Android

Android is the now most popular mobile platform for smartphones in the United States, says a study released yesterday. According to the ComScore survey, Google's OS powered nearly a third, or 31.2 percent, of all smartphones during the three-month period ending January 2011.

Gaining 7 percentage points from the previous quarter, Android now surpasses mobile operating systems from both RIM and Apple. RIM dropped more than 5 percentage points and now sits closely behind Android at 30.4 percent while Apple's share rose ever so slightly to 24.7 percent. Microsoft (8 percent) and Palm (3.2 … Read more

If the latest whispers prove to be true, the upper end of T-Mobile's Android lineup is set to get a little more crowded. According to a leaked document, the wireless provider is expecting to bring the LG Optimus 2X Stateside. This would potentially make for two dual-core handsets for the carrier, as it are also rumored to be working on one with HTC.

According to the information obtained by TmoNows, the LG handset will carry the name of G2X. That would follow the G-Slate as the next in the "G" series of Android devices. Thus far, the … Read more

We've been curious about how Twitter plans to make money off its services, and this weekend our questions were answered with one word: the dickbar. In-stream advertising has finally landed on the official Twitter iPhone app, and users will now see a top-mounted bar that shows "promoted" hashtags sponsored by advertisers who pay for the distraction.

The problem with these ads isn't that they're obtrusive or that Twitter CEO Dick Costolo initially told us they would be "organic to the platform," but that they're not specifically targeted at users, which makes sense because people use Twitter for a million different applications.

During this conversation, Wilson also reveals that he actually clicks on Google ads when he's shopping for things like headphones or, say, a house. I guess Jeff and I are so astonished at this because we're always looking for the quickest, easiest way to get rid of the annoying pop-ups.

The Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index shows, via statistical analysis of interviews with adults, that the happiest man in America is Alvin Wong: a tall, Asian-American, observant Jewish man who's at least 65 years old, married with children, lives in Hawaii, runs his own business, and has a combined annual household income of at least $120k.

We certainly have a long way to go before we achieve pure bliss!

Apple rejected the controversial iBoobs application back… Read more

Once again, Google delivers a new feature for its Android Maps Navigation app that gives the mobile mogul an edge over other navigation solutions.

Today Google Maps Navigation for Android acquires some real-time traffic smarts in its navigation feature, a boon to any rush-hour driver who would too often second-guess Google's route as the most efficient for current conditions (I speak from experience here.)

Now, Google claims, it's finally taking road congestion into account, using both real-time and historical traffic patterns for the time of day. The new feature is automatic. A real-time traffic layer has been available … Read more

BlackBerry users looking to make the switch to Android might be interested in taking a look at Samsung's latest smartphone, the Galaxy Pro.

The Galaxy Pro, which was unveiled today, combines both a full QWERTY keyboard and a 2.8-inch, 320x240-pixel touch screen in a slate design. It runs Android 2.2 with Samsung's TouchWiz user interface, so you have access to the various Samsung Hub services.

The smartphone also offers support for Microsoft Exchange, Adobe Flash Player 10.1, and mobile hot-spot capabilities. Despite having the word "pro" in its name, however, the handset is … Read more

The spring CTIA show is just a couple of weeks away, and rumors and teasers are starting to bubble up about what might be unveiled at the show. We already know that at least two tablets will be unveiled, one being from Samsung, and now, we may be looking at two new smartphones and a tablet from Sprint.

According to Engadget Mobile, the carrier will introduce the Nexus S 4G, the HTC Evo 3D, and the HTC Evo View at CTIA, and Sprint wasn't exactly vigilant about hiding its secret.

Earlier this morning, if you entered now.sprint.com/… Read more

Editors' note: The video battery results for the Motorola Xoom were corrected from the original post. The original post contained results not in line with our final testing methodology. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

During the deluge of iPad 2 coverage last week, you may have missed CNET's handy tablets table. In it we gave an overview of the major non-Windows tablets already released and those soon-to-be released.

For the few tablets we actually have in the CNET Labs, we're able to go a bit more in depth with what each has to offer. … Read more

Hacking or rooting the Barnes & Noble Nook Color has become a commercial venture for some, and that has plenty of Android enthusiasts calling foul.

In recent days, folks on eBay have started selling hacks for the Nook Color preinstalled on microSD cards, which start around $60 for 4GB cards and work their way upward. Installing one of the cards in the Nook Color's microSD slot allows users to override Barnes & Noble's "closed" Android-based Nook firmware with an open Android system that supports running a multitude of Android apps. "Modders" have been "porting" various "rooted" versions … Read more

In case you didn't hear, this week Apple announced the iPad 2, as we expected, and it shaped up to be just about what we thought it would be. More importantly, Steve Jobs (it was great see him) flouted the success of the original iPad--not just gloating that his company had single-handedly invented a market, but also bragging that the iPad's competitors were "flummoxed" (and saying it with a smile).

But that's not all! It's a big, bad technology world, you know?

• Jobs also introduced new apps for the iPad, like iMovie and Garage Band

• Apple still has original iPads for as little as $350.

• More movement from Motorola's Xoom tablet, with new pricing that makes it a little more competitive.

• The Navy is looking at creating swarms of robots that repair themselves, search for Sarah Connor.

• Turn your watch into a tablet or cell phone--by stretching it.

• Another week, another creepy baby robot from Japan.

• Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss! … Read more