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Sprint cozies up to Android with Market carrier billing

After offering Google Voice, the carrier now will let you make Market purchases against your monthly bill.

Joining AT&T (T) and T-Mobile (ahem), Sprint (S) will now allow Android users to buy Android Market items and have them charged to their monthly Sprint bill.  This theoretically simplifies purchasing and removes the barrier to entry for paid Apps for some Android users.  Google remarked:

We believe that Direct Carrier Billing is a key MORE

ComScore: Google rules the Tube

That nearest competitor is now AOL, which is one-third its size.

The latest comScore Internet video numbers published today show Google (GOOG) and its YouTube subsidiary out in front in visitors sessions and minutes per viewer.

Google Sites had the highest number of viewing sessions as it neared the 2 billion mark, and highest time spent per viewer at 276 minutes, or 4.6 hours.

Back of napkin math shows that 82% of U.S. MORE

GOOG Earnings Thursday: Analyst forecast roundup

Analysts are publishing their forecasts for Google's Q1 2011 earnings.

Thursday's earnings call will be the first under new CEO Larry Page and analysts are expecting to get some guidance on the direction of the company.  Overall the outlook is positive with expectations of Google (GOOG) beating guidance and the Street.

Interestingly, there isn't much talk about the ITA purchase, which has now gotten Federal approval.

Here we go...

A-Google-a-Day quiz includes a helpful tool

The introduction of the Google game also adds a search tool to the Googler's arsenal.

Yesterday, Google (GOOG) introduced "A Google A Day" –a game that produces a question a day and encourages users to solve the puzzle using Google's search engine.  I'm not a crossword puzzle type but I imagine some people find this interesting.  Obviously, it encourages people to use Google's search engine -which is clearly beneficial to Google both in MORE

Google responds to Microsoft's FISMA certification accusations

Earlier this morning Microsoft accused Google of false advertising.  Google responds.

This morning, David Howard, Corporate Vice President & Deputy General Counsel at Microsoft (MSFT) took the opportunity to look at unsealed documents to point out something, that if true or genuine, would seem to be a pretty big deal.

Last Friday afternoon, I learned that a batch of court documents had been unsealed and had revealed one particularly striking development: the United States MORE

Larry Page's report card one week in

The New/Old Google CEO made some important moves in his first week.

Co-Founder Larry Page took back the helm of Google(GOOG) a week ago and has made some bold moves over the past week.  Let's take a look at what has transpired and what's likely to come.

Within 24 hours of taking control, Google announced it was seeking to buy up Nortel patents, which would put it on more equal footing in MORE

Government shutdown puts Google-ITA deal on fast track? (Update: Approved)

The Google-ITA merger is now on a fast track approval process and we could see an announcement as early as today.

Update: The merger has been approved with significant stipulations including licensing of the software:

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that in order for Google Inc. to proceed with its proposed acquisition of ITA Software Inc., the department will require Google to develop and license travel software, to establish MORE

Here comes the Android tablet price plunge

Acer's Iconia tablet looks as good as the XOOM on paper and is up for pre-order for $450.

If you've ever played with an Acer netbook, you'll know the computer maker isn't adept at turning out high end products.  But the Taiwanese company makes a good mid-range product, and they do it with razor-thin margins.  This strategy is part of the reason they canned their CEO Gianfranco Lanci last week, saying MORE

Entry level Android numbers to increase tenfold in 2011

As the high end of the smartphone market becomes saturated, all of the growth will come from the low end.

A report today from Taiwanese Digitimes shows some explosive estimates for $150 and cheaper, contract free Android phones.  Specifically, the paper says it expects to see 20-25 million entry level Android devices ship in 2011, up from 2.5-3 million in 2010.

Global smartphone sales will hike 54.5% from 2010 to 445 million units in 2011, MORE

iFund companies going Android

More jobs are opening for Android developers according to a report today.

CC Flickr user MJ/TR (´･ω･)

Dow Jones' VentureWire reports this evening that most of the companies seeded with cash from Kleiner Perkins famous iFund are taking their iApps and porting them over to Google's (GOOG) Android platform.

A telling stat:

13 of the 16 companies backed by the $200 million iFund now have both iOS and Android apps or will within a few MORE