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News

• Facebook hopes you'll trade texting for Messenger

  Facebook wants to get mobile phone users to forget text messaging and switch to its updated Messenger service.

• Google Ingress: How to save the world with your Android phone

  If you'd been hanging around Kendall Square in Cambridge this weekend, you might have seen a brave freedom fighter lurking near MIT, battling nefarious paranormal forces, windchill and GPS problems. That was me.

• New Android app turns ad revenue into famine relief

  An innovative new type of mobile advertising is being used to funnel money to support hunger relief efforts. Dubbed GetCharitable, the new Android app replaces the background image on a phone with a periodically updated ad, revenue from which is then directed to an international anti-famine group -- offering users a way to help combat famine for free.

• iOS app revenues still four times higher than Android

  A new report from mobile app analytics firm App Annie shows that, while revenues for iOS apps are still four times higher than those of Android apps, the gap is beginning to close, thanks to spiking sales in the Google Play store.

• Survey: Google Play gains on Apple App Store

  But iOS app sales still outpace Android app sales 4 to 1

• New Splashtop variant to let you access Ubuntu desktop from anywhere

  Ubuntu users in need of a way to reach their desktop via a smartphone or tablet can now use Splashtop Streamer, just like their Mac and Windows peers, thanks to a new beta release that supports the Linux-based operating system.

• KID STUFF: Child-friendly gadgety gift ideas

  My obsession with technology and gadgets came at a relatively early age - I got the Merlin, a handheld toy with red lights, cool sounds and the ability to play a mean game of tic-tac-toe.

• Windows 8 tablets need more apps, but will eventually outpace Android, SAP exec claims

  Windows 8 might, or might not, prove to be a big hit with enterprise customers. But SAP is betting it will become an important platform in the workplace, an SAP executive said Thursday

• TomTom opens portal for rapid location-based app development

  Navigation technology provider TomTom announced developer tools and a platform for location-based services (LBS) in the cloud to help in the rapid creation of apps for finding locations that are used by truck fleets and other businesses.

• Windows Phone 8 TV ads launch tonight with Gwen Stefani, other celebrities

  Microsoft will begin running four new TV ads for Windows Phone 8 tonight, featuring celebrities Jessica Alba and Gwen Stefani and the live tiles interface in the new devices.

• SAP goes big on Windows 8 with six new apps

  SAP announced strong support for the Windows 8 platform this week, including six upcoming mobile apps that focus on business training, recruiting and sales

• Mobile device management vendors unveil a slate of new tools

  IBM, Good Technology and several other mobile device and app management software vendors today separately announced a variety of new or enhanced products.

• Microsoft likely to leash iOS Office apps to Office 365, say analysts

  Microsoft will probably tie Office apps for the iPhone and iPad to its Office 365 'rental' subscription plans to prevent the mobile apps from cannibalizing sales and to skirt the 'Apple tax,' analysts said today.

• Google cleans up search page, eyes mobile users

  Google wants to optimize its search pages for its growing base of mobile users, and it's a pretty subtle shift.

• The 5 worst mobile threats of 2012

  New types of mobile malware make headlines every day, but what are the most prevalent threats out there? The team at Nominum decided to find out by analyzing Domain Name System (DNS) data of approximately half a million users from various countries.