iOS 5 vs Windows Phone 7.5 – battle of the operating systems

There’s a massive smartphone war brewing, with the main participants being the iPhone 4S, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Nokia Lumia 800. But what about the three major operating systems that power these handsets? We start off by comparing iOS 5 to Windows Phone 7.5.

Usability
iOS was the first smartphone OS to get the whole touchscreen navigation thing right, and all of its rivals – including Windows Phone 7.5 – have borrowed liberally from it. Its app icon-driven interface is still a doddle to use, and the ability to swipe between multiple homescreens remains the navigation method of choice in the industry.

Windows Phone 7.5, meanwhile, has taken many of the core principles introduced by iOS and has applied them to a fresh, streamlined interface. Here there are only two home screens – the main one packed full of animated live tiles (a feature iOS could do with adopting at least partially) that offer you glanceable info and a second for all of your apps.

Winner: Draw - It’s hard to argue with iOS 5′s familiar, iterative approach, but there’s also no denying that Windows Phone 7.5′s fresh perspective has created a uniquely modern and integrated OS. One thing’s for sure – both are extremely slick and a fair bit more usable than Android.

Style
In terms of style, iOS 5 hasn’t changed all that much from the early days, which – as mentioned above – makes it the most familiar mobile OS on the market. The other side of this is that it’s also the least fresh of the lot. While we’d never call Apple’s OS ugly, it is in danger of feeling ever so slightly dated. iOS 6 needs to feature a spruce up, especially given the new competition.

That new competition is, of course, Windows Phone 7.5. And it’s gorgeous. If you’d told us four or five years ago that Microsoft would soon make an OS that was more stylish than its Apple equivalent we’d have laughed in your face, but here it is. The Metro UI is slick, inviting and easy on the eye. It even gives standard apps like eBay and Flickr the edge over the iOS and Android equivalents, so that they’re often nicer to use on Windows Phone hardware.

Winner: Windows Phone 7.5 - While die-hard Apple fans will no doubt differ, and Microsoft’s mobile OS isn’t to everyone’s tastes, it’s far easier on the eye than Apple’s four-year-old design.

Speed
We’ve only used iOS 5 on the brand new iPhone 4S, so can’t speak for the older hardware, but we do know that Apple’s uniquely holistic approach – controlling both hardware and software – means that its operating systems run like buttered silk. There’s scarcely a hint of lag or stutter as you scroll through the homescreens, and the latest web browser is extremely fast too.

Microsoft has managed to get very close to Apple’s all-in-one approach by strictly defining the hardware requirements for Windows Phone handset manufacturers. This, in conjunction with the tightly honed Windows Phone 7.5 OS, makes for a smooth navigation experience that rivals iOS 5. Its IE9 web browser is also very responsive.

Winner: draw – Both operating systems are quick and responsive, and neither requires a mountain of RAM to operate smoothly either.

Apps
Apple’s iOS has reaped the rewards of being first, as well as of being tied closely to the popular iTunes digital content service. As a result, it has by far best app store in the business – both in terms of range and quality of apps. Of course, navigation is another story, but judging by the sheer number of cheap apps on offer it would be churlish to complain too much.

This is arguably Windows Phone 7.5′s biggest weakness, and there’s at least as big a gap between the two app services as there is between their respective visual styles. Windows Phone is playing catch-up in a big way, and while progress has been made, it’s simply not yet getting the unique apps to compete with Apple’s App Store. This is also the one area in which Microsoft’s Metro UI doesn’t seem to provide a satisfying navigation experience – at least not in its current form.

Source is
http://www.fonehome.co.uk/2011/10/31/ios-5-vs-windows-phone-7-5-mango-battle-of-the-operating-systems/

iPad 3: release date, specs, iOS 5.5, screen, A6 news, rumors du jour

With Apple having steadied the iPhone lineup and finished its product releases for 2011, the focus now turns to what Apple has up its sleeve first for 2012: the iPad 3. There was some buzz that Apple might update the iPad in some form before this year ended, but that went out the window when the October press event turned out to be an iPhone-only affair. The only part of the event which related to the iPad, even tangentially, was the release of the iOS 5 operating system. True to form, Apple has said nothing regarding the iPad 3. Nothing is officially set in stone. but various details, from its release date to its likely specs to rumors regarding its screen, are beginning to emerge. With the caveat of pointing out that none of this is official, none of it confirmable, and most of it based on a mere combination of interpreting Apple’s pattern history and and common sense, here’s a look at what we think we might know regarding the iPad 3…

Release date: This one might be the easiest. Both the iPad and iPad 2 were introduced early in the spring and shipped around the end of March. That places the iPad 3 release date on track for March 2012, unless something goes wrong. The arrival of the iPhone 4S in October, after years of summer iPhone launches, demonstrated that things can in fact go wrong with Apple’s annual upgrade calendar, but most often don’t.

iOS 5.5: Apple could just as easily call it iOS 5.3 or some such, but whatever the name, the iPad 3 will arrive with a revised version of the current iOS 5 operating system. The quasi-headlining features of the new iOS update will likely tie directly into whatever new hardware features the iPad 3 delivers.

Screen: Scattered rumors have Apple’s inability to get the iPad 3 up to retina display quality as the reason why the device didn’t arrive in late 2011. Whether it can be pulled off by March 2012 is anyone’s guess…

Other specs: The iPad 2 marked the debut of the dual core A5 processor, which has since also found its way into the iPhone 4S. The year before, the iPad 1 marked the debut of the A4 processor. The safe-ish bet has the quad core A6 debuting in the iPad 3, giving the new tablet a level of computing speed which will finally begin to rival the horsepower found under the hoods of desktop and laptop computers, bringing Steve Jobs’ vision of tablets eclipsing home computers one step closer to reality.

Carriers and colors: Apple finally managed to deliver a single device in the iPhone 4S which can talk to AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon networks. The iPad 3 could do the same, eliminating the current carrier-segregated 3G models. That in turn could open the door for Apple to offer the iPad 3 in more colors than merely white and black, a limitation presumably placed on the iPad 2 out of respect for the eighteen different configurations on the market based merely on carrier, capacity, and two colors.

Source is
http://www.beatweek.com/news/12197-ipad-3-release-date-specs-ios-5-5-screen-a6-news-rumors-du-jour/

Can't not categorize your apps with folder on WP7? Solution is sonner

Whether you are Windows Phone users, or someone with smart phone, when you saw the huge variety of apps (include plenty of free apps) in app store, I believe you would be not help but start to download them. But when it comes to arrange those apps, windows phone 7 is really so weakness. There is always a started system with attractive UI seem to be so resistant to the "relatively ugly" folder function, so that these interesting apps can only scattered in the verbose start menu or the main page. But the aesthetic is fairly a small problem; sometimes searching a tool in the sea of apps without any result is rally a big problem.

Apparently many people think that instead of looking forward to the manufacturers bring you this function, why not just make one by us. Below this article there is a demo which published by WindowsPhoneHacker. You can see on the Live Title menu of Windows Phone, a folder successfully added as the feature that make the apps finally find their ownership of land. Want to have this feature? Unfortunately, this program is still in development stage and has not been officially released. But before that, you can prepare to unlock your Mango, and then make a wish to wait the release of this program with patience.

Author: Bruno+

10 Windows Phone 7.5 Apps That Showcase Mango’s Muscle

Apple iOS 5 and Google Android Gingerbread (as well as the company’s upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich) may grasp the lion’s share of the mobile operating system market share, but Microsoft is still a major player. Its Windows Phone 7 OS, the successor to the maligned Windows Mobile, uses Microsoft’s slick, tile-based “Metro” design (a vital component in Windows 8) as its core design element. Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.5 update, otherwise known as "Mango," builds on that very solid foundation by including an improved Web browser, Twitter and LinkedIn integration, a terrific interface for creating ad-hoc groups of friends, the option for Wi-Fi hotspot mode and much more.

More importantly for this piece, Mango brings increased app functionality in the form of improved Live Tiles (which now serve up even more app-specific data), App Connect (includes relevant apps that you already have on your phone in Bing results, plus recommends others), Intelligent Multitasking (you can, for example, pause a game to send a text), and Xbox Live multiplayer support. Mango, in short, is a big league update.

According to Microsoft, there are over 30,000 apps and games in the Windows Phone Marketplace that you can download to your handset. Many of these apps were written pre-Mango, so only a portion of them support the features that the update brings (Facebook, Spotify). Microsoft, however, is encouraging developers, both new and existing, to write their code with Windows Phone 7.5 in mind.

That said, the following slideshow highlights several apps the leverages Mango’s functionality. ASome of your favorite non-Windows Phone 7.5 Mango apps may not be included, because they haven’t been updated, and not all of the apps here are marquee apps, because there simply aren’t that many apps (yet) that specifically make use of the new Mango features. Still, if you’ve upgraded to Microsoft’s latest phone operating system, you’ll want to check out these apps as they showcase Mango’s muscle.

As always, feel free to chime in with your own favorite Mango apps in the comment section below.

Every Android device now infringes Apple patent: Slide to unlock

Whatever your position is on patent infringement and the never-ending lawsuits in the mobile space, the fact is until the system is overhauled it is the law. I hate that design elements can be patented, instead of actual devices which makes more sense. Apple has been riding the patentability of design elements for a while, and has a number of Android device makers on the ropes as a result. A patent awarded today to Apple guarantees that every Android phone and tablet ever made infringes Apple’s design.

Anyone who has touched an Android device has come face-to-face with the slide to unlock feature. The device is inaccessible until a slider or similar control is touched and slid to a boundary, unlocking the gadget. This simple control has now been patented by Apple, removing it from the available design pool to anyone else.

Apple has been picking and choosing its targets for patent infringement litigation carefully, using various patents it owns to go after infringers. This new patent over the simple slide to unlock feature means the company can go after any Android device maker it wants, and likely have success in the courts.

Heck, the control on Windows Phone devices, sliding the lock screen up to access the phone functions, may very well infringe on this patent too. That could extend to the upcoming Windows 8 as early preview versions use this same control to unlock devices.
Apple filed for the slide to unlock patent before the original iPhone was released, and just received confirmation of the patent. That puts every Android device ever made firmly in the infringing category, should Apple choose to get nasty.

Source is
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/mobile-news/every-android-device-now-infringes-apple-patent-slide-to-unlock/5199

One Year Milestone Had Reached, Windows Phone 7

The first mobile phone with WP7 – HTC Trophy was officially on sale on 21 October, 2010 in New Zealand. As the first iPod had released for about a decade, Windows Phone 7 also hit one year milestone.

The master guru of Windows Phone 7, Joe Belfiore, wrote such words on twitter: Hey — HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY WP7! Our very first phones started selling (Europe only) 1 year ago! A lot’s happened in a year, eh? :) We also wish Windows Phone its first birthday and all the success for the times to come ahead.

The last year is a tough year for Microsoft. It still hard to believe that just over one year ago Kin was dead (with only 500 global sales) and few months later Microsoft also had to give up Zune. Fortunately is Microsoft does not abandon WP7 like as Kin in only 2 months. A year ago, this platform has just appeared and brought a brand-new mobile phone experience. And within a year, WP7 released two major updates, NoDo and Mango, which establish the foundation of its potential market. Those updates own tremendous significance for the future. For this platform, the only little change is the sales, but we still have high expectation for it.

In fact, it’s strange that mobile platform which can accept the criticisms continuously will go ahead better than the platform which with ever-increasing consumers. Even though Microsoft is working to change the status quo through advertising and strive for the OEM support. Whatever, we still believe that WP7 can gain a place in the field of mobile operation system.

Author: Bruno+

Androids taking over the universe

Smartphones now outsell computers, we know, but computer sales are slowing as other non-PC devices become more popular.

"The popularity of non-PC devices, including media tablets, such as the iPad, and smartphones, took consumers' spending away from PCs," said Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner.

Computers are still selling but more slowly and smartphone sales are increasing. Last week, US network Verizon said 39% of phones on its network were smartphones and half of phones sold in the last quarter run the Android operating system.

Putting the difference into perspective, analyst Horace Dediu noted last week: "There are currently 1.5billion global internet users and at least 5.5billion global cellphone users."

Technology is even more invasive in our lives than it was five or 10 years ago. It's due to the evolution of a range of factors: specifically, increased processing power, cloud-computing and faster broadband. Add in the surge in mobile devices such as smartphones and mobile internet speeds.

In the past two weeks, Apple launched its answer to Google's services and called it iCloud.

The major player in cloud-based services is actually Amazon, which spotted this trend before anyone else and built the vast data centres and server farms that are the backbone of our new world. It hosts Dropbox, the clever, Freemium storage system we use to run Stuff magazine, for instance.

The Silk browser included in its new Kindle Fire tablet is a clever combination of server-side and client-side processing (the old IT names for the cloud and whatever device you're using). Silk does the heavy crunching on Amazon's servers and then pushes it to the Fire. If you haven't heard of push technology, then no one has explained to you how your BlackBerry works.

The champions of this new cloud world are obviously Google, whose Android smartphone-operating system is an attempt to extend its dominance in the burgeoning mobile market. A very good attempt. Android is getting about 500000 activations a day, said Google's head of mobile, Andy Rubin.

It's going to be the Windows of smartphones and, perhaps, of tablets. Set-up involves fewer steps, including putting in your Gmail username and password. A quick sync and you're away.

The one major player desperately trying to jump the shark, or trying to stay relevant, is Microsoft. Despite being a cash cow and selling 90% of the operating systems on new computers, Microsoft is behind in the mobile space, where smartphones now outsell computers, and Android is moving into a position of strength by virtue of its volume.

This week, Nokia is expected to unveil its Windows Phone 7 devices at the Nokia World Conference in London. It announced the switch to the operating system of its former foe in February.

BlackBerry, which is still the gold standard of mobile e-mail despite gains by other manufacturers, is also making a belated push forward with a new operating system called BBX, announced last week. It combines the excellent QNX that runs the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet and is sorely needed to keep the original mobile e-mail device in the running.

Source is
http://www.timeslive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2011/10/24/androids-taking-over-the-universe

Android Ice Cream Sandwich: A coming of age and homage to Windows Phone 7

While watching the consummate, bigwig genius of Andy Rubin, Matias Duarte, and Hugo Barra introduce Ice Cream Sandwich, I felt an epic epiphany gently blink into existence in some far-flung corner of my mind. At the time I couldn’t quite put my finger on it — it was a nagging sensation that something wasn’t quite right, but I wasn’t sure what — but when the end of the event rolled around and Android’s new People app was demonstrated, everything clicked into place: Ice Cream Sandwich is a homage to Windows Phone 7.

To be honest, I should’ve realized sooner. The first thing hat Google showed off last night wasn’t resizable widgets or its new browser: it started with the Roboto font — a frickin’ font! It quickly became apparent that Roboto was more than just a font, though: it is a typography-based design aesthetic. Moving through the presentation, Google showed us that Ice Cream Sandwich has a very simple, clean, tile-based interface. There are no rounded corners, no brushed metal textures, visual contrast is very high, and most of all, content is king.

These are the exact same design guidelines that underpin Microsoft’s Metro style paradigm, the tile- and typography-based interface that governs Windows Phone 7 and Windows 8.

Is Ice Cream Sandwich’s similarity to WP7 a coincidence? We’ll probably never know, but ICS’s development definitely begun around the same time as WP7′s release in late 2010. To be honest, it doesn’t even matter — operating systems trade ideas and features all the time. More importantly, this complete interface overhaul is indicative of a much more significant shift: Android is ready and eager to drop its mantle as the nerd and power user OS.

We all know that Android is the geeky option. We all know that it’s built from the ground up to be the antithesis of Apple’s walled, iOS garden. The problem is, neither of these factors make Android phones particularly loveable or usable. Through sheer marketing dollars and low prices, Android is making serious inroads — but has your mom ever told you that she adores her Android phone?

This isn’t to say that Google wants to lessen the functionality or flexibility of Android — Android’s open source community is one of its biggest strengths — but with ICS it is acknowledging that WP7 (and of course iOS) are much easier to use. The Roboto UI is Google’s admittance that — try as they might — function cannot trump form, and that in fact they must be inexorably linked through a standard, easy-to-understand interface if users are to make the most of a device.
American Pie

What we have with Ice Cream Sandwich, then, is Android’s departure from spotty, painted-black malcontent teenagedom, and entrance into the mature, iOS-dominated adult workplace. It’s also impossible to ignore that Android’s newfound maturity very closely mirrors Google+, another Google product that has distinctly eschewed geekiness in favor of mass-market appeal. Along with the shuttering of Labs, its CEO’s promise to put more wood behind fewer arrows, and the resultant end of Google’s Wild West days, it really does feel like Big G is trying to deliver compelling, consumer-targeted products.

At risk, of course, is Google’s thriving developer, power user, and open source community. Ease-of-use, a consistent user experience paradigm, and compatibility are hard to maintain in an open ecosystem. It’ll be interesting to see if Google can retain its geeky panache and also become inherently more loveable and usable, or whether that’s an impossible compromise.

Source is
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/100591-android-4-0-a-coming-of-age-and-homage-to-windows-phone-7

iOS 5 vs Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0

Surprisingly, iOS 5 is the underdog. Google to roll out the most advanced Android OS upgrade yet, the Android Ice Cream Sandwich.

Ask Google or Apple, and both companies will tell you that the operating system is the heart and soul of a smartphone or tablet, and apparently the top feature of a smartphone. Android and Apple’s iOS are considered as the biggest players in the smartphone operating system market today, based on market share and overall functionality, but the advantages and disadvantages of both platforms are obvious.

Before we talk about Galaxy Nexus vs iPhone 4S, we should first note the Android 4.0 versus iOS 5. Surprisingly, Android’s 4.0 is the most aggressive upgrade yet that will surely compete against Apple’s iOS 5.

Notification System

One of the best new features of the iOS 5, and Apple claims the new notification system of the iOS 5, used by iPhone 4S and other compatible Apple devices, features a compelling new notification system that can deliver “less intrusive” updates like e-mail, Facebook notification, Twitter, etc.

Apple tweaked the operating system’s lock screen, home screen to notification updates while running an application. Similar to Android, an iOS 5-powered device user can also get access to the notification list by swiping the screen’s notification bar down, and can tap to read, or dismiss a notification. A user can also adjust the notification/s from a certain Apple or third-party app by opting in via the settings.

Meanwhile, Google has update the Android’s notification system, and with the new Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a Galaxy Nexus user (and future Android devices with Android 4.0) can get access to the notification list on lock screen, home screen or while running an application. To get the notification list, the user can swipe from the notification bar down, and can now dismiss by swiping or flick (left or right) or read notification by tapping.

Google’s Matias Duarte explained, “from the beginning, Android has been designed to put you in control. In Ice Cream Sandwich, notifications are better than ever.” Duarte added, “in Ice Cream Sandwich, we’re also introducing a music player control in notification, so you can pause or skip tracks without ever leaving an application just by pulling down the notification.”

Google is also the company behind Gmail, so the notification for the e-mail service is theoretically better with ICS than other Android versions and iOS.

Built-in Camera application

Android and Apple have implemented better built-in camera application. With iOS 5, Apple has implemented a better, built-in editing tools like red-eye reduction, touch to focus, camera shutter support (volume up button), cropping, flip, and photo enhancements.

Google’s Android is also introducing a built-in photo editing application for the Android Ice Cream Sandwich. According to Google, Galaxy Nexus can apply filters, crop, flip and refocus a photo without losing the original photo. Google also showed the more flexible way of sharing a photo to social networking sites by clicking share. With iOS 5, the photo sharing within the photo application is limited (but supports e-mail or Twitter), and the user will need to open the social network’s application to upload a photo or video. One of the best examples is Facebook.


Messaging

Google said the new messaging app of Ice Cream Sandwich is enhanced, now with better on-screen keyboard, and easy access to the contact’s other details with the “People app.” A user can save all the information of a contact like Linkedin, Twitter, Google+ and other supported social networking sites and e-mail services (including Gmail). Google said the list of supported services will grow because they will open the People App’s API. Android’s ICS operating system also includes better voice to text support.

Meanwhile, iOS 5 features the new iMessage application, the BBM-like messaging application exclusive for iOS 5 devices. Apple also included Siri in the messaging application for dictation to text support.


Find my Friends vs Face Unlock

Two new features, Apple’s Find my Friends and Android’s Face Unlock. Apple, during the iPhone 4S event, unveiled the new location-based service called Find My Friends application. Apparently, Find My Friends is the GPS-dependent service that a user can use if she/he wants to locate a friend or family.

iOS 5 users can send a request to friends/family with iOS 5-equipped device to find their location. Once the friend accepts the request, the requestor can see that friend’s location on either a map or a list.

Meanwhile, Android also introduces a new feature called “Face Unlock,” and with this feature, a user can lock or unlock the Galaxy Nexus by using his/her face. Google said in the Galaxy Nexus product page, “No complicated passwords to remember, just switch on your phone and look into the camera to quickly unlock your phone.”


Cloudy

iOS 5 and Android Ice Cream Sandwich both support cloud storage and syncing. With the Google Android Ice Cream Sandwich, a user can shoot, save and send instantly. Google used the Google+ as an example, saying that Google+ features “Instant Upload” service that uploads a photo instantly to the cloud.

Meanwhile, iOS 5 supports iCloud, Apple’s new cloud-based syncing and apps access. With iCloud, users can now sync all his/her devices like iTunes music, photos, videos, contacts, calendars, documents like “Pages,” and more. It is worth noting that Android also supports photo syncing with Picasa and Google+ and Music (mp3) syncing with the Google Music Beta application and PC access via browser.


iOS 5 or Android Ice Cream Sandwich

Still depends on personal preference, if you love Apple, buy the iPhone 4S or for Android fans, go with Galaxy Nexus just because the phone gets the latest operating system updates first than other Android devices.

Source is
http://popherald.com/ios-5-vs-android-ice-cream-sandwich-4-0/news/2011/10/19

After the iPhone 4S, Windows Phone 7.5 still feels right

My fellow ZDNet blogger and friend, James Kendrick, put up a post comparing his Android and iOS 5/iPhone 4S experiences and I agree with his take on the two. Since he has been a much more regular Android user while I have been focusing more time on Windows Phone 7 I thought you might enjoy hearing my thoughts on how the new iOS 5 OS on my Apple iPhone 4S compares to the Windows Phone 7 platform.

Software: iOS 5 vs. Windows Phone 7.5

A person who has used Windows Phone 7 even more than myself is Paul Thurrott and on his SuperSite for Windows he offers some thoughts on Windows Phone 7.5 versus iOS 5 and comes the conclusion that his AT&T SIM belongs in his Windows Phone 7.5 device. Paul emphasizes what I talked about when Windows Phone 7 was first released in 2010 and that is the philosophy of an application based system versus a task based system. In Windows Phone 7/7.5 you don’t generally think of apps as much (except for Xbox LIVE games) as you simply perform tasks to get things done, such as call a friend or look at your photos.

iOS 5 and the Apple iPhone 4S may change all of that as Siri grows up, but right now Siri is still a bit limited on what you can do and I personally find it most useful for creating reminders and calendar appointments. Since Siri is a beta, I am hoping to get more integration into 3rd party apps and even Apple apps. I would love to just say something like “Download the latest MobileTechRoundup podcast and start playing it.” It is not yet that advanced though and as I mentioned in an earlier article the Windows Phone 7.5 Tellme voice integration is excellent and deserves consideration.

Apple rules the smartphone world with the number of applications, but I personally find all the apps I want and need on Windows Phone 7 in their catalog of 30,000+ applications. I find the notifications in iOS 5 to blow away what limited notifications we see on Windows Phone and would love to see a bit more work in this area.

Speed and consistency has always been a hallmark of iOS, but Windows Phone 7.5 beats Apple here with an extremely snappy performance even on old hardware. Windows Phone 7.5 is as consistent as iOS and maybe even more so with less menu options and settings available to the end user. Windows Phone 7.5 does an excellent job with service integration while Apple forces you into the idea of working with specific apps, such as separate Facebook and Twitter apps.

Hardware

There is no question that the hardware of the iPhone 4S blows away anything we currently see in Windows Phone. Hopefully that changes very soon when Nokia joins the picture and if they release a device as amazing as the Nokia N9 I am looking at then we’ll have a real competition going on. HTC, Samsung, and others need to step up their Windows Phone game and I think a couple of the upcoming Windows Phone 7.5 device look to do that.

Which do I prefer?

As regular readers know I have been a major fan and advocate for Windows Phone 7 and still am a strong believer that you need to try it before tossing it out for consideration. My daughter liked it so much that she helped pay for her own unlocked Samsung Focus to use on T-Mobile and said the same thing.

I really enjoy my new Apple iPhone 4S and love that you now get a rock solid zippy experience with a ton of tweaking options, similar to the Android platform, and a platfom that is consistent like Windows Phone. The iPhone 4S hardware is awesome and with a camera that performs as well as anything on the market I recommend the iPhone 4S for many people. However, like Paul I still find I enjoy using Windows Phone 7.5 even more than my iPhone 4S. Windows Phone 7.5 is my primary phone on T-Mobile and the iPhone 4S is my primary on Verizon and there is nothing I see from Android that will knock either one of those out. I am enjoying the Nokia N9, but with a dead end software platform that is a tweakers device and not for the masses. I cannot wait to see what Nokia announces next week at Nokia World, I will be there covering the event, and hope to soon replace my aging HTC HD7 and Dell Venue Pro.

Source is
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/cell-phones/after-the-iphone-4s-windows-phone-75-still-feels-right/6751

Android Ice Cream Sandwich, this is not the treat you are looking for

This has been a busy two weeks for big name drops in the mobile world. We had the release of the iPhone 4S to record numbers once again, and tomorrow we are looking at the drop of the newest iteration of Android, “Ice Cream Sandwich” (ICS). The Android community has been anxiously awaiting ICS as it is believed it will unify the user experience between phones and tablets that are powered by Google’s mobile OS. Which, eventually, it will.

The issue facing Google, and the community that surrounds Android, is the fact that the unification process they so desperately need and want will not happen with ICS, but down the road as the market purges older devices.

Let’s start with what we know about ICS, which is mostly gleaned from a leaked video (embedded below):

    A new lock screen is going to be implemented, using bubbles to activate specific actions by dragging.
    Honeycomb tablet users will not notice much difference, mainly in aesthetics and coloring.
    Phone users will notice a drastic difference, as ICS brings honeycomb features to handsets.
    The experience will be generally the same whether you are holding a tablet or a phone powered by ICS.
    At least on the Tuna (internal code name for the ICS phone being announced tomorrow), there will be no hard buttons on the face of the device; it will have soft buttons like current Honeycomb tablets.

There will likely be some additional changes and possibly a Big Reveal at tomorrow night’s announcement of ICS and the Nexus Prime — and our sister site Geek.com has more analysis if you’re interested — but really, there is a more pressing matter at hand.

The simple fact of the matter is: Android has some serious hurdles to overcome to generate enough excitement and hype that the iPhone garners upon its release. If you are familiar with Android, the issues are not new to you, the biggest of course being fragmentation.

Windows Phone 7.5 is now a serious contender

When Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 launched last year, it received largely positive reviews, including from us. But there was a nagging sense that it was incomplete, and there were a lot of tiny but important features missing.

With the follow-up officially known as Windows Phone 7.5 (codenamed Mango) now out on new phones as well as an update on existing models this month, the platform is proving to be a capable OS with enough features on take on both iOS and Android.

People who have never used WP7 before this will probably find it difficult to spot most of these improvements, as the user experience remains consistent. So without further ado, let’s dive into our Goondu review!



Improved performance
After upgrading my LG Optimus 7 to WP7.5, I fully expected some slow-downs. After all, it’s not the best of Windows Phones, and 7.5 brings with it more than 500 new features that are sure to bog down the phone, right?

To my pleasant surprise, performance actually improved. Everything bounced and jumped along even faster than before the upgrade. Even on the relatively old 1GHz chip the Optimus 7 uses, everything worked just fine, and dare I say, even faster than the dual-core Android behemoths out there.

Unfortunately, battery life seems to have suffered a little. I used to be able to get through an entire day with just one charge. Now the battery gets precariously close to needing a new charge by the end of the work day.

Samsung confirms Ice Cream Sandwich event on October 19

Just like we'd heard, we'll be getting our first taste of Ice Cream Sandwich next week, on October 19th to be precise. Of course we've already had a whiff of what it looks like in a video, and sampling the new Music and Google+ apps gave us another good look. But now we're set to see it for real, and if all goes well we might just get some new hardware out of the deal, too. Will this be the day the Nexus Prime makes us think that flat smartphones are... well... square? We'll be there live to let you know as it happens. The event takes place 10:00am HKT, which is conveniently 10:00pm EST on October 18th. A primetime liveblog and gadget unveiling? Can't wait.

Source is
http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/13/samsung-confirms-ice-cream-sandwich-event-on-october-19/

What iOS 5 brings to iPad

With iOS 5, Apple cut back on the hyperbole (a little) and just delivered a great new OS that genuinely opens up new ways to use the iPad and reinforces the ties between complementing Apple devices, including the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Apple TV.

Installation
I'm happy to report that Apple forgot to screw over owners of the original iPad. Typically when I write these pieces they start off with me explaining how the update is only available to those who own the most recent version of the device. What a nice surprise to see that iOS 5 is supported on both the iPad 2 and the original iPad, not to mention the iPhone 3GS, and third- and fourth-generation iPod Touch.

As usual, updating the software requires connecting the iPad to your computer and syncing through iTunes. Shed a little sentimental tear, though, since it may be the last time you'll ever need to sync over USB again. One of the features introduced with iOS 5 is the ability to update the software over the air and also sync with iTunes over your home's Wi-Fi connection. Apple calls the feature PC-Free.

Headline features
The first thing you'll notice with iOS 5 is the addition of three new apps on your home screen: iMessages, Newsstand, and Reminders.

With iMessages, Apple gives you an instant messaging solution that works between any iOS device, including iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. You can instantly share text, photos, or videos. Messaging is free over Wi-Fi, but carrier charges may apply if you're using the app over 3G.

If it were any other company, I'd be quick to point out the limitations of a messaging platform that communicates only with one brand of products (see: BlackBerry Messenger), but when you add together every iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch in the world--that's a lot of people to chat with.

In real-world use, you'll still probably use the iPad's e-mail app for the bulk of your communication. Where iMessages comes in handy are those times when you're on your couch with your iPad and want to quickly send off a message to your spouse's iPhone, or gossip with your friends in real time.

The second new app introduced in iOS 5 is Newsstand. This is Apple's attempt at capitalizing on the iPad's appeal as a digital magazine or newspaper (and getting a cut of the profits). Like the iBooks app, Newsstand is presented as a virtual bookshelf that displays all your digital magazine or newspaper subscriptions, along with a link into an Apple storefront for buying more content.

Much of the content included in the Newsstand store has been here all along. Really this is a cute way to automatically group together existing magazine and newspaper apps that use in-app purchasing and subscriptions. I had just as much luck finding great digital magazines like Wired and The New Yorker by downloading their apps from the iPad's App store instead of finding them through the Newsstand storefront (which really just takes you to a section within the App Store). In short, the Newsstand app is really just a clever repackaging of existing content, but it may be just the thing to get people back in the comfort zone of thinking about magazines as something distinctly different than apps.

Top 10 Useful Android Apps

The Android Market may not have as many apps as the iPhone App Store yet, but there are still more than enough to be overwhelmed, and it continues to grow at a breakneck pace. To help you sort through them all, here is our latest list of the 10 most useful Android apps.

Remember that this is a snapshot in time. The Android platform is developing so quickly that this list would look very different a month from now.

1. Advanced Task Killer
One of the realities of having a multitasking mobile OS is that you have to manage your apps so that they don't hurt performance or battery life. Advanced Task Killer (ATK) is our favourite on Android. It even comes with a widget that you can tap once to kill all open apps, and you can also set up ATK to kill all apps at periodic intervals. Some people will argue that task managers are irrelevant and unneeded in Android, but we still prefer to use ATK.

2. Dropbox
Dropbox is a great cloud service that automatically syncs a folder of files between multiple computers (Windows, Mac or Linux). This app extends Dropbox to Android, and interacts with other apps (such as Documents To Go) to open the files. It allows you to access PDFs, image files and business documents by simply dragging them to a folder on your computer, and then you immediately have access to them from your mobile phone, once you have this app installed.

3. Evernote
Once you get used to typing on a virtual keyboard (and it honestly took us over a year to do it), then these devices are great for note taking, and Evernote is a great note-taking app. It is similar to Dropbox in that it saves data locally, but syncs it across all of your machines and devices.

4. Taskos
There are plenty of to-do list apps to choose from on Android, but we prefer Taskos, because of the clean, easy, Android-friendly user experience. It also has a few extras that give it an advantage over apps. The biggest one is voice recognition, which lets you speak a task that the app turns into a to-do item (you might have to correct a word or two).

5. DroidAnalytics
For some reason, Google doesn't have an official app for Google Analytics (for either Android or iPhone). The best one we've found on Android is DroidAnalytics. Another good one is mAnalytics.

6. Documents To Go
The free version of Documents To Go offers a great little reader for Microsoft Word and Excel files. You can upgrade to the full version if you want to be able to create and edit files and add PowerPoint files to the mix. If you do want editing capability, we'd also recommend taking a look at QuickOffice.

7. Google Docs
If you mostly work with Google Docs (including uploading Microsoft Office files to your Google Docs repository), then the only app you'll really need is the Google Docs app. It's a nice mobile implementation of document management, although the one annoyance is that it always opens up files in a web browser, rather than within the app itself, which would be a little smoother.

8. TripIt
We dig TripIt. It is by far the best app we've found for keeping track of all of our travel itineraries. It runs on some great back-end systems. You simply forward your confirmation emails for your flights, hotels, rental cars and more to TripIt, and it automatically organises them into trips with all of your details and confirmation numbers. Or, if you use Gmail, you can even use a plug-in to automatically catch confirmation emails and turn them into TripIt trips.

9. Places
This is an awesome app for finding shops and services near your current location. From restaurants to medical facilities to taxis, this app is very accurate and takes advantage of the business information from Google Local. This app is better than the info you get from a GPS unit (or app), and better than any of the similar apps available on the iPhone. It's also integrated into Google Maps.

10. Astro File Manager
Another one of the great things about Android (if you're a geek or a tinkerer) is that you have lower-level access to the system itself. Astro is an app that lets you navigate the Android file system, which is mostly just interesting, but can also be handy once in a while.

Source is
http://www.zdnet.com.au/14-useful-android-apps-339322958.htm

Apple iOS 5 Release: A Guide to the 200 New Features

Apple plans to release its most advanced mobile operating system, iOS 5, on Oct. 12 at midnight. Current iOS owners can download the free upgrade from the iTunes Store, but every new iOS device sold after Wednesday will have iOS 5 pre-loaded.


To install iOS 5, users will need to connect to their Mac or PC and follow a set of instructions in iTunes, but once the update is complete, users will thankfully never need to plug into their computers ever again. One of the key features of iOS 5 is total device independence.


iOS 5 is Apple's most comprehensive and complete system upgrade ever with over 200 new features. Here's what iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch owners can expect to see.

iCloud: iOS 5 will be the first platform to run on Apple's new cloud infrastructure called iCloud. iCloud is a free service and users get 5 GB by signing up, but users can buy more storage if they so choose. By plugging into a power source, iCloud automatically pushes all documents, apps, calendars, mail, contacts, photos, and music to all of the user's other iOS devices.  As Tim Cook says, "It just works."

Notification Center: In iOS 4, all phone activity was paused in order to display a new notification. Notifications are no longer in the way in iOS 5, as incoming messages and app notifications appear briefly at the top without interrupting activity on the phone, and all messages are kept organized within a convenient Notification Center. It's easy to access—users need only swipe down from the top of the screen to enter the Notification Center. Furthermore, new notifications can be viewed and attended to directly from the Lock Screen, making for quick and easy access.

New Lifestyle Apps: iOS 5 is all about making life easier for the user. An Apple-designed Reminders app aims to keep users organized and on time, and Newsstand neatly arranges news app subscriptions all in one place and automatically updates the user with the latest issue. The new Cards app is Apple's response to the greeting card industry. Cards lets users quickly design and send beautiful, cheap, 100 percent cotton "tree-free" cards to friends and loved ones. The app goes one step further by notifying users the second the card is delivered by the postal service. Find My Friends is a great way to organize events with other users, whether for a temporary rendezvous or a days-long event. And for those parents still wondering where their children are at 10 p.m., Find My Friends app, paired with the right Parental Controls, can allow parents to instantly view their location of their children on a map.

Overhauled Apps: Mail and Calendar are two old apps that will look brand-new on iOS 5. In Mail, users can write in rich text, indent paragraphs, flag important messages, and search the archive in the body of messages. In Calendar, events are easier to create, manage, and view. iCloud syncs calendars to other devices, and even with select family and friends. Photos is also completely redesigned; no longer is the app simply a library for your photos. Users will be able to edit and crop their photos, add enhancements, or even remove red eye directly on the iOS device.

Camera Upgrade: Apple's latest mobile upgrade will magically changes phone's camera interface. With two clicks of the home button, users can access the camera from the lock screen and start shooting. Users can pinch the screen to zoom, tap the screen to focus, and can now shoot photos with a click of the + volume button.

Safari Overhaul: Apple doesn't like that its Safari browser is the third most popular Web browser after Google Chrome and Firefox. With iOS 5, Safari finally catches up to its competitors with tabbed browsing, a Reading List to save articles for later reading on any iOS device (thanks to iCloud), and the Reader, which removes ads and other clutter from articles, allowing for a clean and beautiful reading experience.

Game Center: Apple has already broken into the gaming industry with its bountiful and easily accessible App Store. Game Center's been around since iOS 4, but few tweaks here and there give it a completely different feel. Users can upload profile pictures, find friends they know and discover new ones, and see how they fare against their competitors over time.

Parental Controls: Thanks to iOS 5, now we won't have kids running amok on their iPhones. The new system has built-in parental controls to manage use of Safari, Camera, FaceTime, Game Center, Location Services, YouTube, the iTunes Store, the App Store, and more. Parents can also lock the settings so kids can't go in and change them later.

Tweet Everything: Apple took social media seriously in the latest iOS. The company has elected to optimize nearly every one of its apps for Twitter, so users will be able to tweet new photos, pages from Safari, YouTube movies, and even their location. Just sign into Twitter once and iOS 5 does the rest.

Device Independence: Starting Oct. 12, all iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches will come pre-loaded with iOS 5. This will be the first system update that allows all Apple devices to be set up sans computer. Once you're all set up, you won't need to use cords to connect to your computer ever again. Thanks to iCloud, all information will back up and sync automatically with other laptops and iDevices you own.

iOS 5 will be a free download from the iTunes Store, and will be compatible with the iPod Touch, iPad 1 and 2, the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and the iPhone 4S.


Apple's iPhone 4S, available in stores Oct. 14, sold more than one million pre-orders in the first 24 hours, breaking the company's previous record set by the iPhone 4 of 600,000 first day orders.


Source is 

1. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/228549/20111010/apple-ios-5-icloud-iphone-4s-ipad-ipod-touch-notification-find-my-friends-cards-twitter.htm


2. http://www.apple.com/ios/features.html#more

iOS 5 release date brings magic but no Siri to iPhone 4, 3GS on Oct 12

Only buyers of the new iPhone 4S get the Siri voice assistant feature of iOS 5, but those who stay home and download iOS 5 for their iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS will get the rest of the new features two days sooner. The 4S hits stores on October 14th, keeping with Apple’s tradition of Friday major retail launches. But the download version of iOS 5, a free gift from Apple to users of third and fourth generation iPhones, will surface online two days earlier on October 12th. As is the case with installing any new operating system on any piece of older slower hardware, some iOS 5 features will run more slowly on the iPhone 4 and especially the iPhone 3GS than they will on the new iPhone 4S which sports a significantly faster dual core processor. Only two headlining iOS 5 features, AirPlay Mirroring and Siri, require so much computing horsepower that they’ll only run on the latest iPhone and not the previous iterations. Of the two, only Siri will be widely missed…

Each new iPhone generation has its own “killer” feature around which Apple shapes its marketing campaign. For the iPhone 3G it was 3G networking, For the iPhone 4 it was FaceTime. For the iPhone 3GS it was… well, we’ll get back to you on that if we ever figure out what the 3GS was all about. But this time it’s unmistakably Siri for the iPhone 4S. Voice commands are nothing new, but they’ve long tended to be either overly simplistic or overly obtuse. Siri, based on the demos, puts a nearly human face on voice recognition. It also requires significant processing power to calculate in real time what it is the user it referring to and then come up with an appropriate answer or action. The iPhone 4 and 3GS, simply put, can’t do that. Apple is banking that despite all of the rest of the iOS 5 magic being given away to those users for free, the lack of Siri will drive at least some of them to end up buying an iPhone 4S after all. We’ll find out starting next week, as iOS 5 lands on Wednesday and the iPhone 4S with iOS 5 preinstalled hits stores on Friday. iPhone 4 and 3GS users, which way are you leaning on the iPhone 4S? Share your comments below.

Source is http://www.beatweek.com/news/9599-ios-5-release-date-brings-magic-but-no-siri-to-iphone-4-3gs-on-oct-12/

Ice Cream Sandwich leak outs Music 4.0.1 for download, previews Google+ 2.0

 A funny thing happened to the folks at Android Police, the same group responsible for leaking some of the first screenshots of Ice Cream Sandwich. They've since come across a few apps from Google's upcoming release -- purportedly straight from a Nexus Prime. The first is Google Music 4.0.1 -- a marked upgrade from the current 3.0.1 found in the Market today -- which sports refined tabs, a contextual dialog and new player controls. For reference, the latest version is shown on the right, which is most likely installed onto a Gingerbread device. Best yet, the APK is currently up for download (which you're able to grab for yourself from the source). There's also a sneak peek of the upcoming Google+ 2.0, which suggests Messenger (formerly Huddle) and Conversations will be renamed to... get this... Chords. 

At the last present you both of 2 APK download links:

Google Music 4.0.1 download

Google + 2.0 Download

Source is http://androidcommunity.com/ice-cream-sandwich-google-2-0-and-new-google-music-4-0-apps-revealed-20111007/

iOS 5 vs. Android: Similar Features, Different Approaches

When Apple launches iOS 5 next week, iPhone and iPad users will get a bunch of features that Android users already enjoy, including notifications, wireless syncing, and PC-free operation.

But it's not a game of catch-up. Although Apple is scratching a few Android-first features off its list, iOS 5 also leapfrogs ahead in its own way. Android, meanwhile, retains plenty of its own unique features that make it a viable competitor. The result is two operating systems that, however similar they are in appearance, are actually quite different.

The Apple Approach: All About Service

The individual features that Apple is adding to iOS 5 aren't as important as the big picture: Apple is creating services for its users. With iOS 5, an iPhone can remind you to pick up the milk as you drive near the grocery store. It can deliver newspapers and magazines automatically via the Newstand app. It can send quick iMessages to other iOS users. It can render Web pages in an easy-to-read format with no clutter.

In other words, Apple handles things so you don't have to worry about them. Siri, the virtual assistant built into the iPhone 4S, is an extension of this idea, allowing users to literally tell the phone what to do and get feedback from a computerized female voice. iCloud, meanwhile, is the glue holding all these services together. It remembers what you've done on one device, so that other Apple devices and PCs can make that data available. Even as Apple adds new features, it's removing friction.

The Android Approach: Practicality, Utility

Google's vision for Android isn't as cohesive. The OS is a smattering of features and concepts that, to the average user, might seem daunting. But users who take advantage of Android's best features will find it useful in ways that iOS is not.

I've talked about many of these standout Android features before: turn-by-turn directions, widgets, extensive voice commands, no-size-fits-all hardware. But where Android also excels is in the little things. You can attach files to an e-mail--shocking, I know. You can create shortcuts to contacts, navigation instructions and bookmarks on the homescreen.

And for all Apple's talk about Twitter integration, Android's been doing allowing it for years in a way that's miles ahead. Tap the "share" button in an Android Web browser, for instance, and you'll see options for Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or any other app on your phone that accepts shared URLs.

Apple's iOS is a tightly woven bundle of services, intended to make life easier. Android is everything but the kitchen sink. This difference in approach is the first thing any consumer should consider before committing to either platform.

Source From:  http://www.pcworld.com/article/241436/ios_5_vs_android_similar_features_different_approaches.html