Feb 20
Google Now, the helpful and occasionally creepy notification center for Android and iOS, is now available on the desktop via Chrome.
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Feb 20
For those unfamiliar, Google Currents is one of the lesser-known services offered by Google, and rightfully so as there are many better alternatives out there, such as Flipboard. This is why we guess it does not come as a real surprise to learn that Google has officially killed of Google Currents with the latest update to the app. For those who have updated or who are planning on updating the app to version 2.3, launching the app now will just present users with a screen telling them that Google Play Newsstand has since replaced Currents, and provides users with a link to launch the Newsstand app.
Also according to the folks at Android Police, it seems that Google will also be doing you a favor and clean up after itself. This was discovered by Android Police dug into the code of Google Currents and found that the latest update will essentially help to clear app storage after launching Newsstand, which we guess is a pretty nice thing for Google to do. After cleaning itself up, the app then disables itself. For those who wish to keep the app around, you can go ahead and do so but it doesn’t do anything anymore, unless you want it for nostalgic purposes. For those who wish to delete it, we recommend you go right ahead and do that if you’re hoping to free up some space on your phone. Of course the alternative is that you keep Google Currents the way it is and not update it, but all good things must come to an end, eventually.
Google Kills Currents With Latest Update original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Feb 20
A Tinder security flaw has been exposing users’ exact locations for several months.
Posted in: Today's ChiliA Tinder security flaw has been exposing users’ exact locations for several months. Fixed now, though!
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Feb 20
Earlier Facebook announced their plans to acquire WhatsApp, one of the world’s most popular instant messenger apps. With Facebook’s acquisition of WhatsApp, Facebook has entered into direct competition with the like of other instant messenger apps, such as Tango, for example. In an email sent to us, Eric Setton, the CTO and co-founder has decided to weigh in on the issue. According to Setton, he feels that Facebook might have gotten themselves a good deal. “With this move, Facebook acquired a messaging service that has more active users than Twitter at half the price.”
However Setton wonders how Facebook will be able to earn money from WhatsApp. After all, WhatsApp is based on a subscription service, while Facebook makes their money from ads. In fact with Instagram, Facebook has attempted to introduce ads as part of Instagram’s feed, but we’re sure that WhatsApp users will definitely not be pleased if Facebook attempted to introduce ads in the service as well. “The company is especially valuable to Facebook since mobile advertising is on the rise and it will be a good match to Whatsapp’s high engagement levels. Tango knows this first hand as we successfully introduced native ads last year. It’ll be interesting to see how WhatsApp’s “no ads ever” approach will play out now.” That is a good question actually, will WhatsApp’s subscription service generate enough revenue to appease Facebook? Or does the social networking giant have something else planned?
Tango’s Co-Founder Comments On WhatsApp’s Acquisition By Facebook original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Feb 19
As you might have heard by now, Facebook has announced its plans to acquire popular instant messaging app, WhatsApp, for an eye-watering $16 billion with an extra $3 billion in RSUs. This is a lot of money for the company who has remained largely independent, save for an investment of $60 million by Sequoia Capital, according to Fortune. For the most part investors who choose to invest do so because they want to reap the benefits of their investments later down the road, and in this case it looks like Sequoia Capital could be walking away with a lot of money. While the percentage of WhatsApp owned by Sequoia Capital was not disclosed, sources of The Verge have suggested that it could be between 10 to 20 percent.
What this means is that the investment company could reap as much as $3.2 billion in both cash and stock. For an investment of $60 million, this is a huge returns and we’re pretty sure the folks at Sequoia Capital are pretty darn happy about it. In a way it is a little ironic because back in December of 2013, WhatsApp’s CEO, Jan Koum, was quoted as saying that the company had no intention of selling itself or going public. This is because costs of the company were relatively low mainly due to the fact that there was no money spent on activities such as marketing, which typically takes up a huge chunk of a company’s budget. Either way at the end of the day, it looks like not only is this a win for WhatsApp, but a win for its investor as well.
WhatsApp Investor Could Walk Away With $3.2 Billion In Cash And Stocks original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Feb 19
The dating app Tinder suffered a pretty big vulnerability that left users’ precise location open to snoops and other ne’er-do-wells. The issue was discovered by Include Security, which says users’ … Continue reading
Feb 19
WhatsApp has to be one of the more popular instant messaging apps around and we guess we can say that it is a competitor to other instant messenger apps, such as Facebook Messenger. As the adage goes, if you can’t beat them, join them, or in this case, buy them. Facebook has announced that they will be acquiring WhatsApp and will be paying the company a whopping $16 billion in cash and stock, with an additional $3 billion in restricted stock for WhatsApp employees that will vest over a period of four years until the deal is finalized. This was confirmed in a press release from Facebook and WhatsApp, along with a document that was filed with the SEC. The deal will also see WhatsApp’s co-founder and CEO, Jan Koum, joining the Facebook Board of Directors.
So what does this mean for you and me? Well thankfully nothing, at least for now. According to WhatsApp’s announcement, they claim that nothing will change for the users and will be autonomous and operate independently, which we guess is somewhat similar when Facebook acquired Instagram as the service is still free of Facebook branding or design changes. After all, why fix what ain’t broke, right We’re not sure if Facebook might make some changes in the future or perhaps integrate Facebook Messenger with WhatsApp, but for now it seems that everything will proceed as per usual. However with Facebook’s brand, reputation, and strong financial backing, it will be interesting to see where this will take us. One thing is for sure though, and that is Facebook has now staked a claim on yet another major part of how you use your phone.
Facebook Acquires WhatsApp For $16 Billion original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Feb 19
This afternoon Facebook announced that they’d be acquiring the whole of the app ecosystem called WhatsApp for a cool $19 billion USD. This purchase price includes $4 billion in cash, … Continue reading
Feb 19
People are understandably happier when they see that their posts were liked by a lot of people. On Instagram, you get to give other people hearts instead of a thumbs up.
I know some people who love photos that all their friends post, as they treat social networks like another means of extending their PR reach. If you’re like this, then you will no doubt find Lovematically useful.
It’s an app that automatically loves all photos that people in your network post, as they are posted. The app was created by Rameet Chawla, who explains: “It’s our generation’s crack cocaine. People are addicted. We experience withdrawals. We are so driven by this drug, getting just one hit elicits truly peculiar reactions. I’m talking about Likes. Pre-Lovematically, my posts would average 35 likes. Now, I routinely hit the triple-digits for Likes.”
Unfortunately, it’s likely that the application violates Instagram’s policies on automated interactions, which clearly states: “You shall not… Use the Instagram APIs to post automated content to Instagram, including likes and comments that were not initiated and entered by an Instagram user.”
[via C|NET]
Feb 19
Everybody wishes they had super powers. The big problem with that shared ambition, however, is that super powers do not exist. Not unless you count super human vision. That does exist, and a new app promises to help you attain it.
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