Linux News: Mobile

Android on the Rise, While .Net Takes a Blow
October 15, 2009

Android will be the No. 2 smartphone OS by 2012, according to Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney! This fall's march of the Androids notwithstanding, the open OS now accounts for less than 2 percent of all smartphones, according to a recent report. In three years, however, it will make up more than 14 percent, beating Apple, Microsoft and RIM.

Acer Joins the Android Horde
October 14, 2009

Acer has announced details surrounding two hotly anticipated mobile devices running Google's Android mobile operating system: the Liquid A1 touchscreen smartphone, which Acer first said it was developing when it joined the Open Handset Alliance earlier this year; and the Aspire One netbook, which is available for preorder at Amazon for $349.99.

Android Security Flaws Nipped in the Bud
October 13, 2009

Two security flaws recently uncovered in Android 1.5 could have enabled malicious denial of service attacks on users of the mobile platform, according to an advisory released last week by the Open Source Computer Emergency Response Team. The first of the flaws could have allowed a malformed SMS message to disconnect the mobile phone from the cellular network.

Attack of the Droids
October 09, 2009

AT&T has its iPhone, Sprint has its Pre, T-Mobile has its myTouch, and Verizon has ... what? A BlackBerry or something? Even though Verizon is the biggest network in the land -- and even though iPhone users think about Verizon longingly every time a call goes dead -- the company is not generally known for having killer phones.

Sprint Seizes the Android Moment
October 09, 2009

Sprint is adding another Android phone to its lineup -- the Samsung Moment. The Moment, which has an 800 MHz CPU, will be available from Nov. 1. Meanwhile, Gartner predicts that Android installations will surge, putting it in second place after Symbian by 2012. The Moment runs Android 1.5 Cupcake. It has a 3.2-inch AMOLED screen, which is slowly becoming the norm for the newest high-end mobile phones.

Is Dell Getting Its Android On?
October 08, 2009

Dell is reportedly building an Android smartphone for AT&T. If the rumor should prove true, it would mean significant advances for both companies. It would be AT&T's first offering built on the open source mobile operating system developed by Google. Android made a strong start out of the gate, and it is projected to grow quickly in the coming years.

Verizon, Google Forge Powerful Android Alliance
October 07, 2009

A strategic partnership between Google and Verizon Wireless will yield two new Android phones in the coming weeks, the companies' chiefs jointly announced Tuesday. Speaking in a conference call, Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt and Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam said that their first two Android devices will be available by year's end.

Behold II Joins Android's Autumn Advance
October 06, 2009

Apple's iPhone may have legions of enthusiastic followers, but there's no denying that fans of Google's competing Android platform already have more options. Case in point: Samsung and T-Mobile on Monday announced the Samsung Behold II, the latest of many Android handsets to come to market in recent months.

Study: Android's on a Mobile Web Tear
October 02, 2009

While apparently iPhones rule the mobile ad marketplace, Android phones are making rapid headway and could soon overtake BlackBerry devices. Mobile adverting marketplace AdMob on Thursday released a report indicating that 40 percent of the devices accessing its mobile ad network are iPhones. However, Android users accessing its network are increasing rapidly in North America and Western Europe.

Garmin Takes a New Tack With Linux-Based Nav Phone
September 30, 2009

After nearly two years of anticipation, Garmin and AT&T announced Tuesday that the long-awaited Garmin Nuvifone G60 will become available in the United States starting Oct. 4. Billed as "the navigation phone" for its integration of phone capabilities with GPS functionality, the Linux-based device will be sold online and in AT&T stores for $299, after a $100 mail-in rebate.

Google Lashes Out at Android Dev
September 29, 2009

Google sent shock waves through the Android community late last week by launching a cease-and-desist order at well-regarded modder Cyanogen for bundling some of its closed-source applications with his CyanogenMod ROM. CyanogenMod is a free, heavily optimized build of Android 1.5r2 that focuses on performance and reliability.

LiMo Revs Up for R2 Handset Drive
September 25, 2009

The LiMo Foundation, a consortium dedicated to creating an open, hardware-independent, Linux-based operating system for mobile devices delivered a one- two- punch to the mobile industry Thursday. First, Morgan Gillis, executive director, announced that consortium members are "moving into full commercialization mode."

Linpus Hones Moblin-Based Linux Lite
September 23, 2009

Linpus Technologies on Tuesday released Linpus Linux Lite 1.2, a new version of its consumer Linux software based on Moblin version 2 that's been enhanced with improved social networking applications and power management capabilities. The first version of the Moblin v2-based technology was released earlier this year.

Linux Buffs Get Eyeful at LinuxCon Tech Showcase
September 22, 2009

Amid all the talks, workshops and training sessions now under way at LinuxCon, attendees hoping to get an up-close look at some of the latest open source technologies were not disappointed. A wide variety of products are being demonstrated by a diverse set of vendors in the technology showcase at the Linux Foundation's first annual LinuxCon event.

Will Motorola Scratch Android's Back?
September 15, 2009

When Motorola announced its Android-powered Cliq late last week, it took what many view as a critical step toward regaining its former prominence in the mobile phone arena. "Motorola was the No. 1 handset maker in the 1990s -- they lost that position to Nokia and have been trying to recapture the market ever since," said telecom analyst Jeff Kagan.

Motorola's Cliq Joins Android Army
September 11, 2009

Motorola unveiled its much-anticipated first Android phone on Thursday, together with a new service it calls "Motoblur." The phone, to be called the "Cliq" in the United States, will be available from T-Mobile later this year. It will be marketed as the "Dext" abroad. Motoblur is a system that syncs contacts, status posts and messages, among other things, from various sources.