Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is rumoured to be working on its own mobile phone operating system according to an anonymous source close to the project.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a dedicated unit called Alibaba Cloud Computing, is developing the platform that it aims to release in the third quarter of 2011.
The move will pit it directly against Google’s Android, Apple iOS and Microsoft’s Windows Phone mobile platforms and will also include a raft of mobile, cloud-based services.
Alibaba’s mobile OS will be launched in China first, and given that no official announcement has been made, the company may choose to launch it in other markets as well.
The platform may also be actively marketed by the company to the growing number of mobile phone and CE companies that sell their gear via Alibaba.
The news comes after another major Chinese technology firm, search engine giant Baidu, revealed that it has plans to build a lightweight mobile operating system, called Qiushi, with the goal of allowing users to search on a mobile phone within one second.
Many believe that Chinese firms are looking to reduce their dependency on foreign tech companies like Microsoft, Intel and Google and foster the growth of local startups instead.
Apple desperately hoping that his new IOS 5 will be exactly what it takes to bring down the ambitious new Google Android OS to the ice cream sandwich. It is known now that the iPhone famous took a direct hit from some of the new high-tech smartphones operating on the Android Market. For example, the United States, Google Android had a market share of 36.4%, while Apple fell 26%, barely managing to stay ahead of RIMM which held 25.7% market share. Android steady increase was evident that it held 26% in November 2010, rose to 31.2% in January and finally reached 36.4% at the end of May 2011. At this rate, Android seems powerful enough to maintain 50% market share by the end of the year.
Moreover, in terms of handset sales in the U.S., Apple only managed one 4th place with sales of 8.3%, being beaten by Samsung with 24.5 percent, with 21 percent of LG and Motorola with 15 , 6 percent. In addition, a report says that despite the fact that the Apple Store has applications twice as Android Market, users of Android users to download more applications than iPhone users.
Just when things were pretty gray for Apple, the company was served another blow by Android which revealed new OS is the ice cream sandwich at the annual meeting of I / O 2011 event. This new operating system plans to make the best of both the tablet and smartphone operating systems Android and merge into a new, playing on the same level as Apple, which IOS runs on the iPhone and iPad.
This new operating system will prove to be a boon for developers who have so far been forced to develop applications for Android fragmented market.
Vizio is best known for the sale of television rather than tablets Android. With its entry into the tablet market, the company began accepting pre-orders for its Android tablet, the VTAB1008.
Tablet enthusiasts can choose from two packages with the first packet will include the tablet Android only for the second package will give users a custom case with a microSD card to 16 GB of memory. The first package costs $ 380 while the second beam at a price of $ 400.
This tablet Android has an 8-inch screen with a resolution of 1024 x 768 and uses a microprocessor running at 1 GHz single core and 512 MB RAM The Tablet PC is also a 2 GB internal storage, which can be extended up to 32 GB with about a external SD card reader.
This tablet will feature Android gingerbread Android OS 2.3, although the company said it could be improved with Honeycomb Android in the future. At the moment there are stability problems with the Android OS 3.2, which will not be optimal for use on the tablet Android Vizio.
Vizio
One of the outlets of the tablet is its Android widgets where all user applications are placed instead of the design of home page of the traditional multiple OS Android. These applications are placed on a dedicated soft Council Widget. Apart from this innovation, the low price of the unit will likely use a tablet users.
Another feature of the tablet is Vizio’s Android infrared controller that is positioned near the top of the unit. This will give users the ability to control about 95 percent of existing home theater accessories. This feature Android on this tablet may allow users to fully control devices, including televisions and sound systems.
Android tablet Vizio also has Bluetooth connectivity, GPS and wireless-N. It has a camera in front but lacks a rear-facing camera. This tablet Android can also be integrated into a home theater system via HDMI mini output. It also features three stereo speakers, which provides a sound enough to watch movies in landscape or portrait mode. Vizio has also indicated that the tablet VTAB1008 Android could reach the market by July 18.
Google now has more than 10 million users running its Android operating system on their smartphones, barely 18 months after the service was introduced in Korea.
On June 20, SK Telecom had 6.18 million subscribers, while KT and LG Uplus had 2.06 million registered over 1.86 million, according to data provided by carriers moving interior.
The figures account for 70 percent of the nationwide market for smartphones, which includes a total of 14.1 million subscribers.
The strong growth in smartphones running the Android system was particularly strong in Korea, largely through partnerships that Google has built with conglomerates like LGand Samsung.
Worldwide, smart phones Android OS claimed the top spot in sales for the first quarterof this year to capture a share of 36 percent of the market.
An important element to have a Google Android Google Android phone or tablet is the way that these devices allow you to connect with people using the variety of social networking sites that are available on the Internet. Using sites such as Twitter and Facebook, you can connect with family and friends while you’re on the go or lounging on your couch watching your favorite show.
However, with an Android device to the social aspect can go much further, as you can also use instant messaging applications or online games with friends or total strangers.
1. Seesmic Twitter app Your Android smartphone or tablet will most likely have an application pre-installed on Twitter. However, you should not be limited to using one that came with your handheld device as there are many alternatives to choose from the Android Market. For many hardcore users of Twitter, Seesmic is a popular choice, which also works with Facebook. Seesmic made all the important things like warn you of new messages, you can share photos and shows thumbnail images in the lists. It will also keep an eye on multiple Twitter accounts, making it ideal for power users of Twitter.
2. Facebook If you prefer to keep your Facebook updates separate from your Twitter client, a pre-installed, dedicated Facebook application may already be on your Android smartphone or tablet. This app pre-installed is more than capable of doing its job. It also has the added advantage of being able to synchronize contact information with the application on the device. The only parameter you need to apply is to decide how you want the synchronization to work.
3. Home page widgets Most Android phones come with a centralized social networking application that links to the most common social network. However, to improve the functionality of both Twitter and Facebook, you can place widgets on your home screen, allowing you to easily access your favorite social sites and show updates with new information at regular intervals . Click and hold any Home screen to see the list of widgets available for your Android smartphone or tablet in particular. Press the one you want and it will be placed on a screen. Once created, you can easily direct message to Facebook by typing “what’s on your mind.
4. Other social networking sites do not forget the other social networks out there. If you are into MySpace, Flickr and LinkedIn, you can find applications for these sites will run on your Android device. Just hunt around in the Android Market for applications that meet your needs by typing the name of your favorite social network.
5. YouTube The ability to view the content of YouTube on your Android device is one of its best features, turning your handheld into a gadget of entertainment. Again, most Android smartphones and tablets come with a preinstalled application on YouTube, so you can take advantage of what the video sharing site has to offer immediately. But Android has an additional function which is crucial for YouTubers – the ability to upload your videos on the site. In the Gallery, press the Menu button and choose Share then select your video to download.
6. Wordfeud There is another aspect of social networking on Android games. There are many games available on the Android Market, which allow you to play against someone else, whether they are a friend or a stranger. However, we only have space for a couple of examples, here are our favorite – Wordfeud. This is a Scrabble-like game with a twist – you can play against friends or randomly selected. You can also play up to 30 games at once. There are free (advertising-supported) and paid versions.
7. Legends Pocket Our second example is Pocket Legends, which is an online multiplayer game that allows you to take the role of an avatar and battle in a fantasy world. Free to download, you will find yourself paying for the game to new levels if you get hooked. A big plus is that all data is stored on a server, which means you can connect to your account with the various devices and pick up where you left off.
8. Fring App the last we’ll mention here is Fring. This is a chat application that meets multi-use, even for video calls, if your Android smartphone or tablet has a camera face. If you are missing one of them, the application can also handle voice calls and instant messaging also communicate with MSN Messenger, GoogleTalk, AIM and ICQ friends and anyone on itself Fring.
Skype has launched a new version of its Android application – Skype for Android 2.0 – which includes video calling capacity for the first time.
Skype has launched a new version of its Android application – Skype for Android 2.0 – which includes video calling capacity for the first time. VoIP pioneer – which was acquired by Microsoft earlier this year – will first video calls on an Android phone a few: HTC Desire S, New Sony Ericsson Xperia, Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro and Nexus S .The video call Android app works on the Wi-Fi and 3G data connection and is available both on Android Market and via the phone browser.
Skype said the new feature will allow users to make and receive free one to one video calls on Skype from their Android phones and other Skype contacts on the iPhone, Mac, Windows PC, and even televisions. ”We are committed to Skype Video Calling as platforms as possible and we are delighted to offer this with our new updated Android app video chat,” said Neil Stevens, vice president and director of Skype General Product and marketing.
The update comes just before an expected new version of the Skype application for the iPad, which will also support video calls. On this platform, the functionality will be considered a competitor to Apple FaceTime own service, which is Wi-Fi only.
And the addition of video calling, Skype said that the new application Android comes with a “complete overhaul”, including a new “message box in the mood” for updated status Facebook-style .
The latest addition to Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA range of Android phones is the XPERIA Ray, best described as a smaller version of the flagship XPERIA Arc.
Like the flagship XPERIA Arc, the XPERIA Ray also boasts a 1GHz processor, a “Reality Display” with Sony’s Mobile BRAVIA Engine, along with an 8.1-megapixel camera with Exmor R image sensor. However, the major difference is size — the XPERIA Ray has a smaller 3.3in screen and therefore is a far more compact smartphone than its bigger brother. For those who think the latest smartphones are just too big to handle, the XPERIA Ray offers a valid alternative without compromising on many features.
The official line from Sony Ericsson is that the XPERIA Ray is a “sleek, beautiful smartphone with a stylish aluminium frame”, and it measures a mere 9.4mm. We’ll wait to we get our hands on the device to make an official verdict, but if the XPERIA Ray is anything like the XPERIA Arc, it will definitely turn some heads.
Sony Ericsson XPERIA Ray’s 3.3in touchscreen has been dubbed a ‘Reality display’. This sits alongside other fancy display names including the iPhone 4′s ’Retina display’, the Samsung Galaxy S II’s Super AMOLED Plus’ display, and the ‘Nova display’ of the LG Optimus Black. Sony Ericsson claims the Reality display increases contrast and sharpness for image viewing and video playback.
The XPERIA Ray also has an 8.1-megapixel camera that enables the capture of high quality pictures and 720p HD videos even in low light. However, the XPERIA Ray lacks the HDMI-out connection that comes standard on the XPERIA Arc. This would have allowed the Ray to be connected to a high definition television.
The Sony Ericsson XPERIA Ray is powered by a single core 1GHz processor, and runs the latest version of Google’s Android operating system, 2.3 or “Gingerbread”. It has a paltry 300MB of internal memory, though there is a microSD card slot for extra storage.
The Sony Ericsson XPERIA Ray is also one of the first Sony Ericsson smartphones that will ship with ‘Facebook inside XPERIA’, software that integrates Facebook into commonly used areas of the phone including the picture gallery, music player, phonebook and calendar. The Facebook inside XPERIA feature will soon be available across other Sony Ericsson XPERIA handsets through a future software update.
Sony Ericsson is yet to announce Australian pricing or availability for the XPERIA Ray, but it will be available globally in “selected markets” from Q3 2011.
Acer has joined Motorola in announcing an upgrade to Android ‘Honeycomb’ 3.1 for its Iconia tablet PCs beginning this week.
Iconia A500 owners will receive a message from today informing them of the option to upgrade to Honeycomb 3.1, which promises increased system performance and better support for USB and Bluetooth devices like keyboards and mice.
Last week it will start pushing out the Honeycomb 3.1 update to coincide with the release of the Wi-Fi-only Xoom tablet.
Other 3.1 features include HTML5 video content support, additional video file format support, improved Wi-Fi networking, and Microsoft Exchange server support (ActiveSync).
Acer Computer Australia’s smart handheld devices product manager David Niu, said every Iconia Tab A500 owner will receive a notification today prompting the update which will “improve the entire user experience”.
For business users, 3.1 offers easier management of e-mail accounts; the proxy and IP address configuration is now backed up and restored across system updates and resets; and there is an encrypted storage card device policy for devices with emulated storage cards and encrypted primary storage.
In March Acer launched the Iconia A500 and A100 tablets. Both shipped with Google Android Honeycomb 3.0 and will receive the 3.1 update.
Inside the A500 is a dual core Nvidia Tegra 2 and connectivity is either Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi and 3G. It has a HDMI port for 1080p video out.
Thrive-in-a-box
Image courtesy of Engadget tipster.
The Toshiba Thrive went up for pre-orders back on June 13th, but really didn’t have a solid release date. There’s still no “official” release date from Toshiba, however Best Buy’scomputer system has betrayed the date. A tipster for Engadget sent in the above shot of the device at a Best Buy location, and also a shot of the inventory system showing the street date for the device.
Inventory System
You can see on the in-stock date that it’s listed as July 10th, so you have less than a week before you can run out and snatch up this excellent-looking tablet. The Toshiba Thrive looks to be one of the most promising Android tablets of the summer, as far as Honeycomb tablets go. The Thrive will feature all kinds of full-sized ports for use with Honeycomb 3.1 and its USB host support. The version releasing next week is the wifi-only tablet, but there is rumors of a 3G-enabled device down the road. The Thrive features a standard 1 GHz dual core processor, 1GB of RAM, and comes in 8, 16, and 32GB configurations with support for up to 128GB full-size SD cards.
ViewSonic, the visual technology giant has introduced its latest tablet called ViewPad 10 Pro at Computex 2011. The ViewPad 10 Pro comes with both Windows 7 Professional OS for business use and Google Android 2.2 Operating System for personal and social entertainment. It supports dual-boot functionality that offers a quick switch between two platforms by tapping an icon on the display of the tablet.
The ViewPad 10 Pro tablet is packed with many amazing features. The device has a 10-inch multi-touch display screen with 3G, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity which supports resolution of up to 1024 x 600 pixels. It runs on Intel’s newest Atom processor known as Oak Trail Z670 1.5 GHz processor that is able to give long battery life. Tablet also includes 1.3 megapixel webcam, DDR3 2GB SDRAM and 32 GB SSD storage capacity.
The weight of the ViewPad 10 Pro tablet is 830 grams and supports Flash 10.1. It will be available with the price tag of $799. The device includes a 3500mAh battery which provides 4.5 hours of 1080p video playback. This new tablet is basically designed to view Flash-based contents and Office programs with Windows as well as for the best mobile entertainment experience with Android.
