MOBILE INSIGHTS: Barnes & Noble Opens Nook Tablet Ecosystem To Google Apps

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Barnes & Noble Opens Nook Tablet Ecosystem To Google's Play Store And Apps (Time)
Barnes & Noble Nook tablets have not been selling well, and it may be that opening up the Nook ecosystem to Google's apps and Play store can give this tablet line a boost. More than anything, the decision will help Barnes & Noble set apart the Nook line from Amazon's Kindle Fire line. The Kindle devices aren't integrated with Google's app ecosystem. Read >

Android Improves It Version Distribution Numbers (Android Police)
Google's monthly platform distribution numbers for Android are out. Continuing month-over-month trends, Gingerbread (Android version 2.3) still accounts for the most Android devices, however its share is declining. Meanwhile, Jelly Bean increased its share to 28.4%, compared
to 25% in March. Overall, devices running Android 4.0 and above are now a clear majority. We analyzed just how much these distribution numbers have changed since August in our analysis of Android's fragmentation problem. (Below right are the version shares in table form.) Read >

Imagining Apps For Google Glass (LinkedIn)
Google Glass isn't publicly available yet, but developers are already building apps for what could be the next big thing in consumer electronics. Glass Tweet, The New York Times, and Path's app are some of the third-party apps that have already been developed. Take a look at the apps Google has already built for the product, as well as a list of apps consumers are hoping for.
Read >

Time Warner Has No Plans To Offer HBO GO Without A Cable Subscription (BGR)
We recently looked at the high completion rates of made-for-TV video on tablets and smartphones. However, major cable networks are not yet ready to allow customers to cut their cable subscriptions. Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes recently dispelled any rumors that HBO GO — which allows users to watch HBO shows on mobile devices — would be made available to non-Pay TV subscribers. Read >

Microsoft Reportedly Planning To Announce A New Tablet Computer In June (Business Insider)
Microsoft's CFO hinted in April that the company was developing "a new suite of small touch devices powered by Windows." Well, it seems Microsoft may be farther along in its development than we thought, as DigiTimes is reporting that the next version of the Surface tablet is expected by the end of June. Read >

Nimble Messaging Apps Could Challenge Facebook's Mobile Success (Forbes) Increasingly popular over the top (OTT) messaging apps — services that send instant messages over the Internet and don't depend on wireless cell networks — are positioning themselves to take users, and maybe mobile ad dollars as well, from Facebook. BI Intelligence contributor, Dan Frommer, recently published an in-depth report about OTT messaging apps and the major players in the space. Read >

Americans Leave 23% Of Their Calls Unanswered, Global Average Is 14% (Tawkon)
Tawkon analyzed data based on 11.5 million mobile phone calls from the fourth quarter of 2012 and found that Americans let 23% of their mobile phone calls go unanswered, compared to the worldwide average of 14%. The study also found that users in Middle Eastern and North African countries waited the longest of any region before answering their phones. Conversely, Latin Americans answered their calls the quickest, with Panamanians leading with just 6.42 seconds of ringing time. Read >

Ghana's ISPs Are Going Out Of Business Because Of Mobile (Quartz)
Mobile broadband growth in Ghana, where 23% of the population has mobile access, is hurting the business of Internet service providers (ISPs). ISPs are now in talks to consolidate, and as the head of Ghana's ISP association ominously said, "the ones that fail to strike deals will probably fail altogether." We expect the rise of mobile broadband to hit the fixed Internet business in other emerging markets. Read >

Apple Nears The 50 Billion App Download Mark (All Things D)
The company is giving a free gift card to whoever happens to download the actual 50 billionth app. The milestone highlights that the app store's software distribution model is now a substantial business, and it would probably get more attention if it wasn't overshadowed by Apple's hardware empire. Since the app store's start, Apple has paid some $9 billion to app developers. Read >

Roadmap To Delivering A Strategic Mobile Web Experience (Netbiscuits)
What's the best route to a sustainable mobile Web strategy? You need to consider customer behavior and user preferences, as well as devices' technical capabilities. Software solutions provider Netbiscuits pulled together this handy infographic to help you think, and get the ball rolling. Read >

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