Ever since the Android operating system version 1.5 was released in 2009 and named Cupcake, significant follow-up Android OS updates have delivered the sweet tasting name of a desert or candy. The most current Android OS is Jelly Bean 4.2, but these exciting Motorola rumors include a possible launch of a currently unnamed handset to offer Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. As mentioned above, the Google I/O conference this year kicks off in May, and in the past the company has used this much-anticipated Google get-together to make official announcements about products, hardware and software.

All we know about the super smartphone is it will purportedly offer a large 5.0 inch display and introduce Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie to the smartphone marketplace. There are also hints of a possible Nexus smartphone or tablet release as well. The past few weeks have seen reports across the Blogosphere discussing a new Nexus 5 smartphone manufactured by LG, which would be an upgrade from the LG Nexus 4, but as usual, Google would not confirm nor deny anything.

There ware also rumors regarding the name of the new smartphone, and Motorola X has appeared out of nowhere as a likely moniker. The rumors have gone so far as to discuss access to the new Moto X, revealing that it will likely not be exclusive to the Verizon Wireless network. This is a stark departure from the Motorola Droid lineup, which is sold exclusively at Verizon. Handsets like the large screen, high resolution Motorola Razr MAXX HD can only be purchased running on the 4G LTE system on Verizon in the US.

That handset delivers a large 4.7 inch display with a resolution of 720 x 1,280 pixels. However, the 5.0 inch Moto X smartphone screen is rumored to offer a 1,080P true HD display. Sources have recently claimed that the new Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie handset will deliver improvements that Motorola has been working on regarding their software experience and improved user interface. There was no information available at the time of this release regarding the possible launch of the rumored Motorola X smartphone.

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Indian IT major TCS is reckoned worldwide for services that have helped many global companies refine their internal communications and management. It aims at simplifying business practices and transforming them using latest technology. Currently they have 4500 employees in North and West Europe. Amit Bajaj, the company’s Nordic and Baltic head, was quoted saying that this move is a plus for TCS as well as it confirms the company’s commitment to the Nordic region. Currently, TCS is already engaged with companies like SAS, Ericsson, Telenor and ABB.

The task assigned to TCS includes amalgamation of Nokia’s numerous applications for consumer relationship management, enterprise resource planning, product lifecycle management, enterprise information management, corporate functions and supply chain management. The IT vendor is expected to strategically choose only those applications that truly add value to the process and deliver one program that covers all of them, as well as perfect business practices in some other areas in Nokia’s core business hands. The period of the contract wasn’t mentioned; just that it is going to be long-term.

The stock market had responded favorably to Nokia’s previous announcements and the stock continues to be green even now. In fact, Nokia has beaten Apple’s stock by a large in the last month, with reports that money is flowing from the Silicon Valley titan to Nokia. This is an important teller of Nokia’s way forward, especially since Sprint recently decided to opt for Samsung and HTC Windows Phone 8 devices over Nokia’s Lumia series. This period is crucial to the Finnish phone maker’s story as the smartphone and mobile technologies industry gets more and more congested.

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Was this some move to improve his company’s bottom line? Have there been supply chain issues for HTC or Telefonica O2 UK, better known simply as O2? The answer to those questions is no, the news was purely ecologically-based, and just one more out-of-the-box effort by Dunne to change the way the wireless smartphone industry does business. Dunne was recognized as a top player in the industry by the UK website Mobile Today.

Ronan Dunne was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of O2 in 2008, and stated that he hopes other wireless companies around the globe will offer customers the option of receiving no new smartphone charger when they make a purchase in the future. His lofty goal is to see if not one cell phone sold around the world with a bundled charger by the year 2015. And he says he knows this can work, because of the successful environmentally friendly trial his company recently ran with the HTC One X+.

The 3 month long pilot scheme took place in collaboration with smartphone manufacturer HTC, and was nicknamed the “charger out-of-the-box” initiative. Offered an option of receiving the handset only instead of bundled with the charger as has been the traditional case, an incredible 82% opted not to get the USB charger when buying the One X+. Dunne said that the results of the trial “demonstrate a clear willingness among consumers to consider” positive environmental alternatives when making a smartphone purchase.

He urged other mobile operators around the world to latch onto the idea, and pointed out that there are currently an estimated 100 million unused smartphone chargers in the UK alone. That is enough to fill 4 Olympic swimming pools, and since the majority of new smartphones use the microUSB standard, there’s much less requirement for a new charger with every device. And with phones like the HTC One X+ delivering as much as 12.75 hours from a single battery charge, as technology improves, overall charger need will decline as well.

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But with the arrival of large incredibly high resolution displays, substantial RAM memory and NFC wireless data share applications like Android Beam, reading and sharing the latest and hottest news stories has become much more popular. Handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S III, which recently passed the 40 million units sold mark globally, offer a large high-resolution screen, updated Jelly Bean 4.1 Android operating system, 2.0 GB of RAM memory and NFC support. But even so, the Google Reader application for Android operating systems has always been the norm and the standard smartphone newsreader on Android.

But will you allow me to go off target here and ask you a question? Do you remember your first car? You worked hard, saved your money, and bought a used clunker. But since it was your first car, it was the greatest thing in the world. Well, the newly released Pulse RSS and newsreader for Android is a 2013 Rolls-Royce compared to your “first car” newsreader, Google Reader. Sure, Google Reader worked fine, was adequate, and did what you asked of it. But the new Pulse newsreader delivers sex appeal, performance and just flat-out better enjoyability than any previous Android newsreader.

It even uses a special stealth mode to sneak into Google and allow you to import any Google Reader RSS feeds. And it does it in a user interface that is both simple to understand and enjoyable to experience. You may even find that you will use the new Pulse newsreader as a way to access your favorite websites rather than directly through their URL. The interface is well laid out, is also attractive, and once you import your favorite feeds they appear in rows that are quick to access, with a thumbnail story listed from each specific source.

It honestly makes large, high-resolution touchscreen displays like the one found on the Samsung Galaxy S III a much more enjoyable experience than previous newsreader applications like Google Reader. So when you are ready to experience an RSS and newsreader that is as cutting edge as your Galaxy S III or other high-end Android smartphone, trade-in your adequate “first car” Google Reader for the full-featured and enjoyable Pulse “Rolls-Royce of newsreaders” Android smartphone application. You will then finally harness your large, high resolution Android smartphone touchscreen to the best of its abilities.

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Alongside, Research in Motion’s Blackberry and Google’s Android, Nokia is a significant player in emerging markets. In fact, as more and more people have turned towards iPhones and Galaxy’s in the developed countries, companies like Nokia have focused on places like India, Indonesia, China, Latin America and Africa. The durability and consistency of Symbian phones is favored in these markets. In fact, the name “Asha” is no big coincidence of nomenclature – it means hope in Hindi, the language most widely spoken in India. It is ironic though how this phone has potentially become the hope for Nokia’s own future.

While the company had been focused on promoting its premium phone, Lumia, Asha was sneaking up quietly in the background. But market analysts have warned against overestimating the value of these reports. Tavis McCourt, an analyst at Raymond James, was quoted saying that it isn’t unusual for Nokia to sharply increase shipments in the fourth quarter, and these have often fallen again in the following first quarter. Therefore it may be premature to make predictions before the results from this quarter.

Other positive news in the pre-reports from Nokia include a total sales of 86.3 million devices and a heartening performance from the Devices and Services Division overall. Final results will be posted on January 24^th, and rumors of a small profit have been floating around. This is the much-needed change for the one-time global leader in mobile phones, as it has been reporting losses for the last three quarters. The latest loss figure is estimated at about $63 million. Asha’s progress, strongly supported by Lumia’s success, could mean a brighter 2013 for the one-time global leader in mobile phones.

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The powerful HTC Droid DNA 4G arrived on November 21 on the speedy Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network in the United States. Currently retailing for around $149 on contract at select retailers online, the Droid DNA 4G offers a slim, light and tough polycarbonate unibody. The handset is also distinctive with red side grills, a seamless laminated screen that helps illuminate reflection, and an ultra-matte finish. The Taiwan-based smartphone manufacturer pulled out all the stops, giving the handset all the best features and hardware they had at their disposal.

And that pixel density mentioned earlier is definitely the highlight of the impressive Droid DNA 4G. Just to give you an idea of for comparison’s sake, the 441 pixels per inch on the 5.0 inch 1,080P screen compare more than favorably to the best-selling Samsung Galaxy S III and Apple iPhone 5 smartphones. The Galaxy S III delivers 306 pixels per inch over their 4.80 inch screen, with the Apple iPhone 5 delivering 326 pixels per inch on its 4.0 inch display. While anything over 300 pixels per inch is outstanding, the clarity on the Droid DNA 4G is nothing short of amazing.

By stretching that monster of a display from edge to edge and corner to corner, HTC kept the handset as small and light as possible. The Droid DNA 4G for Verizon measures 5.55 x 2.78 x 0.38 inches (141 x 70.5 x 9.73 mm), and weighs 4.87 ounces (138 g). The 5.0 inch ImageChip ISP S-LCD 3 delivers a high-end resolution of 1,080 x 1,920 pixels (1,080P HD), with a scratch resistant layer of Gorilla Glass protecting the display.

Talk time runs 12.60 hours from a single battery charge, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 has as its centerpiece a quad core 1.5 GHz CPU. A full 2.0 GB of RAM memory is on board, as is 16.0 GB of built-in storage. The exclusive Beats Audio sound system has been prepackaged into the HTC Droid DNA 4G, as has a YouTube video player and NFC wireless support. The handset also delivers a rear facing 8.0 megapixel camcorder, capable of video capture at 1,080P HD resolution, as well as a front facing chat cam.

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Harris has released a 22-page report delineating “best practices” for smartphone users, makers of internet browsers, app developers and advertising networks. According to this document, she has encouraged app developers to elucidate privacy laws clearly so that users know what kind of choices they are making. As of now, California State Law requires developers to be completely transparent about their data usage before users access an app for the first time. However, this notice may get overlooked or forgotten easily.

Harris has urged developers to go one step ahead of the law’s demands, and prompt users before they take an action under which their data will be shared with third parties. The flow of information on the web has tremendously helped advertising networks streamline their ads, and users find the things that are most relevant to them. Web 2.0 has also been used by media personalities, celebrities, budding artists, academics, etc. as a platform for their personal work and achievements. How the damaging effects of these practices on a user’s life can’t be denied.

We have all heard bizarre cases where people have tracked down other people via a gaming platform or a social networking website, and some of these cases end violently. Many believe that it is every individual’s responsibility to practice discretion and prudence while putting their personal life online, not the government’s. In that case, a solid suggestion by authorities like Harris is likely to be a lot more efficacious than restrictive decrees.  Alex Fowler from internet browser Firefox-maker Mozilla was quoted saying that he appreciates Harris’ proactive approach that brings developers and programmers into the conversation rather than enforcing action on them.

On its part, California State has enforced action to some extent. Last year, Harris sent out letters sharply warning 100 companies whose mobile apps were in violation of its privacy terms law, and even filed a lawsuit against Delta Airlines.

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As of the moment, the Nokia Lumia 920 is one of the more capable handsets in the Windows Phone ecosystem. In fact, it is one of the high-end flagship devices currently available in platform today, the other being the Windows Phone 8X from Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC. Well, we could have included the Samsung ATIV S here but the flagship device of the Korean electronics giant is still missing in action so we stuck with the other two.

Going back to the Nokia Lumia 920, its being a flagship device means that it boasts of impressive components under its hood. And with its fire-breathing internals, it is expected that the handset will also bring a lot of impressive capabilities to the table. However, it looks like the capability of the Nokia Lumia 920 to access the mobile web version of Google Maps through its native Internet Explorer browser was disabled as reports last week confirmed.

However, it is to be noted though that Google Maps on the handset’s browser wasn’t officially supported because Internet Explorer on the Nokia Lumia 920 doesn’t run on the webkit engine that the mobile version of Google Maps is optimized for. Though this might be the case, the service used to work in the past until Google reportedly put a redirect in place because the Nokia Lumia 920’s browser did not offer a good maps experience.

However, reports are coming in yet again that the mobile website of Google Maps is once again up and running and accessible using the native browser of the Nokia Lumia 920. Sure, the Google Maps experience on the handset’s Internet Explorer browser isn’t as smooth as flawless compared to Android or iOS but at least, it can be accessed and taken advantage of again. No reason however was given by Google as to the sudden decision to restore this functionality on the Nokia Lumia 920.

As for the Nokia Lumia 920, the handset reached official status when its addition to the lineup of AT&T was announced back in September of last year. The handset however waited until November before it finally made its debut in the shelves of the wireless carrier for mass consumption. It has dimensions of 130.3 x 70.8 x 10.7 mm and it weighs in at a rather hefty 185 grams.

Under the hood, the Nokia Lumia 920 is running Windows Phone 8 for its operating system and this draws power from the handset’s QualComm MSM8960 SnapDragon chipset. This SoC brings into play a dual-core Krait processor clocked at 1.5 GHz working in partnership with the handset’s 1GB of RAM to ensure the smoothness of its performance. The storage space onboard the handset comes up to a very generous 32GB though this is all you get because the Nokia Lumia 920 lacks support for memory expansion. The display of the handset on the other hand is a 4.5-inch TFT panel with a resolution of 1280 x 768 pixels while its dual-shooter configuration includes a rear 8MP shooter and a front 1.3MP snapper.

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It is an indicator of the market confidence in Windows 8 that Sprint has picked up both the phones. Both phones will be sold with Sprint’s “Everything Data” plan, which is highlighted by the 4G LTE Internet speed. Possibly the fastest mobile Internet service in the U.S., the 4G LTE has attracted a new wave of customers to Sprint in the last 6 months and Windows 8 will benefit from this.

Microsoft’s Windows Phone Division’s Corporate Vice President, Terry Myerson, agrees, and asserts that the high-speed Internet will enhance the personal computing element of the phone. It seems like Myerson has found a like-minded partner in Sprint! Fared Adib, Sprint Senior VP of Product Development and Operations, was quoted praising the sturdy platform that Microsoft has provided on both these phones, and claiming that Windows 8 has the ability to bring the whole PC experience into the palms of users.

Samsung, HTC and Windows 8 have all been mum about the technical specifications of the phones, the official release date or the price rand. All they said is that both phones will have dual-core processors, two cameras, etc. These features are rather commonplace in the current smartphone marketplace and the participating companies are expected to make more titillating revelations in the coming days of CES.

Sprint’s “Everything Data” package offers unlimited Internet, calls within the US and texts, starting at $79.99 per month. The 4G LTE service is already live in 49 markets in the US, and is targeted to become available in another 100 by the end of 2013. Needless to say, this means added visibility for Windows 8 and therefore more belief in whatever devices it proffers next.

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The Jelly Bean 4.1 OS update delivers a brand new Google Search experience, as well as improved Google Now personal virtual assistant. Simply opt in, and Google Now will give you weather alerts before you start your day, let you know when the next train is running, deliver your favorite team’s sports scores and give you an estimate of how traffic is flowing. These alerts are of course customized to your specific requirements.

The Google Voice Search allows you to speak directly to your phone with common sentence structure to get the results you need. If you want to know the weather, simply ask, “Do I need an umbrella today?” Your phone will either speak back the answer to you, or deliver quick search results to your display. And if you sign into the built-in Chrome for Android web browser, you can sync all your searches between your phone and your desktop PC.

The Droid Razr MAXX HD 4G Android smartphone offers security with government grade data encryption, a remote hard drive wipe application, and personal identification number lock. Delivered in your choice of black or white handset, NFC wireless support is present out-of-the-box. A Corning Gorilla Glass display overlay offers scratch resistance, and the handset is rugged, designed with a DuPont Kevlar and aircraft grade aluminum structure.

The Super AMOLED display is 4.70 inches, with a resolution of 720 x 1,280 pixels. The battery delivers all-day performance with 21.0 hours of talk time offered from a single battery charge. Single charge results also include 13.0 hours of video playback, 10.0 hours of streaming video and 27 hours of streaming music. The CPU is a 1.5 dual core chip, 1.0 GB of RAM is on board, as is 32 GB of built-in data storage. A microSD slot has been provided for storage expansion opportunities, and the handset’s 8.0 megapixel camcorder is capable of recording video at 1,080 P HD resolution.

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