online store

After rolling out its latest operating system on its exclusive Nexus One smartphone in January, Google will now release Android 2.1 for a top competitor: the Motorola Droid, which is distributed by Verizon Wireless.

The over-the-air update will be available in batches of 250,000 beginning Thursday, March 18, Verizon Wireless announced. A blog dedicated to Android posted the official software update notice on Wednesday.

The fast-selling Droid is estimated to make up 15 percent of all Android smartphones sold.

Google is making it easier for IT administrators to switch from Microsoft Exchange to Google Apps. The Internet search giant on Wednesday made available a tool to help businesses migrate from Exchange.

The Google Apps Migration for Microsoft Exchange tool will help lure more companies to Google Apps by simplifying the migration of e-mail, contacts and calendars from both cloud-hosted Exchange servers and those hosted at the customer's location. The tool allows businesses to make the move whether they have a handful or thousands of users.

Among the 234 million cell-phone users over age 13 in the U.S. in the fourth quarter, Motorola-manufactured hardware dominated the market of all mobile users, according to a comScore survey released Monday. Among operating systems, Research In Motion had the largest smartphone market share.

The survey showed only a slight loss by the two industry leaders from the period ending in September, a 1.4 percent drop for Motorola to 23.4 percent, and a one percent slip by RIM to 41.6 percent.

Need support for Google's Nexus One smartphone? You can finally call Google directly -- but you might not get all the answers you're looking for.

A month after launching its so-called "superphone," Google on Monday began offering a dedicated phone support line for Nexus One customers. Consumers can call 888-48NEXUS from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST to speak with a live support operator, but they may get directed elsewhere.

Need support for Google's Nexus One smartphone? You can finally call Google directly -- but you might not get all the answers you're looking for.

A month after launching its so-called "superphone," Google on Monday began offering a dedicated phone support line for Nexus One customers. Consumers can call 888-48NEXUS from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST to speak with a live support operator, but they may get directed elsewhere.

Google means business. According to a new report in The Wall Street Journal, the search-and-everything-else giant is planning an enterprise app store, with a launch as early as March. The move would be an additional challenge to Microsoft's domination of office and business software.

The online store would contain third-party applications and services related to Google Apps. These enhancements could include additional security features, the ability to import data from other apps, and more.

Google Solutions Marketplace

After being flooded with complaints that the Nexus One can't stay on 3G networks, a Google employee has told users that it will soon offer a patch to repair the technical glitch responsible.

"Our engineers have uncovered specific cases for which a software fix should improve connectivity to 3G for some users," a Google employee named Ravi posted on the Nexus One Forum, which is not affiliated with Google but describes itself as an "enthusiast site."

In a move that could invigorate weak sales of Google's Nexus One smartphone, Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, appears ready to start selling the device. According to one online report, the cost could be as low as $99 -- much lower than the subsidized $179 price from T-Mobile with a two-year plan.

If you're trying to decide which -- if any -- phone platform your IT department will support, Google's open-source Android is likely moving into your sights very quickly. A key reason is that the Android Market now has a critical mass of third-party applications.

While there are new estimates by industry observers that the market has collected more than 20,000 apps in five months, Google says the number is closer to 16,000. Whatever the figure, the market is clearly booming.

Verizon Wireless said Monday that it will begin shipping Samsung's Omnia II smartphone on Dec. 2. The new handset features Samsung's TouchWiz 2.0 user interface, which provides users with the ability to customize and personalize their devices in a number of different ways.