Android 5.0 Lollipop : Google updating its OS

We all know, Google’s Android is the most widely used mobile operating system in the world. But the operating systems is changing and improving day by day just to keep up with the changing demands of the world.. Google is now making one of its most significant Android updates yet with the new version of Android 5.0 Lollopop.

The biggest update to the operating system since its launch in 2008, Lollipop brings a variety of improvements to the mobile OS.

Lollipop brings a handful of new features to Android, including the ability to read notifications on phone’s lock screen, a built-in battery saving mode, and multiple user accounts.

There’s even a new Smart Lock feature that automatically unlocks your smartphone or tablet whenever a trusted device such as a smartwatch or Bluetooth-enabled car are within a certain range. If you go outside that range, you’ll have to use a regular old PIN or pattern to unlock.

Apple top smartphone manufacturer, Android top OS

Market intelligence firm Nielsen has named Apple the top smartphone manufacturer in the US in its end-of-year recap.

Apple may have triumphed over rival smartphone makers such as HTC and Research In Motion (RIM) in 2011 but its iOS platform was no match for Google’s Android platform in terms of mobile operating market share, said market researcher the NPD Group.

NPD found that Android had grown to command 53 percent of the smartphone market in the US in the period from January through to October 2011 while Apple’s iOS platform represented 29 percent of all smartphone operating systems on the market.

Apple’s iPhone accounted for just under one third (29%) of new smartphone purchases in the US from August to October, said Nielsen.

A further 21 percent of mobile phone users who recently purchased a new smartphone in the country opted for a device made by HTC. RIM’s BlackBerry smartphones commanded a 17% share of new smartphone purchases in the US, putting the smartphone maker in third place, and Samsung and Motorola were tied for fourth and fifth with 11% percent of the market each.

With both the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and Mobile World Congress (MWC) on the horizon in 2012, most smartphone makers are gearing up for a season of high-profile handset announcements and mobile operating system updates.

HTC testing new phone models

HTC Corp has begun testing new phone models that work around technology cited in a patent lawsuit won by arch-rival Apple Inc, and HTC's chief executive voiced optimism over the company's ability to meet challenging market conditions.

Speaking to media at the company's Taiwan headquarters alongside Google Inc's senior vice president of mobile, Andy Rubin, CEO Peter Chou said that the company would be working with Google to protect itself from "unfair" means to stop innovation.

"This industry should not allow one company use its powerful weapon to stop other innovation and take it all...this is not fair," Chou said.

The patent suit between HTC and Apple was widely seen as a proxy for a larger fight between Google's Android operating system and Apple's iOS. Android phones dominate Apple in the Asia-Pacific region.

The result, in which HTC was found to have infringed one of four patents Apple had centered its case on, leaves the way open for both camps to continue their competition in the courts.

Rubin said, "This is just the beginning. It will play out in the next couple of years," he said, but added that he was optimistic there would eventually be "patent peace."

The company slashed its fourth-quarter revenue forecast last month and earlier this month reported a 30 percent drop in November sales from the previous month and a 20 percent fall from a year ago, the first annual sales decline in two years.

That triggered concerns over its ability to cope with stiff competition from Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy range and accelerated a fall in its shares, which now stand at about half of their peak for the year.

Google Android tops smart-phone software platform

According to a ComScore survey, Google's Android software platform has captured the No. 1 rank among smart-phone platforms in the U.S. for the first time.

For the 3-month period ending in Jan., Android had a 31.2% market share, up from 23.5% the prior quarter. Apple's iPhone share was flat at 24.7%, while Research In Motion's BlackBerry, the longtime leader, skidded to 30.4% from 35.8%. Microsoft garnered an 8% share.

Ownership of smart phones climbed 8% from the prior quarter to 65.8 mil, ComScore said.

Google Android becomes top smartphone platform

Google's Android has dethroned Nokia's Symbian as the most popular smartphone platform in the last quarter of 2010, ending a reign that began with the birth of the industry 10 years ago.

Research firm Canalys said phone makers sold a total of 32.9 million Android-equipped phones in the last quarter, compared with Symbian's total sales of 31 million. The landmark piles pressure on Nokia as it struggles to reassert itself at the top end of the mobile handsets market.

Following Apple's 2007 entrance into smartphones, Google rolled out its open-source Android operating system, which has become the standard for smaller phone makers.

Hit models from Samsung Electronics, HTC and LG Electronics helped Android in the quarter, while Symbian suffered from troubles of its owner and main user, Nokia.

Said Canalys analyst, Tim Shepherd, “We have seen some strong products from a number of vendors.”

Miren is fast and functional Android Browser

Even on the 4.3" screen of HTC Evo, most web browser apps try to cram too much into too little space. Toolbars, themes and color schemes - why all the clutter? Miren Browser lets you make the most of your screen without sacrificing features. It's got the multitouch pinch-to-zoom, multi-language options and Flash support that you expect in a well-equipped Android Internet browser app, but the simple design means you really see the web page you want to see, not a screen full of controls.

The quick toggle between full-screen browsing and URL entry mode means you don't lose real estate to a tool bar, and the gesture swipe to move forward and back in your visited pages eliminates the need for even more buttons. The buttons you do see are semi-transparent, keeping the overall look clean and unobtrusive. Tabbed browsing is a must in any Android browser, and Miren includes a convenient option to open links in a separate tab.

The latest update to this app includes some power-saving tweaks and a desktop widget for your RSS feeds and other bookmarks. The widget mirrors the simple interface of the browser.

With its combination of minimalist design and power-packed functionality, Miren is quickly becoming Android browser of choice.