Will Windows 8 save Microsoft's Windows Phone 7

 Wait... what?? Microsoft has a phone?!? Yea... I know, all you hear these days are about the iPhone and Android, but yes there is such a phone called the Windows Phone 7. There hasn't been much of any news about the phone since the very small push AT&T tried around the start of the year with offering certain models at $99.99. But with the Windows 8 preview, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the struggling phone.

 

Windows Phone 7 looks very much like the opening screen of Windows 8. Very similar interface with the tile display desktop. Some people who own the Windows Phone 7 and have seen Windows 8 love the design, but of course, there are mixed reviews. But either way, when Windows 8 launches, instantly, millions of people will all ready get a feel for the Windows Phone 7. This different interface is very very different from the iOS and Android. With people utilizing the Windows 8 interface, would make them more comfortable to work with a Windows Phone 7.

So you might be walking into a store with another big name contending for the top spot along with the Android and iPhone. It will just be a matter of time until you will see a Windows Phone 8...

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Could we see Android OS on a Intel Desktop/Laptop soon?

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Intel this week promised a smartphone based on its Atom processor will hit the market in the first quarter of 2012, while Google announced plans to make future Android releases work on Intel's mobile chips.

Those developments were announced recently by Intel CEO Paul Otellini and Google's Senior Vice President of Mobile Andy Rubin, who appeared onstage together at the Intel Developer Forum.
But to analysts, the latest Intel-Google partnership wasn't all that significant, since Atom-based smartphones have been promised and delayed many times in recent years.
"Most of us didn't see what the big announcement [with Google and Intel] was," said Ken Dulaney, an analyst at Gartner. He noted that Intel's Medfield chip, based on Atom, "was always going to support Android and also MeeGo and Windows, so what's the news?"

It would almost seem that Intel's difficulty in producing smartphone chips would be a deterrent to Google's working with Intel, since Google's Android operating system already runs on the largest share of smartphone's globally, some analysts said.
Dulaney added that the "onstage presence of Rubin [at an Intel event] seemed weird because there wasn't any real meat to the announcement."
However, other analysts said the Intel-Google partnership on smartphones has a subtle meaning built of on earlier partnerships between the two on data centers and Google TV.
Jack Gold, an analyst at J. Gold Associates, said Google needs Intel more than the other way around. "Google needs a more mature, down-to-earth partner to get Google to provide rock solid, fully baked products," Gold said. "Google hasn't always been too good at that."
Intel and Google do seem to be an "odd couple," partly because Intel is so much older and traditional than Google, Gold said, although such partnerships sometimes make sense.
Gold said Google will need Intel's assistance in building future versions of Android, which will progress well beyond today's smartphones and tablets.
Intel will be most valuable to Google as a software innovator, not a chip maker, Gold added. Intel has thousands of software engineers who have been making operating systems, not just Windows, run well for years.
"Intel won't necessarily help Android run better on ARM [chips], but it certainly can make Android run great on the Intel architecture," Gold added. Google also wants to run Android on x86 computers, such as desktops and laptops, which today outnumber tablets by a ration of four to one, Gold noted. Having such a capability will help Google compete against Microsoft and Apple, especially as cloud services evolve.
Power-saving ARM chips run on the overwhelming majority of smartphones today, something that Intel wants to change with its Atom-based approach. The work that Intel provides for Android on Atom will inevitably spill over to help improve Android on ARM, Gold said.
Few analysts are publicly venturing any guesses about how well Intel will do in smartphones with the power-hungry Atom processor, even though Intel is already very late to the smartphone game. Some believe Intel should invest in an ARM-based technology to try to catch up, but Dulaney disagreed.
"Intel does not need to buy ARM technology," Dulaney said in an email. "Intel will be fine if they can get the power consumption down in the 22nm and 14nm [Intel chip] worlds when they get here."

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Android's Worried about Patent

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Should Android be worried about it's patent of its operating system? Was the open source code stolen from another provider? When it comes to the mobile market, much of the attention surrounds the recent success of Android and the ongoing popularity of Apple’s iOS. There are good reasons for this. Both platforms are running on outstanding devices, and the vast majority of consumers around the globe see them as worthwhile alternatives to anything else on the market. And yet, behind all the success that those platforms are enjoying, there are a slew of patent lawsuits being waged by both big and small companies, all in the hope of taking a bigger slice of a market that could generate many more billions of dollars in the coming years.

In many of those lawsuits, especially those involving Oracle, Microsoft, Barnes & Noble, and Apple, Android is the target. According to the plaintiffs, Google’s Android operating system is infringing patents they hold, and the companies want to either collect a licensing fee on that or stop the sale of the products altogether.
For its part, Google has complained about all that litigation, saying that it does little else but stifle innovation in the marketplace and hurt consumers. And yet, the company has been acquiring patents all over the place. In the summer, Google shelled out more than $12 billion to buy Motorola Mobility in an effort to shore up its patent portfolio.
In addition, Google acquired more than a 1,000 IBM patents in July. Then, on Sept. 15, Google confirmed it purchased another trove of patents from Big Blue.
All that action seems to indicate quite clearly that Google is extremely worried about patents.
Google is worried with good reason. Here are some reasons this story is worth following:
1. Its patent portfolio falls short
The biggest issue with Google right now is that its patent portfolio is simply not as strong as the competition’s holdings. That’s precisely why Google has been so outspoken about the litigation going on in the marketplace, and why it has acquired so many patents from IBM. If Google had a stronger patent portfolio, its attitudes would be much different.
2. Litigation is everywhere
The last thing Google wants is to get hit with more lawsuits. Currently, the company is embroiled in a lawsuit against Oracle. And its operating system, Android, is being hit from all sides by Microsoft, Apple and others. Litigation is simply everywhere right now, and Google, with its aforementioned sub-par patent portfolio, isn’t too happy about that.
3. Android is under attack
The odd thing about Google’s issues with patent litigation is that, for the most part, it’s not the subject of many of the lawsuits. As mentioned, only Oracle is really taking aim at Google; all the others are targeting Android. However, if Apple continues to win cases in Europe, it might just use those victories as precedents to go after Google itself. In other words, Android’s defense is holding up for now, but over the next several months and years, all that can change. And that makes Google nervous.
4. It’s a matter of survival
Although arguments can be made that patent litigation isn’t good for anyone—companies or consumers—it’s a reality. And depending on how a court decides, it can have a profound impact on the mobile space. Make no mistake, there is a lot riding on the patent cases currently being waged. If Google and its Android vendors lose, there’s no telling what the future might look like for the operating system. At this point, holding strong against these cases is a matter of survival for Google.

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iOS 5 Beta: 20 Existing Android Features that Could Power iPhone 5 and iPad

Apple's iOS 5 operating system, which is going to power iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod touch 3rd generation, iPod touch 4th generation, iPad, iPad 2 and iPhone 5, is now under beta testing.

During WWDC 2011 keynote address, important iOS 5 features were announced by Scott Forstall. Through many stages of beta testing by developers, a few of the features inside iOS 5 have been uncovered. However, most of these features already existed in Google's Android operating system.

Google Inc has led the way with Android in 2011, forcing traditional players like Apple copy the features that have made Android devices sell well in the market. Apple holds the distinction of proudly reinventing the smartphone and tablet, but it was slowly being overtaken by Android, due to the many features the Apple operating system lacked.
The general notion is that Apple innovates and everyone else copies, but the recent unveiling of iOS 5 shows a different angle  altogether. With Android-powered devices selling well in the market, some of its features have been copied onto the iOS 5. The Cupertino wizards have taken bits and pieces from their competitor, applied the customary layer of fit and finish, and polished the experience to a shine. Here is a look at all the features that are going to power iPhone 5.
Notification Center:
The first feature announced by Apple during the conference was Notification Center. The users can get to notification center by just swiping the finger down from top and access the entire notifications store in one place. The Android notifications have always appeared in the top bar of their operating system. It shows time, battery state, and network state, Bluetooth and GPS, among other icons. Android also shows icons in the notification bar when there is an update about a text message, email or voicemail. In fact, the biggest advantage of having a notification bar is that notifications don't interrupt you, and the bar disappears quickly. The notifications feature has been available in Android since 2008.
Background Updates:
The iOS 5 has a new feature known as Newsstand, where one can subscribe to magazines and newspapers and have updates downloaded in the background. But the Android OS has had background updates and sync for quite some time. The nice thing about the Android story is that the APIs for this are public.
Cloud Sync:
Cloud computing is in Google’s DNA. Google has been pushing the technological bounds of cloud computing for more than ten years. Today, feedback and usage statistics from hundreds of millions of users in the real world help them bring stress-tested innovation to business customers at an unprecedented pace. Because data in Google Apps is stored in the cloud instead of on employee computers, multiple users can access and contribute to projects simultaneously without worrying about using the same operating system, software, or browser.
Before Cloud Syncing became a reality, the users had to ensure that data was secured somewhere, like in an external hard drive, and then copy it back onto a phone's SD card. One of the biggest advantages of using cloud technology is the ability to access one's data on multiple devices.
On Android phones, when a user signs into his or her Google account, it syncs all of his or her personal data using Google's popular services. The iPhone users will have the same privilege now with “iCloud.” iOS 5 is expected to bring iCloud to users. Apple Inc. announced the launch of its cloud service at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 6, 2011. The iCloud service enables users to store data such as music files for download to iPhones, iPods, iPads and personal computers running Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows on computer servers owned by Apple.
Reminders:
The iOS 5 has Reminders, a location-based organization tool that aims to offer improved to-do lists that are compatible with iCal, Outlook and iCloud. On Android there is full multitasking, so a system level engine for reminders is not needed. Apps like Astrid or Taskos can handle this sort of functionality by themselves. The Reminders in iOS 5 are supported by geolocation feature. However, Android users are very familiar with location aware apps.
For geolocation in Android mobile phone, check out Location Alert. The app is free, intuitive and works as advertised. The app is integrated with Google Maps and you can just tap a location on the map to set a reminder around that place. You may create one-time alerts or ones that repeat on particular days.
Wireless Sync:
The iTunes content can be synced without plugging in. Now users can wirelessly sync their iOS device to their Mac or PC over a shared WiFi connection. But Android users have been living the untethered lifestyle for a good long time. Android-powered phones, with support from third-party apps, have allowed users to sync their music, movies, tasks, bookmarks and contacts wirelessly between the phone/tablet and a PC/Mac for a long time. In fact, iOS 5 wireless sync is a system-level sync option, but the difference in Android is that you can push or pull content to the device and it exists in the file system for all apps.
OTA updates:
From iOS 5 forward, devices can now self-update the system software right on the device itself through Wi-Fi or 3G. Users don’t have to download and install entire OS as delta software updates are enabled. Considering Android, the software updates are delivered OTA and if you want to get content on your device, you don’t need to go anywhere near a USB cable. Since Android allows apps the option of accessing the SD card as mass storage, you can push files to your file system via apps like Dropbox, Awesome Drop, and Winamp.
Tabbed Browsing:
There is new tabbed browsing option in iPad to switch between WebPages. There is a “Private Browsing” option similar to Firefox and Incognito on Chrome. Also Wesbsite specific date can be deleted.
The Honeycomb tablet came with the tabbed browsing option when it was launched. However, Apple was dependant on alternative browsers for the iPhone or iPad.
Twitter Integration:
Apple announced that it is bringing deep Twitter integration to all of its iOS-based devices and to many of its own apps, including Camera, Photos, Safari and Maps. That integration also, of course, extends to Contacts, where you'll be able to link your contacts to their Twitter handle and keep their information updated accordingly, much like Android. In Android 2.0 Google added the ability for app developers to hook their apps into the Android sharing and contacts system. Moreover, in Android any application can become part of the sharing menu. For example services like Read It Later, Android2Cloud, TweetDeck, Seesmic and Plume can access the sharing menu.
Voice Control:
Apple plans to integrate Voice control through iOS 5. The latest iOS 5 beta clearly showed that iOS 5 will have voice recognition in the final release. Siri has an iOS app that allows users to use plain English voice commands like "find me a taxi". Apple is rumored to add these features to iOS. In fact, Apple purchased the voice control app Siri in 2010. Siri uses items stored on your phone like location data, calendar information, music metadata and contacts to help satisfy verbal requests. Assistant, which will presumably be built using Siri's technology, will also use this information to serve the user in a similar way, not as a standalone app, but built into the iPhone 5.
Android has pretty advanced voice recognition. Google led the wave when it came to integrating voice recognition into mobile phones. It has offered Google Search by Voice for Android since 2009. Google remains committed to the advancement of voice control in its operating system. Voice search is a pillar of the service, with most Android devices sporting a dedicated button bringing up the search dialogue. Google envisions a future of accurate text-to-voice translations and is already testing out that functionality in the beta version of Google Translate.
Camera Shortcut when Phone is Locked:
There’s a camera button on the lock screen, and you can use the volume up button to take a picture in iOS 5. In fact HTC Sensation has a lock screen camera shortcut available in it.
Safari:
The Safari browser has a simplified reader view but Android applications like Pulse, Instapaper, and Google Reader provide simplified readers.
iPad Split Keyboard:
iOS 5 brings a cool split keyboard for easier typing with your thumbs. The user just has to swipe down with fingers to reveal it. The virtual keyboard customization is already offered in the Android OS.
Widgets:
If you want a persistent notification of weather conditions, Android has always been able to do that. Widgets certainly make a lot of difference to have a quick snapshot of information without having to open the apps on weather, stocks, news and similar other services. The new iOS 5 Notification Center has some items that are being billed as replacements for notifications. The ones shown off were stocks and weather bars with live updating information.
iMessage:
iMessage lets people communicate in real time. Users can send text messages, photos, videos, contacts, group messages, and more, from any iDevice. This service is very similar to BlackBerry Messenger.
Although Android doesn’t have full functionality like BlackBerry Messenger, there is Google Talk and AIM. Google Talk is an open protocol, so it is usable by anyone with a Google account. Apps like Kik and GroupMe can manage most of this, and its cross-platform. And SMS can be used as replacement for messaging service.
While iMessage might be a step in the right direction, iOS 5 is not the only one developing an answer to the wildly popular messaging client called WhatsApp. Google is also developing its own WhatsApp alternative. So iMessage might not necessarily be a reason for iOS 5 to be better than Android.
Rich Text Formatting:
There are third party apps to support rich text formatting in Android while the Mail app will help iOS 5 for this.
..... more below.

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