Users of Google+ will soon notice that some of their favorite pages and people will soon have personalized pages that can be accessed via URL. Similar to how Facebook implemented custom URLs that point to a specific page, Google+ will allow verified (well-known) pages to use a custom URL. The example given in the announcement is the G+ page for Chrome. Since the Chrome page set up its own custom URL, interested users can navigate directly to the page by entering plus.google.com/+chrome. The key here is using the “+” sign before the text. In addition, the text is not case-sensitive for those wondering. Custom URLs are currently rolling out to the well established pages, but hopefully Google expands this functionality to normal users alike. Via [Google+ post]  
While the details are still shaping up, it looks like Verizon Wireless may soon launch a follow-up to the DROID RAZR. The handset, according to an anonymous source of BGR, has stated that Verizon is getting ready to launch the Motorola DROID M. The handset is said to be coming in two colors — black and white. Otherwise, the price and features are as follows; $149.99 on a two-year agreement and with specs to include a Kevlar casing similar to the RAZR MAXX, a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor and an HD display with a resolution of 1196 x 720. And maybe, just maybe this is the device that Motorola plans to unveil in New York on September 5th. Via [BGR] 
 
During a recent TechnologyTell editors call, a topic was presented to me. A topic that has been brought up several times in the past, both by those in my work life and those in my personal life. It goes something like this, you love gadgets and you love to run, you should write about running gadgets. And at first thought, it seems like a perfect match. At first anyway. But then I remember that I am selfish. You see, running is my escape. It is my time. It is the time when I have no responsibility, no job, no wife, no kids, no nothing — just me, something to listen to (music or podcast or audiobook) and the road. Like I said selfish. But then I got to thinking, it could be a way to try out some new gear and that could have some benefits, both for GadgeTell and also for me. Of course, after my initial thought there, that was most likely also me being selfish, just on the other end of the spectrum. After all, playing with running gadgets for review would mean that I would only have to spend my money on what I actually liked and what I would use. But still, I continued to think about doing this for two reasons — the first being that I said that I would seriously consider it and the second being that fitness gadgets are a popular topic these days (hence the being good for GadgeTell comment). My thinking here really just brought me to another point — how (un)willing I am to switch to something new. You see, while I like to run for freedom and personal time, I am also borderline obsessed with tracking my runs. Almost to the point where if I cannot track and record the run, it is not worth going. Yes, I realize that takes away some of the simplicity that comes with running. That is a story for another day though because my thinking turned more general and made me realize — I am sort of stuck in a rut (gear wise) and because I like being in the rut — I am not sure I want to try anything new with running. And just for those wondering — I run with my iPhone 4S. I use Slacker, Downcast or Audible combined with Runkeeper and that works perfectly for my needs. It gives me entertainment, run tracking and also a phone just in case of emergency. So here is the question, assuming you were happy in a place where you were — what would it take for you to try something new? You know, say maybe you are a happy long term iOS user and have been considering switching to Android. Or vice versa, from Android to iOS. Back to the topic of running, I think I just may bring that into play here a bit. Well, maybe not my running specifically, but fitness related gadgets, gear and apps. After all, way back when I first began getting paid to write and tech and gadgets — that was born out of my love of tech and gadgets. In that respect, maybe writing about fitness gadgets and apps will be good. For me (there is that selfish side again), and for my home here — TechnologyTell. All that being said, I am really curious and would like to hear — How willing are you to switch to, or try something new?  
Boing Wireless today has updated its iOS app called Wi-Finder. For those who are not aware, this app helps you in searching for Wi-Fi hotspots near you or around the globe. According to Boingo, the app has consistently provided great Wi-Fi experiences for those who have used it before. And to make the app even more useful, the update now includes a data tracker to help you in monitoring your data usage. The app does this by showing you how much data you have used on both 3G/4G and Wi-Fi. It automatically tracks cellular and Wi-Fi usage in megabytes and provides you with color-coded graph that delivers at-a-glance data usage stats in real time. The app also highlights projected monthly savings from using Wi-Fi instead of 3G/4G. Hence, simplifying the data management process for you. In addition to the data tracker, the updated Wi-Finder iOS app also now includes the Boingo Secure VPN and Wi-Fi Hotspot Finder. The Boingo Secure VPN is being offered as a free, one-click security solution for simplifying the task of keeping user data secure whenever your iOS device is connected to an open Wi-Fi network. The VPN secures all communications. The Wi-Fi Hotspot finder on the other hand will help you in tracking more than 500,000 commercial hotspots and crowd-sources free hotspots as well. The Boingo Wi-Finder iOS app is available now as a free download from the iTunes App Store. If you worry much about data charges that you may incur while using your iOS devices, this app should be useful. Via [iTunes App Store]  
Netflix has officially announced their latest content partnership, this time with RADiUS-TWC. This agreement, while official as of now, will not bring any new content for subscribers until sometime in early-2013. The wait aside though, the agreement was noted as being multi-year and bringing a “slate of great new films.” “We are delighted to be extending our relationship again with TWC, incorporating the cutting edge and crowd-pleasing movies distributed by RADiUS,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos. “Weinstein movies like this year’s Academy Award winning best picture “The Artist” and the biggest French box office hit ever “The Intouchables” are coming to Netflix in the next few months and we are looking forward to having the RADiUS titles soon after.”
A bit more specifically, this agreement will bring some indie films to Netflix. Some of the titles that were mentioned specifically include “Bachelorette,” “Only God Forgives,” and “Butter” as well as “The Details,” and “Lay the Favorite.” Via [PR Newswire]  
T-Mobile has announced their latest Android smartphone, the Concord. The T-Mobile Concord has landed in the pre-paid device lineup, which means those who make the purchase will not have any long-term commitments to deal with. The handset is much lower-end as compared to some of the post-paid devices, however it is also rather affordable. The T-Mobile Concord is selling for $99.99. The handset will be available beginning on August 26th and can be purchased direct with T-Mobile or with Walmart. As far as those specs go — the T-Mobile Concord is sporting 3G connectivity along with a 3.5-inch display, 2 megapixel camera and running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Finally, for those wondering, the Concord is manufactured by ZTE. Keep reading to check out the full press release… T-Mobile Expands Its No Annual Contract Android Lineup with the T-Mobile Concord
T-Mobile to offer its most affordable no annual contract Android smartphone for under $100
BELLEVUE, Wash. — Aug. 23, 2012 — T-Mobile USA, Inc., today announced the availability of the T-Mobile® Concord™, T-Mobile's most affordable no annual contract Android™ option for those stepping up to their first smartphone. The Concord will be available to T-Mobile customers through a variety of no annual contract plans, including via T-Mobile Monthly4G™ and Walmart Family Mobile™.
Manufactured by ZTE, the T-Mobile Concord is equipped with the necessary features to keep customers connected with friends and family. The 3G smartphone is powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread and is ideal for basic Web surfing, searching for a location via Google Maps or accessing favorite social networking sites. Coming in a sleek, midnight blue color finish, the new smartphone features a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display and is equipped with a 2-megapixel camera, making it easy to capture and share memories.
Paired with one of T-Mobile's single-line, Monthly4G no annual contract plans, customers have access to unlimited talk, text and worry-free data that doesn't have a hard cap or result in overage fees, as well as access to T-Mobile's nationwide 4G network. The T-Mobile Concord can also be paired with Walmart's Family Mobile service, a monthly, no-annual-contract wireless plan option for individuals or families, also powered by T-Mobile's nationwide network.
The T-Mobile Concord is expected to be available at Target starting Aug. 26 for $99.99 with a qualifying Monthly4G plan. The T-Mobile Concord is also currently available at Walmart for $99.98 paired with a Walmart Family Mobile no annual contract plan.
 
The latest version of VMWare Fusion has been released. This release has arrived as Fusion 5 and it is noted as having been designed for Mountain Lion and optimized for Windows 8. Perhaps a bit more exciting here, this release arrives with “more than 70 new features for a Windows on Mac experience never seen before.” First things first, as many are familiar with VMWare and will likely be purchasing/upgrading regardless — lets discuss the pricing. VMWare Fusion 5 and Fusion 5 Professional are available as of today and are priced at $49.99 and $99.99 respectively. Those who purchased VMWare Fusion 4 on or after July 25th will get a free upgrade to Fusion 5. In addition, those who have Fusion 3 or Fusion 4 as well as those who are a registered Parallels Desktop user can upgrade to Fusion 5 Professional for $49.99 (a 50 percent discount). With that out of the way, lets get into the features of Fusion 5, beginning first with the previously mentioned goodies for Mountain Lion and Windows 8. - Designed for Mountain Lion – Run Windows on Mountain Lion and search Windows programs in Launchpad, use “AirPlay Mirroring” to stream Mac and Windows applications on an HDTV and get VMware Fusion notifications in Mountain Lion’s notification center.
- Windows 8 Optimization – VMware Fusion 5 supports Windows 8 standard, pro and enterprise editions so consumers can optimize the new Windows 8 “Metro” environment directly on a Mac.
Otherwise, this release comes with the following; - Enhanced Mac Support – Support for the latest Mac technologies include compatibility with Mountain Lion, retina display optimization, USB 3 connectivity, and improved support for large memory Macs.
- Next Generation Performance – Performance enhancements include up to 40% faster general performance speeds compared to the previous version of the product, improved power management for longer battery life and faster 3D graphics.
- Additional Functionalities – New, powerful ways to experience Windows on a Mac are available through an updated virtual machine library that enables seamless transitions between multiple operating systems, one click snapshots with improved graphical appearance, a brand new graphics driver for Linux 3D desktops, and a new embedded learning center for immediate support.
Moving over an touching on Fusion 5 Professional, this adds some goodies such as easier deployment across multiple platforms, the ability to create restricted virtual machines and more. Simply put, as the name would imply, this release is aimed more at the professional user — the business. VMWare Fusion 5 Professional features include; - Open the Doors to Macs – Whether business applications run on Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8 or one of more than 200 other operating systems, VMware Fusion 5 is designed to ensure maximum compatibility with the applications users need.
- Create Restricted Virtual Machines – Create an encrypted corporate image that meets the needs of employees and enables productivity from their first power-on. To avoid tampering of the corporate image, restrictions can prevent users from changing virtual machine settings or attaching USB devices to Windows.
- Easy Deployment Across Multiple Platforms – VMware Fusion 5 Professional includes a commercial license of VMware Player™ 5 to deploy and run restricted virtual machines on Macs, Windows and Linux systems. So regardless of the underlying platform, VMware Fusion 5 Professional gives users the business applications they need.
- Reduce Support Costs – Reduce support costs by directing end-users to customized Web resources directly from VMware Fusion 5 Professional’s Help menu.
- Easy Management – VMware Fusion 5 Professional is a full perpetual license which activates both VMware Fusion 5 Professional and VMware Player 5.
Via [MarketWire]  
The Federal Communications Commission has released new data about the state of broadband internet in the United States. The report points out the advancements the country is making in LTE deployment, praises programs in assisting low-income and applauds efforts to expand spectrum. However, there are still several million Americans without access to broadband above 3Mbps.The report says 19 million Americans don’t have access to broadband at threshold speeds. The majority of these Americans live in rural areas. 14.5 million people in rural areas lack broadband access. Also, one-third of Americans that live in tribal areas don’t get broadband internet either. These tribal areas are located in states such as New Mexico, South Dakota, Montana among others. There are also around 100 million Americans that don’t subscribe to broadband internet even though it’s in their area. The FCC believes the Connect America Fund is needed to lower these numbers. Overall, the FCC thinks the country is lagging in broadband adoption. Via [FCC]  
Google has rolled-out the latest update for the Play Music app. The update is on the smaller side, however this should be one that Jelly Bean and Google TV users will want to pay attention to. This update brings the app up to version 4.3.609 and along with the new version number we have the following; - Bug fixes and support for Google TV devices.
- Expandable notifications in Jellybean.
That being said, while this update deals with Google TV and Android 4.1, the Google Play Music app will still run on devices with Android 2.2 or later. Via [Google Play]  
Microsoft has officially unveiled a new logo, the first change since 1987. And what can we say here, the logo can be seen in the above image and the below video, and we are fairly certain there will be a nice mix of those who love the change and those who hate the change. As for me, I fall in the former and would say the new logo is rather nice. It is simple and clean looking. Via [Microsoft] and [The Verge] 
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