Mobile

Judge Pleads for Peace as Apple, Samsung Hairpulling Resumes
December 07, 2012

Judge Lucy Koh on Thursday heard another round of quibbling between Apple and Samsung lawyers. Calling for some sort of "global peace," she reportedly asked both sides if there was any endpoint coming in their slugfest over patent issues. Koh presided earlier this year over the high-profile, often bitter trial between the giants.

All Things Appy: Top 5 Android Shopping Tools
December 01, 2012

Keep things simple with Barcode Scanner. Scan the product barcode wandering the aisles and read up on the product via a Google Web search or Google's shopping Web pages. That's it. It's super useful when showrooming, in-store browsing, price-matching, or looking for independent reviews and specifications.

Wave Control Pro: Smartphone Wizardry Worthy of Obi-Wan
November 30, 2012

It's the holidays, and if your Android smartphone is feeling a bit neglected, I've got the perfect gift for it. Forget automating your life with remote-controlled garage door openers, motorized big-screen TV mounts, and electrically driven drapes -- that's all so last-century. Controlling your phone with a wave of your hand is where it's at this holiday, in my opinion.

The Smartphone World Needs Microsoft
November 29, 2012

I admit it: When I read the news that Apple's share of U.S. smartphone sales skyrocketed with the launch of the iPhone 5 to surpass Android, I felt a momentary note of satisfaction. In the last 12 weeks, Android gobbled up 46.7 percent of smartphone sales while the iPhone nabbed 48.1 percent, according to data from Kantar Worldpanel.

Google Play Takes Away Reviewers' Mask of Anonymity
November 27, 2012

Those who want to post reviews on Google Play will be required to use a Google+ account, the parent company of both announced on Tuesday. The new rules will be implemented with the latest version of Google Play, which the company is now introducing for Android devices. They have already been implemented in the online store.

Samsung's Galaxy Note II Is a Phabulous Phablet
November 27, 2012

The Samsung Galaxy Note II could very well be the best high-end smartphone/phablet on the market today. It brings the best features of Android Jelly Bean to this combination of high-powered tablet and state-of-the-art phone. The Note II has so many things to like, but if you have a phobia for really big form factors, beware.

iMap Weather Radio Nails the Where, Flubs the When
November 16, 2012

iMap Weather Radio from Weather Decision Technologies may be the first Android app- style weather-warning push product that accurately parses public safety announcements. It delivers timely alerts only to those within a geo warning box, rather than to everyone within a broad-brush area.

Nokia's Mapping A-Team to Challenge Google, Apple
November 14, 2012

Nokia on Tuesday introduced a revamped maps application, Here, that will be available across several platforms and could compete with Google and Apple maps. The cloud-based maps application will feature LiveSight technology that offers worldwide 3D views, voice-guided navigation tours, and driving directions including traffic notices for more than 500 cities.

AT&T to Start Hawking Samsung Galaxy Camera
November 13, 2012

The Samsung Galaxy Camera will become available on Nov. 16 for $499.99, AT&T announced Monday. The 16-megapixel camera runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which opens the lens on a new category for cameras and wireless services. "This is brand new thinking that links AT&T, Samsung and Android," said industry analyst Jeff Kagan. "Yesterday, wireless meant just phones."

Apple, HTC Swap Licenses to Settle Patent Case
November 13, 2012

Apple and HTC agreed to a settlement this week, shelving their years-long patent battle and agreeing to a 10-year licensing agreement. The mobile device makers have been engaged in courtroom battles over patents since 2010, when Apple accused HTC of copying certain features of the iPhone. HTC fought back, claiming Apple had infringed on several of its own wireless patents.

No Thanks, ALK - the Google Lady Is My Copilot
November 09, 2012

I've gone a bit mad for smartphone GPS and everything that goes with it, including back country topo maps, tablet mounts and in-car mode screen assistant widgets. If you've been reading some of my TechNewsWorld and LinuxInsider columns lately, you already know that. I've also been kitting out my phone with some highly sophisticated GPS tools and getting good results.

Android Rules the Smartphone World
November 02, 2012

Android dominates the worldwide smartphone market, running on 75 percent of all smartphones shipped throughout the globe in the third quarter, IDC reported. Samsung continued to hold sway over the Android market, but its market share slipped because of competition from a multitude of smaller vendors. Apple's iOS came in a poor second, shipping on 26.9 million smartphones in Q3 2012.

Google's Nexus 10 Hits Apple Where It Lives
October 30, 2012

Google canceled its New York press event Monday due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast, but that didn't stop it from announcing its new Nexus 10 tablet, along with the Nexus 4 smartphone and Android 4.2, an update to Jelly Bean. A step up in size from the Asus-made Nexus 7, released in July, the Samsung-made Nexus 10 will be available beginning Nov. 13.

Roam Control Could Muscle You Out of a Tight Spot
October 26, 2012

Minimal signal bars? In the middle of nowhere? Your phone should automatically roam onto alternative networks designated by carrier roaming agreements, but sometimes it doesn't -- the phone can appear biased towards your home network. I've been looking at Roam Control, an Android app -- not available in Google Play -- that lets you force your phone to roam.

It's Not You, Android - It's Your Apps
October 23, 2012

A substantial number of apps available from Google Play had serious flaws in their Secure Sockets Layer implementations and thus were vulnerable to hack attacks, European researchers found. The team downloaded 13,500 popular free apps to study their use of the SSL or Transport Layer Security protocols, with a particular focus on the apps' vulnerabilities against Man-in-the-Middle attacks.

Google to Get Last Word in Week of Tablet Launches
October 22, 2012

Google could be poised to roll out new Nexus tablet offerings at next Monday's press event in New York City. The search giant is also likely to introduce a new smartphone, the LG Nexus 4, powered by Android 4.2. The timing of the event is certainly interesting, as it comes later on the same day that Microsoft is holding a Windows Phone 8 event in San Francisco.

Bogus Apps Litter Android With Malware
October 22, 2012

Android is one of the most popular mobile operating systems in the world. As a result, it's also one of the most popular mobile operating systems to be targeted by malware writers. Malware aimed at Google's Android platform increased sixfold during the quarter that ended in September, according to a report released Monday by Trend Micro.

JuiceDefender Can Be a Battery Savior if You Have a Bit of Patience
October 19, 2012

Consider how far we have come as a communications-driven society since the days of the messenger pigeon and telegraph. It's about 150 years since the Pony Express rode in the West. From horses to microwave, one of life's mysteries is that battery technology is still dead-ending us. Portable power chemistry hasn't been conquered.

House C'tee Blasts Chinese Firms, Claims Buying Aids Spying
October 08, 2012

A congressional panel has warned that Chinese telecommunications giants Huawei and ZTE pose a security threat to the United States. The panel recommends that both firms should be prohibited from any mergers or acquisitions. The House Intelligence Committee launched its investigation into Huawei and ZTE, each among the world's biggest producers of telecom networking equipment, last November.

PYKL3 Radar Is a Fine Foul-Weather Tracker
October 05, 2012

If you've ever been frustrated by the inaccuracy of a television weather report, in particular the graphics, there's always been a way out -- you could go to the National Weather Service website and look at the online radar images pulled straight off the actual radar. If you're fishing, hiking or working outdoors, though, you'll find the graphics don't render all that well on mobile devices.