Google Acquires Motorola

AUG. 15, 2011 • Google Inc. will pay nearly $12.5 billion to acquire Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. Although Google has marketed its own Android phones with hardware sourced from partner electronics manufacturers, the acquisition of Motorola puts the company in direct competition with smartphone makers who use the Android OS. No change is expected in Google’s policy of giving rights to use Android to these hardware manufacturers for free in order to buil.....

100 Million Android Devices Worldwide

MAY 11, 2011 • Google reported that there were now more than 100 million Android devices operating worldwide. What’s more, 400,000 new Android devices are registered every day. Impact: DFC Intelligence forecasts that the number of Andorid devices is expected to grow to over 500 million by 2016.  This will compare to an estimated 200 million users of the iOS.  Of course, in terms of app.....

Android Not Ready for Netflix

NOV. 12, 2010 • Citing a lack of a generic or complete platform security and content protection mechanism available for Google’s Android mobile phone system, Netflix disclosed it had no immediate plans to stream video content to all Android phones as it has with the iPhone or Windows Phone 7.  Netflix instead will work with the individual hardware manufacturers to to craft DRM solutions that will permit secure content streaming. .....

Android Apps Send Private Info

OCT. 1, 2010 • Both Penn State University and Intel Labs have found 15 Android apps were discovered to be sending private information, as well as relaying GPS coordinates to remote advertising network servers as often as every 30 seconds whether advertisements were displayed or not. The Android OS requires that app request for such information access during the installation process, but that doesn’t mean such prompts fully disclose the extent of the priva.....