Just a couple of months after it acquired deCarta, a San Jose-based startup that provides a software platform focusing on location and map services, Uber is bidding for Nokia’s HERE Maps, according to a report from New York Times.

The ridesharing company has submitted a bid of around $3 billion, the report notes, adding that aside from Uber, a German automakers’ consortium consisting of companies such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz, as well as an undisclosed private equity firm have also submitted their bids. The winner is said to be announced later this month. Read more »

The Motorola Moto X (2nd Gen) has received yet another price cut in India, where it is now being sold for INR 2,000 ($31) less than its usual price.

While the 16GB model is now available at INR 24,999 ($390), the 32GB variant will set you back INR 27,999 ($436). Both versions are available exclusively via Flipkart, which has not revealed the duration of the promotion. Read more »

Samsung, in association with Marvel, is giving away for free a set of four limited edition Avengers cases (worth $200) with every purchase of the Galaxy Note 4 made between May 4 and June 1.

The South Korean company says you must have your device in hand in order to claim the offer, which can be done by visiting the promotion website (click the Source link below) and providing the required information to verify your purchase. Read more »

Back in October last year, there were reports that Samsung is planning to invest a whopping 15.6 trillion won (over $14 billion) in a new chip-making factory located in Pyeongtaek, which is 75 km south of Seoul (South Korea). At that time, it was expected that the plant will start production in the second half of 2017, however, Samsung has now said that production will begin in H1 2017.

The South Korean company is also said to invest an additional 10 trillion won on the plant to boost capacity, although it isn’t yet clear when. As for what the factory will create, it is being said that while Samsung is planning to produce DRAM memory chips, some capacity could also be allocated to mobile processors if required. Read more »

Google has revealed that, for the first time, the number of search requests from mobile devices has surpassed the number of desktop queries in several countries around the world, including the US. The revelation was made during the second-annual Inside AdWords event yesterday.

“We’ve hit an inflection point where more Google searches are taking place in mobile than desktop in 10 countries, including US and Japan,” said Jerry Dischler, Vice President of Product Management for AdWords. “We think it’s a real turning point in digital adverting and we have been investing in mobile-focused initiatives.” Read more »

Dropbox has updated its iOS app to version 3.9, bringing in a new Recents tab that lists all the recently used files, as well as the ability to add comments on files. In addition, the company has also announced that in the next few weeks it’ll add the ability to create Microsoft Office docs (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files) right from within the app – this feature will be available in a separate update.

“The best part, though, is how these features work together,” the cloud storage company said in a blog post. “For example, when you’re meeting with a client to brainstorm ideas for an upcoming project, you can use the Recents tab on your iPhone or iPad to quickly pull up your last project for reference. Then you can create a Word doc to take notes as you discuss. After the meeting, you can @mention your client in a comment, so they have the notes and can add anything you’ve missed. Then when you get back to your desk, you can turn that Word doc into a full project plan.” Read more »

Uber has ceased its Kansas operations with immediate effect after state legislature overrode Governor Sam Brownback’s veto of a bill that the ridesharing startup says makes it “impossible” for the company to do business.

The Kansas Senate voted 96-25 to override Brownback’s veto of the Kansas Transportation Network Company Services Act which imposes stricter restrictions on services like Uber by requiring their drivers to not only have comprehensive and collision insurance, but also undergo a background check performed by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Read more »

Microsoft is planning to migrate all Outlook.com users to Office 365 sometime this year, according to a report from The Verge. The company says that the move will allow it to align its Office 365, Exchange, and Outlook platforms, and provide a consistent experience.

As per the report, while the Outlook.com name isn’t going anywhere, the email service will be powered by the Office 365 technology (without the subscription benefits of Office 365). Read more »

Samsung has released a new hardware kit that allows you to update your older Samsung Smart TVs, including the company’s 2013 F9000 series as well as the 2014 HU series, to the latest Tizen operating system. The update claims to offer better performance with a redesigned, smooth, and fast UI.

Dubbed UHD Evolution Kit (SEK-3500U), the hardware includes a new redesigned Smart Hub, a new faster octa-core processor, more RAM, updated Touch Remote with new pointer operation, MHL 3.0 connectivity for connection to mobile devices, HDMI 2.0 ports that support 4K Video @ 60p, as well as support for HEVC and VP9 codecs. Read more »

Facebook has inked a deal with Nokia to bring the HERE Maps to the mobile version of its website, as well as to the Android versions of its Facebook Messenger and Instagram apps, according to a new report.

Although the companies haven’t yet officially announced the deal, when reached out for comment, a Facebook spokesperson said, “We are testing Nokia HERE maps across Facebook to give us more control and flexibility in delivering a consistent maps experience,” adding that “we’re testing HERE maps in Android versions of some of our standalone apps like Instagram and Messenger as well.” Read more »

Xiaomi announced that the first flash sale of its fitness tracking Mi Band saw 1,000 units being sold out within 7 seconds. The sale commenced today at 2PM IST.

It’s worth mentioning that the Mi Band wasn’t put on sale on Flipkart this time around, rather it was sold directly through the official website of Mi India, making it the first device to be sold through the flash sale model via the company’s online store. Read more »

Sony has announced that subscriptions for its game streaming service, PlayStation Now, will be available on the PS3 gaming console starting May 12. “Now you’ll be able to play a huge library of more than 100 hit PS3 games on PS4 and PS3, as well as select Sony Blu-ray players and TVs, all for one monthly price,” the company said in a blog post.

The company also revealed that the subscription will be coming to more devices soon, and more games will be added to the service’s library each month – this month’s new titles include Fat Princess, F1 2014, Sanctum 2, Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, and Farming Simulator. Read more »

Samsonite has partnered with South Korean tech giant Samsung to come up with a new technology aimed at bringing an end to all your luggage woes. The companies are currently working on the concept of smart luggage – suitcases fitted with microchips, allowing you to track them using GPS.

“Smart luggage will be able to communicate with you but it needs to be able to do much more than just give its location,” said Samsonite chief executive Ramesh Tainwala. “We are working with Samsung to create something that is more than a gimmick.” Read more »

Microsoft has issued an update to Cortana’s Live Tile enabling users to have a quick glance at the current weather in their area.

The tile for the voice-activated digital personal assistant now shows a small weather animation (see video below), and flips to reveal weather-related information, including temperature. Read more »

You might start seeing content from major publishers directly in your Facebook feed as soon as this month. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the company is currently in talks with publishers, including BuzzFeed, the New York Times, and National Geographic, on Instant Articles – a feature that will bring full news stories and videos straight to a user’s News Feed.

As per the report, the world’s largest social network is wooing publishers with a revenue model that will allow them to keep all of the revenue from ads they themselves sell, and a 70% cut from ads Facebook sells for them. Read more »