Earlier this month, we learned that if Google does not agree to settle with the FTC over alleged abuses, it would be forced to face a formal complaint from the organization.
Bloomberg reported this afternoon that Google CEO Larry Page met with FTC officials today to discuss the investigation and to persuade them that the folks in Mountain View haven’t broken any antitrust laws. The report also added that settlement talks have been ongoing for roughly a week.
The FTC has looked into Google for alleged abuses regarding its large reach over the Internet for roughly two years. FTC Chairman Jonathan Leibowitz is requesting Google make an offer and “won’t accept a resolution short of a consent decree.”
The 8GB smartphone now has a “4-5 week” shipping notice, where as the 16GB has “1-2 weeks”, so those who want to grab this Android device as a gift for the holiday season had better hurry now. Both the 8GB and 16GB models will likely sell out again or at the very least experience more shipping delays.
Google just announced that Gmail users could now insert Google Drive files up to 10GB large directly into an email without exiting Gmail.
All files sit in the cloud, so Drive can allow for 400-times-larger attachments, and cloud storage further enables recipients to get access to the latest version of the file from anywhere. To start using the integrated feature, just select the Drive icon when composing a new message. However, it is still rolling out, so folks need to sign up for Gmail’s new compose experience to get access now.
Google’s official Gmail blog also announced Gmail will “double-check that your recipients all have access to any files you’re sending,” which works similar to Gmail’s forgotten attachment detector, as the Gmail Team noted, by prompting users to change the file’s sharing settings before sending any email.
Update 1: Hmm. Despite a press release on PR Web this morning, AllThingsD just reported that Google did not buy ICOA Wireless:
We have yet to hear from a Google rep on the record. But people within the company say that contrary to a press release posted on PR Web, Google has not bought ICOA, a Rhode Island-based player in public Wi-Fi Networks. Shares of ICOA, which are traded on the OTC “pink sheets”, are up sharply this morning.
PR Web also took down the press release. The old link now redirects to the website’s Recent News page.
Update 2: The Wall Street Journal just contacted two ICOA executives who then commented on the matter:
Erwin Vahlsing, Jr., ICOA’s chief financial officer, said in an email that an online press release claiming Google had acquired ICOA for $400 million “is false.”
In a separate email, George Strouthopoulos, ICOA’s chief executive, said the company “never had any discussions with any potential acquirers.” He said ICOA will report the incident “to the proper authorities.”
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Google just announced that it bought Wi-Fi provider ICOA for $400 million, while noting the buyout continues to diversify its “portfolio of companies,” according to a press release from PR Web.
In regards to ICOA, Google called it “a provider of Wi-Fi to high traffic public locations,” and it further said, “ICOA is a leading vertically integrated, neutral-host broadband wireless Internet network provider.”
ICOA essentially powers high-traffic places like airports and restaurants, and its network supports 802.11x technology and plays nice with most Internet service providers. Oh, the Wi-Fi provider is also a partner with Boingo. Interestingly, Google worked with Boingo earlier this year to provide the same hotspot solution to other high-traffic locations across America.
You aren’t going to find a better deal on a smartphone this holiday season. The HTC One V at Virgin Mobile is just $49.99 —$100 off! The One V is a compact Android 4.0 smartphone with a fantastic camera and unibody aluminum enclosure.
Do the $35 per month unlimited data plan and you’re all set. Read more
The world feels a little bit more right today as South Korean Pop Star PSY’s “Gangnam Style” music video passes Justin Bieber’s “Baby” on YouTube’s all-time watched list. With my kids still watching the video a few times a day, it shouldn’t be long until the video is the first to pass 1 billion views. The hit is notable because it is the only top video not from VEVO and not from a North American English speaker.
Need more information? Of course you do, and we plopped in an animated GIF infographic below.
