2.3 Gingerbread now on almost 40% of Android devices

Google announced the latest software breakdown for Android today (what, you didn’t think there was only one announcement going on, did you?) and the numbers are promising. 38.7% of devices running Android are using version 2.3, “Gingerbread”, the latest smartphone version officially supported by Google. For what’s probably the first time this year, less than half of the Android userbase is running on Froyo.

That isn’t a particularly encouraging figure, but at least more and more carriers and manufacturers are releasing phones with the latest version of Android available. Since this summer it’s been unusual to see a new product announced with anything except Gingerbread or Honeycomb running on its silicon, a promising sign that both consumers and manufacturers are beginning to expect up-to-date software to match the hardware. Unfortunately, with the exception of Nexus-class phones, older devices are still rarely upgraded to more than one major Android version past their release date.
The third-largest chunk of the userbase is running Android 2.1, at just under 12%. That’s a relevant figure, since 2.1 users are far more likely to run into app compatibility issues than 2.2 users. Honeycomb, Google’s official tablet version of Android, is still only running on 1.6% of devices more than six months after the debut of the Motorola XOOM. There’s no two ways about it: Android is getting whipped in the tablet market. Here’s hoping that the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich will fix at least some of these woes by unifying the latest version of Android on both slates and phones – however long that takes.
[via ReadWriteWeb]

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iPhone 4S versus the Android competition

The eyes of the world were on Cupertino today, as Apple unveiled their next generation iPhone 5 slightly improved iPhone 4S. While much of the focus of the keynote address was on new features in iOS 5, there are some definite hardware and software upgrades to the top-tier iPhone model to consider. To see how the iPhone 4S stacks up against the competition, we pitted the flagship phones from Samsung, Motorola, HTC and LG against it in a hardware showdown. Here’s how the Galaxy S II, DROID BIONIC, Sensation 4G and G2x compare:

As you can see, the iPhone still bests just about everything in screen resolution, but falls far behind in the screen’s physical size. That isn’t an important factor for some, but it’s a big deal for others. The iPhone 4S’ processor is well in line with the rest, but we don’t have numbers on certain specs like RAM and battery capacity, so a hard line comparison is difficult. The iPhone’s radio brings it up to speed with “4G” phones, but only on AT&T. While the iPhone’s most expensive model has a jaw-dropping 64GB of storage, Apple once again eschewed any sort of removable memory.
Of course, this chart only includes currently-selling phones. New competitiors like the Samsung Galaxy S II HD and Galaxy Note best the iPhone as far as the screen goes, and who knows what goodies are lying inside the DROID RAZR or Nexus Prime. We’ll have to wait a few weeks for details on the latest and greatest in the Android world – for new smartphone hardware from Apple, be sure to tune in in about 12 months or so.
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ZTE 10.1″ quad-core Tegra 3 tablet spotted

ZTE is better known for their feature phones and low priced Android offerings but has been surprising the world of Android lately. ZTE appears to be going big and have stepped into the quad-core tablet game with a few Honeycomb tablets of their own. We first saw the Tegra 3 touting 7″ version last week, and now it seems the 10.1″ tablet is also in the wild.



















Pictured above is the new ZTE 10.1″ Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet, nicely powered by the quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3, a 5MP camera, and a 3250 mAh battery. We don’t really have any other details at this point and the paperwork found with the tablet suggests Android 2.3 Gingerbread although this is most likely just an early developer unit not running the latest Honeycomb. I’m concerned with that small battery combined with a quad-core myself, but NVIDIA has stated a few times Kal-El is extremely efficient.
Do take note that the pictures don’t actual say Tegra 3 like the smaller sibling we saw last week, but we are betting it will carry the same internals. Looking at the images the device does seem very thin and to have a nice form factor, if they are able to fit all that into a thin package this would make for one truly awesome tablet.

We also spot a few references to NFC support, something not many tablets currently offer, so that is another plus for the ZTE tablet. We don’t have any solid facts or details other than what sources have outlined but we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for more details.
[via PocketDroid]

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iPhone 4S, Siri and today’s Apple event – EVERYTHING you need to know in a handy list.

It’s been months in the making, and today we finally have confirmation from Apple, as well as a few squashed rumors. Apple has released the iPhone 4S today, as well as iOS 5 and the addition of Sprint in the company’s lineup of US carriers.
Funny enough, we got confirmation of the 4S name via Apple’s own Japanese store site, less than an hour before launch. Most of these rumors were nailed down prior to today’s event, but it’s good to finally get completely confirmation. That said, here’s a rundown of everything that happened today, plus links to our coverage for the specifics.

The Business of Apple

CEO Tim Cook opened, taking the stage with the obvious statement of “this is my first prouct launch since being named CEO”. The event is being held in what Apple calls the Town Hall. It is the place where the original iPod was launched, 10 years ago.

 “Today we’ll remind you of the uniqueness of this company as we announce innovations from our mobile OS, to applications, to services, to hardware, and more importantly the integration of all these into a powerful, simple, integrated experience.”

Cook goes on to talk about the “enormous momentum of Apple, specifically the retail stores. Cook then highlights the year to date for Apple:
Retail Stores

• Apple’s Shanghai store had 100,000 visitors on its first weekend. It took the LA store a month to reach that number
• More Macs were sold on the opening day of the Shanghai store than in any other store in the world
• Apple now has 357 stores around the world

Mac vs PC

• OS X Lion has been downloaded 6 million times. 80% more than Snow Leopard (It took Windows 7 20 weeks to do what Lion did in 2)
• The Mac outgrew the PC market six-fold, 23% vs 4%, with 60 million Mac users worldwide

The iPod

• Launched 10 years ago, 300 million in sales
• 45 million sold in the last year, ending in June
• Nearly 50% of all people buying iPods are buying their first one

The iPhone

• 125% year over year growth
• 93% of Fortune 500 companies are testing or deploying the device
• JD Power rated #1 six times in a row
• Holds only 5% share of the overall market in handsets

The iPad

• 95% customer satisfaction rates
• 92% of Fortune 500 are deploying or testing the iPad
• 80% of hospitals in the US are testing or deploying the device
• 3 out of 4 tablets sold in the US are iPads

iOS

• 500,000 apps in the app store
• 140,000 of the 500k are for iPad
• 61% of mobile browsing belongs to iOS
• 18 billion downloads from the App Store in 3 years, 1 billion per month
• $3 billion paid to developers

iOS 5

iOS 5 will land on October 12th, 2 days before the launch of the new iPhone and it will be a free update.
What’s new aside from what we already know?
Cards

Apple is introducing a new application that allows you to design cards on your iPhone, then have them mailed to anywhere:

“Apple is literally going to mail things, physically, for you. You create the card on your iPhone and we’ll do the rest.”

Friends and Family App
Free with iOS 5 and for Lion users. Locate your friends and family with your iPhone.
The rest of iOS 5, we  have detailed pretty deeply. In short you can expect big changes to the following:

• iMessage
• Reminders
• Newsstand
• Camera
• Safari

The iPod

Phil Schiller took the stage to talk about the iPod, stating that he wanted to give updates on 2 of the lines today.
The iPod Nano touch gets a refresh, with Nike+ built in, 16 new clock faces and  will be available for $129 and $149 in 8 and 16-gigabyte versions respectively.
The iPod touch, inarguably Apple’s #1 selling iPod, also gets an update. iOS 5 gives great updates, as does iCloud, both of which help you to do more and save space. The touch model iPod is now available in white, for $199, $299 and $399 for 8, 16 and 32-gig models.

The iPhone

And now for the announcement we’ve all been waiting to hear, Apple tells us about the iPhone 4S . It has the same design as the iPhone 4, but inside it is “all new”.

• Apple-designed A5 Processor
• Dual-core graphics, up to 7x faster than the iPhone 4
• 8 hours of talk time, 6 hours 3G browsing, 9 hours on WiFi
• Intelligent antenna switching to fix the “antennagate” problem
• HSDPA data, for up to 14 mbit download speeds
• CDMA and GSM in 1 device makes it a “world phone”
• 8 megapixel camera
• 1080p video recording
• Screen mirroring, akin to the iPad
• Siri intelligent voice assistance

The iPhone 4S will cost $199, $299 and $399 for 16, 32 and 64 gigabyte versions, respectively. The 8-gig iPhone 4 goes to $99 and the 3GS will be free, all on 2-year contracts. The date? As we called it, October 14th, with a pre-order on October 7th.

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ZTE Skate vs Huawei Blaze

It's a battle of the budget Android this time around, as we compare the ZTE Skate with Huawei's Blaze

Not everyone has heaps of expendable income just waiting to be splashed on the latest dual-core Android or iPhone. Some of us set a budget and stick to it. But where does that leave us when it comes to picking up a smartphone?
Well, thankfully there's plenty of choice and among the leading sensibly priced devices Huawei's Blaze and ZTE's Skate stand-out as genuine contenders. But how do these two budget marvels stack up against each other?
Let's find out.

Display
ZTE's Skate features a 4.3-inch TFT touchscreen that operates at a resolution of 480 x 800 and displays 16 million colours. The device also offers a decent pixel density of 217ppi, putting it way above the likes of Samsung's Galaxy Ace, and other so-called budget smartphones.
The Huawei Blaze offers up a 3.2-inch TFT display that operates at a resolution of 480 x 320, displays 16 million colours and features a pixel density of 180ppi - which is considerably less than the Skate but still higher than the aforementioned Galaxy Ace.
Both of these devices pack a considerable punch in the display stakes, despite their modest price point but the extra screen real estate of the ZTE Skate gives it the advantage.
Winner - ZTE Skate

Power
Huawei's Blaze is powered by a single-core 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 CPU and features 512MB ROM, 256MB RAM and support for Micro SD cards up to 32GB in capacity.
While there's distinct lack of serious horsepower (and some lag at times) the smaller processor does cope amply with what it's intended to, making it a good balance of economy and necessary oomph.
The ZTE Skate raises the stakes (but not by much) with an 800MHz CPU and 512MB RAM, giving it a definite advantage over the little Huawei. The Skate offers support for Micro SD cards up to 32GB too.
Naturally we weren't expecting fire and brimstone from the device but the performance is surprisingly fluid overall!
Winner - ZTE Skate

Form
ZTE Skate - 125.9x67.8x10.4mm, 120g
Huawei Blaze - 110x56.5x11.2mm, 104g
Both of these contenders are solidly constructed, using mainly plastics. Neither are heavy, bulky or unusually uncomfortable to handle either.
The ZTE Skate definitely takes the tape ahead of the Huawei Blaze in terms of good looks though, with the latter looking like the jumbled offspring of a Nexus One and an LG Optimus P500.
Winner - ZTE Skate
Software
Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) is the order of the day here, with both devices operating on the popular Google platform.
There are minor customisations made by both Huawei and ZTE though, giving users a few widgets and apps to help spruce up their homescreen. And while the effort should be commended we wish that manufacturers would just let Android be unless they're planning on putting in some serious effort.
Both contenders perform well on the operating system, though the ZTE Skate clearly benefits from the extra 200MHz of grunt at its disposal.
Winner - ZTE Skate

CameraHuawei's Blaze features a 3.15-megapixel snapper with autofocus that performs as you'd expect it to, which is to say pretty poorly.
The device does benefit from a secondary camera though, which is a nice inclusion on a low-end smartphone.
ZTE has equipped the Skate with a solid 5-megapixel shooter that benefits from autofocus, LED flash and geo-tagging.
Performance is middling on the whole, but in decent light conditions you'll likely be pleasantly surprised with what the device is capable of producing.
Unlike the Huawei the Skate does not feature a front-facing camera though, so if video calling is a must-have you'll have to look elsewhere.
Winner - Draw

Despite its considerable charm the Huawei Blaze has been roundly beaten in this comparison, but that needn't reflect poorly on the overall appeal of the device.
At its price point (around £175) the Blaze is a very competitive little smartphone but for around £15 more you can pick up the ZTE Skate and in all honesty you couldn't spend that sum better if you tried.
The Skate is a really pleasing device to use and offers up solid performance, good looks and robust construction at an excellent price, and it's a worthy winner today.

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HTC Titan vs HTC Sensation XE

We're putting the latest Windows Phone 7.5 driven HTC device, the Titan, up against its fraternal rival, the Sensation XE

If you're undecided whether to put your money behind Microsoft's Windows Phone platform or Google's world conquering Android, today's comparison may help you out as we aim to see which device brings more to the market – the Mango flavoured HTC Titan or the Android-driven Sensation XE.

Power
The HTC Titan is powered by a Qualcomm MSM8255 chipset which consists of a 1.5GHz single-core Scorpion processor and an Adreno 205GPU.
The inclusion of 512MB RAM, when Android rivals are looking to move beyond 1GB, is a disappointment, but not one which affects the stability or speed of the device a great deal.
The Sensation XE takes the 1.5GHz processor of the Titan and doubles it, with its Qualcomm MSM 8260 Snapdragon chipset. The GPU on offer is also beefier and the Adreno 220 should cope well with games and eye candy for the foreseeable future.
It's a pity HTC didn't choose to upgrade the device's RAM though. 768MB is plenty for now, but it won't allow the device to age quite as gracefully as some of its peers.
Winner - HTC Sensation XE

Camera
Optics aren't HTC's strong suit, but we've taken a look at what these devices offer nevertheless.
The Sensation XE packs the same 8-megapixel as the original Sensation, which includes dual-LED flash, autofocus, geo-tagging, image stabilisation, face detection and instant capture.
While the spec-sheet sounds impressive it isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Image quality is unreliable at best, though it's capable of snapping some half decent snaps in good light.
The device also captures video at 1080P and boasts a secondary VGA camera for video calling.
The Titan features an 8-megapixel camera too, with autofocus, LED-flash and geo-tagging and we've yet to see some real world examples of its product, so we can't pass judgement at this stage.
The device also captures 720P video and offers a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calling.
Winner - HTC Sensation XE

Software
HTC's Titan ships with version 7.5 of Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system, otherwise known as 'Mango', and we're more than pleased with the choice of OS.
The platform is nice to look at, easy to use and features some excellent upgrades over the original release, such as beefed-up social network integration, threaded emails and the new Internet Explorer 9 which features a souped-up new Javascript compiler, making it a very fast phone to surf upon which to surf the Web.
There are too many updates to list them all individually but Microsoft has assured users there are 500 updates, so rest assured you'll find plenty to impress.
The Sensation XE runs on version 2.3.4 of Google's Android OS, and the device performs excellently on the platform.
The device is fast, stable and secure and offers users the benefit of the hundreds of thousands of apps in the Android Market, an eminently customisable user interface (made all the better by HTC's own Sense UI) and all the social network integration you can shake a stick at.
For now we still prefer Android, but Microsoft has done a great deal to buoy our confidence in its OS with Mango!
Winner - Draw

Screen
The HTC Titan features a 4.7-inch S-LCD screen which operates at a resolution of 480 x 800 and a pixel density of 199ppi - which is less than stellar.
The Sensation XE weighs-in with a smaller S-LCD screen, at 4.3-inches, but one with a greater resolution (540 x 960) and much more impressive pixel density of 256ppi.
Side-by-side there isn't a world of difference in their real world application, though if you're big on visuals and watch a lot of content on your smartphone you'd be better off siding with the higher quality display of the Sensation XE.
Winner - HTC Sensation XE

Form
HTC Titan - 131.5 x 70.7 x 9.9 mm, 160g
HTC Sensation XE - 126.1 x 65.4 x 11.3 mm, 151g
Both devices, being HTC, are of a generally high build quality. The use of high quality materials add greatly to the general aesthetic of both smartphones too, giving them both a leg-up over the plastic fantastic devices on offer from other manufacturers.
Neither will feel like a mill-stone in your pocket, but at 160 & 151 grams they won't feel floaty light either, but a reassuring weight is underrated in our opinion and both devices offer a nice balance and feeling in the hand.
Winner - Draw
While the Sensation XE has taken the tape first in this comparison it's fair to say that HTC has two winners on its hands overall.
The Titan is a fine looking, well-appointed 'Mango' device which will benefit immeasurably from the inclusion of this latest iteration of Windows Phone. It's nice to look at, nice to use and slick - nearly as slick as another fruit-based competitor!
The Sensation XE is a great device, and owing to the more polished OS, improved drive-train and smaller chassis its able to hold off the steady advances of the Titan.
We aren't sure for how long though.

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First live photo of the Nexus Prime hits the web [Updated]

If rumors are to be believed, the Nexus Prime is only days away from its debut at the Samsung Mobile Unpacked Event. If you just can’t wait until then (and who can?) an anonymous tipster has posted what is purported to be the very first photo of Samsung’s new Google hero device. Details are pretty spare, but the small photo shows a 720p display and Ice Cream Sandwich software buttons.

Rumors have been flying back and forth on the Nexus Prime/DROID Prime/Galaxy Nexus, but this is the first time we’ve gotten any look at all at the actual hardware. Though only part of the phone is shown, it’s guessed that the 4.3-inch, 1280 x 720 screen (which will presumably use Samsung’s Super AMOLED technology) is pushing more than 340 pixels per inch – in other words, beating the iPhone 4′s “retina” display. GSM Arena claims that the Honeycomb-style Android control buttons are on the screen itself, and not standard capacitive buttons. Note yet another new icon style for the buttons themselves.
Take this news with a grain of salt. While we haven’t heard anything that disagrees with the purported specs or design, it’s curious that only a small part of the Nexus Prime is shown. The comparatively tiny photo doesn’t help, and could have easily been mocked up from a similar Samsung Galaxy S II. In any case, we won’t have long to find out – Google and Samsung will probably be unveiling the new device on October 11th.
UPDATE: GSM Arena has posted a larger photo of the device, in which you can definitely tell that the Android function icons are on the screen, and not separate buttons. Click the image for a full-sized view.

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Washington Post app comes to Android

The Washington Post is one of the most popular newspapers in the country and many people read it even if they are far from the Nation’s capitol. The Washington Post app is now available for Android devices and is up for download right now. The app offers access to some content that you would find in the paper with news, politics, analysis, sports, and lots more.


The app also has enhanced weather with forecasts for the area in 7-day and hourly styles. It offers traffic information for local users and real-time metro alerts and traffic cams. The app also features photojournalism and photo essays. The app also has a breaking news alert system.
Important stores can be shared by the user via SMS, email, Facebook, and Twitter. The app was launched this week and requires Android 2.1 or higher to operate. It is a free app and so far has been installed 5,000 to 10,000 times.

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ASUS Transformer 2′s price to remain the same

One of the reasons why the HP TouchPad did so well after HP had announced their plans to discontinue webOS, was due to its massive price cut, which saw the webOS tablet drop to a mere $99 for the base model, which was a price even cheaper than certain digital photo frames! Amazon too decided to follow suit and announced that their Kindle Fire would only cost $199, even going as far as losing $10 per tablet sold.
Now if you were expecting this particular strategy to start being adopted by other tablet manufacturers, you may be in for a disappointment. While market watchers had expected ASUS to follow suit with their upcoming Eee Pad Transformers 2 tablet, the company’s CEO Jerry Shen stated that they had no plans on reducing the tablet’s price. The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer 2 is expected to go on sale for $499, which is priced similarly to the base model iPad 2.
However given that the first-generation Transformer did astonishingly well, it’s understandable that ASUS is confident that they will be able to achieve similar success with the Transformer 2 despite it being priced rather steeply. Only time will tell if ASUS’s strategy of sticking to their guns will pay off. No official word on when the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer 2 will be making an appearance.

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