Computerworld android News

HTC Evo 4G LTE review: Almost great

jr@androidpower.com (JR Raphael) — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:24:00 GMT

HTC's Evo 4G LTE smartphone has a lot going for it, but other factors, including the lack of LTE service from Sprint, make it difficult to recommend.

SAP rolls out new mobile apps, boosts HTML5, iOS, Android support

(Chris Kanaracus) — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:42:00 GMT

SAP on Monday unveiled a series of mobile applications covering areas such as expense management and e-learning, as well as improved support for iOS and Android devices. The announcements came at the start of the vendor's Sapphire conference in Orlando.

Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 on sale Sunday for $400

mhamblen@computerworld.com (Matt Hamblen) — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:54:00 GMT

Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is set to go on sale at retailers nationwide Sunday for $399.99, furthering the variety of tablet sizes from the vendor.

Infringement case suspended; Samsung tests Apple's 'pinch-to-zoom' claim

(Loek Essers) — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:38:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics may challenge the validity of Apple's intellectual property claims before the Regional Court in Mannheim, Germany, rules on whether the company has infringed them, the court said on Friday. It is the second time in two weeks that the Mannheim court has decided to wait for a validity verdict from the Federal Patent Court before ruling on an infringement case.

6 Ways to Use Multiple Displays With Your Laptop

(Paul Mah) — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:28:00 GMT

Dual monitors improve productivity, but it can be hard to get laptops to use multiple displays. It's not impossible, though. Check out these six tips for connecting laptops to external monitors.

What the summer portends in new tablets

mhamblen@computerworld.com (Matt Hamblen) — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:00:00 GMT

Summer 2012 promises to be the season of tablet experimentation. Just about every tablet maker is expected to announce a new product in the next four months. The devices are likely to be smaller in the case of Apple, bigger in the case of Amazon.

Judge declines to eject Google's 'fair use' defense from Android trial

(James Niccolai) — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:40:00 GMT

Oracle was dealt a minor setback in its lawsuit against Google on Wednesday when a judge denied its motion to toss out one of Google's key defenses against copyright infringement.

Android developers ignored Sun patents, Google exec testifies

(James Niccolai) — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:51:00 GMT

Google's engineers never studied other companies' patents while developing Android for fear of allowing those patents to influence their design decisions, Google's Android chief Andy Rubin testified on the stand Wednesday.

Google files for new trial on copyright claims in Android suit

(Chris Kanaracus) — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:02:00 GMT

Google is seeking a new trial on copyright claims in Oracle's intellectual-property lawsuit against it over the Android mobile OS, according to a filing made late Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Sony launches 13-megapixel LTE smartphone -- for Japan

(Mikael Ricknäs) — Wed, 09 May 2012 09:52:00 GMT

Sony Mobile Communications has launched two new Android-based LTE smartphones for the Japanese market; the light-weight Xperia SX and the Xperia GX, which has a 13-megapixel camera.

3LM, Symantec and Wyse aim to simplify mobile device management

(Mikael RicknA$?s) — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:18:00 GMT

At three different events in three different U.S. cities 3LM, Symantec and Wyse Technology are all showing upgraded or new products to help IT staff better cope with the smartphones, tablets and other devices users are allowed to bring to work.

Symantec conference puts focus on mobile security

(Ellen Messmer) — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:31:00 GMT

At its annual Symantec Vision conference attended by enterprise customers and business partners, Symantec laid out its management and security product strategy for mobile endpoint devices, including the iPhone, iPad and Google Android devices.

Lenovo launches smart TVs in China

(Michael Kan) — Tue, 08 May 2012 08:20:00 GMT

Lenovo on Tuesday launched its K-series of smart TVs in China, marking the PC vendor's entry into another hot devices market.

Google infringed Java copyrights in Android, jury finds

(James Niccolai) — Tue, 08 May 2012 01:00:00 GMT

A jury has found that Google infringed Oracle's Java copyrights in Android but could not decide unanimously if the the infringement was protected by "fair use."

HTC Droid Incredible coming to Verizon 4G LTE

mhamblen@computerworld.com (Matt Hamblen) — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:36:00 GMT

HTC and Verizon Wireless announced that the Droid Incredible 4G LTE smartphone will go on sale 'in the coming weeks.'

Dispatch from the technology culture wars

(Mike Elgan) — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:00:00 GMT

There's room for common ground in the tech culture war between the 'geeks' -- technical people who like to tinker with tech -- and 'noobs' -- nontechnical people who want gadgets to just work, writes columnist Mike Elgan.

Jury nears verdict in Oracle-Google trial over Android

(James Niccolai) — Fri, 04 May 2012 23:56:00 GMT

The jury has reached a partial verdict in the copyright phase of Oracle's intellectual property dispute with Google, and the judge has given them one more day to try to resolve the remaining issue.

Android malware used to mask online fraud, says expert

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:08:00 GMT

Android malware being automatically distributed from hacked websites looks like it's being used to mask online purchases, and could be part of a fraud gang's new push into mobile, researchers said today.

Samsung can challenge Apple's photo gallery patent before ruling on infringement

(Loek Essers) — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:41:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics will be allowed to challenge the validity of an Apple patent before a decision is made on whether Samsung has infringed the patent, the Regional Court in Mannheim, Germany ruled Friday.

iPad share of tablet market jumps as Kindle Fire slumps

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Thu, 03 May 2012 20:23:00 GMT

Apple's iPad reclaimed a larger share of the global tablet market last month, in part because of a more-serious-than-expected slump in sales of the hot Kindle Fire in the first quarter, IDC analysts said today.

Xamarin ports Android from Java to C#

(Mikael Ricknäs) — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:03:00 GMT

Xamarin has ported Android to C# in an effort to improve its own development tools and show that the OS doesn't have to be dependent on Java.

Java creator: Fears over consequences of possible Oracle trial win may be overblown

(Chris Kanaracus) — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:56:00 GMT

Should Oracle prevail in its intellectual-property lawsuit against Google over alleged Java patent and copyright violations in the Android mobile OS, it shouldn't result in the "industrial meltdown" some observers fear, Java creator James Gosling said in a blog post late Tuesday.

Samsung grabs biggest smartphone share in Q1, says IDC

(Mikael Ricknäs) — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:22:00 GMT

The worldwide smartphone market grew 42.5 percent year-over-year during the first quarter, as Samsung Electronics overtook Apple for the smartphone leadership position, according to IDC's estimates.

Review: Quickoffice Connect is a poor iCloud clone

(Galen Gruman) — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:12:00 GMT

Stick with the original Quickoffice HD app and either Dropbox or Box instead for a more reliable, cheaper alternative

Jury begins deliberations after Oracle, Google attorneys debate fair use

(James Niccolai) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:48:00 GMT

The jury began its deliberations Monday in the copyright phase of Oracle's lawsuit against Google over Android.

LG backs off Windows Phone for now, report says

mhamblen@computerworld.com (Matt Hamblen) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:46:00 GMT

Smartphone-maker LG Electronics has backed off producing Windows Phone devices for now and will instead focus on Android phones, according to a report.

Why Linux is a flop on the desktop

(Maria Korolov) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:28:00 GMT

It's free, it's easier to use than ever, IT staffers know it and love it, and it has fewer viruses and Trojans than Windows.

Huawei aims to offer touch-free smartphones, infinite cloud storage

(Michael Kan) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:30:00 GMT

Huawei Technologies is aiming to bring touch-free smartphones and more inexpensive cloud storage to users, as the company boosts its research and development spending in order to bring "disruptive" technologies that will alter the market landscape.

LG launches dual-core Optimus LTE smartphone in Europe

(Mikael Ricknäs) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:39:00 GMT

LG Electronics said on Friday that it will start selling the Optimus True HD LTE in Germany, Portugal, Sweden, helping the number of available LTE devices to slowly grow across Europe.

Carriers desperately seeking Windows Phone

mhamblen@computerworld.com (Matt Hamblen) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:00:00 GMT

AT&T and Verizon Wireless want Windows Phone smartphones to succeed in the U.S., partly to provide leverage against Apple's demands for subsidies required for selling the popular iPhone.

Ex-Sun boss McNealy sides with Oracle in Google dispute

(James Niccolai) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:02:00 GMT

Former Sun boss Scott McNealy sided with Oracle on Thursday in its dispute with Google over Android, testifying in court that companies needed a license to use Sun's Java programming interfaces.

Kindle Fire accounts for more than half of U.S. Android tablets

(Brad Reed) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:47:00 GMT

When people refer to "Android tablets" they may soon just be referring to the Amazon Kindle Fire.

Twitter updates iPhone, Android apps

sgaudin@computerworld.com (Sharon Gaudin) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 21:22:00 GMT

Twitter released updated iPhone and Android apps Thursday that make it easier for users to search and find new information.

How Android stacks up

(Network World Staff) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:37:00 GMT

Android device activations have skyrocketed lately, and now average around 850,000 a day. That's quite a leap from the first quarter of 2010, when Android activations were averaging a mere 65,000 per day. Android is currently the most popular mobile operating system in the world, as research firm Gartner reported late last year that Android devices accounted for more than half of all smartphones sold worldwide in the third quarter of 2011. Insider (registration required)

97% of enterprise tablet users got an iPad in Q1, survey finds

(Mikael RicknA$?s) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:47:00 GMT

Apple's dominance over Android in the corporate tablet market grew in the first quarter, according to a survey from mobile device management and wireless email vendor Good Technology.

The future of the $200 tablet

jr@androidpower.com (JR Raphael) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:00:00 GMT

The low-end, under-$200 tablet market is on the brink of a transformation -- and that means you'll soon be able to get a lot more value for a lot less money.

Samsung reveals chip for next flagship smartphone

(Mikael Ricknäs) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:56:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics has introduced the 1.4GHz Exynos 4 Quad processor, which will power the next Galaxy smartphone, the company said on Thursday.

Huawei may start selling its mobile chips

(Michael Kan) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 06:58:00 GMT

Chinese handset maker Huawei Technologies expects its smartphone chip business will help further drive revenue, signaling that the company could try to compete in the worldwide mobile chip market.

Schmidt testifies Android did not use Sun's IP

(James Niccolai) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 22:07:00 GMT

Google developed its Android smartphone software without using Sun's intellectual property and its use of Java in Android was "legally correct," Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, testified in court Tuesday.

Samsung details Android 4.0 phone, tablet upgrades for U.S. carriers

mhamblen@computerworld.com (Matt Hamblen) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:52:00 GMT

Samsung posted a list today detailing which Samsung phones and tablets sold by U.S. carriers will eventually receive an upgrade to Android 4.0, or Ice Cream Sandwich.

Andy Rubin spars with Oracle attorney over old emails

(James Niccolai) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:55:00 GMT

Andy Rubin, the head of Google's Android development team, took the witness stand for the first time Monday in Oracle's lawsuit accusing Google of patent and copyright infringement in its Android OS.

Asus Transformer Pad Comparisons

jr@androidpower.com (JR Raphael) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:45:00 GMT

How do they stack up against each other?

Learn the Secret to Kaiser Permanente's Sustainable Mobile Strategy

(Michael Ybarra) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:41:00 GMT

Healthcare CIOs know mobile is important to their customers. Phil Fasano, CIO of Kaiser Permanente, took a slow-but-steady mobile approach and is seeing big results since its new site and apps launched. Insider (registration required)

Asus quad-core Transformer Pad 300 tablet ships for $379

(Agam Shah) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 11:09:00 GMT

Asustek on Sunday started shipping its Transformer Pad 300 tablet in the U.S., with the company pitching the tablet as a gaming device and laptop replacement.

Did Microsoft run out of time with Windows RT?

gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:41:00 GMT

Microsoft may have simply run out of time with Windows RT as it tried to keep up with rivals Apple and Google, an analyst said today.

Look out, Google -- Oakley's developing its own smart glasses

sgaudin@computerworld.com (Sharon Gaudin) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:14:00 GMT

Google might want to use its new smart-glasses prototype to look over its shoulder.

The Most Annoying Android Apps

(Sarah Jacobsson Purewal) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:35:00 GMT

Not all Android apps are created equal, and most are far from perfect.

Spotify's New Android App Available for Preview

(Ian Paul) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:33:00 GMT

Spotify, the premium streaming music service, will soon release a redesigned Android app, but if you can't wait for it to hit Google Play, Spotify is offering a preview version you can install right now. The new Spotify for Android preview features full support for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, high-resolution images, new slide-out navigation, and improved social features. Spotify's mobile apps are available to users with a $10 monthly premium subscription.

HTC One S review: T-Mobile's new shining star

jr@androidpower.com (JR Raphael) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:01:00 GMT

With its sleek design and excellent camera, HTC's One S sets a new standard for smartphone greatness for HTC and for T-Mobile.

Larry Page tells jury he doesn't recall details of Java negotations

(James Niccolai) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:51:00 GMT

Google CEO Larry Page told a jury on Wednesday that he remembers little about Google's attempts to negotiate a Java license from Sun, during 40 minutes of tense questioning in Oracle's lawsuit against Google over Android.