50,000 Apps for Windows Phone

Sure it may not have passed the half-million mark like Apple's App Store, but http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifWindows Phone's digital download platform has reached a nice new milestone.

A report from Allaboutwindowsphone.com claims the number of Windows Phone apps has eclipsed 50,000. Keeping in mind that Microsoft's new mobile platform just launched last year, that's not too bad.



It took the iPhone about 12 months to reach the same milestone, so Windows Phone is only a couple months behind. Also, the report noted, "It took just over a year to get to 40,000 apps, but just 40 days to add the next 10,000 apps. That bodes well for Windows Phone in 2012."

The Microsoft platform has gained a substantial amount of new attention thanks to the maturing of its partnership with Nokia. The first Windows Phone-powered Nokia device will hit the US next month on T-Mobile, at a mass market-friendly price of $50 (after mail-in rebate).

Read More at: http://www.tgdaily.com/mobility-brief/60450-windows-phone-now-has-50000-apps

4:38 AM | 0 comments | Read More

Android Will Be Bigger in 2012

It looks like 2012 will be another eventful year for Android. Now that the latest OS version, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, has hit the market, several device makers are expected to release ICS handsets for a ready consumer market. LG is the latest to reveal its plans around ICS, kicking into high hear during the second quarter of next year. Among the first phones to get the upgrade are the Optimus 2X, which made waves as the world’s first dual-core smartphone earlier this year, and the Optimus LTE. Others in the Optimus lineup, including the 3D, Black and Big, will also receive the ICS update by Q3 of next year.



It seems like a long time to wait for ICS, but the roll out of Android’s latest edition has been a slow one. Fragmentation remains an issue with Android’s OS, and could continue to cause hiccups in 2012. PC Magazine highlights some of Android’s key developments throughout 2011, with fragmentation tripping up Honeycomb’s tablet capabilities and stalling Android’s rise in the tablet market. While Gingerbread is the top OS across Android smartphones, it’s ICS consumers want, and as usual, Android’s gotten ahead of itself when it comes to new product hype and the reality of mass access.

For new and “old” Android users

Nevertheless, many existing Android users, as well as newbies that received Android devices over the holiday weekend, will have to work with what they’ve got. ZDnet has a few suggestions on how to clean up your Android device and make it good as new, citing the end of the year as a prime opportunity to reset your phone. And whether you have an “older” Android or a new Samsung Galaxy Nexus, a few tips on preserving your device’s battery life never hurt.

Read full article written by Kristen Nicole at http://www.androidapps.com/tech/articles/10589-android-will-be-bigger-in-2012

9:05 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Intel Shows Off Its Smart Phone and Tablet for 2012

The era of the personal computer dawned thanks in no small part to the chip maker Intel. But the company has been only a spectator to the rise of smart phones and tablets in recent years. These mobile devices use chips based on designs licensed by the U.K. company ARM, which deliver the power efficiency the powerful, compact gadgets require.


Intel is about to fight back.

Last week, Technology Review tried out prototype smart phones and tablets equipped with Intel's latest mobile chip, dubbed Medfield, and running the Android mobile operating system created by Google. "We expect products based on these to be announced in the first half of 2012," says Stephen Smith, vice president of Intel's architecture group.

Known as "reference designs," the devices are sent out to inspire and instruct manufacturers interested in building products around Intel's latest technology. "They can use as much or as little of the reference design as they like," says Smith, who hinted that the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in January could bring news of gadgets in which Intel's chips will appear.

Intel's Medfield is the latest in its "Atom" line of mobile chips. So far none of them have seriously threatened the dominance of ARM-based chips in mobile devices, in part because they are more power-hungry. However, the new chip represents a significant technological step toward lower power consumption.

Read this article in detail at: http://www.technologyreview.in/computing/39378/

2:51 AM | 0 comments | Read More

Review of Sony Ericsson Xperia Active

See the detail Review of Sony Ericsson Xperia Active by WILL HARVIE.

REVIEW: Last month, I went through a long process identifying which mid-range smartphone suited my needs, and settled on Sony Ericsson's Xperia Active.

I have now operated the phone for some weeks.

Does it meet expectations? Yes. Almost everything I anticipated about the phone has come true.

For example, I expected the relatively small touchscreen (three inches v 3.5 inches on an iPhone) would hamper some activities, and that's true. I sometimes hit the wrong button, but it's a flaw I can live with, given the modest $400 price.

The battery needs charging almost every day, and I paid extra for a car lighter jack and cable. The biggest disappointment is the five-megapixel camera. Photos look great on the amazing Sony Bravia screen, but are disappointing when transferred to a computer or printer.



The Active is "slightly rugged" – meaning it's shock, dust and water resistant. I've already dropped the phone on concrete and it survived. A friend with the same phone left his in a bucket of water for 20 minutes without issues.

Sony targets the phone at "consumers with an active lifestyle" and Telecom says the handset can "take the rough and tumble of outdoor sports".

They mean the ruggedness and built-in GPS, barometer and compass, and preloaded fitness software of various capabilities.

So far, I've mostly used a pedometer (step counter), with mixed success because it can't be calibrated. Some day soon I'll download a better product from Google's Android Market.

The Active is powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and I love it. The Android Market is a treasure trove of great and grim apps (software) that provide hours of fun and frustration.

Android, ruggedness and price were the main reasons I bought this phone and I'm happy with all three.

Sony and Vodafone sell a companion phone, called the Xperia With Walkman (also for $400, handset only) that targets people wanting a "social music experience". That's not me, but I'm satisfied Sony has fine-tuned that phone with the same skill and finesse it did with the Active.

I've been watching the mid-range smartphone market since I bought my phone and competition is still driving down prices. It's a great time to buy an unpretentious phone.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Active smartphone

$400 handset

Read detail full review at: http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/gadget-reviews/6162644/Review-Sony-Ericsson-Xperia-Active

10:44 PM | 0 comments | Read More

Samsung's Galaxy Nexus Review

As fans of Google's Android mobile software well know, each new version is named after a sugary treat, such as Gingerbread or Honeycomb. Android is about to get even sweeter with Ice Cream Sandwich a smooth, feature-rich operating system that will run first on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone.

The combination of Google's software and Samsung's hardware makes the Galaxy Nexus one of the best candidates to compete with Apple's latest iPhone, though its price is steep. It began selling last week in the U.S. for $300 with a two-year Verizon Wireless contract.



Like the previous phone in the Nexus line, the Nexus S, the Galaxy Nexus was jointly developed by Google Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. It features a slim frame with a large, curved glass screen that's comfortable for chatting with friends and excellent for watching videos. There are 32 gigabytes of built-in storage space on the Verizon version of the phone, but no external slot for a microSD memory card.

The screen, a pocket-busting 4.65 inches at the diagonal, makes the iPhone's 3.5-inches look diminutive. And despite the size, the Galaxy Nexus manages to weigh just 4.8 ounces, slightly less than Apple's offering.

On it, videos and Web pages looked crisp and bright, with rich colors. I started watching a video during testing — an HD copy of "The Help" that I rented from Google's Android Market — and had to force myself to break away to test other features of the device.

Continue to read detail review at: http://www.statesman.com/business/technology/review-samsungs-galaxy-nexus-a-sweet-smartphone-2039932.html

9:20 PM | 0 comments | Read More