Nikon to pay Microsoft royalties for Android cameras under patent deal

coolpix

What does Microsoft have to do with the Nikon camera pictured here? Nope, it isn’t running a form of Windows. Microsoft has reached a patent licensing agreement with Nikon to receive royalties on cameras that use Google’s Android operating system. It’s the latest in a series of licensing deals between Microsoft and Android device makers,… Read More…

SwiftKey for Android challenges Swype with integrated ‘Flow’ input

swiftkey

SwiftKey, the popular keyboard app for Android devices, launched a new version overnight that incorporates a feature called SwiftKey Flow, letting users type by gliding a finger across the keyboard to connect letters, maintaining contact with the screen. Sound familiar? Yes, it is very similar to the core functionality of Swype, made by a Seattle-area… Read More…

Kindle Fire scorching Android tablet market with 33% share

Will Kindle's soon have airbags to prevent cracked screens?

In terms of dominating the Android tablet market, Amazon’s Kindle Fire is on fire. According to some rough estimates from mobile app analytics service Localytics, Kindle Fire devices in the U.S. alone account for 33 percent of all Android tablets worldwide. The United States alone has the world’s biggest tablet share at 59 percent, with… Read More…

Apple reigns as 4Q smartphone champ thanks to adopted Android users

iphone5555-small

The iPhone is still as attractive as ever — in large part because of adopted Android users — according to a new study released today by Kantar.  During the 12-week period ending Dec. 23, 2012, iOS maintained its lead atop the U.S. smartphone rankings with 51.2 percent of market sales. That’s an increase of more than… Read More…

Swype debuts Living Language to help create real-time, crowd-sourced dictionary

swype-33

The Swype keyboard for Android devices already has a pretty robust dictionary, but now it is improving even more by using crowdsourcing to analyze new words and phrases. Beginning today, the latest version of Swype now comes with Swype Living Language. Users who opt-in can share and receive trending words in real-time to help create… Read More…

Driver data: Race Capture Pro delivers real-time racing info

racecaptureprofeatured11

Race car drivers all share one thing in common: To cross the finish line in as little time as possible. Seattle-based AutoSport Labs is helping them do that with some pretty neat technology. The company just smashed its indiegogo funding goal by over 150 percent for Race Capture Pro, a revolutionary open-sourced alternative for collecting driving… Read More…

Analyze the economy with app now available for Android

economyappfeatured1

To learn how our economy is performing, you have some options. Listening to the talking-heads on T.V. is one, for example, or maybe you’d prefer delving through virtual stacks of statistics on government websites. But to make the process easier, a better option might be to use Cascade Software’s Economy app. The Seattle-based startup just… Read More…

iPhone dominates in the U.S. this holiday with 53% share: Windows Phone inches up

No white iPhone 5s were in stock at Target.

I’m not the only one spending some of my holiday shopping time picking up the new iPhone. A study out today indicates that Apple has achieved its highest ever share of smartphone sales in the U.S., accounting for 53.3 percent of sales in the past 12 weeks.  That compares to 35.8 percent of sales or… Read More…

2012 mobile trends: Samsung surging, iPad mini popular

samsung

Millennial Media, an independent mobile advertising platform, reflected on 2012 mobile trends and a few things stood out: The surging growth of Samsung and the popularity of the iPad mini. Looking at overall share of Android devices accessing apps using Millennial’s mobile ad platform, Samsung held 46 percent of impressions overall among Android devices in Q3 2012…. Read More…

App of the Week: ‘Ink’ takes the pain out of holiday cards

inkcards

It’s one of my favorite year-end traditions — sending out cards to friends and family to wish them the best for the holiday season and the new year, and update them on your own life. But in this fast-paced world, it’s also a serious pain in the butt to go through the process of writing… Read More…