Latest figures from market research firm IDC reveal that Google Android and Apple’s iOS continued to dominate the smartphone scene in 2014. Microsoft and BlackBerry, however, both showed marked declines.Android enjoyed an 81.5% share of the market over the whole year, up from 78.7% in 2013. Apple slipped slightly to 14.8% from 15.1%.Windows, however, saw a 0.6% drop from 3.3% to 2.7%, while BlackBerry managed to take a mere 0.4% of the market, down from 1.9%.The figures for the last quarter of 2014 show a similar picture, with Apple enjoying a slight surge due to its record–breaking iPhone sales for the three months from October to December.Android saw a small drop from 78.2% to 76.6%, while Windows and BlackBerry both experienced declines of 0.2%.The stats bear out the harsh truth that beyond Android and iOS, rival operating systems are struggling to compete.Windows, despite a glitzy new launch, remains niche and unloved by developers, while BlackBerry’s relevance has shown a huge fall since its heyday almost ten years ago.
Showing posts with label google android. Show all posts
Showing posts with label google android. Show all posts
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Posted by Arslan Ahmad on 11:10 PM
The progression of the Android Lollipop 5.0 update has been a slow one. While many Android users are waiting for the initial update to come to their devices, others are already figuring out all of the new setting this update allows.The Android Lollipop 5.0 now lets users activate toggle settings with Google Now's voice activation. However, in order for the voice activation to work, the latest version of the Google search app must be running.For example: say, "Ok Google, turn on/off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Flashlight" to get to the settings. A card and small toggle will be shown on the screen, indicating the change. The card and toggle are also there for users who need to make adjustments or correct the action if the activation was not intended. If the devices' sound is on, confirmation of the action performed will happen.Last year, the voice activation would take users to the settings and users would have to make the changes manually. Many thought this was fruitless as voice activation should allow users to adjust settings hands-free. Other settings, such as GPS and Airplane mode, that could be used with the voice activation are still unavailable. For now, only their setup menus appear if users ask Google to toggle them.Android Lollipop 5.0 is only available to 1.6 percent of its users. They said, "Since Google Now is an integral part of the Android Lollipop experience, it is no surprise that Google is tweaking its personal digital assistant to help users get more out of the latest and greatest iteration of Android."
Posted by Arslan Ahmad on 10:59 PM
Microsoft has been churning out new apps at an impressive speed, putting the best it has to offer on competing platforms like Android and iOS along with its own Windows devices. Now there’s one more new app from the company to check out, an Android keyboard meant for getting work done.The new keyboard is designed specifically to work with Microsoft’s Excel app, and comes from the company’s experimental Garage incubator project. It’s a pretty simple keyboard, but adds a 10-key number layout on the left side like you’ve probably seen on some classic physical keyboard. That means you can blaze through Excel and other projects without needing to switch back and forth between letters and numbers.Unfortunately, there are a few limits to what the new keyboard can do. It only works on tablets, which makes sense since it’s a little too wide for smaller smartphone screens. It’s also limited to English characters for now, and doesn’t even include correct or gesture-based typing.Still, the new keyboard should be a welcome addition for any work-obsessed Android fans. Hopefully it won’t be too long before Microsoft improves the app, and maybe even releases an iPad version as well.
Posted by Arslan Ahmad on 10:50 PM
The new SDK allows developers to craft and update their Pebble apps with the new features of the Pebble Time, such as the color screen and built-in microphone, in mind. Pebble gave a rundown some of the more notable features in version 3.0:
- Support for 64 colors which all have a name!
- A brand new animation framework
- PNG and Animated PNG support in the SDK
- Detecting which platforms you are building for at compile time
- Much more to come!
Pebble notes that apps that were built for the current version of the wearable are compatible with the 3.0 SDK with only minor changes required. Additionally, developers will also enjoy increased available memory (up to 64kb) and an unchanged screen resolution.
The release of the SDK comes in the wake of news from earlier today that the Kickstarter campaign for the Pebble Time has already surpassed the record-breaking funding of the original Pebble watch with 29 days left to go.
Posted by Arslan Ahmad on 10:47 PM
The search giant has looked at how sponsored advertisements have performed on organic search results and now Google will be introducing a similar system for developers to take advantage of. In the coming weeks, a limited selection of consumers will see adverts from a pilot group of advertisers running the new system for their apps.There's a reason a developer might want to promote their app on Google Play: there's good money to be made. Says Google:
In fact, in the past year, we paid more than $7 billion to developers distributing apps and games on Google Play. We remain as committed as ever to making Google Play the best place to find great apps, games and other entertainment.
It'll be interesting to see how developers (and the larger companies like King and co.) utilize search ads within the store, and whether or not they will be of any use for consumers. More than 100 billion searches are made every month in Google Play, so there's a huge opportunity for exposure here — developers will just have to pay for it.
Posted by Arslan Ahmad on 10:44 PM
According to a new report today, Google is looking at implementing a new ad targeting-system for YouTube. The new system would seek to make YouTube more profitable after years of struggling to generate significant revenues.Citing unnamed sources, The Wall Street Journal says that YouTube managed to pull in $4 billion in revenue last year. While this is up from $3 billion the year before, the service only managed to break even after accounting for content and equipment costs.In light of the lack of profits, the Wall Street Journal says that Google is actively looking at introducing a new ad-targeting system that takes advantage of a user's search history from its own sites:
For example, someone researching vacation plans via Google search might see commercials for Caribbean getaways on YouTube. Today, YouTube advertisers are left to guess who is planning a vacation based on other travel websites that DoubleClick has spotted them visiting.
According to the report, the new ad-targeting system could debut sometime later this year.
Posted by Arslan Ahmad on 10:37 PM
Google has announced today the official launch of an initiative called Android for Work. Through the program, Google has teamed up with several partners to integrate enterprise-level security into the Android platform.
Google originally announced and previewed Android for Work back in 2014 at Google I/O. The main idea behind the program is to allow workers to use their personal phones for work tasks, but keep work and personal content and data separate. Google gave the following breakdown of what users can expect from the initiative:
- Work profiles – We've built on the default encryption, enhanced SELinux security enforcement and multi-user support in Android 5.0, Lollipop to create a dedicated work profile that isolates and protects work data. IT can deploy approved work apps right alongside their users' personal apps knowing their sensitive data remains secured. People can use their personal apps knowing their employer only manages work data and won't erase or view their personal content.
- Android for Work app – For devices running Ice Cream Sandwich through Kitkat, or that don't run work profiles natively, we've created the Android for Work app. The app, which delivers secure mail, calendar, contacts, documents, browsing and access to approved work apps, can be completely managed by IT.
- Google Play for Work – Google Play for Work allows businesses to securely deploy and manage apps across all users running Android for Work, simplifying the process of distributing apps to employees and ensuring that IT approves every deployed app.
- Built-in productivity tools – For everyday business tasks, we've created a suite of business apps for email, contacts and calendar, which supports both Exchange and Notes and provides document editing capabilities for documents, spreadsheets and presentations.
To make all of this work, Google has teamed up with a large number of industry partners such as Citrix, Adobe, Samsung, BlackBerry, Cisco, and many, many more. Google says these partnerships have allowed it to create a set of APIs to bring easier management of Android devices to IT departments, as well as create secure business apps and more secure devices.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Posted by Arslan Ahmad on 2:55 PM
Christmas is less than a week away, which means, friends, that this is the final Week in Gaming you'll read/endure in 2014 - please weep/rejoice as appropriate.
There was probably a moment many years ago, around the time you first saw Back to the Future Part II, that you imagined what 2015 might look like. It was the year Marty McFly famously stepped on the hoverboard, and maybe you hoped we'd all be playing games with our minds and eating pills instead of meals.
Now take a look out the window. Disappointing, isn't it? Ours cars can't even fly.
Alas, you'll have to keep fantasising for now, but to help keep the faith alive I'll kick off this week's gaming frenzy with some rather rad news: Xbox virtual reality is happening.
TechRadar has been informed by multiple sources that dev kits for Microsoft's VR headset are already in the hands of some developers. That alone is exciting enough, but the HMD is also looking hopeful for a E3 2015arrival.
We're unable to confirm exactly what the headset will look like, but there have been suggestions that it may blend virtual reality and augmented reality to give it a unique edge over Sony's Project Morpheus.
Actually, we say that's the most exciting news of the week but we did also get Hearthstone on our Android tablets. It's no coincidence that productivity levels have been dropping ever since - good thing we can blame Christmas spirit or some other nonsense.
Snow problem
You know that feeling when you see someone wearing an ugly Christmas jumper unironically, and all you can think is 'I want to run you down with my Landstalker'? Well get grandma round because GTA 5 is making that dream come true this Christmas thanks to some festive DLC.
Rockstar has dropped a huge crate of goodies for GTA 5 players, including a new homing missile and proximity mines "to make spirits bright", some pyjamas and "ugly" jumpers, new masks, and the promise of some holiday crate drops that'll be stuffed with Christmas cheer. Cheer meaning "probably explosives".
But our favourite stocking filler from Rockstar is the promise of occasional snowfall in Los Santos, during which you'll be able to partake in snowball fights with your friends. "But be forewarned," says Rockstar, "those icy little suckers can pack a wallop." See kids, who needs real Christmas when you can live in your Xbox and pummel each other to death with snowballs there instead? Marvel at how lifelike the blood looks at it seeps into the snow.
Our strangest story of the week goes to Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Nintendo's shot at giving the animated mushroom its own spinoff. After a year of countless release delays from a multitude of publishers, Nintendo did the unthinkable: it actually brought the launch forward by two weeks.
Oddly enough, that night I dreamt I was navigating my way through one of the levels as Toad and his mushroom friends chased me, pick axes in their hands and a homicidal look in their eyes. This game is already giving me nightmares. I must buy it.
So long, old friend
But unfortunately all of this has been overshadowed by some extremely sad news. This week it was announced that our fellow CVG will be closing its doors. Some of the content will be migrated over to GamesRadar but currently none of the existing staff will stay, which means it truly is the end of an era.
As the world's oldest video game brand, CVG has witnessed (and in many ways helped) a niche industry unfurl into something massive and mainstream, perhaps against the odds. So we doff our hats to this brilliant publication, and all the laughs and brilliant content you've given us over the years. If you've even so much as glanced at CVG during its time, these messages from the editors reflecting on 33 years of brilliance are well worth a read.
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