Google has filed a new patent for a new technology that can control motion based gestures on a device without the use of hands. The concept applied in this case is similar to the one used in the Xbox Kinect. The front facing camera on a device will be used to record gestures, which will be interpreted by the device to run tasks. Taps, hovers and swipes are the signals that will trigger these programmed tasks.
One fact that needs to be highlighted here is that the application of this concept is not new. The Pantech Vega (LTE), which is available only in Korea, permits users to make waving gestures in order to answer calls, flip pages in an eBook, surf the internet or even change a song. The Pantech Vega is one of the few phones which offers an amazing display (335 ppi density) apart from its gesture control capabilities. Given the increasing number of patent battles each day, companies are making sure that they get new technology protected as soon as a feasible mechanism for the same is proposed.
In other news, a statistic released from StatCounter shows that the Android browser is now the top mobile browser in the world. Taking a share of 22.67%, Android browser bested Opera’s share of 21.7% by a small margin. The set of statistics released after December 2011 showed how the Android Browser improved its share from 20.2% to the present milestone of 22.67%. Opera, currently second in the listings, suffered a loss of its share from 24.22% in December, to 21.7% at present.
Meanwhile, the iPhone browser Safari also showed an increase from its previous share of 18.41% to its current figure estimated at a little over 21%. This figure helped the browser secure the third position right behind Opera. Other noteworthy browsers like that of Nokia’s and BlackBerry’s secured shares of 11.24% and 6.53% respectively.
Things don’t look good for BlackBerry, as the downslide continues after it recorded its highest share of 14.53% in the same month last year. The numbers aren’t surprising given that all Android phones are pre-installed with the browser. However it will be interesting to note the shift in shares after Chrome and Firefox for Android are announced in the coming months. The top position in the number of page views is still held by the Symbian OS, however the trend is downward, so it is only time before the Android or the iOS secures the top spot.
