As if Angry Birds hasn’t pervaded our society enough, bands are now covering the Angry Birds theme on YouTube, just in case that tune isn’t already on a never-ending loop in your head. The band Pomplamoose, which has already shot a number of cover videos, including Beyonce’s Single Ladies and Michael Jackson’s Beat It, puts a rather dramatic spin on the Angry Birds theme song, slamming… → Read More
I am not really sure if this is awesome or unnecessary, but here we go: Japan’s University of Electro-Communications has developed a small touchscreen that sends tactile information through the display onto the palm of your hand. In other words, it’s supposed to make you “feel” what’s going on on the screen. → Read More
Juniper Networks today released a study concerned with potential threats to mobile technology, revealing a 400 percent increase in Android malware. The study also found that both enterprise and consumer mobile devices are being exposed to a record number of security threats, including highly targeted Wi-Fi attacks. → Read More
If you dial 911 one on a VoIP phone you might be in a bit of trouble – many systems don’t support the location services most 911 operators use to find out where you are when you’re in trouble. So what to do? Well, Ooma has added a feature that should assuage the worry slightly. They’ve added 911 notification services that contact up to three people via email or text. → Read More
While the news broke last night, Google officially announced its cloud music player ‘Music Beta’ this morning at Google i/o, rolling out to US users today.
With Music Beta you can add up to 20k songs to a full featured music manager on the web and sync to your phone, all for free while the service is in beta. Google’s Paul Joyce revealed that the Music Beta killer feature is ‘Instant Mix,’… → Read More
Today at their Google I/O conference in San Francisco, Google had plenty to unveil for Android. One thing that consumers should really love is a new movie rentals option for Android devices. Notably, this will work over the cloud to all of your Android devices, just like Google Books syncing.
You can try this all out at market.android.com — there’s a new Movies tab. And it will be available on… → Read More
There’s a new Android phone every two weeks now. That often spells bad news for slightly older phones as carriers and makers abandon their development. Not anymore. → Read More
Microsoft PC video adverts are back! Hurry for us!
What would you do if Microsoft “built” a PC Store in your house? What would MG do? Well, that’s the premise behind the latest round of Microsoft video spots as they attempt to show that Windows 7 has enough nifty features to upgrade from presumable XP or Vista while giving a little glimpse of a PC Store. This ad is aimed squarely at current PC… → Read More
A handful of Ivy League researchers recently came up with a solution to post-conflict landmine location that employs none other than our favorite pocket companion: a smartphone.
As of now, most humanitarians actually willing to go hunt for landmines must listen to audio feedback from a metal detector. This means that volunteers must get a little too close for comfort, potentially costing lives. → Read More
The next major release of Android comes just in time for hot summer days. Ice Cream Sandwich, as it’s called, is well, Google’s “most ambitious” release yet. And look! A new logo! → Read More
In the wake of today’s news that Microsoft is buying Skype for $8.5 billion, CEOs Steve Ballmer and Tony Bates just held a press conference to explain the deal and sell it to investors. The reaction has ben tepid, with Microsoft shares down about 1 percent so far today. As I’ve pointed out, Skype is a great company, but there are concerns that Microsoft paid too much.
In today’s press… → Read More
At Google i/o today a Google representative dropped some numbers about the success of Android today, introduced by a video of a 3D Android robot scaling a mountain of Android activations. There have been over 100 million Android activations worldwide, through over 36 OEMs, 215 carriers. There are 450,000 Android developers, developing for more than 310 Android devices in 112 countries .
Android… → Read More
We’re here at Google’s I/O conference in San Francisco where the search giant will take the stage shortly for the day one keynote. What’s coming? Hard to say for sure — except Google Music Beta, that seems to be a slam dunk at this point. Below, find our live notes from the event. → Read More
Cell phone bills are expensive, and carrier contracts are binding. We need our cellphones, but that doesn’t mean that we’re not always looking for cheaper ways to make calls. Voice-over-IP services have come a long way in the last few years; Skype has perfected desktop-to-desktop calling, and Google has given us free VoIP domestic calling on Gmail — talk over WiFi on email from the comfort of… → Read More
We’re here at Google’s I/O conference in San Francisco where the search giant will take the stage shortly for the day one keynote. What’s coming? Hard to say for sure — except Google Music Beta, that seems to be a slam dunk at this point.
Below, find our live notes from the event. → Read More
The deal is done. Microsoft is buying Skype for $8.5 billion in cash in its first sizeable acquisition since August 2008, when the Redmond software giant spent $486 million on Greenfield Online.
In fact, this is Microsoft’s biggest financial bet to date in terms of M&A, trumping its $6 billion+ purchase of aQuantive, which dates back to May 2007, in size.
The $8.5 billion question: did… → Read More
Flashback: Moscone Center, San Francisco. Google’s Vic Gundotra is pacing the stage, rolling off one new awesome Android feature after another. There’s Fro Yo, the new version of Android that does laps (literally) around iOS. And then for a real a-ha moment: a sneak peek at Google Music, a service that would let you purchase songs from your desktop and ‘push’ them to your phone wirelessly, among… → Read More
We’re just a few hours away from the kick off of Google I/O — the search giant’s huge annual conference for all things Google. Well, most things. The social stuff isn’t being talked about. Google TV probably won’t be getting much love either. But everything else appears to be on the table. And naturally, that includes Chrome OS.
Chrome OS has always been an interesting project for Google. For… → Read More
When Foursquare upgraded its mobile app last March at SXSW, it added some excellent new features which made the popular geo app even more compelling. Among these is a revamped leaderboard which shows how many points you’ve earned in the past 7 days compared to just your friends (I know I check in a lot more now in the hopes that I can one day beat Fred Wilson). The other one is a new Explore… → Read More
Redwood City, California-based Sequent Software, formerly known as Sparq Mobile Solutions, has raised an undisclosed amount of capital in a Series A round of funding led by Opus Capital and SK Telecom Ventures.
Sequent provides near-field-communication software, enabling its customers and partners to deploy NFC payment systems to allow consumers to make payments and other transactions with their… → Read More
NetSuite, one of the handful of companies to build a big company out of the early 2000s software-as-a-service funding frenzy, is now making a push into cloud based enterprise software, according to several announcements being made this morning by CEO Zach Nelson at SuiteWorld, the company’s user conference being held in San Francisco.
As with most of these user conference announcements, there… → Read More
AT&T’s highly controversial $39 billion proposed buyout of T-Mobile USA takes center stage on the hill this week, as the carrier enters its first congressional hearing while members on both sides of the debate flesh out their strategies to sway government officials.
President and chief executive at AT&T Randall Stephenson is expected to have more than a few words with opponents of the… → Read More
Microsoft may have overpaid for Skype with its $8.5 billion all-cash offer, but it was bidding against a sure IPO. While $8.5 billion may look expensive now, it is a pre-emptive strike to take Skyoe off the table before an IPO. Microsoft’s bid had to be high enough to convince the company and its investors they were better off taking the Microsoft offer now. From what I can gather, there were… → Read More
Microsoft’s purchase of Skype for $8.5 billion in cash is a massive bet for the tech giant.
Although it look like it may well have over-paid by $4.5 billion, and bid against companies who weren’t seriously in the running (Google and Facebook), owning Skype means Microsoft has a much better positioning in mobile.
But that’s not all.
The implications of this deal for Facebook are actually far… → Read More
Motorola Mobility this morning announced that it has acquired network operations management software maker SunUp Digital Systems. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Founded in 1992 and based in Santa Clara, California, SunUp develops operating software for IPTV, DTH, Digital Cable, and content distribution networks. → Read More
We’ve frequently covered PayNearMe, an alternative payments product from the company formerly known as Kwedit, because its compelling services for the unbanked. e “unbanked” refers to consumers who don’t have traditional bank accounts or cannot qualify for credit cards. PayNearMe allows people who don’t have or don’t want to use credit or debit cards to purchase products with cash at more than … → Read More
The deal is done. Microsoft is buying Skype for $8.5 billion in cash in its first sizeable acquisition since August 2008, when the Redmond software giant spent $486 million on Greenfield Online.
In fact, this is Microsoft’s biggest financial bet to date in terms of M&A, trumping its $6 billion+ purchase of aQuantive, which dates back to May 2007, in size.
The $8.5 billion question: did… → Read More
With Microsoft having confirmed its acquisition of Skype, sources tell TechCrunch Europe that Redmond outbid its closest rival, Google, by almost two-to-one. Meanwhile, Facebook is said to have never been in the running.
According to a source who claims knowledge of talks held between all parties, Google came in second at a price of $4B, while Microsoft will be paying $8.5B. This suggests that… → Read More
San Francisco-based social gaming outfit Funzio has raised $20 million in its first round of institutional funding, TechCrunch has learned. The Series A financing round was led by IDG Ventures and China-focused investment firm IDG Capital Partners.
Rick Thompson, co-founder and former chairman of Playdom, also participated in the round and serves as chairman of Funzio’s board. → Read More
There are tons of sites out there that help you build a website, but most of them are built for novices or, on the other end, developers. Many of them rely on template-systems: The user is given a couple stock molds to choose from — you can change a few colors, add a logo, and that’s about it. For example, those with Macs might be familiar with iWeb, which allows you to use a few pre-existing… → Read More
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