Good morning!  Google had a busy week, so we dedicated a whole section to them.

Google, Google, and more Google…

The big news is the release of the Nexus S and Android 2.3 (Gingerbread).  Leaks and rumors have been circulating about this phone for quite some time.  What makes the Nexus S different from the rest of the Android lineup?  For starters, it’s the only phone with the aforementioned Gingerbread…but that won’t last long.  The real difference is that it has a curved display and includes a Near Field Communications chip.  This will allow a user to tap their phone on a pay station to pay for parking, or tap it on an advertisement to go to a website, or tap it on a map to get directions.  Imagine checking into a restaurant, on Foursquare, simply by placing your phone on the menu.  It will take a bit for developers to add the features to their apps as well as marketing folks to start including NFC technology into their ad campaigns.  But we’re now one step closer to having our digital identity live in our pocket.

• Android Developers Blog: Android 2.3 Platform and Updated SDK Tools
• Official Google Blog: Introducing Nexus S with Gingerbread
  • Nexus S – The new Android phone from Google
  • YouTube – googlenexus’s Channel
  • Google Nexus S (at BestBuy.com)
• Google launches largest ebook marketplace; threatens book giants like Barnes and Noble, Borders
• Google Announces Chrome OS Pilot Program, 12.1 Inch Notebook Cr-48

Development

• Where Should Mobile Developers Focus?
• Salesforce.com Buys Heroku For $212 Million In Cash

Devices

• Samsung Galaxy Tab [Verizon]; The good, bad and ugly
• iPad 2 to Ship by End of February 2011?
• iPhone 3GS goes free at Best Buy on December 10th
• Notion Ink Adam tablet available for preorder later today

The OS Battle

• Andy Rubin: 300,000 Android phones activated every day

Apps

• Appletell exclusive: Mac App Store to open December 13th?
• YouTube 2.1 for Android Brings Revamped UI & Smoother Interaction
• Is Foursquare About to Add Photo Sharing?
• Tascam Portastudio for iPad could make you a four-track superstar all over again

Carrier News

• Breon’s experience with Verizon Wireless 4G LTE
• Sprint: “Customers Will Pay a Premium for Simplicity”; No Tiered/Non-Unlimited Data for the Foreseeable Future

Friday Infographic

(click for larger view)

Source: DVICE