05/24, 2:18pm
Google developer presentation may have leaked Gmail for Android update
Gmail for Android may be seeing a redesign in the near future, after a slide from a Google I/O showed a new navigation drawer. The revised and larger drawer, spotted by Android Police, is anchored to the left hand side and pulls in instead of dropping down from the top, and the action bar at the bottom of the screen is removed and replaced by buttons that perform the same tasks elsewhere in the interface.
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05/24, 6:36am
Stock Android version of HTC One could be announced within two weeks
HTC is still planning to release a version of the HTC One with a stock installation of Android, according to a rumor, despite an official denial from the company. Sources of the rumor place an announcement of a vanilla HTC One within the next two weeks and a release sometime in the summer, with internal teams apparently already working on making it possible.
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05/23, 7:30pm
Main, Gmail searches pull results from other Google apps
Google has released a beta version of Chrome 28 for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. The most significant change is in the Windows release, where a native notification center for apps and extensions has been turned on. These can include not only text and images, but optional actions such as making a phone call or sending email. Notifications can appear even when Chrome is closed. Google is promising Mac notifications "soon."
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05/23, 5:58pm
Offers access to contacts, media, other data
Verizon has officially launched Verizon Cloud for iOS devices, as well as a broader slate of Android phones. The iOS app is designed primarily for the iPhone, but can still be run on the iPad and iPod touch. Newly-supported Android phones include devices like the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC Droid DNA.
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05/22, 3:09pm
Firmware update to offer subscription for phone tracking, recovery team aid
Samsung will soon be providing a theft recovery service for its devices, starting with the flagship Galaxy S4. LoJack, created by Absolute Software for securing notebook computers, will be released for Android, with Samsung embedding it into the firmware for future activation, in the event that the phone is stolen from the user.
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05/22, 1:36am
New rugged budget smartphone
Kyocera is one of several companies to bring new phones to CTIA's spring show in Las Vegas, introducing the Hydro Xtrm. Like most of the company's other handsets the Xtrm is a budget device, however it offers a higher level of ruggedness compared to its predecessor. Electronista had a chance to handle the new phone at a special event following the first show day.
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05/21, 10:51pm
Company does away with $800 base cost
Unity has announced that its mobile game development tools are now free to use for smaller developers. The Unity platform is popular amongst iOS and Android developers, but its creator previously charged $800 to publish a game to the App Store or Google Play. Under the new rules, that barrier has been lifted.
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05/21, 8:23am
Google teases Android fans with Key Lime Pie references at I/O
Although many were expecting Google to announce a new version of Android at Google I/O, it did not materialize. Instead the major product announcement was for a stock Android version of the Samsung Galaxy S4, which will only be available to US customers. Although the next version of Android is likely to be an incremental ‘Jelly Bean’ update widely thought to be Android 4.3, the rumored next major revision of Android dubbed ‘Key Lime Pie’ may have been given a subtle ‘hat tip’ during its developer conference.
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05/21, 7:29am
Opera for Android out of beta, already passes 350K downloads
Opera for Android has now exited beta, three months after it was first made available to users through the Google Play Store. The official release is free and is available for download now. Opera touts a number of features that users will prefer over other mobile browsers including an ‘Off-Road’ mode that helps to stabilize web connections when the connections become patchy, while also reducing data consumption.
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05/21, 6:26am
International customers to miss out on stock Android Galaxy S4
The ‘Google Edition’ of the Samsung Galaxy S4 running stock Android will be a US-only model it has been revealed. The long anticipated device is set to go on sale on June 26 for $649 will only be available through the US Google Play Store with no current plans to expand its availability internationally. The news will come as a blow to users who like what the Galaxy S4 hardware offers, but don’t like Samsung’s TouchWiz version of Google’s Android operating system.
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05/21, 6:15am
Aluminum casing with 10.1-inch Super IPS display used in Romanian tablet
Romanian hardware producer Evolio has unveiled a new Android tablet for the local market. The Quadra offers a large 10.1-inch, 1280x800 Super IPS display, with the device's name stemming from its use of a quad-core Cortex A9 CPU running at 1.2GHz, which a multi-core Vivante GC1000 GPU used for graphic-intensive tasks.
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05/20, 8:02am
Changes to lock screen, main UI appear in test firmware
A future update for the Samsung Galaxy S III could include a number of features carried over from the Galaxy S4, according to a report. The pre-release ROM using Android 4.2.2 as a base, still undergoing testing by the manufacturer, adds new options to the lock screen, as well as a number of design cues carried over from the Samsung flagship smartphone.
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05/19, 8:53pm
Project Ophelia to ship for about $100
Computer maker Dell is taking yet another step into the Android device segment, as it prepares to ship Project Ophelia. Ophelia is a thumb-sized USB device that contains hardware that runs Google's mobile operating system, and it plugs into a television to turn any HDTV into a smart device. It should begin shipping in July of this year for a price of $100.
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05/17, 6:32pm
HTC technically infringing, but patent likely seen as not valid
The Mannheim Regional Court has stayed one chapter of the ongoing Nokia versus HTC trial in Germnay. Judge Andreas Voss ordered the stay over a feature proving supervisory remote permission management to employees' Android-based phones and tablets. While HTC is infringing on the patent, the court believes the patent itself to be invalid.
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05/17, 5:05pm
Mobile users spending tree times as much as portable console users
A report by market analysts App Annie and IDC continue to show that mobile devices such as the iPhone or the Nexus 7 control a clear majority of mobile gaming interest and dollars spent on purchases, with portable handhelds fading rapidly. The first quarter of 2013 saw another milestone achieved for the Android platform, with it seeing more downloads and consumer spending on games than iOS for the first time.
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05/17, 9:29am
White version of Google smartphone identical in specification to original
A white version of the Google Nexus 4 smartphone could be released in the next month. A rumor suggests the white mobile device will become available through Google Play on the 10th of June, and will be accompanied by the release of the next iteration of the Android mobile operating system, version 4.3.
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05/16, 10:31am
Shipments for iOS rises for the quarter, market share drops
Shipments of Windows Phone devices have overtaken those of BlackBerry phones for the first time, according to a report. Numbers from IDC places the Microsoft mobile operating system in third place, still a considerable away behind iOS and Android shipments, which are said to make up 92.3-percent of all shipments when combined.
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05/16, 9:30am
All makers and platforms enjoyed growth in ad impressions in Q1
A new study by mobile advertising analysts Millennial Media finds that Apple's iOS is again the dominant platform for ad impressions, a measure of the effectiveness and engagement with in-app advertising. The report found growth in ad impressions across platforms and manufacturers, apart from BlackBerry which continued to shed users. Apple again swept the hardware results, taking the top manufacturer, top smartphone, and top tablet. Google's Android platform, however, continues to make great strides in growth.
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05/16, 8:16am
HTC not planning stock Android version of HTC One
HTC has said that it isn’t planning to issue a version of the HTC One running stock Android. The company issued a statement on the matter following the surprise, but long awaited, announcement at Google I/O that it will be selling a version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 running stock Android. “HTC is not currently planning a ‘Nexus Edition’ of the HTC One,” said an HTC company spokesperson.
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05/16, 7:08am
Televised investigation forces Samsung to work on space issue
Samsung is working on reducing the amount of internal storage in the Galaxy S4 that is taken up by the operating system. After a number of customer complaints and an investigation from the BBC consumer affairs show Watchdog, the company will try to shrink the room its TouchWiz implementation and other items it has added to the base Android installation.
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05/16, 6:57am
JAYS updates a-JAYS Five with all-new design in three versions
Swedish audio maker JAYS has released the latest version of its popular a-JAYS Five series earphones. Unlike the previous model that came in one edition, the new lineup comes in three discrete models, each individually tailored to iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices. Each of the three models features its own three-button remote that supports all the remote functionality of each type of smartphone running each OS.
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05/15, 11:39pm
Ultra low power Bluetooth protocol to be enabled in dual-mode chipsets
Today at Google I/O, Google's annual developer conference, Google announced that in the coming months Android will include native support for Bluetooth Smart Ready and Bluetooth Smart devices. Phones and tablets with a dual-mode Bluetooth chip running an unnamed coming version of Android will qualify as Bluetooth Smart Ready.
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05/15, 8:58pm
New update will make future updates faster, purges Flash
Lost amidst the slew of announcements at the linktextGoogle I/O keynote today, the company has announced the upcoming update to the Google TV software, bringing Android 4.2.2 "Jelly Bean" to the device family. Google claims that changes to the core of the software for the device will speed future updates, making the process happen in "weeks rather than months."
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05/15, 8:50pm
Read Now section allows quicker access to items
Google has updated the iOS and Android versions of Play Books with the ability to upload already-owned books and documents. The option supports PDF and EPUB files, but uploads must be done via the Google Books website. Any uploaded titles sync across devices.
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05/15, 4:12pm
Invitations opened for new Maps service, no firm release date given
At today's Google I/O keynote, Google has demonstrated a revamped Maps app for iOS and Android. In the coming months, Android users will see an upgrade, bringing the Maps for iOS user interface and features. Additionally, a long-awaited iPad version of the utility will be made available for the iPad.
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05/15, 3:44pm
Drives developers to freemium model, hurts platform
New research from F-Secure Labs on the prevalence of malware on smartphones, along with developer data on game app piracy rates paints a pretty clear -- and damning -- portrait of Android compared to other mobile platforms. The growth in mobile malware on Google's platform is increasing at such a pace that the malware threat is approaching the relative level of compromised Windows systems, while the rampant piracy is driving developers away and making paid apps scarce in favour of the "freemium" model.
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05/15, 1:40pm
Device will be unlocked, use unlocked bootloader, receive timely updates
Google has unveiled that a version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 with a stock installation of Android will be available to purchase, confirming an earlier rumor. The smartphone will be fully unlocked from purchase, will use an unlocked bootloader, and will apparently receive quicker software updates compared to the version of Android provided by Samsung.
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05/15, 12:51pm
Google Maps API, multiplayer tools, Google+ sign-on added to Android
Google has revealed some of the new tools available to developers on Android at its Google I/O event. A number of new APIs have been introduced, along with the rumored APIs for multiplayer gaming, and new tools for developers to create the apps themselves, including a new Android Studio tool, and help in the creation of international versions of apps.
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05/15, 11:50am
Google kicks off developer conference
Google is set to kick off its I/O developer conference with an opening keynote. The company is widely expected to introduce a new Android build, potentially alongside new hardware. Check our live page beginning at 9am Pacific, 12pm Eastern, for updates from the event.
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05/15, 12:02am
Slatebook X2 Android-based, Split X2 driven by Windows 8
HP has just announced the HP SlateBook X2 and the HP Spilt X2, a pair of detachable PCs offering notebook and tablet functionality in one device. The SlateBook X2 is the first Android detachable device with the Nvidia Tegra 4-processor, and runs Android 4.2.2 "Jelly Bean." The Split X2 is powered by the full Windows 8 operating system.
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05/14, 8:26pm
May carry over some Battlefield 4 technology
Games publisher EA is planning to bring the Frostbite engine to iOS and Android, according to the company's website. "One of our most exciting current projects is called Frostbite Go, a mobile division empowering EA game developers with Frostbite’s proven excellent workflows and features to bring true Frostbite experiences to all major mobile platforms," the site's History page reads. Switching over to the This is Frostbite page, EA mentions "diverse targets from XBOX360 and PlayStation 4 to iOS and Android."
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05/14, 1:24pm
Messaging system for BlackBerry phones will work on other platforms
BlackBerry will be expanding access to its BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service to new platforms this summer, in a move that has surfaced in rumors a number of times in the past. Users of iOS and Android devices will be able to download a free app for their device in order to use the service, with the core BBM functionality initially available and other aspects expected later in the year.
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05/14, 4:40am
Developer kit to allow Card.io-based credit card scanning
Payment service PayPal has launched a new software development kit for Android. Following on from the iOS version launched in March, the Android SDK will allow developers to integrate PayPal payments into their apps, providing them with an alternative payment processing system to Google Play, and the option to pay for in-app items or services by credit or debit card.
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05/13, 5:54pm
Xperia ZL a strong offering from Sony
Described by Sony as a culmination of its greatest technologies, the Xperia ZL is an attempt to bring the company’s best offerings together in a single device. In many ways the ZL makes good on this goal, offering a superb display, solid camera, and sleek design. What’s even more impressive is the compact frame that Sony was able to pack all of this into. Despite the inclusion of a five-inch full 1080p display, the Xperia ZL is comfortable to hold, and -- thanks to the relocation of the power button -- can easily be operated with a single hand. In our full review we look further into the Xperia ZL's feature set and see if it has what it takes to compete with other top Android handhelds.
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05/12, 4:00pm
Gaming framework for Android could appear at Google I/O
Google may be revealing an entire gaming framework to developers at Google I/O next week, based on newly-released data. The Google Play Services component for Android includes support for various game-related features in a new update, including synchronizing saved games and various multiplayer components seen in a previous leak.
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05/12, 5:42am
Does the HTC One have what it takes to beat the Galaxy S4?
The HTC One is a crucial product for the Taiwanese smartphone maker. The company once was the market leading Android smartphone vendor and saw tremendous success and growth as a company. It worked with Google on the first Nexus smartphone and was often one of the first to market with new features, including the move to displays 4-inches or larger. However, the rise of Samsung as a smartphone maker has largely come at the expense of HTC, which has seen its fortunes rapidly decline as a consequence. See if HTC has done enough with the One to turn its fortunes around in our full review of the HTC One.
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05/09, 11:30pm
Survey includes notebooks, tablets, phones, excludes actual sales
In its latest report, industry research firm Canalys is reporting on what it calls "worldwide smart mobile device shipments" for the first quarter of the year -- a term that includes smartphones, notebooks and tablets. Of the 308.7 million devices that fall under one of those categories that shipping in Q1, around 60 percent were said to be Android devices, reflecting the platform's strength in smartphones -- the fastest-growing area of mobile electronics. Apple's iOS placed second again, despite a dominant presence in tablets.
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05/09, 7:05am
Nvidia, Occam Partners, Shasta Ventures provide Ouya funding
The makers of Ouya, the Android-based game console, has received extra funding from investors ahead of its launch. The additional outside investment has now allowed Ouya to set the date of the official public launch as June 25, allowing more time for it to manufacture consoles before shipping units to retailers.
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05/08, 12:21pm
Switch to subscription-based software suites could take ten years
Microsoft has laid out the various changes the company will make to Office Web Apps in the future, with a focus on social features, partly confirming a previously leak. It has also revealed that, unlike Adobe's recent announcement of switching focus to providing subscription-based products, Microsoft will continue to release packaged versions of Office for the next few years.
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05/08, 11:50am
Files statement opposing Google amicus curiae in first case
As a part of one of its lawsuits against Samsung, Apple is asking US Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal for access to Google's Android source code records, Bloomberg reports. The documents are being demanded as part of pretrial information sharing; Apple argues in a court filing that Android is used in all of the Samsung devices accused of infringing Apple patents, and "provides much of the accused functionality."
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05/07, 12:58pm
Uses 5-megapixel camera, unnamed Snapdragon processor
Details of a new mid-ranged smartphone from Sony has appeared online, complete with an alleged test of its 5-megapixel camera. The C1905 is said to be an Android Jelly Bean-based phone that will form part of the Xperia range, and will sit alongside the Xperia L in the company's product catalog, with the leak coming shortly after claimed specifications of the camera-oriented Xperia i1 Honami were reported.
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05/07, 10:48am
Apple pulls share from Android, smaller platforms
iOS made significant gains in US mobile web traffic during April, according to Investing Analytics data obtained by Piper Jaffray. The platform reached a 69 percent share, up from 66.4 percent in March. The growth primarily at the expense of Android, which declined from 28.7 percent in March to 26.5.
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05/04, 6:37pm
Nexus 4 successor reportedly in the works
Google may be working with South Korean electronics manufacturer LG in order to develop a follow-up to last year's Nexus 4 handset. The rumored handset could be a retooling of the existing device, as was reported last month, but it may in fact be a new and distinct Nexus phone. The two companies are said to be discussing how they can further collaborate going forward.
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05/03, 7:00pm
Android, BlackBerry losing share months after iPhone 5 debut
Though the combined sales of Android smartphones continues to best Apple as a platform, Google's mobile OS continued to lose marketshare in the US in the latest quarterly comScore survey, as Apple solidified its position as market leader despite the lack of any new iPhone model in since before the holidays. Apple's share of the US smartphone market is now 39 percent, up 2.7 percent since December. Though Samsung was able to increase its US share slightly, the other three major Android vendors all lost ground in the most recent quarter.
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05/03, 1:15pm
Publisher misses December goal
Subscribers to the tablet editions of Hearst Magazines publications have finally broken past the 1 million mark, says company head David Carey. The executive at one point said the company would have 1 million subscribers by the end of 2012, but ended up with a figure closer to 900,000. "I’m glad we got there," Carey remarks. "We were just 90 days late."
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05/03, 12:37pm
Optional push notifications for billing, outages
Verizon has updated the iOS and Android versions of My FiOS, an app supporting the company's fiber service. Both apps have integrated important FiOS TV functions, namely TV listings, DVR scheduling, and a remote control. Previously the app's video functions were limited to watching video on demand.
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05/03, 5:54am
Hiring hints at gaming future for Android
Google may be branching out into making games, after hiring a games industry veteran. Noah Falstein, designer of a number of games over his 23-year career, has been picked up by the search giant and given the title "Chief Game Designer," suggesting that the company could be producing its own games, introducing gaming concepts to its products, or even building its own gaming platform on Android.
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05/02, 9:35pm
Samsung not forthcoming with user-available space on 16GB model
Early purchasers of the Samsung Galaxy S4 have discovered that approximately 45 percent of the storage on the 16GB model is occupied by Samsung's Android implementation, and unusable by the owner. Upon inspection of the device, the base Galaxy S4 model has only 8.82GB available to the user -- with the rest filled by Samsung with new features like the TouchWiz UI, Samsung Hub, and ChatON.
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05/02, 3:35pm
Android app gets grids, better upload quality
Instagram has launched a new service feature, "Photos of You," through updates to its iOS and Android apps. The option lets people tag others in their photos in a manner similar to Facebook; the collected photos will eventually appear in a Photos of You profile section. The tagging also works for corporate brands.
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05/02, 1:00am
Apple still tops all usage studies, suggesting stronger actual sales
Research firm IDC has posted the results of a questionable study on tablet "market share" that makes the claim -- not supported by sales evidence -- that Android has outgunned Apple in the tablet market, with 56.5 percent share in the first calendar quarter of the year, leaving Apple with barely 40 percent. The study also claims that Asus, not Amazon, is the third-largest tablet vendor with 5.5 percent of the market, having seen 350 percent growth year-over-year. The numbers seem unbelievable -- until one notices that IDC is estimating shipments, not sales.
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