Google (NSDQ: GOOG) has recently updated its Analytics product to help developers see how people are using specific parts of their iPhone and Android applications.

As with websites, you can track pageviews and events. Since there are no HTML pages involved in mobile apps, developers should determine when their apps should trigger pageview requests. Google Analytics then aggregates this data in the “Content” reports to display the number of visits, session length and bounce rates.

In addition, developers can track visitor actions such as watching videos, button clicks, downloads, etc. – all which don’t correspond directly to pageviews using “Event Tracking.” As a result, individuals and companies behind mobile apps can know which features are most popular and eventually fine tune their products. But first, you’ll need to grab the SDK and implement the necessary code in order for Google Analytics to start doing its magic.

Finally, in case you’re wondering whether someone has tried this already, here as a video featuring Redfin’s Sasha Aickin who explains how they implemented Google Analytics in their iPhone app. That’s actually after the jump. Enjoy!

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Again I must emphasize how I like covering small carriers. This time the news item deals with U.S. Cellular which will be donating $1 million to schools through its “Calling All Communities” campaign.

The carrier will award $100,000 to 10 schools, big or small. From November 13, 2009, through January 15, 2010, individuals 18 years or older can visit any U.S. Cellular store to get a code to vote online for their school. There is no purchase necessary, nor you have to be a U.S. Cellular customer to vote. The 10 schools with the most votes will receive $100,000 to use however they choose.

Nice move and we applaud U.S. Cellular for the campaign, which last year attracted 120,000 votes spread across 6,500 schools. Winners represented public and private schools in Wisconsin, Illinois, Oklahoma, North Carolina, West Virginia, Tennessee, Nebraska and Iowa.

In addition to visiting a local U.S. Cellular store, you can also check out a dedicated Facebook page and see some photos and videos from this year’s campaign.

The GSMA unveiled the European Mobile Manifesto with the idea to set out how the mobile industry will/could help achieve key European Union objectives to boost economic performance, improve efficiencies, protect consumers and increase the use of green technology.

Through the Mobile Manifesto, the mobile industry outlines its goals to:

• Increase internet connectivity and make mobile broadband access widely available
• Engage consumers and improve efficiency by enabling the “mobilisation” of commercial and public services (eCommerce, eLearning, eHealth and eGovernment)
• Reduce Europe’s carbon footprint through M2M technologies
• Provide mobile privacy tools to maintain consumer trust

The Manifesto outlines specific, detailed goals from the industry and highlights Europe’s existing strength in mobile and estimates the economic, social and environmental benefits of these goals. You can download it from a dedicate page at GSM World’s website.

Guess we knew Iliad Group’s FREE Mobile will participate in the auction for France’s 4th 3G license. However, we didn’t knew they will end up as the only candidate for the spot. Earlier we heard Virgin Mobile may also jump on board and bid for the portion of spectrum.

Whatever the case is, the country’s telecoms regulator, ARCEP, confirmed that FREE is the only company that submitted bid for the license. Now they [ARCEP] have to examine the application to check that it meets the eligibility criteria. I’m guessing it does since Iliad’s previous bid for the license was rejected by the regulator in October 2007 — i.e. one would hope they did their homework this time.

Earlier it was suggested that if just one bidder emerges, ARCEP may award the license by the end of the year.

For the record, France has three 3G license holders – Orange, SFR and Bouygues Télécom which hold 47%, 36% and 17% of the market, respectively.

[Via: CellularNews]

A new point and click adventure will be hitting the AppStore later this fall. It’s called Dracula: the Path of the Dragon and it promises to deliver tons of fun, mixing myth and reality, science and history, and medicine and superstition.

The storyline sees you controlling Father Arno Moriani, who is sent to investigate a potential candidate for sainthood in Transylvania. The year is 1920 and you begin investigation of Dr. Martha Calugarul in the village of Vladoviste, half-destroyed in World War I. On the hillside sits the Castle of Twilight, the famed home of Vlad the Impaler. Father Arno begins to track a mysterious figure he believes is responsible for evil deeds in the area. He realizes later, that he is inadvertently walking the path of the dragon. As you solve puzzles based on medicine, history, and the occult, you’ll uncover the mystery of the dragon and of the vampires…

Yap, I’m intrigued with the idea and screenshots look promising, hence I can’t wait to play it. The price is unknown at this stage, but I’m guessing that’s something we’ll know sooner rather than later. And while we’re waiting for the game release, we have a trailer to share. Check it out along with more screenshots after the jump.

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Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) XPERIA X10 has been officially announced! Alongside the super-cool device, the company also unveiled its UX open platform.

Here’s the X10 specs rundown:

• Quad-band GSM/EDGE connectivity – 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, plus tri/quad-band HSPA 900/1700/2100 (T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) USA?) or 800/850/1900/2100 MHz
• 4-inch WVGA (480×854 pixels) capacitive touchscreen
• 8.1-megapixel auto-focus camera with an array of camera technologies including touch focus, face recognition, smile detection, image and video stabilizer, geo-tagging. Where’s flash???
• 1GHz Qualcomm (NSDQ: QCOM) Snapdragon QSD8250 CPU!
• GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio jack
• 1GB of internal memory, plus a microSD memory card slot (8GB card should come in box)
• Google (NSDQ: GOOG) apps pre-loaded
• Android 1.6 Donut – I’m guessing it will be upgradable to 2.0 Eclair
• Size: 119×63x13 mm, weight: 135 grams
• Colors: Sensuous Black and Luster White

In a nutshell, pretty impressive first Android phone from Sony Ericsson.

As for the mentioned UX platform, it is developed not for the X10, only, but for the whole series which will be launched in the first half of 2010. Included with UX are two signature apps Timescape and Mediascape, which allow users to manage their social networking activities (Timescape), and browse all the media, both on the phone and on the Internet (Mediascape).

And that’s almost it. Plus we have a video to share which Sony Ericsson kindly uploaded to YouTube. It follows after the jump. Enjoy!

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Ever tried visiting Adobe’s “Download Flash” page from an iPhone or iPod Touch? It’s hilarious as you can see from the screenshot above. Since Adobe couldn’t get Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) to support Flash in the iPhone’s Safari, they decided to try to pitch the end users who could eventually notify the Cupertino folks to act on the matter. I’m guessing Adobe’s thinking is that once a user sees this message, he or she will immediately write an email to steve@apple.com saying just how frustrated he/she is because his beloved devices can’t handle Flash. That, of course, will force Apple to change its ways and accept the inevitable by adding Flash support to Safari. Hmmm, something doesn’t work here, right?

[Via: Engadget Mobile]

LG has launched a new phone in Korea. It’s called LG SB210 and it comes pre-loaded with maps for 280 golf courses, as well as some other golf-related services, including the so called “Receive PJT” application.

The all-touchscreen device also comes with 3-inch 240×400 pixels display, accelerometer, compass, GPS, 3-megapixel camera, and a microSD memory card slot. Size wise, it measures 111×55x12.3 mm and has a weight of 106 grams.

As I said, it’s a Korea thing only at the moment, but if proves successful, we could see this baby being exported to the rest of the world. SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM) will be selling the SB210 for 638,000 KRW, which is about $539 – i.e. lot.

This isn’t the first time we see a handset maker bundling some golf software with the phone. Back in 2006, we had Nokia (NYSE: NOK) selling the special golf edition of its once powerful N93 smartphone…

[Via: Unwired View]

In its latest report, ABI Research argues that consumers will buy more 3G modems than businesses for the first time. The research company anticipates that in 2010, 51% of these modems (mostly USB) will ship into the consumer segment, and by 2014 that percentage is expected to rise to 63%.

ABI continues adding that although notebooks and netbooks will increasingly feature embedded modem modules, penetration will remain slow in the near-term. To prove the point ABI points to 2009 figures when less than 5% of laptops and netbooks has shipped/will ship with embedded modems. However over the long-term, the attachment rates will reach significant levels and in 2014, 48% of laptops and netbooks will come with 3G or 4G data connectivity.

In addition, there’s one important factor that will shape the market in the mid-term – roll-out of mobile WiMAX and LTE networks during 2011 and 2012, which will create demand to upgrade to compatible modems…

Additional details on ABI Research’s report titled “Cellular Modems and Mobile Broadband Connectivity” are available from their website.

Mobile payments company Billing Revolution announced that it now has a status as a Mobile Commerce Partner with PayPal, enabling PayPal merchants to conduct mobile credit card transactions using their existing PayPal Payflow Pro gateway accounts.

There are roughly 45,000 merchants that process transactions via PayPal Payflow gateway, and all of them now have the ability to sell their stuff to consumers on a mobile phone — although it’s unclear just how many of them will sign-up for the service.

And that’s about all we got to share regarding this news. Plus there’s the quote from Andy Kleitsch, CEO of Billing Revolution, who said: “Enabling mobile transactions for all PayPal merchants represents a strategic step forward for Billing Revolution. PayPal merchants wishing to conduct mobile credit card transactions can now safely and easily use Billing Revolution to process transactions through their existing PayPal accounts.”

Now we only have to see whether merchants will show interest and actually start implementing the new mobile payment feature. We certainly hope they’ll jump on board…