If this is the future of retail, I’ll be shopping online more often. Takashimaya, a department store in Tokyo, is working with Dr. Hiroshi Ishiguro from Osaka University to demonstrate their concept of the next generation of retail merchandising. The timing couldn’t be better – the female mannequin is pushing their Valentine’s Day promotion as its first target. Ishiguro is known as the master of lifelike robotics and is best known for his work on the incredibly realistic Geminoid line of androids. This is the first time his work has been applied for commercial purposes. “I see this as the future…

The Android Developers blog announced that they are launching a beta of Android Training, “a collection of classes that we hope will help you to build better Android apps.” As the battle between Android and iOS continues to expand and with Microsoft creeping up slowly behind them, the need for better apps is high. It seems that everyone, even Microsoft, have enough apps. Android is hoping to help developers build the best apps available through this training. With resources on topics ranging from Implementing Adaptive UI Flows to Advertising without Compromising User Experience, Google hopes…

Boeing’s long-delayed 787 Dreamliner has finally finished flight testing and is ready for delivery. Airlines looking to add the 787 to their fleets will benefit from the plane’s advanced technology, which makes it far more efficient than comparable aircraft. Passengers will also benefit from technology inside the 787′s cabin. According to Mark Larson, technical manager at Boeing’s Dreamliner Gallery, all 787s now in production will be fitted with Android-based servers and touchscreens. Google’s Android operating system will be used to provide music, video and even airline-specific…

The Netflix Android app was updated to support mobile devices running Android 2.2 Froyo and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Users who have a Netflix unlimited membership will be able to watch television shows and movies streaming directly from Netflix on their Android devices. Being unlimited, the only limitations would be data plans from the ISPs. The app also allows users to continue watching where they left off on their television or computer. Check out this infographic that compares Netflix vs Redbox….

The drive towards domination of the smartphone market continues for Apple and Google as they approach a combined 70% choke hold. Symbian is all but non-existent, holding on to just under 2%. Microsoft has been unable to break the 6% barrier but hopes that they will be able to do so with the release of Windows 8. RIM is still in the race, though hope is growing dim. Still, they are over 20%, a mark that most expected them to sink below in the most recent report. Blackberry has lost 4% since April….

As Google and Apple continue to grow in the mobile market, Android and iOS are quickly becoming the predominant operating systems for phones and tablets. There are many statistics to look at and comparisons to be made. Here, we present a visualization tackling the debate. Thanks to our friends at Hunch, we now know that Android users are 10% more likely to be men. We know that iOS users are 50% more likely to have been on the internet before 1992. We know who is more likely to prefer General Tso’s Chicken over Pad Thai. It may not be the most important demographic data, but it’s definitely interesting….

Local branches of Apple and Google stores in Taipei City have been given two weeks to offer free 7-day trials on apps that run on their mobile platforms or face financial penalties. According to Yeh Ching-yuan, Taipei City’s director of Law and Regulation Commission, “If the two companies fail to meet the requirement by the deadline, they may be slapped with fines of up to NT$1.5 million (US$52,265).” Currently, both companies are in violation of Taiwan’s Consumer Protection Act, a consumer protection that requires companies to have return and refund policies available for all purchases that…

I’ve been a huge supporter of Android over the past year. Ever since I purchased my Droid X, things have been okay. I’m checking my email, staying on top of social networks, and flinging Angry Birds around. But asking any more of my Android device is far too much, and that’s a big problem. What am I doing with an Android device, you ask? I didn’t have a choice in the matter. AT&T’s service was practically non-existent where I lived, which is amazing considering AT&T’s bold claims of their impressive network. And in 2010, the possibility of the iPhone on Verizon was only a rumor. Owning an iPhone…

2010 was the year of the iPhone (again) as more Americans who planned on purchasing a smartphone intended to buy an iPhone – about 1/3rd. The 1st quarter of 2011 shows a clear shift in smartphone envy as Android is now the OS that 31% of Americans intend to buy next versus 30% planning on going iOS according to a quarterly survey by Nielson. Recently purchased smartphones People surveyed in March who had purchased a smartphone in the previous 6 months indicated that half of them had bought Android phones. While much of this success can still be attributed to the number of phones and carriers that support…

Google is cracking down on Android’s “openness”. This much is clear. And really, let’s be honest: Android never was fully open. If you wanted a full-service smartphone that used Google’s applications – Gmail, Maps etc. – you had to sign a contract with Google to use the OS in particular ways. But now that Google are not letting Android 3.0 out into the world, it’s clear something is changing. Google are exerting more control over Android, and in comments on every story about it across the web, people seem a bit upset about it. But a more closed, more tightly closed Android will be better for everyone….