Thursday, December 6, 2012

YouTube brings its guide feature to all devices, provides easier access to subscribed content

YouTube brings its guide feature to all devices, provides easier access to subscribed content

YouTube brings its guide feature to all devices, provides easier access to subscribed content

The folks working at YouTube are quite the busy little bees, updating apps, adding content and refreshing the site's look. Today, the site's rolling out its guide feature through YouTube.com and every YouTube app there is. The video site first introduced the guide last year on its web portal, allowing folks an easy way to keep track of new videos on their subscribed channels. Now, Android, iPhone, PS3, Google TV and other YouTube apps are getting the feature and the website's getting a fresh new look as well. You can get a better look at the new page layout after the break, and there's more info about the changes at the source below.

Continue reading YouTube brings its guide feature to all devices, provides easier access to subscribed content

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Source: The Official YouTube Blog


http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/youtube-guide-for-all-devices/

Sean Parker and Lars Ulrich talk Napster vs. Metallica, hug it out with Spotify

Sean Parker and Lars Ulrich talk Napster vs. Metallica, hug it out with Spotify

 Sean Parker and Lars Ulrich talk Napster vs Metallica, hug it out

One of today's many, many Spotify announcements was that legendary thrashers Metallica would be coming to the streaming service. As part of the announcement CEO Daniel Ek brought out the bands notoriously outspoken drummer Lars Ulrich and Spotify board member Sean Parker who, as you might remember, had a hand in founding Napster. While there was some broad discussion about the direction of the music industry and the future of music consumption, a large chunk of the half hour-long conversation revolved around the shared history of the two and the legal feud between the pioneering file sharing service and the band. The two were surprisingly cordial, if slightly uncomfortable looking, and delved deep into the details of what both described as a "street fight" between the parties. Ultimately, both admitted that things got blown out of proportion and escalated unnecessarily. But there also seemed to be some admission by Lars that there was an element of Luddism to his band's reaction. To see the entire, extremely interesting conversation, check out the video after the break.

Continue reading Sean Parker and Lars Ulrich talk Napster vs. Metallica, hug it out with Spotify

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http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/sean-parker-and-lars-ulrich-talk-napster/

Nintendo Wii Mini hands-on

Nintendo Wii Mini hands-on

Nintendo Wii Mini handson

Nintendo's Wii Mini has been a bit more elusive than we thought, but we've at last snagged the entry-level console ahead of its official release and given it a quick shakedown. While does what it says on the tin -- welcome newcomers and second-system shoppers to the Wii universe -- we've found that there's a few important details to consider beyond just the absences of internet access and GameCube support. Read on past the break for our quick look.

Continue reading Nintendo Wii Mini hands-on

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http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/nintendo-wii-mini-hands-on/

IDC: Apple slipped to sixth in China smartphone share in Q3, Samsung and locals sat on top

IDC: Apple slipped to sixth in China smartphone share in Q3, Samsung and locals sat on top

Samsunch SCH-W2013 with Jackie Chan

The Chinese smartphone market is a tough nut to crack given its sensitivity to prices and a slew of strong domestic brands. IDC estimates suggest Apple may have learned this the hard way during the third quarter of this year: it slipped from fourth place in local market share during the second quarter to sixth. Samsung kept out in front, but everyone else who knocked Apple down a couple of pegs was from the neighborhood, starting with second-place Lenovo followed by Coolpad, ZTE and Huawei. Price and wider availability no doubt played a part in shifting further towards a (mostly) Android-based field, although the period may have also exacerbated the pre-update lull in sales that Apple often faces -- while those in some countries were picking up an iPhone 5 in September, China won't have its turn until December 14th. Fourth quarter results won't completely reverse the state of affairs, but they could easily be worth watching.

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Source: Reuters


http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/idc-apple-slipped-to-sixth-in-china-smartphone-share-during-q3/

The Engadget Podcast is live today at 4PM!

The Engadget Podcast is live today at 4PM!

Brian's off on a top secret mission involving the US government, so some guy named Tim is calling the shots this week. He's new, sure, but he seems to know his stuff. But just in case, he's brought Dana and Ben in for backup. Join the action at 4PM ET, just after the break.

Continue reading The Engadget Podcast is live today at 4PM!

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http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/the-engadget-podcast-is-live-today-at-4pm/

Essential Android apps for the holiday shopping season

Essential Android apps for the holiday shopping season
http://www.intomobile.com/2012/12/06/essential-android-apps-holiday-shopping-season/
Androidchristmas

The holiday season is here, and if you’re looking to do some mobile shopping, then we have some great applications for you to choose from. Whether you need a simple shopping app, a gift list, or package tracking applications, the list of applications below will ensure that you have an end to end solution!

Gift Lists

The first thing you’re probably planning to do is write out the gifts you want to get for your friends and loved ones, and what better way than to have a list of the gifts in your pocket?

Christmas Gift List offers up a simple and straight forward way of creating a gift list. You can set a budget for individuals, track your spending, share your list, or password protect your list if you want to keep it a secret. There are many nifty features in Christmas Gift list, but making the list is only half the battle. Don’t forget to check it twice!

Download : Christmas Gift List

Shopping

There are a ton of shopping apps for Android and if you can’t find a particular item in one app, there’s a good chance that you’ll find it in another.

Whether you’re looking for electronics, clothing, or something a little more personable, be sure to check out the following applications to get you where you need to go.

Download:

Google Shopper

Amazon

Etsy

eBay

Sure, the list may seem a bit generic, but these should be the apps that you pay attention to most. Google Shopper, Amazon, and eBay encompass a wide range of just about anything you could be seeking out, and Etsy will bring you some unique handmade items that you just won’t find on the three aforementioned apps.

Package Tracking

So you bought all of the gifts you want, so now all you have to do is wait. To ease the waiting game, you might want to take a look at Package Buddy Pro to keep track of your shipments.

There are many package tracking applications available on the Google Play Store, but I’ve personally been using Package Buddy for quite a while. It’s by far one of the best looking package tracking apps available, utilizing the Holo UI aesthetic, and comes with a ton of features.

Available in a free version as well, Package Buddy Pro allows you to keep track of multiple packages, view the progress on a map, and see the official website of the shipment right within the application. You’ll also be able to sync your shipments across devices and get access to the Package Buddy website to view shipment progress online.

Download: Package Buddy Pro 

 

‘Wrap’-up

So there are some of our top picks for the best Android apps for the holiday shopping season, but we know there are many, many more! Feel free to sound off in the comments to share your favorite shopping and holiday applications below!

 

[photo]

Essential Android apps for the holiday shopping season originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2012-12-06T20:34:53Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Google gives WWF $5 million to fund wildlife-observing drones

Google gives WWF $5 million to fund wildlife-observing drones

Google gives WWF $5 million to fund wildlifeobserving drones

Most of the drone-related news these days may focus on military or police use, but those are far from the only applications for the unmanned aerial vehicles. Case in point: the World Wildlife Fund, which has now received a $5 million grant from Google's Global Impact Awards program to fund UAVs designed to monitor endangered species. Details on the drones themselves remain light, but the WWF says they'll be used to detect poachers and tagged animals on the ground, and then relay that information to a command center and mobile law enforcement units. What's more, while that initial funding will only provide something of a testbed, the WWF says it's focusing on "easily-replicable technologies," with its ultimate goal being to create an "efficient, effective network that can be adopted globally."

[Image credit: WWF]

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Via: BBC News

Source: WWF


http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/google-gives-wwf-5-million-to-fund-wildlife-observing-drones/

DoorBot lets you see and talk with who's at the door from the comfort of your smartphone (video)

DoorBot lets you see and talk with who's at the door from the comfort of your smartphone (video)

DoorBot lets you see and talk with who's at the door from the comfort of your smartphone video

If funding is successful, you'll be able to wave hello to DoorBot -- an app-enabled, WiFi-connected video doorbell. Sure, it's not exactly the first time we've seen such an idea, but the "weather-resistant," aluminium enclosure makes it one of the best looking concepts we've seen. Better yet, the system is set to work in unison with the Lockitron (a smartphone-controlled keyless door lock that was recently crowd-funded, albeit still yet to ship) allowing you to let welcome visitors inside your abode at the tap of your iOS or Android Device's app screen.

The DoorBot installs with four screws, but it'll have you running through four AA batteries for power (which, based on the video, seem easily removeable by strangers, unfortunately). There's no word on the quality of the camera onboard, however, it's infared-equipped, so you'll be able to see who's there at night. Lastly, the actual doorbell button is wrapped with an LED light, and, as you'd expect, it alerts you via the app when pressed to see and speak with whomever is at the door.

In total, Edison Junior hopes to raise a lofty $250,000 to make the DoorBot more than a concept video, with 45 days to reach the goal. If you're willing to take the gamble as backer, $169 is what'll cost to secure a pre-order, and $319 snags you one bundled with the Lockitron. We're told that we'll see a working prototype in the flesh at CES, but until then, you can catch the full sales pitch at the source link and video demo after the break.

Continue reading DoorBot lets you see and talk with who's at the door from the comfort of your smartphone (video)

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Source: Edison Junior (Christie Street)


http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/edison-junior-doorbot-video-doorbell/

DoorBot lets you see and talk with who's at the door from the comfort of your smartphone (video)

DoorBot lets you see and talk with who's at the door from the comfort of your smartphone (video)

Edison Junior has yet to bring its crowd-funded Lockitron (a smartphone-controlled keyless door lock) to fruition yet, but that's not stopping it from introducing its latest gizmo to enhance your doorstep experience. If funding is again successful, you'll be able to literally wave hello to DoorBot -- an app-enabled, WiFi-connected video doorbell. Sure, it's not exactly the first time we've seen this idea, but the "weather-resistant," aluminium enclosures makes it one of the best concepts we've seen. Better yet, the system is set to work in unison with the Lockitron, allowing you to let welcome visitors inside your abode at the tap of your iOS or Android Device's app screen. The DoorBot installs with four screws, but it'll have you running through four AA batteries for power (which, based on the video, seem easily removeable by strangers, unfortunately). There's no word on the quality of the camera onboard, however, it's infared-equipped, so you'll be able to see who's there at night. Lastly, the actual doorbell button is wrapped with an LED light, and, as you'd expect, it alerts you via the app when pressed to see and speak with whomever is at the door.

In total, Edison Junior hopes to raise a lofty $250,000 to make the DoorBot more than a concept video, with 45 days to reach the goal. If you're willing to take the gamble as backer, $169 is what'll cost to secure a pre-order, and $319 snags you one bundled with the Lockitron. We're told that we'll finally see working prototypes of both gizmos in the flesh at CES, but until then, you can catch the full sales pitch at the source link after the break.

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Source: Edison Junior (Christie Street)


http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/edison-juniors-169-doorbot-lets-you-see-and-speak-whos-at-th/

Larklife fitness band jogs into retail stores, nags you about exercise and sleep patterns

Larklife fitness band jogs into retail stores, nags you about exercise and sleep patterns


Larklife fitness band jogs into retail store, plans to nag you about exercise and sleep patterns

Sure, your iPhone already keeps track of your work schedules, lunch meetings and Lego creations -- isn't it about time you let it tell you when to go to bed, too? It can, if you're so inclined -- at least when paired with a Larklife fitness band. This wearable pedometer peripheral tracks your activity, sleep patterns and diet with a companion app, nagging you with suggestions on how to eat, sleep and exercise. It'll even gently buzz you awake with a vibrating alarm, should you try to shirk its suggestions. The $149 Bluetooth band promises to sync with your device in real time, removing the burden of syncing and updating exercise data. It's also an iOS exclusive, and is fittingly available at Apple retail locations. Determined to do your holiday shopping from your armchair? No worries -- Lark's own website is offering free shipping through December 25th. Read on to scope out the company's official press release.

Continue reading Larklife fitness band jogs into retail stores, nags you about exercise and sleep patterns

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http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/larklife-now-in-stores/

Twitter to give users fewer characters to tweet with when URLs are involved

Twitter to give users fewer characters to tweet with when URLs are involved

Twitter giving users fewer characters to tweet with when URLs are involved

The shock! The horror! The genuine nightmare of losing two more valuable character spaces per tweet! Such a scenario is indeed going to play out, as Twitter has just announced a subtle change in its t.co wrapper that'll go into play this coming February. The firm will be extending the maximum length of t.co wrapped links from 20 to 22 characters for non-https URLs, and 21 to 23 characters for https URLs. It's announcing the change now in order to give developers time to tweak their apps to handle things with poise, though it's not going so far as to clarify why the change is being made. Enjoy those shortened links while you can -- that whole "140 characters" thing will soon be gaining yet another asterisk.

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Twitter


http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/twitter-fewer-characters-tweet/

Amazon publishes vague numbers surrounding Appstore performance, but they're sure looking good

Amazon publishes vague numbers surrounding Appstore performance, but they're sure looking good

Amazon publishes vague numbers surrounding Appstore performance, but they're sure looking good

At this point, expecting Amazon to actually divulge genuine numbers surrounding its Kindle business would be akin to expecting that so-called "fiscal cliff" to just vanish overnight. That said, the company's playing a little less coy than usual in a new press release that announces A/B testing capabilities for app developers. The useful nuggets are here: app downloads in the Appstore have grown more than 500 percent over the previous year, and the number of GameCircle enabled games available on Kindle Fire has more than doubled since the launch of Kindle Fire HD.

We're also told that total downloads of the SDKs for In-App Purchasing and GameCircle have more than doubled since the Kindle Fire HD launch and availability of the Kindle Fire HD development resources, while the number of devs with In-App Purchasing incorporated in their apps more than doubled in the third quarter of the year. Of course, it's hard to draw any serious conclusions without knowing a serious baseline, but much like another company in Washington, it seems that blasting out hard figures is something reserved for those "want-to" moments.

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Via: GigaOM

Source: Amazon


http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/amazon-appstore-download-report/

Archos GamePad now shipping for £130: Android 4.1, 1.6GHz CPU and a bona fide D-pad

Archos GamePad now shipping for £130: Android 4.1, 1.6GHz CPU and a bona fide D-pad

Archos GamePad now shipping for 130 Android 41, 16GHz CPU and a bona fide Dpad

You've waited long enough, haven't you? The low-cost PMP leader has kept the mantra alive with its GamePad, which is now shipping to those interested for £129.99. Put simply, it's a widescreen gaming handheld that runs Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), replete with a 1.6GHz dual-core processor and Mali 400mp quad-core GPU. There's a 1,024 x 600 resolution touchpanel, physical control buttons and analog sticks, and the whole thing checks in at just 0.3-inches thick. Unfortunately, there's no word on battery life, but even the optimist in us can't predict a number that'd be worthy of boasting about. Hit up the source link to make plans for purchase, or click past the break for the full presser.

Continue reading Archos GamePad now shipping for £130: Android 4.1, 1.6GHz CPU and a bona fide D-pad

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Source: Archos


http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/archos-gamepad-now-shipping-android-gaming-handheld/

Ginsu knives, psychic hotlines and a $90 tablet: the story behind the Matrix One

Ginsu knives, psychic hotlines and a $90 tablet: the story behind the Matrix One

Matrix One tablet - beware

On December 5th, Direct Merchandise Marketing (DMM) released a long-awaited statement that was supposed to explain just what had gone wrong in shipping its Matrix One tablet, a device we thought we might never see. The company cited part delays and Google Wallet troubles that left it with no choice but to allow refunds. However, that's not even half of the story. As you'll see in our investigation after the break, the company itself hasn't been on the level with its customers, even as it became clear that operations were coming apart at the seams.

Continue reading Ginsu knives, psychic hotlines and a $90 tablet: the story behind the Matrix One

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http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/the-story-behind-matrix-one/

T-Mobile planning to move entirely to Value Plans in 2013

T-Mobile planning to move entirely to Value Plans in 2013

TMobile planning to move entirely to Value Plans in 2013

T-Mobile's not skimping on the big announcements in today's investor conference: it's now declared that it plans to move entirely to its Value Plans in 2013. The carrier's current rate offering nets you a lower monthly tariff in exchange for an omitted device subsidy -- in other words, bring your own phone, and you'll pay less for service.

Developing...

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Via: Sascha Segan (Twitter)


http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/t-mobile-value-plans/

MetroPCS announces the Samsung Galaxy Admire 4G

MetroPCS announces the Samsung Galaxy Admire 4G
http://www.intomobile.com/2012/12/06/metropcs-announces-samsung-galaxy-admire-4g/
samsung-galaxy-admire-4g-1

MetroPCS announced its latest Android offering to join its budget-friendly roster of mid-range phones. The Samsung Galaxy Admire 4G will be launched as an upgraded version to its predecessor and it’ll bring the typical mid level features you’d expect such as a 3.65-inch TFT display, 1GHz CPU, and a 3MP camera. Apparently, the over two-year Android 2.3 Gingerbread still has some relevance, as the Galaxy Admire 4G will come powered with it.

Potential customers can also expect the device to be loaded with a special kind of bloatware called John. MetroPCS says the service ‘John’ will bring “an intuitive way to unify mobile-to-mobile communications and use enriched services like integrated instant messaging or chat, WiFi and video calling and simplified content sharing.”

For those of you out there interested, you can buy the phone today online or in the store for the price of $169. MetroPCS is a prepaid provider that’s contract free and offers good plans starting at $30 per month, with an unlimited 4G plan that cost $55. The Samsung Galaxy Admire 4G may not be the most attractive choice, but for the price and plan you can get — it’s not bad. It can also make for a perfect gift to a youngster or one of the elders in the family.

[MetroPCS; via Phandroid]

 

MetroPCS announces the Samsung Galaxy Admire 4G originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2012-12-06T18:17:40Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Spotify reveals Discover tab, Collections and Follow social feature

Spotify reveals Discover tab, Collections and Follow social feature

Spotify

After patting itself on the back, Spotify got around to announcing a new feature to help users discover new music and new artists. Rather than a traditional "you like this, so you might also like this" model, the one implemented by Amazon that constantly feeds you piles vaguely associated products. A new Discover tab has been added to the player, including its web player beta, that recommends artists and provides context for the selection. Rather than simply provide you with a link to an artist's library, it offers a quick explanation of why it was selected along with a short bio, reviews from sites like Pitchfork and the ability to add them to your Collection (another new feature, more on that later) with one click. The recommendations dont end with artists or albums though, apps like SongKick can automatically suggest concerts in your area.

Collection is a quick and easy repository for all the artists you follow and albums you want to listen to on a regular basis. Rather than add albums as a playlist you add something to your collection, which is much closer to say an iTunes library than the rather messy system currently in place.

After last year's experiment with Facebook integration, Spotify has decided to really up its social efforts with "Follow." The concept isn't terribly different from Last.FM or other social music services, though the company is touting the ability to not just connect with your existing friends, but also musicians and celebrities. By following people like Barack Obama and Bruno Mars you can see what they listen to when celebrating their electoral victory or composing their next album. The follow feature even extends to the mobile apps, where artists can push alerts to users to let them know the moment a new album drops.

Developing...

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http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/spotify-reveals-discover-tab-collections-and-follow-social-feat/

Western Digital offers 8TB version of its My Book Live Duo NAS

Western Digital offers 8TB version of its My Book Live Duo NAS

Western Digital offers 8TB version of its My Book Live Duo NAS

Western Digital is mightily proud of its new 4TB hard drives, so it shouldn't be a surprise to see them winding up in the company's range of external storage products. The latest to get the spec bump is the My Book Live Duo, the dual-drive RAID box that promises to keep your memories safe should the worst happen. The range-topping 8TB edition will set you back $660, but if your credit card isn't that elastic, you can snag a 6TB unit for $440 and a 4TB box for $375.

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Via: CNET

Source: Western Digital


http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/wd-8gb-mybook/

Analyst: Samsung may use unbreakable displays in its upcoming Galaxy phones

Analyst: Samsung may use unbreakable displays in its upcoming Galaxy phones
http://www.intomobile.com/2012/12/06/samsung-rumored-working-unbreakable-display/
Samsung mobile display demo with flexible AMOLED and transparent AMOLED tech

Analyst Mark Newman of Stanford Bernstein told Reuters that Samsung may be prepping an unbreakable display for its upcoming Galaxy handsets. These panels would take the form of OLED displays that drop the glass and replace it with an unbreakable plastic substrate. Samsung has been working on flexible display sand recent rumors suggest that those displays are creeping closer to mass production

“Eventually, they [Samsung] will have unbreakable and flexible displays. Either the Galaxy S IV or S V will have unbreakable and even possibly flexible and foldable displays by 2014. That’s going to be a game-changer,” said Newman. If it means I don’t have to carry insurance to cover a cracked glass display, then I am all for bringing this technology to mobile phones as soon as possible.

[Via Reuters]

Analyst: Samsung may use unbreakable displays in its upcoming Galaxy phones originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2012-12-06T17:37:08Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

NVIDIA needs your help to optimize its PC gaming optimization software, private beta goes live today

NVIDIA needs your help to optimize its PC gaming optimization software, private beta goes live today

NVIDIA needs your help to optimize its PC gaming optimization software, beta goes live today

NVIDIA's "GeForce Experience" application isn't so much an "experience" as it is a software application designed to optimize video game settings for a wide variety of PC setups. It's also a kind of Steam for drivers, if you will, in that it automatically maintains an updated list of drivers for your PC's various parts, only requiring the user to click the install button. In a recent demo with NVIDIA, we saw Borderlands 2 go from good looking (standard out of box settings) to significantly snappier (optimized), and Modern Warfare 3 transform from a visual mess to a ... well, it looked a lot better. You'll forgive us for not being wowed by a two-year-old game's aging visuals. Good news is you can see for yourself by applying to the limited beta -- 10,000 lucky folks will be granted entry ahead of the early January public launch (the beta application process appears to be offline thus far, but we'll let you know when it's live).

The application costs nothing and works with around 30 games thus far (pre-loaded in the beta as "profiles") -- NVIDIA sees the software not as a tool for direct monetization, but as a means to grow the accessibility of PC gaming. Of course, growing the world of PC gaming helps NVIDIA just as much as the next guy, if not more; the company says the GeForce Experience's algorithms aren't set with only NVIDIA GPUs in mind (or given preference), but we're a bit wary of that assertion without our own rigorous hands-on. Thankfully, we'll be able to provide just that very soon, as the application just entered closed beta. NVIDIA's hoping to have it finished and live by early January, "around CES," if you'd rather just wait for the final build.

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http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/nvidia-geforce-experience-beta/

Spotify doubles user base in last year, 1 million paid subscribers in the US

Spotify doubles user base in last year, 1 million paid subscribers in the US

Spotify doubles user base in last year, 1 million paid subscribers in the US

At an event today, way out on Manhattan's west side, Spotify held a bit of a get together with a few of its closest business associates and members of the press. CEO Daniel Ek took the opportunity to do a quick victory lap, touting its growth as a service. In the last year the number of active users has doubled to 20 million, five million of which are paying subscribers. One million of those coughing up a monthly fee are right here in the US, which Ek claims makes the company the largest streaming platform in the country. Almost as impressive, all those users have created over one billion playlists, though, 4.7 million of those are simply named "love." Nobody being creative was an qualification for being a customer.

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http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/spotify-doubles-user-base-in-last-year-1-million-paid-subscribe/

T-Mobile USA to start selling Apple products in 2013

T-Mobile USA to start selling Apple products in 2013
http://www.intomobile.com/2012/12/06/tmobile-start-selling-iphone-2013/
T-Mobile USA expands its HSPA+ 42 network to reach more than 220 million people, unveils LTE plans

Deutsche Telekom confirmed in a press statement that T-Mobile USA will start selling Apple products in 2013. The company failed to name the products or give a launch date, but we can presume it is talking about the iPhone and the iPad, and the launch will likely coincide with the debut of T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network. T-Mobile started updating its network this year to make it more iPhone friendly. Now that the iPhone is on its way, look for the carrier to accelerate this process.

You can read the full press release after the break or by following the link below to DT’s website.

[Via Deutsche Telecom]


Deutsche Telekom steps up investment in growth in 2014 and adjusts dividend planning to 50 euro cents

Dec 06, 2012

Ad hoc notification from Deutsche Telekom in accordance with § 15 of the Securities Trading Act (WpHG)

The Board of Management of Deutsche Telekom today approved the financial planning for the Group for the years 2013 through 2015. The relevant committees of the Supervisory Board, the General and Finance Committees, then addressed the plans and formulated a recommendation for the Supervisory Board to approve them at its next meeting.

The plans are for the Group to increase its capital expenditure considerably over the next three years (including expenditure following the closing of the business combination of MetroPCS with T-Mobile USA, which is expected in the first half of 2013). Capital expenditure (excluding spectrum investment) of EUR 9.8 billion is scheduled for 2013 compared with an expected total of EUR 8.3 billion in the current year. The increased level of capital expenditure is intended to generate year-on-year growth both in revenue and adjusted EBITDA as soon as 2014. To create a basis for comparison, MetroPCS is assumed to be included for the full 2013 financial year based on a pro forma calculation.

The dividend for the 2013 and 2014 financial years is to be adjusted to these plans, with a payment of 50 euro cents per dividend-bearing share planned for both years. The plans for dividend payments are subject to approval by the relevant bodies and the fulfillment of other legal requirements.

The higher investment volume is to be used to roll out the broadband infrastructure in Germany and the United States in particular. In the mobile communications network, this will be done using the state-of-the-art technology LTE. Around EUR 6 billion is earmarked for rolling out the broadband infrastructure in the German fixed network with optical fiber and vectoring between 2013 and 2020. In addition, T-Mobile USA has entered into an agreement with Apple to bring products to market together in 2013.

Expected development of revenue in the operating segments and the Group.

Deutsche Telekom expects its revenues in the Germany segment to stabilize in 2014. The Europe segment is expected to record organic growth again in 2014, i.e., without the impact of regulatory decisions, exchange rate effects and exceptional state measures such as the imposition of additional taxes. The U.S. business is to return to growth in the planning period. The activities of the Digital Business Unit are expected to generate double-digit growth rates until 2015. Deutsche Telekom expects T-Systems to generate profitable revenue growth in its business with customers outside the Deutsche Telekom Group.

Deutsche Telekom therefore expects the Group to generate additional revenue in 2014 compared with the prior year (including MetroPCS on a comparable basis).

Expected development of adjusted EBITDA in the Group for 2013 and 2014.

The forecast for the Group in its current structure is for adjusted EBITDA of around EUR 17.4 billion in 2013 (forecast for 2012: around EUR 18 billion). Based on a pro forma calculation that assumes inclusion of MetroPCS for the entire financial year 2013, adjusted EBITDA would amount to around EUR 18.4 billion. Deutsche Telekom is planning a year-on-year increase in adjusted EBITDA in 2014 (including MetroPCS on a comparable basis).

Expected development of free cash flow in the Group for 2013 through 2015.

The Group’s free cash flow is expected to decrease to around EUR 5 billion in 2013 (scheduled figure for 2012: around EUR 6 billion), primarily as a result of the increased capital expenditure and the systematic implementation of the Challenger strategy in the U.S. market, including the agreement with Apple. The Group’s free cash flow is expected to be around EUR 6 billion in 2015 (including MetroPCS).

Dividend planning for 2013 and 2014.

Subject to approval by the relevant bodies and the fulfillment of other legal requirements, a dividend of 50 euro cents per dividend-bearing share is to be paid for each of the financial years 2013 and 2014. The Company also plans to offer shareholders the option of receiving payment in the form of shares (dividend in kind). Both forms of payment are tax-free for domestic shareholders.

Planning for key financial indicators.

The ratio of net debt to adjusted EBITDA from 2013 through 2015 is to remain within the range of 2.0 to 2.5 as in the previous three years. The equity ratio is also scheduled to remain in the same range as for the previous period of 25 to 35 percent.

Deutsche Telekom continues to manage its liquidity reserve such that at least capital market maturities for the forthcoming 24 months are covered at any given time. Closely linked to this is the approach of a balanced maturities profile.

T-Mobile USA to start selling Apple products in 2013 originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2012-12-06T17:23:38Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Foxconn’s move to the US could bring Apple manufacturing jobs

Foxconn’s move to the US could bring Apple manufacturing jobs
http://www.intomobile.com/2012/12/06/foxconns-move-us-could-bring-apple-manufacturing-jobs/
iphones

Tim Cook had a chat with the folks over at Businessweek that covered many things such as the departure of Scott Forstall, the future of Apple TV and the disaster known as Maps. In addition, the Apple boss revealed the company’s plans for next year, which includes spending $100 million to bring some manufacturing jobs back to the good old United States of America.

One of the huge pieces to making this potential job boon come true is Foxconn’s expansion into North America. If you don’t happen to know, Foxconn is perhaps Apple’s biggest manufacturer of iPhones. Word of Foxconn’s expansion into the Unites States came from an interview with Bloomberg. In the interview, a Foxconn spokesman by the name of Louis Woo said the following “We are looking at doing more manufacturing in the US because, in general, customers want more to be done there.” So this suggest that some iPhone production in the states maybe in the immediate future (albeit, speculative).

Woo also mentioned some of Foxconn’s concerns with an US expansion saying “supply chain is one of the big challenges” the company will face. He also addressed the big elephant in the room, which is the issue of switching away from low-cost Chinese labor, saying “any manufacturing we take back to the U.S. needs to leverage high-value engineering talent there in comparison to the low-cost labor of China.” This is code for: expect prices for the iPhone to go up. I guess time will tell.

[Bloomberg; via The Verge]

 

Foxconn’s move to the US could bring Apple manufacturing jobs originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2012-12-06T17:29:51Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

T-Mobile and Apple sign agreement to launch products in 2013

T-Mobile and Apple sign agreement to launch products in 2013

TMobile Apple products coming in 2013

T-Mobile CEO Rene Obermann told analysts today that his company has entered into an agreement with Apple and plans to launch products starting next year.

Developing..

Comments

Via: Twitter

Source: Twitter, Telekom


http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/t-mobile-apple-2013/

SpaceX lands a pair of plum US Air Force contracts for its Falcon rockets

SpaceX lands a pair of plum US Air Force contracts for its Falcon rockets

SpaceX Falcon scores two US Air Force contracts

SpaceX vehicles have proved themselves thus far to be highly capable cargo-toters for hungry astronauts aboard the ISS, and now the company's Falcon rockets have chalked up a couple of US Air Force missions, too. They'll participate in the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, launching the Deep Space Climate Observatory in 2014 aboard a Falcon 9 and a DOD satellite in 2015 from a Falcon Heavy. Those missions are part of the USAF's Orbital/Suborbital Program-3, a competition pitting SpaceX against Orbital Sciences for up to $900 million worth of contracts. That puts Elon Musk's little venture in the catbird seat for the chance to compete against Boeing and Lougheed Martin for prime EELV contracts, backing up some of the CEO's recent trash-talk.

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Via: SlashGear

Source: SpaceX


http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/spacex-lands-plum-us-air-force-contracts-for-falcon/

Latest Google+ numbers show an increase in usage

Latest Google+ numbers show an increase in usage
http://www.intomobile.com/2012/12/06/latest-google-numbers-show-increase-usage/
Google+

It’s shaping up to be a Google type of day today. The search giant was happy to talk about some impressive numbers about its social network Google+. This comes after the company launched Snapseed’s photo editor app for Android and making it free for iOS. Google decided to spill the beans on numbers for its social site for the first time since September. Those numbers from September showed 400M upgraded users, and 100M active in the stream. Interestingly, today’s digits that were released by Google showed an increase from those numbers recorded a few months back.

This morning Vic Gundotra, senior vice president of engineering at Google+, shared these numbers on his stream:

More than 500 million people have upgraded, 235 million are active across Google (+1?ing apps in Google Play, hanging out in Gmail, writing reviews in Maps…), and 135 million are active in just the stream.

As the old saying goes: numbers don’t lie. Well, in this case we have to put a small asterisk next to it because all numbers for Google+ are private — so just because Google says it’s one thing – doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right. But, we’ll take Google at its word. Regardless, no one can deny that the popularity of Google+ is on the rise.

[Vic Gundotra (Google+); via TechCrunch]

 

Latest Google+ numbers show an increase in usage originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2012-12-06T16:22:58Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j