With the implementation of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) we have seen the most polished version of Android yet.  The UI gorgeous and the speed and stability of the system is clearly unmatched by any of the previous versions.  However, Google has gotten fed up with phone manufacturers debasing the Android experience by putting their own theme on top of the OS and not giving the consumer an option to revert back to the stock UI.

Those times are gone.

Android has been plagued by fragmentation every since Google started distributing it.  This is certainly an excellent business move that will help Google and ultimately help the entire community.  How?  The hundreds of thousands of app developers will know that the UI that they build and test their apps on will be available to those that purchase Android devices.  This comes as exciting news because when Motorola, Samsung, HTC, and others throw their custom UIs atop stock Android it takes away from what Google meant to be there.  On the other hand, this does not mean that manufacturers can no longer build a theme to replace Android 4.0; yet the device must include the default theme, Holo.  Google stated, “If the device has Android Market it will have the Holo themes as they were originally designed.”  Read the full post from the Android Developers Blog Here.

Bottom line:  Google has wizened up and this move will certainly make Android more visible as a large proponent of the smartphone market; rather than looking and feeling so different on every device that you pick up.

In the world of mobile handsets everyone has heard and/or used Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android operating system at some point.  However, these two behemoths can easily overshadow their competition.  How?

• The market is flooded with Android devices; from high-end to low-end
• Apple is everywhere and the attitude of the company seems to belittle the entire market

So, with two powerful players how can anyone achieve success?  It is possible; yet, the competing platform must be differentiated and stable.  HP’s webOS was just that and it failed, so how could Windows Phone 7 be any better?  First, Microsoft has been backing it’s mobile operating system for years while HP was impatient with webOS (although now they have chose to open-source the platform — good business decision) and pair that with poor marketing.  Second, Windows Phone 7 is a tremendous upgrade over the Windows Mobile of yesteryear.  The metro-UI is great and the operating system runs very fast and seamless.  With so many strong points to an operating system how could it not be a player in the mobile market?  There are a few ways for WP7 to push forward:

• More devices on all major carriers
• Dual-core devices will make the platform even faster
• Increased marketing

Although WP7 has the lowest market share of the three (iOS, Android, and WP7) it is doing several things right.  For example, when compared to Android it has much better system support by providing all phones with updates; this drastically reduces the risk of fragmentation.  On the other hand, when compared to Apple, the OS seems to be just as responsive and has power in not being limited to one specific piece of hardware.

Bottom line:  WP7 will potentially go nowhere but up if Microsoft plays their cards right; this mobile OS reminds be of webOS because of the significant amount of potential that it has to be a leader.

As an Android user you are bombarded by the sheer number of Task Killer/Manager applications that swamp the Market.  However, Google will tell you that Android does not need a Task Killer.

One of the first recommendations, usually by store representatives, when you first purchase your new Android device is to promptly download Advanced Task Killer (also known as ATK) to help solve the “apparent” Android memory issue.  I recently watched a YouTuber, phandroid, who spoke in a very informative video HERE concerning the dangers of Task Killers.  The truth is that Android is one of the best multitasking mobile operating systems available.  Why?  Because it monitors and “kills” tasks itself.  The system does not need the users help.  Sometimes you might experience a brief slow down, as you would with any mobile OS, because certain processes are in the middle of starting and stopping.  However, when you are constantly killing apps you could be killing critical applications just because you are concerned about these processes filling up your RAM.

On the other hand, all Android users have at some point used a Task Killer.  I used one until recently; my phone would be killing so many tasks automatically that it would be rendered useless.  My RAM would sink to unbelievable lows because so many processes would get killed and begin again at the same time.  Now, I simply let my phone run as it normally would just with out Automatic Task Manager and use Watchdog Lite and a few root apps (optional) to monitor processes and disable a few start-up apps.  These few changes have made my phone faster than it ever was with a task killer installed.

Bottom line:  While task killers are NOT necessary, it is always good to keep an eye out on your processes.  Generally, Android will kill apps or put them in the background so that your device’s CPU doesn’t get bogged down.  However, try Watchdog Lite from the Android Market.  This app will alert you when an app misbehaves and will allow you to “kill” it; yet, this program will kill one MISBEHAVING app at a time.  This is not a true killer, just a “watchdog” to keep an eye on your processes to ensure that your device runs smooth.

Well Apple, you started it and Motorola will certainly finish it.  Apple believes that everyone is stealing their wonderful ideas that they put into their precious iOS devices; so, they decide to go to court.  Honestly, if your device is that much better it would outsell the competition right?  Android has came from behind to become the top used mobile operating system.  Not saying that Apple has not built an excellent OS; however, Google has done it better by focusing on distribution and not keeping everything locked away.

Apple has sought to get Samsung and Motorola devices banned in several countries overseas.  Recently, Motorola has proven that Apple has indeed infringed upon them instead of the latter.  Currently, mobile devices from Apple that have cellular networking infringe upon Motorola-owned patent 1010336.

Bottom line:  Apple, let your operating system do the talking.