Google’s two OSs to become one

BEIJING — Two operation systems(OSs) operated by Google are to be combined into one.

The Internet company is reportedly planning to build its Chrome operating system for personal computers into its Android mobile-operating system.

Google sets such plans as Android has emerged as the dominant operating system by quite a long stretch. It is also regarded as a sign of the growing dominance of mobile computing.

Combining the two operating systems means setting up Android to run on laptops and desktop computers, which would require big changes.

For instance, Android will have to support the Google Play Store. Chromebooks will reportedly receive a new name to reflect the new OS.

The new operating system is expected to be ready sometime in 2017.

source: interaksyon.com

BlackBerry’s new Android phone available starting Friday

U.S. telco AT&T Inc said on Monday it would offer BlackBerry Ltd’s new Android-powered smartphone in its retail stores in the United States and online from Friday.

AT&T said it would be the first U.S. carrier to offer the BlackBerry Priv, powered by Google’s Android mobile platform.

Waterloo, Ontario-based BlackBerry’s move to launch an Android phone marks a shift away from its own BlackBerry 10 platform, which failed to regain market share ceded to Apple Inc’s iPhone and a slew of Android-powered devices.

BlackBerry also closed on Monday the acquisition of rival mobile software provider Good Technology Corp, which it bought for $425 million to boost its ability to help corporate clients manage smartphones running on different operating systems.

BlackBerry’s shares were up 1.8 percent at C$9.70 in afternoon trading in Toronto.

source: interaksyon.com

Android co-founder Andy Rubin to leave Google

Google Inc said on Thursday that Andy Rubin, co-founder of its Android mobile business and head of its nascent robotics effort is leaving the company.

Rubin will start a company to support startups interested in building technology-hardware products, Google said in an emailed response for comment on a Wall Street Journal report about his move.

James Kuffner, a research scientist at Google and a member of the robotics group, will replace Rubin, the company added.

Last year, Google’s browser and applications chief Sundar Pichai replaced Rubin as head of the Android division, bringing the firm’s mobile software, applications and Chrome browser under one roof.

Rubin built Android into a free, open-source software platform now used by most of the world’s largest handset manufacturers, from Samsung Electronics Co Ltd to HTC Corp.

source: interaksyon.com

More than 1 billion Android devices to ship in 2014: Gartner

LONDON — The number of smartphones and tablet computers shipped with Google’s Android operating system will break the 1 billion barrier this year, research group Gartner said on Tuesday.

Android, which is installed on products made by Samsung, HTC, Sony and many other manufacturers, is forecast to reach 1.1 billion users in 2014, up 26 percent on last year, with the strongest demand in emerging markets.

Apple’s iOS and Mac OS operating systems are expected to be in 344 million new iPhones, iPads and Macs this year, Gartner added, representing a 28 percent jump on the number of devices shipped in 2013.

“There is no doubt that there is a volume-versus-value equation, with Android users purchasing lower-cost devices compared to Apple users,” Gartner analyst Annette Zimmerman said in a statement on Tuesday.

Microsoft’s Windows operating system, which dominates the PC and notebook segments, is forecast to be in 360 million new devices, up from 328 million in 2013.

Growth in the PC and notebook segment has been hit by the popularity of tablet computers, sales of which are forecast to increase by 47 percent this year to 263 million, according to Gartner.

“Users continue to move away from the traditional PC as it becomes more of a shared-content creation tool, while the greater flexibility of tablets, hybrids and lighter notebooks address users’ increasingly different usage demands,” Gartner research director Ranjit Atwal said.

Sales of mobile phones are expected to continue to increase, but at a slower pace, with the focus moving away from top-end premium devices to mid-level products, he added.

Gartner said it expects combined global shipments of all devices to reach 2.48 billion units this year, up 7.6 per cent on 2013.

source: interaksyon.com

Google removes privacy feature from Android mobile software

SAN FRANCISCO — Google Inc has removed an experimental privacy feature from its Android mobile software that had allowed users to block apps from collecting personal information such as address book data and a user’s location.

The change means that owners of smartphones using Android 4.4.2, the latest version of the world’s most popular operating system for mobile devices released this week, must provide access to their personal data in order to use certain apps.

A company spokesman said the feature had been included by accident in Android 4.3, the version released last summer.

“We are suspicious of this explanation, and do not think that it in any way justifies removing the feature rather than improving it,” said Peter Eckersley, technology projects director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The digital rights website first publicized the change in a blog post on Friday.

Android users who wish to retain the privacy controls by not upgrading to Android 4.4.2 could be vulnerable to security risks, Eckersley said. “For the time being, users will need to chose between either privacy or security on the Android devices, but not both.”

Many third-party apps for Android devices, such as music-identifying service Shazam and popular smartphone flashlight apps, require access to personal information that does not always have an obvious connection to the app’s functionality, such as phone call information and location data.

The privacy feature allowed users to pick and choose which personal data a third-party app can collect, Eckersley said. Users had to install a special Apps Ops Launcher software, which was created by another company, in order to access the hidden privacy controls.

Android software was loaded on 81 percent of all smartphones shipped worldwide in the third quarter, according to industry research firm IDC. Apple Inc’s iOS, the software used on the iPhone, had 12.9 percent market share.

Privacy has become an increasingly important issue as smartphones, which are loaded with consumers’ personal information, become the primary computing device for many consumers. In November Google agreed to pay a $17 million fine to settle allegations that it secretly tracked Web users by placing special digital files on the Web browsers of their smartphones.

source: interaksyon.com

Google Play celebrates 25 billion downloads with 75% off sale

Google Play, the Internet giant's competitor to Apple's App Store, has surpassed 25 billion downloads and is celebrating the milestone with a 75-percent discount for its top apps.

 

Visitors to Google Play (play.google.com) can download apps for their devices running Google's Android operating system, with "75+ percent off."

 

Angry Birds Space Premium, one of the storefront's top apps, was available for download for only P10.43.

 

"Google may hope to add a little fuel to its app buying fire with five planned days of 25 cent prices on mobile gaming favorites, starting off with Angry Birds Space, Asphalt 7, Draw Something, and others," reported GamesRadar.com.

 

Tech site All Things Digital reported Apple’s App Store hit the same 25-billion milestone "with much fanfare" only last March.

 

AllThingsD said Google Play now has 675,000 apps and games, compared to Apple’s recently announced milestone of 700,000 apps.

 

"Google said earlier this month that there have been about 500 million total activated Android devices, and Apple counted 400 million iOS devices sold as of June — a number that’s not standing still," it noted.

  

It also said Google is celebrating the milestone by offering 25-cent featured apps and other discounts on movies, books, albums and magazines for the next five days. — TJD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com