Google has confirmed that it has acquired Bitspin, makers of the popular (and pretty) alarm clock application Timely. In doing so, the app  which previously cost nothing to download for the basic iteration, but $3 for the premium upgrade is now completely free in every possible aspect.

That said, it's unclear what, if anything, might happen for those who had purchased the premium content just prior to the acquisition news going public. We suspect you might be out your $3 in that case; consider it a miniature investment that helped bring the app to Google's attention (one that you'll receive no monetary benefit for, sadly).

Bitspin team members posted the news on their website yesterday:

"We're thrilled to announce that Bitspin is joining Google, where we'll continue to do what we love: building great products that are delightful to use," reads the announcement.

"For new and existing users, Timely will continue to work as it always has. Thanks to everyone who has downloaded our app and provided feedback along the way; we truly appreciate all your support."

Missing from the announcement  and Google representatives aren't talking  is how much the company might have paid for Bitspin. Additionally, we just don't know how Google might chose to integrate the company's Timely tech into Android itself; perhaps prettier clock functionality will eventually make its home in Android as-is.

We're fans of Timely's general look and feel, which has the numbers on its digital clock morphing around whenever they switch over. Setting alarms is as easy as yelling at your phone via voice input or, if you prefer a more tactile approach, dragging and tapping your finger around your screen to navigate the app's scheduling capabilities.

The app itself even uses your phone's positioning as a controller for the alarm; flip your phone over, for example, and you've effective snoozed the alarm and given yourself a little extra shut-eye. If you're afraid you might do that too often, Timely can give you a physical task to accomplish (solving a puzzle or a math problem) before it quiets your device.

And, yes, the app even synchronizes your alarms across multiple devices. Gone are the days of having redo all of your alarms on every Android product you own (thankfully).

Timely itself has been downloaded anywhere from one to five million times on the Google Play Store (a more specific figure isn't currently available), but that's not the only app under Bitspin's hat. The company also created the "Tasks" app under a different developer name on said store, which comes as a free, advertising-supported download or $1 paid-for version.

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