ANDROID

Koushik Dutta, an Android hacker popularly known as Koush, has released a new mobile Internet tethering application that will allow users to take advantage of their smartphone's data connection to get Internet access on desktops and laptops, without additional charges. Almost all carriers charge extra for data downloaded by a shared computer using the service provided by mobile phones.

There is some good news for those anxiously waiting to buy the Asus Transformer Prime with the device available for order at Best Buy and Office Depot.

Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. warned on Friday that its fourth-quarter revenue would miss Wall Street expectations as it was weighed down by tough competition and legal expenses in what is usually the best quarter of the year.

Taiwan based Digitimes, a common source for Apple component news, has issued a new report saying their sources indicate two new iPads in 2012, one in March and one in October. That could be good news for tablet lovers because it would mean faster updates on current devices or a faster turnaround time for new devices.

Finnish cellphone maker Nokia has bought Norwegian technology startup Smarterphone AS to add more advanced features to its basic cellphone models.

Users of iPhone 4S demand nearly three times the data of iPhone 3G users, which could indicate problems on the horizon for wireless carriers selling the smartphones.

iPad 3 will be here in March, but if waiting for Apple's newest tablet doesn't suit you, perhaps it's time to consider buying an Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime. It's the same size display as the iPad 2 and even costs the same, $500.

Samsung Galaxy S2 was heralded one of the top smartphones of 2011 with its all-powerful features packed into a slim sleek case. Now Samsung enthusiasts are gearing up for the all all-new Samsung Galaxy S3 model.

Anyone considering one of these phones will likely not be considering the other, but because they are so different, it's kind of fun to see what separates them. First, iPhone 4S isn't even offered by T-Mobile, and that's the only place in the U.S. where you'll find the Nokia Lumia 710.

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime, which is the world's first tablet to have NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, will get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update from next week. However, the ASUS tablet has to deal with the Toshiba Thrive, which was launched July 10, 2011.

Apple's foreign supply chain says the company will release the iPad 3 with a full HD display in March, and a completely renovated iPad 4 in October. The new iPads will make Apple's older iPad offerings cheaper and more accessible.

HTC Amaze 4G, which was released in October for T-Mobile, is expected to see or give stiff competition to Apple iPhone 4S, which received overwhelming positive responses.

Internet search engine giant Google will reportedly launch its own-brand tablet, prompting Android fans to wonder which kind of device the company plans to make - will the Google tablet compete with the affordable, $199 Amazon Kindle Fire or the high-end, $499 (and above) Apple iPad 2?

It is expected that this fall Apple will be launching its much awaited iPhone 5, with major overhaul in terms of design, complete with larger screen and compatibility with 4G LTE networks.

The company is also promising to show off a waterproof tablet that sports a bright OLED display, plus a 55-inch QFHD television with glasses-free 3D at the trade show that's scheduled in Las Vegas.

Samsung Galaxy Note is expected to reach the U.S. early this year with AT&T reportedly lining up to carry a version of the smartphone.

LG Electronics has announced its coalition with Google to launch its own Google TV. LG is the latest entry to Google's ambitious internet TV alliance, which also includes Samsung, Sony and Vizio.

Acer's new 10-inch Android tablet will be available Jan. 15 in the U.S., so if you don't want to wait for the new iPad, you might want to head over to your local mom and pop electronics center and get your hands on one (Okay, corporate chain electronics store).

Reddit.com, the wildly-popular online community, received 2.07 billion pageviews in December 2011 alone, capping a year in which the site's traffic doubled the hits it received in 2010.

Online game developer Zynga Inc is releasing a new mobile word game called Scramble with Friends on Thursday to expand its user base beyond Facebook and catch up with rivals in the handheld market.

The white Samsung Galaxy Nexus is expected to hit stores in the UK in the next two weeks and the U.S launch will follow in early February, according to Expansys.com.