19
Dec
2012-12-19_11h03_27

Snubbed By NORAD, Google Builds Its Own Santa Tracker, Personalized Message Builder, And Other Awesome Christmas Stuff

Posted by in Google, News

You've gotta hand it to the folks in Mountain View. When NORAD decides to pass Google over for Santa tracking data, the company isn't one to sit on its hands and let someone else handle Christmas. This isn't the first year that the data giant has kept you up to date on the comings and goings of everyone's favorite fat bearded man in a red suit, but this Santa tracker may just be the best yet.

santa dashboard santatracker

The desktop interface is alive and kicking, as it has been in Christmases past. This new iteration brings new and familiar features like Reindeer games for the kids to play, customized voice messages from Santa and, when the clock strikes 2AM PST on Christmas Eve, kids and parents alike will be able to follow His Jollyness around the world.

11
Feb
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Nokia Finally Announces Strategic Partnership With Microsoft Over Windows Phone OS; Android Towers Over Both

Posted by in Android OS, News

After many weeks of speculations, Nokia and Microsoft finally announced minutes ago that the 2 companies are entering a strategic partnership "to build a new global mobile ecosystem."

Nokia has been struggling to keep up with the exploding smartphone market in the past years, and it was clear that something needed to be done.

MeeGo, Nokia's latest bet at replacing its aging Symbian system with a new, open sourced, Linux-based OS, has been in development since 2010, but no phones running this OS have been released by the company yet.

In an effort to regain market share, Nokia had to pick - either join forces with Android, a giant growing at incredible speeds, or side with the newcomer - Windows Phone 7 from Microsoft, a company Nokia can trust (their current CEO, Stephen Elop, spent almost 3 years as a Microsoft VP of BizDev).

28
Jan
vz_nav_vx

Whoa: Verizon's New VZ Navigator VX Might Just Give Google Navigation A Run For Its Money. Yes, Seriously.

Posted by in Android OS, Applications, Apps/Games, Droid X (Shadow), Fascinate, Incredible, News, Verizon Wireless

Based on the press release and official video, Verizon's new VZ Navigator VX is awesome. Really awesome. Potentially better than Google Maps 5/Google Navigation - and yes, I can hardly believe I'm saying that either, since the new GMaps combo provides a hell of a punch. But check out the short (just over two minutes) promo video, and you'll see what I mean:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRV8-u7adeQ&feature=player_embedded

Two major items of note there: first, assuming everything works, then big red did a hell of a job on the app. Second, they've delivered just what we've all been asking for: more Bing! As the video proudly shows, there's a serious degree of Bing integration in the app.

21
Nov
071212-google-china

[Editorial] Is Google Really Shooting Itself In The Foot With Android?

Posted by in Editorials, News

A few days ago, Harvard Business Review writer James Allworth posted on the HBR blog and argued that Google has effectively shot itself in the foot by making Android such an open system. To boil the 800 word post down, Mr. Allworth's argument is that the openness of the system has led to competitors taking the Google out of Android - namely, Baidu in China and Bing on Verizon. The issue is that Google's revenue comes from the ads on their services; consequently, a de-Googled Android would result in no income for Google. Further, there's another problem that he doesn't mention at all: Chinese carriers have replaced the Android Market with their own proprietary market.

10
Nov
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Samsung Introduces The Continuum Galaxy S Series Phone In An Official Video

Posted by in Continuum, Samsung, Verizon Wireless, Videos

The Samsung Continuum, announced earlier this week, is going up for pre-order tomorrow. This Galaxy S series phone is the first Android device with a secondary ticker screen providing access to updates, a-la Android top notification bar. Some consider it a gimmick, some think it could be really useful, but you can decide for yourself after watching this official intro video, complete with overly cheerful (with the exception of the guy who lost money in the stock market) folks that apparently have 0 time to look at their actual phones and rely on the tiny 1.8" display instead. The ticker jumps in and saves the day, making everyone even more cheerful, no matter how impossible it may sound.

11
Oct
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Splurge Of Verizon Samsung Galaxy Tab Info Leaks Out - November 1st Release?

Posted by in Galaxy Tab, News, Samsung, Verizon Wireless

Some interesting details about Verizon's Samsung tablet that is set to take on Apple's iPad monolith have recently come to light. Droid-Life's insiders have let them know of a possible November 1st release date for the Verizon version, to coincide with the European release. This differs from the previously rumoured release date of November 14th on Sprint, so, just like with the Galaxy S phones, we may see a staggered release schedule from the big four in America.

Droid-Life also got a chance to sneak a peek at a rough draft of the VZW Tab's user guide and noted several mentions of phone functionality and Google search.

20
Sep

Editorial: Let Android Be Android

Posted by in Android OS, Editorials
Last Updated: January 17th, 2011

Introduction

I've had this article in mind for quite some time now, but haven't mustered up the courage to do it in fear of upsetting fanboys. But when the Fascinate shipped with Bing rather than Google as the default search engine, I could hold off no longer. For a Google Android phone to ship with a search engine other than Google, the search engine I know, love, and use on a daily basis (and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone here) is unthinkable; not offering a way to change it is even more of an outrage. Of course, Verizon isn't the only one committing this crime; AT&T did essentially the same thing with the Motorola Backflip, T-Mobile bastardized Sense on the MyTouch 3G Slide, and Sprint's had its share of Android-related evilness too (Sprint NASCAR?