Jeff Huber, Google’s SVP of Commerce and Local, posted on the Google blog “weâ€re moving to close this acquisition as soon as possible, and then weâ€ll start the important work of bringing our teams and products together,” so it seems that the DOJ’s conditions will be agreed to by the search giant.

The key conditions agreed to in the settlement are that Google:

• Continue to license ITAâ€s QPX software to airfare websites on commercially reasonable terms
• Continue to fund research and development of that product at least at similar levels to what ITA has invested in recent years
• Further develop and offer ITAâ€s next generation InstaSearch product to travel websites
• Implement firewall restrictions within the company that prevent unauthorized use of competitively sensitive information and data gathered from ITAâ€s customers
• Not enter into agreements with airlines that would inappropriately restrict the airlines†right to share seat and booking class information with Googleâ€s competitors

for the next 5 years. {TechCrunch}

In other words Microsoft, Expedia, Kayak et. al would have until 2016 to build or fund their own airfare search software. Until then, the terms of the settlement means that Google wouldn’t be able to price competitors out of the software, stop developing it to hobble the software for companies currently dependent on it, share data from ITA within other departments at Google or cut deals with airline customers that would force them to choose ITA over another airfare search provider.

Starting with the biggest billions first, Apple now has a market cap of more than $302 billion, which is more than Microsoft ($239 billion), Walmart ($194 billion), Google ($193 billion) and pretty much any other huge, publicly traded company that you can think of besides Exxon Mobil ($375 billion).

Looks like Meizu has a few more M9s to go before they pose a serious threat. Still, it will be interesting to see how long it will take for Android pushes Google’s company value ahead of Microsoft, when they’ll officially become the biggest threat in Apple’s rearview mirror. While Apple has a head start with the iPad, if Android tablets can experience the kind of growth Android phones have enjoyed it’s something which might not be far off.

Apple and Facebook are officially having the best January (of 2011) ever!

On to the not yet public companies, Facebook raised $500 million from Goldman Sachs and previous investor DST (a Russian investment firm) at a $50 billion valuation which makes the company worth more than eBay ($37 billion), TimeWarner ($35 billion) and Yahoo ($21 billion). The company is resisting pressure to go public, which most people suspect is to avoid having to answer to shareholders.

Questions Facebook may wish to avoid are on how it plans to add the level of revenue which would justify such a massive valuation. Groupon, who famously rejected Google’s multi-billion dollar buyout offer, recently raised $500 million – DST was the lead investor there also – at a valuation of almost $5 billion. Which is still a lot of money, but considering that Groupon has revenues estimated to be around $2 billion and Facebook has revenue estimated at… $2 billion (as of September). {TechCrunch}

So what makes one young company estimated to have $2 billion in revenue worth 10 times the amount of another company estimated to have $2 billion in revenue? Well, the fact that Facebook has such as massive user base plays into it. As much money as Groupon makes, they still aren’t anywhere near having 500 million users. Then, there’s the revenue split. Though Groupon’s revenue is impressive any way you slice it, they have to split it with merchants, and likely salespeople as well. Facebook isn’t splitting ad revenue with anyone, so net profit is probably a lot higher. Still, is that worth more money than say Time Warner for example? This is the company that owns a cable company, cable networks, magazines and more, and somehow those things are worth less than a single website? Granted it’s a massively popular website which has been innovative in extending itself to other websites, but are we the only ones wondering if this is going to end in an AOL-like drop off in a few years?

For the year ahead though, we’re looking forward to how this all plays out.

The Bing app provides an easy way for Android users to use the search engine, and it looks nice, as we’d expect.  The app includes the Bing Image, and changes everyday, just as the website does.  The app also includes Bing Maps complete with directions and traffic information, but it lacks the voice navigation that is present in all Android phone thanks to Google.  Bing also matches Google with voice input, but again doesn’t go as far as Google does with it’s new Voice Commands feature.  In all, the Bing app forAndroid is essentially the same as the Bing app for iOS, but it’s more surprising to find it on Google’s OS. {Mashable}

The most interesting part of the Bing for Android app is the fact that only certain Android users can even use it.  The app is only available to Android users on the Verzion network.  So, only those with some sort of Droid (or the LG Ally) are able to get it.  We can’t see the logic in Microsoft striking such an exclusive deal for an app.  Verizon does seem to have the most popular Android phones on the market, but leaving everyone else out doesn’t make any sense.  Although Verizon is the largest carrier in the US, an app doesn’t seem to be the type of thing that would convince someone to try the network in the same way that a sexy phone (e.g. the iPhone on AT&T) would. Plus, we’re sure that most people who use Android do so – at least in part, because of the integration with Google and the various Google apps like Google Voice. We won’t call this another KIN style meltdown just yet, but it’d be really surprising to see the Bing app become a significant driver of mobile traffic for the soon-to-be second place search engine.

Now Microsoft has announced that Kin will not be coming to Europe, and that it will be moving those who are still on the Kin team to the Windows Phone 7 team, which would hopefully brings some of Kin to the new smartphone platform.  Microsoft will still continue selling the Kin One and Two with Verizon, but it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing it on any other carriers any time soon, as in not ever.

According to report from Engadget, it looks like Kin may have been doomed from the start.  Microsoft had Danger, the guys who did the original software on the Sidekick, switch from building on top of Danger and switching to a Windows CE-based system.  That delay bothered Verizon, the partner for Kin, and possibly ruined any chance at getting the cheaper data plans the Kin so desperately needed in order to succeed.  With smartphone pricing and the typical expensive data plans, the Kin would ultimately fail before even getting a chance – even with Best Buy offering them up for free.  There’s a lot more corporate politics over at the Engadget story which makes for an interesting read.

The Kin seemed like a great idea, even without the apps.  Connecting to social networks easily along with the cute form factor of the Kin One seemed perfect for the teenage market.  The fact that most of it’s users wouldn’t be able to afford or convince their parents to pay up for a data plan was a major issue, when it got to that point, an iPhone or Droid would seem to make much more sense.

The Kin Studio was perhaps the greatest idea, and hopefully is something that finds it’s way into Windows Phone 7 when that launches, likely in October.  Being able to find and send/upload/download all the photos taken on your phone arranged in chronological order would be fantastic.  It might be too late in WP7’s development cycle to implement it, but it could always come as an update later on, or even a cheap pay-per-month service if it was really needed.

The "Metro" Windows Phone 7 user interface design

While the discussion did get into some specifics about building the app, and how simple it can be for some people, there was a lot of talk about the OS design and features.  There was even a Windows Phone 7 phone present, but we’ll come back to that.  The developers talked a lot about the overall “Metro” design that is implemented in WP7.  Those familiar with the Zune HD have already seen a portion of Metro.  It features white text on a black background for lists, as well as a theme of panoramas for apps.  Rather than just scrolling down, or being on page, app designers are encouraged to use several screens, with each of them “bleeding” into the next.  The effect gives the OS a sleek and modern look that should be helpful in taking on the Apple iOS, which has used design as a selling point since launch.

The big text , as well as the “panel” design of the home screen is supposed to make users more comfortable scrolling down farther than they might on other phones, which seems to work well.  The white text on black background was decided upon in order to save battery life, but it also makes the design more interesting.

Now – that phone that was out; we weren’t allowed to actually get a hands on impression of the LG test unit with a slide-out landscape QWERTY keyboard, but the OS looked slick on the device, and moved smoothly enough when it wasn’t getting caught up by bugs.  Phones aren’t expected to be out until “holiday season 2010,” so there is still time (we’ve heard Microsoft is looking at an October release, but officially there is nothing firmer than holiday) to kill bugs and offer a solid competitor to Google or Apple.  The most interesting parts of the OS aside from the design and feel was the social integration.  Microsoft is syncing the phone with Xbox Live for achievements and friends lists, on top of other social networks.  The “People” tile on the homepage links contacts’ phone numbers, email, and social networks like Facebook and Windows Live.  Selecting contacts will allow you to see their latest updates, or jump to the social networks directly.

With minimum specs on WP7 phones that will place each around the same as a Nexus One (1 GHz processor, 800×480 screen, 5MP camera) and more (8Gb flash storage minimum, Direct X9 support), and the OS itself, Microsoft seems to have something interesting.  The actual phones and carriers will also play a role of course, but by 2011 we’re sure there will be $50,000 diamond encrusted smartphones running WP7 to join their iPhone and Android based luxury brethren. So, if you can stand the wait and want to see how Windows Phone 7 will compare to the iPhone 4 and Android devices like the Droid Incredible and EVO 4G, the mobile space looks like it could get really interesting this year.

The Kin phones from Microsoft launched last month, with the Kin One costing $50 and the Kin Two costing $100 after rebate.  The phones are somewhere between a feature phone and smartphone, aimed directly at pre-teens to those in their early twenties.  The only problem was that the phones were just a bit too expensive for that market.  Best Buy has answered by lowering the phones by $50 each, bringing the Kin One to free on a two-year contract, and the Kin Two to $50 with a two-year contract. {Engadget}

That still doesn’t solve the problem of the $30 data contract required for the phones, however.  With actual phone service, the total comes in around $70/month. That, unfortunately for Best Buy, is left up to Verizon Wireless and Microsoft.  Given the phones’ market, it’s more likely that the users parents would be buying the phones and paying the contracts every month.  It’s not very likely that there are a lot of parents who are willing to spend an extra $30 per month on a phone that can only really use Twitter, Facebook and the mobile web, but coupled with enough pressure from teens the free price tag of the Kin One could be convincing.  Still, with the price of the monthly data plan, we’re betting that the tech savvy teens will save their leverage to get a Palm Pre Plus or Droid Incredible instead.

Today, Microsoft’s KIN phones will be released on Verizon Wireless to masses of “generation upload” users dying to get their hands on the social network-centric devices.  The phones themselves actually aren’t bad, the KIN ONE, despite the odd form is actually a cute-looking phone.

The problem many would have with the phones is that both come with $30 a month data plans, the same plans that come with all other Verizon smartphones.  That means that the phones will cost at least $70 a month to use.  For phones directed at mainly teenagers, adding a mandatory data plan that costs as much as say a Droid Incredible or Motorola Droid doesn’t make much sense.

Microsoft has responded to those claims by saying that the KIN phones will eventually have apps.  The apps would be the same as the apps on the upcoming Windows Phone 7 as the two platforms merge {Electronista}.  For now, however the phones remain app-less.  The plan for KIN is actually a bit reminiscent of the original iPhone, with no apps outside of the built-in Apple apps.  That doesn’t mean the KIN phones will reach the popularity of the iPhone, but the promise of something more than the current basic options is intriguing.

It wouldn’t be surprising, though, if the KIN phones, as they merged with the Windows Phone 7 encounter the same issues that Android phones are encountering with fragmentation.  The KIN ONE, with it’s smaller screen might have trouble running apps built for larger screens, which could lead to confused or frustrated users.  It happens now with the wide range of Android versions being used right now, and hopefully Microsoft has a way around the problem that doesn’t leave out those who buy the KIN phones on the promise of apps in the future.

Image {HighTech Review}

The jock of your high school takes interest in that mildly popular chick in glee club who likes to give her opinion on absolutely everything. They flirt openly – in front of, like, every one – and their coupledom seems imminent. Then, suddenly, unexpectedly, unthinkably - glee chick abandons jock – and all the popularity and power that comes with him.

Yup, Yelp’s rejection of Google is kinda like that – except, Google wouldn’t have dated Yelp, they would have dominated and completely taken over Yelp. On the other hand, Yelp didn’t just reject a loss of independence, they turned down $500 million too.

The details are still fuzzy as to why Yelp wants to remain an independent single lady – even 500 million dollars the cheaper. But, the guys at TechCrunch are guessing that another suitor (Apple, Microsoft, etc.) has swooped in – making Google’s original offer less than worthwhile.

That’s what the kids call a burn.

Read the Full Story {TechCrunch}

Google Latitude: a GPS of sorts that allows obsessive lovers/ inseparable friends to not only locate each other, but get precise directions to boot (luckily these relationships have to be mutual). Have it to-go on your phone, or monitor like a switchboard on your home computer.

Foursquare: Heralded as the new Twitter, with a city guide on GPS twist. It allows users to post updates via cellphones every time they “check in” to a restaurant or bar. Frequency of usage is proportionally rewarded with “points”, “badges”, etc. that eventually translate into actual freebies from benefited establishments – motivation and addiction concurrently deepens…

With Twitter officially licensing its tweet streams from all public users (practically everyone) to both Google and Microsoft to bolster their search efforts, you can literally create your own official biography online, as fast as your thumbs can go.

And those are only the mobile/online hybrid services! SenseCam, a new neckline camera developed by Microsoft, aims to document your life automatically every 30 seconds. A pedometer called Fitbit monitors AND wirelessly updates your exercise/sleeping patterns to turn your health achievements (or failures), into a global shared endeavor.

If the real time wave of applications and devices could talk, they’d say “privacy ain’t got nothing on me.”

Read full story {CNN}