Google Android

Google Android - News, Features, and Slideshows

Features

  • The state of the Android ecosystem

    As the second-generation Android devices debuted, there were serious questions about the state of the platform. Unlike the release of the <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/product/39727/review/g1.html">HTC G1</a> (also known as the "Dream"), which was for a short time the only Android handset available, more phones and more versions of the Android OS meant that manufacturers and wireless carriers had to make decisions about what which hardware and software to support.

  • Android and Lego come together to solve puzzles

    What do you get when you combine the brains of Android with the body of Lego? If you're UK-based chip designer and Lego enthusiast David Gilday, you get a DIY robot capable of solving a Rubik's Cube.

  • Motorola Droid X: Unique, or just another smartphone?

    On June 23, Motorola introduced the Droid, set for release this Thursday, calling it "a pocket-sized home theater." That's an interesting slogan for a phone. I can appreciate the feature, but how does it benefit the average worker? I can see the advantage for advertising agencies, multimedia firms, and maybe film critics, but what about the rest of the companies who just need a good, dependable phone?

  • IOS4 v. Android 2.2: Which is better for business?

    With the launch of IOS4--the rebranded iPhone OS 4--and the recent unveiling of Android 2.2, the leading edge smartphones have new OS platforms to build on. There are a lot of cool "bells and whistles" type features in both, but when it comes to deploying the smartphone as a business tool, which OS is better for business?

  • Five reasons iPad should fear an Android invasion

    One of the prevailing themes at the Computex conference this week is the coming onslaught of Android-based tablets. The iPad is leading the tablet charge--selling more than two million units in less than two months since its initial launch, but some of the Android tablets could be formidable challengers to Apple's de facto tablet dominance.

  • The 10 best hacks of 2010 (so far)

    In honor of Towel Day, and the Glorious 25th of May, here are ten of our most favorite hacks featured in Geek Tech in the last five months, running the gambit from phone, car, and CPU mods. Read on for some great moments in geek!

  • Welcome to Android

    By now, you've probably heard an earful about how great Android phones are, how they will take over the mobile world, and how they do everything the Apple iPhone can't. But if you haven't yet fully explored an Android phone, you may be wondering what the hype is all about.

  • Know your versions: Highlights of each Android update

    Before buying an Android phone, you should find out which flavor of the operating system you'll get. Each tastily nicknamed update delivers new features, so it's important to find out what your Android phone will have--and what it might be missing.

  • Secure your Android phone

    Whether you paid $500 for your Android phone or got it for a pittance with your new cellular contract, it's a good bet that the data stored on your handset is at least as valuable as the device itself. If your phone is ever lost or stolen, either you'll be glad you took precautions to protect all that data, or you'll sorely wish you had done so. In this article, I'll walk you through setting up Android's built-in security tools and suggest a few third-party extras that add valuable safeguards for your personal information.

  • Google TV: The Android 'Dragonpoint'?

    Google's Android operating system already comes in plenty of flavors. Now, a brand new kind of Android may be on the way -- and this one could end up changing the way we think about television.

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