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Apple’s iPhone To Face Its Toughest Challenger Yet: Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Friday November 18, 2011 @ 9:01am PSTTags: Android, Apple, Google, iPhone, Samsung

This is the first phone to run the new version of Google’s Android operating system known as Ice Cream Sandwich. Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus will use Verizon’s network and is expected to be in stores any day now; it went on sale in the UK yesterday. But, strangely, neither Samsung nor Google has set a firm date for the U.S. release or said how much it will cost  – and the model sent to gadget reviewers ran on T-Mobile’s network. Still, most are gushing over the device. Among its more striking features: It uses facial recognition technology so you can unlock the phone by putting its camera in front of your face. Also, it’s said to be able to take pictures instantly without the common and annoying cell phone shutter lag. The Galaxy Nexus has a 4.65-inch Super AMOLED screen and a 1.2 GHZ dual core processor.

Our colleagues over at BGR say that “it is the best Android handset we’ve seen far as hardware and software go…The phone finally feels like it has a personality, even if it’s that of a robot from a TRON-like world.” Engadget says that it’s “an impressive flagship phone and Android 4.0 is a significant step forward for Google.” USA Today’s Ed Baig says that “many new features are indeed a welcome treat” — but adds that he needs more time to give it a full review: He notes that the facial recognition feature sometimes didn’t work in dim light (you can use a password as well) and the battery life “doesn’t seem great.” CNET gave the phone four stars, saying that it is “a big step forward for Android, but it’s not the giant leap you may have been  expecting.”

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Netflix Updates Android Interface To Improve Video Browse And Search

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Tuesday November 15, 2011 @ 5:14am PSTTags: Android, Kindle Fire, Netflix, Netflix Online Streaming, Nook

LOS GATOS, Calif., Nov. 15, 2011 – Coinciding with the first shipments of the Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble NOOK Tablet™, Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) today unveiled a new interface for Android-powered tablets that makes browsing and instantly watching unlimited TV shows and movies streaming from Netflix better than ever.

The redesigned Netflix experience is much more immersive and provides more focus on the growing Netflix catalog by displaying twice as many titles than the previous interface. In addition, through optimization for touch-enabled tablets, Netflix members can swipe through multiple rows of titles with larger artwork. As a result, it is now much easier to discover and instantly watch movies and TV shows on Android tablets.

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Google +6% In After-Hours Trading Following Report Of Record 3Q Revenues

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Thursday October 13, 2011 @ 1:50pm PDTTags: Android, Google, Google Earnings

The search giant generated $2.73 billion in net income, up 25.8% vs the same period last year, on revenues of $9.72B, up 33%. Not including some one-time expenses, earnings came in at $9.72 a share, handily beating Wall Street’s estimate of $8.74. … Read More »

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Google To Become Mobile Handset Power With $12.5B Deal For Motorola Mobility

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Monday August 15, 2011 @ 5:43am PDTTags: Android, Carl Icahn, Google, Motorola Mobility

This is the biggest deal Google has ever made. We’ll see whether it gives the Web giant the resources it needs to make its Android-powered handsets even more potent competitors to Apple’s iPhone. But Motorola Mobility investors should be happy with the $40 a share offer — a 63% premium from Friday’s closing price: Billionaire Carl Icahn, who owns 11.4% of the company and had urged it to consider cash-generating options such as selling its patent portfolio, says the deal is “a great outcome for all shareholders of Motorola Mobility, especially in light of today’s markets.”

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. & LIBERTYVILLE, Ill.– Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Google will acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash, or a total of about $12.5 billion, a premium of 63% to the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on Friday, August 12, 2011. The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

The acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a dedicated Android partner, will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

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