Engadget RSS Feed http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2013 AOL Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Google: Ice Cream Sandwich now accounts for 7.1 percent of Android user base]]> http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/01/android-ice-cream-sandwich-june-2012-stats/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/01/android-ice-cream-sandwich-june-2012-stats/ http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/01/android-ice-cream-sandwich-june-2012-stats/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Google Ice Cream Sandwich now accounts for 71 percent of Android user base

Well, it's about time that Ice Cream Sandwich made some headway -- even if the process is much slower than consumers deserve. According to the Android developer hub, Android 4.0 now accounts for 7.1 percent of all Android smartphone and tablet installations, which is a sharp and welcome increase over the 2.9 percent figure that we reported just two months ago. Naturally, Gingerbread users still account for the lion's share of the Android ecosystem with 65 percent, but it's worth pointing out that this segment also grew during the last month -- no doubt at the expense of Froyo and Eclair. Don't know about you, but we like our desserts fresh, thank you very much. Go ahead and hop the break to see the full breakdown.

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]]> androidandroid 1.5android 2.1android 2.2android 2.3android 4.0android statsandroid versionAndroid1.5Android2.1Android2.2Android2.3Android4.0AndroidStatsAndroidVersiondashboardfragmentationfroyogingerbreadgooglehoneycombIce Cream SandwichIceCreamSandwichicsmobilepostcrossstatisticsversions Fri, 01 Jun 2012 22:36:00 -0400 21|20249929 <![CDATA[Which devices have been updated to Ice Cream Sandwich?]]> http://www.engadget.com/updates/devices-ice-cream-sandwich/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/updates/devices-ice-cream-sandwich/ http://www.engadget.com/updates/devices-ice-cream-sandwich/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Image

It's mid-May -- do you know where your Ice Cream Sandwich update is? Six months after Android 4.0 made its debut on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, millions of owners of legacy Android devices are still anxiously awaiting the day the new firmware gets downloaded on their own electronic real estate. At least the scene today is much more pleasant than it was just a few months ago, as ICS is finally rolling out to several popular devices. But if you're shopping for a phone or tablet, how can you possibly keep track of which device has what version?

Amidst the confusion, we've put together a handy list of the legacy devices (read: didn't ship with Ice Cream Sandwich natively) that have already been updated to Ice Cream Sandwich, as well as the ones that are promised an upgrade at a future date. Of course, many phones and tablets have ICS ROMs, leaked builds and other unofficial versions of the new firmware available, but we'll only discuss official downloads here. We plan to amend the list as the update rolls out to more devices, so be sure to check back from time to time. Head past the break to see how much of a reach Ice Cream Sandwich has.

Note: If your device is listed as "available" but you're still waiting for that update to come through, keep in mind that many firmware upgrades are rolled out slowly, over a period of several weeks.

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]]> acerandroidandroid 4android 4.0Android4Android4.0asusfragmentationgooglehtchuaweiice cream sandwichIceCreamSandwichicslgmobilepostcrossmotorolanotion inkNotionInkpantechsamsungsonytoshiba Thu, 17 May 2012 10:00:00 -0400 21|20238636 <![CDATA[Visualized: Android's device diversity cut up into 3,997 little pieces]]> http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/16/visualized-android-device-diversity/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/16/visualized-android-device-diversity/ http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/16/visualized-android-device-diversity/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Image

Some call it diversity, some call it fragmentation. However you slice it, there's a lot of Android devices out there. OpenSignalMaps has tracked a staggering 3,997 unique phones, tablets and other Google-powered gadgets, and has put them into a chart weighted by popularity. Not surprisingly, it's powerhouses like Samsung's Galaxy S II and HTC's Desire line that dictate the platform, while that Concorde Tab you bought in Hungary sadly doesn't have much traction. The normally signal mapping-oriented crew is careful to warn that the actual variety might be less: there's 1,363 one-timers in the group, and some of those may be custom ROMs and the endless carrier-specific variants that OEMs are sometimes eager to make. There's even more to look at through the source, including Android 2.3's continuing dominance and the mind-boggling number of Android screen resolutions, so click ahead for an even fuller picture.

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]]> androidandroid 2.3Android2.3cellphonecellphoneschartchartsconcorde tabConcordeTabcustomcustom ROMCustomRomdesirediversityfragmentationgalaxygalaxy s 2galaxy s iiGalaxyS2GalaxySIigooglegraphgraphshtcHTC DesireHtcDesiremobilepostminiromsamsungsmartphonesmartphonestablettablet pctablet pcsTabletPcTabletPcstabletsvisualized Wed, 16 May 2012 17:41:00 -0400 21|20239236 <![CDATA[Google reportedly planning stable of Nexus devices with Android 5.0, will sell 'em direct]]> http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/google-planning-multiple-nexus-devices-android-jelly-bean/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/google-planning-multiple-nexus-devices-android-jelly-bean/ http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/google-planning-multiple-nexus-devices-android-jelly-bean/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments nexus one

Hand firmly grasping hat? Good. The Wall Street Journal is reporting on quite the bombshell today, noting that Google is about to cause its carrier partners in the States all sorts of grief -- indirectly, of course. Just weeks after placing its heralded Galaxy Nexus on sale for $399 unlocked, the report states that said move is only the beginning of a new initiative. Likely to be formally revealed at Google I/O, the mega-corp is planning to partner with a variety of OEMs (rather than just one at a time) in order to have up to five Pure Google (read: Nexus) devices available at once. Better still, the whole stable will ship with Android 5.0 (Jelly Bean) and will be sold directly from Google in unlocked form to consumers in America, Europe and Asia.

The move is significant in a myriad ways. For one, more unlocked Nexus devices means more choice when it comes to carrier selection. Furthermore, the move is likely to quell fears that certain partners may have about Google making Motorola Mobility its favorite after a $12 billion acquisition. Not surprisingly, Google's not commenting on the matter, but sources "close" to the situation say that the company's hoping to have the 5.0 cadre on sale by Thanksgiving -- you know, just in time for Black Friday and the looming holiday shopping season. We're all guessing that this will address the growing "app situation" head-on; by making a push to eliminate carrier-infused bloatware (while also providing early Android OS access to more partners), we're hoping that the whole "skinning" dilemma is addressed, too.

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]]> androidbreaking newsbusinesseclairfragmentationgooglegoogle iogoogle io 2012GoogleIoGoogleIo2012honeycombice cream sandwichIceCreamSandwichicsindustryjelly beanJellyBeanmobilepostcrossmobilitymotorolapartnerpartnerspartnershipreportsoftware Tue, 15 May 2012 17:04:00 -0400 21|20238798 <![CDATA[HTC exec: we didn't have much time with ICS when making Sense 4, but our skin is still better]]> http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/04/htc-sense-4-drew-bamford/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/04/htc-sense-4-drew-bamford/ http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/04/htc-sense-4-drew-bamford/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments HTC exec: we hardly saw ICS before releasing Sense 4, but our skin is still an 'improvement'

HTC's Drew Bamford is a long-time defender of the Sense UI, but in a fresh interview he's switched tactics and rushed headlong at the competition. He told Laptop that Sense 4 beats native Android 4 (as seen on the GNex) on a number of fronts, possessing a more inviting look, greater personalization of the lockscreen and wallpaper, plus faster camera performance. Of course, he would say that, but having spent many balmy evenings with both the One S and the One X we're inclined to agree that the latest version of the skin is lighter-footed and, actually, pretty nice. What's perhaps more revealing is Bamford's statement that HTC's software guys had "not a lot of time" with ICS before they released Sense 4, and had to build key components in isolation from the new OS. This could explain why HTC was forced to see sense (ahem) and tone down its custom layer. More broadly, if manufacturers are struggling to keep their handset launch schedules in sync with Google's in-house development, it's no wonder that Android skins seem so unsympathetic to the green robot's natural complexion.

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]]> androidandroid 4Android 4.0android skinAndroid4Android4.0AndroidSkincustom skincustom uicustomized uiCustomizedUiCustomSkinCustomUidrew bamfordDrewBamfordfragmentationgooglehtchtc one shtc one xhtc sensehtc sense 4HTC Sense 4.0HtcOneSHtcOneXHtcSenseHtcSense4HtcSense4.0ice cream sandwichIceCreamSandwichicsmobilepostminiskinui Fri, 04 May 2012 08:24:00 -0400 21|20230692 <![CDATA[ICS reaches 2.9 percent of active Android devices, 63.7 percent still on Gingerbread]]> http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/02/ics-reaches-2-9-percent-of-active-android-devices-63-7-percent/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/02/ics-reaches-2-9-percent-of-active-android-devices-63-7-percent/ http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/02/ics-reaches-2-9-percent-of-active-android-devices-63-7-percent/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments ICS reaches 2.9 percent of active Android devices, 63.7 percent still on GingerbreadAs we check back in on Android's Platform Versions dashboard for the first time since January, we can finally see notable growth in the percentage of devices running some flavor of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, up for 0.6 percent then to 2.9 percent. That's likely fueled by the release of updates for the Samsung Galaxy S II and HTC Sensation family of devices, and is a sharp uptick from last month when it registered on 1.6 percent. Gingerbread (2.3) still reigns supreme, running 63.7 percent of the Android hardware that accessed the Play market in the last two weeks, but its growth seems to finally be slowing. Last year at this time that position was filled by Android 2.2, with 2.3 on just one percent of the hardware and Android 3.0 barely registering at all, a point which highlights the long cycle of upgrades. Call it fragmentation or flexibility, app developers can use these stats to plan their releases going forward, although it may be a little while still before the majority of the crowd can access any Ice Cream Sandwich-specific features.

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]]> androidandroid 1.5android 2.1android 2.2android 2.3android 4.0android statsandroid versionAndroid1.5Android2.1Android2.2Android2.3Android4.0AndroidStatsAndroidVersiondashboardfragmentationfroyogingerbreadgooglehoneycombIce Cream SandwichIceCreamSandwichicsmobilepostcrossstatisticsversions Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:17:00 -0400 21|20207034 <![CDATA[Netflix reveals Android app tests that keep it running on 'around 1000' devices daily]]> http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/netflix-android-app-testing-process/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/netflix-android-app-testing-process/ http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/netflix-android-app-testing-process/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments
In a quick peek behind the curtain at what life can be like as an Android developer, Netflix's Tech Blog has posted details of the testing process for each iteration of its app. According to Netflix's own stats, after being initially released for just a handful of phones nearly a year ago it now streams to "almost around 1,000" different devices daily. The situation of building one app for different hardware, software (including CM7 and CM9), screen sizes and and other variations like hardware or software decoding presents many challenges, but the team has filtered down to 14 devices (10 phones, 4 tablets) that give maximum coverage for their daily tests. Add in an HTML5 frontend for the native video video player, and suddenly the staggered rollout across devices starts to make more sense. Hit the source link for more info on how it all gets put together and shaken down through both automated and human testing, while Apple fans can wait for a similar breakdown of the iOS process that's on the way.

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]]> androidappfragmentationhdpostcrosshtml 5Html5mobilepostcrossnetflixstreamingstreaming videoStreamingVideotestingwatch instantlyWatchInstantly Thu, 15 Mar 2012 10:34:00 -0400 21|20193788 <![CDATA[Android 2.3 continues soaring upward, now installed on 55 percent of Google devices]]> http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/android-2-3-continues-soaring-upward-now-installed-on-55-percen/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/android-2-3-continues-soaring-upward-now-installed-on-55-percen/ http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/android-2-3-continues-soaring-upward-now-installed-on-55-percen/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments
Google's monthly Android distribution charts may be the most visual piece of evidence that the mobile OS is riddled with fragmentation, but at least Gingerbread has clearly become the dominant player -- and it continues to build momentum at a healthy pace (for now, at least). As always, Google reviewed which devices accessed the Android Market during a 14-day period of time in the month of December, and found that over 55 percent of those units were running a version of Android 2.3, a ten percent turbo boost from October and an increase of seventeen percent over three months. Froyo devices -- many of which are likely older phones or tablets sentenced to a upgrade-less future -- numbered over 30 percent, and Honeycomb still amounts to a meager 3.3 percent. Cupcake and ICS are tied for last place, but we expect ICS to climb rapidly as soon as it's, y'know, officially available on more devices.

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]]> androidandroid 1.5android 2.2android 2.3android 3.0android 4.0android fragmentationandroid statisticsandroid statsAndroid1.5Android2.2Android2.3Android3.0Android4.0AndroidFragmentationAndroidStatisticsAndroidStatscupcakedonuteclairfragmentationfroyogingerbreadgooglehoneycombicsstatisticsstatsupgrades Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:23:00 -0500 21|20140398 <![CDATA[Android Gingerbread has growth spurt, grabs 38.2 percent device share]]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/05/android-gingerbread-has-growth-spurt-grabs-38-2-percent-device/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/05/android-gingerbread-has-growth-spurt-grabs-38-2-percent-device/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/05/android-gingerbread-has-growth-spurt-grabs-38-2-percent-device/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments

Gingerbread has apparently made a substantial mark on Android users, with new figures showing it holds a 38.2 percent share of all Google OS-powered devices. That's some kind of growth from the one percent sliver it held earlier this year. Froyo still remains dominant at 45.3 percent, but fragmentation continues to shrink, with 95.7 percent of all Google-coated devices now running Android 2.1 or above. These figures, taken from Android Market statistics over the last two weeks, give a pretty good illustration of the gulf between Android smartphone and tablets, as well, with Honeycomb versions accounting for a meager 1.8 percent. But the tablet version will likely get a boost from Ice Cream Sandwich -- which, as we all know, is just around the corner.

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]]> 3androidAndroid 2android 2.2Android 2.3android 2.xandroid gingerbreadandroid statsandroid versionAndroid2Android2.2Android2.3Android2.xAndroidGingerbreadAndroidStatsAndroidVersionchartdatafragmentationGingerbreadgooglemobile osMobileOsmobilepostminioperating systemOperatingSystemossharestatsversion Wed, 05 Oct 2011 08:56:00 -0400 21|20074115 <![CDATA[Android Market embraces fragmentation, allows multiple APKs for a single app]]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/22/android-market-embraces-fragmentation-allows-multiple-apks-for/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/22/android-market-embraces-fragmentation-allows-multiple-apks-for/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/22/android-market-embraces-fragmentation-allows-multiple-apks-for/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments
Google wants to keep its third-party app developers 'appy by letting them upload multiple APKs to the Android Market under a single product title. This means developers can subtly offer different versions of their app to suit different devices and OS versions without having to worry about mixed-up download stats, user reviews or billing data. They can also tailor their software to exploit the capabilities of a new handset or tablet without having to mess with their existing customers. What will the App Guy have to say about this?

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]]> AndroidAndroid MarketAndroidMarketAPKAPKsappapp developersAppDevelopersappsdeveloperdevelopersfragmentationGoogleGoogle AndroidGoogleAndroidMarket Fri, 22 Jul 2011 08:43:00 -0400 21|19997749 <![CDATA[Hulu Plus for Android is available now... for six devices]]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/hulu-plus-for-android-is-available-now-if-you-can-install-it/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/hulu-plus-for-android-is-available-now-if-you-can-install-it/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/hulu-plus-for-android-is-available-now-if-you-can-install-it/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments The good news is that Hulu Plus for Android is on the market, but the bad news is that you may not be able to install it yet. The official Hulu Blog has just been updated with news that six phones -- Nexus One, Nexus S, HTC Inspire 4G, Motorola Droid II, Motorola Droid X, and the Motorola Atrix -- are on the compatible list with "additional device announcements" due later in the year. While there's some crossover with the list of Netflix-compatible devices, it's hardly complete and many flagship phones are still missing. Here's hoping the tweakers can work their magic on that apk and get it running for the rest of us, whether we're shelling out $7.99 a month or just want to leech some Chappelle's Show eps on a free one week trial. If you can't get it running yourself, check out a quick video demo embedded after the break.

[Thanks, Tyler, Isaac]

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]]> 2.2androidandroid marketAndroidMarketappfragmentationfroyogooglehuluhulu plusHuluPlusinstallstreamingstreaming videoStreamingVideovideo Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:38:00 -0400 21|19974308 <![CDATA[Android Market web store now checks which apps are compatible with your devices]]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/10/android-market-web-store-now-checks-app-device-compatibility-wh/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/10/android-market-web-store-now-checks-app-device-compatibility-wh/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/10/android-market-web-store-now-checks-app-device-compatibility-wh/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Google has already made some tough moves to tackle fragmentation, but it's clearly still wary of the problem. It's just tweaked the Android Market web store to show users which apps are compatible with which of their gadgets. Of course, compatibility screening was already in place for users who accessed the Market from within their device, but this update should still be of use to those who surf the web store, especially if they're rocking multiple handsets or a phone-plus-tablet combo.

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]]> Androidandroid marketandroid market web storeandroid marketplaceAndroidMarketAndroidMarketplaceAndroidMarketWebStoreappappscompatibilityfragmentationGoogleGoogle AndroidGoogleAndroidsmartphonesmartphones Fri, 10 Jun 2011 06:27:00 -0400 21|19963473 <![CDATA[Google chart shows huge growth in Gingerbread use, the other desserts get jealous]]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/02/google-chart-shows-huge-growth-in-gingerbread-use-the-other-des/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/02/google-chart-shows-huge-growth-in-gingerbread-use-the-other-des/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/02/google-chart-shows-huge-growth-in-gingerbread-use-the-other-des/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments If you've spent more than a split-second of your life wondering how many Android devices are running this or that version, you probably wasted too much of it. Still, Google HQ likes to produce a monthly graph that shows exactly what percentage of its devices are using each type of firmware. The king of the hill is Froyo, which is no stunner, but we were much more interested to see that Gingerbread grew leaps and bounds by five percent over the past month. It sure sounds like a small amount, but when you consider this was at a paltry four percent last month, it's much more awe-inspiring to see it skyrocket up to nine. Can we expect these numbers to grow even more next month, since we'll get inundated with Gingerbread on both new and old handsets alike? We're expecting so, but don't tell Honeycomb -- it's getting a bit jealous.

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]]> androidandroid 2.3android 2.3.3android 2.xandroid versionAndroid2.3Android2.3.3Android2.xAndroidVersionfragmentationfroyogingerbreadgooglehoneycombmobileMobileOssharestatisticsstats Thu, 02 Jun 2011 22:30:00 -0400 21|19957085 <![CDATA[Editorial: Android's problem isn't fragmentation, it's contamination]]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/09/editorial-androids-problem-isnt-fragmentation-its-contamina/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/09/editorial-androids-problem-isnt-fragmentation-its-contamina/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/09/editorial-androids-problem-isnt-fragmentation-its-contamina/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments This thought was first given voice by Myriam Joire on last night's Mobile Podcast, and the simple, lethal accuracy of it has haunted me ever since. All the hubbub and unrest about whether Google is trying to lock Android down or not has failed to address whether Google should be trying to control the OS, and if so, what the (valid) reasons for that may be. Herein, I present only one, but it's arguably big enough to make all the dissidence about open source idealism and promises unkept fade into insignificance.

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]]> androidandy rubinAndyRubincontaminationeditorialfragmentationfuturegoogleharmonizationmobile osMobileOsoperating systemOperatingSystemossmartphonesstandardization Sat, 09 Apr 2011 17:00:00 -0400 21|19908096 <![CDATA[Android chief Andy Rubin tackles open source qualms, says Honeycomb isn't 'one size fits all']]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/06/android-chief-andy-rubin-tackles-open-source-qualms-head-on-say/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/06/android-chief-andy-rubin-tackles-open-source-qualms-head-on-say/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/06/android-chief-andy-rubin-tackles-open-source-qualms-head-on-say/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Google got a lot of flak for withholding the Android 3.0 source code, and plenty more when Businessweek sources claimed the company had set aside its open stance to dictate from a throne, but today the man who would allegedly sit atop the royal seat says it isn't so. Andy Rubin, the man in charge of Android, says that "there are no lock-downs or restrictions against customizing UIs" nor "any efforts to standardize the platform on any single chipset architecture" as have often been rumored before, and that when Honeycomb is finally ready for phones, Google will indeed release its source code. Overall, he claims that Android's position when it comes to open source hasn't changed since day one -- which is nice for those who would like to believe that Google's still sticking to its motto -- but that's not likely to appease companies cut out of the loop simply because they weren't part of the early adopter club. If Google's methods will reduce fragmentation, though, who are we to judge?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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]]> AndroidAndroid 3.0Android3.0Andy RubinAndyRubinfragmentationGooglehoneycombopen handset allianceopen sourceOpenHandsetAllianceOpenSource Wed, 06 Apr 2011 22:13:00 -0400 21|19905423 <![CDATA[Google tightening control of Android, insisting licensees abide by 'non-fragmentation clauses'?]]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/31/google-tightening-control-of-android-insisting-licensees-abide/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/31/google-tightening-control-of-android-insisting-licensees-abide/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/31/google-tightening-control-of-android-insisting-licensees-abide/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments A storm seems to be brewing over the realm of Android development. Bloomberg's Businessweek spies have received word from "a dozen executives working at key companies in the Android ecosystem" that Google is actively working to gain control and final say over customizations of its popular mobile OS. That might not sound unreasonable, and indeed Google's public position on the matter is that it's seeking to stabilize the platform and ensure quality control, but it does mark a major shift from where Android started -- an open source OS that was also open to manufacturers and carriers to customize as they wish. Not so anymore, we're told, as apparently Mountain View is now demanding that content partnerships and OS tweaks get the blessing of Andy Rubin before proceeding. The alternative, of course, is to not be inside Google's warm and fuzzy early access program, but then, as evidenced by the company recently withholding the Honeycomb source code, you end up far behind those among your competitors who do dance to Google's pipe.

Things have gotten so heated, in fact, that complaints have apparently been made to the US Department of Justice. They may have something to do with allegations of Google holding back Verizon handsets with Microsoft's Bing on board, ostensibly in an effort to trip up its biggest search competitor. Another major dissatisfaction expressed by those working with Android code is that Google needs an advance preview of what is being done in order to give it the green light -- which, as noted by a pair of sources familiar with Facebook's Android customization efforts, isn't sitting well with people at all. Google and Facebook are direct competitors in the online space and it's easily apparent how much one stands to gain from knowing the other's plans early. As to the non-fragmentation clauses in licenses, Andy Rubin has pointed out those have been there from the start, but it's only now that Google is really seeking to use them to establish control. The future of Android, therefore, looks to be a little less open and a little more Googlish -- for better or worse. As Nokia's Stephen Elop puts it:
"The premise of a true open software platform may be where Android started, but it's not where Android is going."

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]]> androidandy rubinAndyRubinclosedcodecustomizationdevelopmentfragmentationfreedomgooglemobile osMobileOsnon-fragmentationopenoperating systemOperatingSystemosquality controlQualityControlregulationrulessoftware Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:12:00 -0400 21|19898176 <![CDATA[Android 2.2 is now the dominant version of Google's OS with 61.3 percent of all active devices]]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/17/android-2-2-is-now-the-dominant-version-of-googles-os-with-61-3/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/17/android-2-2-is-now-the-dominant-version-of-googles-os-with-61-3/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/17/android-2-2-is-now-the-dominant-version-of-googles-os-with-61-3/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Considering that we're about nine months removed from Google's release of Froyo, you'd expect that version of its mobile OS to have been distributed quite widely by now and indeed it has. 61.3 percent of (the many) active Android devices -- handsets and tablets, anything with access to the Market is eligible -- worldwide are now running version 2.2, making it the most prevalent iteration of the software at the moment. Even more encouraging news is that, when taken together with Android 2.1, that group swells to account for more than 90 percent of active Google devices. If you want to look at the reverse, rather moldy, side of the coin, however, you'll note that the latest mobile version of the OS, Gingerbread (2.3), is only on 1 percent of devices, while the absolute finest Android, Honeycomb (3.0), barely scrapes a couple tenths of a percent together. So yes, things are moving inexorably forward, just not as rapidly as some might have hoped.

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]]> androidandroid 2.2android 2.xandroid statsandroid versionAndroid2.2Android2.xAndroidStatsAndroidVersionchartdatafragmentationgooglemobile osMobileOsoperating systemOperatingSystemossharestatsversion Thu, 17 Mar 2011 05:46:00 -0400 21|19882359 <![CDATA[Apple on iPad competition: Windows is 'big and heavy,' next-gen Android tablets are still vapor]]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/18/apple-on-ipad-competition-windows-is-big-and-heavy-android-i/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/18/apple-on-ipad-competition-windows-is-big-and-heavy-android-i/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/18/apple-on-ipad-competition-windows-is-big-and-heavy-android-i/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Apple's COO (and current Steve Jobs stand-in) Tim Cook thinks "there's not much" competition to the company's iPad tablet. When queried about Apple's view on what the rest of the market offers, Cook was brutally candid in describing Windows-driven machines as generally being big, heavy and expensive, while current generations of Android-based slates are in his opinion merely "scaled-up smartphones." While we agree that Windows 7 isn't a terribly touch-friendly affair, we don't know that Cook's comments on Android are quite so pertinent now that Google's tablet-savvy Honeycomb iteration has been unveiled. Then again, he has something to say about the next generation of Android tablets as well, noting that the ones announced at CES lack pricing and release schedules, leading him to conclude that "today they're vapor." Ouch. As a parting shot, Tim took a moment to reaffirm Apple's belief that its integrated approach will always trump the fragmented nature of Android and its plurality of app stores. Hear his comments in full after the break.

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]]> 2011androidappleapple incapple ipadAppleIncAppleIpadceohnoceohnohedidntcooearningsfinancialsfragmentationfragmentedintegratediosipadq1q1 2011Q12011quarterlyquoteresultstim cookTimCookvaporvaporwarewindows Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:55:00 -0500 21|19805924 <![CDATA[Study: Verizon Wireless and HTC most eager to provide Android 2.2 updates]]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/13/verizon-wireless-and-htc-most-eager-to-provide-android-2-2-updat/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/13/verizon-wireless-and-htc-most-eager-to-provide-android-2-2-updat/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/13/verizon-wireless-and-htc-most-eager-to-provide-android-2-2-updat/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Look, if you buy a carrier-branded Android handset, you should know good and well that you may never see the first Android update. It ain't easy to hear, but as mama always said, the truth ain't always painless. That said, there's still some research you should do before picking a phone and carrier, and ComputerWorld has seemingly done just that for you. The methodology is all explained down in the source link, but the long and short of it is this: in the last half of 2010, Verizon upgraded 33 percent of its sub-2.2 phones to Froyo, while Sprint updated just 28.6 percent of its stable and T-Mobile blessed only 12.5 percent of its phones with the new digs. AT&T bashers should take note, as Ma Bell didn't update a single one of its nine Android phones during the June-December 2010 time period. Yeah, ouch. Over on the handset side, we've got HTC gifting half of its devices with Froyo, while Motorola comes in second with 15.4 percent and Samsung third with 11.1 percent. No matter how you slice it, it's a depressing study to look at, and it probably makes your decision to skip over a Nexus One seem all the more idiotic in retrospect. But hey, at least there's the Nexus S to console you... if you're willing to sign up with T-Mob, that is.

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]]> androidandroid 2.2android fragmentationAndroid2.2AndroidFragmentationattcarriercarrierschartdatafragmentationfroyogooglegoogle androidGoogleAndroidhtcmobile osMobileOsoperating systemOperatingSystemsamsungsoftware updateSoftwareUpdatesprintt-mobileupdateupgradeverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzw Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:04:00 -0500 21|19800510 <![CDATA[Visualized: the real Android fragmentation]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/07/visualized-the-real-android-fragmentation/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/07/visualized-the-real-android-fragmentation/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/07/visualized-the-real-android-fragmentation/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments It's been staring you in the face all this time. The Android fragmentation that not only threatens, but dooms Google's mobile OS: the buttons are always in different places. How will we ever cope?

[Thanks, Drummertist]

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]]> androidandroid osAndroidOsbuttonsdiversityfragmentationgooglekeysvisualized Tue, 07 Dec 2010 05:07:00 -0500 21|19749360 <![CDATA[Android 2.x now accounts for 83 percent of all active Googlephones]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/02/android-2-x-now-accounts-for-83-percent-of-all-active-googlephon/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/02/android-2-x-now-accounts-for-83-percent-of-all-active-googlephon/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/02/android-2-x-now-accounts-for-83-percent-of-all-active-googlephon/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments We're not totally sure that Android 2.1 users will be happy to be bundled in with 2.2 consumers -- after all, there's plenty in Froyo that's not available on Eclair -- but the fact remains that a cool 83 percent of actively used Android phones right now run one of the two latest iterations. A reminder is merited to say that by "active" we mean those that accessed the Android Market over the foregoing two weeks -- which might have a slight bias toward over-representing the newer phones with folks either abandoning their Cupcake and Donut handsets or simply not searching for new apps for them. Either way, we reckon it's good to see such nice big slices taken up by Android's most advanced versions, it seems almost a shame that Gingerbread's arrival will soon disrupt things all over again. For now, we're off to our delicatessen, all this food talk's given us the munchies.

[Thanks, Dan]

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]]> 2.12.2androidandroid 2.1android 2.2android 2.xandroid marketandroid osandroid statsandroid versionAndroid2.1Android2.2Android2.xAndroidMarketAndroidOsAndroidStatsAndroidVersiondataeclairfiguresfragmentationfroyogooglemobile osMobileOsnumbersoperating systemOperatingSystempercentagesstatisticsstats Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:41:00 -0500 21|19741246 <![CDATA[Rovio feels the burn of Android fragmentation, plans 'light' version of Angry Birds]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/19/rovio-feels-the-burn-of-android-fragmentation-plans-light-ver/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/19/rovio-feels-the-burn-of-android-fragmentation-plans-light-ver/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/19/rovio-feels-the-burn-of-android-fragmentation-plans-light-ver/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments So, it's real after all, huh? Android fragmentation is making its way into the news again, and this time it counts. Rovio, developer of a little-known title called "Angry Birds," has just penned a new blog post detailing the night terrors that have come with coding a single program to work on a cornucopia of platforms. In the weeks since Angry Birds was released to Android users everywhere, the company has been inundated with performance complaints, mostly from users with older / underpowered Android devices or phones using Android 1.6 or earlier. A laundry list of smartphones have now been added to the "unsupported" list (shown in full after the break), but thankfully for you, a "lightweight" version of the game is in the works. According to Rovio, that build won't reduce the number of levels (or amount of fun / frustration, for that matter), but will instead be optimized for dawdling processors and Android versions that have been helplessly malformed by carriers. Nice going, guys.

[Thanks, Justin]

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]]> androidandroid fragmentationAndroidFragmentationangry birdsAngryBirdsdevdeveloperfragmentationgamesgaminggooglemobile osMobileOsRoviosoftware Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:59:00 -0500 21|19726080 <![CDATA[TweetDeck CEO continues backlash against Jobs]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/19/tweetdeck-ceo-continues-backlash-against-jobs/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/19/tweetdeck-ceo-continues-backlash-against-jobs/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/19/tweetdeck-ceo-continues-backlash-against-jobs/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Steve Jobs' amateur sleuthing last night brought up that gorgeous TweetDeck chart showing the vast variety of Android handsets out there, which the Apple CEO used to illustrate the "daunting challenge" he perceives developers have to face when creating apps that work across all devices and OS builds for the platform. Only problem with his assertion (aside from Steve calling the company TwitterDeck)? His opposite number on the TweetDeck team thinks nothing could be further from the truth: "we only have 2 guys developing on Android TweetDeck so that shows how small an issue fragmentation is." So that's Andy Rubin and Iain Dodsworth, any other company chief interested in taking Jobs down a notch?

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]]> androidappleceofragmentationfragmentediain dodsworthIainDodsworthjobssteve jobsSteveJobstweetdecktwitter Tue, 19 Oct 2010 08:29:00 -0400 21|19679754 <![CDATA[Advent Vega tablet won't come with Android Market, might get it as part of Gingerbread update (video)]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/17/advent-vega-tablet-wont-come-with-android-market-might-get-it/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/17/advent-vega-tablet-wont-come-with-android-market-might-get-it/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/17/advent-vega-tablet-wont-come-with-android-market-might-get-it/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Lack of Google's official app store has been a thorn in the side of would-be Android tablet makers for a good long while, and it looks like the Tegra 2-powered Advent Vega will be no exception when it hits the high street tomorrow. Electricpig took the £249 device for a spin, chatting up Advent product manager Adam Lockyer the whole time, and discovered that while the 10-inch tablet will come with the 5,000-app-strong Archos AppsLib store, it won't have Android Market at launch. "The plan is that when you get to January time, there's a new release of Android and you'll be able to get the marketplace on this product," Lockyer said, suggesting that maybe -- just maybe -- the availability of Android Market itself might be one of the fragmentation issues Google intends to fix in Gingerbread. Wouldn't that be nice? Video after the break.

[Thanks, Chak I.]

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]]> Advent VegaAdventVegaAndroidAndroid 2.2Android 3.0android fragmentationandroid marketAndroid tabletAndroid2.2Android3.0AndroidFragmentationAndroidMarketAndroidTabletapp storeappslibAppslibStoreAppStoreArchosfragmentationGingerbreadtablettablet pcTabletPcVegaVega tabletVegaTabletvideo Sun, 17 Oct 2010 13:01:00 -0400 21|19677270 <![CDATA[Visualized: TweetDeck Beta usage chart beautifully showcases Android diversity]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/13/visualized-tweetdeck-beta-usage-chart-beautifully-showcases-and/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/13/visualized-tweetdeck-beta-usage-chart-beautifully-showcases-and/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/13/visualized-tweetdeck-beta-usage-chart-beautifully-showcases-and/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Some, like our own Paul Miller, call it "Android fragmentation." Some call it downright gorgeous. The hard-working developers behind TweetDeck call it "extreme fragmentation." The chart shown above demonstrates the breakdown of the 36,427 beta users of the outfit's famed Twitter application for Android, and the company confessed that they were "shocked [in a good way] to see the number of custom ROMs, crazy phones and general level of customization / hackalicious nature of Android." Hit the source link for the full spread, and be sure to holler if you're included somewhere in the mix.

[Thanks, Heath]

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]]> androidandroid fragmentationAndroidFragmentationbetafragmentationgooglegoogle androidGoogleAndroidmobile osMobileOsossoftwaretweetdecktweetdeck betaTweetdeckBetaVisualized Wed, 13 Oct 2010 08:58:00 -0400 21|19671575