Mobile

Google announces in-app subscriptions for Android apps

Google today announced a new feature for Android applications offered through the Google Play store. Available immediately for Android developers, in-app subscriptions will allow users to pay for monthly or annual subscriptions directly inside of apps. And as detailed by Google, the feature is set to auto-renew by default with transactions managed by the Google Play store.

In addition to adding a new level of convenience, the move opens the door to added revenue streams and even new types of content through Google Play. Looking forward, today's announcement could entice magazines and news journals to offer subscriptions to consumers more

Chameleon aims to amaze the Android tablet experience

Ottawa design firm Teknision created Chameleon with the intent of injecting some serious style into the Android home screen and app launcher, and it sure did a heck of a job.

Perhaps what separates the Chameleon from the rest, aside from the layout, are the multiple home screens that can change based on a particular setting. For example, after waking up in the morning, the associated home screen displays weather, feeds, and so on. When you go to work, Chameleon detects the location via GPS and displays e-mail, tasks, calendar, etc. Later, after settling in for the evening, Chameleon could display things such as social media and multimedia content.

Mount Everest climbers share journey on Instagram

Climbers on Mount Everest have been documenting the harrowing journey to the peak using their iPhones and Instagram.

Over the last month, the climbers on National Geographic's commemorative climb to the top of the of the world's tallest peak have captured moments filled with steep terrain and friendly locals, according to the Instagram blog .

The expedition is expected to make it to the peak on Friday and the magazine is hoping the team can share the victory in real time on Instagram under the @natgeo account. The magazine posted a Q&A with the climbers to talk about more

CNET UK's Samsung Galaxy S III review: 'Ferrari of Android'

U.S. residents salivating for the Samsung Galaxy S III's Android Ice Cream Sandwich won't get a chance to buy Samsung's flagship phone until "summer," but you can get a taste of the global version of the device, which CNET's crack U.K. team has just reviewed in full.

Not only did CNET reviewer Natasha Lomas call the Galaxy S III the "Ferrari of Android phones," she also awarded the quad-core smartphone a coveted Editors' Choice.

Not so awfully long after it announced its $1 billion plan to purchase Instagram, Facebook today released a photo-sharing app of its own, Facebook Camera.

Currently available only for iOS devices, Facebook Camera allows users to shoot, edit, filter, and share photos to Facebook without ever leaving the app.

Android, iOS nab 82 percent of smartphone market in Q1

Android and iOS are stealing mobile market share at a shocking rate, new data from research firm IDC has revealed.

During the first quarter, Android and iOS combined to secure 82 percent of the smartphone market. Android-based device vendors shipped 89.9 million smartphones last quarter, jumping 145 percent year over year. Apple's iPhone shipments soared by 88.7 percent to land at 35.1 million units.

Android and iOS shipments hit 36.7 million units and 18.6 million units, respectively, during the first quarter of 2011. At that time, the platforms owned 54.4 percent of the more

Sprint could be cooking up a 4G ICS slider

Fresh leaks indicate that Sprint and LG are poised to deliver one of the first Android 4.0 smartphones with a sliding QWERTY keyboard. In addition to its few preliminary specifications, BriefMobile has also obtained the first glimpse of the new LS860 handset.

White House cracks whip on move to mobile

Barack Obama might be the head of state, but smartphones and tablets increasingly rule the world -- and the White House says the feds need to embrace that reality.

The president yesterday issued a directive to make key government services accessible through the mobile devices toted by much of the citizenry, and charged the federal CIO with developing a plan for a "21st century digital government."

"For far too long, the American people have been forced to navigate a labyrinth of information across different Government programs in order to find the services they need," Obama wrote in the memorandum (PDF). "more

Microsoft legal win over Google may signal ceasefire

So much for the power of Motorola's patents.

Google, which spent $12.5 billion to acquire Motorola and its patents in a deal that closed Tuesday, has suffered a major legal defeat at the hands of Microsoft, which successfully argued to a German court that Motorola has violated a patent related to text messaging.

The ruling means Microsoft can enforce a ban on Android products in Germany. But more importantly, it could signal an end to at least one long-running dispute between Microsoft and Android players. In the increasingly popular game of technology legal warfare, the side that gets more

Did RIM shelve an idea to license BBM to competitors, carriers?

Research In Motion had at least considered licensing BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) before its chief executive Thorsten Heins shifted focus, according to a new report.

Late last year and early into 2012, RIM's executives were drawing up plans to make BBM available for licensing to device makers and carriers, the Wall Street Journal is reporting today, citing sources. According to the publication, the platform was to be called "SMS 2.0," and would work on both Android and iOS.

To help make that push, RIM last year acquired messaging firm LiveProfile, according to the Journal's sources. The move was more