Android software

They're simple, social, and entirely made for mobile, all of which might explain the explosive growth of standalone messaging apps even as Facebook offers a free way to chat on smartphones.

One of the biggies, Kik says that it now has more than 50 million users and that people -- mostly young people -- are signing up at a rate of 200,000 a day. That's twice the rate that Kik claimed when it last released stats. Just last November, the app claimed 30 million users and said that 100,000 people were signing up each day.

"… Read more

After enjoying much success on iOS, Burner, the app that provides "disposable" phone numbers, has finally made its way to Android.

Have you ever wished you could have a temporary phone number for things like Craigslist purchases, job searches, or other short-term projects? Well, Burner provides just that. Think of it as an app that can disguise your phone. It gives you a temporary phone number from which you can place calls and send messages or receive calls and messages. Its phone numbers work exactly like the one provided by your carrier, but they stop working after a … Read more

Remember the "iTV"? Of course you do. It's that fabled HDTV that Apple has reportedly been working on for forever and ever. Apple analysts are beside themselves, trying to predict what the TV will include, how much it'll cost, what will be its killer feature.

This time, an Apple analyst went above and beyond, predicting that the TV will come with some pretty blingy accessories to help Apple infiltrate all aspects of your life. We can't wait.

Also this week, the next-gen Xbox might be announced soon; a Google rumor is denied before we even … Read more

HTC this week released the source code for the HTC One, which makes it easier for developers to create new custom ROMs and apps that work specifically with the phone.

Keeping with tradition, the HTC Dev team added its new flagship device to a growing list of kernel source code, binaries, and updates. While smartphone owners don't immediately benefit when HTC releases source code this way, developers and modders find the tools quite valuable.

Those who like to root their Android phones will appreciate the custom ROMs that utilize some or all of HTC's custom touches. We might … Read more

Mozilla's Web site log-in alternative known as Persona unveiled a Beta 2 version today. Now you can sign in to any Web site supporting Persona using a Yahoo Mail account.

Persona, which is still in development, is an open authentication system that works on desktops and mobile devices. In addition to being able to log in using either your Persona ID or your Yahoo credentials, today's release introduces support for Firefox OS, which means you can expect to use Persona to log in to any Firefox OS devices that launch later this year. It also includes back-end changes … Read more

About a month ago, Marvel Comics set the Internet on fire with an offer that was downright super: 700 first-issue digital comic books absolutely free.

But the company quickly learned that freebies can put a fantastic strain on servers, as host Comixology immediately buckled under the demand -- and ultimately suspended the giveaway.

Avengers, assemble! (OK, that's my last superhero analogy.) Marvel has risen from the (cr)ashes to extend the offer once again: more than 700 free first-issue comics. Just sign up between now and 11:59 p.m. (ET) tomorrow, and you'll get on the waiting … Read more

CSS Variables, a handy technology to ease Web page programming, could be one casualty in Safari with Google moving its resources to its browser engine, Blink.

Google engineers wanted to "fork" the WebKit browser engine project that underlies both Safari and Chrome so they could accelerate the pace of Chrome development and adopt changes too extensive to fit into a single open-source project. Even though splitting Blink away from WebKit may make each browser engine more nimble, it also means it's harder to cooperate.

That's because common features must be developed and maintained by duplicate teams … Read more

Drivers who use mapping software on their phones to find out where they're going may not be paying enough heed to where they're going.

At least that's one way of characterizing a recent ruling by a California court.

Issued late last month and made more widely known by a tweet today from law professor Orin Kerr, the ruling says handling a cell phone while driving, even if "solely for its map application," is every bit as illegal in the Golden State as holding the phone to your ear while talking, or using your thumb (or … Read more

Mirror's Edge. Rush City. Temple Run. Subway Surfers. Agent Dash. Pitfall. If endless runners are your thing, you'll find no shortage of them in Android and iOS app stores.

So when Vector (Android | iOS) came along, I thought, "Meh, big deal, more of the same." So why can't I stop playing this game?

Because it's awesome, that's why. A side-scrolling endless runner (aka "free runner") that borrows its formula (if not its dystopian plot) from the likes of Mirror's Edge, Vector grips you from the first frame of its dramatic … Read more