Facebook Home demo video

Facebook home product designer Joey Flynn demos his product on a HTC First. The HTC First goes on sale tomorrow, April 12, 2013, and will retail for $99.99 with contract.

Is Google’s Android OS a Trojan Horse?

A recent article from Cris Crum over at WebProNews highlighs a EU filing by FairSearch.org that claims Google is participating in anti-competitive activity.

As I understand it, the filing centers around concerns that Google will have too much access to consumer’s mobile Internet usage data as Android continues to dominate mobile phone operating system usage.

So what does Google get? I don’t for sure, as I’m not a Google engineer but my best guesses would be:

• Access to mobile search queries
• Access to mobile search locations (provided location services have not been disabled by the user)
• Access to locations whenever Maps is used
• Access to addresses whenever Maps is used
• Access to time of day
• Ability to combine all of the above to predict what sort of advertising is relevant where and when

As of right now, I think Google’s cookie and ad re-targeting make for a better user experience than the days of yore, when ad serving was so terrible it almost killed display advertising all together. Adding mobile to the mix should improve that even more.

iPad no longer tablet top dog?

Market analysts IDC are forecasting that Apple’s iPad will lose it’s crown as iOS may no longer be the most widely used tablet computing operating system.

Google’s Android OS is widely available on devices sold in drug stores, big box retailers and supercenters, often at a much lower price point than iOS devices.

Apple’s iOS devices may continue to lose ground in 2013 as Microsoft’s touch-sensitive Windows 8 laptops and Surface RT devices gain a user base.

Tumblr Live Wallpaper for Android

Ever wish for an app that can download images from a Tumblr blog and display them as a live wallpaper? Then check out this app from Aron Hoekstra.

The Tumblr Live Wallpaper app allows you to search for and display images according to tag use (for example, you could display all images tagged with #subaru by adding the tag subaru) or according to what is displayed in your personal Tumblr dashboard (all the accounts you follow).

By default, images are fetched every hour (20 to 30 at a time) but this can be adjusted in the Settings. On a metered data plan? Select Fetch on Wi-Fi Only.

Android dominates sales in Q4 2012

Phones running Google’s Android OS accounted for 34% of all mobile phone shipments in the forth quarter of 2012. Apple’s iOS accounted for only 11% during the same period. Does this means Android has won the mobile OS war?

The numbers might certainly lead you to believe Google has won. Almost 70% of smartphones sold in Q4 2012 shipped with Android. Lower cost, pre-paid  and regional carrier availabilty weigh heavily in Android’s advantage.

In the early versions of Android OS, the differentiators between iOS and Android were clear. Not so much today, as popular apps like Facebook and Instagram run on both platforms.

Will 2013 see continued Android OS adoption?

Android surpasses iOS in market share

Nielsen data now shows Apple holds just 27% of the market share while Google’s Android OS has garnished a staggering 37% of the market in the U.S., ahead of iOS, Windows Mobile and RIM.

The success of the Google OS can be partly attributed to its bundling with the newest breed of low cost android pads as well as promotional $0 Droid X phones from Verizon.

iPhone 4 Sold Out – How this will impact the sales of Android devices?

Pre-orders for iPhone are temporarily suspended

AT&T  announced early this AM that it has halted pre-orders for the iPhone 4. Both the AT&T website and Apple websites were slammed yesterday, as hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, applied for the pre-order.

Reports of a new ship date are slowing coming to light. Customers are reporting that their iPhone 4 pre-order confirmations are stating the new ship date as July 2. With an estimated 1 in 100 orders being fulfilled yesterday, how will this adversely effect Apple?

It remains to be seen if sales of the EVO and HD2 see  a boost in sales during what some have called, “The iPhonecalypse”.

HTC Aria – AT&T’s second Android phone this year announced

Today, AT&T has announced the addition of their second Android phone this year.

It is the first on AT&T to run Android 2.1 and the first to include HTC’s Sense UI. With a screen size measure a demure 3.2 inches, it’s outmatched by the current generation iPhone and the massive 4.3 inch screen available on the Sprint EVO and T-Mobile HTC HD2.

Of course, all the usual suspects are present. Gmail, Google Maps, Google Nav, YouTube and the Android Market are all pre-installed on the device.

At a price of $199 (a $100 rebate is available), it appears to us that this phone is geared at the entry-level smartphone market. With the drop in price of Apple’s iPhone 3Gs to $99, it reamains to be seen if AT&T customers will consider the HTC Aria as their next mobile device.

T-mobile G1 Maps

Shhhh… it’s watching me.  It knows where I am.

No seriously, it knows.  I’m going to sit in the closet until it stops watching me.

… 3 days later…

The T-mobile G1 maps function is quite interesting. After spending some time in the closet thinking this over, I made a pros and cons list.

Pros – If I ever get disassembled, I’ll be easy to locate. If my phone is ever stolen by a despicable cretin I can find him and shove marshmallows into his eye sockets until he gives my phone back. I don’t need to activate my homing beacon.

Cons – OMG I can be tracked! ArgggghhhhH! By my enemies! Oh no … by The Federation!

Truthfully, I know I can be tracked by any cell phone with the pings and the things, but this makes it makes it so much more real.

It’s an excellent feature. It can pinpoint my location and take me anywhere I want to go. The G1’s map feature shows everything, maps, satellite, street view, traffic, you name it and it’s providing geographical information in mass quantities.

I can turn on and off the “tracking” feature by pressing the Menu button and selecting the Join Latitude button. It’s actually not super accurate on my location, so just check in a mile radius for me. Right now it’s telling me I’m located about 1/4 of a mile away from where I actually am, I’m pretty sure I’m not there, but it thinks I am.

Through the Menu button you can also search for things, like pizza or Chinese food. You don’t have to specify your location because it already knows… I just searched for Chinese food and it’s giving me 8 results, the top 3 are geographically closest to me. I know this because they’re my 3 lazy Chinese restaurants, all within walking distance.  The others I recognize as being less than 2 miles away.

Street View is quite special indeed. Getting down to street view you can select the Compass option from the Menu screen and then… spin around in your chair. Go ahead, try it… I’ll wait.

Done? It’s k, you can play with it later. I’m almost done here. Isn’t that the most fun ever? The map spins and dances like a ballerina, showing you everything just like you were swiveling your head around like a mad man.

Another interesting feature is the Report Image option from the menu screen. The G1’s map feature is protecting the public, isn’t it sweet? If you see something inappropriate, like this bashful young lady caught on street view then you can report the image directly from the G1.

Although I’m afraid of my T-mobile G1 and  it’s super insane tracking special powers, I’m also impressed. It’s definitely smarter than I am.

Voice activated search

The voice activated search feature for the T-mobile G1 is more  understanding and attentive than any lover you’ve ever had. 

On your home screen swipe your finger to the left to reveal the google search feature. Next to the search box is a microphone icon. A box pulls up that says “SPEAK NOW”

Oohhhh what should I say… well, go ahead, say anything you want… it’s listening.

This may not be the best function for mumblers, but if you speak clearly and concisely it hears you and responds with exactly what you ask for. Finally, I can talk and someone is listening and responding in exactly the way I want them too. That doesn’t happen very often for me.

I have tested this for hours, trust me, it has a 95% success rate. It’s one of the best voice activated devices I’ve ever seen. My old cell phone couldn’t even recognize my voice when I said the simplest of my contact’s names, and now the G1 Android OS is blowing my mind with obscure search terms.

This is a whole new way to view search, opening possibilities and opportunities. No longer will I bump into mailboxes while trying to perform a search query and walking at the same time, voice activated search makes it quick and easy, just 1 button and I’m searching and finding exactly what I need. Searching and driving is now possible, although I don’t recommend browsing the net while speeding down the highway. Instead, perform your voice activated search then wait for a stop light to quickly browse your results. If you live in a state where you can’t use a phone and drive… sucks to be you, don’t do it!

Another excellent and fun benefit of the G1’s voice activated search feature is the little sound wave picture. I can see on the screen exactly how my voice fluctuates when I speak. Absolutely fascinating! Also, a fun game is trying to speak in silly accents to trick your G1 into giving incorrect results. This could easily be a drinking game, or just play for fun with your friends.

The T-mobile G1 voice activated search feature gets a huge thumbs up from me, I’m going to go talk to my new friend some more now. My G1 understands me better than you ever could!