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Switched On: Android's TV triple threat
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Just two years ago, Google TV paved a way for Android to enter the television via integrated sets, Blu-ray players, dedicated TV add-ons and pay TV set-top devices. For now, the product may almost be as much of a hobby for the purveyor of questionable eyewear as Apple TV is for Apple, Google's mobile OS competitor. But it's clear that the platform isn't all things to all couch potatoes; the last several weeks have seen the launch of two new, contrasting approaches to getting Android on the big screen in the home.
Android Jelly Bean revealed as version 4.1 on Galaxy Nexus checkout page
We have yet to get any confirmation from Mountain View, but it looks like Jelly Bean just got a touch more official. The as-yet-unannounced Android OS was outed as version 4.1 on the Galaxy Nexus Google Wallet checkout page. 4.1 does in fact make Jelly Bean a more incremental update than the potentially more significant Ice Cream Sandwich, from a classification perspective, at least. The operating system also, based on the checkout page above, will be coming to the Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ version first -- which handsets will follow is yet to be seen. This could very well be a typo on the Wallet checkout page, but it's more likely to be an un-approved slip, giving us just a hint of sugar ahead of an official Google reveal. Though a (presumably) Jelly Bean homescreen in the checkout thumb does go a bit further to legitimize the above -- you'll find that screenshot after the break. [Thanks, Fred]
Baidu announces new smartphone partnership, stops short of saying who with (update: ZTE?)
China's search giant Baidu has already got its foot in the mobile platform door, now it plans to wedge it open a little further. Reuters report that the firm will be announcing a new partnership next week that will involve a new smartphone running an updated version of its mobile operating system, this time called Baidu Cloud. There's no word right now on who is supplying the hardware, with vice president Wang Jing only going as far to say it's in talks with "global" manufacturers. So looks like it's names in a hat for now, until the big reveal. Update: According to a reliable source of ours, 'tis none other than Chinese mobile giant ZTE who'll become Baidu's new best friend. Furthermore, Baidu Cloud is -- surprise, surprise -- another Android variant. We can only imagine Huawei looking over the fence with jealousy.
Mozilla: Brazilians to get first phones running Boot to Gecko
We got to fiddle with Mozilla's HTML5-based mobile OS, Boot to Gecko, for the first time a couple of months ago, and found it to be a promising platform, but one that wasn't ready for prime-time. However, it appears that Brazilians on Telefonica will get the first crack at buying BtG phones, and the handsets are set to go on sale by the end of this year or in early 2013. The good news -- for our South American readers, at least -- came from Gary Kovacs, Mozilla's CEO, who made the announcement in São Paulo today. Unfortunately, Kovacs failed to say what kind of hardware will run the web-based OS, but Pablo Larrieux, the chief innovation officer of Telefonica Vivo, indicated that the handsets will be unlocked and priced to move: they'll cost as much as a featurephone. [Thanks, Henrique] [Brazil flag photo via Shutterstock.]
Canonical prepping to launch Ubuntu as smartphone OS?
Crawling the job posting boards over at Canonical turns up a pretty interesting position, one for a Business Development Manager (Ubuntu Phone OS). Now, we're not quite ready to jump to any conclusions here, but the wording of the listing is quite intriguing. The group is looking for a "business development lead to engage and develop strong relationships with industry partners in the run up to the launch of Ubuntu as a smartphone operating system," with the goal of "establish[ing] a commercial ecosystem around Ubuntu as a smartphone OS." Does this mean that Ubuntu is preparing to take on Android and iOS in the battle for smartphone supremacy (or, more likely, take on Windows Phone in a competition of also rans)? Honestly, we're not sure. The wording is quite vague, and it could simply be the company is referring to Ubuntu for Android. We've contacted Canonical for comment and we'll update if we get any clarification.[Thanks, Mo]
Ubuntu for Android: more details and prototype hands-on (video)
Canonical's announcement of Ubuntu for Android kicked up quite a stir, but it also left us with a few unknowns. The idea is that your phone becomes a mobile PC, switching from Android into full desktop Ubuntu mode when you dock it to a bigger display, keyboard and mouse. But just how well does it perform? When is it coming? How is it coming? And will tinkerers be able to install it for themselves? Canonical let us into its London office today to try out the software and pepper one of its engineers with questions. First, the good news: Ubuntu for Android is everything it's been claimed to be. It's a functional desktop OS that sits alongside Android, shares the same kernel and has full read / write access to everything on your phone (the connectivity hardware itself plus contacts, emails, videos, apps and pretty much everything else.). It's also ready for ARM-compatible Ubuntu apps, potentially expanding the range of things your phone can do. The bad news? It needs to be faster -- a lot faster. The prototype we saw was running on a TI OMAP 4430-powered Motorola Atrix 2 that had primarily been chosen for its ready-made docking accessory. The software hadn't been customized for that handset and neither Motorola nor TI have so far been involved in the project. Despite this, some tasks ran surprisingly well, like watching a video or adjusting a photo. However, surfing on the Chromium desktop browser suffered too much hanging and it was also clear that multi-tasking would be a serious burden. According to Canonical, better performance will come when manufacturers tailor the software to their newest handsets and offer it pre-installed. The company is doing everything it can to make that happen -- meeting with big players at MWC next week and trying to persuade them that it's not too late to offer Ubuntu on models scheduled for launch this year. We asked if Canonical would make the OS available to us ordinary folk sooner than that, so we can play with it and give our feedback, but that just isn't part of the company's game plan right now -- everything hinges on manufacturers seeing the 'differentiation' value and climbing aboard. To tide you over in the meantime, click past the break for a hands-on video.
Switched On: Think form factors, not PCs
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. The iPad, launched in 2010, kicked off the post-PC era. The combination of a multitouch display and keyboard-less design enabled mobile computing in a way not done before. On the other hand, maybe the IBM Simon, launched in 1992, kicked off the post-PC era. Widely considered to be the first smartphone, it enabled mobile computing in a way that was not done before. Then again, maybe the Osborne I, launched in 1981, marked the beginning of the post-PC era. After all, it was widely considered to be the first portable computer, enabling mobile computing in a way that was not done before.
Mozilla offers Gaia UI first look, will reveal Boot to Gecko partners at MWC
Mozilla surprised us last summer when it announced plans for its Boot to Gecko mobile OS. Now, it looks like the project has some industry support, with CTO Brenden Eich tweeting that the company will make a partner announcement at MWC this month. There are no details right now as to who might be involved, but given that developer support is already there (the operating system is based on existing web standards, after all), the hopes are that this could indicate vital operator, or even hardware manufacturer backing. Another encouraging development is the first sighting of the platform's Gaia UI, further suggesting the project might well meet its planned Q2 release target. It doesn't stray too far from the Android / iOS model that we're already familiar with, but give the source link a swipe if you want to see more.Update: The image has been updated to reflect the latest to screens from the final product. The initial shots were from a proof of concept.
Belle update arrives for compatible Nokia Symbian phones (video)
The latest reformation of Symbian has started to appear for compatible handsets -- and it's arrived a few days earlier than planned. MyNokiaBlog has already began the upgrade process on its N8, through the Nokia Suite software. (Update: Nokia's now officially announced the release.) Belle will furnish your smartphone with NFC sharing, more homescreens, adjustable widgets and, yes, a pull-down notification bar. Handsets fortunate enough to be blessed by the update include the N8, E6, E7, X7, C7, C6-01 and Oro, arriving on the Nokia 500 in the next few weeks. A cheerful upgrade tour awaits after the break.
NPD: iPhones recover market share in Q4 2011, but Android draws the first-timer crowds
According to the latest research from the NPD group, Apple has got its second wind in smartphone sales. In the same quarter that saw the iPhone 4S reinvent the wheel obey our every vocal whim, the trio of available models soaked up a total of 43 percent of the US smartphone market in Q4 2012, apparently gnawing away at Android's market share of 53 percent held during the rest of 2011. However, Google's mobile OS appears to be the debutante smartphone of choice, cornering 57 percent of new purchases, with 34 percent going for Apple. The remaining 9 percent is distributed between the smartphone also-rans, with the likes of Windows Phone and BlackBerry languishing in that anonymous grey bar at the top. The top five handsets from NPD's Mobile Phone Track service is an Apple and Samsung love-in, with iOS devices claiming the three top spots, followed by the Samsung Galaxy S II (we assume collectively) and the Galaxy S 4G. NPD's blow-by-blow commentary on this increasingly two-horse race awaits below.
Samsung to merge Bada with Tizen: the OS party just got a little freaky
While everyone was watching Windows Phone parting the iOS / Android curtains, no one noticed Bada and Tizen making cheeky eyes at each other. It was rumored Samsung might open-source its featurephone OS, but according to Forbes, it'll now fuse it with the Intel-backed Tizen project. Once the nuptials are complete, it's reported Bada apps will play nice with Tizen -- including full backwards compatibility -- with developers getting a new integrated SDK and API. We're guessing then, that it's the Bada brand getting the chop when the two linux-based systems tie the knot. The spirit of MeeGo, of course, also lives on in Tizen making this one big concept cocktail. One we should see being poured into "at least one or two" Samsung handsets, and eventually other products, sometime this year -- failing any last-minute cold feet.
Nokia responds to questions over Symbian name swap
Nokia seems to have finally realized that it can't just kill off a long-standing name like Symbian with a mere three-word mention (in parentheses) on its official blog. It's now posted up a marginally more detailed statement in response to "heaps of questions" from Nokia fans about the name change, and it reads as follows: "We are still using Symbian Belle with some audiences like developers but now we also have the flexibility of using Nokia Belle when referring to our greatest and latest Symbian software update." There, that should clear it up. Or maybe not. The idea of switching between different names for the same product might be considered bad branding, and the notion of developers being an "audience" is confusing too. But what more can you expect from a single sentence? In other news, the update also clarified that Nokia/Symbian Belle will be coming to the Nokia 500, along with the devices mentioned yesterday, and that it's delay until February 2012 was due to this being a "major software update" that will "make such a big difference in the user experience."
Say goodbye to Symbian, say hello to Nokia Belle
Symbian is already on its last legs as a mobile OS, now Nokia is giving it a bit of a kick while its down by ditching the name it grew up with and rebranding the latest version simply Nokia Belle. That's right, the Symbian title we've all come to know and love is being retired by Nokia, and with very little fanfare. In fact, the switch is relegated to a parenthetical aside in an update on the status of Belle at the official blog of the Finnish manufacturer. Here's the announcement in its entirety: "The all new Nokia Belle (previously Symbian Belle)..." That's it! Of course, functionally, swapping Symbian for Nokia makes little difference, but its still sad to see one of the last vestiges of this long lived platform disappear. We'd say to check out the source for more details, but that's all she wrote.
Android leads US market share, iOS may have stopped growing, RIM is still falling
NPD just published its latest plotting of the great American smartphone OS rivalry, and although the report covers annual rather than quarterly trends, it's perhaps more interesting to hold it up against the previous set of figures we saw -- those for Q2 2011. Back then, Google's OS had a 52 percent share, but these new figures suggest a marginally better performance of 53 percent between January and October. Meanwhile, iOS's 29 percent share is identical to what we saw in Q2, hinting that its growth has slowed right down or even stopped. RIM's share of the pie is 10 percent, compared to 11 percent in Q2, showing that the Summer flurry of new BB7 handsets like the Bold 9930 and Torch 9810 had little immediate impact. WP7 obstinately refuses to overtake Windows Mobile, although these figures are pre-Titan, while the doomed Symbian and webOS are barely clinging to life. Aside from all that, perhaps the only stats that are genuinely still shocking are those at the top of the column for 2006. Click below for further detail's in NPD's press release.
Mozilla seeks to infiltrate Android with Boot to Gecko, a new mobile OS for geekos
Remember those rumblings about Mozilla and its very own mobile OS known as Boot to Gecko? We now have further details to share, and unlike most operating systems -- which demand their own hardware -- this one is aiming to shack up with Android smartphones. Given the existing complexity of altering many of these devices, Mozilla's Boot to Gecko will likely find favor among geeks alone, but the project itself has much greater ambitions. First and foremost, the OS will be designed with web apps in mind, yet with functionality and device integration that's on par with native applications. The true boon here is the potential for other operating systems to integrate Mozilla's technologies into their own browsers, thus allowing true cross-platform application development and the possibility of bolstering platforms that struggle for developer interest. Right now, much of the project exists only in the minds of a few tenacious developers, but the group hopes to unveil a public demo early next year. As if this weren't wild enough, while Mozilla has no intention of creating its own Boot to Gecko device, the group has expressed a willingness to work with OEMs that share its dream of a web-based future. Go ahead and count us in.
Nexus One takes a bite out of Ice Cream Sandwich, chews slowly
The Nexus One, grandaddy of Android's latest pure-bred wonder, appears to have some fight left in it. Developer drl33tmd has managed to coax the old man into running an early port of Ice Cream Sandwich, although it's not perfect. The somewhat unstable build is a bit sluggish, and suffers from media playback issues and a distinct lack of WiFi. Check out the demo after the break to see the original Google smartphone struggle up some increasingly steep software stairs.
CE-Oh no he didn't: Steve Ballmer lays into Android
"You don't have to be a computer scientist to use a Windows Phone," said Microsoft's Steve Ballmer, "but you do to use an Android phone." He was addressing the Web 2.0 summit in San Francisco, where we guess his audience must have included a large but silent population of Android-loving non-scientists. In any case, the Redmond CEO also revealed that he just can't get "excited" about Android phones, which proves that anything can be boring if you're rich enough -- including raking in up to $15 per Android handset in cross-licensing deals. On a serious note, though, HTC's latest Titan handset shows off the Mango experience at its best and it is simpler than Google's OS. If Windows Phone sales eventually pick up despite the buzz over Android 4.0, then the point beneath Ballmer's bluster might not seem so unreasonable.
Google Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0): a hands-on screenshot gallery
Hello there, Ice Cream Sandwich! Google and Samsung just took the wraps off of the former's newest mobile operating system here in Hong Kong, and boy -- she's a beauty. Of course, we've known about ICS for months now, but outside of a few sneak peeks courtesy of Mr. Blurrycam, we didn't know precisely what to expect. Strangely, Motorola's recent introduction of the Droid RAZR only delivered the freshest offering of Gingerbread, but the Galaxy Nexus is oh-ficially the first smartphone in the world to launch with Android 4.0. Our test unit was actually running 4.0.1 for reasons unknown, but as we mentioned in our Galaxy Nexus hands-on, it was as smooth as ever. Without question, this is easily the slickest, most polished version of Android yet, and we invite you to take a tour yourself via the hands-on gallery below. Apologies for the quantity, but we wanted to explore every nook and cranny while we had the chance. %Gallery-136944%
Google confirms Nexus S will get Ice Cream Sandwich -- for real this time (Gingerbread devices, too)
Okay, so we've already seen Ice Cream Sandwich running on the Nexus S, but that was decidedly... unofficial. We've just heard straight from Google's Gabe Cohen that the Nexus S will definitely be getting ICS. In fact, both he and Matias Duarte think most Gingerbread devices will see an upgrade, saying: "Currently in the process for releasing Ice Cream Sandwich for Nexus S. Theoretically should work for any 2.3 device." It's hardly a surprise and there's no specific word on timing just yet, but hopefully it won't take long to move that vanilla Android device up to something with a breaded exterior. Update: We also asked about whether the Nexus One is getting some ICS love, but there's no clear plan just yet.
iOS 5 and OS X 10.7.2 available for download: get your iCloud and iMessage on
Even if you were one of those Apple fans who was less than impressed by the iPhone 4S, there is still reason for excitement -- and that reason's name is iOS 5. If you've got an iPhone 3GS, 4, third- or fourth-gen iPod touch, or either of the iPads you can download Apple's latest and greatest mobile OS right now. That's right, all the fun new features like pull-down notifications, iCloud, iMessage, Find my Friends, Twitter integration and lock screen access to your camera will be at your disposal. Sadly you will not be getting a taste of Siri, which appears to a 4S only feature for now. Still, there's more than enough here to make it a worthy upgrade to your device. So, what are you waiting for? Go hit that update button now. Update: Just so you're aware, you'll need iTunes 10.5 installed to get the latest iOS. There's also an update to OS X coming down the pipes -- version 10.7.2 -- which officially delivers iCloud to your Mac. Huzzah! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
