May 13, 2008
The Packet Concept Phone
Spotted on MobileWhack, a new concept phone called "The Packet" made from ecofriendly materials which won first place in the Istanbul Design Week 2007.
'Mobile' phone enjoys centenery
One hundred years later, Nathan Stubblefield is finally being recognised as the inventor of the mobile phone.
Photographs of the world's first "wireless telephone" have revealed that it was not quite as mobile as its modern counterparts.
According to The Telegraph, the telephone was made up of a system of wire suspended between metal rods with the transmitter placed on a train carriage or boat.
When the vehicle neared, a signal was sent through the air to the telephone using magnetic fields. It could be heard near the other end of the wire through another phone.
[via CrunchGear]
Nagging texts help teens remember to take meds
4gt yr meds? Getting kids to remember their medicine may be a text message away. USA Today reports.
"Cincinnati doctors are experimenting with texting to tackle a big problem: Tweens and teens too often do a lousy job of controlling chronic illnesses like asthma, diabetes or kidney disease.
Some studies suggest only half of adolescents, on average, properly follow treatment steps, says Dr. Dennis Drotar of Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
... Dr. Maria Britto, an asthma specialist at Cincinnati Children's, noticed that even when she's talking to adolescent patients perched on the clinic exam table, they'll keep texting on their cellphones.
But it sparked the idea for a study to see if a daily medication reminder via text message would improve kids' asthma control — preventing full-blown attacks, improving school attendance and decreasing doctor and emergency-room visits.
Pilot testing recently began, with a full study set for later this year. Participants say what time they want the reminder, and a clinic volunteer types out the messages — words spelled out, no mimicking of kids' text lingo."
It seems to be working.
AT&T now showing "iPhone Black" model in device listing
AT&T Wireless, Apple's exclusive iPhone provider in the United States, is now listing a second model of the iPhone in its device database called "iPhone Black," AppleInsider has been informed.
In Pictures: What Your Cellphone Says About You
A fun read on Forbes, In Pictures: What Your Cellphone Says About You.
The Prada Phone: Fashion forward, brand aware and judging you, yes you.
Pink BlackBerry Pearl: Chances are, you're a busy, 30-something mother who wields the phone like an electronic Filofax.
BlackBerry 8820: The Ultimate Work Warrior Big-time work ethic, self-important.
Helio Ocean: Always-on TV and video.
The Nokia N95: Hip, multimedia savvy, gamer.
Samsung M300. The cheap date. Calls only, please.
HTC Touch. Trustfund techie. I've got money and tech smarts.
Too bad, the iPhone person is missing.
Read full story
May 12, 2008
Costs of Text Messaging vs. Space Transmissions
This is one of the stranger assumptions made about text messaging pricing. Via the NY Times The Lede Blog.
"Nigel Bannister, a space scientist at the University of Leicester in Britain, has concluded that sending a text message costs at least four times as much as transmitting scientific data from the Hubble telescope."
Dr Nigel Bannister’s calculations were used for the Channel 4 Dispatches program “The Mobile Phone Rip-Off”.
He worked out the cost of obtaining a megabyte of data from Hubble – and compared that with the 5p cost of sending a text.
He said: “The bottom line is texting is at least 4 times more expensive than transmitting data from Hubble, and is likely to be substantially more than that.
China uses text messaging to assure public
In order to reassure people and to squelch false rumors, the Chinese government is using SMS text messaging as well as internet postings to inform people that the areas where they live are not in the seismic zone. Over a million such messages were sent in nearby Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guizhou Province.
[via Smart Mobs]
Coming soon: Mobile Internet for Dummies
Spotted on MobHappy, news of the (soon-to-be) release of Mobile Internet for Dummies.
When it comes to the Internet, you CAN take it with you! You just need the right stuff, and Mobile Internet For Dummies tells you what that is, how to find it, and how to use it. This easy-to-follow guide is packed with tips on choosing the best mobile device, software, and service provider for your needs, but that’s not all. You’ll see how to use your mobile Web browser, find made-for-mobile content (and create your own) and much more.
Biq Quake Takes out Mobile Network in Chengdu
An earthquake registering 7.8 on the Richter Scale knocked out mobile phone service in the western Chinese city of Chengdu, although fixed-line networks remained in service, Chinese state television reported Monday afternoon. [via PCWorld]
"China Central Television (CCTV) advised people watching in the area to remain calm and not jam phone lines with calls to family and friends."
iPhone to launch in Singapore, India, the Philippines and Australia
Another iPhone announcement was made this morning. Singapore Telecoms issued a short statement confirming that it will "offer the iPhone for sale on its networks later this year in Singapore, India, the Philippines and Australia later this year. More information will be released at a later date."
Cellular News recaps launches and confirmed launches:
Launched:
* USA (AT&T)
* UK (Telefonica O2)
* Ireland (Telefonica O2)
* Germany (T-Mobile)
* Austria (T-Mobile)
* France (Orange)
Planned:
* Singapore (Singtel)
* India (Bharti Airtel & Vodafone)
* Philippines (Globe)
* Australia (Optus & Vodafone)
* Italy (TIM & Vodafone)
* Czech Republic (Vodafone)
* Egypt (Vodafone)
* Greece (Vodafone)
* Portugal (Vodafone)
* New Zealand (Vodafone)
* South Africa (Vodacom)
* Turkey (Vodafone)
* Canada (Rogers)
* Latin America (unspecified but America Movil has the rights)
May 11, 2008
iPhone unavailable in online Apple Store
The UK online Apple Store has currently no iPhones in stock. Both the 8GB and 16GB iPhone are marked as "Currently Unavailable", reports I4U.
"This could also just be a store glitch, but we also already learned that week that O2 has run out of iPhones in the UK.
It is suspected that this shortage already heralds the 3G iPhone, but I still think that Apple will continue to offer the normal iPhone for a while. Not everybody gets 3G coverage."
Burma's emergency telecoms delay
Foreign aid workers dedicated to delivering emergency telecoms in disaster areas have been prevented from going into cyclone-hit Burma. The BBC reports.
"Like many charity groups, the Telecoms Sans Frontières (TSF) organisation has so far been denied entry visas by the military-run government.
A TSF team has been waiting in Bangkok, Thailand, with its equipment all week.
If visas are eventually granted, the team will go in to set up phone and other network links.
These will be used by many aid groups to co-ordinate the huge relief effort that is needed.
Locals will also be offered "welfare calls", to make contact with friends and family who will have been worried about their safety.
The UN fears more than 1.5 million people have been affected by Cyclone Nargis which struck on Saturday.
May 10, 2008
"The Phone": A a new reality-game show on MTV
A new british reality-game show produced by Justin Timberlake for MTV involves cell phones. The BBC reports.
"The program is based on a Dutch production and begins each time with two hidden mobiles ringing in different locations of a big city.
In the MTV show called "The Phone", contestants who answer the mobiles will have five seconds to decide if they want to play the game for a cash prize.
A guide on the other end of the line then gives them a mission to complete before time runs out.
And hardly going over board, MTV executive vice-president Tony Disanto described the show as "genre-busting".
"Reinvention is at the core of what we do, and The Phone does just that. Each week will be an action-packed mini-movie," he added.
Spam Moves to Cellphones and Gets More Invasive
Cellphones have become consumers’ most personal technological devices. Some industry executives, along with consumer groups and security experts, are concerned that unwanted text messages on phones will be an even greater headache than unwanted computer messages. [via The New York Times]
"... American consumers are expected to receive an estimated 1.5 billion unsolicited text messages in 2008, according to Ferris Research, based in San Francisco, which tracks mobile messaging trends. That is nearly double what they received in 2006.
Of course that is a small percentage of the overall number of messages: an industry survey showed that consumers in the United States sent and received about 48 billion text messages in December alone. But for many people who are charged as much as 20 cents for an incoming message or are interrupted in the middle of dinner, even one is too many."
May 9, 2008
Cuusoo mobile phone concept
Spotted on Just Another Mobile Phone Blog, a concept phone that separates the handset from the screen, so you can talk on the phone while watching mobile TV.
iPhone news for Switzerland, Spain and Poland
According to TUAW, Switzerland, Spain, Poland who are still waiting for the iPhone, may finally be getting them.
For Switzerland, earlier this week, Le Matin reported that Swisscom would be the official iPhone carrier and would launch the 3G version of the iPhone this summer.
However the official spokesperson for Swisscom, Christian Neuhaus, remains secretive about the deal and said "nothing is done".
Mind Control by Cell Phone
Electromagnetic signals from cell phones can change your brainwaves and behavior. But don't break out the aluminum foil head shield just yet, writes Scientific American.
Could the electrical signals coming from a phone affect certain brainwaves operating in resonance with cell phone transmission frequencies? After all, the caller's cerebral cortex is just centimeters away from radiation broadcast from the phone's antenna.
Two studies provide some revealing news: cell phones alter your behaviour and cause insomnia.
Although this research shows that cell phone transmissions can affect a person's brainwaves with persistent effects on behavior, there is no for concern that cell phones are damaging.
The arousal effects the researchers measured are equivalent to about half a cup of coffee, and many other factors in a person's surroundings will affect a night's sleep as much or more than cell phone transmissions.
May 8, 2008
Glove converts sign language into spoken words on a cell phone
A sensor-equipped glove, known as HandTalk, can translate gestures into spoken words on a cell phone. It was developed by students at Carnegie Mellon University as part of a class research project. [via Post Gazette]
"The prototype was demonstrated yesterday at Carnegie Mellon's "Meeting of the Minds" expo of undergraduate research projects.
Someday, the young inventors hope, it may allow deaf people to communicate with those who don't know American Sign Language by having their cell phones speak their words aloud.
When the glove is held in a fist, for instance, the cell phone says "Good morning." When the index finger, second finger and thumb are extended, it says, "I'm having a good time." And when the index finger, little finger and thumb are held out, it politely says, "Thank you for your time."
Apple inks Latin American deal for iPhone
The top mobile phone operator in Latin America, America Movil SAB, said Wednesday that it has inked a deal with Apple Inc. to bring the multimedia gadget to more than a dozen countries starting later this year. Associated Press reports.
"No details were offered about the arrangement, including whether it would be the exclusive iPhone provider in the targeted countries."
Internet telephone encryption stumps police
German police are unable to decipher the encryption used in the internet telephone software Skype to monitor calls by suspected criminals and terrorists, Germany's top police officer said on Thursday. The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
"... Experts say Skype and other Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calling software are difficult to intercept because they work by breaking up voice data into small packets and switching them along thousands of router paths instead of a constant circuit between two parties, as with a traditional call.
Ziercke said they were not asking Skype to divulge its encryption keys or leave "back doors open" for German and other country's law enforcement authorities."
May 7, 2008
Bluetooth gives spies a window into your life
Worried about your civil liberties and privacy? Then it may come as a shock to discover that you have unwittingly been allowing your phone to signal your every move writes New Scientist.
"Bluetooth, a wireless link built into many cellphones, makes our movements trackable by anyone equipped with a PC and an appropriate receiver. Vassilis Kostakos at the University of Bath in the UK placed four Bluetooth receivers in the city's centre. Over four months, his team tracked 10,000 Bluetooth phones and was able to "capture and analyse people's encounters" in pubs, streets and shops.
Bluetooth is now more of a privacy threat than the more frequently publicised RFID chips, Kostakos says. "If people are worried, they should turn off the Bluetooth function on their mobile phones."
Soldier In Afghanistan Accidentally Calls Parents In The Middle Of A Battle
An American soldier in Afghanistan accidentally dialed his parents' phone number in Oregon, just as he was in the middle of a battle. Techdirt reports.
"His parents weren't home, but the message was recorded on their voicemail, including (as you might expect) guns firing, lots of swearing, and the son yelling about problems he was having with his gun as well as the need for more ammunition. Even worse, the call cut off just as another soldier yelled "Incoming! RPG!"
The voice mail has been posted on YouTube via KPTV.
As you might imagine, the parents were a bit freaked out, but eventually reached their son, who says he's a bit embarrassed by the whole ordeal. Yet another reminder to make sure to "lock" the keypad on your phone. "
Pope goes digital to better connect with Youth
I4U reports that Pope Benedict will text message thousands of young Catholics on their mobile phones during World Youth Day in Sydney in July.
The Pope will text daily messages of inspiration and hope during the six-day Sydney event while digital prayer walls will be erected at event sites and the church will set up a Catholic social networking Web site akin to a Catholic Facebook.
The Catholic Church said it decided to use technology to connect to the estimated 225,000 young Catholics expected to attend the World Youth Day (WYD) celebrations that start on July 15.
Telstra said it plans to connect 8,000 volunteers, 2,000 clergy, 3,000 media and an anticipated 225,000 pilgrims to more than 700 locations around Sydney."
Previously: - World Youth Day - Pope reaches pilgrims by SMS
Phone charger incorporates automatic data back-up
The aptly named "Data-backup mobile phone charger" from Longshow automatically performs the task of backing-up your contacts whilst your phone is charging, and not only that, the multi-talented device also acts as a portable power supply in case you run out of juice away from mains power, as well as a SD/MMC card reader. Gizmag reports.
"The device supports many major phone brands including Nokia, Motorola, Blackberry, Samsung and Sony-Ericsson and as a portable charger, it can also be used for PMPs, digital cameras and other portable gadgets."
Hello Kitty car charger for cel phones
Spotted on FarEast Gizmo, a Hello Kitty car cigar lighter / charger for cell phones.
India Hits 261 Million Mobile Subscribers
India had 261 million mobile phone subscriptions at the end of March, ranking it second in terms of the size of the mobile market—behind China. Wireless connections outnumber the 39 million fixed-line phones in India by seven to one.
[via MocoNews.net]
Synchronoss: Unlocked iPhones Are Killing Us
A lousy Q1 and scary message from Synchronoss, which handles gadget activations for companies like AT&T (T) and Time Warner Cable: The company has "materially lowered" its growth expectations for 2008 "due in large part to reduced revenues associated with the iPhone, which masks the underlying growth and momentum of the rest of our business," CEO Stephen Waldis said in the company's earnings release.
Why the drop? Waldis listed three reasons during the company's conference call. Most important: More iPhones are being sold to be "unlocked" -- and never officially activated -- than Synchronoss expected.
[Silicon Alley Insider via Gizmodo]
French Mobile Market Creates 100,000 Jobs
The size of the French mobile telephony market reached almost $34 billion in 2007 and was the source of 100,000 direct and indirect jobs in France. By the end of 2007, investment in mobile telecoms networks in France totalled almost $51 billion, according to the French Association of Mobile Operators.
[via Cellular News]
US College Students busted in drug sting. They promoted cocain by SMS
Dozens of San Diego State University students were arrested after a sweeping drug investigation found that some fraternity members openly dealt drugs and one even sent a mass text message advertising cocaine, authorities said Tuesday, reports MSNBC.
... "Those arrested included a student who was about to receive a criminal justice degree and another who was to receive a master’s degree in homeland security.
A member of Theta Chi sent out a mass text message to his “faithful customers” stating that he and his “associates” would be unable to sell cocaine while they were in Las Vegas over one weekend, according to the DEA.
The text promoted a cocaine “sale” and listed the reduced prices."
Mobile Phone Theft Highest in Cambridge
Cambridge (UK) is the worst place to live when it comes to mobile phone crime.
According to the Metropolitan Police, as many as 10,000 mobile phones are stolen every month, affecting 20 per cent of the population. The likeliest location for theft: the pub.
[via The Shefiield Telegraph]
Building digital life lines
Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) steps in when natural disasters occur wiping out electricity, fresh water and communication infrastructures. The BBC reports.
"The group are currently on standby to deploy to Burma; they are waiting for authorisation to enter the country.
"The UN-sponsored organisation specialises in setting up communication links at times of emergency, for use by charities and those affected.
... The first phone call they offered anyone was to an Albanian refugee caught up during the conflict in Kosovo in 1998.
Since then, TSF has deployed on countless missions all over the world, offering calls to thousands of people.
Recent funding of $2m from the UN Foundation and the Vodafone Group Foundation means that the charity - which still only has 15 permanent staff - can be "in country" for 200 days every year."