Saturday, December 8, 2012

Android Authority

Android Authority


Groupon shares soar as rumors of a Google takeover spread

Posted: 08 Dec 2012 02:22 AM PST

It was almost two years ago to the day that Groupon, the online coupon distributor, rebuffed Google’s rumored $6 billion take over offer for the company. At the time Groupon was a relativity new company that was still in private hands. The following year it raised $700 million in an initial public offering and become the largest IPO by a U.S. Internet company since Google Inc raised its $1.7 billion in 2004.

As with most Internet IPOs, Groupon’s stock has declined over recent years but has rallied 23 percent to $4.69 in New York, closing at the highest price since Oct. 19. However its value is far less than the original $20 a share at its IPO in November of 2011. This makes Groupon worth around $3 billion according to share price.

Groupons core business is the delivery of coupons for deals and savings on a whole range of services and goods and is, by its nature, a form of local advertising. Google would be interested in buying Groupon to boost its local business online advertising activities.

Adding fuel to the rumors, Groupon also canceled an upcoming appearance at an investment conference hosted by Sterne Agee, the privately-owned brokerage firm. A spokesman for Groupon declined to comment on the takeover speculation, as did Google.

Related Posts

Pebble smartwatch delayed indefinitely, better think of another Christmas gift

Posted: 08 Dec 2012 02:14 AM PST

pebble-watch

We got some bad news for folks who have backed the Pebble smartwatch project on Kickstarter expecting the e-ink wristwatch to arrive before the turn of the year. After announcing back in July that the team won't be able to ship the Pebble as targeted in September, the delivery date has been pushed back again.

The following announcement was posted on the company's Kickstarter page: "Unfortunately we will not be able to ship out Pebble in time for the holidays. As a tiny act of compensation, we’d like to offer you this little holiday card."

The Pebble team hasn't set a new timeline of when it expects to send the first batch of orders. From the posts, we do know that they're still trying to iron out problems in manufacturing the smartwatch – all 85,000 of them – before starting mass production. We'll keep you posted.

Related Posts

Sprint’s first Boost LTE phones unveiled: HTC One SV and ZTE Force

Posted: 08 Dec 2012 02:03 AM PST

We heard about Sprint's plan to bring several LTE devices to its prepaid subsidiaries, Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile, last month. While the veil on the Virgin-bound Samsung Galaxy Victory has been lifted, details about the LTE-enabled phones that are heading to Boost, the HTC Kingdom 2 and the ZTE Aurora, are still missing.

Thanks to Unwired View, we now have more information about the two. Both LTE phones are now sporting their official names, the HTC One SV and the ZTE Force.

HTC One SV (left) and ZTE Force (right)

Out of the two, you may be more familiar with the One SV. As we've learned before, it packs a 4.3-inch WVGA display, a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon S4 Plus processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB onboard storage, 5MP main camera, 1.3MP front-facing camera, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Meanwhile, the ZTE Force comes with a 4-inch WVGA display, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 5MP front shooter, 1MP rear shooter, and ICS.

Boost Mobile will start offering the HTC One SV and the ZTE Force early next year. As for the Samsung Galaxy Victory, expect Virgin to begin selling the 4-inch phone in Q1 2013 as well. In case you're wondering, the three new LTE handsets will run on Sprint's 4G LTE network.

Do you find any of the prepaid phones above appealing? Or will you reserve your judgement until you hear more of the yet-to-be-announced pricing details?

Related Posts

Samsung’s answer to the iPod Shuffle, the Samsung Galaxy Muse, is now available online for $49

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 10:30 PM PST

Samsung Muse
Leave it to Samsung to go toe to toe with Apple on everything. Smartphone for smartphone, tablet for tablet, and lawsuit for lawsuit, Samsung and Apple have been going head to head for awhile. Samsung has released a new music player to complete with the iPod Shuffle called the Samsung Galaxy Muse.

It’s true that most would rather just plug their headphones into their phone. However, there are some who don’t want to put their phone in peril. Jogging can result in dropping the device, which doesn’t work out very well for phones. So there is a market out there for the Samsung Galaxy Muse.

So what on Earth is the Samsung Galaxy Muse?

The Samsung Galaxy Muse is a mini MP3 player that syncs to most newer Samsung Galaxy devices. It has touch screen music controls and a small, ergonomic design. You can sync up to 4GB of the music on your Galaxy devices with the MP3 player to use on your jog or your ride into work.

It may not be the most useful device, but it also isn’t the most expensive. Samsung is selling it for $49 on their official website. Will anyone be picking this up for the holidays?

Related Posts

Samsung announces the Galaxy Camera is headed to Verizon LTE via a now pulled product page

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 10:15 PM PST

galaxy camera
The Samsung Galaxy Camera is among the most unique Android devices. It’s not a phone or a tablet. It’s a point and shoot camera running Jelly Bean with some pretty awesome specs. It has already been announced for AT&T and it’s available with no contract for $499.99. According to a product page that no longer exists, it’s also headed to Verizon.

Engadget and The Verge have both reported that Samsung launched a product page proclaiming the Galaxy Camera was on its way to Verizon. However, mere hours later, Samsung pulled the product page.

There is no shadow of a doubt that it’s headed to Verizon. Release dates and other info will have to wait for an announcement, though. If they already had a product page for it, chances are the official announcement isn’t far off.

Will the Galaxy Camera with LTE be a good deal?

That’s a very good question and one that can’t really be answered until it’s announced for Verizon. When the Galaxy Camera was released on AT&T, it was for the standard $499.99 without a contract. AT&T handles the data required by offering up a mobile data sharing plan for $10. Verizon doesn’t use these types of plans. So it’ll be interesting to see if they offer it for full price or if they force a contract and offer it at a subsidized rate.

If it is released for Big Red, do we have any Verizon readers who are going to buy it? Let us know what you think about this beastly Android camera.

Related Posts

Radio Shack $99.99 Galaxy S3 BOGO offer gets you free Galaxy S2 or Stratosphere 2 and $50 Google Play credit

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:27 PM PST

Earlier today we showed you an interesting deal on an unlocked Galaxy S3 version (the GSM GT-I9300 model that doesn't have LTE support) that sells for $499.99 on eBay, but not every Android buyer out there is looking to purchase a flagship handset at full price.

And considering that the Galaxy S3 is already six months old, there are definitely other on-contract deals to take advantage of, such as the following Radio Shack's BOGO (buy one get one) offer that starts on Sunday.

The company is going to offer you a $99.99 Galaxy S3 (with a new two-year contract with either Verizon, AT&T or Sprint) and a free Samsung Android handset to go with it. Naturally, that second phone will also have to be paired with a new two-year agreement, but that second phone is certainly worth buying.

You can choose from either the new Verizon Stratosphere 2 or the "old" AT&T Galayx S2 Skyrocket and the Sprint Galaxy S2 (Epic 4G Touch).

The offer is available to new and existing customers, and there are other perks included. As long as you purchase the Galaxy S3 in a Radio Shack store, or you activate it with Verizon or Sprint via Radio Shack online, you're eligible for a $50 Google Play credit.

On top of that, you also get $10 cash-back coupon for every $50 you spend with the retailer, so you only need to spend a penny more on top of that $99.99 Galayx S3 to receive Radio Shack coupons worth $20.

If for some reason the Galaxy S3 BOGO offer does not appeal to you, you'll be able to replace the Galaxy S3 with the RAZR 4G LTE. In such a case, the second free phone will also be a RAZR 4G LTE.

Are you ready to take advantage of this Radio Shack offer?

Related Posts

7 sizzling new Android apps of the week (December 7 issue)

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:00 PM PST

It’s time, once again, to feast upon the delicious and sizzling new apps from the Google Play Store’s kitchen. App developers surely don’t want to stop teasing us with their newest and hottest apps.

These new apps can decorate your home screen, create your grocery list, browse your tweets, and many more. Without any further ado, here are the new and sizzling apps for the week.

Advent 2012: 25 Christmas Apps

For Christians around the world, Advent is the season for commemorating the waiting and preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ. As you wait, enjoy a free Christmas present everyday with MagicSolver’s Advent 2012: 25 Christmas Apps. This app will give you a free app every day. From December 1 to 25, you will get one free and surprising app daily. This is an early Christmas present for you, your kids, and the family. The app also contains mini games as you open each day’s present. It also plays Christmas tunes in the background, increasing the excitement and anticipation for the Christmas season.


Christmas Tree 3D

Christmas season is coming, and it’s time to decorate our homes. I have decorated our office with Christmas lights, made an Advent wreath, and set up the Christmas tree. Oh! I almost forgot to include our Android smartphones and tablets. Thankfully, I found maxelus.net’s Christmas Tree 3D app. This live wallpaper places a beautiful Christmas tree on your device’s screen. You can also personalize the live wallpaper. You can choose from a variety of lights, decorations, effects, and tons of cool stuff that you can add in the background. Get this beautiful Christmas tree for about US$2.00 and put on the Christmas decors on your phone early..


Grocery list – Greenlist

With Brianlliant’s Grocery list – Greenlist, you can say goodbye to manually listing things down and jumping from one list app to another. At a glance, Greenlist might look just like your usual grocery and shopping planner. You can add items to your shopping list from Greenlist’s own extensive list of products. Simply check them off once you’ve thrown them into your grocery cart.

If you’re clueless about what to cook for dinner, check out Greenlist’s selection of recipes or add some of your own. You can write down the recipe in the details section and list the ingredients you need. If you’re getting swamped with projects, Greenlist can help you organize your projects and list the things you need to do.


Lancer

The problem with being a freelancer is that it is very easy to get buried in work. Lancer, developed by Zenfly, helps keep freelancers organized. Make a job, such as for your illustration work, and then add tasks under it. You can set the task’s deadline, its location, your hourly wage, an important phone number, and an important email. When you tap on the task, you can view its location on a map, call the person involved, and even send an email.

Lancer can also keep track of your wages; if you’ve provided your hourly wage, hit Start Task and Lancer will take care of the computations. Once you’re done, make a Job Invoice. Lancer also lets you track your expenses for a certain job and lets you make notes for it as well.


Falcon Pro (for Twitter)

Constant “tweeters” should check out Joaquim Vergès’ Falcon Pro (for Twitter). The app is not just an ordinary Twitter client; on top of all its functions, the app sports buttery animations, an innovative user interface, and faster tweet loading. This app promises the ultimate Twitter experience whether you are a tablet or phone user. Even when you are offline, you will still be able to tap on some tweets and mark them as favorites. You’ll be able to experience all the core features of Twitter plus smooth-scrolling, real-time updates, and expandable notifications. The app is available for about a dollar from the Google Play Store.


Signal Booster for Android

When I really need to get some work done and my data connection is not cooperating, it gets me super frustrated. It’s great to know that an app is dedicated to boosting cellular signals and can be handy when you need a decent data connection speed. Signal Booster for Android by Boss Cellular is a simple tool that only requires a simple tap and it will get the job done for you. You’ll be able to improve your phone’s signal with just one simple gesture. Download it from the Google Play Store in exchange for nada.


Etsy

Christmas is the season of receiving… and giving. So, if you have a lot of godchildren, relatives, and friends to give gifts to but you don’t know where to get unique gifts from, Etsy (from the web store with the same name), will be a great catch for you. Etsy is a community where a lot of unique items are sold, all from sellers around the globe. The app gets you connected to the community and lets you make your order using the same app as well. You won’t need to scour for super unique gifts in different websites; Etsy has it all. Plus, it’s a free app you can readily install to your Android device.


This weeks list was full of helpful apps, especially with Christmas around the corner. If you’re still feeling like a Scrooge, get into the Christmas spirit. Feeling swamped and disorganized? We’ve got apps for that. And, if you’re struggling with terrible data connection, give yourself a signal boost. And, most importantly, keep clear of the chaotic malls and shop for unique gifts online.

Love any of these apps? Did you discover any new and interesting app this week? Let us know by leaving a comment below and voting in the poll.

(with contributions from Alvin Ybañez and Dan Evans; banner image uses Shutterstock photo by jorik)

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Related Posts

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City delayed for Android, coming by end of next week

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:08 PM PST

Grand Theft Auto

Yesterday Grand Theft Auto: Vice City officially arrived on Android, albeit very briefly. Shortly after it arrived, the game was removed from Google Play due to validation errors with the game’s servers. The good news is that Rockstar is working hard to get it back out to Google Play by the end of next week at latest.

Those that actually purchased the game before it was taken down are unfortunately stuck with an unusable app for the time being. Hopefully Rockstar does something special for those that bought the game only to find that can’t even play it.

Were you hoping to get your hands on GTA: Vice City? We’ll keep you updated as soon as we learn more about when the game is heading back to the Play Store.

Related Posts

HTC One VX is now available from AT&T for just $49.99, with two year contract

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:40 PM PST

HTC One VX
Last weekend we reported that the HTC One VX was believed to be on its way to AT&T with an expected arrival date of December 7th. Now AT&T has officially confirmed that the One VX is available as of today for just $49.99 with a two year contract.

While not the fastest phone around, the HTC One VX is a solid mid-range device powered by a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor with 1GB of RAM. Other specs include a 4.5-inch 540×960 display, 8GB internal storage, micro-SD and a 5MP camera. The budget handset features Android 4.0 ICS and HTC Sense 4, but is expected to get an eventual upgrade to Jelly Bean in the future.

For just $49.99, this a pretty good deal. Sure, its not as impressive as devices like the HTC Droid DNA, but not everyone wants or needs such a powerhouse. What do you think of the HTC One VX?

Related Posts

T-Mobile testing new prepaid service GoSmart Mobile for 2013 launch

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:04 PM PST

The rumors regarding the new prepaid brand of T-Mobile were true after all, as the company has confirmed that it is testing its new prepaid service which it calls GoSmart Mobile. T-Mobile confirmed the rumors to FierceWireless and also revealed that the new service is currently being tested in select markets. Although T-Mobile didn’t divulge further details on these markets, it did reveal that it will evaluate the test results and will then decide to possibly launch it nationwide sometime in the coming year.

While the service is yet to be launched, the official site for GoSmart Mobile is now live. The site highlights the product portfolio which features a host of talk, text and web plans. These include a $30 per month plan with unlimited talk time and text messages.

For $35 per month the plan will include unlimited talk time, texts, as well as web. For those looking for 3G data, a $45 per month plan will be offered that will provide 5GB of 3G data in addition to unlimited talk time, texts, and 2G web.

Customers can bring their own unlocked devices to take advantages of these plans. However, it explains that some devices such as BlackBerrys, micro-SIM devices, etc. will not be able to utilize their full function capabilities. But GoSmart is also offering an $8 SIM card kit and an entry level QWERTY device, the Alcatel OT838 that has a 2.4-inch screen and 2-megapixel camera.

While GoSmart will please many users who are looking for good prepaid solutions, the fact that 4G data is missing will upset some of them. Let’s hope T-Mobile changes its mind and adds 4G when the service is launched for everyone next year. Having said that, it could be an ideal service for people who are looking forward to saving some cash by cutting down their telecom expenses.

Related Posts

Android and Me

Android and Me


Review: HTC DROID DNA

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:37 PM PST

HTC has been pushing out phones with large displays ever since the HTC HD2 hit the market three years ago. Since then a lot of things have changed within the mobile industry, but HTC still thinks that there’s huge consumer appetite for smartphones with even larger displays. Enter the HTC...

Visit our site to read the full article.

Best unlocked Android phone for any budget: December 2012

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 10:24 AM PST

Earlier this year I started writing buyers’ guides for every carrier, and I intended to update them each month. Then I got fed up with the locked phones and service contracts that the carriers offered, so I ported my number to Google Voice, paid Verizon my $300 early termination fee, signed...

Visit our site to read the full article.

Top 10 Android game releases this week: Top Gear SSR, Yesterday, Dragon Slayer

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 07:50 AM PST

Welcome back to Android Gaming Weekly, our weekly recap to focus on new releases. We still plan to cover upcoming releases and games we're playing, but this new column is dedicated to new games you can install and start playing right now. Check out our top picks and let us know if you have any...

Visit our site to read the full article.

Android Rookies: 10 new apps worth checking out this week

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 07:00 AM PST

New apps need lovin' too, right? Every day there are thousands of new entries on the Google Play store, but many go unnoticed and never receive the attention they deserve. We have shown in the past that this community can discover great apps and launch them to new heights, so we're bringing back...

Visit our site to read the full article.

Day 7: Win an Acer Iconia Tab A700

Posted: 07 Dec 2012 05:00 AM PST

Back on Day 7 and we’re going to launch someone into tablet heaven. We’ve been rolling with some pretty simple challenges for The 25 Days of Tegra until this point, but today we’ve got a test that’s already been taken: your user account’s age. That’s right, to...

Visit our site to read the full article.