android

When Microsoft unveiled its Surface tablets earlier this year, Intel executives were shocked.

Microsoft started developing its self-branded tablets -- including one that uses an Intel chip -- without notifying Intel or asking for help. Intel, like many of Microsoft's other partners, didn't find out about Surface until shortly before the event, and it did not play a role in the announcement. Microsoft decided to go it alone, much like rival Apple has done.

Microsoft's decision represents new territory for the software and chip giants -- collectively known as the Wintel alliance to many in the industry … Read more

Apple's iOS users seem more willing to try new things than those running Android.

Advertising network Chitika yesterday released the results of a report on browser usage across mobile platforms. The company found that Safari, the default browser in iOS, is used by 85 percent of the folks running that operating system. Chrome, which sat atop the App Store's listing of free applications for several weeks over the summer, took 3 percent of the iOS market. All other browsers, including Dolphin and Atomic, combined for 11.9 percent share.

Interestingly, Android users are less likely to branch out. … Read more

Samsung's Shin Jong-kyun will meet with Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt in Seoul tomorrow, and it's a safe bet the topic of Apple will come up.

The Samsung Mobile chief confirmed today that he will meet with Schmidt on Thursday in Seoul, according to the Korea Times. Shin was mum on details, so the agenda is unknown. The Samsung executive also said that meetings with major U.S. carriers are scheduled for next week.

But the meeting with Schmidt comes a little more than a month after Samsung lost a major patent case to Apple in the U.… Read more

Less than four years after launching, the Google Play store for apps and media today hit 25 billion downloads.

Google Play, which was known as the Android Market until March, hit the milestone in 1,435 days -- three years and 11 months. By contrast, Apple's App Store reached 25 billion downloads in 1,334 days -- just under three years and eight months.

"We look forward to the next 25 billion," the company said in a blog post.

To mark the occasion, Google will discount a variety of popular apps. Participating developers include Gameloft, Electronic Arts, … Read more

Sony is now offering the unlocked GSM version of its Android-powered Xperia Acro S smartphone, according to a press release issued this afternoon. Priced at $599.99, the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich handset features a number of decent specifications, including a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, a 4.3-inch scratch-resistant HD Reality Display, and a 12.1-megapixel camera. Additional details for the Xperia Acro S include 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, NFC, HDMI, and MHL support.… Read more

When upgrading from one iPhone to another, transferring your existing data and settings to your new device is easy. But, when you're faced with the task of moving content from an Android phone to an iPhone, the process can be a bit trickier.

Although you can't transfer some operating system-dependent things like text messages and call history, it is possible to move your contacts, files, photos, and videos from your Android to your iPhone.

Once you've set up and activated your new iPhone, grab your Android phone and follow this step-by-step guide.

1. On your Android phone, … Read more

Thieves love smartphones. They're easy to snatch, easy to conceal, and most importantly, easy to resell.

If you're the victim of a smartphone robbery, you have more to lose than the phone itself. The thief may attempt to use or sell the personal data stored on the device to make fraudulent purchases or otherwise steal your identity -- and maybe empty your bank account.

There are two things every smartphone user should do to minimize the damage resulting from loss of the device: lock the screen and activate a remote-location and remote-wipe service.

In a post from earlier this month … Read more

A number of Samsung smartphones have been found to be vulnerable to a remote factory reset, according to details surfacing today. The hack, which was detailed at a recent Ekoparty security conference, shows that the Galaxy S3 is susceptible to the simple reset.… Read more

Huawei has ambitions to build its own mobile operating system as a fail-safe in case Google's Android or Microsoft's Windows Phone platforms someday are no longer available to the Chinese telecommunications giant.

Huawei told Reuters that it is devoting resources to its own platform, which would lessen its dependence on other companies and provide it with an alternate plan if access to either Android or Windows Phone were somehow shut off.

The comments come amid a lot of activity in the mobile operating system world, including major Android supporter Samsung losing to Apple in a key patent battle … Read more