With the incredible launch that Apple had with the iPhone 4S it seems to have bolstered them into 60% of the mobile web browsing traffic. An incredible number considering that amount of non-Apple devices out there with mobile web browsing capabilities. As you can see in the image below from Net Applications, all platforms are taking a significant decrease in traffic as iOS and Android continue to rise. That alone seems par for the course as these two are the leading operating systems.

Apple remains dominant when providing mobile devices, offering the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, all of these devices have the ability to browse the web. With that said it is no surprise that they hold a large share of the mobile web browsing market and have continued to do so over the last two years.

What I do find strikingly odd is the size of the gap between iOS and Android. Is mobile browsing not an enjoyable experience on Android? With Android being dominant globally, it seems like there would be a decrease in that 40% difference between the two. Personally I try to refrain from web browsing on any phone size screen regardless I absolutely have to, but with the ever growing popularity and vast number of Android tablets and smartphones, it seems that the numbers should have been better. I don’t even own an Android based tablet, so I can’t compare the experience with my iPad 2.

I expected more from Android with the release of Honeycomb and companies like Samsung, Asus, and Acer offering competitive pricing on their devices when compared to Apple offering; the iPad. It seems, though, that most of the mobile web browsing is still coming from smartphones, when talking about Android, and not their tablets. Data shows that even Android smartphone users are buying the iPad instead of Android based tablets. I can partially understand as I feel that the Android tablets are feel cluttered; as-if there is just too much going on with the home screens. I felt that I needed to get certified in Android use just to navigate around.

(via MacRumors)

It appears that large number of android users have already installed the application on their devices and started  making buzz around the internet by making fun of its ugly behavior towards the owners of the device. The “IRIS” app is said to be developed in the 8 hours of work, which attracts more people to itself. The application is currently available in the Android Market for free. No doubt, Siri is an intelligent application and service of Apple on iPhone 4S, but this time Android developers tried to make something in very less time, but sigh… still copying the concept and the name concept of the original application.

IRIS for Android is not the first app there who provides the voice recognition and talking assistant features, there are several apps available in the Android Market, who provides the same functionality on the Android devices, but the IRIS is a bit different from all of them and works similar to the Apple’s iPhone 4S Siri. While the IRIS start making round on tech blogs, a user come up with a really ugly thing of the app which totally lies in the favor of Apple, in short at least saying the truth.

The user asked the IRIS on his Samsung Galaxy S II about the iPhone and the best device of the world, and the answer was a bit shocking for the user who holds the device, the IRIS believes that the Apple’s iPhone is the best device ever created till now.  After spending couple of minutes with the application, we think the app will blow the Android reputation with its answers to the users.

Matias Duarte introduced Ice Cream Sandwich for the first time. ICS was developed with 3 principals in mind; Android is enchanting, Android is easy, and Android is powerful. With that said, let’s see some improvements in Ice Cream Sandwich that were touched on in the event.

Basics

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich gets many basic updates as a phone OS. First off is the influence of Honeycomb throughout the new operating system. The new typeface for Android is called ‘Roboto’ and was specifically designed for the new OS. The lockscreen resembles that of the Nexus S with an updated lock ring. Gestures are used widely throughout the new operation system and can be seen when managing notifications in the notification bar and recent apps menu. Within those you can flick notifications out if they aren’t important and also flick to close applications that you no longer need running. You can also see notifications from the lockscreen, although I don’t think I would find that useful for privacy concerns. Cut, copy, and paste has also been improved throughout ICS. One major, basic feature that we finally get to see is native screen capture. Just hold down power and volume down to capture what ever is on your screen!

Google Apps

GMail gets a major update with the ‘action bar’ at the bottom of the app. This removes the need to open a different menu to perform specific tasks, like batch deleting or archiving. This action bar is seen throughout Ice Cream Sandwich in other applications. The camera and gallery got some much needed attention this time around. The Camera app now has a one second lag, meaning that taking pictures is lightening fast. The Gallery app can now sort by people or location and includes various editing tools. You can apply an array of hipster effects and edit picture angle straight on the phone. Google also claims that Maps and Google+ were also updated in Ice Cream Sandwich.

Core OS

Some major core additions that got added were in the form of the lockscreen security and data consumption management. You can now have Android recognize you via the front facing camera to unlock your screen. This feature is pretty neat but did not work well in the event stream. Also, you can now manage data usage within Android from a settings menu. You can see current usage, projected usage, and manage usage down to the applications themselves. Google updated Android’s Voice Command control to start up faster and be more accurate. It still seems very basic and its definitely no Siri. Multitasking has also got a facelift, which now presents recently opened apps in a cards-view.

Overview

Ice Cream Sandwich looks solid but this is coming from watching a presentation over a live feed. To really make a determination, I will need to get my hands on it. Until then, I can’t say that I am thoroughly impressed. The reason for my conclusion comes from Android just slowing down after a couple of months of usage. I do like the idea of developing ICS for the hardware and I hope that extends past the Galaxy Nexus. Only time will tell and I hope Google can impress me.

Full list list of features and screenshots of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich can be found on the official Android Developers site here.

First, let’s start off with the exterior. Motorola is boasting that it is the slimmest 4G LTE device currently out at 7.1 mm thick. While it is super thin and holds up to the RAZR name, it does offer that same lump across the top of the back like the DROID X where the camera is. So even though its thin, its not thin all over, hence Motorola loses a few points over that matter. But, to make up for that added thickness around the camera, they increased the rigidness of the device itself, Motorola added an awesome looking KEVLAR fiber backing with Gorilla Glass in the front. This should make up for one solid looking smartphone! The pictures of the back look great and I look forward to seeing it in person. Motorola also claims that they have added some water repellant magic to help keep the innards dry.

The RAZR is pounding out processes with its 1.2 GHZ dual-core processor. Its sure to leave all other devices in its dust! The screen you ask? Oh that screen! The DROID RAZR from Motorola will tout a 4.3″ Super AMOLED Advance screen with qHD resolution that is just perfect for streaming Netflix and other video-based content. Inside it has 16GB of on board storage and comes coupled with a 16GB microSD card. 32GB of storage shouldn’t leave you begging for more, but with that microSD slot, you have the option, and that’s always a good option to have.

The camera comes with an arsenal of video recording capabilities in the form of an 8MP rear camera and an “HD” front facing camera. The rear camera is able to record in 1080p resolution and has built-in image stabilization to reduce shakiness in the recording. DROID RAZR will also be coming with some accessory options as well, including a new 14-inch laptop dock, a new 10-inch dock, a vehicle dock, an HD dock, a gesture touchpad, a wireless keyboard and a portable power pack. Knowing Motorola, I expect we will see more accessories in the future. Use your webtop-enabled accessories to turn your phone into something greater; much like the Motorola Atrix. For security, Motorola has included a DoD/Government grade encryption-system that keeps your email, calendars, and contacts safe!

Although we are all expecting the announcement of Google Android’s Ice Cream Sandwich today, the DROID RAZR will be sporting Android 2.3.5. We know that this may disappoint a lot of users, but let’s hope that there is a quick turn around for an update to Google’s much anticipated OS release. Also, as mentioned above, this phone is LTE-enabled so its on the fastest LTE network out right now; Verizon.

Availability

Verizon Wireless has confirmed that the device will be available in November for $299.99 with a new, two-year contract. Pre-orders for the device will begin on October 27th. We look forward to comparing this device with what we expect will be the DROID Prime announced later this evening. Stay tuned!

For more information, jump over to the official product page of the DROID RAZR itself.

However, stiff competition from Apple and Microsoft, along with dozens of lawsuits coming from seemingly every direction, look to stop Android’s explosive growth dead in it’s tracks. How long can the mobile OS survive in this hostile industry?

Here’s a snippet from a recent report on the topic by FOSSPatent‘s expert analyst, Florian Mueller:

“Google’s cavalier attitude toward other companies’ intellectual property is starting to backfire in seriously harmful ways. Samsung is only the first Android OEM to suffer economic damage by not being able to launch products in certain markets. It won’t be the last. Motorola Mobility and HTC are also under pressure.”

 

Mueller is referring to an ongoing injunction in Australia that is barring Samsung from launching its Galaxy 10.1 tablet in the country. Apple won a major court battle last week, extending the slate’s temporary ban for several more months. By the time Samsung is elegible to sell its tablet in Australia, the device will be nearly a year old.

The final decision will be the one to watch though, says Mueller.

“If Apple wins the Australian case at the end of the main proceeding, all Android-based products will effectively be shut out of the Australian market forever, unless Google or its device maker partners settle with Apple.”

 

We all know that Apple won’t settle. It’s not in the business of licensing its IP (Intellectual Property), and it certainly doesn’t need the money. It seems as if the company won’t stop until Android partners quit using Android all together.

But it’s not just Apple. Microsoft has also been using its extensive IP portfolio against Android handset-makers. HTC pays the Redmond-based company a $5 licensing fee for every Android handset it sells, and Samsung just hatched out a similar deal.

$5 per phone is a fairly large amount when you consider how small the typical handset-maker’s profit margins are. Not everyone has a Tim Cook. Why do you think Samsung and HTC were both in the conversation as possible webOS buyers? Between lawsuits and licensing fees, Android (the “free software”) is getting too expensive.

And it gets worse. Android’s biggest threat to its existence isn’t even a competitor, it’s Oracle. The company owns thousands of Java-related patents, and is taking Google and its mobile OS to court over several of them. Here’s an excerpt from a recent court brief:

“Oracle will prove at trial that Google deliberately chose to base its Android software platform on Java tecnology, seeking to develop and deploy Android rapidly and to capitalize on the large community of Java software developers… Google chose to take its chances and push forward with Java, helping itself to Oracle’s intellectual property without a license.”

 

So because of Android, not only are all of its major manufacturing partners involved in litigation, but now Google is too. To me, it looks like the company cut a lot of corners in a rush to get its mobile OS to market, and now it’s paying for it.

What’s your take on Google’s long list of patent woes?

We first talked about ChatON back in August when Samsung announced the app. The most attractive feature of ChatON that is being focused on in its marketing is its compatibility with a variety of smartphone platforms. Although it is currently only available on Android, it is expected to be launched on iOS, Blackberry OS and Samsung’s own Bada OS in the near future.

ChatON is a free service that lets you chat one-to-one or in groups. You can not only send/receive text messages but also broadcasts, little animations, pictures, videos, audio, location and - this is where it differentiates itself - info, contacts and calendar. For groups chats, there is also a handy Trunk feature which lets you see all sent images/video in each group chat room.

From Android Market:

Chat your way, with ChatON! ChatON is a global mobile communication service that enables you to have better relationships with your buddies and groups of buddies.
ChatON brings together all of these methods of communication, expression, and sharing in one place.

We’ve personally tested the app on our Samsung Galaxy S II unit and can confirm that it works as advertised. If ChatOn, well, catchesON then it is something that we can easily see replacing iMessage and BBM because of its compatibility with multiple smartphone platforms.

ChatON’s greatest competitor isn’t iMessage or BBM, though. WhatsApp actually has more platforms covered than ChatON: iOS, Blackberry, Android, Symbian and Windows Phone. Getting users to shift to ChatON from WhatsApp, then, will not be easy since it is quite established. Still, ChatON has Samsung behind it, so the company can give it a big boost by including the app on every smartphone they release.

We’ll inform our dear readers of ChatON’s iOS app as soon as it is released. Until then, this writer is sticking to WhatsApp for his multi-platform, instant messaging needs.

If you’re interested, ChatON can be downloaded for free from the link embedded below. It is compatible with all Android smartphones running 2.2 Froyo or above. Do let us know what you think of it in our comments section on Facebook.

Download ChatON [Market Link]

The iPhone 4 has been Apple’s most successful yet, so its hardly surprising that expectation is extremely high once again this time around. Samsung’s Galaxy S II is a powerhouse of features, so how does it measure up to the latest from Cupertino?

The introduction of Apple’s A5, dual-core chip first seen in the iPad 2 enables the 4S to really compete in terms of power. Having said that, whilst the A4 processor is only single-core, it has still been a performance marvel during the course of the last 16 months, and could hardly be criticized for being slow.

One of the key features of the iPhone 4S is the ability for both GSM and CDMA users to roam worldwide on one device. The iPhone 4 launched as GSM only, and it wasn’t until the start of this year that Apple finally introduced a CDMA iPhone, allowing Verizon users to hop onto the iPhone bandwagon.

The 4S’ much-improved camera matches the Galaxy S II in terms of megapixels, although it’s hard to tell which is better until we’ve seen some actual shots from the yet-to-be-released device. Once suspects that Apple has done its homework on its friend/foe Samsung, and the improved light sensitivity could mean the latest iPhone’s snapper will be the best on the market.

On the topic of storage space, the 4S doubles the possibilities of its older brother by including a 64GB model. The Galaxy S II, although limited to a maximum of 48GB, does have the overt advantage a microSD slot – a freedom which consumers would love – but don’t expect – to see present on any iDevice. Ever.

Siri assistant, one of the main talking points of today’s keynote, is one of those features that could separate the iPhone 4S from all of its rivals – including the iPhone 4. Although voice control is not exactly a new idea, Siri covers most aspects of the device through voice alone. If adopted by the masses, it could prove to be staple part of our smartphone diet, forcing rivals to follow suit.

Set in a dystopic alternate future in the fictional town of Hammer’s Peak, the narrative follows William Glaston as he returns home after many years of war to find his home town has undergone nightmarish changes.

Check Offical Trailer Out: