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Can Mozilla’s Boot to Gecko be more open and hassle-free than iOS, Android?

Admin — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:38:06 +0000

Mozilla stepped into the spotlight last month when it announced its first ecosystem partners for its HTML5-based mobile operating system, Boot to Gecko. But, there are still many unanswered questions, such as how apps in the Mozilla Marketplace will be discovered and how revenue will be split with developers. Despite the concerns, the platform could appeal to developers because it will use the Web to enable HTML5 apps while also providing access to core device APIs. The platform also promises to provide a more open development and business environment than Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS and Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android, while reducing development hassles and costs. The platform has the support of the likes of Adobe, Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) and Telefónica, but will it take off? Special report

FierceWireless

Instagram for Android coming “really soon”

Admin — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:06:20 +0000

Popular photo-sharing app Instagram has had a good ride so far. Today at the SxSW conference in Austin, Texas Co-founder Kevin Systrom confirmed the company has surpassed the 27 million registered users, up about 7 million from last month. Apart from finding incredible success on iOS they have finally announced plans to released an Android app “really soon”, but gave no definitive date. Systrom did briefly show the audience a beta version of the app running on his Galaxy Nexus, and even went as far as saying “it’s one of the most amazing Android apps you’ll ever see… in some ways, it’s better than our iPhone app”. Bold statement – apparently the app has integration with other social networking sites such as Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter.

Hopefully “really soon” is only a matter of days.
Source: The Verge

MobileSyrup.com

Google baking Android OS “Key Lime Pie”?

Admin — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:34:51 +0000

When Google and HTC launched the HTC Dream on September 23rd, 2008 they also released Android OS 1.0. This was a basic operating system and was built on the foundation of being “open”. Since this date Google’s mobile OS has exploded. The most recent numbers that Google announced were from last week – they are now seeing 850,000 Android activations on a daily basis, the Android Market has over 450,000 apps and 1 billion app downloads are happening every month. Larry Page, Google’s CEO, said “Android is quite simply mind boggling”.

Over the years we’ve seen Google release various flavours of the Android OS, all named in alphabetical order and referencing some tasty treat: Cupcake (v1.5), Donut (v2.0), Eclair (v2.1), Froyo (Frozen Yogourt) (v2.2), Gingerbread (v2.3), Honeycomb (v3.0), and most recently Ice Cream Sandwich (v4.0). The next major Android upgrade will most likely be sometime later this year and rumoured to be OS 5.0 Jelly Bean. Google hasn’t commented, but ASUS somewhat confirmed this name to be true.

What could be next for Google’s OS? How about Key Lime Pie. The Verge has been tipped that following the Android OS 5.0 Jelly Bean upgrade Google will bring OS Key Lime Pie to the masses. No word on what version of OS it’ll be, nor features or a release date. Just that Key Lime Pie (KLP) is possibly the next OS name.

Most Android users, 58.1% of them, are still on OS 2.3 Gingerbread. At last count only 1% have 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich installed. In the meantime we patiently wait for Google to announce the Jelly Bean OS, then for the ceremonial statue to arrive on their front lawn.

Source: The Verge

MobileSyrup.com

Android apps being submitted to BlackBerry App World without developer permission?

Admin — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:04:22 +0000

One of the best reasons to upgrade your Playbook to OS 2.0 is its support of Android apps through an emulation engine called the Android Player. The use of such an app is fairly seamless, since it opens in a full screen window that incorporates many of the existing Playbook features such as swiping down to make the menu bar appear.

But there seems to be something fishy going on behind the scenes. Dolphin Browser HD, one of the most popular third-party browsers in the Android Market, was made available for download by a company called Handster. Turns out, though, Handster had nothing to do with the development of Dolphin, and merely packaged and submitted it to the BlackBerry App World in spite of of developer MoboTap. Handster seems to be submitting both free and paid Android apps to the App World irrespective of whether the original developer intended for it to be available.

Handster is a publishing company owned by none other than Opera, the creators of its own popular Android browser. MoboTap has expressed concern over this practice and is looking to have Dolphin Browser HD removed from the App World listings. I had a chance to test it myself and found performance to be about as poor as possible on a tablet, coming nowhere close to the fluidity of the native Playbook OS 2.0 browser.

MoboTap claimed, “We do not condone Handster submitting our Dolphin Browser app to BlackBerry’s App World for us and are currently working to take it down and assure Handster will not submit our app for us again. We will assess developing for BlackBerry when the time is right.” We think that is the correct strategy, and it’s unfortunate that the Android capabilities of the Playbook are being taken advantage of by publishers with dubious intentions.

Neither Handster or RIM have responded to calls for why third-party publishers are allowed to repackage and submit existing Android apps, but we’ll let you know if they do.

Source: Engadget

MobileSyrup.com

Globe & Mail News app for Android officially released

Admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 01:34:07 +0000

The Globe & Mail seemed to have shunned Android for the first couple years of its existence, focusing instead on improving its iPhone, iPad and BlackBerry apps. But the market share tides have turned and the people have spoken, and we have an Android app to prove it.

With a similar aesthetic to its iOS peer, the app supports offline reading, in-app searching, social media sharing and a customizable home screen. Its horizontal scrolling technique isn’t quite as smooth as on the iPhone, but it does a decent job rendering and scrolling long articles.

The app looks wonderful on the Galaxy Nexus, with a gorgeous font that would look great throughout the OS. Check out Globe News for Android in the Marketplace here.

MobileSyrup.com

HTC Inspire Update: HTC Inspire 4G OTA Android 2.3 Update with Sense

Admin — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 07:13:29 +0000

HTC and AT&T are rolling out an over-the-air update for the HTC inspire 4G to update it to Android 2.3 Gingerbread and HTC Sense features. HTC Inspire owners will get an notification on their smartphones.

The HTC Inspire update includes:

Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread
New HTC Sense features including udated Application Tray, FriendStream and added Quick Settings in the Notifications window.
Improved Power Management functions.
Improved media experience.
Various minor bug fixes.

The list of features in the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update are impressive,
with the addition of download manager, active app management,
shortcuts, one-touch copy/paste, widgets, icons, app groups, updated
calendar options, camera geotagging, improved email synching, and camera
auto-focus improvements.

Users can check for this update by going to
Home>Menu>Settings> AT&T Software Update > HTC Wi-Fi
software update > Check now. The system update can also be
downloaded and manually applied. Performing the system update manually will delete all information
from the device. Ensure all information is backed up before
proceeding. Information saved on the microSD card will not be affected.

Read HTC Sense Tips.

WIRELESS AND MOBILE NEWS

Motorola, Samsung, HTC leaving some Android handsets open to permissions-based attacks

Admin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:02:53 +0000

A research paper (PDF) out of the North Carolina State University has outlined how Android vendors, including Motorola, Samsung and HTC, are not enforcing the standard Android permissions guidelines with pre-installed apps. As a result of this, applications that don’t explicitly ask for access to send SMS messages, read address books or even wipe the phone’s data are able to do just that.

While the vulnerabilities are less present on Google’s own phones, including the Nexus One and Nexus S, certain intrinsic weaknesses within Android were also uncovered, leading to potential permissions-based exploits. Google and its now-subsidiary Motorla have acknowledged the potential exploits, but the researchers cite having “experienced major difficulties” in reporting these issues to Samsung and HTC.

At this point it’s unlikely anyone has taken advantage of these exploits, as they would have to explicitly sideload an app onto the phone to interact with the pre-installed apps’ permissions weaknesses. Nevertheless the potential for trouble is there, and as always, we caution you on downloading any app from the Android Marketplace that does not appear from a legitimate, trustworthy seller. Be careful out there, folks.

Source: Ars Technica
Via: Engadget

MobileSyrup.com

Sprint Nextel Corp. releases safe-driving app for Android smartphones

Admin — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 22:54:40 +0000

If you’re driving faster than 10 mph, you’ll have a hard time using your Android smartphone if Sprint Drive First is installed on the device. The new Android app from Sprint Nextel Corp. automatically locks a mobile phone when a car is moving more than 10 mph. … Read More
RCR Wireless News

Terry Fox Run releases iPhone and Android app, embraces mobile donations

Admin — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:17:47 +0000

Terry Fox is deep into the hearts of Canadians and the annual Terry Fox Run is back on this year for the 31st time. Like always the goal is to generation donation to help fight Cancer but this time they are embracing mobile. The app is currently only available on iPhone and Android devices and there’s no word on a BlackBerry or Windows Phone 7 app in the future. Features include the ability to make mobile donations via PayPal, see your donation progress and share via Twitter and Facebook. The Terry Fox run is happening on September 18th.

Get the iPhone App here
Get the Android App here

MobileSyrup.com

TS2R Wireless News: MetroPCS Helps Military, Android Ice Cream Sandwich Oct. & HTC Bliss

Admin — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 23:40:46 +0000

TS2R Wireless News from Wireless and Mobile News

Full news stories today include a comparison of T-Mobile vs Virgin Mobile deals, BlackBerry Messenger use by London rioters, the European ban of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet, HTC Status deals and new leaked BlackBerry Bold/Torch release dates.

Here’s the news that’s too short to report:

MetroPS Helps Military Families - Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift and other stars autographed personal
messages to U.S. military families with loved ones oversees. Along with
the messages, MetroPCS Communications, Inc. donated ,000
worth of international long distance calling cards to the USO’s
Military Family Care Package program, helping to connect families who
are separated by deployments.
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Octobered - An unnamed source reported that Android 4.0 Ice Cream sandwich smartphones and tablets may be released as early as October of this year.
HTC Bliss with New HTC Sense - The HTC Bliss is now rumored to ship with a new version of HTC Sense – Sense 3.5.

WIRELESS AND MOBILE NEWS