Latest on Android: News, reviews and more  Parents get new weapons in war over kids' phones
Kids' phones expose them to bullying, predators, adult content and Internet addiction. Now parents are fighting back, writes columnist Mike Elgan. Cisco all but kills Cius tablet computer
Cisco is slowly killing off its Cius business tablet less than a year after it started shipping. Google's Motorola buy seen boosting Android in workplace
With the closing of Google's $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility this week, talk of the possibilities for Android in the enterprise has spiked. iPhone, Android account for 82% of smartphones shipped
Android and iPhone smartphones together made up 82% of all such devices shipped to retailers in the first quarter of 2012, IDC said Thursday. Motorola Mobility has infringed Microsoft patent, says Munich court
Google-owned Motorola Mobility has infringed a Microsoft patent related to SMS messaging, according to a ruling in the Munich regional court, which also dismissed a second case related to a localization patent. Most jurors sided with Google on APIs and 'fair use'
Most of the jurors in the Oracle v Google trial thought Google's use of 37 Java APIs in Android should be allowed under the doctrine of fair use, one of the jurors revealed Wednesday after the trial had ended. Google's Android did not infringe Oracle patents, jury finds
Google's Android operating system does not infringe Oracle's Java patents, a jury in San Francisco found Wednesday in a setback for Oracle. Google becomes hardware company with $12.5B Motorola buy
Google said Tuesday morning that it has closed the deal to acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion Google has finally closed Motorola Mobility acquisition
Google has finally closed its acquisition of Motorola Mobility, and will now start working on new devices while keeping Android open, it said on Tuesday. Judge finds Kodak digital camera patent invalid
A judge at the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined that a Kodak patent asserted in a complaint against Apple and Research In Motion is invalid, Kodak said. Android remote access app shootout
There are times when accessing another computer remotely can be convenient -- to check on the status of a download or code that is being compiled, to start or stop an application, or to load a document to view it. It can be really helpful to be able to do this from a smartphone or tablet. We tested three services that let you use your Android device to connect to your computer remotely. Some HTC smartphones released to US carriers after passing customs
Taiwanese smartphone vendor High Tech Computer said on Sunday certain models of its newest smartphones have passed U.S. Customs and are being released to its carrier customers, after the company previously warned of a delay in product shipments because of an International Trade Commission (ITC) order. A tiny PC that runs Linux and Android 4.0 -- and costs just $74
Over the past few months there have been no fewer than three tiny, cheap Linux PCs making headlines, and now there's a fourth to add to the list. China approves Google acquisition of Motorola Mobility
Chinese regulatory authorities have approved Google's acquisition of Motorola Mobility, paving the way for the deal to close within the week, company officials confirmed Saturday. Android in enterprises 'severely limited' by weak management support from Google
Adoption of Android devices in large businesses has been 'severely limited' because of the complexities of managing the wide variety of Android models and versions, according to research firm Gartner. We're not waiting for Android 5 'Jelly Bean,' developers say
Despite the rumors, developers are focused on making apps -- and money -- from today's Android Android hackers hone skills in Russia
The malware business growing around Google Android -- now the leading smartphone operating system -- is still in its infancy. Today, many of the apps built to steal money from Android users originate from Russia and China, so criminal gangs there have become cyber-trailblazers. Google to sell Nexus smartphones, tablets direct, report says
Google is reportedly moving to more direct sales of its Android smartphones and tablets in a move to wrest control away from wireless carriers that install their own services on Android gear or block Google apps like Google Wallet. Android, Samsung top smartphone sales, beat Apple's iPhone
Android smartphones made up 56% of the global smartphones sold to end users in the first quarter of 2012, giving them a far higher share than the 22.9% held by Apple's runner-up iPhone, Gartner said Wednesday. HTC Evo 4G LTE review: Almost great
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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#
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
When people refer to "Android tablets" they may soon just be referring to the Amazon Kindle Fire. Twitter updates iPhone, Android apps
Twitter released updated iPhone and Android apps Thursday that make it easier for users to search and find new information. How Android stacks up
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
How do they stack up against each other? Learn the Secret to Kaiser Permanente's Sustainable Mobile Strategy
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
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?
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
Google might want to use its new smart-glasses prototype to look over its shoulder. The Most Annoying Android Apps
Not all Android apps are created equal, and most are far from perfect. Spotify's New Android App Available for Preview
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
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
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. HTC One X to debut May 6 for $200 on AT&T
HTC's One X smartphone will be available exclusively from AT&T on May 6 for $199.99 and a two-year agreement. Michael Gartenberg: Today, a device's ecosystem trumps feeds and speeds
Sheer performance can't compete with the ecosystem of applications and services that a particular platform exists in. Oracle considered buying RIM and Palm, Ellison says
Oracle considered buying Palm and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion as part of an aborted effort to build its own smartphone, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison said in court Tuesday. Chrome browser for Android gets new features, languages
The Android OS version of Google's Chrome browser is now available in a host of new languages and has gained several new features, but it remains in beta testing and is afflicted with a variety of bugs. Google says it had Sun's full support in building Android
Google built Android using parts of Java that didn't require a license and it had the full support of Sun Microsystems in doing so, a lawyer for Google said in court Tuesday. HTC prepares to launch lower-end "Kewang" smartphones for China
HTC on Monday announced the first of a new series of lower-end smartphones designed specifically for China, as the company expands its handset offerings in a key market. Oracle says Google knowingly 'broke the rules' with Java
Oracle and Google kicked off a high-stakes jury trial in San Francisco on Monday, with Oracle arguing that Google ran roughshod over its intellectual property rights because the search giant was scared of getting left behind in the mobile advertising business. India's $35 tablet mired in disputes, fewer than 10,000 shipped
India's US$35 tablet has yet to take off, with less than 10,000 units of the device released to the market since its October launch, despite considerable interest from consumers, an executive of maker DataWind said Monday. Samsung set to show off next Galaxy smartphone
Samsung Electronics is expected to show the next flagship Galaxy smartphone at an event in London on May 3. Are you ready for a 'quantified life'?
Software with access to all the data gathered by tiny sensors in your smartphone, combined with an Internet full of information, could figure out all kinds of things about you. Asus will ship quad-core Transformer Pad 300 tablet April 22
Asus' latest Transformer Pad 300 will start shipping in the U.S. on April 22, the company said Friday. The tablet is being pitched as a laptop replacement with 4G LTE network capabilities. Don't look for Windows 8 to be ported to current Android tablets
With a variety of new tablets hitting the market, some IT pros are hoping for a way to convert those tablets to support Windows 8 on ARM. But that may be easier said than done. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) review: A nice price, but where's the 'wow'?
The new Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) tablet is a good tablet at an excellent price, but how much better is it than Samsung's previous models? Toshiba's jumbo tablet, the Excite 13, garners early kudos, scorn
Toshiba expanded its Excite family of Android tablets with three new models, but the one getting all the attention, and already some scorn, is the Excite 13, which as a 13.3-in. display. Intel working with 10 vendors on Windows 8 tablets
Intel is working with 10 undisclosed Chinese and global vendors to design Windows 8 tablets using the its chips, a senior company executive said Wednesday. Google Nexus tablet must avoid getting dragged into 'specs war'
In order to stand out in a crowded Android tablet market, Google will need to do more than simply provide top-notch hardware. Android won't challenge Apple's tablet dominance in 2012, says Gartner
Worldwide tablet sales to end users are expected to total 118.9 million units in 2012, with Apple continuing to dominate and the Android camp struggling to replicate its success in the smartphone market, according to Gartner. Intel's Studybook reignites rivalry with OLPC
Intel on Tuesday announced a reference design for a new 7-inch education tablet, which will rekindle the chip maker's rivalry with nonprofit organization One Laptop Per Child in the area of providing computing devices as learning tools. Twitterverse in uproar over Facebook's Instagram buy
Soon after Facebook announced that it was buying Instagram, maker of the popular photo-sharing app, Twitter began to light up with talk about it. OpenStreetMap posing surprise threat to Google Maps
The announcement last week that the Wikimedia Foundation will switch from Google Maps to OpenStreetMap for its cartographic needs marks the latest in an increasingly long line of high-profile defections. Intel targets China smartphone, tablet markets
Best known as a producer of PC chips, Intel now plans to win in the Chinese market for tablets and smartphones as well, a company executive said Monday. Terrapets Android App Review: A Pokemon-FarmVille Hybrid
What happens when you combine FarmVille and Pokemon? You get Terrapets, a terraforming-and-creature-battling Android game from CerebralFix. Unfortunately, though the concept of combining FarmVille and Pokemon is novel, Terrapets lacks any real motivators to keep you playing for longer than a few minutes. Scramble With Friends: This Fast-Paced Word-Finding Game Brings Out the Competitor in You
An Android version of Zynga's popular word-finding game Scramble With Friends has finally arrived. Part of Zynga's "With Friends" series, Scramble With Friends is especially fun because it's a timed (and therefore fast-paced) game. HTC Q1 profit sinks by 70%
High Tech Computer reported a 70% year-on-year fall in net profit for the first quarter, as the Taiwanese handset maker transitioned to a new line of smartphones it hopes will lift earnings. Lenovo to take pre-orders for smart TV product in China
Lenovo will start accepting pre-orders for its smart TVs on April 10 in China, as the company prepares to test the waters with the new product on its home turf. Windows Phone seen as driving a wedge between iPhone, Android
Nokia's Lumia 900 smartphones will reach AT&T stores on Sunday for $99.99, and one analyst said it could be the start of something big: Windows Phone as a market disrupter between the successful iPhone and Android phones. HTC, Sprint announce Evo 4G LTE smartphone
Sprint introduced the HTC Evo 4G LTE smartphone, adding a new phone to a stable of devices that will be compatible with the carrier's high-speed network when it launches soon in the U.S. Chart: HTC One X vs. Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs. Motorola Droid Razr Maxx
HTC vs Samsung vs Motorola Lumia 900: Do-or-die for Nokia, Windows Phone in U.S.?
Nokia's Lumia 900 smartphone goes on sale April 8 in what many analysts see as a do-or-die moment for Nokia and Microsoft's Windows Phone OS in the key U.S. market. Samsung delays Galaxy Tab 2 family launch until end of April
Samsung's low-cost tablets, the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) and Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1), have been delayed, and will now start shipping in the U.K at the end of April, the company said Tuesday. Oracle, Google fail to reach settlement in Android lawsuit
Oracle and Google have failed to settle their intellectual property dispute and appear headed to court on April 16.
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