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The Android mobile operating system passed Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPhone in terms of US market share during the first quarter, according to a report issued Monday by the NPD Group.

Google's mobile platform has a ways to go before it can even think of surpassing the smartphone market share of RIM or Apple, but Android's been buoyed by a flurry of good news that points to greener pastures — although a recent hiccup with Google's would-be flagship phone, the Nexus One, should give the big brains in Mountain View a moment of pause.

Google is planning to introduce Android-based television software to developers at an event in May, according to people familiar with the matter.

Watch out, iPad: Google may be getting into the tablet game. In a move reminiscent of its recent step into mobile phone design, Google is reportedly working on its own custom Android-powered tablet.

As smartphones like the iPhone and Android take over the mobile Web, the amount of data traffic going over cellular networks is expected to grow 40-fold over the next five years. UK firm Coda Research Consultancy forecasts that in the U.S. alone mobile handset data traffic will grow from 8 terabytes/month this year to 327 terabytes/month in 2015.

After months of rumors, Sprint and HTC's Android 4G smartphone is finally here. The HTC EVO 4G (originally codenamed "Supersonic") sports a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen with multitouch and runs HTC's updated Sense user interface over Android 2.1 mobile OS.

The Android 2.1 update is coming to the Verizon Droid tomorrow! What can Droid users expect to get with the Android 2.1 upgrade?

Mashable explains,
New features will include pinch-to-zoom multitouch support in the browser, Gallery, and Google Maps, the Weather and News widgets made popular on the Nexus One, voice-to-text entry, a new 3D Gallery layout for photos, and even a nice surprise that most people thought wouldn't make it to the Droid: Live Wallpapers.

BlackBerry users tended to have fierce brand loyalty, but the iPhone is apparently changing that. And, while more BlackBerry users are planning to switch to an iPhone, Android-based devices are starting to garner more attention as well.

All those Android smartphone owners who have been wondering when they can ditch the outmoded Opera Mini 4.2 browser in favor of the latest beta can now unfold their pouts, stop that kicking, and remove their pounding fists from the floor.

Microsoft releases its first mobile application for phones running the Android operating system from rival Google.