Tag - AOL
Verizon finalizes AOL purchase, doles out $50 per share
As predicted by Verizon when it announced the deal, Verizon Communications and AOL today announced the successful completion of Verizon's tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares of AOL for $50 per share in cash. As a result, AOL shares will no longer be traded on the New York Stock Exchange, and AOL is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Verizon. The sale includes AOL properties like Engadget, The Huffington Post, and Tech Crunch -- all staunch defenders of Net Neutrality and the US Federal Communication Commission's Open Internet regulation.
Verizon acquiring AOL for $4.4B, aims to complete deal this summer
Verizon has signed a deal to acquire AOL, the telecoms company has revealed. The purchase will see Verizon paying out $50 per share of AOL stock, a transaction estimated to be worth $4.4 billion, which the company claims will help its LTE wireless video and "over-the-top video strategy," along with helping it support Verizon's Internet of Things (IoT) platforms.
AOL logins for iTunes ending, Apple ID to be required for access
Along with the death of AOL logins for use in Messages, the ability of AOL members to use AOL credentials to log into iTunes and its various stores is ending next month, Apple reports. The move, which appears to have been instigated by AOL, will mean that users who use AOL logins will need to migrate to an Apple ID in order to preserve purchase records and access to purchased items from iTunes, the iOS App Store and the iBookstore.
Weekly Game Replay: Nintendo video woes, Joystiq changes, Monopoly
Every Sunday, Electronista and MacNN compile some notable news items from the world of gaming in a bumper post. In this week's edition of Weekly Game Replay, Nintendo's YouTube policy woes, a TV show based on Zelda, and some notable offline game items are overshadowed by the loss of one of the games industry's major news sources.
Editorial: a toast to TUAW
AOL's decision, revealed on Friday, to rid itself of its "enthusiast" sites has cut deep into the hearts of several communities. It is shutting down Joystiq, which has been covering the gaming community for the past 10 years, and all its sub-sites; and more to the point relevant to us and our readers, The Unofficial Apple Weblog - one of our competitors, yes, but also part of a small community - is leaving the scene.
TUAW, Joystiq to close, be folded into Engadget [u]
[Updated with UK rumors] Later today, AOL will announce the closure of two of its best-known websites, Joystiq and TUAW, reports say. Both publications are expected to be folded into Engadget in some fashion. Another site, AOL Autos, is being merged into Autoblog. In the process, AOL will allegedly fire some 150 people, most of them in sales.
AOL data breach exposes information on two percent of email holders
AOL is notifying email account holders that a recent data security breach has allowed intruders to make off with identifying information on about two percent of its user base. Data compromised in the attack includes AOL email addresses, postal addresses, contact information including cell phone numbers and backup email addresses, some employee personal data, encrypted passwords, and similarly-encrypted answers to security questions.
Winamp, Shoutcast avoid shutdown, sold to radio aggregator Radionomy
Following the announcement that it was going to shut down Shoutcast and cease support and downloads for popular but dated music player Winamp, AOL has today announced that it has finalized a purchase deal. Belgium-based online radio aggregator Radionomy is purchasing the assets from AOL, with the terms of the deal currently unknown.
AOL reverses course, returns iCloud email support to Alto
AOL will continue supporting iCloud on its Alto webmail service after all, according to an email sent to users. Alto lets people check multiple webmail services simultaneously, such as AOL, Gmail, and Yahoo. In October, however, AOL said it would halt support for email addresses ending in @icloud, @me, or @mac after December 2.
AOL shuttering Winamp on December 20 after 16 years
AOL will be shutting down Winamp on December 20, after operating for 16 years. AOL, which acquired Winamp parent company Nullsoft in 1999 for $80 million, will be closing the Winamp.com website and associated web services, something which will affect existing Winamp installations, and will stop offering the media player for download.
Now AAPL Stock: 150.34 ( -0.68 )
Cirrus creates Lightning-headphone dev kit
Apple supplier Cirrus Logic has introduced a MFi-compliant new development kit for companies interested in using Cirrus' chips to create Lightning-based headphones, which -- regardless of whether rumors about Apple dropping the analog headphone jack in its iPhone this fall -- can offer advantages to music-loving iOS device users. The kit mentions some of the advantages of an all-digital headset or headphone connector, including higher-bitrate support, a more customizable experience, and support for power and data transfer into headphone hardware. Several companies already make Lightning headphones, and Apple has supported the concept since June 2014. http://bit.ly/29giiZj
Apple Store app offers Procreate Pocket
The Apple Store app for iPhone, which periodically rewards users with free app gifts, is now offering the iPhone "Pocket" version of drawing app Procreate for those who have the free Apple Store app until July 28. Users who have redeemed the offer by navigating to the "Stores" tab of the app and swiping past the "iPhone Upgrade Program" banner to the "Procreate" banner have noted that only the limited Pocket (iPhone) version of the app is available free, even if the Apple Store app is installed and the offer redeemed on an iPad. The Pocket version currently sells for $3 on the iOS App Store. [32.4MB]
Porsche adds CarPlay to 2017 Panamera
Porsche has added a fifth model of vehicle to its CarPlay-supported lineup, announcing that the 2017 Panamera -- which will arrive in the US in January -- will include Apple's infotainment technology, and be seen on a giant 12.3-inch touchscreen as part of an all-new Porsche Communication Management system. The luxury sedan starts at $99,900 for the 4S model, and scales up to the Panamera Turbo, which sells for $146,900. Other vehicles that currently support CarPlay include the 2016 911 and the 2017 models of Macan, 718 Boxster, and 718 Cayman. The company did not mention support for Google's corresponding Android Auto in its announcement. http://bit.ly/295ZQ94
Apple employees testing wheelchair features
New features included in the forthcoming watchOS 3 are being tested by Apple retail store employees, including a new activity-tracking feature that has been designed with wheelchair users in mind. The move is slightly unusual in that, while retail employees have previously been used to test pre-release versions of OS X and iOS, this marks the first time they've been included in the otherwise developer-only watchOS betas. The company is said to have gone to great lengths to modify the activity tracker for wheelchair users, including changing the "time to stand" notification to "time to roll" and including two wheelchair-centric workout apps. http://bit.ly/2955JDa
SanDisk reveals two 256GB microSDXC cards
SanDisk has introduced two 256GB microSDXC cards. Arriving in August for $150, the Ultra microSDXC UHS-I Premium Edition card offers transfer speeds of up to 95MB/s for reading data. The Extreme microSDXC UHS-I card can read at a fast 100MB/s and write at up to 90MB/s, and will be shipping sometime in the fourth quarter for $200. http://bit.ly/294Q1If
Apple's third-quarter results due July 26
Apple has advised it will be issuing its third-quarter results on July 26, with a conference call to answer investor and analyst queries about the earnings set to take place later that day. The stream of the call will go live at 2pm PT (5pm ET) via Apple's investor site, with the results themselves expected to be released roughly 30 minutes before the call commences. Apple's guidance for the quarter put revenue at between $41 billion and $43 billion. http://apple.co/1oi1Pbm
Twitter stickers slowly roll out to users
Twitter has introduced "stickers," allowing users to add extra graphical elements to their photos before uploading them to the micro-blogging service. A library of hundreds of accessories, props, and emoji will be available to use as stickers, which can be resized, rotated, and placed anywhere on the photograph. Images with stickers will also become searchable with viewers able to select a sticker to see how others use the same graphic in their own posts. Twitter advises stickers will be rolling out to users over the next few weeks, and will work on both the mobile apps and through the browser. http://bit.ly/29bbwUE
