Posts Tagged ‘operating-systems’

Nokia Buys Motally Mobile Analytical Company [Nokia Announces Purchase of U.S. Based Analytics Company Motally For Use With Symbian And MeeGo]

Once upon a time the judgement of a mobile device was based almost entirely on its hardware. Sure, the device’s operating system mattered a bit but they weren’t very feature packed as modern operating systems. Now a days, however, things have changed drastically with mobile operating systems like Android and iOS almost rivaling the functionality found within a normal desktop operating system. Yes, the hardware matters but considering the hardware found in most modern day cell phones are becoming increasingly similar, it’s up to the software to set any given device apart from the rest. (...) Read the rest of Nokia Buys Motally Mobile Analytical Company [Nokia Announces Purchase of U.S. Based Analytics Company Motally For Use With Symbian And MeeGo] © TFTS - Technology, Gadgets & Curiosities , 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us

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T-Mobile USA sees strong smartphone growth

After reporting their quarterly earnings this week, T-Mobile USA made it clear that smartphones are here to stay, seeing subscriptions triple year-on-year despite losing customers overall. Users with 3G-capable smartphones are now 19 percent of the entire T-Mobile USA subscriber base, with subscriptions over tripling to 6.5 million from 2.1 million in the Q2 2009. T-Mobile noted its most popular smartphones included Android devices like the MyTouch 3G and Nexus One , as well as the BlackBerry Bold and HTC HD2 , which use the BlackBerry OS and Windows Mobile operating systems, respectively. During the quarter, T-Mobile upgraded its network to HSPA+, giving some T-Mobile users faster data than even Sprint's 4G networks. 15 cities, covering 85 million people, now have access to T-Mobile's HSPA+ upgrade. By the end of the year the company says it hopes to have HSPA+ available to 185 million Americans. Overall, the carrier saw a decline in subscriptions , due to a high rate of decline in the prepaid business. The company lost 199,000 prepaid subscribers while only gaining 106,000 contract customers. Permalink | Comments

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Screen shots of Symbian^4 develop

With a more finger friendly design, Symbian^4 hopes to make up some ground against other operating systems like Android and iOS... Photos:

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LG unveils Android 2.2-powered Optimus series

LG only has a single Android phone available in the United States so far ( Verizon Ally ), but that is expected to change later this year when the company is scheduled to release up to ten new smartphones. Today the company unveiled its upcoming LG Optimus Series, which they are pushing as a “line-up of innovative smart devices featuring the latest in mobile technology”. Two models, the Optimus One and Optimus Chic, were revealed to be running Android 2.2, but no specs have been announced at this point. Both devices look like pretty vanilla Android phones, so it will be interesting to find what LG is packing inside. With HTC, Motorola, and Samsung now in full swing with their Android lineups, it will be hard for LG to make a splash this year unless they have some major surprises for us. Show Press Release BERKSHIRE,UK, JULY 5, 2010 — LG Electronics (LG) today unveiled its upcoming LG Optimus Series, a line-up of innovative smart devices featuring the latest in mobile technology that will spearhead the company’s newest campaign to highlight LG’s ability to simplify consumers’ information-dominated lives. LG Optimus, meaning ‘best’ in Latin, will be comprised of devices running on a range of operating systems as well as Android Tablet PCs. By offering a variety of choice in operating systems and incorporating smart technologies, LG prioritises consumer choice as a key strategy for expanding its footprint in the mobile industry. The smartphones and tablet devices range from entry to premium level, with various features to meet the diverse needs of all customers. As part of its aggressive strategy to grow its share of the global smartphone market, LG will be introducing approximately 10 new smart devices worldwide in the second half of this year under the LG Optimus label. “The LG Optimus Series is aimed at challenging the notion that one device can meet the needs of many,” said Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “At LG, we believe in providing people with many different choices because our customers are not all alike. We want to provide devices that suit all needs and simplify people’s lives.” The LG Optimus Series is the result of extensive consumer research and development that delved into the way people gather information in today’s digital age. According to a consumer survey conducted by LG, ease of finding information is the top motivator in considering a smartphone purchase. The research also looked into what consumers liked and disliked about some of today’s most popular communications devices. Not surprisingly, user friendliness and fast response time were high on consumers’ lists. The two android-powered smartphones in the pipeline — LG Optimus One with Google and LG Optimus Chic — incorporate the speedy Android Platform 2.2 (Froyo). LG Optimus One with Google™ offers the latest in Google™ mobile features and connects seamlessly to the world. Its ability to connect effortlessly to Google’s Android Market™ delivers an unfiltered and genuine smartphone user experience. Also, a convenient user interface and diverse multimedia options ensure a mobile environment that makes this device one of the easiest to use on the market. The LG Optimus Chic caters to fashion aficionados with its tasteful design incorporating soft and smooth lines. The handset’s sleek curves set a new standard for smartphone design, challenging the perception that advanced Android devices need to appeal to a hardcore tech crowd to gain widespread acceptance. Beyond smartphones, LG will be introducing its first tablet device later this year. Running on the Android Platform, LG’s tablet will deliver vastly superior performance than other similar devices currently on the market while still managing to be thinner and lighter than competing devices. RSS feed brought to you by the Android and Me Store Related Posts Verizon Android tablets from Motorola, Samsung and LG in Q4 Verizon LG Ally now available for pre-order Hands on the $99 LG Ally Mid-range LG Ally launches on Verizon May 20th Verizon LG Ally site goes live with limited specs

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Clarification on the New Smartphone Data Plans!

As many of you already know, existing Smartphone customers who already have a Smartphone data unlimited plan on their account will be allowed to keep their existing data plan should they choose, even if upgrading their device to another Smartphone; this includes ALL Smartphone Operating Systems such as iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Mobile, webOS and Symbian.

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Switched On: Android’s shot at TV stardom

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On , a column about consumer technology. In the short course of about 18 months, Android has gone from an upstart operating system on a single handset to one of the fastest growing mobile operating systems around to one that's increasingly being used beyond the handset on new devices like slates, smartbooks and now televisions. As fellow Engadget columnist Michael Gartenberg pointed out last week , the idea of putting the web on a TV has been with us for well over a decade with little acceptance. But the content and role of the web has changed dramatically since Sony and Philips launched their first devices based on WebTV's platform. As I mentioned last week , the web has become home for a growing family of mainstream sites upon which we've grown increasingly dependent. It's also become an outpost for both first-run and long-tail video. And the progress of standards such as CSS has improved the display of web sites across browsers and devices. HDTV has quadrupled the resolution of televisions and enabled flicker-free display of text. While few consumers directly connect their PCs to their TVs, several of the former sport HDMI connections, and many of the latter sport VGA connections. Continue reading Switched On: Android's shot at TV stardom Switched On: Android's shot at TV stardom originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 17:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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Cell Phone Viruses And Security

The current phone-to-phone viruses almost exclusively affect phones running the Symbian operating system, and the fact that in the cell -phone world we are dealing with a large number of proprietary operating systems is an effective ...

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Android 2.2 Allows Automatic App Updates?

I was a bit skeptical when a user from 4chan claimed to be an “android trusted tester” and posted screenshots of a MyTouch 3G supposedly running Android 2.2 Froyo – afterall we know how easily those “About” screens are faked . But after some trolling (”No one cares, take this $#!* to XDA”) and small talk (”is it nice”, “hurr”) the OP follows up with a picture that has me (at least partially) believing. Well, not ONLY believing… also yearning for the arrival of 2.2. You see, if the below pic is the real deal, then we could see an option to allow applications on your Android phone to automatically update when new versions of that application are available: You really don’t understand how long I’ve, well, longed for this. I would have settled for a “bulk update” feature that allowed you to view a list of updateable apps, select multiple apps with a check box, and 1-touch update those chosen, but this is even more desirable than that. An app-by-app bulk update option does has some other benefits, and I hope they consider including that as well, but this would be a magnificent step in the right direction. Often times it’s the little things that make or break a use experience and this option will definitely make Android better. It’s overwhelming to have 75+ apps installed and see 34 apps have updates waiting in Android Market. I just shake my head at the status bar, cry a bit inside, admit defeat and go on using my old applications unless I already know something golden rests in one of those new APKs. And of course, if you’re enabling automatic updates, a feature where you allow manual downgrades or rollbacks of applications would be appreciated. Nothing would be worse than to see a company hastily release an update that unintentionally glitches up your phone, leaving you stuck with a broken app and no way of turning back. There are some potentially interesting side effects that could come of this as well: What if a developer launches a really simple application in hopes of baiting as many downloads as possible, waits until they have a mass quantity of installs, and then release an update that is either malicious or intends to collect user information not previously agreed to in the original app download. I’m guessing Google will only allow automatic updates when applications have no additional permissions compared to their previously installed version, making an alternate bulk update option even more attractive. Of course the onus should also be on the user to only agree to automatic updates from companies they extremely trust. Developers could more easily migrate from a 100% free application with no ads towards showing display advertising here and there without making it so obvious. Instead of having an app, updating it, and then realizing you’re suddenly inundated with ads, developers could slowly integrate different monetization strategies without bombarding users. Some people will hate this but personally, I think its great for the developer community. Less fragmentation. The phones, operating systems, specs, carriers and a lot of other variables already contribute to an ecosystem that will inherently have some level of fragmentation. With automatic updates at least developers will be able to more easily push their latest wares out without having to worry that a large quantity of people are having different experiences for different reasons. And ultimately, this will allow them to provide better customer support. This is all just rumored discussion coming from one thread on 4chan so take the chatter lightly, but its an obvious move for Google to make and one I will gladly welcome. Has anyone else been dying for an upgraded upgrade system?

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FCC comes through with a Consumer Broadband Test app for iPhone, Android and the home

We talk about the FCC a lot here, but usually the ways ye olde Commission affects our lives are indirect. A little extra spectrum here, a nice leaked image there, that kind of thing. Not this time, though, as the FCC is getting involved directly with its own Consumer Broadband Test app, designed to probe network latencies and download speeds on your home connection or mobile device. Part of the hallowed National Broadband Plan , this will furnish the FCC will useful data to show the discrepancy between advertised and real world broadband speeds, and will also -- more importantly perhaps -- serve as a neat way for users to directly compare network performance in particular areas. It's available on the App Market and App Store right now, with versions for other operating systems coming up, so why not get with the program and give it a test drive? FCC comes through with a Consumer Broadband Test app for iPhone, Android and the home originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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China Unicom to sell Android devices

China Unicom , the second largest carrier in the nation, has said it will begin selling Android handsets in China this year, despite Google's ongoing spat with the Chinese government. In late January, Google postponed two high-profile Android smartphone launches in China, both of which would have been available through Unicom. "We are open to mobile phone operating systems, and we recognize that Android is a mainstream system," said Unicom Chairman Chang Xiaobing, via Reuters . "We will definitely use Google's Android in our mobile handsets." The delayed phones were from Motorola and Samsung . Permalink | Comments

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