12/18 Tech Beat - BusinessWeek

Please add updates@feedmyinbox.com to your address book to make sure you receive these messages in the future. Tech Beat - BusinessWeek Android: Catching Up to the iPhone December 17, 2009 at 4:57 pm Consumer awareness of Android, an operating system for smartphones pushed by Google, is on a steep climb, which bodes well for vendors like Motorola and HTC. Of consumers expecting to shop for smartphones in the next three months, 17% are considering an Android-based device, according to comScore's new survey of 2,300 consumers. In fact, devices based on Android aren't far behind the iPhone. Some 20% of consumers are in the market for the Apple device. The results represent a stark contrast to consumer sentiment of only a few months ago. In August, 7% of consumers were contemplating buying an Android device, while 21% of them were considering the iPhone. The splash that Motorola's Droid phone, based on Android, has made recently is partly responsible for increased attention that Android is getting. "In August 2009, just 22 percent of mobile users had heard of the Android, while in November 2009 this figure had reached 37 percent, largely prompted by the Verizon Droid advertising campaign launched in the fall," according to the report. Android may get a further boost next year, when more Android devices should come onto the market. While the Android movement could still get derailed -- for instance, if Google decides to release Android phones under its own brand -- it certainly appears to be on the right track now, and rolling along with an ever-increasing speed. Sorry, Kindle: WSJ Warms to Sony December 17, 2009 at 10:27 am News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch has made no secret of his disdain for the Amazon Kindle business model, punctuating recent earnings calls with remarks that the e-commerce giant pockets too much of the subscription fees for the Wall Street Journal and other content. On Thursday morning his company's actions spoke louder than words, as it announced an exclusive deal with Sony, Amazon's top rival in the e-reader business. Sony's Daily Edition device will be the first to receive automatic wireless updates of The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, and the MarketWatch Web site. Subscriptions will be offered for a monthly charge of $15 for The Journal, and between $10 and $20 for the other options. For an extra fee, subscribers can choose to receive an update when the markets close in the afternoon, in addition to the morning news. News Corp. already makes The Journal available for $15 per month on the Kindle, but users of the device are forced to manually download the newspaper each morning. In theory, automatic updates could be made available to the Kindle -- but Murdoch's belief that his company's cut of $6 to $6.50 is barring any such arrangement. Some speculated News Corp. would walk away from the Kindle altogether, but the new "exclusive" agreement for automatic updates on Sony readers appears to be the best counter the company could muster. "There [were] issues with Kindle and Sony has been been very understanding of those concerns," said Robert Thompson, editor of the Wall Street Journal, during a meeting with journalists. "If it wasn't a better deal I wouldn't be here today." Thompson also referred to another one of News Corp.'s gripes with Amazon: its shielding of subscriber information with content partners. "Our concerns about customer information have been addressed," Thompson said in the briefing. The deal certainly benefits Sony, which is trying to get an edge over Amazon during the crucial holiday shopping season. Shipment of the Daily Edition reader, a $399 device with touch screen and wireless capabilities, has already been delayed several weeks. The company says the device will be widely available before Christmas.   This email was sent to gamblusirus.jaid6@gmail.com.  Create Your Account Don't want to receive this feed any longer? Unsubscribe here.