Apple now No. 1 smartphone vendor by volume

By Tarmo Virki, Reuters

Apple and Samsung Electronics ended struggling Nokia's 15-year reign at the top of the smartphone sales rankings in the second quarter, researchers said on Friday.

"Apple overtook Nokia and Samsung to become the world’s No. 1 smartphone vendor by volume for the first time in history," said Neil Mawston, analyst at Strategy Analytics.

Nokia has dominated the smartphone market ever since its 1996 launch of the Communicator model, but competition from its two nearest rivals and a slump in its own sales sent it straight from first to third place in the three months to June as growth in the sector starts to slow.

Apple sold a record 20.3 million iPhones in the quarter despite the fact that its iPhone 4 model is now more than a year old. Usually success of smartphone models does not last so long.

Apple unveiled its sales last week, but on Friday analysts also estimated Samsung sold 19 million smartphones in the quarter, well ahead of Nokia's 16.7 million as it was able to benefit from booming demand with smartphones using Google's Android software.

"Samsung's Galaxy portfolio has proven popular, especially the high-tier S2 Android model," said Mawston.

Strategy Analytics estimated smartphone market volume grew 76 percent from a year ago in the second quarter. ABI Research was somewhat more cautious estimating market grew 62 percent.

The Best Android Phones

By Wendy Sheehan Donnell, PC Magazine

It's hard to believe that it's been just three years since Google's open-source Android mobile operating system hit the scene. When the first Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, was released, the mobile landscape looked very different. Most people carried simple handsets that focused on making calls. If you were lucky, you could listen to music or play games on your mobile phone.

Back then, you didn't have to have a smartphone that ran thousands of apps to let you, in the palm of your hand, do many of the things your computer could do. Apps weren't even a thing yet. Apple had only released the iPhone 3G and launched its groundbreaking App Store a couple of months earlier.

It was the introduction of Android that helped propel the app-based smartphone to what it is today. The thing Android offered, which Apple's iPhone couldn't, was choice. Since it was an open-source platform, several hardware manufacturers could use the OS on their handsets, and a variety of wireless carriers could offer those phones—and they did.

A year after Android was released, in the U.S. there was a single Apple iPhone on a single carrier, but there were eight different Android handsets with varying form factors available on three of the four major carriers. Today, you can find a variety of Android phones on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. Even the little guys like Cricket and Virgin Mobile offer Android options. According to Comscore, Android enjoys 33 percent of the U.S. smartphone market today.

That's a lot of phones to choose from. To come up with our list, we've chosen two winners for each of the four major carriers, one for each of four smaller carriers, and, if you're contract-phobic, the best unlocked handset. If you've settled on Android as your mobile platform, these phones are your best bets—for now, that is. At this rate of growth, we can assure you that there's another great 'Droid right around the corner.

Samsung Galaxy S II Review by MobileBurn.com

Courtesy of MobileBurn.com

The Samsung Galaxy S II is the second generation of Samsung's massively popular Galaxy S flagship smartphone line. It features a large 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen display, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, and HSPA+ 21Mbps download speeds. We tested a UK model in this video, but AT&T will be releasing a similar device with a larger 4.5-inch screen called the Infuse soon. More info, click MobileBurn.com.

Creating Social Memories Book from Facebook Posts

In Episode #112 of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee interviews the developers of Social Memories, a service that converts Facebook wall postings, photos, and stats into a graphically-designed hardbound coffee table book.

http://facebook.com/socialmemories

Facebook launches video chat

via CNET's First Look

If you haven't tried Skype on Facebook yet, you may wanna take it for a spin soon. This looks pretty nice.

Review: Google all the time on the Chromebook - Yahoo! News

Review: Google all the time on the Chromebook - Yahoo! News

New laptops running Google's Chrome operating system offer a new approach in portable computing: Games, productivity tools and anything else you might need are handled by distant computers connected to the Internet.

With this method, you don't store data on a hard drive inside the computer. That streamlines things, at the cost of having stronger, standalone applications that normally handle these tasks. But the trade-off might be worth it for the more casual consumers of online content.

Google already has a good variety of online services that will be key to any success for the set of laptops known as Chromebook. There's Gmail for messages, Google Plus for sharing photos and links and Google Docs for word processing, spreadsheets and other common tasks. Other companies also make free programs, which run through Google's Chrome browser.

Windows Phone 7 Mango beats iPhone iOS!

I really DO wanna give Windows Phone 7 a chance. I think their interface is intriguing. Watch this head-to-head speed test.

NerdBoyTV "Hot Off The Press" – Animated iPad Book, Netflix, MySpace

NOTE: Here's some tech-related stories we thought you might be interested in. Enjoy.

By John Pavlus, FastCompany.com

E-books are already a fraught subject for many readers, writers, publishers and designers, but children's e-books are even more so. Is it rotting their minds? Is it as good as good ol' paper? Is it too interactive for their own good? Obviously there are no practical answers to such questions, but at least one children's e-book/app/thingie (what do we call these things, again?) is doing it very, very right. It's called "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," and it's like a well-written bedtime story and an immersive animated movie at once -- without being "too much" of either.



READ article on FastCompany.com.

By Tecca | Today in Tech

Apparently all good things, or at least all good prices, must come to an end. Gone are the days of getting both unlimited DVDs and unlimited streaming video from Netflix for one low price; the company has just announced a new pricing scheme that separates DVDs from streaming video, and charges full price for both. Subscribers can now choose unlimited streaming video for $7.99 a month, or unlimited DVDs (one at a time) also for $7.99 a month. If you want both, you'll have to pay $15.98 each month for the privilege.

READ article on Yahoo! News.

by Stan Schroeder, Mashable.com

MySpace’s new owners, Specific Media, and Justin Timberlake — who has an ownership stake in the company — are considering plans for the site that include a possible talent show.

“Whether it becomes a talent competition or something like that, those are things that we will still flesh out,” said Timberlake’s manager Johnny Wright in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“We definitely want to bring the industry back to MySpace to really look at the talented people that have put their faces there,” Wright added.

READ article on Mashable.com.

An Ex-Pixar Designer Creates Astounding Kids' Book On iPad

By John Pavlus, FastCompany.com

E-books are already a fraught subject for many readers, writers, publishers and designers, but children's e-books are even more so. Is it rotting their minds? Is it as good as good ol' paper? Is it too interactive for their own good? Obviously there are no practical answers to such questions, but at least one children's e-book/app/thingie (what do we call these things, again?) is doing it very, very right. It's called "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," and it's like a well-written bedtime story and an immersive animated movie at once -- without being "too much" of either.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore iPad App Trailer from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

Part of why the book works so well is its top-shelf creative pedigree: author William Joyce is also an accomplished illustrator and animator who's published New Yorker covers, won a bunch of Emmys, created character designs for some of Pixar's first animated classics, and worked on many others for Dreamworks and Disney. With his cohorts at Moonbot Studios, he created an interactive book-app around the story and a standalone animated film -- so you can experience "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" however you like.

READ article on FastCompany.com.

Wanted: A Sexier Wristband For iPod Nano, By Incase

By James Gaddy, FastCompany.com

Gadget accessories maker Incase has been on a roll this year, from capsule collections with A.P.C. and Andy Warhol to its upcoming expansion into headphones later this year. But now the Apple loyalists have a new accessories obsession to hold them over until then: the Flex Wristband, the best attachment for the iPod Nano that we’ve seen since Scott Wilson’s feel-good story on Kickstarter last year.

Thankfully, the folks at Incase have kept the two best parts of Wilson’s model: The Flex Wristband employs an open-sided design that leaves the headphone port and connector exposed, so you can recharge or sync the Nano up without removing it from the wristband; and it also uses an easy snap-in locking hold that prevents scratches.

But that’s where the similarities end. Incase’s model classes up the joint a bit with a flexible, expandable, one-size-fits-all steel band that offers up a more professional, dignified approach while keeping the playfulness intact: it’s business and party in the front. And the matte finish in both silver and black is understated enough to go with just about anything.

READ article on FastCompany.com.

The Top 10 Places People Lose Their Smartphones

BY AUSTIN CARR OF fASTCOMPANY.COM

"Can you call my phone?"

How many times have you been asked this question in the last year? Losing your phone, whether between your couch cushions or (like most Apple employees) at a bar, is a common headache. But finding your phone is another story, one that usually requires a bit of serendipity or the kindheartedness of a good Samaritan.

Today, mobile-security startup Lookout, which specializes in Android smartphone protection, released an infographic on the lost-phone phenomenon--namely, the 10 worst places to lose your phone, and the top U.S. cities for smartphone loss or theft.

According to Lookout's data, the No. 1 city for cellphone loss, based on the percentage of its population, is Miami. No doubt that season of the Jersey Shore factored into the outcome. (Who could've possibly been sober in the MIA during the weeks the MVP were present?) New York City comes in second, followed by Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Philly, Dallas, and Chicago are all in the bottom half.

As for the top 10 worst places to lose your phone, based on chance of recovery, a restaurant or bar isn't such a horrible place, coming in at No. 9 (chance of recovery is fairly high, at 80% to 95%). The car roof comes in at No. 8, with a 25% to 75% chance of recovery. Unsurprisingly, public transit makes up a big part of the top 10. Airport security, buses and subways, airplanes, taxis--all these areas are prime spots to lose your phone.

The worst location to have your phone go missing is the swimming pool, which has a 50% to 75% chance of recovery--but your sopping-wet phone, even if retrieved, has less than a 5% chance of ever working again.

READ article on FastCompany.com.

Netflix raises plan prices, splits DVD and streaming options

By Tecca | Today in Tech

Apparently all good things, or at least all good prices, must come to an end. Gone are the days of getting both unlimited DVDs and unlimited streaming video from Netflix for one low price; the company has just announced a new pricing scheme that separates DVDs from streaming video, and charges full price for both. Subscribers can now choose unlimited streaming video for $7.99 a month, or unlimited DVDs (one at a time) also for $7.99 a month. If you want both, you'll have to pay $15.98 each month for the privilege.

There was a time when if you wanted to watch a movie, you actually had to go to a theater to do it. Then came home video, and eventually, Netflix removed the need to leave your house to rent movies to watch. Then came Netflix streaming, and fans of instant gratification rejoiced. As subscribers quickly realized the convenience of streaming video, Netflix introduced a streaming-only subscription option. For a while, fans of both streaming video and DVDs had it great — newer movies on DVD, older features to watch on streaming video whenever they wanted, and all for a pretty good price. Now, not so much.

READ article on Yahoo! News.

Justin Timberlake Considers Turning MySpace into a Talent Show

by Stan Schroeder, Mashable.com

MySpace’s new owners, Specific Media, and Justin Timberlake — who has an ownership stake in the company — are considering plans for the site that include a possible talent show.

“Whether it becomes a talent competition or something like that, those are things that we will still flesh out,” said Timberlake’s manager Johnny Wright in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“We definitely want to bring the industry back to MySpace to really look at the talented people that have put their faces there,” Wright added.

Timberlake and the new management have said they plan to steer the site’s focus in the direction of music and entertainment. MySpace may have been bleeding traffic in the last two years, but it’s still a very popular site for bands and musicians, and Specific Media obviously plans to capitalize on this.

READ article on Mashable.com.

Google’s +1 Button Already More Widespread Than Twitter’s Tweet Button

by Todd Wasserman, Mashable.com

Google’s +1 buttons have only been out for about a month, but they’re already more common than the tweet button on major web destinations.

BrightEdge, an enterprise SEO platform provider, analyzed the 10,000 largest sites on the web and found a 33% surge in placement for Google’s +1 button during the past few weeks. The company foundthat +1 buttons are now on 4.4% of those sites, up from 3.6% in June. Meanwhile, Twitter’s plug-ins are displayed on 3.4% of the sites.

Both Google and Twitter trail far behind Facebook, whose plug-ins, most notably its “Like” button, are on about 20% of the sites’ front pages. Note: Although the chart below lists Twitter’s plug-in as a “Twitter Share,” BrightEdge CEO Jim Yu says it refers to the Twitter tweet button.

READ article on Mashable.com.

Warning: 10 Reasons You Could Get Hooked on WiMax Internet

By Melissa Delaney of WirelessInternetReviews.com

Yes. Heed the warning. Simply reading the following information could be enough to get you hooked before you even experience it first hand. This is the data access you have dreamed of and hoped for.

1. Higher Speeds – 6 Mbps for residential use and 4 Mbps for mobile users is what they are predicting for the initial WiMax speeds and those will increase as the Wimax ‘cells’ decrease in size. Highspeed connections for everyone with a few miles of the transmitter.
2. Increased Data Capabilities – More efficient, faster, high quality delivery of data means that high level data content like video streaming, gaming, etc. will flow unhampered for all the users of the WiMax system.
3. Higher Quality – The small cell concept of the WiMax internet service allows for much higher quality data delivery on a consistent basis for its subscribers. Watching movies and television on your computer devices will be better than ever.
4. Lower Prices – The cost of delivering internet service through the WiMax system is expected to be significantly lower due to lower equipment cost and competition between equipment providers for the widespread installation of cells.
5. Wireless Access – Wireless access to the internet from anywhere in your home or business. A great convenience for all consumers. No need to choose between cable or DSL or satellite.
6. Rural Access – Rural users will now have an affordable means of accessing the internet at high speeds in locations where that was not economically feasible previously.
7. Expanded Access – Many areas that previously had limited access to the internet, especially at high speeds will be able to gain that access through WiMax.
8. NLOS Service – No Line Of Sight Service is one of the reasons that WiMax is able to provide the kind of wireless access to the internet described here. Cellphones will lose signal when they lose their ‘line of sight’ to cell towers. This has very little impact on WiMax.
9. Community Wide – WiMax is designed to provide community wide internet service. This would mean improved internet service for the entire community, schools, libraries, businesses, non-profits and individuals.
10. Quick Expansion – Reduced costs will also mean greater profitability for the ISP’s delivering the service. Greater profitabilities will mean faster expansion of the services to communities.

Are you hooked yet? You should be. When will it be coming to you? I can’t answer that question, but keep your eyes open for more in the news in the not too distant future.

CLICK to see original article on WirelessInternetReviews.com

Creating Social Memories Book from Facebook Posts

In Episode #112 of NerdBoyTV, Ryan Yee interviews the developers of Social Memories, a service that converts Facebook wall postings, photos, and stats into a graphically-designed hardbound coffee table book.

http://facebook.com/socialmemories

myTouch 4G vs iPhone 4 - Browser Speed Test

via WireFly.com

This is a browser speed test that compares the T-Mobile myTouch 4G with the Apple iPhone 4. For the best prices on the myTouch 4G, visit WireFly.com.

Geek Dad Ken Denmead on Press:Here

via Press:Here

Wired’s Geek Dad blogger encourages fathers to embrace their inner dork.

Spotlight on MyTouch 4G, Google+, and Harry Potter

Google invites NerdBoyTV to try Google+
Just got my invite from Google to tryout their possible "Facebook killer," Google+. This CNET video reviews some of the key highlights. You may want to sign-up to try it, too.



NerdBoyTV Smartphone Spotlight: MyTouch 4G
Because my longtime T-Mobile contract is coming to an end (and my teens have abandoned them for Verizon), I've been offered a pretty tempting offer to keep Brandon's service with the speedy MyTouch 4G. What do YOU think?



The Final Harry Potter Movie Coming!
If you haven't purchased your tickets for the 7/15 midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, you better hurry. I just bought mine yesterday and now the show is SOLD OUT. The movie trailer looks AWESOME!

First Look at Google's Facebook killer, Google+

Rafe Needleman looks into Google's latest social experiment, Google+, and how it's better—and worse—than Facebook.

Microsoft Demonstrates Office 365 Collaboration

via InformationWeek

Office 365's online services let teams of workers share and edit documents, schedule meetings, and collaborate in real time.

NewsCorp Unloads MySpace at Huge Loss

News Corp. has sold struggling social networking site MySpace for $35 million. The deal values MySpace at a fraction of what News Corp. paid for the site six years ago. (June 29)