angry birds

In today's show, we test Google's new operating system, chirp goodbye to Nextel, and pay our Russian bills with green pigs:

The reviews are out for Samsung's new Chromebook and Chromebox, running on the newly updated Chrome OS. And the bottom line is that it's better than the last version, but still not all that impressive. (Especially since the Chromebook has limited capabilities and costs more than a tablet.)

The Nextel network will officially be killed-off in June of 2013, and Sprint is pushing Nextel customers to use Sprint Direct Connect devices.

There's a new … Read more

In today's show, we're buying status updates, finding a new route and building a new game addiction:

Would you pay $2 to get your Facebook status message seen by more people? It's something Facebook is testing in New Zealand. (And tell me your two-cents on the issue via Tout!)

The Foxconn factory for Apple products is preparing to build the much anticipated Apple television set. The chief at the Foxconn spilled the beans in a news conference.

According to 9to5Mac, the next version of iOS will not include Google Maps. Rather, it will have Apple's own mapping software. … Read more

Rovio is preparing to launch a new game to follow its wildly popular Angry Birds franchise.

The company's CEO, Mikael Hed, said in an interview today with Finland's YLE breakfast television show that Rovio will be launching Amazing Alex in two months. The game will feature an educational element as players control a young boy named Alex who enjoys building things.

That word from Rovio comes after the company acquired the intellectual property rights to Casey's Contraptions, a title developed by Snappy Touch and Mystery Coconut. When users surf to the Casey's Contraption Web site now, … Read more

Angry Birds is officially a financial powerhouse.

The franchise's creator, Rovio, today announced that it generated $106.3 million in revenue last year. And thanks to a profit margin of about 64 percent, the company was able to post net income of $67.6 million.

Although much of the financial success Rovio enjoyed last year came by way of its popular Angry Birds games, the company also sells a host of consumer products, including stuffed toys and school supplies. Rovio also generated advertising revenue to supplement its operation.

But it's the sheer popularity of Angry Birds games that … Read more

Rovio has added a new feature to Angry Birds on Facebook that could see the game crop up in more places across the Web.

Dubbed Share & Play, the initiative allows players to embed an Angry Birds level into another person's Facebook Timeline, a blog, or Web page. Those who come across the embedded title will be able to play the game instantly on the respective page without ever needing to install the game. In addition, users won't need to be logged into Facebook to play the title, even though it's shared via the social network.

The … Read more

We love Facebook pranks as much as the next guys, but not when it's coming from an anonymous source at Best Buy. As if we needed another reason not to step foot in the big blue retailer, we read this story about a Best Buy employee that posted a phony Facebook status update on a customer's phone. The message declared, "I am gay, I'm coming out," but there's one problem: the customer is straight.… Read more

Every weekday afternoon, CNET Update delivers the top tech stories of the day. The show keeps a close eye on emerging trends, hot devices and new apps. And it's all in less than three minutes.

In today's show, Microsoft's got the hots for Nook, LG has its head in the cloud, and we're battling pigs in space! (space! space! space!):

Microsoft is investing $300 million in a new Barnes & Noble subsidiary that will handle digital and college business. With this investment, expect the Nook to become a stronger player against the Kindle and iPad.

A … Read more

Rovio's success with the Angry Birds franchise continues to impress.

The development firm announced today that Angry Birds Space, which is currently sitting atop Apple's App Store, has hit 50 million downloads in just 35 days of availability. According to Rovio, the feat has made the game the "fastest-growing mobile game" ever released, and has broken all sales records set by previous Angry Birds iterations.

"We extend our deepest gratitude to all fans of Angry Birds everywhere," the company wrote in a blog post today. "While numbers like this certainly say something about … Read more

Angry Birds players tend to skew Republican, while Words with Friends players tend to make more money.

That's according to a recent study by JumpTap, which provides targeted mobile advertising and collects trending data.

Another finding: the new iPad has exceeded sales expectations, even if its traffic levels are lower than prior versions of Apple's hit tablet.

The results -- particularly from the mobile games -- provide some interesting insight into the patterns and preferences of players. Words with Friends players are more likely to have an annual income over $100,000 and tend to use smartphones. Angry … Read more