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Google's Android mobile operating system continues to make major inroads in the cell phone market, and will shoot from a mere 3.9% global market share in 2009 to an estimated 17.7% this year, ahead of RIMM and Apple, according to a new report from research firm Gartner.

Remember Beta vs VHS? Windows vs Mac? Once again, competing global standards are preparing to do battle, this time over smartphones and other mobile devices. A flood of new tablets is coming on a number of platforms, but only two or three are likely to win.

According to a recent report from Morgan Stanley, Apple is the big leader in the mobile segment: The iPhone keeps growing, and iPads are selling at an incredible pace. But Google's Android operating system is gaining ground and 160,000 smartphones using it are activated every day.