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Android – Meet the new kid on the block!

Google had captured the headlines once again when it announced its plans for Android, the new operating system for mobile phones. The company has already carved a niche for itself by doing things the “Google” way. The dominance of Google in the search engine fraternity is quite well pronounced and Google apps have already hit the internet by a storm. Probably, an unexplored avenue, Andriod is Google’s answer to the next generation of mobile computing.

The core of Andriod comprises of an operating system, key applications, add-ons and plugins as well as middleware. So it basically forms a complete software stack for mobile devices. It is build upon the open Linux Kernel and adds a custom virtual machine to it, that facilitates optimization of hardware and memory resources. This additionally makes Android an “open” development framework in its true sense. The direct advantage that Android promises is extensibility, and the architecture can be extended to accomodate any future technologies as they continue to emerge.

Popular Android Apps

The top android application a few months ago should give a very plain message to developers – Namco’s PacMan (yes, the classic arcade game) was the top Android download.

Although android smartphones can be powerful web browsers and business tools, many users like to utilize them for gaming as much as anything else, so free games that collect customer data, promote your brand or give customers access to products for purchase are popular development solutions.

MySpace mobile is another highly popular android app, as is the Weather Channel. But what about non-proprietary kinds of apps, the kinds you can develop to promote your business?

Look at the Free Dictionary, another highly popular download, and consider what other similar services customers might like. Translation dictionaries and phrase translators are extremely useful and popular, for example. Provide G1 customers a quick service they can’t get somewhere else, or they can get better from you.

iPhone SDK

In March of 2008, Apple released an SDK, or Software Development Kit, that allows independent software developers to design applications for the iPhone, write the programs and test the software to see if they will work properly on the iPhone.

IPhone owners can find all kinds of applications at the Apple App store. If you’re a developer, you can post your application for free or for a fee, depending on what you’ve put into it and what you want to get out of it.

It costs $99 to download the Standard SDK and $299 for the Enterprise version, or you can ask a company like Webdatamation to create an iPhone app for you.

SDK provides an environment for development tools that is similar to other Apple environments. Developers will find the source editor and graphical debugger look familiar and are intuitive to use.

Android Development to Build Your Company

Android is a new, open platform environment for use on all kinds of mobile devices. It is an alternative to Microsoft’s Windows Mobile proprietary operating system.

The Android system is the result of an open collaboration between Google, T-Mobile, Intel, and other industry leaders all bent on offering mobile device users the best, fastest, and most innovative mobile experience available.

Because of its open nature, there is a great deal of cooperation and open communication between developers, leading to an enhanced user experience for anyone with a G1 mobile device.

Data Centers configured to take a “nap”!

The modern work culture now allows its employees to take a “power nap” in between stressed out work shifts. Servers now have an equal demand! Researchers from the University of Michigan have declared a new mechanism by which power-hungry computer data centers can save up to 75% energy by putting these servers to sleep, when not in use.

Thomas Wenisch spearheaded this research, who also happens to be assistant professor in the department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. His team performed an analysis on the power consumption and data center workloads. They used mathematical modeling techniques to optimize their findings. Their proposed technology would include “PowerNap” that conserves energy by eliminates almost all power used by servers that are idle and RAILS (Redundant Array for Inexpensive Load Sharing).