In an attempt to use the power of celebrity endorsements to promote the Windows Phone, Microsoft has rolled out new ads featuring prominent women.
Taking an aggressive approach with the promotion of the Windows Phone platform, Microsoft has launched two new advertisements starring actress Jessica Alba and No Doubt musician Gwen Stefani. Airing during primetime television tonight on commercial breaks within ABC’s Modern Family and NBC’s The Voice as well as late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live, the two advertisements highlight different ways that the Windows Phone platform has changed their daily life. The 33-second spot with Jessica Alba features the Nokia Lumia 920 and is co-branded with AT&T. However, the 32-second Gwen Stefani advertisement features the 8X by HTC and splashes the Verizon Wireless logo on the screen.
During the Jessica Alba spot, Microsoft is attempting to promote the use of the Kid’s Corner feature since young children like to play games on their parent’s smartphones. Similar to Netflix’s Just for Kids section, Kids Corner on the Windows Phone acts as a parental filter.
After Kid’s Corner is launched, it’s impossible for a child to access text messages, emails or other important areas of the phone without a password. In addition, parents can populate the Kids Corner with approved applications such as entertaining games, learning programs or other fun apps for young children. Kids can also listen to approved music through the Kids Corner interface as well as personalize the background.
Alternatively, Microsoft is trying to highlight the usefulness of the Windows Phone platform for busy working women during the Gwen Stefani ad. Since early adopters of smartphones tend to be both men and women these days, Microsoft is clearly going after the female demographic for the opening round of Windows Phone ads. Ads featuring male celebrities are in the works though. According to Ad Age, two more advertisements will follow later in November featuring Saturday Night Live alum Andy Samberg as well as Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.
Designed to encourage mobile users to share more types of content with their friends, Facebook is rolling out a new share button for the mobile interface.
Detailed by Techcrunch earlier today, Facebook has launched a share button on the mobile version of the social network and is planning to add sharing capabilities to both the iOS and Android applications at a later date. While the ability to share a particular article, video or picture is commonplace on the Web version of Facebook, mobile users can simply tap on the new share link in order to pass along an interesting piece of content to their friends. When a user brings up the mobile version of the social network, they will notice a new Share button to the right of the Like and Comment buttons.
Tapping the new share button brings up an interface that allows the user to write a comment that goes along with the shared content. In addition, the user can isolate the post to a specific subset of their friends through groups or post it publicly in order to reach all subscribers.
Once the user is satisfied with the post, they confirm the sharing action by tapping the Share button in the top right corner of the screen. Alternatively, cancelling the post returns the user to the news feed. The new share button is only appearing within the News feed at this point. When visiting a personal page of a friend or a brand, the share button hasn’t been incorporated within the design yet.
The launch of the new sharing feature marks a trend in Facebook’s strategic approach to mobile. While the inclusion of the sharing button isn’t a technical achievement by any means, the priority of improving Facebook’s mobile interface is evident. According to Facebook’s third quarter results, the social network has approximately 600 million active mobile users each month. In addition, about 120 million of those active users check Facebook exclusively through a mobile device. The addition of the share button on the mobile version of the site could result in a spike in the amount of articles, videos and pictures that are shared each day.
With the addition of the share button for mobile users, this brings Facebook more in line with social network competitor Twitter. On the web version of Twitter, users are encouraged to retweet posts and share them with friends. It will be interesting to see if mobile users on Facebook transition from the Like action to the Share action. Potentially, it could significantly increase the amount of shared content people find in their News feeds each day and possibly drown out other status updates from friends and family.
However, it could be extremely helpful to brands and advertisers since the share action is more valuable when attempting to spread a particular piece of content. In a related story noted by The Next Web, Facebook is also rolling out a new feed that allows a user to view posts from brands and other pages into a completely separate feed. While posts from those pages will still appear within the News feed, users can visit this page in order to view recent updates only from liked pages.
Google has already released an update for Android 4.2 that fixes bugs with Google Voice.
Android 4.2 may be Google’s newest mobile operating system update, but new doesn’t always mean perfect. The latest iteration of Jelly Bean has reportedly caused issues with Google Voice, but the search giant has already issued a fix.
Within 24 hours of its release, Google launched an update for the operating system that fixed inaccuracies with Google Voice. The app has experienced problems ever since the fresh, treat-themed upgrade launched alongside Google’s new Nexus 4 handset and Nexus 10 tablet. Some complaints said that the bug would Force Close a text message if you tried to add a new contact at the same time. This text messaging glitch appears to be the most significant issue, but the update is believed to address any and all compatibility problems between Android 4.2 and Google Voice.
Luckily, the majority of Android users have probably never even encountered this inconvenience. Android 4.2 is only currently available for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the LG Nexus 4, which means that the bug has only affected a small number of Android users. The updated operating system will also ship with the Nexus 10 tablet that debuted on Tuesday and almost instantly sold out in the U.S. and UK within minutes (though we don’t know how many sales it took to sell out).
Android 4.2, initially believed to be called Key Lime Pie, represents the next major software upgrade for Android devices. Google introduced the previous edition of Jelly Bean, Android 4.1, at its I/O conference in June along with its Nexus 7 tablet. The search engine giant emphasized the “buttery smooth” interface that users would experience with Jelly Bean, and its new iteration promises the same.
The update boasts new features such as the ability to open multiple windows and apps simultaneously and Android Beam integration. This is Google’s term for its Near-Field Communication (NFC) capability, which lets users share photos, YouTube videos and other content by touching Android devices back-to-back. One of the most noteworthy additions is the new Photo Sphere camera, which takes snapshots in various directions and stitches them together to form one big picture.
While this may seem exciting, it could take a while for the update to completely roll out. Google recently announced that the Nexus S and Motorola Xoom will not be getting Android 4.2, and data collected by the company shows that Android 4.1 is still barely present on most devices.
Google has introduced a new feature that allows users to install Android apps shared via Google+ with a single click.
In an increasingly competitive social media ecosystem, Google has made a new addition to Google+ that could separate its social network from the rest. Google has integrated its online store and its social networking platform even more closely with a recently introduced feature. Google+ users can now post direct links to Android apps from the Google Play store on to a user’s timeline, making it easier to share games and applications.
Once the link has been posted, the recipient will be redirected to the app’s Google Play page. An install prompt will also appear to demonstrate how to download the app with a single click. Google+ automatically embeds an image and description of the app alongside the link. Similarly, When Google Play patrons +1 an app within the store, the app is automatically shared on Google+ but without the Install/Buy buttons.
This isn’t the first time the search engine giant has attempted to connect its Google Play store with Google+. The company previously added a function that allowed users to share their favorite music tracks and albums on another user’s profile, complete with 30-second previews. However, there has yet to be a feature that lets users instantly share movies via Google+.
As Google introduces new sharing features, it’s becoming clear that the company is attempting to facilitate the way users access media content through the Google Play store. Last week, Google announced that music and movies from its online store would be available on Google TV in Germany, France and the UK.
While the addition of instant app sharing may be a subtle update for Google+ it will undoubtedly streamline the way Android users recommend and share apps. It could also shape the way businesses and brands promote their mobile presence, giving Google+ a unique edge against competitors Facebook and Twitter.
Each social media platform has its own flavor when it comes to fulfilling business needs: Facebook gives brands the chance to showcase their product through a dedicated page and flashy cover photo, while Twitter lets businesses spark a conversation about their product among the Internet community. With Google+, users can now instantly download a company’s product. This could be particularly crucial for start-up businesses relying on social media to circulate their application.
The number of text messages sent in the US has seen a drop in this year's third quarter. Could services like iMessage and Facebook Messenger replace texts?
Text messaging has arguably eliminated the need for phone calls on a day-to-day basis. It has enabled users to communicate concise messages without sitting through forced (and sometimes painful) conversations. But with texting alternatives such as Apple’s iMessage are gaining popularity, will text messaging soon become obsolete? According to a report published Monday, American cell phone carriers are seeing a decline in the number of text messages sent by each customer on a monthly basis.
The data comes from Chetan Sharma, an independent mobile analyst and wireless carrier consultant, who wrote that the number of text message exchanges in the U.S. had dropped by about 2 percent in the third quarter. This may not seem like a significant drop, but it’s a sharp difference from the steady growth that text messaging had previously seen. Sharma says it’s too early to tell if this is the beginning of a decline, but it is the first time that text messaging has begun to dwindle in the United States.
Texting saw a noteworthy boost in 2011, when 2 trillion texts were sent in the U.S. by the year’s end. This marked a 14 percent increase from 2010, according to Forrester Research, which also notes that 6 billion messages were sent per day throughout the country last year.
This current decrease in SMS usage, which stands for “Short Message Service,” a service enabled by cell phone carriers, can largely be attributed to the rise of text messaging alternatives.
One such platform is Apple’s iMessage, which operates almost exactly like a text message but only communicates between Apple devices. Therefore, iMessage completely bypasses the carrier when sending text messages between iPhones.
Another perpetrator could be Facebook’s Messenger app, which essentially exists as the mobile presence for the social network’s instant messaging feature. Unlike iMessage, Facebook’s Messenger app can be used across multiple platforms, which could give it an advantage when it comes to text messaging alternatives.
Does this mean the era of texting is coming to an end? Not exactly. Texting is still a huge part of the way people communicate via mobile devices, but the emergence of these new messaging options could hopefully lead the way toward cheaper texting plans.
Jack Dorsey can do the Dr. Evil impression 10 times over
Square, the mobile payments startup founded by Jack Dorsey, is now processing $10 billion in payments annually.
Since Dorsey is also the co-founder of Twitter, the announcement of this milestone came not from a press release, but from a tweet.
"Today we're processing $10 billion in payments annually, an amazing and humbling milestone," said Square, Inc. on Twitter.
Rounding out the 140 character limit, the company credited its users, saying, "To the small businesses growing with Square, thank you."
Square talks
Square spokeswoman Faryl Ury added to that small business-focused sentiment.
"We've seen growth across the board," Ury told TechRadar, "from small food trucks and coffee shops, to retail stores and larger brick and mortar merchants."
A jolt expected from Starbucks
While Square may have a growing user base of small and medium-sized businesses, it's about to add a much larger client with 7,000 national stores: Starbucks.
Starbucks is scheduled to start accepting the Square Wallet this month following the coffeehouse chain's $25 million investment in the startup.
Square faces growing competition from PayPal Here, Intuit GoPayment and Groupon Payments, all of which offer slightly more affordable transaction fees.
However, the company remains the mobile payments leader.
Two months ago, Square reached $8 billion payments processed annually. With the impending addition of Starbucks, the "humbling milestone" tweets should keep on coming.
Jack Dorsey can do the Dr. Evil impression 10 times over
Square, the mobile payments startup founded by Jack Dorsey, is now processing $10 billion (UK£6.3 billion, AUD$965,158,000) in payments annually.
Since Dorsey is also the co-founder of Twitter, the announcement of this milestone came not from a press release, but from a tweet.
"Today we're processing $10B in payments annually, an amazing and humbling milestone," said Square, Inc. on Twitter.
Rounding out the 140 character limit, the company credited its users, saying, "To the small businesses growing with Square, thank you."
Square spokeswoman Faryl Ury added to that small business-focused sentiment.
"We've seen growth across the board," Ury told TechRadar, "from small food trucks and coffee shops, to retail stores and larger brick and mortar merchants."
A jolt expected from Starbucks
While Square may have a growing user base of small and medium-sized businesses, it's about to add a much larger client with 7,000 stores: Starbucks.
Starbucks is scheduled to start accepting the Square Wallet this month following the coffeehouse chain's $25 million (UK£15.7 million, AUD$24,128,950) investment in the startup.
Square faces growing competition from PayPal Here, Intuit GoPayment, and Groupon Payments, all of which offer slightly more affordable transaction fees.
However, the company remains the mobile payments leader.
Two months ago, Square reached $8 billion payments processed annually. With the impending addition of Starbucks, the "humbling milestone" tweets should keep on coming.
If you're in the market for a new Android smartphone and you want something truly top of the line then the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Google Nexus 4 are bound to be in your sights. The question is: which is better? We put the Galaxy S3 and Nexus 4 head-to-head in this detailed comparison and try to pick a winner.
The Samsung Galaxy S3 has been the relatively undisputed heavyweight champ on the Android scene for half a year now. It is, quite simply, an awesome smartphone. The new challenger emerging is the Google Nexus 4 and it’s looking lean, mean, and dangerous. Manufactured by underdog LG, the Nexus 4 combines impressive specs with an affordable price tag. The question is – does the Nexus 4 have what it takes to steal the title?
The Galaxy S3 has been on the market for a while now and you can get it from various carriers, although there are some slight differences between versions. The Nexus 4 comes in two flavors – 8GB or 16GB – and it went on sale November 13.
Display quality
Let’s open the bout with the first thing that strikes you about both devices: the screen. The Galaxy S3 has been lauded and derided for having a huge display. At 4.8 inches, the screen size was criticized by some for making the phone too large to handle comfortably. Consumers clearly didn’t agree with the critics because sales have been impressive and there’s a clear trend towards bigger displays in the market generally now. The Nexus 4 has a slightly smaller display at 4.7 inches.
The fact the Nexus 4 has a slightly higher resolution and a smaller screen than the Galaxy S3, means that the pixel density is greater. The Nexus 4 should be sharper. The displays also use different technology. The Nexus 4 display is IPS LCD and the Galaxy S3 is Super AMOLED (if you want to know what that means check out AMOLED vs LCD). Both displays have great color reproduction and good viewing angles and they both have Gorilla Glass 2 protection. The Galaxy S3 might edge it on better viewability in sunlight and that extra size, but the Nexus 4 display is sharper.
Winner: Draw
Design and feel
Neither Samsung nor LG are famed for high quality construction when it comes to smartphones. The Nexus 4 has a rounded form factor and is made of plastic with glass front and back and a chrome style rim. When the light catches the back you’ll see an eye-catching hologram design. It’s a premium look and feel not generally associated with LG, but it is indicative of the company’s push towards the top end of the Android market.
The Galaxy S3 is also rounded with a slightly textured pattern on the border which carries round onto the plastic frame and polycarbonate back cover. There is a single Home button on the front, while the Nexus 4 has no physical buttons on the front. Despite claims that the plastic feels cheap it is very durable and it obviously helps to keep the weight down.
In terms of size the Galaxy S3 is slightly bigger in height and width, but it is also slightly slimmer and it weighs a touch less. Ports and buttons are virtually identical, including right side placement for the power button, which helps you reach it more easily on larger form factor smartphones.
Winner: Draw
User interface and platform
As a Google release the Nexus 4 is vanilla Android and it sports version 4.2 which offers a handful of slight improvements over 4.1, but is still classed as Jelly Bean. There’s a new Quick Settings screen, widget support on the lock screen, improved Google Now, and Voice Search, among a few other new bits and pieces in version 4.2.
The Galaxy S3 launched with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), but the Jelly Bean 4.1 update has rolled out to many devices already. It also has Samsung’s TouchWiz interface, which has already added some features such as a Quick Settings menu in the Notifications bar.
There isn’t a huge difference in usability, but the latest version of Android is always the best. The 4.1 update for the Galaxy S3 brought a very noticeable improvement in speed and performance, alongside great features like expanded Notifications and Google Now. An S3 with Android 4.0 and TouchWiz is definitely behind the Nexus 4 with vanilla Android 4.2.
Winner: Nexus 4
Processor and RAM
Both devices have quad-core processors. The Galaxy S3 has a 1.4GHz Exynos 4412 and the Nexus 4 is sporting a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro clocked at 1.5GHz. The Nexus 4 has 2GB of RAM, which outperforms the 1GB of RAM in the European and international versions of the S3. The U.S. version of the Galaxy S3 matches the Nexus 4′s 2GB of RAM but lags behind with a dual-core processor.
Winner: Nexus 4
Storage
The Nexus 4 comes in 8GB and 16GB versions and in typical Nexus-style there is no microSD slot. You’ll need a screwdriver if you want to open it. The Galaxy S3 comes in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB varieties and you can expand by a further 64GB thanks to the microSD slot which you can get to by removing the back cover. There is no contest here.
Winner: Galaxy S3
Cameras
When it comes to the main camera, both devices have excellent 8-megapixel rear-facing cameras that can record 1080p video at 30 fps. They also both have the usual LED flash, face detection, and a host of other features. Android 4.2 brings a cool new Photo Sphere feature for panoramas to the Nexus 4, but the Galaxy S3 camera app has some nifty features, too.
It’s easier to separate the two phones on the front-facing camera because the Galaxy S3 has a 1.9-megapixel camera and the Nexus 4 has a 1.3-megapixel camera. Do many people really care about the front-facing camera? For those that do, the S3 wins out.
Winner: Galaxy S3
Battery
Both phones have batteries rated at 2,100mAh. The Galaxy S3 battery is removable while the Nexus 4 battery isn’t, but few people will carry around a second battery anyway. We’ll need to wait for more extensive hands-on testing to see if there’s any real difference in actual use, but . It’s probably worth mentioning that the Nexus 4 does support wireless charging and has a nifty Wireless Charging Orb accessory, although you do have to buy it separately.
Winner: Draw
Connectivity
You’ve got NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, DLNA, and everything else you would expect to find on both smartphones. The widely noted difference is that the Nexus 4 doesn’t support 4G LTE. It’s debatable how much that matters, because HSPA+ can be very fast, but if you live in the right area then LTE is the fastest mobile network connection you can have right now so it was a surprising omission.
Winner – Galaxy S3
Price
This is where some of the losses above for the Nexus 4 can be cancelled out because it is significantly cheaper than the Galaxy S3. It is basically $300 for the unlocked 8GB Nexus 4 or $350 for the 16GB version. That compares to around $600 for an unlocked 16GB Galaxy S3.
On contract you can get the Nexus 4 for $200 while the Galaxy S3 is closer to $300.
Winner – Nexus 4
Overall Winner: Nexus 4
If we add up the scores it actually turns out to be a tie with 3 wins apiece and 3 draws, but hopping off the fence we’ll give this one to the Nexus 4 because it manages to offer more value for your money. The wins that the Nexus 4 racked up will probably be more important to most people – it’s faster, it has the latest version of Android, and it’s cheaper. However, if you’re on a carrier with a robust 4G LTE network, or you heavily value storage or the quality of your front-facing camera, the Galaxy S3 may be the phone for you.
Texas Instruments announced Wednesday it will be cutting its worldwide work force by 1,700 in an effort to cut costs.
The semiconductor company said that as it moves away from its historical focus on the mobile market and focuses on OMAP processors and wireless connectivity solutions, it requires fewer resources.
"We have a great opportunity to reshape our OMAP processor and wireless connectivity product lines to concentrate on embedded markets," Greg Delagi, senior vice president of Embedded Processing, said in a press release, noting that momentum is already building for these new efforts.
"These job reductions are something we do with a heavy heart because they impact people we care deeply about. We will work closely with all employees affected by these changes to provide a range of assistance related to compensation, benefits and job search."
Pennies saved
The cut jobs are expected to save TI about $450 million (UK£284, AUD$433) by the end of next year.
A hit of $325 million (UK£205, AUD$312) is expected as a result of the restructuring, dollars that will drop out of this quarter's earnings.
TI is almost an anomaly in a manufacturing world that, for the most part, is moving toward mobile and away from traditional markets.
In a report from September, Delagi sad that mobile is "less attractive" for Texas Instruments moving forward, marking the beginning of the end for the company's smartphone and tablet plans.
Its OMAP 4470 processor is found in the Kindle Fire HD, but that may be the last major mobile product to see a TI chip inside.
Samsung's flexible AMOLED screens could arrive early next year
Though delays have seemingly slowed production of Samsung's flexible AMOLED screens, a new report points to production of the screens starting in early 2013.
An anonymous source told the Wall Street Journal the screens were in the final stage of development at Samsung Display, and that the manufacturer hoped to release the screens by the midpoint of next year.
Samsung debuted the first footage of the technology last December, and originally expected to deliver the first flexible screen products in 2012.
Made from plastic instead of glass, the prototype screens Samsung has shown off to this point reveal an incredibly flexible and durable display.
To this point, no company has been able to mass produce the displays, but Samsung has been pushing to move from the prototype to commercialization over the course of the past year.
The Wall Street Journal suggested Samsung's ability to invest heavily in the research and development of mass marketing the flexible screens comes from the recent profit windfalls Samsung Electronics has received.
With a 91 percent increase in net profits resulting in earnings totalling $6 billion (UK £3.78, AUD $5.78), Samsung clearly had the money to put behind the R&D.
Whether or not the manufacturer will be able to succeed remains to be seen, as Samsung had previously promised the OLED panels would be ready by now, and are still unavailable.
Just how Samsung plans on using the flexible screens is anyone's guess, but the applications could revolutionize both smartphones and tablets for the foreseeable future should they ever move beyond the concept stage.
Samsung and Android continue to outpace Apple and iOS
A look inside the quarterly sales numbers showed smartphones are up 46.9 percent over the same period in 2011, and revealed Android phones outpaced Apple's iOS phones by 5:1 during the third quarter.
The sales figures, as reported by the analysts at Gartner, show mobile phone sales have decreased by 3 percent overall, continuing a trend started earlierthis year.
Despite the overall sales dipping, smartphone sales bolstered by Samsung, Nokia, and Apple have continued to escalate, and are now responsible for almost 40 percent of all mobile phone sales.
Samsung holds lead
During the third quarter, Samsung was able to maintain its lead over Apple in smartphone sales, largely due to the Galaxy lineup, including the Galaxy SIII.
With a 32.5 percent share of the smartphone market, Samsung was able to hold off second-place Apple, which earned 14 percent of the sales.
Research in Motion was able to slip into third place, with HTC following closely behind, as Nokia's smartphone sales slipped to seventh.
Samsung still found itself in the overall lead with 97.9 million phones sold (22.9 percent), a narrow margin of victory over Nokia's 82 million total mobile phones sold (19.2 percent).
Apple was able to solidify third place by selling 23.5 million iPhones (3.9 percent), which was a 36.3 percent jump from 2011, and accounted for the largest increase in year-over-year sales.
Gartner expects Apple to have another traditionally strong fourth quarter due to the expanding availability of the iPhone 5, but doesn't think holiday sales will impact the overall market all that much.
Android still king of the hill
Even though iPhone sales increased tremendously during the third quarter, Apple's iOS still had trouble catching up to Android.
With 122 million Android phones sold during the third quarter, Google's OS increased it's share to 72.4 percent of the market.
Despite Android earning 20 percent more users during the third quarter, iOS was still able to garner 13.9 percent of all users, a drop of just one percent from Q2.
Apple was able to maintain second place largely due to the decreasing numbers of Symbian and Microsoft's Windows Phone 7, as both OS were being phased out for Windows Phone 8.
iOS is expected to increase its numbers during the fourth quarter according to Gartner analysts, but all that depends on how strong Apple's final quarter turns out from a sales perspective.
The Mayan calendar ended on December 21, 2012, but if those guys had UpTo, the calendar would never end. UpTo is a social calendar app that made its mark on iOS and has now moved to Android. We go hands on with the app to see if it's worthy of celebration.
One of the more popular apps for iOS devices has made the transition over to Android, as UpTo popped up in the Google Play Store Monday. The social calendar promises to make your future more interesting by highlighting events you might be interested in and aggregating your friends’ schedule into your planner so you won’t miss anything they’re up to (get the name now?). It has a lot of potential to fill your calendar with awesome events, or turn you into the ultimate party crasher, depending on how you use it.
To hook with UpTo is that it always looks toward the future. Facebook is like a collection of things that have already happened; Twitter is like a stream of what’s happening at the moment; and UpTo tells you what’s going to happen. It does this by taking your existing calendars and placing all of the shows, parties, and special occasions into a Twitter-like stream. Linking your Facebook account will draw in all of the happenings from your Events page. Using a Gmail account will pull all of the Google Calendars’ events. It pulls events from all kinds of services together into one feed. To the app’s credit, the feed works well. Everything looks very unified even though the information is coming from multiple locations, and interaction with an individual event is easy. It’s a visually pleasing app. It makes something pretty plain – a calendar – look sleek and modern.
Of course, what fun are all these awesome occasions – or mundane tasks – if you can’t tell your friends all about it? That’s where the social aspect of UpTo kicks in. By adding friends from your email contacts or Facebook, you’ll be able to see what’s on their agenda as well. This makes sharing event information easy. Then again, if your friends are terrible people, they may use that information against you. As such, you don’t have to share every event you’re planning to take part in and neither do your friends, so information can be kept private. That way your business partners won’t know about the pedicure that you took a half-day off to get.
Social events don’t just stop at your friends as UpTo has amassed over 800 event streams that you can “Discover,” subscribe to, and include in your calendar. Fans of most professional and college sports can add the entire schedule of your team of choice; Movie and TV buffs can add lists of major release dates and premieres; and citizens of major cities can subscribe to see the biggest events that are coming through town. When the creators of the streams update their events, like if the team you follow makes the playoffs, the new happenings appear automatically on your calendar. You can then comment or like those events to make your thoughts known, allowing you to socialize with people all over that are interested in the same occurrences as you.
As solid in its execution as it is in appearance, UpTo lives up to everything you’d expect out of it. It’s quite the task to make a calendar interesting, but UpTo manages to do so in a way that doesn’t stray too far from the initial purpose of keeping track of events. The social aspect is sure to be great for party planners and those who are looking for some extra company for a show or concert. It strips away a lot of the unnecessary details of events on other platforms, keeps only the most pertinent of information, and makes it easy to manage in your personal schedule or send out for others to join in. UpTo is an app worth checking for the event planner in you.
You can download UpTo for free from the Google Play Store. It is also available for free on iPhone.
Android's market share increased significantly during the third quarter of 2012, with the Google OS powering 72.4% of all smartphones sold in the three months' period. Apple's iOS came a very distant second with a market share of 13.9%.
This is an impressive accomplishment for Google's mobile OS, considering Android's market share was 52.5% in Q3 of 2011.
Samsung saw its position as the leading mobile manufacturer increase to 22.9% after selling almost 100 million phones in the three month period ending in September. This was mostly at the expense of Nokia, which saw its market share slide almost 5 percent points year-over-year.
The holiday season should see Apple take back some of both of those pies, as many iOS-faithfuls held off on replacing their smartphones until the iPhone 5 came around. Apple's new smartphone top dog is expanding its availability to many new markets in Q4, which should help Apple arrest the fall in iOS market share.
Microsoft and Barnes & Noble have teamed up to offer Windows 8 users a free Nook app for books, magazines, newspapers, and comics.
Readers with Windows 8 PCs have a new free option for enjoying their literature. Barnes & Noble’s subsidiary Nook Media announced the release of a Nook app for the Microsoft operating system. The free app holds all of your books, magazines, newspapers, and comics within an easy-to-use new interface specifically for PCs or tablets running Windows 8.
Like most of the programs available through the official Windows Store, the Nook app capitalizes on the distinguishing features of the OS for a unique new experience. The Live Tiles allow you to jump right back to your spot or see when a new issue of a subscription is available. You also have the option to pin a specific title to your start screen, making it faster to hop back and forth between books. The app contains a Nook Store, so you can purchase additional books without needing to navigate in and out of the program. Between the 3 million titles in the store and the tailored recommendations of the Nook Channels service, you should never be hurting for reading material.
Another handy feature of the app is the new “paper” user interface, which is meant to offer an uncluttered, easy reading experience. The Nook app interface is also designed to make browsing among your titles easy with the touch capabilities of Windows 8 tablets. And of course, the Windows 8 app will sync with the Nook app across your other mobile devices through the Nook Cloud. That makes it easy to access your books from any computer at any time without missing a page.
It’s been a busy month for Barnes & Noble, which recently dropped prices on two Nook models as it rolls out the new Nook HD. The Windows 8 Nook app is the first digital property to emerge from the partnership between the bookseller and Microsoft. It shows an understanding of how developers will likely take advantage of the Windows 8 start page, especially in terms of Live Tiles and pinning apps. These types of extra perks will probably become commonplace among the companies that are able to collaborate with Microsoft to create special Windows 8 versions of their programs.
Research in Motion has added an interesting new feature to BlackBerry Messenger named BBM Voice, which lets you call fellow BBM users for free provided your phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. It's a great idea, provided your friends also use BlackBerry phones.
Research in Motion knows it needs to win back the general public’s support, and it also knows that one way to do so is by coming up with a feature that will save someone money. BlackBerry Messenger was that feature several years ago, as it made use of the BlackBerry network plan you had to pay for anyway, and provided “free” text message conversation with fellow BlackBerry owners.
Now though, a high percentage of the dedicated BlackBerry owner’s friends use iPhones and Androids, rendering BBM a relic from better days past. Now RIM has come up with BBM Voice, which it claims is “for the times when you want to hear a friend’s laughter instead of reading LOL.”
That’s right, BBM has become Skype, as it now offers the chance to call your BBM friends through version 7 of the software, using only a Wi-Fi connection. There are no geographical borders and no time limits, and as it doesn’t count towards your monthly bill, no extra charges either.
RIM makes no mention of whether BBM Voice will break free from a Wi-Fi connection and use a 3G/4G data connection in the future. It’s hardly a surprise, as networks – particularly in the U.S. – are rarely enamored by features that lose them money.
BlackBerry Messenger will show who in your contact list is available to call using BBM Voice, and a split screen display lets you send text messages or files at the same time, plus the service is compatible with Bluetooth headsets too; setting it up perfectly as a way to work collaboratively while away from the office. Those not using a BlackBerry for business will appreciate the chance to avoid massive international roaming bills too.
So, free messages and free calls, all through a single app. Sounds great, right? It is, but – and here’s the problem – to take advantage of BBM Voice, your friends and colleagues all have to have BlackBerry phones too, and as we’ve established already, they’re now using iPhones and Androids.
BBM Voice is a beta program at the moment, but you can bet it will have been perfected by the time BlackBerry 10 arrives after January 30 next year, as being able to say “free calls and messages with BlackBerry 10” should help people take notice of the new OS. All RIM needs is for those people to convince their friends/family/acquaintances/dog it’s a good idea too.
T-Mobile is the second US carrier to unleash Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to its Galaxy S III customers. Last month Sprint started seeding the Jelly Bean update to the Galaxy S III units on its network.
The update is available OTA or from Samsung's Kies software. Users who are rooted and don't want to wait can download the update from here and then manually flash it on their devices.
The Galaxy S III will receive Project Butter for a smoother, more fluid UI performance, the improved notifications, "freestyle widgets" that automatically reorder your homescreen content before they are placed and more.
Here's a video by Samsung showcasing the various improvements. Below it is a video dedicated to the improvements and novelties in TouchWiz itself.
Now with T-Mobile on the bandwagon it seems AT&T and Verizon are lagging behind, something their customers are very vocal about in their respectful forums.
It certainly feels like Samsung is taking over the world right now – at least, the Android world. There's no doubt that last year's Galaxy S2 was arguably the phone of the year.
And not in recent times, discounting Apple of course, can we remember the anticipation and expectation of a phone as much as the Galaxy S3.
If you needed a barometer of this, just look at how it was unveiled. Not at MWC like lots of others, but its own event. Yep, the Galaxy line has reached the level where it can guarantee hoards will come just for an unveiling. Very Cupertino.
But despite the whooping masses and the queues on launch day, it wasn't the five star phone we hoped it would be... there's still very much room for improvement. So here's what we'd like to see for next year's SIV.
Samsung Galaxy S4 screen
This was the main source of criticism. The Galaxy S2 had an amazing Super AMOLED Plus display – and boy, was it vibrant. The S3 upped the screen size from 4.3-inches to 4.8-inches and the pixel density went from 217 to 306 to take a run at the iPhone's Retina Display.
But, Samsung also opted for a PenTile approach, to the chagrin of geeks. What does that mean for the end user?
Well, the screen looks great but you can make out pixels if you really, really strain. And some of the vivacity and colour saturation is lost. On the plus side, Samsung reckons the screen will last longer – but we'd rather see a much more S2-like screen with a sharper resolution - and given that's now appeared on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, we're pretty hopeful we'll get it on the Samsung Galaxy S4 too.
It seems more than likely that Samsung will eschew MWC 2013 once more for the release of its top handset, instead focusing on the launch in May 2013, which we'd really like to see.
This makes sense for a number of reasons: time to allow the current customers to buy the S3, being able to scoop up all the customers about to come out of contract from the S2 and also not making its fans feel like its throwing out a new flagship phone every three seconds.
However, that didn't stop the rumour mill deciding that the Galaxy S4 launch was set for March 2013, based on something a Samsung 'representative' said to the media. The brand quickly took to Twitter to discredit the rumours, so it looks like the middle of the year launch is still firmly on the cards.
Beam and beam again
Samsung may be setting up its Galaxy Beam smartphone as an individual entity but we'd love the ability to be able to beam stuff straight from our S4 onto a wall and truly show off the eight-core and Super HD capabilities. Imagine the faces of iFans when it's a spec-off and you shine THAT (literally) in their faces.
The fact of the matter is that the S3 has the processing power to run graphically-intense offerings and the Google Play store lets you download movies. As long as there was some way of also booming out the sound, we think this would be a great addition
Samsung Galaxy S4 battery
Ok, we admit we always want more. The S2's 1,650mAh was manageable and the S3's 2,100mAh blows that out of the water. But it's still only OK.
You can get by on a day of moderate use but if you use this phone heavily (and we're talking watching TV shows on the morning and evening commute alongside your normal tinkering), this handset will still want a plug in at some point.
Motorola has proven it can be done by whacking a 3,300mAh power pack into the RAZR Maxx which can still be considered a skinny Minnie. Something of that size – along with ICS and Samsung's power management abilities – would really be the icing on the Ice Cream Sandwich.
Samsung Galaxy S4 design
We've lost count of the amount of people we've shown our device off to who've replied with the words: "Yeah, it's great but looks like a bit of a toy." It's a double-edged sword: the plastic is used to keep this handset nice and light, but does detract from what should be a premium device.
A bit of glass wouldn't go amiss. Android users, say what you like about the iPhone 4/4S (and we know you won't be short of words), but aside from being smash-tastic, the glass really adds that premium and expensive feel that the S3 just doesn't have.
Forget what your mum told you – it's what's on the outside that counts too, so the Samsung Galaxy S4 needs to step it up in the design stakes.
Better S-Voice
S-Voice just isn't there. At least Siri had the nous to call itself a BETA so that it could be excused for not getting things right at times. The problem we have with S-Voice is it just doesn't seem to be able to do much.
Sure, it can tell you what the weather is like if you really can't be bothered to look out the window. And it'll save you 10 seconds by setting an alarm.
But it's just not powerful enough - and is, frankly, awful for something that's supposed to be a headline feature on one of the world's best smartphones.
We've actually been using Speak To It Assistant far more often because it's superior. Samsung could do worse than buy a company like this to give the Galaxy S4 a real chance of being the best voice-controlled mobile out there.
Better Mac support
Yep, we know many consumers believe Mac users account for only 0.000001% of Android owners (why wouldn't they just buy an iPhone, right?)
But there are lots who like Apple computers as well as Android devices. And up until the S3, they got on famously.
But Android has changed the rules and how storage works so that it follows the MTP Protocol which plays along brilliantly with Windows but can't stand Macs.
Yes, we know this is a Google issue and not something that Samsung can be blamed for. But having said that, the HTC One X also runs Ice Cream Sandwich and it has managed to tweak the code enough for there to not be a problem.
Please Samsung – don't shut them out. Ice Cream Sandwich may be frozen – but we shouldn't be, so when you bring out the Jelly Bean or Key Lime Pie-powered Galaxy S4, let's get some support.
Samsung Galaxy S4 accessories
Samsung unveiled the SIII alongside a raft of accessories – the usual things like cases were complimented by the C-Pen (like the Note 2's S-Pen but smaller) and the dongle for connecting to your TV to stream stuff.
The problem is, they're all so expensive: £20 for the C-Pen and the best part of £70 for the AllShare Dongle. They're not mainstream accessories – and little wonder.
If Samsung made these cheaper – or even threw them into the box for the Galaxy S4 (highly unlikely, but we can dream) then it would make for a much happier customer.
Perhaps a premium package where you spend a little more but get the accessories at the same time would work... people like to get the most out of things when they get their shiny new device.
Better charging
Plug it in and charge until it's full. That's always been the way. But we'd love to see a more advanced version of charging - ditching the wires should be more prevalent.
Maybe something similar to the conductive methods used by Palm in the Pre which never really caught on. The idea being that you don't have to plug the phone in to charge, just place it on a particular mat or place and it does it automatically.The S3 has that functionality, but it's hardly been well-publicised since launch.
The likes of Nokia with the Lumia 920 have been banging on about the amazing world of wireless charging for ages now, with a range of accessories too. Given that it will all be based on the Qi wireless charging standard, we'll soon see reams of coffee shops and airports with these charging stations littered around - just don't forget to watch your phone.
Or how about something really radical – like a battery that can also charge kinetically on the S4. Sure, it would be slow but wouldn't it be great if you could go for a run and manage to gain an extra 10 or 20% just by doing so to get you through the day? Radical – yes. But Samsung is known for its innovation.
Improved speakers
As beautiful and wonderful as the S3 is, the speaker still sounds tinny. Ringtones sound cheap and when it is on its back, they're also muffled. At least the iPhone has a bit of bass.
But what about going a bit further? Have three or four powerful but small speakers around the rim so when you play music, it comes out loud and with a bit of bass.
Hell, even make it so strong that it negates the need for a travel dock so you can play music at a decent volume when you nip away for the weekend or are sitting on the beach. That'd be a real selling point.
Better media offerings
The range Samsung has in its various hubs is admirable - the Music Hub has a lot of functionality with streaming and radio recommendations, and the Video Hub... well, it has some videos. But it's bitty and on top of that you've got all of Google's media offerings too. This is one of Apple's strengths – it just all works as one ecosystem.
Maybe Samsung could look at teaming up with Google or even Amazon to create a 'super media store' that would really knock the socks off Apple when it launches the S4 - imagine a service where you got unlimited movie streaming each month as part of your contract.
But even if it's just incorporating a Samsung Galaxy Store, open to all, into Google Play, that would at least be an improvement. Some say Android is fragmented. Why not lead the way, Samsung, and end that by pushing to have it all in one place?
Samsung will not follow HTC's lead and come to a peaceful conclusion to its ongoing legal battle with Apple, vowing not to negotiate with the firm.
HTC and Apple shook hands earlier this week, having decided to put all their patent disputes behind them, and get on with building smartphones instead. This was good news for us, as it’s one less lawsuit to hear about, good news for HTC, as it avoids any costly court judgements and finally, good news for Apple as it will make money from each HTC Android phone sold.
Samsung however, will not be following HTC’s lead, and will instead continue to battle it out with Apple both in stores and in the courtroom. In an interview with Yonhap News in Korea, Samsung’s President of Telecoms and IT, Jong-Kyun Shin said “we don’t intend to negotiate at all” when asked if Samsung would settle any dispute in a similar way to HTC.
The various legal battles between Apple and Samsung have captured headlines throughout the year, particularly regarding Apple’s $1 billion win against the company, and Samsung’s controversial win in the UK. Shin’s comments indicate we’ll be seeing more of the same in the future.
HTC has signed a 10-year licensing contract with Apple, believed to include a payment of around $6 to $8 per HTC handset sold, which could total up to a figure of approximately $275 million per year, based on HTC’s current smartphone sales performance.
It’s an interesting turn of events too, as Apple has long been viewed as the aggressive one when it comes to litigation, but this shows Samsung is equally committed to continuing the patent war in a courtroom setting.
Samsung has filed an appeal against its $1 billion judgement, which is currently being assessed by the courts, while Apple has asked for more damages, saying Samsung has harmed the iPhone’s “distinctive product identity.” As Samsung won’t be signing an agreement with Apple anytime soon, expect more legal fireworks from the pair over the coming months.
Samsung has said that it is not looking to negotiate with its fierce rival Apple, with an HTC-style settlement looking increasingly unlikely.
Speaking to the Korean media, Samsung's mobile president Shin Jong-kyun revealed the firm was sticking to its guns in its continuing battle with its Cupertino-based rival.
Jong-kyun was quoted by Yonhap News saying: "It may be true that HTC may have agreed to pay 300 billion won (£173 million/$276 million) to Apple, but we don't intend to [negotiate] at all."
Say no to negotiation
At the start of the week Taiwanese manufacturer HTC announced that it had resolved its patent disputes with Apple, agreeing a 10 year licensing deal with the iPhone maker.
The ongoing game of one-up-manship between Apple and Samsung in the courts is well documented, and becoming ever more tedious, and this latest revelation will not help a resolution arrive any quicker.
We now lay in wait for Apple's sarcastic response, possibly in a similar fashion to the way it "apologised" for accusing Samsung of copying its products.
Verizon could be planning to introduce a free Windows Phone 8 device to its line-up of smartphones, potentially made by Samsung, as it continues to put its weight behind Microsoft's new operating system.
Verizon never really took to Windows Phone 7 and last year offered just one phone with Microsoft’s operating system onboard. This has changed with the introduction of Windows Phone 8 though, as the carrier has already announced two devices — the exclusive Nokia Lumia 822 and the HTC 8X — and according to a new report, a third is on the way.
Rather than add another high-end Windows Phone, Verizon may be looking in the opposite direction, and could introduce a free Windows Phone 8 device soon. This comes from Verizon’s marketing officer Tami Erwin, who spoke to TheVerge.com this week, saying “there will be a $99 and a $199 option, and ultimately before the end of the year we will have a device that comes in at the free price point.
We already know the Lumia 822 is the $99 option, and the HTC 8X costs $199, so what device will Verizon choose as its entry-level handset? The Samsung Ativ Odyssey is the obvious choice, as it has already been partially confirmed for the network after making an appearance during the Windows Phone 8 launch event.
The Odyssey is rumored to be a re-branded Samsung Ativ S, but as this is far from a basic phone, it’s unlikely to be made available for free. So, either the spec will be completely different, or another phone will take its place.
Samsung Marco
There could also have been a change of plan at Samsung. Back before Windows Phone 8 was fully revealed, there were two Samsung Windows Phone 8 devices rumored — the Odyssey and the Marco. The names of which became known as part of the documents released during the Apple/Samsung legal battle taking place at the time.
The specs put the Odyssey with a 4.65-inch screen and an 8-megapixel camera, and the Marco with a more modest 4-inch screen and a 5-megapixel camera, although both featured Qualcomm’s 1.5GHz dual-core processor. A tweet from @evleaks, the account responsible for the leaked Odyssey image, states the phone may be the Marco after all.
If so, this puts it in the same category as the HTC 8S. As HTC’s second Windows Phone has yet to appear on any US or UK networks, it’s difficult to compare prices, but the SIM-free cost is half that of the 8X.
There’s also a chance Verizon may chose Huawei’s Windows Phone 8 device, which has yet to be announced but will almost certainly be cheap when it does eventually surface. Although Verizon hasn’t really worked with Huawei yet, the Chinese manufacturer indicated a deal with Verizon was “happening” during an interview in October.
A free Windows Phone 8 device could be quite a big deal, not only for Verizon, but for Microsoft too. At the moment, neither AT&T nor T-Mobile list a free WP8 device, and Microsoft needs a cheap option if it’s to effectively combat Android.
Earlier this year, Verizon’s CFO Fran Shammo said the network viewed Windows Phone 8 as a “differentiator,” and planned to help the OS become a “strong” third software competitor to iOS and Android. Offering its customers a free phone (with a contract, of course) would certainly be an important step in that direction.
BlackBerry owners are now able to voice chat with each other for free over BlackBerry Messenger.
The new feature, included in the BBM 7 update for the popular service, allows users to talk free-of-charge provided they are connected to a Wi-Fi network.
This addition will be welcomed by those with top-up phones and the frugal alike, as well as those travelling abroad and those who live in far-flung corners of the country where network signal is lacking.
Split screen
A 'split-screen' functionality has been integrated into the service to allow BBMers to switch between text and voice chat at will, or use both together simultaneously. Handy when sending pictures…and perhaps in situations where there's more to tell than you can let on over the phone.
BBM 7 also allows BlackBerry owners to use other functions of their device while in voice chat, such as reading texts and emails and navigating through apps.
Another crucial feature in BBM 7 is BlackBerry ID, which backs up users' BBM profiles, groups and contacts. This information is automatically restored when a new BlackBerry device is activated, allowing for hassle-free phone-switching.
Currently the BBM 7 beta is only available to owners of BlackBerry 6 OS devices and higher, with RIM planning to bring the feature to BlackBerry 5 and BlackBerry 10 at a later date. Users can sign up to the BBM7 beta by going to BlackBerry's Beta Zone at http://techradar.com/www.blackberry.com/betazone
The latest version of Android is hitting the Google Nexus 7 tablet and Galaxy Nexus smartphone right now.
So if you're the proud owner of either, you should be able to get your hands on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.
It's not all quite as simple as one rollout though. No, that would be too easy.
Selected models
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean is only available for the unlocked HSPA+ model that's sold through Google Play. So far, anyway.
But if you've no qualms about flashing a ROM yourself, you can download the files you need from Google and get fiddling. It shouldn't be long until the update hits other Galaxy Nexus handsets though.
Things are a bit simpler with the Nexus 7. You should get a notification of the update any day now, but if you can't wait, you can prompt it yourself manually.
To do so, turn off the Wi-Fi, go to Settings > Apps list > All > Google Services Framework. Clear the cache, and hit Force stop. Reactivate the Wi-Fi, go to Settings > About tablet > System, and the update should be there staring back at you, ready for download.
So what will Android 4.2 get you? Improved stability and performance are the order of the day, as well as user profiles, so everyone can log in under their own name and personalise settings to their liking. Gesture typing means you just slide your finger across the keyboard rather than hitting keys, a bit like Swype.
Have you downloaded the update yet? How are you getting on? Let us know.
Stock was scheduled to arrive in November but, according to UK-based online retailer Expansys, Samsung's Windows smartphone and tablet have been pushed back.
The new release date for both these products is now pegged for the week commencing December 4, but we're yet to get official confirmation from Samsung.
Best-in-class
We spoke to the Korean manufacturer and a spokesperson for the firm told us: "The launch of Samsung Ativ S in the UK is scheduled in December.
"We will be bringing our customers a unique and best-in-class Windows Phone 8 experience."
Samsung is making a bold claim when it says the Ativ S will be best in class, but it's refusal to provide us with a release date does make us think there has been some sort of delay.
We'll keep our eyes peeled for any more news surrounding the rumoured December 4 date for both phone and tablet - including news for other regions around the world - but this hold up could be damaging for Samsung as Nokia and HTC already have Windows Phone 8 handsets on sale.
While announcing the availability of Android 4.2 on AOSP, lead Android developer at Google Jean-Baptiste Quéru confirmed that the Nexus S and the Motorola Xoom will not be updated to Android 4.2 and will remain on Android 4.1.2.
We honestly can't say we didn't see this coming. Both devices, the Nexus S in particular, had started struggling while running the newer versions of Android, with their antiquated hardware unable to properly run the new software that is clearly designed for more powerful devices.
Still, both had a good run. The Nexus S was launched with Android 2.3 and since then has seen two major updates. Same goes for the Xoom, which was released with Honeycomb and received ICS and Jelly Bean afterwards.
It's worth noting that both devices are currently running a newer version of Android than many Android devices launched in the last six months, even though both have been around for close to two years now. While it does tell us that Google has been quite committed to updating its own devices, it also tells us how messed up the Android update situation is on non-Nexus devices.
Of course, just because the official support has stopped doesn't mean the unofficial support will cease as well. Custom ROM makers such as CyanogenMod will continue support for both devices for a while and you should see an Android 4.2 ROM for both pretty soon.
S-Voice just isn't there. At least Siri had the nous to call itself a BETA so that it could be excused for not getting things right at times. The problem we have with S-Voice is it just doesn't seem to be able to do much. 
