Finally, one of the most controversial acquisition made by Google has been sealed. Google has officially acquired Motorola Mobility Holdings with the deal being sealed via Google paying $40.00 per share in cash. With that Google now has a major mechanism to compete in the mobile computing industry, particularly in the hardware part of it. The deal also entails that Motorola Mobility will remain to be a licensee of Android and Android of course will still remain open despite the fact that Motorola Mobility will be competing against other manufacturers. All said, Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business. Other details of the acquisition that all of us ought to know include; former Motorola CEO Sanjhay Jha is stepping down but will continue to work with Google during the transition period. Taking Mr. Jha’s position is Dennis Woodside who was the one who oversee the integration planning for the acquisition. Mr. Woodside also served as President of Google America’s region. Mr. Woodside also inherits the big tasks of trying to revive Motorola’s presence in the mobile computing world. Google CEO Larry Page is all but happy with the acquisition of Motorola Mobility and has the following words to say about such acquisition; “I’m happy to announce the deal has closed. Motorola is a great American tech company, with a track record of over 80 years of innovation. It’s a great time to be in the mobile business, and I’m confident that the team at Motorola will be creating the next generation of mobile devices that will improve lives for years to come.”
Via [The Official Google Blog]  
Spotify has just said hello to folks in Australia and New Zealand, as its music streaming service is now available in both areas. Spotify service for both Australian and New Zealand folks includes the free service which will let you enjoy free, on-demand access to more than 16 million songs on your computer provided that you can deal with the ads. But if you mind the ads, you can always opt to get the Spotify Unlimited subscription services by paying $6.99 a month. This entitles you to enjoy all the features of Spotify with uninterrupted, ad-free access on your computer. If those are not enough, you can also opt to get Spotify Premium which will give you access to all the music, all the time from Spotify’s music catalog. And that goes without saying that you can do so even when your computer is online or offline. Plus, you’ll also get to listen to Spotify’s music from your mobile phone, tablet and other supported devices. Spotify Premium will cost you $11.99 monthly. So there you go. For our friends in Australia and New Zealand, time to install the Spotify desktop software on your computers and create a new Spotify account. Via [Spotify] and [Spotify]  
A new promotion between Verizon, Wirefly, and Amazon is taking place between now and May 24th. Essentially, if you purchase and activate a 4G LTE Android smartphone from either Wirefly or Amazon, then you will receive $40 worth of bill credit. Each line that becomes activated as a result of purchasing phones from the third party retailer will receive its own $40 worth of bill credit. The fact that smartphones are typically already discounted on third party retailers make receiving another $40 even sweeter. If you are looking to sign a new contract or renew an existing one with Verizon, then you may want to consider doing it before May 24 to take advantage of this deal. Via [Amazon] and [Wirefly] and [AndroidPolice]  
First announced during the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, the new Verizon Jetpack 890L is a mobile hotspot device developed by ZTE. Said device has the ability to create a Wi-Fi cloud capable of sharing high-speed 4G LTE connectivity with up to 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices at the same time. What’s good about this device is that it has global ready capability which means that you can bring the device along as you travel around the world and use it in more than 205 countries. Even those with 3G speeds. According to Verizon, the device has the latest security software including VPN passthrough and WEP/WPAWPA2 support, so you are assured the it is safe to use the device anywhere you go. The device also features an OLED screen and interactive keypad. And if you’re travelling around the United States, the Jetpack 890L can connect with Verizon’s 4G LTE mobile broadband network so that you’ll be able to enjoy speeds between 5 and 12Mbps down and speeds between 2 and 5Mbps up. The Verizon Jetpack 890L will be available on May 24 from Verizon stores and online at verizonwireless.com for $19.99 after a mail-in rebate and on a two-year agreement. Via [Verizon Wireless]  
Too bad I already bought a Kindle. But for those of you who’ve been wishing to own one and don’t mind getting a refurbished unit, now is your chance to buy it at a very low price. Amazon is currently selling refurbished units of the 4th generation Amazon Kindle with Special Offers for only $49. Yes, folks – that cheap. The deal is available through a $20 voucher which is given via Amazon Local. The current price of the refurb Kindle is $69, so applying the voucher entitles you to buy the Kindle for only $49. To get the deal, simple head out to Amazon Local (follow the via link below) and click on the “Get Voucher” link. Then you’ll be able to get a code which you’ll enter upon checking out. You’ll also get a free shipping for your purchase. Now, that’s a pretty good deal, right? Via [Amazon Local] and [CNET]  
Referring users and getting something back in return is a fairly popular thing to do on the web. We recently saw Dropbox make some big announcements in terms of what users will get in return for referrals. And well, it looks like SugarSync has a rather nice offer going. For one, SugarSync has their “Friends with Benefits” referral system in place. This will give users 2GB of additional storage for inviting their friends. Otherwise, SugarSync is also allowing paid users to claim an unlimited amount of free storage from referrals. According to the details provided; “At SugarSync, we don't limit the amount paid users can earn via referrals. That's right – any user with a paid SugarSync account (starting at just $5 a month) can earn unlimited free storage through referrals! And don't forget, if you refer SugarSync to someone and they sign up for a paid account, you get a whopping 10GB per paid account referral (instead of 1GB for Dropbox)!”
Simply put, refer someone that actually signs up for a paid account and you will get 10GB of storage — for free. That all being said, while Dropbox does have some hype and attraction from the geek audience, SugarSync has a solid service, one that I have been happily using for years now. Via [SugarSync]  
It looks like Google has recently made some improvements to the search functionality within Gmail. Simply put, Google has (will be) improving the autocomplete predictions. According to Google, when you search using the Gmail search box the autocomplete predictions will be based on the content in your email. “For example, you might now getlax reservation or lax united as predictions after typing “lax” if you have received an email with a flight confirmation for your trip to Los Angeles in your inbox recently.”
This improved search will not yet be available for every Gmail user. In fact, Google notes that the improved autocomplete will be rolling-out for English users over the next few days with others coming in the next few months. Finally, it looks like Google Apps users have some waiting to do. In your case, the improved autocomplete was simply noted as coming “in the future.” Via [Official Gmail Blog] 
 
The Netflix (for Android) app has recently been updated. This updated release can be found in the expected location — Google Play. Those with the app already installed will be prompted to update. In terms of the update, this latest version arrives as 1.8.0 which maintains the requirement of Android 2.2 or later for use. The what’s new section in Google Play notes the following changes; - Enhanced playback experience on phones and tablets
- Improved stability
- General bug fixes
All things considered, this Netflix for Android update sounds fairly similar to the last. Via [Google Play]  
Amazon has recently rolled-out the latest update for the Appstore. This update brings the version number up to 2.6.53 but perhaps a bit more important than a new number — this update has brought a few goodies including stability enhancements, a bug fix to 3G and 4G downloads and the ability to test drive apps. Aside from the stability enhancements portion (which came described as just that), lets break down the other two parts of this v2.6.53 update; - Bug fix to 3G/4G download. After increasing download limit, app downloads can resume.
- Enabled the Test Drive feature. Test Drive is a beta feature that lets you instantly try apps before buying them. Test Drive is initially available on select Android phones and for a limited selection of apps.
Those with the Amazon Appstore already installed on their device will be prompted to update. Otherwise, those looking to download and install the Appstore app for the first time, follow the via link below to get going. Via [Amazon]  
Up until very recently Sprint was offering one option for mobile hotspot tethering, a 5GB plan that was $29.99 per month. And well, as of now Sprint is offering two options. The first is a smaller plan, this one includes 2GB of data and is priced at $19.99. And for those wanting more, Sprint also has a 6GB plan available. This one will set you back $49.99 per month. Both of these plans include a combination of 3G/4G data and overages will be charged as follows; “Additional on-network data usage above the monthly allowance is charged at $0.05/MB Monthly Off-network data usage limit is combination of Phone or Tablet and MHS usage. For Tablets, the off-network data limit is driven by the tablet plan selected (either 100MB or 300MB) with a charge of $.25/MB for additional off-network usage.”
Finally, those Sprint customers who have the 5GB plan for $29.99 — Sprint noted that you will be able to keep that plan until you decide to cancel (or switch) your service. Via [Sprint] and [AndroidPolice]  | |
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