ANDROID

For tech geeks and hackers, Friday the 13th may be a lucky day after all. Samsung has just released the source code for its Samsung Galaxy Note Ice Cream Sandwich kernel on AT&T. This means that developers and those who know how to fiddle with smartphone software can now tinker as much as they please.

More Americans use iPhones than any version of Android smartphones, but Google's operating system bests Apple when it comes to marketshare, with 51.8 percent of smartphone users owning an Android handset compared to 34 percent with iPhones, according to new data released Thursday.

The Galaxy Note that has narrowed the gap between a smartphone and a tablet has been among the key contributors to Samsung's success. While the newly released Galaxy S3 is expected to give Apple iPhone a run for its money, reports surfacing online say that a sequel to the Galaxy Note is also nearing release as early as late August.

Google released the source code of the OS earlier this week in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), allowing developers to dabble with the new software. And now, thanks to an AOSP-based Jelly Bean (4.1.1) ROM, you can install the OS on you Amazon Kindle Fire tablet.

As news about Amazon testing its smartphone trickles down, the industry is agog with excitement of finding a smartphone that can usher in the goodies without much fuss.

Google recently unveiled its Nexus 7 tablet at its I/O developers conference at the end of June, and critics, analysts, and tech enthusiasts have wondered how it will stack up to the competition. Now professionals have torn the new device apart to see just what makes the Nexus 7 stand out from its rivals.

While U.S Samsung enthusiasts are scurrying to stores to get their hands on the Galaxy S3, AT&T customers who want the exclusive red version of the phone will have to wait, as the phone will not be released until July 29.

Romney's wealth is a turn off for independent voters, while smartphone users say they would likely vote for Obama if the election was held today.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 has finally arrived in Verizon stores, although some store managers are warning about limited availability, urging customers to buy the device sooner rather than later.

Google introduced the latest version of its mobile operating system, the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, last month at Google I/O 2012. During the launch, the search giant announced that over-the-air (OTA) updates of Jelly Bean would be rolled out in mid-July for devices like Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus and Xoom. Here's how to install Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean on GSM Galaxy Nexus manually.

According to recent reports, Sprint variant of the Samsung Galaxy S3 was about to receive an OTA (over-the-air) update that would disable the universal search functionality on the handset. The update means that users of the Sprint Galaxy S3 won't be able to use the Google search bar on the homescreen to find their apps, contacts and other data. Only web-based results will return when they search with that method.

Google is pushing Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for Galaxy Nexus devices, but it seems that Samsung won?t be the only manufacturer featuring the sweet-themed software.

Gamers are rallying around one of the most explosively popular developments in gaming history -- an open-source console called Ouya.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 has finally hit store shelves, and tech fanatics aren?t the only ones raving about the device. Established consumer magazine Consumer Reports has given AT&T?s variant 78 points and T-Mobile?s 77 points.

On Tuesday, Gotta Be Mobile released exclusive photos of what it believes to be an engineering sample of the iPhone 5 design, which only helps to validate earlier rumors, reports, and even photos and schematics of the phone. The features and specs from this iPhone metal mockup actually perfectly match up with those earlier photos and schematics released in May.

The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean software has started rolling out and the unlocked Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ is the first to get the update, according to the Nexus blog post on Google +.

Exactly how small would an iPad Mini be? Apple will neither confirm nor deny the existence of a mini tablet -- or any of its products, for that matter -- which is why any time photos of iPhone or iPad components surface, it's a big deal. On Tuesday night, Gotta Be Mobile posted exclusive photos of what it believes to be an engineering sample of the iPad Mini design, which reveals many possible features of this tiny tablet.

Sprint variant of the Samsung Galaxy S3 has reportedly received an OTA update because of which users of the device won't be able to use the Google search bar on the homescreen to find their apps, contacts and other data. Only web-based results return now when we search with that method.

After releasing the source code for the Verizon variant of the Galaxy S3, the manufacturer is reportedly going to offer a developer edition of the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone on the same carrier. The device would feature an unlockable bootloader, allowing developers and enthusiasts to tinker around on their devices.

Research in Motion CEO Thorsten Heins has been saying the same thing for weeks: Pay no attention to the man behind that curtain. Despite massive layoffs, dramatic drop-offs in market share and a rapidly decaying portfolio for investors, Heins firmly believes that RIM's best is yet to come.

Verizon and U.S. Cellular will be the last U.S. phone carriers to get the Samsung Galaxy S3 on Wednesday. The phone is already available on AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile, but it is rolling out slowly due to high demand and lack of stock.