Mobile

Slices Pro for Twitter Cuts Through the Chaos
March 15, 2013

We're seeing an entire genre of Twitter clients proliferating within the Android ecosystem -- each app with its own idea about the best way to interact with the monolithic, 500 million-strong social network. OneLouder's Slices Pro for Twitter is the latest client to grab my attention -- not least because it provides a way to browse Twitter directories by category to find the best Follows.

Cool Million Gets BlackBerry's Juices Flowing
March 14, 2013

BlackBerry announced that an unnamed customer has placed an order for 1 million BlackBerry Z10 smartphones, making it the largest-ever single purchase in its history. Shipments are to begin immediately. BlackBerry executives hailed the order as a "tremendous vote of confidence" in BlackBerry 10.

All Things Appy: 5 Best Firefox Add-ons for Mobile-Desktop Syncing
March 13, 2013

One of the killer features in the Firefox Web browser is its ability to sync between desktops and mobile devices. Well, you don't have to stop there. Firefox's desktop Web ecosystem includes add-ons that will let you sync open tabs across other ecosystems, like over to Chrome; keep favorite Firefox extensions synced with all your computers; sync passwords; and sync reading matter.

Hackers Escalate Reign of Malware Terror on Android
March 08, 2013

Android has become a mobile malware magnet, according to F-Secure. A whopping 79 percent of all mobile malware targeted the Google OS in 2012, based on a new report from the firm. That was up from 66.7 percent in 2011 and just 11.25 percent in 2010. The fourth quarter of 2012 was particularly bad, it said, with attacks on Android spiking to account for 96 percent of all mobile malware.

Storage Analyzer: A Must-Have App That Has No Business Being Free
March 08, 2013

I've been running into major headaches with file-storage memory on my Android tablet. If you too have been having problems getting files to fit on your device, it may not be that your device's memory or SD card is full, but that phantom files are hogging resources. I'm usually -- carefully -- buying cheap gear. In the device business, that usually means limited on-board memory.

The Puzzling Case of the Chromebook Pixel
March 07, 2013

Here in the Linux blogosphere, most fans of FOSS are nothing if not outspoken with their many opinions. Those opinions tend to be unequivocal on matters large and small, so it's always notable when a new technology comes along that leaves bloggers scratching their heads in uncertainty. That's a rarity, needless to say, but just recently a shining example emerged: the Chromebook Pixel.

Rumored Specs, Tantalizing Ad Fuel Galaxy S IV Launch Excitement
March 04, 2013

Samsung is poised to introduce the next generation of its flagship Galaxy smartphone next week in New York City. It will be the first U.S. launch of a Galaxy handset in three years, and Samsung is heralding it with a "Samsung Unpacked" advertising blitz. It's official that Samsung will debut the Galaxy S IV, but apart from the name, all the details circulating are still rumor.

Hackathon's Goal: A Smartphone Game That Scores Points for Cancer Research
March 02, 2013

A UK-based charity is sponsoring a weekend hackathon, but those invited won't be using their coding talents to advance any business causes. The 40 programmers, gamers, graphic designers and other specialists will spend the time designing a smartphone game that can let average users help with cancer research.

OruxMaps Lets You Go as Far as Your Mapmaking Skill Takes You
March 01, 2013

Have you ever considered becoming a cartographer? It's not as hard as you might think. I've been trying out OruxMaps, a map viewer for Android that functions two ways. One mode is online with the usual suspects like Google maps, OpenStreetMap, and so on; the second and more intriguing method is offline with maps you've created yourself. Creating your own maps, while not hard, is a project.

Seamlessly Sync Photos Between Android and PC
February 28, 2013

The Last Mile has been the challenge of industries immemorial. What, you say? Well, humor me, and I'll tell you. "Last Mile" -- usually -- refers to the last part of a network, the bit that delivers communications directly into a home. It's often the hardest and most expensive part.

Samsung's Galaxy Note 8.0 Takes a Poke at iPad Mini
February 26, 2013

It's a phone, it's a tablet, it's the Galaxy Note 8.0, which Samsung unveiled this week at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. This device seems to hit the sweet spot between the 5.5-inch Galaxy Note II phone-tablet hybrid and the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet. In terms of size, it's a step up from many of the 7-inch tablets on the market, including Samsung's own Galaxy Tab 7.

Sony's Xperia Tablet Z Can Really Make a Splash
February 25, 2013

Sony introduced the Xperia Tablet Z on Monday, touting its thin form factor and powerful components at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Sony has been in the tablet market since 2011, when it introduced the Android-powered Tablet S, but the company now seems to be making a more serious play.

And Now, Ubuntu for Tablets - Wait, What?
February 25, 2013

Six weeks have passed since Canonical's splashy debut of Ubuntu for phones, but for many here in the Linux blogosphere, the memory is still crystal-clear. It came as some surprise, then, to see follow-up news announced so soon afterward. The news this time? None other than Ubuntu for tablets.

Slick Syncing May Sell You on Firefox for Android
February 22, 2013

I've taken to browsing the Web with a mobile device like a duck to water, despite the generally appalling user experience. I remember well the days of balancing hot and heavy Dell laptops on my middle, recumbent on a sofa -- peering awkwardly at an obscurely angled keyboard, lap getting hotter and hotter. Relief came when the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet debuted in the U.S. in November 2005.

In Search of Linux's Greatest Moment
February 21, 2013

There's no denying that Linux has had a lot of great moments since the turn of the millennium, and Linux Girl has done her best to highlight each and every one of them -- at least over the past six or so of those years. Recently, however, the question was the subject of a new poll that prompted vigorous debate.

All Things Appy: Top 5 Android Kitchen Apps
February 20, 2013

Distinction's Cocktail Flow features a cabinet system that lets you inventory your bar and then proposes cocktail recipes based on what you've got. This is functionality that really shows off the power of app over website or book. Shopping suggestions for augmenting your bar, along with a budget guesstimate, tell you how many new types of cocktails you're going to be able to make and at what cost.

Oracle Tries Again to Get Satisfaction in Java Case
February 20, 2013

Oracle is not letting go of its Java patent infringement beef against Google despite its sound drubbing last spring when U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup ruled that programming APIs were not subject to copyright protection. Last week, Oracle took the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

HTC Puts New Design Spin on the One
February 19, 2013

HTC launched its newest smartphone Tuesday, sporting a revamped interface and new entertainment features. The HTC One has a 4.7-inch display in an industrial-looking aluminum body. It also has a refreshed Sense interface, HTC's take on the Android operating system. The One's entertainment options include a 1080p Super LCD 3 display.

HP's Mobile Revival May Include Android
February 15, 2013

HP is reportedly working on a series of Android devices, the first of which could be a high-end tablet powered by Nvidia's Tegra 4 processor. The move is a sensitive one for HP, which tried to crack the mobile market in 2010 by purchasing Palm for $1.2 billion, but saw that investment go down the drain.

BeyondPod Takes the Tedium Out of Podcast Playlist Creation
February 15, 2013

I was horrified by the prospect of Google's Listen podcast manager app for Android being discontinued when I first heard the news some months ago. The idea of having to find again, pay for and then configure an alternative podcast app was annoying. I could really think of better things to do with a few bucks and my time -- like buy a coffee.