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Jailbreaking your iPhone used to be reserved for hackers and techies who weren’t afraid to laugh in the face of authority. But now that the Library of Congress has ruled that jailbreaking is legal, you too can install third-party apps not offered by the Apple Store and modify your iPhone to do your bidding.

IDC's research, which predicts the rise of Android to the number-two slot, is based on a multitude of data. "Phone vendors have been drawn to Android because it allows them to present their own approach to what a smartphone experience can be," said Llamas of IDC. "Users have quickly warmed to Android, comparing it to [Apple's] iOS, due to its ease of use and a growing mobile application storefront."

Google has indicated it intends to extend its search engine on TV sets to cover TV listings, recorded programs, on-demand and pay TV, online video clips, and other programming, in addition to the Web. A Google TV viewer could, for instance, search for science fiction shows, and get results indicating the programs, showtimes, and so on. Many cable systems offer a similar search, but few employ contextual advertising.

A new study reveals that American travelers are using their web-enabled smartphones to make travel planning easier. The survey found that of those travelers who downloaded travel-related applications to their smartphones, 47 percent used GPS functionality to find their way to a destination, and 46 percent searched for flight updates.

Samsung introduced its Galaxy Tab tablet computer at the IFA show in Germany. With two cameras for video conferencing and phone capabilities, the Android-powered Galaxy Tab aims to outdo Apple's popular iPad. While Apple is expected to offer video conferencing in the next iPad, the real battle is between Android and Apple's iOS.

Verizon Wireless is the first wireless carrier to offer prepaid data plans for its top smartphones. Verizon users can get unlimited 3G access for $30 a month, or 25 megabytes for $10 a month. AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile offer prepaid voice and text plans. Verizon's offering may be a move toward tiered pricing for its data-hungry customers.