Friday, June 28, 2013

T-Mobile Purchases 10MHz Of AWS Spectrum From U.S. Cellular

T-Mobile announced on Friday that it is buying 10MHz of Advanced Wireless Service (AWS) from U.S. Cellular. The price that T-Mobile is paying for the spectrum is $308 million in cash. The purchased spectrum covers 32 million people in 29 markets and will allow T-Mobile to bring 4G LTE service to new markets, and expand the service in areas where the carrier already offers it in the Mississippi Valley region.

Some of the areas covered by the purchase include St. Louis; Nashville; Kansas City; Memphis; Lexington; Little Rock-North Little Rock; Birmingham; New Orleans; and Louisville. The deal still needs to receive certain regulatory approval from the FCC and the DOJ and is expected to close in the fourth quarter.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

T-Mobile Sets Date For A Press Event On July 10th

T-Mobile
T-Mobile is sending out invites to a press event that is set to take place July 10 in New York City. As far as what we should expect, all we get is the tagline, “Our boldest moves yet.” Well, that’s pretty mysterious. The last big moves T-Mobile made was their announcement of the UNcarrier pricing plans and so far, those seem to be going over pretty well in the industry, as even AT&T introduced similar plans. 

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Moto X Appears In Leaked Image, Being Tested On Sprint’s LTE Network

Motorola-XT1056-X-phone-Sprint.JPG

Motorola officially announced the X Phone on-stage at the AllThingsD conference earlier this year, but left out many of the details, including the design of the device. PhoneArena however, has now gotten its hands on what appears to be the Motorola X Phone. We can’t tell all that much from the image, except that it appears to have a Motorola logo in the upper left corner and on-screen buttons. The screen is somewhere around the 4.7-inch mark, which falls in line with what we’ve heard before. This specific model is being tested on Sprint, according to the report, and carries the XT1056 model number. The device also appears to be running stock Android.

Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside says the device will be released this October on all Major US carriers and will be manufactured in Texas.

Google Unveils New Motorola Mobility Logo


Motorola has been undergoing a major shift as a company. As part of the overhaul, however, Motorola looks to have a new logo. The new logo made its first appearance on the site of Techweek, an event Motorola is co-sponsoring this week. Now, this does make us wonder if the logo is here to stay or if it just for the conference, but we’re inclined to say that it’s here for good. Companies don’t change their logos all that often, as they are not something taken lightly.

The new logo is much simpler than Motorola’s old look, which was a bolded, italicized “MOTOROLA.” Now, everything is in lowercase font with a much softer color. The classic red “M” is now the same color as everything else and is surrounded by a wheel of colors. The most notable change, however, is what is underneath. To show of its new bosses, Motorola is now advertising that it is “a Google company.”

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Official Trailer For Ashton Kutcher’s ‘Jobs’ Film Goes Live





Ahead of its August 16th opening, the creators of the “Jobs” biopic starring Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs have released the first official trailer. The trailer gives a peak at the film, demonstrating that the movie will cover early Apple with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak to Steve Jobs’s departure to Steve Jobs’s return in the 1990s.


Google Mine Service Leaks


Google prepares a new service that's called Google Mine. It's integrated with Google+ and it's a way to keep track of the items you own or you'd like to have and share some of them with your circles. Right now, the service is tested internally at Google.

"Google Mine lets you share your belongings with your friends and keep up to date with what your friends are sharing. It enables you to control which of your Google+ Circles you share an item with. It also lets you rate and review the items, upload photos of them and share updates on the Google+ Stream where your friends get to see and comment on them."

Google Mine lets you organize the things you own, use, wish for, and more: gadgets, clothing, electronics, DVDs, cars, bikes or anything!

It also enables social interactions around them with your Circles using Google+


  • Catalog your belongings, track what you have
  • Review your belongings for your friends to see
  • Control who sees what, track conversations
  • Send requests to borrow or try out friends' stuff
  • Share stuff you wish for, get recommendations
  • Share stuff you are giving away, find takers
  • Follow, browse, search stuff that friends share


There's also an Android app, currently available in Bazaar, Google's internal Play Store. Sound off in the comment section, is this something you will use or is it useless? Let us know what you think.



Source: Google Operating System

Google Confirms Antitrust Review Of Waze Deal

The Federal Trade Commission has contacted Google in regards to its $1.1 billion purchase of social mapping service Waze. Google announced earlier this month that it intended to purchase the Israeli company, but the very next day consumer watchdog groups called for an investigation into the deal.
Google confirmed to The Wall Street Journal on Saturday that it had indeed been contacted by lawyers from the FTC, but declined to comment further on the matter.
Waze has taken the mobile mapping space by storm with its ability to use the GPS in users’ phones to track traffic and suggest less congested routes. Since the beginning of the year there has been a lot of talk about who may purchase the service with both Apple and Facebook being noted as potential suitors.
While Waze’s revenue wasn't high enough to trigger an automatic review of the deal, there was enough interest there to see if the integration of the company into Google Maps would possibly hinder competition. Google stated earlier this year that it would not be a complete integration with some facets of Waze being integrated into Google Maps and vice versa, but that the company would remain a separate entity.
According to the report it seems unlikely that the FTC will completely kill the deal as significant evidence would need to be found that the deal would hinder competition. With Apple and Nokia being notable competitors to Google Maps at this time, this is more than likely just a review to make sure of Google’s intentions.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Aio Wireless Adds LTE Service

Aio Wireless today added LTE 4G to its service offering. Aio Wireless is a subsidiary of AT&T and offers no-contract wireless service in the U.S. The wireless network launched in Houston, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Gainesville, Fla., last month and today has expanded to Naples and Ft. Myers, Fla. Aio will gradually become available across AT&T's footprint around the U.S. over the course of the next year. Aio said that customers who already own LTE-capable equipment will receive an over-the-air update that adds support for Aio's LTE network. In addition to the availability of LTE, Aio also today announced the ZTE Overture, a new Android smartphone that will go one sale in July. The Overture has a 4-inch screen, 5-megapixel camera, front-facing camera, LTE, and support for memory cards up to 32GB. It runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, but pricing wasn't disclosed. Aio offers unlimited talk, text, and data plans that range from $35 to $70 per month to feature phones, smartphones, and tablets. In addition to the handsets it sells, Aio will also provide service to people who bring in their own, unlocked devices. Aio hopes to compete with other prepaid brands, such as Sprint's Virgin Mobile and T-Mobile's Ultra Mobile.



Sprint Raises Clearwire Offer

Sprint today raised its bid for Clearwire from $3.40 per share to $5.00 per share, besting Dish Network's offer of $4.40 per share by 14%. Following the raised offer, Clearwire's board of directors has accepted the new bid and recommends that Clearwire's shareholders vote in favor of Sprint's proposal and not Dish's. In addition to the raised offer, Sprint also agreed to pay Clearwire a $115 million termination fee if the deal falls through under certain circumstances. According to Clearwire, Sprint's offer has the backing from a significant percentage of Clearwire's shareholders, including Comcast, Intel, and Brighthouse Networks, among others. Sprint hopes this final offer will give it the approval it needs among Clearwire's remaining investors. Earlier this week, Sprint filed a lawsuit against Dish seeking to prevent it from acquiring Clearwire after Clearwire's board recommended Dish's proposal be accepted. Dish has yet to respond to this latest move from Sprint.


Source: Clearwire

Facebook Unveils Video Sharing For Instagram

instagram-video-630
Facebook has announced video sharing for its massively popular photo sharing network, Instagram.
Video sharing through Instagram is similar to other social networks and apps in that videos are limited in time, 15 seconds in this case, and are able to be assembled in clips or chunks. Instagram will set itself apart from its fiercest competition, Vine, with the ability to delete clips and with filters. There are 13 brand new filters developed just for Instagram’s new video sharing. All of Instagram’s new video sharing features are built right into the existing Instagram app, and excluding custom image stabilization, are going to be available on Android from day one.

Samsung Announces The ATIV Q

Samsung has announced the ATIV Q, a hybrid tablet running both Windows 8 and Android. Samsung Executive Vice President DJ Lee said that the device is “versatile and adaptable” and can switch between four positions.

The ATIV Q features a 13.3-inch qHD+ screen with a 3200×1800 resolution. Samsung says it is one of the “best displays you’ll ever see on a mobile device.” The company also says it will be very easy to use and see in bright sunshine. To switch between Android and Windows 8, you simply need to tap the hardware button under the display. You can also pin Android apps onto the Windows 8 start screen.

The device has a unique hinge that allows the screen to sink into the keyboard for tablet use, or rise up and bend several ways for usage with a keyboard. There is no trackpad, however, so you are stuck using a touchscreen for everything, even with a keyboard.

The ATIV Q is powered by an Intel Haswell processor which should give you about 9 hours of battery life. Other specifications are unclear, however. It comes in at 13.9mm thin and is just 1.29kg (2.84 pounds) in weight and also features the Samsung S Pen, which Samsung says is optimized for both Windows 8 and Android.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Dish Reevaluates Attempt To Buy Sprint

Dish Networks today offered an update on its bid to acquire Sprint. According to Dish, Sprint's recent legal actions have caused Dish to reevaluate its plans moving forward. It will drop its proposed acquisition of Sprint and will instead concentrate on acquiring Clearwire. "While Dish continues to see strategic value in a merger with Sprint, the decisions made by Sprint to prematurely terminate our due diligence process and accept extreme deal protections in its revised agreement with SoftBank, among other things, have made it impracticable for Dish to submit a revised offer by the June 18th deadline imposed by Sprint. We will consider our options with respect to Sprint, and focus our efforts and resources on completing the Clearwire tender offer." Sprint filed a lawsuit against Dish on Monday seeking to block its bid to acquire Clearwire, calling the proposal illegal.


Source: Dish

Huawei Open To Buying Nokia


Huawei is looking at ways to grow its business, and acquisitions are one possible avenue it might explore. One company that has made its short list of targets is Nokia. "We are considering these sorts of acquisitions; maybe the combination has some synergies but depends on the willingness of Nokia. We are open-minded," said Richard Yu, head of consumer products for Huawei in an interview with the Financial Times. Huawei has faced difficulty finding traction in the U.S. with its telecommunications networking gear business, though its handsets have found space on the shelves of U.S. wireless network operators. Yu did not indicate that Huawei and Nokia are holding formal talks, nor did Nokia comment on Yu's remarks.


Friday, June 14, 2013

Jon Rubinstein, Palm Sale To HP Was A Waste

If given the chance to do things over again, former Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein would not have sold the company to HP. When asked by FierceWireless about whether he would have done anything differently, Rubinstein said that he wouldn't "have sold the company to HP. That's for sure. Talk about a waste."
We're still rather bitter about the abrupt cancellation of webOS, so it's no surprise that the man who dedicated years of his career and his reputation to webOS would also be unhappy with how things turned out. But as we've seen time and time again, Palm was often a victim of circumstance and political carrier games.
The first step down the road to perdition for Palm was their launch partner: third place US carrier Sprint. Said Rubinstein: "We almost had deals with Verizon and with Vodafone, and in the last minute both of those guys decided not to go through with the deal, so we had a deal with Sprint," saying that it was "the best deal we could get at the time."
But all of that is in the past. What's Rubinstein up to these days? As we've previously reported, he's joined the boards of both Amazon and Qualcomm, which Rubinstein says are "uniquely positioned for the future of where things are going." He also spends some of his time helping out some 'small companies'. And, of course, taking time off and relaxing at his Mexican villa from where Ed Colligan lured him away years ago.
And as we've all noticed, a lot of what we love about and was pioneered by webOS has found its way into its former competitors, including yesterday's reveal of iOS 7. Rubinstein listed a number of features, including notifications on Mac OS X, multitasking cards (on, well… everything), Synergy contacts and messaging melding, over-the-air updates, and so much more.

FCC Reveal Upcoming Asus Nexus Tablet Specs

Nexus-7-press-shot-630
Google and Asus are gearing up to launch its successor, the ASUS Nexus K009 tablet has made its way through the FCC with documentation which lists quite a few of the device’s internal components. Specs include a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm APQ-8064 S4 Pro processor, 4,000 mAh Li-ion battery, LTE connectivity compatible with T-Mobile and AT&T here in the US and a rear-facing 5 megapixel camera. A similarly named ASUS K008 was recently hit the Bluetooth SIG, suggesting that a WiFi-only variant may be an option for those who do not need a constant LTE connection.

Source: FCC

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Google Releases Cloud Print App For Android

Google Cloud Print is pretty handy, letting you print anything from anywhere using Chrome with your own computer and printer. With today's release of the official Android app, you can now print to your Cloud Print enabled printers straight from your Android devices.
Doing so is simple, just open the app and use Android's sharing menu to import whatever it is you want to print. In fact, the hardest part of it all is setting up your computer and printer to work with Google Cloud Print, and that's pretty easy. 
Grab it from the Google Play link below.


Clearwire Expected To Accept Dish's Offer

Despite Sprint's continued protest against Dish's cash offer to acquire as much of Clearwire as possible at $4.40 per share, Clearwire looks to be nearing a decision to accept it. Sources familiar with the matter tell The Wall Street Journal that the special committee at Clearwire assigned with assessing the current offer from Dish will advise the rest of the company's board to push back a Thursday shareholder vote in order to accept Dish's cash offer for the company. Previous arguments from Sprint that the deal is not in the best interest of the company nor is it legally possible given the governance structure demands from Dish (which call for board member appointments as a term) still remain, adding to the confusion. Sprint claims that its previous agreements with Clearwire, and a restructuring of the company in 2008, conflict strongly with the demands Dish has on its offer.

Dish and Clearwire don't seem to be bothered by the potential structural issues of the deal, and have explained as such to Sprint previously. If Clearwire is to accept Dish's offer whether it be with revised governance terms or not it would have to be for at least 25-percent of the company to make any meaningful difference for Dish's plans to block Sprint's buyout of Clearwire. Sprint needs a majority of the minority shareholders to approve its plan to buyout the rest (49.5-percent) of the company it doesn't already own, something that simply won't happen if Dish controls that majority share.

Samsung Officially Announces The Galaxy S4 Zoom Camera

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom a compact camera on the front, an Android handset on the back, the Zoom has a flash, of course, but it has a sensitive 16MP sensor that ranges up to 3200 ISO, meaning that mostly you shouldn't need it. Second, zoom. Smartphone cameras rely on ‘digital zoom’, aka in-camera cropping. You’re not really zooming at all, you’re just discarding the edges of the photo and enlarging the bit in the middle. The Zoom, in contrast, has a genuine optical zoom lens, offering the 35mm equivalent of 24-240mm, making it suitable for everything from wide-angle landscape shots to tight framing on something like a bird in a tree.

The Zoom doesn't require you to sacrifice much on the smartphone side of the equation either it weights in with a 4.3 inch touchscreen, a 1.5GHz processor, 8GB built-in storage, 64GB SD card capacity, LTE and it runs Android Jelly Bean 4.2.


Samsung Introduces the Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom  the first smartphone to offer 10x optical zoom, for perfect picture taking


June 12, 2013

A revolutionary new device that converges the best of a high performance smartphone and camera, the Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom delivers the best of both worlds

LONDON, UK – June 12, 2013 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom, a powerful new device which combines the stylish heritage of the latest Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone with advanced photographic capabilities.

Part of the Samsung Galaxy S4 family, the Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom is the realization of Samsung’s mission to create a single device that can fulfill the role of both an industry leading smartphone and a high-end compact camera. Combining 10x Optical Zoom, 16 Mega Pixel CMOS Sensor, OIS and Xenon Flash with the very latest Samsung Galaxy S4 technology, the Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom sets new standards for perfect mobile photography. It is the ultimate smartphone and camera experience in one, and the only device you’ll ever need.

“The Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom represents yet another step forward in the way Samsung is working to enhance the lives of our customers around the world,” said JK Shin, President and CEO, Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics. “As communication continues to become increasingly visual in nature, people wish to capture and share their moments in the highest quality possible, but often do not have the space or inclination to carry a dedicated camera for this purpose. The Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom changes this forever, combining the industry leading functionality and connectivity of the Samsung Galaxy S4 with the high quality photographic experience you’d expect from a compact camera. The result is truly the best of both worlds, without compromise.”

Revolutionary new interface

Do it all and miss nothing thanks to the revolutionary new Zoom Ring, a simple and intuitive way to access the Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom’s key features.  When you’re in the middle of a phone call and you see something you absolutely have to share, a quick twist of the Zoom Ring will activate the In-Call Photo Share feature, letting you capture and send an image directly via MMS to whoever you are talking to simply.

For easy camera navigation, the Zoom Ring can be used to activate the Quick Launch and Shortcut features, giving you instant access to multiple camera modes including Auto, Gallery and Smart Mode with a simple twist.

The Zoom Ring also revolutionizes conventional camera zoom controls. Optical zoom control replaces traditional dials and buttons with smooth, easy-to-operate digital controls. Professional-quality accuracy and unprecedented ease of use are just a twist away, making it easy to compose a scene and capture wide-angle shots or tight close-ups.

Capture the best images

When it comes to high quality photography, bigger isn't always better. The compact Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom’s best-in-class 10x Optical Zoom and 16MP BSI CMOS Sensor lets you capture beautiful images from far away or up close and personal, in all light conditions, without having to carry heavy camera gear around with you.  Furthermore, the built-in Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) helps keep the camera perfectly still even when you’re not, reducing blur and stabilizing the image while zoomed in for high-quality photos and video.

Photo Suggest instantly connects you to huge libraries of images taken by fellow photographers, to help you find and compose your best shots anywhere in the world. Photo Suggest can even direct you to the ideal nearby location which will give you the vantage point you need for that perfect photo.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom also features Samsung’s popular Smart Mode, so you can stop worrying about settings and start taking professional-quality artistic shots. Simply choose from a series of pre-set modes and the camera will automatically adjust to ensure you capture the best photo possible. Use Drama Shot to merge continuous shots of moving objects into a single composed image, or Action Freeze to instantly capture high-speed action. If you aren't sure which Smart Mode to select, the Smart Mode Suggest feature can assess the scene for you and provide a short list of the best options for your consideration based on surrounding factors such as light levels, focal length, or face detection, ensuring you always get the best shot you want.

Unlimited entertainment in the palm of your hand

The Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom’s heritage is evident throughout, from its sleek and stylish design to the powerful, yet intuitive user interface. Running on Android Jelly Bean 4.2, the Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom boasts many of the same features as the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S4, including Touchwiz, which lets you fully customize various aspects of your device including the lock screen and notification bar, for a truly personal mobile experience.

When you return from your travel adventures, Story Album lets you arrange all of your treasured images and videos into one timeline to share with friends and loved ones. You can also edit images and even order prints directly from the device through a partnership withblurb*. If you’d rather transfer your images to your laptop or tablet for safe keeping, Samsung Link lets you do so quickly and easily with just the touch of a button. Alternatively, you can sync all of your data in your own personal cloud through HomeSync, providing the ultimate peace of mind and ensuring your images and videos are waiting for you whenever you need them.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom features the new Samsung Hub, a one-stop destination for all of the latest music, videos, books and games. Search, download and enjoy all of your favorite entertainment at the touch of a button, all directly from your device. When you find that amazing new track or game that you can’t wait to share with your friends, Group Play lets you connect directly with their Samsung devices so you can all listen and play together, without the need for a Wi-Fi AP or cellular signal.



Samsung GALAXY S4 Zoom Product Specifications:

Network
  • LTE 2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz3G (HSPA+ 21Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
  • 4G (LTE Cat 3 100/50Mbps) : up to 6 different band sets(Dependent on market)
  • 3G 2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz3G (HSPA+ 21Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz




Display
  • 4.3 inch qHD sAMOLED (960×540) screen
  • AP 1.5GHz Dual-Core Processor*The selection of AP will be differed by markets

OS
  • Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)



Camera Main (Rear)

  • 16 Mega pixel with x10 Optical Zoom and enhanced SMART Modes, OIS
  • 24-240mm, F3.1-F6.3
  • Sub (Front): 1.9 Mega pixel camera
  • ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200Continuous Shot: 4fps MAX with AF
  • Format: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WBMP, BMP, AGIF
  • Xenon Flash,
  • SMART Mode, Expert Mode(P/S/M/C), My Mode


Video

  • Codec: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, VC-1, VP8, WMV7/8, Sorenson SparkRecording & Playback: Full HD (1920×1080 30p)
  • Audio Codec: MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA, Vorbis(OGG), FLAC, apt-X
  • CameraFeatures SMART Mode(25): Smart mode suggest, Beauty face, Best photo, Continuous shot,Best face, Kids shot, Landscape, Dawn, Snow, Macro, Food, Party/Indoor, Action freeze,
  • Rich tone (HDR), Panorama, Waterfall, Animated photo, Drama, Eraser, Sound & Shot, Silhouette, Sunset, Night, Fireworks, Light trace


Additional Features

  • Samsung Link, Samsung ChatON
  • S Voice, S Translator
  • Group Play: Share Music(MP3), Share Picture(JPEG, GIF), Share Document(PDF, PPT), Play Games
  • Story Album, Trip Advisor, Paper Artist
  • Google Mobile Services Chrome, Downloads, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Search, Google Settings, Google Plus,Google Local, Google Play Store, Google Messenger, Google Navigation, Youtube,
  • Google Talk, Voice Search, Google Play Movie & TV, Google Play books, Google Play Music, Google Play Magazine


Connectivity

  • WiFi a/b/g/n 5GHzNFC,  Bluetooth® 4.0 (LE)
  • A-GPS + GLONASS


Sensor

  • Accelerometer, Geomagnetic, Proximity, Gyro, RGB Light
  • Memory 8GB Internal memory (User memory approximately 5GB) + microSD slot (up to 64GB)1.5GB RAM

*User memory space may be less than the total memory space due to system files. User memory may differ by region, carrier, and supporting language, and may change after software upgrade.


Dimension

  • 125.5 x 63.5 x 15.4 mm, 208g (with standard battery)

Battery


  • 2,330 mAh


* All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

* Android, Chrome, Downloads, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Search, Google Settings, Google Plus, 

Google Local, Google Play Store, Google Messenger, Google Navigation, Youtube, Google Talk, Voice Search, Google Play Movie & TV, Google Play books, Google Play Music and Google Play Magazine are trademarks of Google Inc.

* Samsung GALAXY S4 zoom uses Corning’s new Gorilla® Glass 3 with Native Damage Resistance™. This cover glass, Corning’s newest formulation, enables improved damage and scratch resistance and reduced scratch visibility. 

* Blurb, the global creative publishing platform, partners with Samsung to power worldwide book and magazine print production and fulfillment within the GALAXY S4 zoom’s new Story Album application. Users of Story Album will now be able to automatically create professional quality print photo books and magazines quickly and seamlessly from their camera phone images.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Google Announces Waze Acquisition

waze_logo2
Google just officially confirmed in a blog post that it has acquired mapping company Waze with some big plans to integrate the Israel-based company’s traffic related features into Google Maps.

As for what specific traffic features you might see come to Google Maps, Google’s Vice President of Geo Brian McClendon notes “The Waze community and its dedicated team have created a great source of timely road corrections and updates.”

Google had been rumored several times in recent weeks to be acquiring the company with the latest reports claiming the deal would be somewhere in the $1B range.

It was previously revealed that Waze was one of many mapping companies providing data for Apple’s new in-house Maps apps in iOS 6 and Apple was at one point rumored to purchase the company.

Waze’s mapping app, currently available for both Android and iOS, is  a “community based mapping” solution that focuses on social elements and user reporting while collecting “real-time traffic & road info.” Waze maps include features for users to actively report events such as local traffic problems or gas prices and also offers Foursquare check-in integration.

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Google Close To Closing $1.3B Acquisition For Waze

Google could be on the final stages on the move to acquire Waze, the social traffic and navigation app. Globes, a native Israeli newspaper, has reported the deal could be in its finalization stages, with Google ready to announce within weeks.
The price has been bumped up, from $1 billion Facebook apparently offered to $1.3 billion. The reason behind Facebook’s departure from the bidding war was due to most of Waze’s staff living in Israel Facebook wanted them to move to the US, while Google is okay with them staying at home.
Google is gunning for Waze’s incredible social traffic service and navigation tools, to add to their already impressive Maps app. Google will allow Waze to continue running as normal and will sample and share technologies with the group.
This would be yet another big acquisition by Google and their third acquisition over $1 billion, behind YouTube, DoubleClick and Motorola Mobility. It would also be another $1 billion acquisition for a young Internet startup, following Instagram and Tumblr.

FCC Outs Sprint LTE Compatable HTC Windows Phone 8 Device


Sprint has been planning on carrying a few Windows Phone 8 handsets this summer, specifically the Samsung Ativ S and the HTC Tiara, and a new FCC filing points to an imminent launch of at least one of those devices. The filing shows a Windows Phone 8 powered HTC device, which looks to be the oft rumored HTC Tiara. While the Tiara has yet to be officially announced, a picture from a FCC document shows a device named HTC PO88100, which has support for CDMA as well as Sprint compatible LTE 25.
While official specs are still unknown, the HTC Tiara is expected to tout a 4.3 inch WVGA display, NFC, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, an 8 MP rear-facing camera as well as a 1.6 MP front-facing shooter.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Department Of Justice Clears Softbank-Sprint Merger

The SoftBank-Sprint merger is almost official. Despite the recent news that SoftBank has been in talks with DeutscheTelekom to set up a backup plan to purchase T-Mobile US if the deal with Sprint went south, it looks like this deal is going to go through. The Department of Justice has cleared the SoftBank-Sprint merger to continue. 


The DOJ had asked the FCC to hold off on making a decision, so the deal could be investigated, but everything is looking good. So, that means the only thing left is for the FCC to approve the merger of course, the competing bid from Dish could still cause problems with the deal. 


Source: FCC

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom Leaked


Samsung’s June 20th event is fast approaching and we have a pretty good idea on what the Korean manufacturer plans to unveil. One of the rumored devices is a Samsung Galaxy Zoom part Galaxy Camera, and part Galaxy smartphone. The fellas at SamMobile were able to nab an exclusive press shot of the device and in the process, revealed its true name: Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom.

The device looks to bring everything you love about a fully functional Galaxy smartphone, only we’re not so sure if the Zoom is worthy of the S4 name. More like a Galaxy Camera Mini, the Galaxy S4 Zoom features a 4.3 inch qHD display, 1.6GHz (unspecified) processor, 8GB of internal storage with micro SD card slot up to 64GB, and runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. 

Not bad specs especially for a camera but not exactly what we were expecting.

SoftBank May Be Looking At T-Mobile If Sprint Deal Collapses

SoftBank might use T-Mobile USA as its back-up option should its attempt to acquire a 70% equity stake in Sprint fall through, reports Reuters. Citing unnamed sources, Reuters said that SoftBank has held discussions over the matter with Deutsche Telekom, which owns 74% of T-Mobile. One possible scenario would have SoftBank purchase the 74% owned by Deutsche Telekom, says Reuters' source. 

SoftBank is paying $20.1 billion for 70% of Sprint, but T-Mobile's market capitalization stands at about $15 billion. SoftBank's deal has already been approved by the SEC, DOJ, FBI, and DHS. It is still undergoing review at the Federal Communications Commission and faces a Sprint shareholder vote on June 12.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

HP To Issue Root Certificate Fix, Ensure Cloud Services Access To webOS

This certificate is responsible for ensuring secure access to HP's webOS cloud services, including backup and the App Catalog, and once it expires, there's no accessing those services.
We've been wondering if or when HP was going to fix the issue, and indeed had heard rumblings that a fix was in the works and due wait for it in the coming weeks. Today we got word from HP that the fix is indeed coming. In fact, it's due today, and it's coming in the form of an update to the the webOS App Catalog.
Updating one app to update a part of webOS isn't something new to HP. Back in 2011 they issued an update to the Maps app on webOS smartphones, that in addition to switching the mapping service from Google Maps to Bing Maps also installed Enyo framework support on the device. Granted, this isn't as much of a stealth update - the sole purpose of this update to the App Catalog is to install a new, later expiring root certificate.
The App Catalog update is for webOS 2.1 and higher devices only. For those running older versions of webOS, you'll have to go into the App Catalog and manually download the HP App Catalog Update app.
Seeing as the update is to replace the certificate that expires on July 23, you'll need to do this before July 23. If you don't, it's still possible, but you're going to have to trick the system by setting your device clock back to before July 23, 2013 and then downloading the update.
Once you've updated with the new certificate things should continue to work for quite some time. In fact, we'd expect a shutdown from HP's webOS servers before the new certificates expire.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Wireless Charging Kit Now Available



chargin pad
The Samsung Galaxy S4 wireless charging kit is now available directly through Samsung’s accessory store, be prepared to shell out $90. The Samsung Galaxy S4 needs both a charging cover and the charging pad. The back cover runs $39.99, while the pad will cost $49.99. If there is one added bonus to the charging pad, it’s the fact that it should work with all Qi-certified wireless charging products.
charging cover
Click the links below to Samsung’s site if you are one of the many interested in wireless charging. 


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Google Launches Google Keyboard for Android

Google Keyboard

Google has released its stock touch keyboard, now called “Google Keyboard,” as a download on the Android Google Play Store. The download allows anyone with an Android 4.0+ smartphone or tablet to add the stock Nexus typing experience to their own device. The keyboard include Voice Dictation, Gesture Typing, and multiple dictionaries.

Starting today, you can get the smart and easy Nexus typing experience on your Android phone or tablet, by downloading Google Keyboard on Google Play.


Google Keyboard has Gesture Typing (which lets you glide through letters to form a word, just lift your finger to enter a space), automatic error correction, and word predictions. You can also tap the microphone to compose messages with Voice Typing when you’re on the go. Together with dictionaries for 26 languages (plus keyboard layouts for a dozen more), it provides a fast, accurate, and reliable typing experience.


Android is an open platform, so you can customize your device to your liking; choosing your own keyboard is just one example of what’s possible – and there are a lot of great keyboards to choose from on Google Play.


Google Keyboard is rolling out to Google Play today, for devices running Android 4.0 and above.




Source: Google Play Store

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Samsung And Jay-Z Close To Signing $20M Partnership


Rumor has it that Samsung and Jay-Z are about to sign a $20 million partnership deal.

The report comes from the New York Post's Page Six, meaning this may just be a rumor overheard in a nightclub at 3AM, but it sounds reasonable enough. The source says, "The eight-figure deal will be inked in the next few weeks, and is the biggest of its kind. You can speculate that he’ll want to develop some kind of new music-streaming service to promote his acts and music on mobile devices."

The rumor that the deal is coming sounds logical to us, Jay-Z is an incredibly smart businessman (business, man), so we would certainly expect something interesting to come of the partnership.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 And 10.1 Gets Official

GALAXY Tab 3 10.1-inch (1)
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 inch, has a 1.6GHz dual-core chipset, that same 1280 x 800 resolution, 1GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of internal storage with microSD card slot, Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi, 3G and LTE support, a 3 megapixel rear camera, a 1.3 megapixel front camera and software experience will be Android 4.2.2 with Samsung’s Touchwiz customization.

GALAXY Tab 3 8-inch (5)

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 version, you can expect a screen resolution of 1,280 x 800, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB and 32GB variants with microSD card slot, WiFi-only or data (with LTE) variants, 5 megapixel rear camera, 1.3 megapixel front camera, 4,450 mAh battery. It’ll also launch with Android 4.2.2 and Samsung’s Touchwiz customization.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Google To Make Google Music Available On iPhone

Google's SVP of Android and Chrome, Sundar Pichai, left the D11 conference having dropped a huge piece of news for iOS; that their new All Access music service would be coming to iOS in a matter of weeks. While we're not short on music streaming services on iOS, Google going cross-platform is a big deal. They also offer a different experience to some of their competing services, in that each account also has a cloud locker large enough for 20,000 songs. But, is all this enough to encourage users to switch? Comment below, let us know what you think.