Android software

TomTom Android app won't support Galaxy S3, Nexus 7 -- yet

TomTom today launched its flagship Navigation for Android application. But there's one problem: it won't work on some of the top Android devices today.

The new app, which is available in the Google Play store, includes full offline support and free use of the maps over its lifetime. According to TomTom, the program includes live traffic information and locations of speed cameras to help users avoid hefty fines. The application supports turn-by-turn guidance, of course, and calls out street names while providing lane guidance.

Given those features, some users might jump at the chance to try out the … Read more

Motorola SVP: Google gives us no 'special treatment'

Google may own Motorola, but when it comes to making and selling phones, the Android smartphone manufacturer says they're on their own.

"We're operating as an independent OEM, so there's a firewall between us and the Android team," Motorola Senior Vice President of Product Management Rick Osterloh told CNET, explaining the sometimes-distant relationship between Motorola and its owner.

"It's very important to the company (Google) that Android remain an open playing field."

One might think that with Motorola in the brand umbrella, a Droid phone would be a shoo-in for Google's … Read more

HTC's new One X+ boasts quad-core chip, Jelly Bean

HTC has announced a new and improved One X.

Dubbed the One X+, the device is basically a refreshed version of the same One X HTC is already selling. The handset comes with Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and nixes the One X's 1.5GHz quad-core processor available in the global version for a 1.7GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 chip. The One X+ has doubled its storage to 64GB, and according to HTC, its LTE version is "up to 67 percent faster" than its predecessor, through it's not clear how it arrived at that figure.… Read more

Motorola won't update three 4G phones to Ice Cream Sandwich

Bad news for owners of some Motorola Mobility smartphones released in 2011: the company will not upgrade them to the 2011 version of Android.

According to a post in the Google-owned company's forums, three smartphones from last year will not be upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich:

Motorola Mobility continues to review how each device can deliver the very best experience possible, and at times, this can mean making tough choices - especially as it relates to Android software upgrades. Today, we need to let you know about some tough choices related to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades. … Read more

Yandex targets Google, Amazon with new Android app store

Google Play will soon have another competitor.

Russian search engine Yandex announced today that it will soon launch an "alternative" application marketplace for Android users. Dubbed Yandex.Store, the marketplace will offer nearly 40,000 applications and allow vendors to bundle another app store into their devices.

Yandex.Store is also a white-box offering, meaning vendors can place their own branding on top of it. According to Yandex, Russian carrier MegaFon has already signed on to the service.

As with other application stores, Yandex's option takes 30 percent of the revenue generated from apps. In addition, Yandex.… Read more

Lookout now blocks Dialer exploits

Android fragmentation affects security patches, too. Instead of waiting to see which devices have been protected against a Dialer app vulnerability discovered earlier this week, Lookout Mobile Security (download) has stepped into the breach with a patch for it today. So far, it's the only known Android security app to block the exploit, but even Lookout's patch requires initial user input.

The vulnerability allowed some Samsung phones to be remotely wiped from the Dialer app, the "phone" part of your smartphone. While Samsung pushed out a patch quickly, it's not clear if other phones have … Read more

Moo goes wireless with NFC-enabled business cards

Moo, a company that specializes in elaborate business cards, has announced it will sell NFC-enabled cards that can be programmed to share data wirelessly with smartphones.

The idea is kind of like encoding data in the checkered grids known as QR codes, which phone cameras can scan to extract contact information. Near-field communications (NFC) uses small chips with labyrinthine antennas that activate and transmit stored data when hit with a radio signal from a smartphone or other NFC reader.

That means, if all goes according to Moo's plan, tapping an NFC card against an NFC-equipped smartphone would transfer contact … Read more

Safeguard your online Persona with Mozilla ID system

If you've ever struggled with remembering your Facebook password, or felt uncomfortable using your Google ID to log in to a non-Google Web site, Mozilla has a solution for you -- one it calls Persona.

This first beta of Persona, which used to be called Mozilla's BrowserID project, is designed to compete with Web site login systems like the ones offered by Twitter, Facebook, and Google. Whether this open source alternative can hold its own against those other login heavy-hitters, though, is another story.

Persona essentially aims to give you a cross-platform, cross-browser way to log into a … Read more

Oops! Anti-Apple Maps ad reveals Google Maps' own failing

Everyone knows that Apple is dealing with a firestorm of criticism over problems with its new iOS 6 Maps feature, but a new ad for Google-owned Motorola Mobility's Droid Razr may have crossed the line.

The ad, which appeared on September 21 on Motorola's Google+ site, shows a Razr alongside an iPhone 5, and reads, "Looking for 315 E 15th in Manhattan? Google Maps on Droid Razr M will get you there & not #iLost in Brooklyn."

The post shows the Razr displaying the proper address in the middle of a grid of Manhattan streets, while … Read more