Mobile Devices

Have you ever noticed people so glued to their smart phone that the mobile device appears as if were a part of them? One would think that the iPhone was the greatest invention since, well, the iPhone. Check it out the next time you are at a food court in the mall, or at school, or waiting to see your doctor - we are so caught up in our high-tech world that we might often miss some of the simple, fleeting moments of life. A recent survey found that some of us interact with our mobile devices an average of 40 to 80 times a day. That leaves very little time to inhale and smell the roses.

Quickly, name some tech companies that have changed your life lately. Apple. Google. Maybe Amazon. Bill McDermott in Newtown Square, co-chief executive officer of software giant SAP AG, wants his company on that short list. Multinational SAP, of Germany, which boasts 61,000 workers, $20 billion in yearly sales, and a stock market value approaching $100 billion, has worked behind the scenes since the 1970s, building "enterprise" software that collects and connects financial and customer data.

With many thousands of "apps" available for smartphones and other devices, finding the right ones for helping you manage your finances could be daunting. These sites can simplify. Shop, get gas. Here, from 20somethingfinance.com, is a list of "best" money-saving personal-finance apps for devices that run on Google's Android software. The list includes Gas Finder, which identifies nearby gas stations and what they're charging, and ShopSavvy, which compares prices on any item whose bar code you can scan.

Venture capitalists and bankers gave the green light to Internet traffic service Traffic.com yesterday, giving the Wayne company $45 million in funding. That's among the largest amounts given to a young company this year, according to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Money Tree survey. Traffic.com, of Wayne, uses roadside traffic sensors to monitor the volume and speed of traffic on major routes. Computers analyze the numbers and factor in reports from drivers, pilots and cameras to predict delays so that drivers, by monitoring Traffic.

Epson's new Stylus NX430 Small-in-One mobile copier/scanner/wireless printer is not the tiniest model on the market. But it's the smallest full-featured multitasker to be able to handle full-size 8.5-by-11-inch paper, including iron-on and photo paper, as well as envelopes. The NX430 has a 2.5-inch LCD touch panel and high-speed memory card slots for PC-free photo selection and printing; USB and WiFi connectivity for printing e-mails and file attachments from mobile devices; and a range of photo-enhancement functions.

ATLANTIC CITY - Turn on the 46-inch LED flat-screen in a room at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, and an array of options will pop up on the TV. Among the choices: Shopping . Movies. Nightclubs . And starting Monday: In-room gaming . Borgata will become the first casino in the United States to offer E-Casino - gambling via television in the privacy of its guests' hotel accommodations. "When you're just trying to relax, having a hard time sleeping, or have time to kill before dinner, it would be fine to do," mused Joanne Piccione of Danbury, Conn., who was working a $2 slot machine last week during a three-night stay at Borgata to celebrate her 66th birthday.

More than a month after its previous TV-distribution agreement expired, Comcast Corp. and News Corp. reached new terms that keeps Glee, Sons of Anarchy, The Simpsons, Bones and other Fox entertainment on Xfinity through 2020. Economic terms were not disclosed but Philadelphia-based Comcast said today that it has agreed to launch a new national sports channel, to be called Fox Sports One, to its 22 million TV customers as part of the deal. Fox Sports One will replace Fox's Speed cable channel, which is distributed to more than 80 million homes, later this year, according to published reports.

Crash kills doctor picking up heart MIAMI - A heart surgeon from a Mayo Clinic in Florida flying across the northern corner of the state to retrieve a heart for transplant was killed Monday when his helicopter crashed, officials said. The helicopter departed the clinic in Jacksonville about 5:45 a.m. but never arrived at the Gainesville hospital, Shands at University of Florida, about 60 miles southwest, said Kathy Barbour, a spokeswoman for Mayo, which is based in Rochester, Minn.

By Steve Largent CTIA and the U.S. wireless industry it represents agree with the National Transportation Safety Board's recent recommendation that state and local statutes should prohibit manual texting while driving. This activity is incompatible with safety, which should be everyone's top priority while behind the wheel. That's why we worked with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Conference of State Legislators, and other organizations last year to provide states with draft legislation to ban manual texting while driving.

NEW YORK - Real estate listing and information service Zillow Inc. said Friday that it now hopes to raise up to $71.6 million through an initial public offering, up from its original expectation of as much as $51.8 million. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Seattle company said it expects to offer about 3.5 million shares at $16 to $18 apiece. It's giving underwriters the option to buy up to an additional 519,300 shares to cover any over-allotments. Zillow plans to use the funds for general corporate purposes, including a possible acquisition.