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MetroPCS' bid for Leap Wireless officially bites the dust
It really doesn't come as a surprise following Leap's less-than-enthusiastic response, but yeah, it's official: MetroPCS' offer is no more. The statement MetroPCS issued regarding the whole ordeal is actually kinda sad, revealing that the company "has not been able to engage Leap in meaningful negotiations" -- in other words, it got the cold shoulder. "Talk to the hand," if you will. For its part, though, Metro insists it's still in great shape, touting its recent Los Angeles launch with several more markets in store for '08 and '09. Still has to smart a little, though.
Leap
Leap is a new Finder replacement from Ironic Software that eschews traditional directory structures in favor of search and tagging. The software is pretty smart, and groups together common file types so you can find what you're looking for in a hurry. It also allows you to add your own tags to files, and creates a 'tag cloud' that outlines what kind of files you're looking at, what folders those files are in, and what user created tags they possess. The larger the label, the more files are tagged with that (as you can see in the screenshot above I have lots of image files on my Desktop).The iPhoto-like UI is easy to use, and really shines when the Loupe is used. The Loupe is a tool that lets you peek at the contents of supported file types without launching any additional apps. Leap is in Beta, and the Loupe's performance makes that clear. It was a little slow, and sometimes lagged when I pointed my mouse from file to file.In addition to all its Finder abilities, you can use Leap as a replacement for Apple's built in Spotlight interface, and yes the tag cloud is right there with your Spotlight results.Take a look at this demo movie to get a better idea of what Leap can do for you.Leap is currently in beta, and pricing has not been announced. You will get a free license, though, if you buy Yep, a PDF organizer that Ironic sells for $34, now.[via factoryjoe]
Kyocera Lingo clamshell comes to Cricket
Cricket customers can now pick up Kyocera's newest QWERTY-packin' clamshell for around $200, and aside from the slightly unattractive design, you will find quite a lot to keep your thumbs happy. Dubbed a "text messaging machine," the Lingo (also known as the M1000) boasts a standard numeric keypad on the outside and flips open to reveal a QWERTY keyboard. Furthermore, you'll get a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, a Li-ion battery good for three hours of yappin' (or 200 hours in standby), voice recognition, dual color displays and a speakerphone to boot. If you're interested, it's available directly from Cricket as we speak.[Via PhoneScoop]
Leap says "no thanks" to MetroPCS buyout offer
Ooh, in your face, MetroPCS! Leap Wireless has rejected a multi-billion dollar stock swap proposed by its fellow regional carrier a couple weeks ago, citing... well, to be brief, a bum deal. MetroPCS was looking to trade each share of Leap for 2.75 shares of its own stock, a formula that actually values Leap at about $4.7 billion -- significantly below the $5.3 billion pegged the day merger discussions kicked off. Leap CEO Doug Hutcheson officially responded to the offer today, bluntly stating that it "dramatically undervalues" his company while citing Leap's strong growth, its prospects for future buildouts, and MetroPCS' infrastructure troubles in New York and Los Angeles as reasons why his shareholders deserve more bang for their buck. That being said, Hutcheson left room for further discussions; an eventual deal makes sense, considering that the two carriers' combined footprint would approximate that of a national carrier. Can MetroPCS pony up the requisite cash to be taken seriously here?
MetroPCS makes $5.3B bid for Leap
Are we about to have another national carrier on our hands? MetroPCS has put together a $5.3 billion stock swap offer for Leap Wireless -- perhaps better known for its Cricket brand -- potentially pairing two regionals to create the nation's fifth-largest carrier, displacing Alltel in the process and combining regional licenses to create a rather generous coverage footprint. Of course, this is all based on the assumption that Leap's cool with the plan; at this point, all we know is that MetroPCS sent a nice little letter to Leap's board of directors. If everything goes according to plan, though, and the appropriate regulatory bodies approve, expect the two to close on the deal in spring of next year.
Flea-like robots double as pollution detectors
Developing robots with flea-like attributes seems to be quite popular these days, as researchers at the University of Lucca have apparently created a diminutive bot that was "developed to detect mercury poisoning in the ground and leap from place to place the way fleas or frogs jump." The creature measures in at ten-centimeters long and weighs just 80-grams, and can supposedly cover "vast amounts of land in shorter amounts of time" compared to less efficient pollution-seeking alternatives. Currently, the critters are purportedly being loosed in the wild with "special mercury-deteting sensors," so be sure not to squash any hard workin' mechanical pests if one accidentally hops in your tent. [Via The Raw Feed]
Nokia 6275i debuts at Leap Wireless
Cricket customers needing a non-EV-DO handset in Nokia's standard candybar shape needn't look any longer. Leap Wireless announced that the Nokia 6275i is now immediately available from its Cricket retail locations for $199.99. Although the lack of EV-DO disturbs us a bit, the 6275i still offers a 2 megapixel cam with flash, MP3 capability, microSD slot, infrared, Bluetooth, USB and of course, the staple FM radio that Nokia seems to be in love with. The 6275's physical size, at 4.29 x 1.68 x 0.677 inches, is a tad portly for 2007, although at 3.7 ounces it is still pretty light. But Cricket, come on -- $199.99 for this? We're thinking free out the door with a new contract, mkay?
Cricket rolls out unlimited messaging on all plans
Leap Wireless' Cricket regional carrier is the latest carrier to add unlimited goodies to its plans -- and with Sprint getting into the game on multiple fronts, the timing seems impeccable. The deal seems pretty solid, too, with plans ranging from $35 for unlimited SMS, MMS, and local anytime minutes all the way up to $60 for home calling across all Cricket markets, 200 roaming minutes, and some other goodies like voicemail. Yeah, we said it, voicemail; in other words, Cricket's going to nickel and dime you a little bit, but still -- just $35 for unlimited texting and picture messaging is a steal in our books.[Via Yakety Mobility Blog]