Hasta La Gadget!

Today, Nielsen issued a report on the smartphone market in the US as of the end of quarter 2 of this year. In it, we see Android slowly climb toward 52% market share, with 51.8% of smartphone users running some version of the Android OS on their smartphones. As far as 3-month acquirers are concerned, Android is looking pretty good there too, with 54.6% of new smartphone purchasers in the past three months opting to go with Android over the competition.

Android’s growth is not at the expense of iOS, however, as over a third of smartphone users (34.3% to be exact) are using an Apple device. Even though majority of handsets out there are Android-based, Apple has a larger manufacturer share than any other mobile manufacturer out there. Nielsen says that Apple’s 34% manufacturer share far outshines the share of Samsung-made Android devices, which come in at second place on the list and account for only 17% of the smartphones in the US at the end of Q2.

Sadly, this was not such a great report for Blackberry and Windows. Only 8.1% of the smartphone users in the US are using a device that runs on Blackberry, while Windows Phone 7 and Windows Mobile devices only bring home a combined 4.3% of the total market share.

So, Android and iPhone both grew some in quarter 2 of 2012 while Blackberry and Windows continue to slowly lose market share. Overall, the smartphone market grew in Q2, with 54.9% of US mobile subscribers now using a smartphone. Nielsen says that 2 out of 3 people who purchased a new phone in the last three months decided to go with a smartphone over a feature phone, so it seems like it won’t be long before we see smartphones in the US break the 60% mark.

[via Nielsen]

Nielsen: Android and iPhone both made gains in Q2 2012 is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The iPad has never been shy of getting its fair share of streaming apps, and here right before the 2012 Olympics in London, England, we’ve found no exception. Several official applications have launched today prepped to bring you no less than the most up-close and personal HD content streaming from the events themselves. Those hosting the London 2012 Olympics have put out several apps themselves, then NBC and Rueters have joined the fun as well.

Start your Olympics journey off right with Rueters’ take on the situation with a photo app that’ll bring only the best from each event. Rueters’ award-winning set of photographers will be at your fingertips for both the iPhone and the iPad. In fact, each of the apps you’re going to see in this post are either ready for both platforms or have one of each, ready to go – convenient! Download Reuters Olympics London 2012 from iTunes.

Next you’ve got NBC’s set of two apps – one of them, ready to bring on streaming action, videos ready for replay, photos, and news bits from every corner of the massive set of events. Download NBC Olympics for iPad or iPhone or check out NBC Olympics Live Extra for both devices if you want to see any more live streaming action that might not have been covered in the first app – there’s too much for one!

For those of you looking for some official action with the official London Organizing Committee, there are three apps you’ll want to work with. First is a sort of check-in app called London 2012 Check-In – bright colors for all those attending! Next you’ve got London 2012 Official Results App. This app brings you the real final results from the source – no take backs here!

Finally for those of you out there wanting to get in on some olympic action with games you can play, again from the official committee, you’ll want to grab London 2012 Official Mobile Game – this one will cost you a few bucks, but it’s lots of fun!

iPad Olympics apps set to cover from all angles is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

If there was doubt as to whether or not Android would soon become the majority smartphone platform in the US, that’s just been erased by Nielsen. Google crossed the tipping point in the second quarter after getting close in the winter, with 51.8 percent of current smartphone users running some variant on the green robot’s OS. As we’ve seen in the past, though, the increase is coming mostly at the expenses of platforms already being squeezed to within an inch of their lives, such as the BlackBerry (8.1 percent) and Windows (4.3 percent combined). Apple still isn’t in a position to fret: it kept climbing to 34.3 percent and swung the attention of recent buyers just slightly back in its direction. The real question for many of us might center on what happens in a summer where Samsung has thrown a Galaxy S III-sized curveball at Americans and any new iPhone is likely still a few months away.

Filed under: Cellphones

Nielsen has Android near 52 percent of US smartphone share in Q2, iPhone ekes out gains originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re a movie junkie, then my guess is that you’ve already used IMDb on the web or on your mobile device in the form of apps. Today, the world’s most popular online movie database is announcing that its app on Android and iOS has already reached more than 40 million downloads. IMDb said that the monthly visits over the last 5 months have reached more than 150 million on a monthly basis. But the Amazon-owned behemoth isn’t resting on its laurels yet. That’s because IMDb is also announcing a few updates to its app for iOS and Android.

The said updates include mobile-optimized message boards, check-ins, similarities, film locations and soundtracks. On iOS, the IMDb app now has an improved TV experience, which should make it easier for users to locate and watch their favorite TV shows. Android users, on the other hand, will now be able log-in using their Amazon account information. Also, IMDb for Android now features personalized recommendations, Metacritic, and movie locations which allow users to check the locations of movies via a map. You can get the apps here.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Metal Slug 3 arrives on iOS and Android-powered devices, Rovio’s Amazing Alex hits iOS and Android,

Remember that tall, mostly aluminum 2012 iPhone shell that appeared to have leaked? It’s back. This time, KitGuru has unearthed what it claims is a “test sample” with the glass front panel roughly intact. We’ve seen the darker steel sides, aluminum back and new dock connector before, but the front gives us a much better sense of how the finished product (if real) will turn out. Sitting next to an iPhone 4S, it’s suggested that the new model would stuff in that bigger screen more through a better use of the available area — there’s much less blank space than on the iPhones we’ve known since 2007. While we still don’t know for sure if the design shown here is close to what will go hand-in-hand with iOS 6 in the fall, we’re starting to see enough smoke that there’s bound to be a fire nearby.

Filed under: Cellphones

New 2012 iPhone body reportedly leaks, gives the glass front its time to shine originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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