Google may be buying Groupon? For $6 Billion!

To start off, the rumors stating that Google bought Groupon for $2.5 billion, is indeed false.  According to multiple sources, Google is working on a deal to buy the company for something between the low $5 billions and $6 billion.   Yahoo! tried to acquire Groupon, early in the year but did not succeed.

This will be the most expensive deal to date for Google, with the previous being DoubleClick.  This deal reportedly could go through by the end of this week, though there are still many things that could happen to keep this deal from occurring. Google has originally proposed $3 to $4 billion dollars but that offer was refused.

If this deal goes through it will not only be the most expensive but also a very strategic move on Google's part.  Groupon has not only become a billion dollar company but would also bring something amazing to Google, that they currently lack.  This is local company ads, which is not really seen at all with Google.  So, we should know soon what will be happening with the Google/Groupon deal.

Make sure to check back for updates on this Google proposal.

Apple is finally making things affordable!

Starting today, Apple has finally given customers a big break, by lowering their prices on many of the main Apple devices.

Here are some examples -
    

Device	Price Reduction
Apple iPad	($41)
iPod Touch	($41)
iPod Nano	($21)
MacBook's	($101)

Even though most of these are not big changes in price, it still shows that Apple is finally working towards making things affordable.  This is surprising since Apple has rarely ever lowered prices on their devices.  So, hopefully they will continue to lower prices, which will help us all out.

$89 Kindle 2 Deal - A Scam?

If you were many of the people(including me) that were waiting until 9AM PST or Noon EST, to get the amazing $89 Kindle on Amazon, then you felt scammed.  It seemed this way because even if you clicked right when the  deal became available, then you were out of luck.  It seemed as if they had to have had only three devices available, because going by how long it took their other "lightning deals" to sell out, which was normally a couple hours, it was ridiculous.

Not only did most of us not get the Kindle 2, but many had to wait on one of their "waiting lists" that resulted in still, empty hands.  Well, even though that deal was an upset, I still give props to Amazon for competing nicely with other retailers.

Best way to get the most out of Black Friday 2010

When most people think of Black Friday they think of the madness of sitting in front of stores over night, and then the massive mobs in the morning.  Well, this year that thought has stayed the same when it really shouldn't be, this is because most retailers are giving the same deals online!  But as we are all already seeing, people do not know ( or don't care about ) the deals online.

So, when tomorrow morning comes, do not, I repeat DO NOT go and deal with the pushing and shoving of the massive mobs.  And, for most stores you don't even need to wait any longer, you can go on the computer right now and get the same deals people will be fighting over tomorrow.

Amazon, the giant online retailer, is also getting in on these deals.  They have decided to match some of the best Black Friday deals on there website.  Some of the deals are starting today and others start tomorrow morning.

Synology USB Station 2

Synology is the place to go if you need to share a lot of data over a network.  The Synology USB Station 2 is fairly slow for its $150 price tag, unfortunately.  But, the full Synology NAS servers are fairly hard to understand if you are new to them, so that may be the one thing that the Synology USB Station 2 is good for.

Synology USB Station 2

The Good - An easy and quick way to make you external hard drives turn into network storage area, it does support USB drivers.  The device is very compact compared to others and has a nice web interface.

The Bad - It is very slow compared to its competitors, expensive, and limited to 2 USB devices at a time.

Overall - If you are looking for a stable entry-level USB station then the Synology USB Station 2, may be for you.  But, because of how slow it is, it will steer many people away.

Newegg starts Black Friday early.

The computer vendor, Newegg, is offering a series of great Black Friday deals, early.  One of the most impressing deals is a HannsG 25inch Monitor for only $170.  This is a great deal for people wanting a nice basic monitor and don't want to spend much.  Along with that deal they have a few others which are definitely worthy of the "amazing title".

Monitor	Was	Now
Hanns*G HZ251HPB 25-inch	$240	$170
eMachines E233Hbd 23-inch	$210	$120
Acer S211HLbd 21.5-inch	$190	$130
ASUS VE198T 19-inch	$160	$90

Windows Phone 7 Marketplace hits 3,000 apps

One of the smallest marketplaces for apps, the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, has finally hit 3,000 apps.  Although this is nothing compared to Nokia or Apple, it is still a big accomplishment for the marketplace.  As well as 3,000 apps they now also have 15,000 developers.

They have a long way to go before Windows reaches a point of actually competing with Apple or Nokia.  And, it is very important to catch up, as success in many ways is determined by how many apps/developers a marketplace has.  Hopefully they will make some progress in 2011.

What to look for in Tablet PC's

One of the fastest growing markets in Technology history is the market of Tablet PC's.  There are so many brands, most of which no one has ever heard of, that now have there own Tablet PC.  Because of this it can get very confusing when deciding what Tablet to purchase.  And since I have felt this way myself I decided to help you guys make the best decisions you can, also.

Lets start with a  short history of Tablet PC's.  Overall the Tablet PC movement really started with the Apple iPad, whom still has a pretty tight control over the market.  The iPad was virtually unchallenged for many months until other companies began to come out with their own.  One of the iPad's biggest competitors is the Samsung Galaxy Tab, who definitely was the first to take any control away from Apple.  From then until now, almost every big name in the Tech business began coming up with their own Tablets.  Which is what put us in the confusing situation we are in now.

Apple iPad

Now that we know what got us into this mess we can move on to trying to get out of it and we can start making some informed decisions.  I will break everything down into sections based on different main components of the Tablet itself.

Screen


The screen is truly one of the most important parts of the Tablet itself.  Depending on the purpose you are buying it for, most people will want to have a larger screen, as it will be better for typing and browsing the web.  But no matter what you want there are Tablets to suit you, there is the Apple iPad on one side of the spectrum with a 9.7inch screen and then you have the Dell Streak with a 5inch screen.

Dell Streak

Besides size, the contrast and resolution of the screen also matters.  One of the best things to look at when deciding based on this factor is the resolution compared to the size of the screen.  This is because the more pixels per square inch you have, the better the picture will look.  One of the most important things is to not rely on specs and what other people say when purchasing a gadget like this.  The best thing to do is to actually try it out for yourself since that is the only true way to know anything.

Even though the screens can be very anti-glare and look great in the store, you have to take care of it to keep it that way also.  The anti-glare can somewhat change if you put a screen protector on it, and the way thing look on the screen can change if not well cleaned with correct tools.


WiFi and other Wireless Connections


WiFi is seen in practically every Tablet PC, but some also have the option of 3G Internet.  The two main things to look for in the specs for WiFi is, is it 802.11b/g or 802.11n.  The difference between the two is simple, you want 802.11n for a lot of media playback/streaming or for large downloads.  But, if you are not going to use it all the time or just for regular web browsing then the 802.11b/g WiFi capability is fine.

Samsung Galaxy Tab

Besides WiFi, some of the most popular Tablet PC's also offer 3G internet connection such as the iPad which uses AT&T or the Samsung Galaxy Tab that uses Sprint.  Having 3G is a nice feature if you are going to being using it all the time, but the fees add up fast.

There are other wireless connections to consider such as GPS.  GPS is a good feature to have do to the perfect screen size of the Tablet.


Operating System


Probably one of the most important components in a Tablet PC, is its Operating System.  The Operating System (OS) controls the majority of functions that occur within the system.  There are a wide variety of OS's available, with the two most common being iOS and Android.

Both of these have some advantages and disadvantages, with iOS you get the proven stability and reliability that has been exhibited for many years.  But, with Android you have many more choices of Tablet PC's which have Android as its OS.

Apps


Applications are one of the key points when deciding between OS's and may be the deciding factor in your purchase.  If you want a large selection of Apps, then iOS from Apple is the best, as it has a larger selection than any other OS.  Though, if you want basic apps such as Facebook, Twitter, or other apps that are from companies and not individuals, then Android or Windows may be right for you.

Storage and Speakers


There are two main types of Storage, and these are RAM or SD/MicroSD.  The difference between the two is cost and the ability to upgrade storage.  If you get RAM-based memory then expect it to not be easily upgraded and to only have a few gigabytes.  But, if you get SD or MicroSD memory then you are normally able to easily add memory and you will have a lot more to start with ( most of the time ).

It is true, for all of us, that we will be plugged into our Tablets through headphones, so speakers are not one of the bigger factors.  Though, on some occasions you may want to use them and even though none will be great, there are some that are better than others.  The only way to really know how good they sound is to try them out, so I suggest doing just that.

Inputs/Outputs


Depending on what you are using the Tablet for, outputs and inputs may or may not be important.  If you are going to be using it to actually "replace" your PC then having USB ports will be a nice addition.  Other ports such as HDMI may be good if you plan on connecting your Tablet to a TV.  There are Tablets on both sides of the spectrum, some have many ports and some have almost none such as the iPad.  The iPad only has one port and unless you have something which will work with its proprietary connector, then it is useless for connections.  But, then there are other Tablets such as the Archos 9 which has many ports.

Archos 9

It comes down to what you will be using your Tablet for, to decide what ports you want.  I am not necessarily saying that no ports (iPad) will mean you cannot use it is a PC but it will make things a lot harder.

Camera 

There are some Tablets that have no cameras at all, and some that have front and back facing ones.  The iPad for example has no cameras, but then on the other side you have the Samsung Galaxy Tab that has front and back facing ones.  This component is once again based on what you want to use the Tablet for.  And, even though you might not walk around taking pictures with a big Tablet PC, it is useful for editing and uploading videos/pictures on the go.



Even though Tablet PC's are taking over the computer market, I still suggest having an actual PC before a Tablet.  This is because Tablet's still cannot do everything a laptop or desktop can, and for the things they can do it is still normally easier on an actual PC.

Stay tuned for more information regarding the growing Market of Tablet PC's.

Best 5 shopping apps for Black Friday

Since shopping during for the holidays and especially Black Friday is one of the hardest tasks in the year, its nice to have some free help.  So to help you out here is a list of some good free apps to make everything easier.

1.  ShopSavvy - This app is available on both Android and iOS, it allows you to scan barcodes and find nearby retailers selling the same product.  It also tells you if it is in stock in certain stores and shows competing prices from all over.

2.  The Find - This app for Android and iOS, lets you type in a specific item and then shows a list of competing prices from other vendors.  It uses your location info to find the best, most convenient vendors to go to.

3.  Barcode Hero - This app for iOS lets you use your camera on the phone to scan the barcode of a certain product, and see recommendations, and other comparable prices.

4.  Google Shopper - This app for Android lets you type in or say the name of a product or even take a picture of it or the barcode and then find complete information on it.  You can then also find people selling it and prices among different stores.

5.  Frugalytics - This app for Blackberry lets you see descriptions, prices, and reviews of millions of products.      And, it also gives a Deal of the Day section.

HTC HD7 Review

Released only a couple weeks ago on the 8th, the HTC HD7 is T-Mobile's first Windows 7 phone.  The HD7 has the largest screen in any US Windows 7 handset, this results in much better gaming and multimedia capabilities.  Unfortunately, there are no major differences other than display size between the HD7 and its predecessor the HD2.  Even though there are no major changes it is still a great phone with an almost impeccable operating system.  The HTC HD7 sells for $199.99 after a mail-in rebate and a 2-year agreement.

The Good - Large 4.3inch display, integrated kickstand, great OS, 16GB internal memory, HD Video Capture, and a 5 megapixel camera.

The Bad - The size may be a little big for some, touch screen is not as vibrant as other phones and there is no expandable memory.

Overall - If you can dish out the $200 then the HTC HD7 is a great phone with a great interface and OS.  It may be a little big for some, but if you like to play games or watch videos than the screen size is great.

Motorola Citrus Review

One of the many phones that Motorola released at the CTIA Fall 2010, was the Motorola Citrus.  The Motorola Citrus is definitely a very basic smartphone, and is the most basic of all the ones released at CTIA Fall 2010.  The Citrus has no physical keyboard, and very few features compared to other entry-level smartphones.  But, because the price tag is only set at $49.99 with a 2-year agreement and the fact that the basics, such as calling, were not bad, it is worth giving a shot ( for some ).

The Good - Call quality is good, and other basic parts to it are fine.

The Bad - Typing is not great, and lacks many other functions you would expect it to have.

Overall - If you are very new to the smartphone world, and are on a low budget than the Motorola Citrus is not terrible.  But, if you spend even $10-30 more then you can get a much better smartphone with a wider array of features.

Kindle 3 Review

The Kindle 3 is the newest release in the line of Amazon's e-readers.  Even though Amazon was not the first to enter the e-reader market, they are believed to be the current number 1 brand for e-readers.  The Kindle 3 is nothing short of amazing, with main upgrades from the Kindle 2 being a smaller, lighter design and an improved screen.

This is the first Kindle to start offering WiFi, with the WiFi version costing $139 and the WiFi and 3G version costing $189.  These are both offered in white and graphite, and are $10 less than their Nook rivals.  Amazon also doubled the battery from 2 weeks to 4 weeks ( Wireless Off ) and they doubled memory from 2 to 4GB.  

Kindle 3

The screen is still e-ink but is 50% better than its predecessor.  The Kindle 3 also uses a newer Web Browser which is an "experimental" WebKit-Based browser.  Unlike the Apple iPad, the Kindle does not work as well in the sunlight.  It is very apparent that Amazon's main goal with the Kindle 3 was to make it smaller and more friendly to carry around.  From what we can tell they have definitely succeeded and we don't think they can even make it smaller without decreasing the screen size.

Kindle 3 vs Kindle 2 - Size 

The only other noticeable change between the Kindle 2 and Kindle 3 is the navigation control.  On the Kindle 2 there was a small joy-stick-like navigation control area.  But, with the Kindle 3 that has been upgraded to a 4-way D-Pad navigation control.  For the majority that will be a nice upgrade though there will still be some which will miss the old joystick control.

The Good - Very slim and compact compared to previous versions, better contrast screen, faster navigation and page turning.  And, it also offers both WiFi and Free-3G as options.

The Bad - No removable battery, sharing features are not as good as the Nooks', and you can not upgrade the memory.

Overall - The Kindle 3 has easily kept the title of best e-reader with Amazon, with the wide-array of upgrades it is a great buy.

Zuckerberg to Trademark the Word "Face"?

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO and Founder of the Social-Network giant, Facebook, may end up with the rights to  the word "Face".  The efforts to trademarking "face" have already passed the opposition phase, and Neil Friedman[a partner at the law firm Baker and Reynolds] told FoxNews that it looks as if the application will be approved.

If the trademark application did go through, then Facebook would be very lucky.  Though in all honesty i doubt it would, but i have been wrong before.  If it does get accepted then it will affect hundreds of thousands of people with domain names including the word "face", as well as many companies.

Make sure to stay tuned for more information regarding this, as we should know soon if it will end up going through.

LG Vortex Review

If you happen to be a new smartphone user, then i might have a good phone for you.  The LG Vortex on Verizon Wireless is a very nice entry-level smartphone.  It has a wide-array of features including Android 2.2, WiFi, GPS, and a 3.2 Megapixel Camera.  The Vortex costs $79.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate, and of course the 2-Year Agreement.  It does offer Bing Search and Bing Maps but in my opinion using Google Maps and Search would have been a better decision on Verizon's part.

The Good - Android 2.2, GPS, WiFi, 3G Mobile Hotspot, and an adequate touch-screen.

The Bad - It is a little slow compared to other smartphones, no Flash video, and it does not offer HD Video Capture.

Overall - the LG Vortex is a fairly good smartphone for those of you who are new to the Smartphone world.  If you have a little more money to spend or are not a new smartphone user, then i suggest looking elsewhere, such as the Droid Series.

Black Friday - Sub-$100 e-readers

Amazon posted on its Facebook page that starting at 9 am on Friday they will be offering an 489 Kindle 2.  This deal will go fast so make sure you are ready as this is one of their "lightning deals."  The Kindle 2 is a great e-reader and is a great purchase especially if you have been wanting a good sub-$100 e-reader.  The B&B Nook is also going to be offered at $99 but overall the Kindle is a better deal.

Amazon has already come out with a new Kindle, the Kindle 3, which is a little lighter and easier to read.  But, for the price you can't really go wrong.

Make sure to leave comment, do you think the $89 Kindle is worth it?

Microsoft doesn't mind Kinect hackers?

It hasn't even been out for very long, yet hackers are already finding ways to manipulate things on the Kinect for  Xbox 360.  There have been numerous sources reporting that hackers have been able to make the system run many cool programs.  Despite what you would think, Microsoft said in response to these hacks, that the Kinect system was intended to be open-source and they are actually glad people have found new things to do with it.

The system sells for the fairly low price of $150 and people have absolutely been praising it since the release.  This is obvious since Microsoft has already sold over 1 million systems worldwide.  As more and more people start using the Kinect and begin to try new things with it, we hope they will begin to find more ways to make the Kinect even more enjoyable than it already is.

Airplay, finally on Apple TV

One of the main things which has been missing with the new Apple TV is streaming media services.  Though, many of us have not given up on the Apple TV, with the hope that there would one day Airplay would arrive to save the day.  Well, our prayers have been answered, as Apple introduced  the iOS 4.2 update, they brought along news of an Apple TV update as well.  Well as we all anticipated while hearing this, the update made Airplay an available function on the Apple TV.

For those of you who do not know what Airplay is, well let me explain it to you.  Airplay is a function which allows you to stream media from another iOS device to your Apple TV.  Then you can take an iPod/iPhone/iPad and start playing any type of media.  Once it is playing you can then press a small button on the screen next to the volume slider where it then turns on streaming to the Apple TV.  Some things are required for this to work such as the devices you are using need to be on the same home network, and they both need the most recent iOS.

Things such as videos, music, or photos can be streamed to the Apple TV.  But videos which were recorded with the iPhone 4 cannot be streamed on the Apple TV, which is a little upsetting but we will deal with it.  Also, YouTube does work which does not necessarily matter because the Apple TV already has an app for it, but it is much easier to browse on the iPhone rather than your TV and then stream.

Although this does make the Apple TV incredibly better, there are other devices which may suit you better if you want a lot of streaming capabilities.  Devices such as the Roku XDS offer a very wide array of features which allow many different channels to be streamed.

Make sure to leave a comment with your opinion on the addition of Airplay to the Apple TV.

The Xbox 360 is now five years old, but how long will it last?

It was yesterday, November 21st when the Xbox 360 celebrated its 5th birthday.  The Xbox was the first gaming system of what is now called " Next-Gen " and has stayed relevant for much longer than any other system in the past.  Though many agree [ myself included ] that the Xbox 360 will end up in retirement very soon, though stranger things have happened.  It has seemed this way for a while now, as things such as the Red Ring of Death actually destroyed incredible amounts of Xbox's, but now it seems as though their systems are not upgrading in ways they should to compete head on with other consoles.  This is seen particularly with the PS3 which is currently the leading system in means of graphics, and the only thing that Microsoft's Xbox 360 has on the others, is Xbox Live which is slowly being caught up to by the PS3.

When the so called "Console Wars" began, the Nintendo Wii led the pack with sales [much do to the hype around it] but then the Xbox 360 took back the lead, by a lot.  The Xbox 360 has stayed in the lead for a very long time now but slowly we have seen the Playstation 3 catch up to the Xbox in sales.  Even though there is still quite the gap between the two, it is obvious that many are switching to or becoming users of the PS3.

Only time will tell if the Xbox 360 will stay in the lead over the Wii, and especially the PS3.  Though, it should not take very much time before we will have a good idea of which console might win the war.

Make sure to leave a comment with your thoughts on which console should win, and which one is actually "better".  Stay tuned for more information on this too, as we will have an update after the holidays on which is winning the sales game.

Jobs and Murdoch to create an iPad-Only Daily Newspaper

One of the largest rumors the past few days has been that News Corp Rupert Murdoch is going to be working with Steve Jobs of Apple, to create a digital-only newspaper.  The project called " The Daily " will provide news seven days a week on a wide variety of topics, for the low price of $0.99 a week.

Rupert Murdoch 

Close to 100 employees at the New York City Headquarters of News Corp will be working on " The Daily "  It will most likely cover main things such as elections but also breaking news just like any other newspaper.  At first  " The Daily " will be iPad-Only during the Beta Release, which will most likely come late December.  When the actual version is released sometime in early 2011 the app will be on the iPad and other Tablet PC's.

Steve Jobs

Many sources say that Steve Jobs and Murdoch have been discussing and working on this project for a while now.  This came as no surprise since there have been many rumors lately about Apple trying to get a newspaper subscription plan, where Apple would receive part of the subscription.  Well none the less, expect to see Jobs and Murdoch releasing " The Daily " together.

Droid Pro Review

One of the most successful families of smartphones to-date are the Droid's.  Motorola now expands the line even further with the Droid Pro.  It was just recently announced at the CTIA Fall 2010, and is obviously being targeted towards current Droid users, but also Blackberry users.  With the new layout, which highly resembles the Blackberry Torch [it has a full QWERTY Keyboard and a touch-screen] it may appeal to Blackberry Users .  The Droid Pro is easily the most business-friendly Android phone available.  Which will possibly encourage Blackberry users which have stayed true to RIM, to make the switch to Android.

Motorola Droid Pro

The Good:  Enhanced Security Features, Touch-Screen and QWERTY Keyboard, mobile hot spot, and Android 2.2

The Bad:  Call Quality could be better and the screen quality is not as good as the competing phones.

Overall:  If you can afford the $179.99 price tag from Verizon and are looking to stay with Android or change from Blackberry, then this is definitely a good smartphone to consider.  Though, if business features and other smartphone capabilities are not very important to you, then I suggest a less expensive phone such as the Blackberry Storm 2.

Could the Playstation Phone Happen?

Only a couple days ago the CEO of Sony Ericsson, Bert Nordberg said "There's a lot of smoke, and I tell you there must be a fire somewhere" which he said in relation to the possibility of a gaming-oriented phone.  


Because it was only last month when pictures turned up of a Playstation Phone at Engadget, we think that those comments and pictures are connected.  Though, the big surprise is that it sounds as if there should be a Playstation-Type phone it will be released under the Ericsson Xperia line and not Playstation.  

It sounds that it will most likely be released next year [ if the rumors are true ] and that most likely we will know more Mobile Word Congress in Barcelona, in February.  

Top 5 - 2010 Gadgets for the Holiday Season

iPad - One of the most breakthrough pieces of technology this year, the Apple iPad provides the best Tablet PC experience we have seen so far.

Kinect - The first no-controller gaming device, the Kinect has definitely come with quite a bang.  Despite only recently being released, the Kinect for Xbox 360 is surely one of the best gaming devices of 2010.

iPhone 4 - Even though it had a few set backs after the initial release, Apple has since fixed those issues making the iPhone 4 one of the best Smartphones of 2010.

iPod Touch 4G - After a long overdue "real" update, the iPod Touch 4G is definitely the best iTouch yet.  With its front and back-facing cameras, it is a force to be reckoned with.

Samsung 3D HD TV - One of the first 3D TV's by Samsung is definitely impressing.  It is a whopping 55inches, with 240Hz motion technology .

New OS: Your solution to not being able to personalize your computer.

For a long time now I have been realizing that people are becoming more and more upset with the inability to customize the feel of your computers OS.  And, because it is obvious that none of the major companies are going to fix this problem, I have decided to take matters into my own hands.  Since it will take a large amount of time and some money, I am sending my idea off to Kickstarter, where the will hopefully aid me in the funding.  If it happens to get accepted, I hope that all of you will help me make this all possible.

I will keep you updated with all the newest information about this new OS.

Thanks,
Seth