Android App Store Is 57% Free Compared to Apple's 25% [Data]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Ok1sCW3xs90/android-app-store-is-57-free-compared-to-apples-25

App store analytics firm Distimo recently released a bunch of juicy info about the major mobile app stores, and the results are pretty interesting. For one, Android has a much higher proportion of free apps.

Apple and BlackBerry are pretty close with their app stores, offering free apps making up 25% and 24% of their respective stores. Android more than doubles that number with 57%. Of course, with the size discrepancy between the stores, Apple still offers up more free apps than Android's entire store, but it's still interesting to see the relative differences.

Surprisingly, the number of free apps doesn't drop the average price paid for paid apps down in android. Apple's average paid price is $3.62, while Android's is $3.27. BlackBerry, on the other hand, shoots way up with an $8.26 average. This is due to price variations across the app stores for the same app. IM+, for example, is $4.99 in Apple's store and a whopping $29.99 in BlackBerry's.

There's some other data about store sizes (spoiler alert: Apple's is way bigger than anyone else's), but this price and spending data was the new stuff to us. [Distimo via ReadWriteWeb]

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NVIDIA GeForce GT 340 highlights introduction of 300-series cards, none are powerful enough to matter

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/nvidia-geforce-gt-340-highlights-introduction-of-300-series-card/

Is there a tribunal where you can bring up marketing teams for crimes against common sense? NVIDIA's epic rebranding exercise knows no bounds, as the company has now snuck out its very first desktop 300-series cards, but instead of the world-altering performance parts we've always associated with the jump into the 300s, we're getting what are essentially GT 2xx cards in new garb. The GT 340 sports the same 96 CUDA cores, 550MHz graphics and 1,340MHz processor clock speeds as the GT 240 -- its spec sheet is literally identical to the 240 variant with 1,700MHz memory clocks. To be fair to the company, these DirectX 10.1 parts are exclusively for OEMs, so (hopefully) nobody there will be confused into thinking a GT 320 is better than a GTX 295, but we'd still prefer a more lucid nomenclature... and Fermi graphics cards, we'd totally like some of those too.

NVIDIA GeForce GT 340 highlights introduction of 300-series cards, none are powerful enough to matter originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 3GS mod ditches plastic cover in favor of titanium vestment

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/iphone-3gs-mod-ditches-plastic-cover-in-favor-of-titanium-vestme/

Engadget reader Martin Schrotz is a man after our own hearts. He's taken the editors' choice for best smartphone of 2009 and tricked it out with a handsome new back cover made out of titanium. Not sufficiently pleased with the plastic casing provided by Apple, Martin opened up his favorite CAD program and refashioned his phone into the much hardier and indubitably more awesome machine you see before you. The new backing is built out of a titanium alloy that allows RF waves through and therefore requires no plastic parts to let the wireless communications flow. Check out the gallery for more before hitting the link below to bug Martin to provide you with a video or a price estimate.

Gallery: Titanium iPhone 3GS mod

iPhone 3GS mod ditches plastic cover in favor of t! itanium vestment originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ARM and Globalfoundries partner up for 28nm Cortex-A9 SOCs, invite great expectations

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/arm-and-globalfoundries-partner-up-for-28nm-cortex-a9-socs-invi/

This one slipped the net during the excitement that was MWC this year, but it's such a promising development that we have to give it its due attention. ARM and Globalfoundries have announced plans to start building new systems-on-chip using the latter's ultramodern 28nm high-k metal gate production process, with the resultant chips offering up to 40 percent greater computational power, 30 percent greater power efficiency, and a terrific 100 percent improvement in battery longevity relative to their current-gen siblings. Mass production of these Cortex-A9-based units is expected in the second half of 2010, which means they should be among the very first chips off Globalfoundries' 28nm assembly line. The good news, though, is that the technology is described as "ready for high-volume implementation," so there should be no shortages when things finally get rolling. Let the wild-eyed anticipation begin.

ARM and Globalfoundries partner up for 28nm Cortex-A9 SOCs, invite great expectations originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 07:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neonode's zForce Pad multitouch display panel set to rock the world

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/24/neonodes-zforce-pad-multitouch-display-panel-set-to-rock-the-wo/

Neonode has been keeping busy over the past few years, getting into the GPS game, smartphones, and even an e-reader touchscreen. Today it's a touchscreen of a different type, or rather a range of them, multitouch LCDs spanning from 5- to 13-inches. The suite is being demonstrated in a concept reference design called the zForce Pad, highlighting its relative thinness compared to competing products. The company is also highlighting the screen's lack of a touch-sensitive layer, meaning there's less sitting between you and your pixels -- except glass, of course. Neonode is also happy to point out that this non-resistive, non-capacitive touchscreen is being adopted by "Asian companies" but won't tell us which or when they'll be releasing product based on it. Cheeky.

Neonode's zForce Pad multitouch display panel set to rock the world originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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