Google finally launches the Nexus 5 and it's already sold out (almost)

The many weeks of leaks and speculation are over, as Google has announced the Nexus 5 smartphone, although it has done so without a flashy event. Instead Sundar Pichai, Google’s SVP of Android, broke the news through a blog post. Of course, the Nexus 5 also brings with it the latest version of Android, 4.4 KitKat.
Thanks to the leaks, there are few surprises regarding the phone. As expected it has a 5-inch touchscreen, which is covered with Gorilla Glass 3, and boasts a 1080p resolution. The processor is a 2.3GHz, quad-core Snapdragon 800 and 2GB of RAM. The camera mounted on the rear has 8-megapixels, and comes with an LED flash. The good news is it’s equipped with optical image stabilization and HDR+ too.
The 16GB version is already sold out but the 32GB version seems to be in stock.

Read more @ Digital Trends

Google Glass Review by Engadget

Google unveils major upgrade to search algorithm

By Richard Taylor in BBC

Google has unveiled an upgrade to the way it interprets users' search requests.

The new algorithm, codenamed Hummingbird, is the first major upgrade for three years.

It has already been in use for about a month, and affects about 90% of Google searches.

At a presentation on Thursday, the search giant was short on specifics but said Hummingbird is especially useful for longer and more complex queries.

Google stressed that a new algorithm is important as users expect more natural and conversational interactions with a search engine - for example, using their voice to speak requests into mobile phones, smart watches and other wearable technology.

More @ BBC

Google's Search Market Share Shoots Back to 67%

by Jessica Lee in Search Engine Watch

Google is once again gathering more search market share and remains the uncontested top search engine in the U.S. In July comScore reported that Google's market share shot back to 67 percent after having fallen below that mark three months ago.

ComScore's monthly analysis showed Google is up 0.3 points from June and 0.2 percentage points from July 2012.

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer earlier this month said "Search is far from over," but Yahoo hit yet another new low, declining 0.1 percentage point in July at 11.3 percent. Compared to July 2012, that's nearly 2 percentage points less than its 13 percent share.

And while it appeared that last month, Yahoo and Bing were merely trading market share, Bing didn't gain from Yahoo's loss in July. Bing's share stayed the same from 17.9 percent in June. This is up more than 2 percent, however, since the 15.7 percent market share it had in July 2012.

More @ Search Engine Watch

Motorola Android phones infringe on Microsoft SMS patent, German court rules

By Loek Essers in Computer World

IDG News Service - Motorola Mobility Android phones infringe on a Microsoft text messaging patent, the Higher District Court of Munich ruled on Thursday.

The German court ruled that Motorola infringes on a Microsoft patent that allows a phone to break up a long text message from a sender and reassemble it for the person receiving it. The technology is used as a way to send longer text messages over the air.

The appeal was rejected and Motorola has to bear all the costs of the appeal, said Wilhelm Schneider, spokesman for the Higher District Court of Munich in an email. "An appeal against this decision was not approved," Schneider added.

"Generally this decision prevents Motorola from selling its Android phones in Germany," Microsoft spokesman Thomas Baumgartner said in an email. "We are gratified the court has affirmed the District Courts original decision and that Motorola remains unable to sell infringing products in Germany," he added.

Read Full Story @ Computer World 

Why Apple's alliance with Yahoo makes sense

by Sterling Wong in USA Today

Last week, the Wall Street Journal broke the news that Apple and Yahoo were in talks to deepen their mobile-services relationship,

The partnership is mutually beneficial because it allows Yahoo to improve its presence in mobile, and it allows Apple to distance itself from rival Google, said Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu in a report. Additionally, Yahoo data already powers native iOS stock and weather apps on iPhones and iPads

Read Full Story @ USA Today

Google Hits ‘Glass’ Pedal as Apple Returns to Earth

By Sam Gustin

The U.S. technology industry is one of the most dynamic in the world, particularly with respect to mobile and Internet-based computing, two areas that are evolving at breakneck speed. Things can happen very quickly in the tech space: one day you’re up, the next day you’re down. Take Apple and Google, two tech titans currently battling for dominance in the mobile-Internet wars. Over the past several months, Google shares have increased by nearly 20% — last week topping $800 — while Apple shares have fallen by more than 30%.
Google’s new Chromebook Pixel laptop is garnering positive reviews. (“Thank you, Google. For obsoleting my MacBook,” as one CNET writer put it.) And the company’s Google Glass wearable computing project — high-tech Internet-connected specs — is generating the sort of buzz usually reserved for Apple products. The futuristic eyewear will be available to consumers by the end of 2013, just in time for the holiday shopping season, according to several reports.

Read Full Story @ Time 

Microsoft takes new 'Scroogled' shot at Google

By Gregg Keizer

Computerworld - Microsoft today launched a third wave of 'Scroogled,' its attack ad-based campaign aimed at Google, this time highlighting what it said were privacy flaws in the latter's Android app store.

"When you buy an Android app from the Google app store, they give the app maker your full name, email address and the neighborhood where you live," Microsoft asserted on its revamped Scrooggled.com site. "This occurs without clear warning every single time you buy an app. "If you can't trust Google's app store, how can you trust them for anything?"

Microsoft contrasted the portrayal of the Google Play store -- the official Android app store, though not the only one -- with the practices of its own app market. "Windows Phone Store does not share any personally identifiable information with the app maker," Microsoft stated.

Apple does not collect such personal information, either, with the exception of some apps that offer auto-renewing subscriptions. In those cases, however, users are alerted via a pop-up, and must approve the data sharing.

Read Full Story @ Computer World 

Google buys Motorola Mobility for $12.5B - Computerworld

Google buys Motorola Mobility for $12.5B - Computerworld

IDG News Service - Google has entered into an agreement to acquire the mobile phone and tablet maker Motorola Mobility for about $12.5 billion, the company said Monday.

Google has offered about $40 per share in cash, a premium of 63% over the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on Friday.

Motorola Mobility exclusively ships phones and its Xoom tablet with Google'sAndroid operating system. The deal will mean that Google now has a hardware manufacturer to work with closely to develop Android, said Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner.

Google will also have control of Motorola's impressive patent portfolio, Milanesi said. Motorola Mobility said earlier this year that it owns about 24,500 patents.

More @ Computer World