Android

Friday Poll: Can Google I/O possibly top last year's?

Google set a pretty high standard of what I'll call "wow-ness" with last year's introduction of Google Glass to the world at its annual developers' conference, Google I/O. Glass-wearing stunt people took the brand new device skydiving, rappelling down the side of San Francisco's Moscone Center, and mountain biking through the crowds inside the conference center.

Can Google I/O 2013 possibly contain more wow-ness than that?

A year later, Glass is now in the wild, so it's always possible Google could have some new apps, features, and use cases it plans to … Read more

Rumored Sony i1 could rule the Android roost this fall

Sony may forgo the Xperia branding and adopt the new One Sony branding for this fall's flagship smartphone, according to various reports. Rumored to be called the Sony i1, the possibly forthcoming Android handset could be among the most powerful devices to date.

Details, which first surfaced in late April, suggested that the Sony "Honami" i1 would be among the first phones to feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 processor.

Additional speculation called out a 5-inch 1080p HD display, 2GB RAM, and a 3,000mAh battery. Said to be centered on the CyberShot line, the phone was rumored … Read more

What to expect from Android Key Lime Pie

With Google's I/O developer conference just a week away, all eyes are on the company's plans for the next version of Android.

For much of the last year we expected to see Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. After all, leaked slides from a January Qualcomm presentation showed a midyear debut for this next build, but they were immediately pulled from the Web site.

But now, recent rumors suggest that we might actually see the debut of 4.3 Jelly Bean instead of Android 5.0. Details found in various server logs show that a JWR23B build … Read more

GamePop looks to play in Ouya's sandbox

If you're BlueStacks, the startup that figured out how to bring Android apps to Windows and Macs with its eponymous app player, the next logical step is to upend the mobile gaming market with a console and subscription service called GamePop, the company announced Thursday.

As CNET reported at CES 2013, GamePop is BlueStacks' Android-powered console that lets you not only play Android games on your TV, but also lets you use your phone or tablet as the controller.

GamePop preorders are available immediately at GamePop.tv, with consoles shipping this winter. As of today, the console ships with … Read more

Facebook reportedly in talks to buy Waze for $1 billion

Facebook may be aiming to spend anywhere from $800 million to $1 billion to acquire Waze, an Israel-based company that offers a socially informed GPS app for drivers.

Talks reportedly kicked off six months ago, according to Israeli business-news site Calcalist, which says that due diligence is currently under way. This would mean that the two companies are checking each other out before signing on the dotted line. The two also have signed a term sheet, or an agreement in principle on the sale, according to Calcalist.

An agreement sounds like it could be close. However, sources close to Waze … Read more

Apple pushes for Android code docs in Samsung case

In the next step of the Apple v. Samsung battle, Apple has asked a judge to make Google hand over documents related to the Android operating system.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul S. Grewal in San Jose, Calif., was told by the tech giant earlier this week that Google is inappropriately withholding information related to the Android operating system. The iPad and iPhone maker argues that as Google's Android is used in all of the devices that allegedly infringe on patents and "provides much of the accused functionality," Google should be forced to hand over documents related … Read more

Yahoo experimenting with Google Glass, CEO Mayer says

NEW YORK--Yahoo is experimenting with Google Glass, Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer said Tuesday.

Google's Internet-connected eyewear has generated a lot of buzz, but it's still too early to know if it will take off. So far, the glasses come with few apps and limited functionality, but many developers are working on creating software for Glass, spurred in part by some big Silicon Valley investors looking to back startups making Glass apps.

Mayer said Tuesday at a Wired business conference in New York that Yahoo has gotten its hands on some developer versions of Google Glass, and employees … Read more

iOS ups lead over Android in Web traffic, says analyst

Android may be the smartphone champ, but Apple's iOS is tops in mobile Web traffic, at least according to a report out today from analyst Gene Munster.

For the second month in a row, iOS held the lead over its rival as a source of mobile traffic, meaning that more iOS devices were tracked on the Web sites examined in the report. For April, iOS captured 69 percent of all the traffic analyzed by Piper Jaffray, leaving Android in second place with 26.5 percent.

Those numbers showed an increase from March when iOS accounted for 66.4 percent … Read more

Everything you need to know about Google Glass (FAQ)

You've scanned the headlines, gawked at the photos, and guffawed at the "Saturday Night Live" video (also embedded at the end). But you still have questions about Google Glass, the Big G's futuristic new techie facewear.

This FAQ tackles some of your most-often-asked questions about what Google Glass is and isn't, what it does, who it's for, when and where you can buy it, and what it's like to wear and use. I break questions into overarching sections to make it easier for you to find what you're looking for, and this … Read more