Move Over iPhone 6, Android One Is A More Serious Threat (In The Low-Cost Market)

When it comes to smartphone operating systems there are really only two big names, Android and iOS (but there is a company that rents them all). I mean, there are others, but they have yet to hit the popularity and esteem of these two. One such operating system is that of Windows Phone. While Windows Phones aren't necessarily bad devices, they simply have had a rough time surpassing Android and iOS devices. Unfortunately for Windows Phone things don't look to be getting any easier. Even though Apple has released the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus its Android that Windows Phone should really be fearing.

Google's Android One project could very well be the final nail in the coffin for Windows Phone, making sure that these devices never become a serious threat to the smartphone market. Apple's newest devices are high-end phones with high-end prices, as usual. The iPhone 6 comes in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB varieties that run $199, $299 and $399, respectively. The iPhone 6 Plus comes with the same three versions with $299, $399 and $499 price tags. 

These numbers make Microsoft extremely happy as the company as all but given up on high-end smartphones. As a result, Microsoft is starting to target consumers that are a little more careful with their money and ones who aren't necessarily willing to for over that kind of cash for a smartphone. The flagship of this new business model is the company's Lumia 830 Windows Phone which comes with a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and a 5" screen. 

Corporate Vice President of Mobile Device Sales at Microsoft Chris Weber was quoted recently at the IFA Electronics Show in Berlin stating that the new marketing strategy for Windows Phone would be pricing. "We're going to challenge Apple and Samsung and expose the premium they are charging for a phone," Weber stated. 

That's the precise reason Microsoft should be worried about Android One. Android One is a project from Google that is designed to reduce the cost of Android phones. The company's target is the developing world, where Nokia used to have a very large presence and where Microsoft is hoping to use the Nokia name to grab a market share with low-cost Windows Phones. 

Google, on the other hand, is making it very easy for phone manufacturers to produce low-cost phones that will run stock Android without any modifications. To make matters worse for Microsoft, Google has already lined up Acer, Alcatel OneTouch, Asus, HTC, Intex, Lava, Lenovo, Panasonic and Xolo along with chipmaker Qualcomm. Android One will launch first in India and then make its way to Indonesia, the Philippines and other South Asian countries by the end of this year. 

Google currently owns nearly 80% of the world's smartphone market. The biggest of these new markets are in developing countries, which is where Windows Phone needs to increase its profits. However, with Android One on the prowl it's unlikely that Microsoft will be able to make a dent in the market. While everyone is gawking at the new iPhones from Apple, Microsoft will be sweating bullets over Google's low-cost Android One phones.

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One Phone, Two OS choices Android or Windows

HTC and Microsoft are debuting the HTC One (M8) for Windows, making it the first time a device is offered on multiple operating systems – Android and Windows.

The phone comes with HTC BlinkFeed, HTC BoomSound, Duo Camera with UltraPixel technology, a 5MP wide-angle front-facing camera and support for the HTC Dot View case. 
Other specs include Windows Phone 8.1 Update, which incorporates a host of meaningful innovations including Cortana, Action Center, Apps Corner, and Live Tiles.

Cortana is Windows’ personal digital assistant, makes her HTC debut in this phone. Cortana is adept at search and setting calendar appointments. Cortana also offers the ability to warn you when it’s time to leave for your next appointment or remind you to pick up toilet paper and bread on the way home.

The HTC One (M8) for Windows is also covered by HTC Advantage, which provides the industry’s only free cracked screen replacement.

The HTC One (M8) for Windows is available only through Verizon Wireless.

This Security App Will Email You Pictures Of Who Stole Your Phone

This past Wednesday, Lookout added some new features to their mobile security app. These are features that you won't find on most other mobile security apps. With Lookout, you can now protect yourself from malware and spyware, and with the newest version of the app you can even protect yourself against theft. Now, the app will send theft alerts just minutes after it detects suspicious activities.

That moment when you realize you haven't checked your phone in a bit and you decide to grab it from your pocket just to find out that it isn't there is one of the most terrifying experiences anyone can have. Especially if your phone is a really expensive one that would cost a lot to replace or if you have a lot of personal information on it. The goal for Lookout with their new features is to help put your mind a little more at ease in those dark times of fear and desperation.

The way it works is pretty awesome. You can set up a custom list of actions that will trigger alerts. For example, you could make it so that your phone triggers an alert when someone removes the SIM card, enables airplane mode, turns the phone off, or if someone enters the wrong passcode.

When one of these things happens, it triggers an alert. When an alert is triggered, your phone will immediately snap a picture with its front facing camera and will record the exact location of the device. Once the picture has been taken and the location has been recorded, it will send you an email with a picture of whoever has your phone and give you its location so that you can go track down your stuff and beat someone up for stealing your phone. Or, you know... just ask nicely to have it back or call the cops. The email it sends will also give you the resources you need to file a police report on the spot if you want.

The app itself is free for either Android or iOS. To get the theft alert feature you'll need a subscription that costs $3 a month or $30 a year. It seems like a very small price to pay for any business travelers out there who find themselves in different places and situations more often than most people. If you already have the app, you can use the theft alert feature for free until September.

Theft and violence have been growing problems that surround smartphones and smartphone users recently. It has become such an issue that some states are even passing new laws to combat those issues. In California manufacturers are even requiredto give customers a way to remotely disable their phones and wipe them clean in order to prevent as much damage as possible.

This isn't the 1950's, and crime seems to be affecting everyone these days. You might as well protect yourself with one of the coolest security apps out right now.

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Netgear N300 Trek Travel Router Keeps You Connected Like Never Before

One of the more overlooked devices that debuted at CES was the Netgear N300 Trek wireless router. It's a really small, USB powered device that lets you share a wired or wireless internet connection with several different devices at a time. You can also use it to boost a weak Wi-Fi signal.

Getting started with this little guy is pretty simple. You have to first choose which type of network you are connecting to, either wireless or wired, and then slide up the antenna. It comes configured with an SSID and a randomly generated password. Once you get everything together and open up the default web page for the device you can save a profile for the hotspot you're connecting to, then select the network you are connecting the router to, and then you'll be taken to the network's log in page.

Once you are all hooked up, you can connect as many devices as you'd like without having to log in again. You can connect all of your wireless devices, but you are not limited to wireless connections because it even comes with Ethernet ports for all of your wired devices.

This comes in super handy when staying in hotel rooms while you are traveling. First of all, most hotel rooms have very outdated technology. They aren't meant to handle our current multi-device lifestyle. Also, lots of hotel rooms make you pay for your internet connection per device you have. If you get your password that you paid for, just use this device and connect all your other devices to it. It's kind of cheating the system.

This is the perfect device for any business traveler. On top of it being perfect, it is almost a necessity at this point for anyone who needs to stay connected on the road to keep their life going.

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How To Keep Your Android Device Clean And Fast

There are plenty of reasons why you should make sure to clean out your Android device periodically. When you have tons of apps installed, a lot of them have routines that run constantly and can take away from the performance of your phone. What is even worse than that is the fact that some of them continuously access the internet. This can be a big problem if you do not have unlimited data, which most of us do not.

On top of that, expandable storage on smartphones is becoming more rare with every new smartphone launch. So having all of these old apps and all of their data is taking up useful storage space that you could be using for something... useful.

If your cell phone is suffering from a lack of storage and/or slow performance, then you should take advantage of this article and figure out how to identify and remove the useless things that are taking up all of the precious space on your device.

Store Your Media Elsewhere

All of your media doesn't have to travel with you in your pocket for the rest of your life. Let's face it, you're never going to look at most of it ever again, even if you don't want to delete it. So, if your phone storage is getting low, offload your media to a PC.

if you open your device's settings, you can see a graph that shows all of the storage in use and the available space you have left. You can look at this to determine where you should start freeing up space. Pay attention to the pictures and videos section. These take up a lot of space, and they make the most sense to store on your computer instead of your phone.

To do this, open the settings option under "Storage" on the device. Touch USB connection on an Android KitKat device and then connect as Media Device. Then plug in a USB cable from the device to your PC and let the drivers automatically install on the PC. After that, all you have to do is use Windows Explorer to browse through all of your phone's files and drag them on to your computer into any folder that you would like them to be saved under. After they have been successfully removed from the device, just delete them off the phone. You can even reverse this to put them back on your device later if you want to.

Organization

 You can also get a couple different organization apps and third party screen locks, like Cover Lock Screen. Some screen lock apps are useful if you have tons of app launch icons on your home screen. They can even learn which apps you use, when you use them, and from where, and then deliver them as you need them. This is pretty successful in cutting down on date usage.

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Best Travel Apps From 2013

If you have a smartphone or a tablet then you already know how flooded the app market is. Sometimes it can feel impossible to sift through everything and find an app that is even worth the time that it takes to download. We all have those select few apps that we have been using for years, but sometimes you just have to wonder if there is anything else out there that might be better. Unfortunately, this past year didn't give birth to any game changers, but there are in fact a few new apps that could give you a breath of fresh air and help you out in your business travels.

1. Hipmunk

This app has really set the bar in searching for hotels and flights because of it's unrivaled sorting ability. Hipmunk lets you search for flights by class off service and also access your past queries. You can get really in depth and pick your flight based off of travel time, price, or just by airline. You can also choose the "Agony" option and it will show you the flight with the least amount of travel time possible. The hotel search is great as well and can be narrowed down to specific neighborhoods. All of the search results are very easy to read and follow with it's nice looking color coded charts. It will also show you popular places in different areas like restaurants or stores. You can narrow your search by choosing different options like business, kid friendly, luxury, or romantic.

2. Refresh

This app lets you get your creep on. Basically, it shows you all of the available data about a person that you are getting ready to meet. This could be a potential new employee that you are about to interview, someone you may be considering working for, or even just someone you're thinking about taking on a date. It uses various social media profiles of the person that you search to gather most of the useful information that you may need and puts it in one place for you. They claim that the purpose of the app is to eliminate the grueling pain of awkward small talk when meeting someone for the first time, but you can choose to do with it what you will. I think it's a neat idea for job interviews.

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3. Viber

Viber is an absolutely fantastic app for the traveling business person who finds themselves in a place where they don't have very good cell service, your mobile plan doesn't cover roaming, or your plan isn't unlimited. Basically, this app lets you make phone calls and send text messages for free as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection. Most people probably think that Skype would be the best for this, but when you make a call or send a text with Viber, it uses your existing phone number. On top of that, syncing all of your existing contacts with the app is probably the easiest thing in the world.

4. MyCityWay

This app gives you a very quick description of any city that you may want to know more about. You can choose categories for dining, pharmacies, weather, local news, and public transit. This is the perfect app for when you are traveling and end up staying in a city that you aren't familiar with. I would recommend that you download it instead of skipping over it because the name makes it sound dumb

5. Taxi Magic

This is one of the easiest ways to get a cab. It works in 60 U.S. cities and provides you with immediate pickups, fare estimates, and you can even make reservations to be picked up at a later time or date. You can also track your taxi to find out where its at so that you can be inside until the moment it arrives. Possibly the best part is that you can pay ahead of time via credit card and get a receipt emailed to you. Doesn't get much easier than that, right?

Amazon's Appstore is Proving to Be a Success

According to data that was recently released by Flurry, an analysis firm, Amazon made a smart decision to open its own app store because it is bringing in more Android app revenues than Google.

Flurry decided to look at a “basket of top apps” that were available at Apple’s App Store, the Android Market/Google Play Store and Amazon’s Appstore over 45 days during January and February this year. It found that for every dollar that was spent on iOS apps, 89 cents was spent on apps in the Amazon Appstore and only 23 cents was spent on apps from the Google Play app store.

"Amazon's bet to fork Android in order to put consumers into their own shopping experience on Kindle Fire appears to be paying off," Flurry said in a blog post. "Showing its commerce strength, Amazon already delivers more than three times the revenue in its app store compared to what Google generates for developers."

"For some possible insight, let's consider the DNA of each company. Apple runs the highest revenue-per-square foot generating retail store on the planet as well as the successful iTunes store," it said. "Amazon, who invented the one-click purchase, perfected online shopping with data, efficiency and customer service. Google's strength is in scalable online search engine and advertising technology. Running a store, retail or digital, has not been Google's traditional core competency."

It will be interesting to see if Amazon continues to be successful in the Android app sales business. Right now, it sure looks like they have a leg up on Google, and it will stay that way for awhile.

Sources: PCMag - Study: Amazon Trouncing Google in Android App Revenue and Flurry Blog - For Generating App Revenue, Amazon Shows Google How to Play

Music Unlimited Adds Offline Playback to Android App, Comes to PS Vita As Well

If you are a Music Unlimited subscriber as well as an Android user then have I got news for you! If you have ever wanted to take all your Music Unlimited playlists with you wherever you go, even when you don't have a mobile connection, then your solution has just arrived as Music Unlimited has just announced offline playback functionality for its popular Android app.

The app, with this new feature, allows you to download your Music Unlimited playlists and play all the songs that you have added wherever you go, whenever you want. What makes this even better is that your Music Unlimited playback functionality isn't limited by your mobile phone's service. Even if you are in an area that has absolutely no cell service, like an airplane, you can still listen to all of your favorite tunes.

Activating offline playback on your Android is really simple too. If you are already a subscriber to Music Unlimited, then all you have to do go to My Library, then Playlists. Once there, select the Options menu for the playlist you want to have available offline and then select "Available Offline". That's it, once that is done your playlist will be completely available even when your Android has no signal at all.

If you ever go offline, all you have to do is select "Switch to Offline Mode" in your Android hardware menu. Then you can browse by album, artist, song or playlist within your Music Unlimited catalog. However, functionality for Music Unlimited doesn't stop there.

Sony has also just announced that Music Unlimited has just become available on the company's brand new PS Vita handheld. If you are already a subscriber to Music Unlimited on your PC or PS3 then you will also have availability on your PS Vita. The service is available to download now from the UK PlayStation Store.

With the ability to have your Music Unlimited tracks on your PC, PlayStation 3, PS Vita and your Android in both online and offline settings, there will never be a time that you can't rock out to your favorite Barry Manilow song! What, no Manilow fans in the house? Whatever.

Source: Sony Entertainment Network - Music Unlimited Android App Gets Offline Playback
PushSquare - Music Unlimited Launches on PlayStation Vita
Engadget - Music Unlimited app arrives on PlayStation Vita, Android version gets offline play

Computer Service Now

Asus Confirms Android 5.0 Jelly Bean, Wants to Be First to Get It

Asus has a very close relationship with Google, home of the extremely popular Android operating system. Android is so popular that everybody wants to be known as the first company to offer a product that features the latest and greatest Android OS, including Asus. Well, it just so happens that Asus is hoping that its relationship with Google will allow the company to be the very first to offer devices running Android 5.0, otherwise known as Jelly Bean.

Asus prides itself on its ability to efficiently upgrade to the latest Android OS, as the company was the first to provide tablets operating Honeycomb and the first to update its tablets with Ice Cream Sandwich. Corporate Vice President of Asus Benson Lin stated in an interview with TechRadar, "Asus is very close to Google, so once they have Android 5.0 I think there will be a high possibility that we will be the first wave to offer the Jelly Bean update."

Asus recently announced its 3-in-1 Padfone device at the Mobile World Conference 2012. The device incorporates a mobile phone, tablet and netbook all into a single device that runs Android's Ice Cream Sandwich. Asus hopes that the Padfone will help the company gain momentum in the mobile market. If the company produces good handsets, the promise of a quick upgrade to Android Jelly Bean could see consumers attracted to the device.

Other companies, like LG, have already committed to upgrading their own 2012 range of handsets to Android 5.0 Jelly Bean as soon as it becomes available. It will be very interesting to see which company turns out a Jelly Bean device first and what that could mean for business.

Source: TechRadar - Android Jelly Bean could come first from Asus
Droid Life - Asus Calls Android 5.0 "Jelly Bean" - Says They Will Be One of the First to Release It
DroidDog - Asus hopes to be first with Android 5.0 Jelly Bean
Engadget - ASUS claims it may be among first to get Android 5.0, confirms Jelly Bean moniker

Computer Service Now

Google Announces New "Bouncer" Security

On Thursday, February 2 Google announced that it was adding some new security for its Android Market. This new security is being called the Bouncer. It will scan Android apps for any possible malware.

Google went on to say that Bouncer will scan all new and existing apps as well as the developer’s accounts. All of this will be done "without disrupting the user experience of Android Market or requiring developers to go through an application approval process," said Google's vice president of engineering, Hiroshi Lockheimer.

"Here's how it works: once an application is uploaded, the service immediately starts analyzing it for known malware, spyware and trojans," Lockheimer wrote in a blog post. "It also looks for behaviors that indicate an application might be misbehaving and compares it against previously analyzed apps to detect possible red flags."

Google will run every single app through the scanning process and alert users to anything that might be a potential issue. Developers' accounts will also be examined to make sure that any banned individuals do not try to come back.

Android malware issues were a big topic last year. Google does not have a particularly strict app approval process for the Android Market, which does make it a much more open environment; however, unlike the Apple App Store, the store is much more susceptible to malicious apps.

"We've chosen not to be the gatekeeper," said Alan Davidson, the former director of public policy at Google. "We don't generally go back and try to make sure that every app does what it says it's going to do. [Google is] really trying to maximize the ability of small app developers to get online."

According to data that was released by Juniper Networks, the number of malware issues from the Android Market jumped 472 percent just between July and November 2011. However, Google’s report was very different than Juniper Networks' report. Google said recently that in the second half of 2011 it saw a 40 percent decline in the downloading of potentially malicious apps on the Android Market.

"This drop occurred at the same time that companies who market and sell anti-malware and security software have been reporting that malicious applications are on the rise," Lockheimer wrote. "We know the rate is declining significantly."

Sources: Google Blog - Android and Security and PCMag - Google 'Bouncer' Now Scanning Android Market for Malware

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Ice Cream Sandwich Not Coming to Samsung Galaxy S or Original Galaxy Tab

It is a sad, sad day for any and all who own the Samsung Galaxy S and/or the Samsung Galaxy Tab because it has just been confirmed that neither device will be receiving Android's Ice Cream Sandwich update. The company recently sent out update schedules on which devices will be receiving Ice Cream Sandwich and when they will receive it and, unfortunately, neither the Samsung Galaxy S nor the Samsung Galaxy Tab (7" original version) made the list.

Fortunately, the later models of Samsung's products will be getting the Ice Cream Sandwich treatment, like the Galaxy S II, Galaxy S II LTE, Galaxy R, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 8.9, Galaxy Tab 7.7 and Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. However, that means very little to the millions of users who own Samsung's 2010 flagship smartphone or the company's first jump into the tablet market.

An interesting fact is that the Nexus S, which is surprisingly similar to the Galaxy S, is getting the update. That begs the question as to why the Galaxy S is not. Samsung explained that the reason the Galaxy S is not getting the Ice Cream Sandwich update is due to a combination of factors: using the TouchWiz skin, included video conferencing software, additional widgets, carrier software and localization, all of which make it extremely hard for Samsung to deliver an update. Aside from all of that, Samsung also refers to issues with RAM and ROM management.

What is even worse is that this confirms fears about further fragmentation with Android and Ice Cream Sandwich. The new operating system was supposed to fix the issue which is why it is so unsettling to see a powerful device like the Galaxy S get left behind. On the contrary, Apple has delivered its newest iOS 5 software to the iPhone 3GS, which was released in 2009, one year before the Galaxy S.

If you're pretty technically skilled then, you may be able to hack your Galaxy S to run Ice Cream Sandwich, though I am assuming many users are not. This is definitely sad news but I predict that as operating systems get more and more advanced, we will see them popping up on less and less older devices.

Source: Phone Arena - Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab not getting ICS

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Toshiba's New Dynabook WT301/D Android Tablet

Android is coming on strong in the tablet PC market. Apple completely set the standard for tablets when it first unveiled the original iPad (which seems like a lifetime ago) and held the spot as the tablet to have. However, tablets running the Android operating system are starting to give the iPad some stiff competition, mainly because only one company, Apple, can make the iPad and every other company out there can make an Android tablet. One of the biggest Android tablet makers is Toshiba and they have just unveiled their newest tablet to hit the market, the Toshiba Dynabook WT301/D.

Toshiba already has a number of Android tablets in its repertoire though this latest 10" tablet is said to run on Windows 7 Professional, giving it a little something extra over previous models. The device itself is coming soon to Japan and has been completely aimed toward enterprise users. As far as specs are concerned, the Toshiba Dynabook WT301/D has a 10.1", 1,366 x 768 pixel display along with an Intel Atom processor, 2GB of RAM and a 64GB solid state drive.

Seeing as how tablets are designed to be mobile, this device comes with 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and a front-facing VGA camera along with a 1.3MP rear camera allowing you to take pictures and video chat with ease. The Toshiba Dynabook also has built-in stereo speakers, USB and micro HDMI ports. In addition to that, the tablet will come with business software like Microsoft Office Home and Business 2010.

Unfortunately, as it stands right now, the Toshiba Dynabook WT301/D is only set to release in Japan in January. There is currently no word on whether or not it will be branching out to other countries or when that may happen but I would wager that you may see this tablet hit stateside in the Spring of 2012.

Source: liliputing - Toshiba introduces 10-inch Windows tablet in Japan

Short-throw projectors only require half the projection distance of traditional projectors. The projector can be placed just a foot or so from the screen. This is nice because it keeps the projector and screen near each other instead of having a long throw projector that people can accidentally block.

New Novo7 Tablet Ships with Android 4.0 Pre-Installed

People were just freaking out over the Jaguar 7's demonstration of Ice Cream Sandwich and anxiously awaiting the release of the Transformer Prime until Igenic and MIPS completely slapped them across the face and said "Look what we made!" by announcing the Ainol-branded Novo7. The Novo7 is absolutely the first commercially available tablet to come loaded with Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box.

I must confess that this device isn't entirely brand new. It was previously available as a Honeycomb tablet and is now shipping with Ice Cream Sandwich pre-loaded. In addition to the newest version of Android's operating system, this device is also packing an Igenic JZ4770 mobile applications processor, as well as 1GHz MIPS-based XBurst CPU, meaning, unfortunately, that this tablet isn't going to be breaking any power records.

A 7" capacitive touchscreen, Vivante GC860 CPU clocked at 444MHz, 1080p video decoding, rear 2MP camera with VGA front-facing camera, USB 2.0, HDMI 1.3, microSD slot and an endorsement from the one and only Andy Rubin (Google's Senior Vice President of Mobile) are all perks you get with the Novo7.

While the processor and CPU may seem to be on the low end, they are perfect for how much you will pay for this little guy. The Novo7 from MIPS and Ingenic will only cost you $99. For an Android 4.0 tablet with dual cameras and full 1080p HD, I'd say it's a steal. However, you may want to hold off on buying one right now for a few reasons. First off, the device isn't yet available in the United States and shipping will cost you nearly $50. Second, MIPS has already informed us that this device will hit the US market over "the next several months" and that 8" and 9" versions are also in the works. Plus, if you already have the previous Novo tablet, an update with Ice Cream Sandwich is on the way.

Source: Engadget - Ainol launches the NOVO7, the world's first Android 4.0 tablet, for $100 plus shipping.

Security Camera Solutions

Acer Finally Rolls Out Android 3.1 Update for Iconia Tab A500

Have you recently purchased or been given a new Acer Iconia Tab A500? If so, are you lamenting over the fact that many other tablets have Android 3.1 and you don't? Well, if any of that rings true for you, don't fret any longer because the Iconia Tab A500 from Acer is the next device in the long line of products to get the Android 3.1 upgrade.

While it was a little later than consumers had first imagined, Acer did manage to start rolling out the Android 3.1 upgrade for the Iconia Tab A500 on Wednesday. This recent update has all the nifty little features we saw at Google I/O including a deeper multitasking system, resizable widgets and support for USB host devices like a camera.

In addition to adding new things, this update also removes some things. A number of quirks have been removed like respecting the orientation lock when the tablet is at the lock screen, among other things.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 was the first tablet to receive the Android 3.1. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 had the fortunate experience of shipping with Android 3.1 out of the box. A few select Xoom users are also getting the upgrade as well.

Acer has yet to say how quickly the owners of the Iconia Tab A500 will get the upgrades. Usually, in terms of upgrades like this, the update pushes out over the course of a couple of days to a couple of weeks. A lot of the time the update will automatically show up but a manual check of your tablet may allow you to receive the update earlier.

Source: Electronista - Acer Iconia Tab A500's Android 3.1 update goes live

Security Camera Solutions

Samsung Galaxy Tab Makes Move to Gingerbread

If you own one of those fancy new Galaxy Tabs, then have I got some good news for you! Samsung has officially began rolling out Android 2.3.3, otherwise known as Gingerbread, to any and all active Samsung Galaxy Tabs.

News of this exciting update first came in from Androidiani and was later confirmed by users from XDA-Dev. If you are a Galaxy Tab owner in Italy, you can start updating your device to Gingerbread via KIES now.

Sources from SamFirmware have also confirmed the Galaxy Tab's move to Gingerbread stating that the Galaxy Tab is now receiving the update with rom coming online within the next couple of days.

Full details of the update are below. I don't know what it is about updates and food names, I mean we've got Honeycomb, Gingerbread and even Ice Cream Sandwich. I'm beginning to think that these technology companies have their minds on something other than updates.

The firmware version of KIES is : P1000XXJPZ.
This rom is running Android 2.3.3
Firmware Version: 2.3.3
Versione banda base : P1000XXJPZ Base-band version: P1000XXJPZ
Versione Kernel : 2.6.35.7 - se-infra@SEP-52 #2
Kernel Version: 2.6.35.7 - if infra-SEP-52 @ # 2
Numero build : GINGERBREAD.XXJQ1
Build Number: GINGERBREAD.XXJQ1

Source: The Galaxy Tab - Samsung started rolling out Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) update for Galaxy Tab in Italy! [With Upgrade Video]

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Pandora Caught Sending Personal User Information to Ad Servers

If you are constantly working on the go, you definitely value your breaks. One thing a lot of people like to have with them when they are always on the go is music and no other service is quite as popular as Pandora. Now we all know that the Pandora app sends a ton of personal information to third party developers according to an analysis by Veracode. Well, Veracode decided to do a follow-up on their news that Pandora, as well as a lot of other mobile app makers, was being investigated by a federal grand jury and found that information, such as birth date, gender, Android ID and GPS information, was being sent to a plethora of advertising companies. Pandora recently revealed that they had been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury to produce documents about their user data collection practices on Android and iOS devices. Pandora also stated that they believe the subpoena is part of an industry-wide investigation into popular applications on Android and iOS devices. The Wall Street Journal didn't waste any time following up on this news and reported that the purpose of the investigation is to find out whether or not app makers fully describe to users the kinds of information they obtain from them and exactly why they need it. Veracode decided to dig deeply into the Pandora Android app to see just what data might be transmitted. Veracode's analysis stated that Pandora's app seems to be integrated with five separate ad libraries that included AdMarvel, AdMob, comScore (SecureStudies), Google.Ads and Medialets. Veracode verified that the AdMob library accessed a user's GPS information as well as various other data about the application itself like package name and version info. That is all pretty low level but Veracode said that there are other references which appear to transmit your birthday, gender and postal code. In addition to that, the app also appears to send your Android ID and seems to continually access your GPS location for updates. According to a blog post by Veracode, "The analysis into the remaining libraries resulted in even more of the same.The SecureStudies library accesses the android_id and directly sends a hash of the data to http://b.scorecardresearch.com while the Medialets library accesses the device's GPS location, bearing, altitude, android_id, connection status, network information, device brand, model, release revision and current IP address." Pandora has argued that they need this type of user information in order to continue delivering personalized music streams. However, the analysis from Veracode shows that Pandora is not simply collecting that information for itself. They are also using it for advertising purposes. If the grand jury comes to the same conclusion as Veracode, then Pandora, as well as a whole host of other app makers, could be facing some pretty serious legal difficulties. "Your personal information is being transmitted to advertising agencies in mass quantities," according to Veracode. "In isolation some of this data is uninteresting, but when compiled into a single unifying picture, it can provide significant insight into a person's life... When all that is placed into a single basket, it's pretty easy to determine who someone is, what they do for a living, who they associate with and any number of other traits about them. I don't know about you, but that feels a little Orwellian to me." If all this is true then Pandora and other app makers will have some serious explaining to do. I, for one, do not want any kind of personal information like that being slung around carelessly to advertisers. Who knows, if advertisers can get it that easily, then what stops an identity thief from getting it? Source: ars technica - Pandora sends users' GPS, sex, birthdate, other data to ad servers

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E Mobile's New Pocket WiFi

Everybody knows that if you want to see the future of technology, then all you have to do is turn your eyes to Japan. Japan has always been one step ahead of everybody else. it seems, when it comes to great innovations in technology. The country has always been on the cutting edge of the industry which is why it is a little surprising to find that public WiFi solutions are very scarce and that those people who want internet on the go usually have to look for a monthly plan. However, E Mobile has been busy creating a lot of pocket WiFi solutions for a while now and their latest one is very interesting.

E Mobile's newest device is a two-for-one combo; a wireless router and a smartphone hybrid. The device retails for around $235 and features an unlimited data plan for as low as $50 a month. The device also has 256MB of RAM, a 2.8-inch touchscreen display, IEEE802.11 b/g/n wireless LAN, support for five connections simultaneously, 2.1 + EDR Bluetooth, a 3.2 megapixel camera, external memory capabilities in the form of microSD/SDHC and Android 2.2.

I know those specs don't make it seem like the greatest phone in the world, but it should appeal to a lot of people who desire their phone and mobile wireless on a single data plan. You will still get all the essential smartphone functions including GPS capabilities and integration with all of the regular Google services just like any other Android phone. People also will not have to wait much at all for this device as E Mobile has slated a mid-January release date.

This is clearly going to be a device suited for a traveling businessman. It gives you the ability to connect your phone, laptop, projector and anything else you need to the internet with absolutely no problem, saving you time and even money.

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A Tablet Coming From Motorola

Everyone wants to go head to head with the iPad and put a little competition into the game, and Motorola is not about to be left behind. Unfortunately, it is going to be awhile before we see a glimpse of this tablet from Motorola.

The co-chief executive of Motorola, Sanjay Jha, told individuals at Motorola’s investment conference, “We want to make sure that any tablet that we deliver is competitive in the marketplace, and I think all of us will make sure that we will only deliver that when that occurs.”

I think that it is definitely a good idea that Motorola spends the time perfecting a tablet so that they can be competitive, but I also feel that they should be careful not to take too much time because they do not want the tablet hype to wear off at all.

Some are hopeful that the tablet will be released by early next year, but there are still some issues that need to be worked through. The latest build of Google’s Android is one of these concerns. Froyo, Android 2.2, Google’s mobile operating system, is not exactly one hundred percent ready for a full-on tablet. Jha stated that they simply will wait until the Google, Android software can accommodate a tablet. This is certainly disappointing but understandable.

Motorola has been supporting Google’s mobile operating system a lot lately. They have recently released several Android-based phones including the Cliq, Devour, Charm, Backflip, Droid, Droid 2, and Droid X.

Looking for a tablet now or in the near future? Check out the Kindle 3G, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, or Facetime-Compatible iPad.

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So You Want a New Smartphone?

It seems like everyone has a smartphone these days, and now you've decided to throw yourself into the mix, but which one do you choose? BlackBerry has always been thought of as a great business tool, but these days almost everyone has one. Apple's iPhone has been growing its presence in the business world and it's very trendy. Then there's the newest kid on the block, the Android, which seems to be all the rage these days. Which one is right for you? You are the only person who can make that decision, but here is a quick look at a few pros and cons of each phone to help you with your choice.

BlackBerry by Research in Motion

Facts:

• BlackBerrys have been on the market since 2002.
• They were originally made for the corporate world but have since become consumer devices as well.

Pros:

• BlackBerrys are very durable (something to keep in mind if you're always on the go).
• There are many different models available, many of which are pleasing to the eye.
• The phone's keyboard is easy to use and offers a number of shortcuts.
• BlackBerrys have an excellent battery life and out-perform the other phones in this category.

Cons:

• There aren't nearly as many apps for BlackBerrys as there are for the other phones.
• Blackberry Apps are more expensive than those for iPhone and Android.
• The phone can't seem to completely shake its corporate image. (This could be a pro or a con, but many average consumers see it as a con.)
• Web browsing on the BlackBerry is not as great as on the other phones.

iPhone by Apple

Facts:

• The iPhone debuted in 2007.
• The phone has a strong fan base, much of which came from Apple brand loyalty.

Pros:

• The App Store has more apps available for the iPhone than you could ever imagine.
• The iPhone uses Safari for web browsing and overall, it provides a much better online experience than the other phones.
• It has a sleek, shiny look that is very pleasing to the eye.
• Its operating system has a lot more features than those of the other phones.

Cons:

• The iPhone breaks very easily. A friend of mine purchased one about a year ago, dropped it on his kitchen table the day he got it and to this day, it still has a huge crack in it.
• If you're looking for a business smartphone, the iPhone may not be it. It's designed for the average consumer.
• The iPhone has a very short battery life which seems to get worse over time.
• Right now, AT&T is the only carrier for the iPhone.

Android by Google

Facts:

• You can find the Android operating system on a number of different devices.
• Android started out on Google-brand hardware which didn't last very long
• Android recently became the top-selling mobile operating system.

Pros:

• The Android Market may not have quite the apps the Apple App Store does, but it's giving the company a run for its money.
• You can choose from a number of different hardware options.
• Android offers Microsoft ActiveSync for corporate messaging.

Cons:

• Like the iPhone, many of the Android devices offer a very short battery life.
• Even though there are tons of Android apps out there, a lot of them are bad. Really bad.

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Best Business Apps for Android

The Android operating system that is taking over the smartphone market is becoming increasingly popular among business professionals. But where do you look to find the best apps to fill your specific need? You could go to the Android Market, but it's often hard to find the app you need by simply browsing. Here is a list of the top 10 best business apps, from Forbes.com

1) ALOQA - Aloqa is an app that is a must have if you travel a lot. Even if you don't, it's quite handy. What it essentially does is take your location and based on the things you like, it will show you on a map where those things and places are. So if you're in a meeting with a client, and someone suggests heading out for coffee, you can simply look at your Aloqua map, and if there's a Starbucks in the area, you'll know exactly where to go. It also lets you know the location of gas stations, movie theaters, parks, wifi hotspots, restaurants and your business contacts.

2)GoAruna - GoAruna allows your phone to link up with your desktop for simple file sharing. This app is a two-parter, there's a desktop application to easily upload your files to a cloud-based storage device. Your Android phone can be used to download and upload files to and from your phone without the hassle of connecting it to your computer.

3)Mobile Defense - This is a must have security app for your phone. What mobile defense allows you to, should your phone ever be lost or stolen, remotely lock, backup, locate or wipe your Android phone.

4)Quote Pro - Quote Pro allows you to check multiple portfolios with the swipe of your finger. It provides advanced stock chart and details, news feeds, and quotes from yahoo. Quotes are delayed by 20 minutes, but prices are refreshed every 10 seconds.

5) Hoccer - Hoccer is an app that literally allows you to throw information at someone or, if you're so inclined, a large group of people. If you want to exchange your contact information, you simply flick your wrist at the person your sending it too, similar to a Frisbee, and the transaction is done. You can also "Hoc" your texts, pictures, a file, even an entire presentation!

6) Evernote - Evernote is an app that allows you to literally save files, notes, even voice recordings all in one place. You can access your account with your Android phone and via the internet.

7) Seesmic - Seesmic is a great twitter app to have in your arsenal. It allows you to quickly access multiple twitter accounts so you can switch from your business twitter account to your personal account with the swipe of your finger. It also allows you to use your bit.ly account, to track your link data. The interface is nice and smooth and very easy to use.

8)BuzzDeck - This is an app that allows you to take all the websites you use to gather your daily news and integrates them into one central location. You can get news and updates from over 1,200 sites and make a customized feed to only get the news and information you want.

9) K-9 Email - K-9 is an open sourced email client for your Android phone. It has more features and controls than the default email app on Android. You can configure to IMAP, POP3, and WebDAV email protocols, search multiple inboxes, and my personal favorite feature: you can change the frequency it checks for new mail.

10) Google Voice - Google Voice is a great app! It allows all of your phone numbers to be synced with one central number. It will transcribe your voicemails and send them to you in an email. "Other features include listening to messages while they are being left, recording calls, making low-cost international calls and blocking annoying callers by marking them as spam."

There's so much Android can do, and the Android Market is full of great apps for business as well as personal use. I suggest starting with these 10 apps to help you work on the go.

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