Apple.

Foss Patents has an interesting--if somewhat complex--graphic illustrating HTC and Apple's respective patent positions.

In positions where companies own valuable intellectual property, a settlement is typically reached, especially if the threat of an embargo hangs over one of the companies. But Foss's Florian Miller said he doesn't see a settlement as a foregone conclusion yet. Unless Apple truly needs all of HTC's patents, it may attempt to enforce the embargo, which would greatly hurt the progress of HTC and all Android supporters.

The next couple of months will likely prove to be turbulent ones for HTC.

Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20080303-94/htcs-fate-up-in-the-air/#ixzz1STQoSCci

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Posted in: Android,HTC

46% of smartphone buyers prefer Apple's iOS, 32% choose Google Android...?

Among consumers who plan to buy a smartphone in the next three months, the iPhone is the top choice, with nearly half of all prospective buyers choosing Apple.

The data comes from the latest survey from ChangeWave Research via a poll it conducted of 4,163 consumers in June. The survey focused primarily on the smartphone market in North America, with 89 percent of respondents being from the U.S. and 11 percent outside of America.

The survey found that 46 percent of consumers who plan to buy a smartphone in the next 90 days prefer a device running Apple's iOS, which powers the iPhone. That's up 2 points from a poll done in March.

In second place in the latest survey was Google Android, which 32 percent of planned smartphone buyers said they will choose. Google's share also increased since March, growing by one percentage point.

The gains of Apple and Google came at the expense of rivals, as Research in Motion's BlackBerry line lost one point since March. The BlackBerry's 4 percent share is the lowest level ever seen in a ChangeWave survey, and is far away from its high of 32 percent in September of 2008.

The data showing consumer preferences for the iPhone aligns with previous polls that have told a similar story. Last November, ChangeWave reported that 34 percent of non-AT&T smartphone buyers said they wished they could buy Apple's iPhone. At the time, the iPhone was exclusive to AT&T.

The latest survey also tracked the potential impact of Apple's iCloud service, and found it will increase the value proposition of devices like the iPhone. Among current Apple product owners, 29 percent said iCloud will make them "more likely" to buy Apple products in the future, while the same was said by 13 percent of non-Apple product owners.

"This initial look at the impact of Apple's new iCloud service shows it enhancing customer loyalty," the report said. "But the survey also provides highly encouraging signs that iCloud will generate additional customer demand for other Apple products, not only from current Apple product owners but from a substantial number of non-owners as well."

The latest survey also reaffirmed that the iPhone carries the highest satisfaction rate in the industry. When asked about the operating system on their mobile device, 70 percent of users said they are "very satisfied" with iOS, while 50 percent said the same of Google. Just 26 percent said they were satisfied with RIM's BlackBerry OS.

In what was characterized as an "encouraging sign" for Apple's rival Microsoft, the survey found that 57 percent of respondents running Windows Phone 7 said they are "very satisfied." That total is significantly better than the paltry 14 percent rating the previous-generation Windows Mobile OS earned.

"Even so, the higher Windows Phone 7 rating has yet to produce a sustained momentum boost for Microsoft in terms of buyer preferences," the report said.

Source :http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/07/18/46_of_smartphone_buyers_prefer_apples_ios_32_choose_google_android.html

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Posted in: Android,Apple,iOS

Google releases its Android 3.2 Honeycomb SDK

SOFTWARE HOUSE Google has released a software development kit (SDK) for Android 3.2, codenamed Honeycomb, which brings user and developer features.

It's not been long that we've been talking about Google's Android 3.1 Honeycomb operating system and already the SDK is out for the next update in line.

The Android Developers blog said, "Today we are announcing the Android 3.2 platform, an incremental release that adds several new capabilities for users and developers."

In terms of user features there will be a 'compatibility display mode' which allows for pixel-scaling of applications rather than stretching them, for apps not designed for larger screens.

Google is being a bit vague about the improvements but there will be a "variety of refinements across the system ensure a great user experience on a wider range of tablet devices".

Users will also be able to load media files from an SD card, on a tablet that facilitates one, straight to applications that use them.

For developers, extensions to the application programming interface (API) include resource qualifiers and manifest attributes to give greater and more precise control over the way apps are displayed.

A new 'zoom compatibility mode' will render the user interface of a fixed-size app on a smaller screen area, and then scale it up to fill the space available on the display. The new API is rated 13, one higher than version 3.1.

Whilst tablet manufacturers are rolling out Android 3.1 to devices, Huawei said its Mediapad, a 7in tablet, will come pre-loaded with version 3.2 when it tips up in the coming months.

Source : http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2094757/google-releases-android-honeycomb-sdk#ixzz1STMcbKXr

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Posted in: Android,Google

Top Reasons Why iPhone 5 Would Outclass Android Smartphones

Apple Inc. is gearing up its production of iPhone 5 for a possible September launch.

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Added to this, Apple's projection of selling 25 million iPhones by the end of 2011 coincides with the expectation that the release is round the corner.

What are the features of the next iPhone is a question that has given rise to a vast range of speculations. Over the last few months, several iPhone successor features were discussed by tech websites and in the blogosphere.

Some rumors were supported by image leaks, sources from manufacturing partners while other features were thought based on what competitors offer.

However, it is more or less confirmed that iPhone 5 will run on Apple's latest mobile operating system iOS 5 and will have a superior ecosystem comprising of iCloud.

Meanwhile, Apple has a complete ecosystem as its app store has 425,000 apps. Recently, Apple announced that its App Store has topped the 15 billion download mark.

As a result, if Apple adds the following features then it may effectively outclass a flurry of competing Android devices that is expected near-term.

Worldphone:

Apple is expected to release iPhone 5 as a 'Worldphone' - both GSM and CDMA compatible. It is conjectured that the phone will have a SIM-less design with 3-4 antennas.

Another rumor suggested that the iPhone 5 will feature a SIM card slot for other countries except US. This will allow users to insert any SIM card in iPhone when traveling abroad.

Better Camera:

Apple has really improved the camera department on its iPhone 4 by fitting a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash.

Apple's iPhone 5 is expected to sport an 8 megapixel camera. It has been reported that OmniVision/Sony would supply 8 MP camera sensors.

Processor

There is also near unanimity in gadget circles that Apple will bring its A5 chip on to the iPhone 5. The A5 processor is the same which Apple rolled out to power its iPad 2.

Apple lists the A5 to be clocked at 1 GHz on the iPad 2's technical specifications page, though it can dynamically adjust its frequency to save battery life.

Apple may boost the speed of its A5 chip in the range of 1.2 or 1.5 GHz as several Android smartphones are coming with 1.2GHz processor.

Meanwhile, reports have come out that Apple is working on an A6 chip.

NFC Support

Apple may fit a near-field communication (NFC) chip in iPhone 5 as some high-end Android devices such as the upcoming Google Nexus 4G will have NFC chip.

NFC allows for simplified transactions, data exchange, and connections with a touch. A smartphone or tablet with an NFC chip could make a credit card payment or serve as keycard or ID card.

NFC devices can read NFC tags on a museum or retail display to get more information or an audio or video presentation. NFC can share a contact, photo, song, application, or video or pair Bluetooth devices.

Better Display

Apple is rumored to increase its screen size to compete with Android smartphones, probably going for a 4-inch screen. iPhone 4 has a 3.5-inch screen.

However, Apple should not compromise on the weight of the phone or its battery life.

Better Battery Backup

We can expect a great battery life in iPhone 5 as Apple has a record of improving battery life with its every coming product. The iPhone 4 has 40 percent more talk time than the iPhone 3GS.

There are expectations that the upcoming iPhone should improve on its battery metrics to handle its sophisticated features.

iPhone 4 offers talk-time of up to 7 hours on 3G; up to 14 hours on 2G (GSM model only) and standby time of up to 300 hours. On internet usage, the device offers up to 6 hours on 3G and up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi.

iCloud

Apple's iPhone 5 is expected to feature the new iCloud service in operating iTunes for wireless remote access of music from all computers and mobile devices.

iCloud will also store photos, apps, calendars and documents without storing them onto the phone's memory storage. Apple also placed itself in top position of the cloud war by inking deals with top music label companies to license songs for the iCloud service.

Added to that, there are rumors that Apple is stepping into the movie scene by attempting to license deals for films with movie studios.

iOS 5

iOS, known as iPhone OS before June 2010, is Apple's mobile operating system. The user interface of iOS is based on the concept of direct manipulation, using multi-touch gestures. Interface control elements consist of sliders, switches, and buttons.

Apple's iOS 5.0, which is the newest of the OS versions, was announced on June 6 at the WWDC 2011 keynote address. The new iOS 5 is expected to come with 200 new features that will include Improved Notifications System, News Stand and iMessage.

Apple's iOS 5 will introduce the iCloud service and the Notification Center, as well as improvements to native apps such as Camera. The operating system also features new applications, such as the Reminders app and Newsstand, an application resembling Folders and iBooks.

Unlike other applications, Newsstand is the first native application to actually run on the homescreen. iMessage is an application that allows iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad users to communicate, much like a chat service only used between these devices. The iMessage feature has been integrated into the SMS/MMS application used originally on the iPhone models.

More Carriers

Apple is expected to release iPhone to more carriers in the U.S.

When iPhone 4 was launched at AT&T, it faced several complaints of dropped calls and network outage, especially in New York and San Francisco. However, when Verizon began carrying iPhone, there are not many issues with the network.

If both AT&T and Verizon simultaneously carry iPhone, it's also possible that the migration of some AT&T iPhone customers to Verizon will relax some of the AT&T's network.

There were also reports that the next iPhone may come to Sprint.

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Posted in: Android,iPhone

Google launches Photovine app for Apple's iPhone, not Android

Google quietly launched yet another new social networking effort this week -- a new photo-sharing app called Photovine for the Apple iPhone.

Yes, the iPhone. Which runs Apple's iOS, the smartphone operating system nemesis of Google's Android.

The app allows users to take a photo from their phone and share it to friends in the app, sort of like the popular app Instagram. The big difference with Photovine, however, is that photos can be shared into a pool of other pictures centering around user-created topics called "vines."

In a teaser video posted to the YouTube, which is also owned by Google, a Photovine user takes a picture of a Pomeranian puppy (which looks a lot like the Facebook-famous Boo) and creates a vine of photos called "warm and fuzzy."

Others using the app in the video see the cute dog photo and share their own riff on the warm and fuzzy theme, including a cuddling couple sitting in a San Francisco park and later a guy at a swimming pool snapping a shot of a friend with a hairy chest and tiny blue trunks.

Photovine, which hit Apple's App Store on Thursday, is so far nowhere to be found in the Android Market. In fact, on Photovine's website and in the teaser video that hypes the service, the Google logo and name are also nowhere to be found.

On the Photovine website's Privacy Notice page, it reads "Photovine is offered by Slide (part of Google Inc. ...)."

Despite the lack of noticable Google branding anywhere, Photovine is following in the Google tradition by starting off in an invitation-only testing mode; a move also made with the popular Gmail email service and the growing Google+ social network launched about two weeks ago.

The invitation-only tactic means that not all iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad owners can doanload the Photovine app yet. But the app will eventually make its way to the public -- or at least that's the plan.

An email sent to those who request an invitation, as I did, from the "Photovine Team" places potential users on a wait list.

Google officials were unavailable Thursday to comment on when the app would be opened up to the public or if it would make its way to Android.

"We'll be slowly rolling-out invites starting later this month," says the waiting-list email, which has no mention of Google. "We're very excited about Photovine and can't wait for you to join us! Thanks again for signing up and for your patience while we distribute invites."

Check out the Photovine teaser video below.

Source :http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/07/google-launches-photovine-photo-sharing-app-for-apples-iphone-not-android.html

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Posted in: Android,Apple,iPhone

iOS 50% Bigger Than Android, For Now...?

Apple announced last week that the iPhone App Store had reached the 15 billion download mark.

Here's the relevant quote from the press release: "In just three years, the revolutionary App Store has grown to become the most exciting and successful software marketplace the world has ever seen," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "Thank you to all of our amazing developers who have filled it with over 425,000 of the coolest apps and to our over 200 million iOS users for surpassing 15 billion downloads."

Very impressive: 425,000 apps, downloaded 15 billion times, on 200 million iOS devices.

Google announced its quarterly earnings Thursday and in the announcement shared some details about Android's recent growth.

How do you develop for a target cloud destination?

Review tips for application development in the cloud.

Susan Wojcicki, Google SVP and advertising chief, said that the Android Market has 250,000 applications that have been downloaded 6 billion times on some 135 million Android devices. That's some solid growth, no doubt.

The number of Android devices has surged from 100 million just two months ago to 135 million now. This is surely due in part to the insane number of new Android smartphones and tablets that have flooded the market in the last few months. Android tablets don't appear to have really taken off yet, so we can assume most of the 135 million devices are Android smartphones.

Google's Larry Page revealed that it is activating new Android handsets at the rate of 550,000 per day. That's an increase of 50,000 daily activations in the last two weeks alone. Android's growth rate is truly astronomical.

The kicker is that despite Android's massive adoption levels, iOS devices still outnumber Android devices by about 65 million. (In this context, an iOS device is an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad.) The breakdown between phones, tablets, and media players has not been well defined. Either way you look at it, right now, iOS is a bigger mobile platform than Android.

But how long can Apple stay at the top? At the current rate of growth (assuming the 550,000 daily activations rate holds steady), Google is going to activate 65 million Android smartphones in the next 8.5 weeks. If people stop buying iOS devices altogether, Android will pass it in just two months.

Apple may have a chance of slowing Android down if it announces some new hardware by early September.

This two-horse race in the smartphone market will surely be neck and neck during the fourth quarter. Exciting times are ahead.

Source :http://www.informationweek.com/news/231001846

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Posted in: Android,iOS