http://www.textually.org/ en-us emily@netsurf.ch 2009-11-23T08:21:54+01:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024991.htm The elimination of the iPhone's exclusivity to Orange in France has resulted in "more than double" the sales of the device and dealt a blow to the Blackberry. [via Electronista] ]]> 24991@http://www.textually.org/ News, Buzz 2009-11-23T08:21:54+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024988.htm mocoNews.net reports that the new Samsung Omnia II will include Swype's input method that they are calling “Genius Texting.” The technology developed by Swype provides a faster and easier way to input text on any screen. With one continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard, the patented technology enables users to input words faster and easier than other data input methods—at over 50 words per minute. See Swype demo video her. ]]> 24988@http://www.textually.org/ Enhanced Keyboards for SMS 2009-11-22T20:34:39+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024987.htm Spotted on Ubergizmo, a Textminator, a coin-operated arcade that lets you put your texting skills to the test. ]]> 24987@http://www.textually.org/ Technology 2009-11-22T20:20:40+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024986.htm Not related to cell phones, but wild if true. According to TechRadar, Apple is apparently refusing to repair computers that show signs of cigarette smoke. According to reports from Mac owners seeking repairs under warranty, the company claimed evidence of cigarette smoke inside the machines in question constitutes a "biohazard". ]]> 24986@http://www.textually.org/ News, Buzz 2009-11-22T11:09:36+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024985.htm Mobile devices are the preferred tools by social network site (SNS) users over PCs in at least four Asian countries, according to a recent IDC survey reports PC World. The report, titled "Examining Usage, Perceptions, and Monetization: The Coming of Age for Social Network Sites in Asia/Pacific," said more than 50 per cent of respondents in China, India, South Korea and Thailand access social networks such as Facebook weekly via mobile phones. Read full article or full IDG report ($5000). ]]> 24985@http://www.textually.org/ SMS Studies & Research 2009-11-22T10:34:15+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024984.htm The Iranian news website Tabnak and several bloggers are reporting that authorities are sending text messages to citizens warning them not to take part in antigovernment protests. Spero News reports. According to Tabnak, the SMS warns recipients that they have been identified as participants in past protests, and that they should stop attending demonstrations. The reports come ahead of Student Day on December 7, which the opposition has vowed to “turn green” in support of the Green movement backing opposition leader Mir Hossein Musavi. Read full article. ]]> 24984@http://www.textually.org/ SMS and Politics 2009-11-22T10:31:18+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024982.htm KKTV has a news segment on spyware that allows you to listen in on cell phone calls. They don't name the company, but in their video you get a glimpse of a web page of a company called Flexispy which offers this kind of eavesdropping as "a way to catch a cheating spouse or keep tabs on children". The software downloaded into your cell phone allows someone to eavesdrop, see your text messages and read your e-mails. Every time that target phone receives a call or text, it alerts the phone of the spy. The best way to protect your phone, according to KKTV, is to never let it out of your sight. The spyware can only be installed if it is physically downloaded onto the phone and it takes about 15 minutes to do so. ]]> 24982@http://www.textually.org/ Technology 2009-11-21T08:55:17+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024983.htm People with an eating disorder may not want to attend a support group or meet with therapists, but a new report raises the prospect that "remote therapies" via e-mail, text messaging or through Web sites could help them recover. US News reports. Related: -- Nagging text messages help you save and stay healthy -- Text messages may help smokers quit ]]> 24983@http://www.textually.org/ Health Issues and SMS Alerts 2009-11-21T08:50:50+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024981.htm Another way cell phones are being used in the developing world, by providing family planning information. allAfrica.com reports. ]]> 24981@http://www.textually.org/ Mobile phone projects - Third World 2009-11-21T08:48:53+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024980.htm Hang on to your handset ... smartphones are a goldmine of information for thieves, writes The Sydney Morning Herald. ... While many mobile-phone SIM cards might contain contacts and texts deleted from years ago, experts agree that it is the vastly improved data and storage capacity of the new generation of smartphones that presents the most potent risk to their owners. ... “It may not be what's recoverable from the phone that is valuable but what can be further discovered online, by ringing around and using the easily accessible information,” Kim Khor, director of Khor Wills & Associates says. Mobile phone forensics comprise an important part of crime detection and corporate security, but they are increasingly playing a role for private detectives investigating marital or work disputes. Read full article. Related: -- Mobile forensics turns up heat on suspects - How forensic science is developping new tools to investigate cell phone data - even when deleted - and solve crimes. -- Fighting Crime With Cellphones' Clues - Extracting clues and leads from mobile electronics is no cakewalk. -- Cellphone Forensics at Crime Scenes - Logicube has developed a portable kit which can extract data from over 160 handset when needed by the police and forensic staff. --Digital evidence is increasingly crucial to criminal investigations - Cell phones have become the new "smoking gun" for prosecutors and police in the Twin Cities and around the world. -- UK police making Gil Grissom jealous... - The Forensic Science Service (FSS) has developed a mobile laboratory which will travel to crime scenes and carry out real-time forensic investigation and analysis. -- The field of Cell Phone Forensics - Modern detectives are now using cell phone forensics to capture more and more criminals. -- Police turn forensic skills on handhelds - Handhelds are likelier to lead to handcuffs for techie criminals following the release of a report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. -- Mobile phone forensics 'hole' reported - Police investigations are being hindered by the use of proprietary mobile phone technologies, say forensics experts. ]]> 24980@http://www.textually.org/ Technology 2009-11-21T08:15:00+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024979.htm Dynamics Controls has integrated an iPhone with its power wheelchair electronics - enabling power wheelchair users to enjoy all the benefits of an iPhone or iPod touch. The solution connects a user's iPhone or iPod touch to the wheelchair system to display speed, battery and other wheelchair information in a great looking and easily visible way. Lee Kwok, a wheel chair user in Christchurch says it will be fantastic to be able to buy an off the shelf product that has so many features for powered wheelchair users. "Having access to mainstream technology via a wheelchair is a huge advantage," says Lee Kwok. [via iPhoneFreak] ]]> 24979@http://www.textually.org/ Technology 2009-11-20T16:07:03+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024978.htm Earlier this month, Twitter rolled out a Spanish language version of its service. This was the first language to gain native support beyond English and Japanese. Today, it’s announcing French support as well. [via TechCrunch] ]]> 24978@http://www.textually.org/ Twitter 2009-11-20T15:55:52+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024977.htm Musical twitterers have found a way to condense entire compositions to fit in single, 140-character tweets. New Scientist reports. The trend started earlier this year when Dan Stowell, a composer and computer scientist at Queen Mary, University of London, encoded the sound of waves crashing on the shore using the programming language SuperCollider and then tweeted the results. Other users of the micro-blogging site responded by devising and posting their own compositions. Now a free to download, best-of album of 22 Twitter tunes has been released, entitled sc140. ]]> 24977@http://www.textually.org/ Twitter 2009-11-20T15:51:17+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024976.htm Most of us just can't live without a cell phone and we wonder how we managed all those years without one. But according to The Houston Chronicle, a small group of die hard folks are surviving just fine without what some describe as a high-tech digital leash. Although the number of holdouts is dwindling, U.S. Census data released Thursday indicates 29 percent of the nation's homes still do not have cell phones. Yet Census data show the ubiquitous cell phone is increasingly becoming the communication tool of choice for the majority. Some are even disconnecting their landlines and using cell phones exclusively. According to the new data, the number of households with cell phones exploded from 36 percent to 71 percent between 1998 and 2005. Landline ownership during this same period fell from 96 percent to 91 percent, with many in their 20s particularly seeing no useful purpose in having a hard-wired phone. Those age 65 and older were the most likely to still have landlines — 98 percent. ]]> 24976@http://www.textually.org/ Random Stats 2009-11-20T15:46:49+01:00 http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2009/11/024975.htm Money transfers and payments over mobile phones will be among the top 10 most important mobile applications by 2012, market research company Gartner said on Wednesday, reports PC World. Mobile money transfers top the list, beating out location-based services, search and browsing. "It's a way for users who don't have a bank account to get access to financial services," said Sandy Shen, of Gartner's. Mobile payments came in sixth place on Gartner's list and will be used in both developed and developing markets, according to Shen. Read full article. ]]> 24975@http://www.textually.org/ SMS and Banking 2009-11-20T15:41:54+01:00