iOS 8.4 To Be Released At 8 AM PT June 30th, iTunes Match Song Limit Increased To 100,000 With iOS 9

Apple will reportedly release iOS 8.4 at 8 AM on June 30th which includes the newly revamped Music app to support Apple Music. This is earlier than the usual 10 AM release time for previously released iOS updates in the past. 

The change comes as Beats 1, Apple’s worldwide radio station is reportedly set to go live at 9 AM on the June 30th.

Source: Twitter

Motorola Confirms Android 5.1 Soak Test For Verizon Moto X (2nd Gen.)

Motorola’s David Schuster says that Android 5.1 update soak tests are now underway for the Verizon Moto X (2nd Gen.). He goes on to say that so long as the Verizon Moto X (2nd Gen.)’s test goes smoothly, Motorola will make the update available to more users next week.

Source: David Schuster via Google+

MetroPCS Shuts Down Its Legacy CDMA Network

MetroPCS shutdown its legacy CDMA network as of June 21. MetroPCS parent T-Mobile says about 190,000 customers were still using CDMA handsets in the three markets that offer CDMA coverage, down from 300,000 about a month ago. 

T-Mobile has been transitioning CDMA customers to its GSM based network aggressively for more than a year. "Any MetroPCS customer using a CDMA handset in a migration market was eligible for our HSPA/LTE device Upgrade Program," said T-Mobile. "In order to take advantage of the new network, all customers need to do is bring their active phone to a participating MetroPCS store, choose a new phone, apply their trade-in credit toward that phone, and start using the new network right away." 

Some MetroPCS customers will quality for upgrade credits between $32 and $299 depending on their existing CDMA handset. Customers who didn't pick up a new phone before June 21 will lose service entirely when MetroPCS shuts down the CDMA network. T-Mobile plans to re-use the CDMA spectrum to supplement its LTE 4G network.

Android Gaming Console Maker Ouya Acquired by Razer

According to Venture Beat, Razer, reportedly acquired Ouya this week. The price for Ouya is rumored to be around $10 million to buy out debt holders. 

Ouya, a company that started on Kickstarter becoming one of the most highly backed products ever, $10 million may be a pretty sweet deal for Razer.

Since Ouya or Razer has yet to confirm the deal, no one knows exactly what Razer’s has in store for Ouya. We'll keep you update.

Twitter To Buy Flipboard For More Than $1 Billion

Rumors have begun to circulate that magazine style newsreader Flipboard has been in talks to be bought by Twitter in an all-stock deal valued at over $1 billion. Flipboard says that it has 100 million activated users while others say that the bloom is off the rose and growth has slowed. 

While it might seem that there isn't much about Flipboard that fits with Twitter, the latter could use Flipboard's news collection technology to give its members a varied selection of headlines for their timelines.

One area where Twitter can improve Flipboard is with advertising. Flipboard has just started down the path to monetization and Twitter has more experience in this area. According to reports, Flipboard has received $160 million in funding from venture capitalists with the latest round done at a valuation of $800 million. The company is said to have garnered $50 million in revenue last year. 

Twitter, which has 302 million users, could be making the purchase in order to get Flipboard co-founder Mike McCue back on board. McCue was a Twitter board member from 2010 to 2012, but resigned when competition between the two apps started growing. Sources are saying that talks between Twitter and Flipboard have cooled off for the time being.

Flipboard originally launched for the Apple iPad in 2011, the app became available for the iPhone. Flipboard is now also available for Android and Windows Phone users.



Source: www.recode.net

FTC Fines TracFone $40M Over False Advertising

TracFone has agreed to pay customers $40 million to reimburse them for what the FTC labeled as deceptive advertising. From 2009 to 2013, TracFone advertised "unlimited data" plans for $45 per month. Despite the promise of unlimited monthly data, TracFone throttled customers who surpassed 3GB of data and cut off entirely some customers who surpassed 5GB of data. "The issue here is simple: when you promise consumers 'unlimited,' that means unlimited," said Jessica Rich, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. 

TracFone began to disclose the data limits and throttling policies in 2013, but the FTC said, "In many cases, the disclosures were in very small print or on the back of packages or cards where consumers were likely to miss them." Millions of customers were throttled, according to the FTC. TracFone will refund an unknown number of customers $40 million and more clearly spell out its network management policies.

Life With Your LG G3 Is About To Get Sweeter

LG USA took to Twitter yesterday, teasing Android 5.0 Lollipop will be hitting LG G3's in the US soon. Specific details outlining the "coming soon" update have yet to be announced. Meanwhile, lucky LG G3 owners in the US can look forward to a sweet treat in the near future.

Source: LG USA Mobile via Twitter

Microsoft Reveals Windows 10 Details

Microsoft today offered an early first look at its forthcoming Windows 10 operating system, which will run on PCs, tablets, and phones. Microsoft said it is taking a new, more user-centric approach with Windows 10. It is incorporating the feedback it received about Windows 8/8.1 and is making sure to add user requested features, such as the old Start menu. The company now views Windows more as a service and it will provide continual updates. 

Microsoft said Windows 10 will be a free upgrade during its first year of availability, for example, to all devices running Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1. Windows 10 for PCs and tablets will gain features from Windows Phone, including the Action Center and Cortana, Microsoft's voice activated personal assistant. Windows devices with screens 8 inches and larger will include the "desktop experience." Smaller devices will have an altered experience more suited for phones. A rough build of the phone centric version of Windows 10 features a revised settings menu that has new graphics. 

Windows 10 also allows users to move the keyboard around on the screen if they so wish. The entire Windows 10 platform will include Skype more firmly entrenched across apps. Furthermore, full versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint that closely match the desktop variants will be included in Windows Phone 10. 

All Windows 10 devices will have a new Outlook client, which has been revised with the Word engine. Other major app rewrites include the calendar, photo gallery, and Internet Explorer, which is based on Project Spartan, a complete overhaul of the browser. Lastly, the entire platform will more broadly support Xbox gaming, including PC to Xbox play. Microsoft said the first preview of Windows 10 for phones will be available to "insiders" beginning in February.

Source: Microsoft News

“The Interview” Hits Netflix On Saturday, At No Additional Cost

Still Haven’t seen The Interview yet? Well nows your chance, It’s coming to Netflix on Saturday and will be available to subscribers to stream for no additional cost.

Netflix announced today that the highly criticized Seth Rogen and James Franco comedy will be available to U.S. and Canadian subscribers starting on Saturday.

The terms of the deal were not announced, Sony announced today that The Interview brought in $40 million from on demand rentals and another $6 million from theaters.

The Interview was already available from various sources including YouTube and Amazon, but both services required users to rent the movie. Now it’s available to all 39 million Netflix subscribers free of charge.

SpaceX Officially Announces Google Investment

Google is leading a billion dollar financing round with Fidelity, giving the two companies collectively almost 10% of SpaceX.

"They join existing investors Founders Fund, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Valor Equity Partners and Capricorn. Google and Fidelity will collectively own just under 10% of the company. "

Details about the investment were not outlined about Google’s involvement in SpaceX, but a report earlier this week claimed Google’s investment will “support the development of SpaceX satellites that could beam low-cost Internet around the globe to billions who don’t have it.”

Prior to the news of Google’s involvement, SpaceX announced its new idea to launch communication satellites that could help increase Internet speed and create access to the over three billion people who don’t have reliable access to high-speed Internet. The project aligns nicely with active Google X projects such as its balloon based internet project dubbed “Loon” attempting bring Internet access to those that don’t have it.

Source: SpaceX