Net Applications, a research firm takes a look at the web market share for mobile browsing for cellphones in February and showed that the iPhone operating system is trouncing its competitors with a 66.6% share. Java ME came in second with 9.06%, Windows Mobile third with 6.91% while Android and Symbian settles for a 6.15%.

iPhone is literally without competition in the smartphone traffic in the US, however it was noted that the achievements of Android and BlackBerry was praise worthy since they were only available at a later date and Android even manage to tie in with Symbian.

Source: Hits Link

Developers who joined the Android developer program and bought the $400 unlocked developer T-Mobile G1 phone from Google discovered that they are not allowed to access paid Android Marketplace apps.

The reason Google gave was that ‘these phones give developers of handset full permissions to all aspects of the device, including the ability to install a modified version of the Android Open Source Project. We aren’t distributing copy protected applications to these phones in order to minimize unauthorized copy of the applications’.

One Android developer explains more technically that Google copy protect apps by downloading them to a restricted folder but for unlocked phones, the folder isn’t protected. However a developer could return the original for a refund since the Android Market allows refunds within 24 hours of purchase.

Source: Gizmodo

A video demo of Quake running on Android and hardware accelerated using a prehistoric looking prototye handset running Qualcomm’s MSM7201 silicon at CTIA. VGA 30fps performance of Quake shows how rich Android applications can be.

Check out the Quake demo running on Android after the jump.

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Pwn2Own, the annual hacker competition held for the 3rd year running will be held at the CanSecWest Security Conference on Marth 16-20th in Vancouver BC. Sponsored by 3Com’s TippingPoint unit, the contest will target two sets of technologies: mobile devices and web browsers.

For the first track, it will present contestants with fully patched iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows Mobile phones in their default configuration and they would have to submit exploits that uses general actions a normal user would take while using the device. Cash prizes amounted to $10,000 for those who can break into the mobile devices.

For the second track, contestants would have to take a shot at web browsers (IE8, Firefox, Chrome) installed on a Sony Vaio running Windows 7 as well as Safari and Firefox installed on a Macbook runnig Mac OS X. All browsers will also be fully patched. Cash prizes amounted to $5,000 for those who can track a malicious bug.

So if you are good in hacking and wants to take a chance in participating in this competition, you can choose any of the track or both and must generally prove successful code execution. A rule though states that each contestant can only win one prize. For more details head over to TippingPoint website for rules, regulations and details.

Source: TippingPoint

Charlie Miller, a veteran security researcher/hacker discovered a security hole in the T-Mobile G1 phone that runs Google Android Software. The hack which allowed a redirect of the G1’s web browser to a malicious web site was notified to Google. Google was aware of the problem but clarified that the security features of the phone would limit the extent of damage that hackers could do.

T-Mobile issued a statement regarding the security flaw:
“Google is working on a browser software patch for Android. We are coordinating with Google on a plan to soon deliver this update over-the-air to customers’ G1 devices. For people currently using the phone, we do not believe this matter will negatively impact their experience with the device.”

Google’s statement:
“We treat all security matters seriously and will carefully work with our partners to investigate and update devices periodically to reduce our users’ exposure. We are working with T-Mobile to include a fix for the browser exploit, which will soon be delivered over the air to all devices, and have addressed this in the Android open source platform. The security and privacy of our users is of primary importance to the Android Open Source Project – we do not believe this matter will negatively impact them.”

Via: VentureBeat

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse told the National Press Club in Washington DC that the Android platform is ‘not good enough to put the Sprint brand on it’ so don’t expect to see any Sprint Android phone in the near future.

Hesse however does promise that we will see an Android powered phone on Sprint eventually but he’s not saying when. When other telecommunications company embrace Android readily, I do believe Sprint will be compelled to follow suit.

Via: Mobile Burn

Android powered T-mobile G1 lacks a virtual keyboard on the screen where one do not have to slide open the G1 to enter some data. The Android roadmap currently sees a release date of Q1 2009 for a virtual keyboard. From the Android development site itself reads - Q1 2009 Input method framework (IMF) This feature will enable support for input methods other than physical keyboards, for example soft keyboards. IMF will also enable application developers to provide IME (see below) applications based on the framework.

Input method engines (IME)

IME will support soft keyboards, a dictionary of suggestions, and a suggestion algorithm. The Android platform may contain few reference IMEs, and developers can provide IME applications through the Android Market.

Via: IntoMobile