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San Francisco – The Android OS will soon join the iOS and BlackBerry 10 operating systems in providing native software support for Bluetooth Smart Ready technology, Google announced here at its developers conference.
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New York — Hewlett-Packard unveiled its first Android-based, Tegra 4-powered tablet/laptop hybrid today with the introduction of the SlateBook X2.
The company also expanded its Windows 8-based Split X2 tablet/laptop hybrids with the addition of a 13.3-inch model.
The SlateBook X2 is HP’s first venture outside the Windows operating system for a laptop or tablet. The SlateBook has a 10-inch FullHD touch display and a full-size detachable keyboard; it comes with batteries in both the keyboard and tablet sections.
Reston, Va. – The Android OS lost share among U.S. smartphone users in the three months ending March compared to the previous three-month period, and Apple gained share at a faster rate than Samsung, a comScore consumer survey found.
For the three-month period ending in March, Android’s share of smartphones in use slipped on a sequential basis by 1.4 percentage points to 52 percent while Apple’s iOS share gained 2.7 percentage points to 39 percent.
Boston — Strategy Analytics reported that 40.6 million tablets shipped during the first quarter, and Apple continued to lead the market.
The research firm said the number of tablets shipped rose 117 percent from the 18.7 million shipped during the same period in 2012.
Apple was responsible for 19.5 million of the units, for a 48 percent share of the market. Despite still controlling almost half the market, Apple saw its share fall dramatically from the 63.1 percent it controlled in 2012.
New York — Gartner is forecasting double-digit worldwide growth for mobile phones, tablets and ultrathin laptops for the next four years.
The only category expected to decline during this period is desktop PCs and laptops.
The research firm reported that 2.4 billion connected devices will ship this year, up from 2.2 billion in 2012. This figure will climb to 2.6 billion by 2014 and hit 2.96 billion by 2017.
Mountain View, Calif. — Andy Rubin, who led Google’s drive to create the Android OS for smartphones and tablets, has decided to “hand over the reins and start a new chapter at Google,” CEO Larry Paige announced.
Paige didn’t say whether Rubin would continue in a new role at Google but said Android efforts will be taken over by Sundar Pichai, who will also continue to lead Google’s Chrome OS and Apps efforts.
Paige said Rubin and his staff “exceeded even the crazy ambitious goals we dreamed of for Android.”
Framingham, Mass. — IDC is forecasting that Android-based tablets will take over as the market share leader from Apple iOS in 2013 and maintain this lead going forward.
IDC also upped its worldwide tablet shipment numbers to 190.9 million, from 172.4 million, due to the increased volume of smaller-screen-size tablets expected to hit the market this year. IDC expects at least 350 million tablets to ship by 2017.
Barcelona, Spain — Hewlett-Packard is going to give the tablet business a second try.
The company announced the Android 4.1-based HP Slate 7 at the Mobile World Congress show, here. The 13-ounce device has a 7-inch display, ARM dual-core Cortex A9 1.6GHz processor, and a 3-megapixel webcam. It has a stainless-steel frame and comes in either red or black.
Shipping will start in April at $169.
The headline is a little misleading. Santa’s online service was really not involved, but the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s (NORAD) Tracks Santa program hit highs in calls, emails and social-media followers on Dec. 24.
The 57-year-old operation, which is run by volunteers out of Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, uses NORAD’s worldwide radar network and defense satellites to keep tabs on St. Nick as he travels the world.
New York — Wireless carriers continue to reveal more details about their fourth-quarter product launches.
U.S. Cellular said the Galaxy Note II “phablet” will be available tomorrow at $299, Verizon said the Note II pricing at $299 with availability in the coming weeks, and Sprint revealed that it became the first carrier to offer an Android 4.1 update for the Samsung Galaxy SIII.
AT&T said Sony’s Xperia TL Android smartphone, to be featured in the next James Bond movie, will be available Nov. 2 at $99.
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