Google has now created the Google Chrome browser for Android. The app that Android has been using up until now was simply called “Browser,” an open-source based browser that was decent. For a certain number of people, the Google Chrome browser is now available on Android devices.

Research firm Strategy Analytics has reported this morning that Android now has a 39% tablet OS market share as of the fourth quarter 2011. Apple still has the lead at 58% market share in Q4 2011, but they are down from 68% in the fourth quarter of 2010. However these numbers are based on “sell-in” rather than over-the-counter sales. What this means is that the numbers include Android tablets may still sit on retail shelves and never be bought. The Amazon Kindle Fire was also included in the Android market share numbers. [TechCrunch]

Nielsen has put together data about the latest smartphone market-share results for Q4 of 2011 and it appears that Apple has done significantly well. The study focused on consumers that purchased smartphones within the past three months. The number of iPhone buyers increased from 25% in October to 45% in December. During the same period, the number of Android buyers fell by 14%. The increase in iPhone buyers was mainly due to the release of the Apple iPhone 4S. [Nielsen]

Google has launched a new website called Android Design. Android Design will help developers learn about the principles and building patterns related to apps. If you are not satisfied with what is on the website right now, Google will continue to add more in-depth content in the coming months. [Android Developers Blog]

LG Electronics has just signed a patent licensing deal with Microsoft. Microsoft has made patent licensing deals with companies that manufacture devices using Android tablets and smartphones. According to a press release from Microsoft, LG signed a patent agreement that covers LG’s use of Android and the Chrome operating system on tablets, mobile phones, and other devices.

The Google Android Market has surpassed 400,000 applications.  That means that 100,000 apps have been added between now and August 2011 and 200,000 more since April 2011.  Of these 400,000 applications, about 2/3 are available for free in the Android Market.  The percentage of free apps has grown month-over-month from 60% in April 2011 to 68% around the end of 2011.  Now there are about 100,000 publishers that are active in the application store. [Distimo]

A company called Official App has added an app to the Android Market called Siri for Android. The funny thing about this app is that it simply opens the “Google Voice Actions” app within Android. Clearly this is a gag app and fortunately it is free. This app has been installed on between 1,000-5,000 phones. I doubt Google will remove the app since this is the type of thing an Android owner can use to show off if an iPhone 4S owner says “Look my phone has Siri!” [The Next Web]

LG updated their Facebook page to announced which of their phones will receive an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system update. “LG will be offering the Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) OS upgrade for a range of LG smart-phones which were introduced this year. The global upgrade schedule will begin in the second and third quarters of 2012, which will be followed by a global rollout.” This is the list of phones that will be receiving the update: