Android is eating everyone’s lunch in the U.S. – except for Apple’s

The latest U.S. smartphone market share data from comScore shows an interesting twist compared to global data. Fast growth in emerging markets has sent Apple’s global market share plummeting, but the big-money U.S. smartphone market is still very much driven by high-end handsets. According to comScore’s latest data, Apple’s share of the U.S. smartphone market climbed to 39% in Q1 2013 from 36.3% in the fourth quarter last year. Over the same period of time, Android’s share of the U.S. market slid from 53.4% to 52%. Perhaps even more interesting than the figures themselves, however, is the trend among mobile operating systems in the U.S. — Android is still the nation’s top smartphone platform by a healthy margin, but its remarkable growth stopped the iPhone from enjoying impressive growth as well.

Horace Dediu at Asymco is known for putting together great visualizations that offer new perspectives on industry data, and his latest charts do a great job of illustrating where Android’s growth has come from in the U.S. smartphone market. Android’s dominance in the U.S. might lead some to believe it is growing at the expense of all other smartphone platforms, but Dediu’s recent charts paint a much different picture:

As can be seen quite clearly, as Fortune points out, Apple has continued to show steady smartphone growth in the U.S. market even as Android’s growth rate peaked in 2010. The biggest losers apart from webOS, which basically evaporated in 2011, are Microsoft and BlackBerry, both of which went from being smartphone market leaders in America to also-rans.

BlackBerry 10 and Windows Phone are locked in a heated battle in 2013 as they fight for the No.3 spot. With smartphone penetration nearing the point of saturation, any progress one or both of these platforms make will have to come at the expense of either Android or the iPhone. And make no mistake — both platforms are vulnerable right now. Apple seemingly has no plans to release a new iPhone until this coming fall and as can be seen on the charts above, Android has already taken a few steps back.

Yahoo's latest Android app integrates Summly for faster news scanning

Last week, Yahoo released an updated version of its iOS app with integrated news summaries courtesy of its recent acquisition, Summly, and now the same thing is arriving on Android. First spotted by Android Police, the new Yahoo looks practically identical to its iOS counterpart, and contains the same feature list: a never-ending visual stream of news stories, sharing to Facebook and Twitter, and an improved web search that includes images and video.

Summly's summaries condense long news articles down to 400 characters, providing more information than a headline, but remaining easy to skim at a glance. If you were patiently waiting for the Android version of Summly only to see it get shelved in the Yahoo acquisition, your time is now. That is, if you live in the US — the updated version of Yahoo appears to be unavailable internationally.

Samsung Galaxy S Advance's Android 4.1.2 XXLQE update starts rolling out

Samsung has begun rolling out a new Android 4.1.2 Jelly Beanupdate for its Galaxy S Advance mid-range smartphone, starting with Europe. Galaxy S Advance owners can check for the availability of the update in their region via the Samsung Kies software.

The firmware update, specifically called the Android 4.1.2 XXLQE Jelly Bean firmware for the Galaxy S Advance I9070, can be installed on any Galaxy S Advance, except those that are from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The update is for now available in Germany, Poland and Ukraine, but should roll out globally soon. The Samsung Galaxy S Advance’s Android 4.1.2 update will bring a load of improvements and fixes to the device, including an improved user interface and TouchWiz UI, as well as performance enhancements.

The new build also resolves some of the lag issues experienced with the original Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S Advance.

Samsung focuses on features in latest GALAXY S 4 ads

In case you aren’t a fan of the NBA and haven’t seen Samsung’s latest round of GALAXY S 4commercials this weekend, they’ve been pretty direct at poking fun at the iPhone. This week however, Samsung decided to leave out the iPhone and play nice with two brand new ad spots showcasing features of their GALAXY S 4 flagship smartphone. We enjoy watching the funny commercials, but these are good too.

Instead of making fun of those iDevices and having people question their old iPhone purchases. Or just going crazy like Microsoft’s latest attempts to lure buyers, they opted to keep these two newest TV commercials short and sweet. The first was 90 seconds long and called “Grad Pool Party” but below you can enjoy their two latest, and shorter commercials.

Below you’ll find the new 30 second ad spot called Grad Photo, where Samsung decided to stick to showcasing impressive features of the smartphone instead of talking smack on the competition. Here they simply show off the “Eraser Shot” mode on their 13 megapixel camera. Letting users quickly remove unwanted people and photo-bombers from an image. Check it out.

RunKeeper Pebble support arrives with latest Android app update

The Pebble support comes along with RunKeeper version 3.3 and in addition, there are a few other features that have been added. The Pebble support is on the simpler side, here you basically have a secondary display that will show your current RunKeeper stats. Basically, you can now look towards your wrist to see the pertinent data from your run (or other exercise session) as opposed to having to look at your smartphone.

RunKeeper became the first confirmed Pebble app a little more than a year ago and while news on that front has been a bit quiet, there is a bit of news for those who may have been waiting. In short, the RunKeeper Android app has been updated and it has brought support for thePebble smartwatch.

Shifting away from the Pebble and we also have talk of widgets and easier data entry for select details. Those select details include your weight and entry of indoor (non-GPS) activities. When entering details manually, you will see a popup that has the option to choose Indoor Activity or Your Weight.

The other addition here was the widgets. RunKeeper v3.3 is now sporting a homescreen and a lock screen widget. These widgets should make it a bit easier to see your current progress (to include time, distance and average pace) without having to fully unlock your smartphone. Of course, the lock screen widgets may not be as important to those rocking a Pebble. As one would expect, the latest RunKeeper app update can be found in the Google Play Store.

[via RunKeeper Blog]

WhatsApp bigger than Twitter, says CEO; denies Google takeover rumours

WhatsApp messaging app now has more users than Twitter, company founder and CEO Jan Koum Mobile conference in New York at AllThingsD Dive said.

Declining to cite specific figures, Koum WhatsApp 8 billion and 12 billion inbound messages and outbound messages per day produced an average of more than 200 million monthly active users, said. Twitter has 200 million monthly active users.

Which is available for iPhone WhatsApp Messenger, BlackBerry, Android and Nokia, users can communicate without having to pay for SMS allows.

After its founding in 2009 to provide a free service, WhatsApp slowly away in the annual fee is 99 cents. WhatsApp on Google is negotiating to sell Koum He denied the rumors.

"Our goal of sustainable, is to build an independent company. We want to build a business," he also ruled out running ads against the policy of WhatsApp abandoned where mobile conference, at the Dive said.

"The only thing we are mobile and messaging," Koum games, advertising and other features include a comprehensive platform that rejected the idea of ​​turning WhatsApp said.

TV Viewing get Smarter

Technological progress means that our everyday gadgets have become more smart and user friendly. And associated companies manufacturing these gadgets for the best effort. That one of India's largest electronics companies, Samsung Electronics has been the case. The company, which is home devices, ACS, television, smartphones and computers, among others products like the recently launched its new Smart TV Lineup of Premium Smart TV Series 8 and 7 were announced.

Bollywood actress Yami Gautam launched in Bangalore and were enthusiastic about the Smart TV category. Samsung ultra-high-definition TV, which is the ultimate blend of technology and craftsmanship, "while 8 series so wonderful, I love 85". She said, these images are beautifully detailed, clear and vivid picture Unmatched quality in real life. "

The event SK Kim, vice president, senior, Consumer Electronics, Samsung India, who said, "Our 2013 Smart TV range class design, superior performance and innovative features that our customers love the products were the best. Has given users a reason In order to upgrade their existing TV, because they are inactive, while the ultimate home entertainment experience to share content to create a more intuitive way to search. "

Samsung Series 8 and 7 single processor quad - core, and 40-65 inch screen sizes are available with. Smart TV rich color, deep black levels and high contrast images offer a more dynamic. They provide modern Smart Interaction, your speed and voice response, this makes it easy for you to navigate and control your TV. Samsung Smart TV series and screen sizes available in 32 "and 75" are `` priced between 37,900 and 7,50,000. Samsung 7 Series and 8 Smart TV users in 2012, the company is an evaluation kit is available that provides both the processor and the software and hardware upgrades quad - core CPU, dual-core converter to set up, will result in faster internal process the speed.

Researchers Replace Passwords With Mind-Reading Passthoughts

Remember passwords for all the sites you can get frustrating. There are just too many punctuation, numbers, substitution and large variations you can remember, and write them all down to find is rarely an option.

Thanks to researchers at UC Berkeley School of Information, you may need to type in the future pesky passwords. Instead, you only need them to feel that.

Biosensor technology by measuring the brain, researchers for the computer authentication "passthoughts" able to change the passwords. A $ 100 headset wirelessly connects to a computer via Bluetooth, and device sensors are set against the user's forehead, the (EEG) electroencephalogram provides a signal from the brain.

Other biometric authentication systems, fingerprint or retina scan for security, but they're expensive and often requires extensive resources. The NeuroSky mindset looks like any other set of Bluetooth and more user friendly, the researchers say.

But the brain is unique to each person, so if someone knew your passthought, their EEG signals emitted may vary.

Series of tests, the participants in seven different mental tasks with the device to move up and down his finger imagination and choose a personal secret, including full. Breathing, or ten seconds, with a focus on simple tasks such as resulted in a successful authentication.

Passthoughts researchers found the key, a mental task that users are searching for on a daily basis will be repeated objections. Most participants is difficult to imagine their favorite sport in a job because they imagine their muscles without the use of unnatural movement was found. Passthoughts preferable that where a particular color themes for the substances were calculated or imagined singing a song.

Mind - mind reading is very convenient, but if the devices are not accessible to people no matter exactly how the system will refuse to use the researchers explain.

Passthoughts change your passwords with you? Tell us what you think comments.