In a bid to put a stop to Android patent lawsuits between the two companies, Microsoft and Samsung signed a massive cross-licensing deal Wednesday. Samsung, maker of phones and tablet computers that run on the Android platform, will pay royalties to Microsoft to prevent further legal troubles. READ MORE
Flickr has built an Android application for mobile photographers. The company has had an iOS app for years, but the Android version includes several new features, including photo filters. The app also has easy topic and location tagging, slideshows, and photo sharing. READ MORE
We’re hoping the bottoms of the car are soft enough and Apple glass hard enough that one won’t scratch the other. Disney has just released Appmates, Cars toys that race and perform other functions on an iPad. Literally on top of it. A free Cars 2 Appmates app provides a race track and other features that interact with the cars, letting kids race or complete missions. READ MORE
OK, it’s here. The long-anticipated Kindle Fire was announced today at a tempting price point of $199. Though apparently powered by Android, it’s a not-exactly-Android tablet that’s attempting to do exactly what Apple did: Create a closed ecosystem that gives users everything they want in an esthetically attractive format so easy-to-use it’s nearly brainless. And at this price, it’s a pretty tempting proposition. Here’s a quick look at how the Kindle Fire stacks up: READ MORE
When Apple wanted to charge publishers 30 percent of revenues for mobile applications sold through the iTunes App Store, the Financial Times resisted, pulling its application and opting instead to create its own HTML5 mobile site. The paper now reports that it is receiving more traffic to this HTML5 site than it had on its iOS app. READ MORE
Millennial Media, a mobile advertising company, has released a report on impression share in the mobile ad market for August. Android led the industry with a 54 percent share of total impressions. Millennial combined data for tablets, smartphones, and other connected devices for its report. Apples iOS commanded 28 percent of impressions. READ MORE
If you’re overwhelmed by the panoply of tablets out there (and who wouldn’t be?) CNET’s Harry McCracken helps cut through some of the clutter with a thoughtful analysis of the various operating systems now challenging (or no longer challenging) Apple’s iOS and the iPad. READ MORE
One big problem for small restaurants is competing against larger eateries that use the powerful-but-costly OpenTable system for online reservations. Though TablesReady doesn’t duplicate OpenTable, it helps smaller places compete on the technological front by turning away fewer diners when tables are unavailable. READ MORE
RIM’s tablet problems are beginning to have a ripple effect on the industry. The Canadian company has decided to scale back production of the slow-selling PlayBook. Quanta Computer, the Taiwanese firm that manufactures the devices, has had to lay off about 1,000 workers and reports are that 800,000 PlayBooks are simply “gathering dust.” READ MORE
Jesta Digital, a mobile-video group, has pledged $15 million toward creating a start-up incubator for businesses looking to move into cloud computing, social media, and mobile web technology. READ MORE
