According to a report in the Financial Times, Apple is close to completing the acquisition of Beats Audio. The deal is said to be worth $3.2 billion and could be officially annoucned as early as next week.

Apple’s acquisition of Beats Audio will allegedly include both its audio streaming service and its hardware business. Read more »

CyanogenMod added the HTC One (M8) to the lineup of devices which can boot its custom ROMs. Users of HTC’s flagship can now flash CM11 nightly builds from the CyanogenMod download page.

Nightly builds will be available on all versions of the HTC One (M8). Read more »

Google Maps got treated to an update for both Android and iOS. Versions 7.7 and 3.0 of the app for Android and iOS respectively bring new features and welcome tweaks to the platform.

The update sees offline maps officially arrive on Google Maps for iOS. Read more »

Rovio’s publishing arm LVL 11 released a Flappy Bird-rivalling game for iOS dubbed Retry. The gaming title is currently available to download in Canada, Finland, and Poland and will soon reach wider availability.

Retry promises challenging game play, wrapped in 8-bit graphics and synthesizer soundtrack. Read more »

Microsoft sent out invitations for a “small” Surface event in New York City on May 20. The Redmond giant is more than likely to take the wraps off a Surface Mini tablet.

Compact Microsoft Surface tablet has been circulating for quite some time. Read more »

More details on the previously rumored, yet to be announced Samsung tablet with AMOLED display made the rounds online. Set to launch in 8.4” and 10.5” display size, the slate will form a new family of Samsung tablets, dubbed Galaxy Tab S.

As expected, the biggest highlight in the specs of the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S family is the display. Read more »

Announced at this year’s CES in January, the Pebble Steel was one of the brightest stars of the show. The newcomer is the young company’s upscale sidekick to the original Pebble, which took Kickstarter by storm last year.

In addition to its sleek looks and premium build, the Pebble Steel arrives with a well-polished, dedicated store for apps and watchfaces. Read more »

Acer took the wraps off the Iconia W4 3G Windows 8.1 tablet in India. The slate will hit the shelves in a couple of days, on May 3 for Rs. 29,999 (about $498).

Impatient users can already pre-order the Iconia W4 3G by going to Acer India’s official Facebook page. Early birds will receive a free Crunch Cover worth Rs. 2,999. Read more »

Google released standalone Docs, Sheets, and Slides mobile apps for Android and iOS. Docs and Sheets are already available to download and install, while Slides will be available soon.

The apps work both online and offline. Read more »

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact owners have found an original way to solve a commonly-occurring flash bleed problem. The resourceful bunch resolved the issue by simply swapping the plastic back cover of the device with that of its Japan-only sibling, the Sony Xperia Z1 f.

The glass back cover of the Sony Xperia Z1 f can be found online for less than $20. Read more »

Oppo will launch an attachable lens-style camera a la Sony QX in the near future. Live images of the upcoming gadget made the rounds on the Chinese social network Weibo.

The live photos show the bulky-looking snapper attached to an Oppo Find 7. Read more »

The company behind the popular fitness tracking app Moves announced that it got officially acquired by Facebook. Financial details of the transaction have not been revealed.

Like Instagram and Whatsapp, Moves will continue to operate independently. Read more »

Microsoft released a Remote Desktop Preview app for Windows Phone 8.1. If you are among the many early adopters of the new OS, you can head to the Windows Phone Marketplace (where the app enjoys quite a few good reviews already) and try it out.

The application supports multi-touch and Windows OS gestures thanks to Remote Desktop Protocol and Remote FX. Read more »

It appears that Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1 is hotter beyond anyone’s expectations. Only three days after going live, the developer version of the newly-launched OS runs on 3.1% of all WP devices.

The data you see above comes from AdDuplex – the largest cross promotion network for both WP and Windows 8 apps. Read more »

Apple released a new ad for the iPhone 5s. The clip made its debut on major networks in the United States this evening.

The new commercial’s music is a cover of a song by the rock band Pixies which is entitled “Gigantic.” Read more »