Microsoft's Windows phones hit the market

After months of talking about Windows Mobile 6.5, Microsoft is announcing on Tuesday that the first crop of phones to carry the Windows Phone brand are ready to hit the market. A host of new phones running the new operating system are expected to debut between now and the holidays, with many being announced later on Tuesday. [via News.com] permalink (October 6th, 2009)

Wind-up mobile targets developing regions

Spencer Kelly on the BBC looks at a mobile phone with an integrated wind-up charger which could be useful for people without access to a power supply. Wind-up chargers which plug in to an electronic device are quite common but this is a first, and its developers think it could find a market in developing regions like India and Africa. permalink (October 3rd, 2009)

Window Phone concept predicts the weather

Spotted on Yanko Design, The ‘Window Phone’ concept by Seunghan Song that makes accurate predictions and even changes its display to reflect the climatic conditions outdoors. permalink (August 19th, 2009)

Aussie telco boss loses top-secret Windows cellphone

Sol Trujillo, controversial head of Australian telephone provider, Telstra, has had his pocket picked. Worse still a mobile phone, probably the same as that illustrated, loaded with top-secret software was nicked at the same time. Blorge reports.

The new-generation software was on a phone given to Mr Trujillo in Barcelona, Spain this week at the World Mobile Congress. Details are as yet a little scarce but the reports in the press suggest phone is thought to to be either an HTC Touch Pro2 or the HTC Touch Diamond2, which operates on the new Windows Mobile 6.5 software. A Telstra spokesman yesterday confirmed the phone was given to Mr Trujillo, but said it was in the possession of a senior Telstra executive at the time of the theft. Steve Ballmer, head of Microsoft, only unveiled the software this week which is burn before reading material. Journalists were not even allowed to touch the phone. The phone — not the stolen one but an exact copy — will be on sale in the US by June, with the new software following by the end of the year. The advertising could be spectacular — At last, the mobile worth stealing.

permalink (February 19th, 2009)

Pantech, KTF intro handsets with Wind Recognition

Korea's Pantech on Thursday announced the upcoming introduction of what it claims to be a pair of nearly identical cellphones with a Wind Recognition feature, the SKT IM-S410 and KTF IM-S410K. electronista reports.

Equipped with a Nintendo DS-like sensor that can gauge the amount of forced air or wind moving through it, the feature is tied into various functions of the handset that, among other things, allows users to blow an emoticon kiss during a video call. The feature can also be used in the phones' photo galleries, gaming and video applications.

permalink (February 12th, 2009)

The HYmini, a cool compact wind-powered charger

Spotted on Ken Banks' Kiwanja.net, a revolutionary way of capturing renewable power for your your mobile phone: The HYmini, a handheld, universal charger/adapter device that harnesses renewable wind, solar power and conventional wall plug power - to recharge almost all mobile gadgets. permalink (January 26th, 2009)

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." permalink (May 7th, 2008)

President Sarkozy advised to watch his texting manners at Windsor

According to The First Post, French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been advised to behave in a more statesmanlike manner, starting with his visit to Windsor on March 26 as a guest of the Queen. "No more Ray-Bans and jogging shorts, no more public kisses and cuddles with new wife Carla Bruni, and definitely no more texting on his mobile while in meetings with heads of state - all of these are high on the list of his advisors' new do's and don't's. ... Text-messaging has been one of his more shocking habits: he did it during an audience with Pope Benedict, and then again in a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. "It is embarrassing and extremely discourteous," said a French diplomat unused to such casual behaviour from the president." permalink (March 17th, 2008)

"Green" building windows can block cell signals

Eileen Bridges, a senior vice president for strategic planning and technical architecture at Bank of America, said the bank has discovered that energy-efficient windows in its newer buildings are blocking cellular phone signals. Computerworld reports. "As a result, the bank faces paying premium access charges to wireless carriers to enhance indoor cellular signals, Bridges said. She spoke yesterday at a panel discussion on wireless technology at Mobile & Wireless Enterprise 2008. With more than 15 buildings in Charlotte, where the bank is headquartered, the three buildings designated as green are the ones where the cellular signal problem has been detected, Bridges said. ... Several analysts and IT managers at the conference said they had never heard of the problem before, but Bridges said the interference has been linked to a special doping material used in the manufacturing process." permalink (March 5th, 2008)

Mobile Forensics: Phone-Shield with faraday window

I'm not sure why this beats the simple paper bags Sara Sidle et al use on CSI:, where found evidence is sealed and labeled, but a company called Disklabs has come up with a Phone-Shield with a faraday window "to ensure that data on a suspect’s mobile phone can be investigated without that data being compromised when the phone connects to its relevant network. Phone-Shield successfully keeps suspects’ mobile phones secure from any incoming communications from the networks at the point of police capture, irrespective of the type of phone, frequency or network. " [Press release. Picture from forensicfocus]

More on mobile forensic techniques.

permalink (December 17th, 2007)

Cell Phone Sign From Soho Café Window. Be Warned.

A sign in the window of a Soho café. Spotted on Smart Mobs via Blackbelt Jones. permalink (November 15th, 2007)

UK to Sell Wind-Powered Cell Phone Charger

According to TheRaw Feed, UK telecom giant Orange plans to sell a tiny wind-powered cell phone charger developed at the University of Texas at Arlington. "The Mobile Wind Charger charges a small "control box," which you can plug into with your phone for a full charge." Related links to wind and other alternative chargers permalink (August 18th, 2007)

Kenya. Wind Powered Cell Phone Base Stations

Spotted on Afrigadget, winafrique's hybrid wind and diesel turbine systems for powering cell phone base stations. permalink (July 3rd, 2007)

Orange harness wind power to charge phones

Orange will demonstrate a wind-powered mobile phone charger next week, as part of its sponsorship of the Glastonbury festival, reports Mobile Today. "The operator commissioned the prototype, which weighs just 150g and can be mounted on a tent. The unit is designed to generate and store power during the day to allow charging in the evening. Orange worked with the University of Texas to develop a charger that would take advantage of the English climate 'to ensure a constant energy source." [via SMSTextNews] permalink (June 14th, 2007)

Mobile networks powered by wind

Wind and solar energy could be used to set up mobile phone networks in rural areas of the world without power, reports the BBC. "The world's first mobile phone base station powered by wind and the sun's rays will soon open in Namibia, led by Motorola. "Namibia is a huge country with only two million people - to get power to rural areas is very expensive. "You are paying US $8,000 per kilometre to get a grid power line. And to get on the grid you can wait a year or two to get a power line." This solution is perfect for areas only accessible by helicopter - that's where we would be looking to deploy this technology, said Linda Brown, Motorola UK. In India a separate trial from Ericsson is using biodiesel to power mobile base stations. permalink (February 14th, 2007)

Cell Phones, windows to our souls

The Washington Post reports on how media-savvy ministries adapting their message for a new generation of phones, which have memories capable of holding entire books and playing videos and music. "The result: missionaries in Asia beaming testimonials onto a two-inch screen; a three-day, 100,000-person crusade boiled down to a two-minute video sermon; a Christian punk ring tone." ... Using a phone for spiritual purposes raises unique questions: Is it rude to watch your phone in church-- if that's where you've downloaded your Bible? Can text-message blessings be spiritually enriching? Is therea sense of religious community on a cellular phone? ellphones actually might be well suited for spiritual communication. Carried everywhere by their owners, they are the most intimate piece of technology many people own. They are emblazoned with personalized "wallpaper," have ring tones meant to advertise their owners' very essence and are loaded with personal information. These palm-size gadgets "can take on a mystical significance," said James Katz, who studies the cultural and social impact of cellphones at Rutgers University, where he is the director of the Center for Mobile Communication Studies." ... Since launching in September, The MobileWorld has gained thousands of subscribers who can watch on their phones two- to three-minute video sermons by Greg Laurie, pastor at the country's eighth-largest church, Harvest Christian Fellowship, or snippets of Christian comics and hip-hop artists. Stained glass window from Restoreglass/a> permalink (November 6th, 2006)

Wind-Up Phone Charger Distribution Deal

Cellular News reports that Freeplay Energy has signed a five year agreement with WP Phones to sell at least one million of their wind-up chargers per year, primarily in Africa. "WP Phones will have exclusive distribution rights in sub Saharan Africa over the period. The agreement is for both models of the FreeCharge. One model is a low-cost 12 volt unit which is adapted to handsets via a standard cigarette lighter adapter. The other model is a multiple voltage unit with versatile connectivity which is able to power a wide range of cell phone handsets and other personal electronic devices." Other hand-cranked devices to recharge mobile phones: -- Emergency Flashlight Recharges Cell Phones - Electrilite Emergency is a new hand-cranked emergency flashlight with a built in FM radio, an alarm and an outlet to recharge cell phones. -- Sony's Hand-Cranked Radio Has Light, Can Charge Cell Phone - Sony Corp. has taken the wraps off a hand-cranked emergency AM/FM radio that can also serve as a flashlight and comes with an attachment for charging a cellular phone. -- Hand crank Motorola Phone Project - The Motorola PVOT designed by Andre Minoli is intended as a lower tier phone for developping latin American countries. Designed to operate on rechargeable AA batteries. It is charged via a hand crank. -- Sidewinder Charger - A hand-cranked charger that needs no other power source. Two minutes of winding will give you six minutes of talk time but you can keep cranking until your hand gives out or you lose interest in the conversation. -- GoGoPower Wind-Up Device Charges Mobile Phones - Made by Japanese technology company Fuso Rikaseihin, it's a a wind-up mobile phone charger which gives you an extra 20 minutes of power. It takes 5 minutes to wind it up though. permalink (May 22nd, 2006)

SMS Window Auction

An exclusive shopping store in Copenhagen, ILLUM recently launched an SMS-auction concept called Window Shopping. Guerrilla Innovation reports. "Between March 2nd and 24th, the store is putting three luxury items on auction everyday. The items are placed in the window, facing pedestrians who can submit their bids via SMS. The latest bids are displayed on plasma screens, so that people can the follow the action in real time." This is not a first, In 2003 and 2004, London's Selfridges on Oxford Street offfered strollers passing by the possibility to bid on items in their store window. The first auction was for Elle Macpherson's (aka "The Bod") body cast (!) and the second, art objects from a British art house. permalink (March 15th, 2006)

Passerbys conduct orchestra in shop window with cell phones

Régine on WMMNA has written up some fabulous interactive shop windows she's read about over the past few months. These two are related to cell phones: Sale Away "In Staalplaat's Sale Away, passers-by could conduct an "orchestra" of household devices via their mobile phones on a display window. The mechanical orchestra consisted of flute, organ and brass playing vacuum cleaners, rattling kitchen mixers, buzzing ventilators, radio playing toy trains, wobbling jigsaws, dancing tumble dryers, humming refrigerators and other misused household utilities. The Digital Aquarium The Digital Aquarium, by Digit featured 150 pre-programmed mobile phones in a glass tank on display at London's Design Museum in 2002. When viewers dialed the number on the side of the tank, the handsets vibrated, their screens lighted up and each one emited a distinctive ring tone, creating an effect which is meant to look like a school of fish swimming around. (image Sensory Impact) permalink (January 28th, 2006)

Wind-Powered Cell Phones

Students at the Indian Institute of Technology have developed a pocket-sized turbine that attaches to your cellphone to charge it, reports Gizmodo. "Best suited for use in costal areas with near-constant wind flow or long talks with your mother, the device can also be used during travel as long as you set it up against the wind. The idea is to allow mobile users to charge and continue using their phone when they're away from electricity". That would be fabulous, because in many developping nations, recharging cell phones is a real problem: -- Five mile walk to recharge phones - "People from Ciosa, in Bistrita Nasaud county, are buying phones even though they have never had electricity in their village. Their network signal is good but they have to walk to the next village to recharge their phone batteries." -- Mobile power - According to Rory Stear from Freeplay Energy, a company that develops and sells 'wind-up' energy generators, Kenya has 30 million people and three million cell phone users - but only 200,000 households that have electricity," he says. "People mail their mobile phones to relatives with electricity at home just to recharge them... permalink (February 24th, 2005)

Charity swindle warning

Authorities warn generous Norwegians to check exactly who is collecting money for tsunami aid. Several swindles have already been revealed, reports Aftenposten. "The State Collection Control issued a warning advising people to check a register of 'serious' organizations. Norway's economic crime unit Økokrim has already cracked down on phony collectors and e-mail and SMS schemes." Links to all Tsunami/cell phone stories posted in Textually.org. permalink (January 5th, 2005)

GoGoPower Wind-Up Device Charges Mobile Phones

If you ever run out of battery power at the end of the day on your cell phone, the GoGoPower is for you. Made by Japanese technology company Fuso Rikaseihin, it's a a wind-up mobile phone charger which gives you an extra 20 minutes of power. It takes 5 minutes to wind it up though, according to Mobile Mag.

A year ago, C/Net Asia reviewed a similar wind-up mobile phone charge for Motoral, called the FreeCharge, made by Freeplay Energy Group.

permalink (September 24th, 2003)

Bidding for art from a Selfridges window display

Since March 28 and for two weeks, per an article in wonderful 160characters.org, passers by strolling in front of Selfridges on Oxford Street, can bid by SMS on art objects exposed in the window, per an orignal idea from affordable-art house britart.com, who partnered on this venture with mobile marketing genius flytxt.

How does it work? Each window displays a dotmatrix sign with live updated bidding prices. An interested customer sends an SMS with his bid to a phone number displayed in the window. He then receives in return an SMS from britart.com, asking him to confirm his bid online and register his name, number and credit card. If he is outbid, he receives an SMS giving him the opportunity to bid again.

permalink (April 2nd, 2003)

Japan phone alerts couples to baby-making window

A new mobile phone available through Japan's NTT DoCoMo can ring to let would-be mothers know when they reach the most fertile part of their monthly reproductive cycles, reports Reuters. "By tapping in data on menstruation dates, the user can programme the phone to alert her three days before ovulation and again on the day. The company warns that the calculations are based on average cycles. ... The handset provides several other functions designed to appeal to women, such as a recipe database and a button on the side that sets off a "camouflage melody", allowing the user to avoid unwanted attention by pretending to receive a call." This is not new, previously China launched a pink phone to help monitor menstrual cycles and an SMS service from UK family planing, Mother and Baby, launched a "Time for Sex" text alert as early as 2001. permalink (October 31st, 2006)

Cell phones don't ring everyone's bell

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.

permalink (November 20th, 2009)

Bangladeshis rush to learn English by mobile

In an ambitious new project, the BBC World Service Trust is harnessing the latest communications technology to provide English language learning for over 50 million mobile users in Bangladesh. The first of its kind in the world, this project will provide high quality English learning tools using mobile, television and the internet to millions of people, many of whom live on less than £2 a day. Central to the project is BBC Janala (“Window”) which uses the mobile phone as a powerful low-cost learning device by offering over 250 audio and SMS lessons to the growing 50.4 million mobile users in Bangladesh. To make the lessons affordable, the BBC has teamed up with all six of Bangladesh’s mobile operators who have agreed to cut the cost of calls to the service by up to 75%. Each lesson is a three-minute phone call, costing about 3 taka (2.6p). According to The Financial Times,

More than 300,000 people in Bangladesh have rushed to sign up to learn English over their mobile phones, threatening to swamp the service even before its official launch on Friday. Part of a UK government initiative to help develop English skills in Bangladesh, it marks the first time that mobile phones have been used as an educational tool on this scale.

[via Switched] permalink (November 19th, 2009)

Doing your Laundry? There's an app for that

Procter & Gamble’s Tide brand has launched Stain Brain, an iPhone app that consumers can use to find and share ways to remove stains at home and on the go. [via Mobile Marketer]

The free application lets consumers search for step-by-step cleaning instructions from the experts at Tide and other iPhone users to get answers before stains have a chance to set in. For those iPhone users who have a secret recipe for removing tough stains, Tide Stain Brain lets them instantly share their own tips and tricks within the application.

Related app: - My Janitor iPhone App - a how to guide for cleaning everything: Title, wood, upholstery, floors, cars, clothes, windows, electronics and removing stains such as red wine, grease, oil, ink, wax, gum. permalink (November 13th, 2009)

Humorous video of rejected Microsoft apps

Spotted on TechCrunch, a humorous video released by Microsoft’s Windows Mobile Dev team, giving a sneak peek at some of the rejected apps from the Microsoft Apps Lab. A couple of favorites, the "Virtual Sundial" that tells time sort of, and the “Germaphobe”, a virtual handshake app. permalink (October 23rd, 2009)

My Janitor iPhone App

Now here's a useful app. My Janitor is a how to guide for cleaning everything: Title, wood, upholstery, floors, cars, clothes, windows, electronics and removing stains such as red wine, grease, oil, ink, wax, gum. Also offers location based cleaning services. permalink (October 22nd, 2009)

Jon Stewart Exposes CNN's Texting and Driving Silliness

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
CNN Warns Against Texting While Driving
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Ron Paul Interview

The Daily Show about CNN's report on the dangers of texting while driving. [via Comedy Central] permalink (October 3rd, 2009)

SMS for the blind and visually impaired

Nokia Labs is bringing SMS reception to the blind with a Braille-based text message reader compatible with the company's latest touch-screen phones. The Register reports.

Nokia has created an application that renders received messages as Braille characters and then uses vibrations to convey those characters to the user. Several models of phone can read out text messages automatically, and Code Factory even makes screen-reading software to allow blind users to navigate the S60, Blackberry or Windows Mobile interface without needing to see the screen. But the solution from Nokia Labs is also silent, which can be important on occasion.

permalink (September 17th, 2009)

Safaricom launches solar-powered mobile phone

A solar-powered mobile phone has been launched by Kenyan­ mobile network operator, Safaricom, reports Renewable Energy.

Called Simu ya Solar, the handset has been made by them from recycled materials and it posses an in-built solar panel. This solar-charged phone will come in handy specifically in the rural parts where there is no grid electricity and even in urban areas, it is specially for those who are keen on saving on phone maintenance costs.

Related: -- Mobile screens become solar cells -- Solar powered cell phones in China by April 2007 -- Solar-powered cellphone in the works at NTTDoCoMo -- Germany's Solar Powered Mobile Phone permalink (August 17th, 2009)

The National Symphony Orchestra tweets tweeting Beethoven's "Pastoral" Symphony

The National Symphony Orchestra is trying an experiment. It's tweeting Beethoven's "Pastoral" Symphony, Thursday night at Wolf Trap. The Washington Post reports.

The orchestra will use the micro-blogging site Twitter to send text messages of 140 characters or fewer from conductor Emil de Cou during the performance. (Example: "In my score Beethoven has printed Nightingale = flute Quail = oboe Cuckoo = clarinet -- a mini concerto for woodwind/birds.") The idea is that those interested will sit in a designated area on the Wolf Trap lawn with their BlackBerrys, iPhones or other mobile devices and, by following the Twitter user NSOatWolfTrap, gain a new perspective on the score. Of course, you can also follow along without actually being at Wolf Trap at all.

Read full article. permalink (July 31st, 2009)

Microsoft Opens Mobile App Store to Developers

Microsoft officially opened its Windows Marketplace for Mobile application store to software developers on Monday as the giant software maker moves to catch up to the success of Apple's iPhone App Store. PC World reports.

Microsoft is now accepting submissions of mobile phone software applications from registered developers in 29 countries and is offering prizes for the most popular applications as judged by downloads, revenue, usefulness and more, said Todd Brix, leader of Windows Marketplace for Mobile at Microsoft, in a blog posting.

permalink (July 28th, 2009)

Watching an iPhone Feud on 'The Daily Show'

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
iFeud
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Joke of the Day

In a segment called “iFeud,” Wyatt Cenac, a correspondent for “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” talks to the creators of the rival iPhone apps iFart and Pull My Finger. [via Digits] permalink (July 23rd, 2009)

Mobiles boost Africa climate data

Gaping gaps in weather and climate data across Africa may be filled by a partnership between humanitarian groups and mobile phone companies, reports the BBC.

The project aims to deploy 5,000 automatic weather stations across the continent mounted on phone masts. They will gather data on aspects of weather such as rainfall and wind, and send it to national weather agencies. Former UN chief Kofi Annan says the project could help save lives of people on "the frontlines of climate change". "The world's poorest are also the world's most vulnerable when it comes to the impact of climate change, and the least equipped to deal with its consequences," he said. "Today you find cell phone towers in almost every part of Africa. We have never been able to establish weather monitoring on that scale, until now."

permalink (June 19th, 2009)

Microsoft Stops Paying For Employees' iPhones

Microsoft's cost-cutting measures drove it to lay off thousands of employees and led to some perks being discontinued for its remaining employees - including no longer paying for their Apple Phone data service plans anymore, even if they're used significantly for work purposes. Nor will it pay for Research In Motio BlackBerry service, or a new Palm Pre. Instead, it will only reimburse data plans for Microsoft Windows Mobile-powered smartphones.

[via Silicon Alley Insider via The Washington Post] permalink (June 16th, 2009)

TomTom for iPhone

TomTom introduced a long-awaited iPhone app due this summer that lends turn-by-turn spoken directions and voice activation for the new iPhone 3G S. TWIC reports.

Announced by TomTom co-founder and CEO Peter Frans Pauwels at the Apple Worldwide Developer’s Conference, the app will be sold for a price not yet announced as will a new car mounting kit to be available at www.tomtom.com. The mounting kit provides a speaker and microphone to the iPhone and allows it to mount on a windshield. It uses the TomTom’s current twist-and-lock mount that can fold up for carrying in your pocket. It also charges the iPhone and allows you to tilt the iPhone so it may adjust between landscape and portrait modes. The kit will not allow voice commands for inputting directions, however, according to TomTom marketing VP Tom Murray.

permalink (June 9th, 2009)

Apple prepares to reset the bar in the mobile app market

According to News.com, Apple's plan to allow developers to add in-app payments to applications sold through its iPhone App Store could be the next game-changing step the company takes as it charges ahead in the mobile market.

While in-app commerce is only one of several new enhancements to Apple's iPhone operating system, it may be the most significant. The reason is very simple. By allowing transactions to be completed within applications, Apple is changing the economics of the mobile application market and providing developers more opportunity to make money from their applications. And if executed well, Apple could leave its smartphone competitors in the dust. ... The ability to add in-app purchasing should provide a greater opportunity for developers to generate some cash. As a result, developers may be likely to spend more time, money, and effort developing applications for the iPhone rather than other smartphones, such as the Android devices or Windows Mobile devices.

Read full article permalink (June 6th, 2009)

Sony Ericcson joins the apps party

Sony Ericsson has become the latest mobile phone vendor to plan an online marketplace for third-party applications. PCW reports.

The company said on Wednesday that it will roll out an addition to its PlayNow download service, which will allow users to obtain third-party software for the company's handsets. Developers will be able to begin submitting software for approval on 1 July, and applications can be written as either Java ME or Symbian OS code. The company said that it will not be charging developer fees for submissions. ... Apple and its App Store, Google Android, Palm WebOS, Nokia, Sun and Windows Mobile have all launched or are developing third-party application services.

permalink (June 4th, 2009)

Yahoo iPhone App Can Hear You Now

Yahoo has added its voice-enabled search program to its iPhone app. Voice recognition, called oneSearch, is already available for BlackBerry, Nokia and Windows Mobile phones. It invites comparison with the Google app for the iPhone, which also has voice recognition. [via GadgetWise] permalink (May 22nd, 2009)

Texting at a Symphony? Yes, but Only to Select an Encore

A recent Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra concert of classics like Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, the conductor instructed audience members to take out their phones. The New York Times reports.

In an attempt to appeal to a younger audience, symphony administrators had decided to let the audience choose the encore by text-messaging votes: “A” for Aaron Copland’s “Hoedown,” or “B” for Wagner’s prelude to Act III of “Lohengrin.” (“Hoedown” won by 23 votes.) The New York Philharmonic has also asked audience members to choose encores via text. In recent New York performances of Mozart’s “Così Fan Tutte” by a small opera company, attendees used text messaging to decide which couples would end up together.

Other performances involving cell phones and audience participation -- Actors carry cell phones in new "Misanthrope" production -- Passerbys conduct orchestra in shop window with cell phones -- «This Text Has Legs» -- «Cellphones», a new Rock Musical -- Cell phones and ringtones play part in new musical comedy -- Cellphones join the orchestra -- Ringtone Concert In Estonia -- Text The Dancer -- «Texterritory», an experimental interactive dance performance -- «Text Messaging Theater» -- Op Misses Opera Opp permalink (May 17th, 2009)

Microsoft reveals list of banned mobile apps

Microsoft has published a long list of no-nos for its forthcoming mobile apps store, Windows Marketplace for Mobile. PCPro reports.

The list of banned items includes VoIP applications, which many mobile networks block on the grounds that they could deprive them of call revenue. Applications that have an over-the-air footprint that's larger than 10MB are also persona non grata, as are apps that operate outside of Microsoft runtimes. ... The guidelines may help Microsoft avoid some of the controversy that initially surrounded the iPhone App Store, when Apple was accused of arbitrarily banning certain applications.

permalink (May 7th, 2009)

Career Bloggers Soon to Outnumber Attorneys in US?

As more and more major newspapers fold, in the face of dwindling advertisers and subscribers, bloggers are usurping their roles in record numbers. According to The Wall Street Journal, over 20 million people now blog in the United States. Of those, 1.7 million earn money doing so, while 450,000 primarily earn their livings through the blogged word. Those statistics indicate that there are now more professional bloggers than there are computer programmers or firefighters and career bloggers now also rival attorneys in number.

It takes about 100,000 unique visitors a month to generate an income of $75,000 a year. Bloggers can get $75 to $200 for a good post, and some even serve as "spokesbloggers" -- paid by advertisers to blog about products. As a job with zero commuting, blogging could be one of the most environmentally friendly jobs around -- but it can also be quite profitable. For sites at the top, the returns can be substantial. At some point the value of the Huffington Post will no doubt pass the value of the Washington Post.

[via Switched] permalink (April 22nd, 2009)

Italians Text Help to Earthquake Victims

After the worst earthquake in 30 years struck L’Aquila killing 250 and leaving thousands homeless, Italians are text messaging donations to help, reports Zoomata.

Italian mobile operators, Wind, Tre and Vodafone, made a single number available for SMS donations to earthquake victims. Cell phone users send a blank text to 48580. They’re charged one euro for each text, cell phone companies promise to donate the entire amount of each message. Texters are sent a confirmation that says, “Thank you. With this message you’re helping people in Abruzzo who have been hit by the earthquake.” Thumb tribes have been sending in support in Italy since 2002, when another earthquake in Southern Italy prompted the first cell-phone fund drive.

Image courtesy of Marca_Passos on flickr permalink (April 9th, 2009)

Flowing Blood Could Power iPods and Cell Phones

Power generated from flowing blood, simple body movements or a gentle breeze could one day be converted to electricity to charge iPods, cell phones and other personal electronic devices. LiveScience reports.

Researchers reported today they can harvest energy by converting low-frequency vibrations, like simple body movements, the beating of the heart or movement of the wind, into electricity by using zinc oxide nanowires that conduct the electricity. The nanowires are piezoelectric — they generate an electric current when subjected to mechanical stress.

Read full article. permalink (March 27th, 2009)

Microsoft's App Store: Here's the Deal

Microsoft has unveiled further plans for its new app store called Windows Marketplace for Mobile. PC World has all the details:

Like the iPhone App Store and Android App Market, Microsoft will give developers a 70 percent cut of app sales and will let them set their own prices. Developers will also be charged $99 annually to submit applications to WMM. The first year's fee will cover submitting up to five applications to the app store, and every program after that will cost $99 per submission. Student developers can submit applications for free through the Microsoft DreamSpark program. Apple also charges an annual fee of $99 to enter the iPhone Developer program, but charges $299 for companies with more than 500 employees.

permalink (March 11th, 2009)

Mobile Spouse Snooping is illegal

Monitoring a cheating partner may be possible but it also could be illegal in Australia - and elsewhere. Mark Russell reports for the The Sydney Morning Herald.

A mobile phone monitoring service using GPS satellite technology is being promoted by private investigators as an easy way to catch out cheating spouses, but the Australian Consumers' Association warns it is illegal. Association spokesman Christopher Zinn said the "target" had to give their consent before being tracked. He urged consumers to be wary of any private investigators offering mobile monitoring services because they did not accept liability. Under the Surveillance Devices Act, anyone caught using tracking devices or spy cameras without consent faces a maximum penalty of two years' jail and a $26,429 fine. An Australian company, Spousebusters, which claims to be "specialists in busting cheating spouses", offers clients "mobile phone monitoring software" for Series 60 (Nokia, LG and Samsung), Blackberry and Windows mobile devices.

Read full article. permalink (March 8th, 2009)

Victoria Police issue statewide fire SMS and Twitter alerts

Victoria Police have taken the unprecedented step of sending a text message to every mobile phone in the state, warning of extreme weather conditions on Monday night and Tuesday, reports The Sydney Morning Herald. The text message read:

Msg from Vic Police: Extreme weather in Vic expected Mon night & Tues. High wind & fire risk. Listen to local ABC Radio for emergency updates. Do not reply to this. It is the first time Victoria Police has utilised SMS messaging as a virtual doorknock to all Victorians, according to police spokesman Glen Atwell. The same message was also sent via Twitter, linking to the Victoria Police website.

permalink (March 2nd, 2009)

Earn money testing mobile apps promises 02

Apps are becoming a source of income, and not just if you are developer. According to MacWorld, testing and reviewing apps are another way to make money.

UK's O2 has unveiled an app store that lets mobile phone users earn money by testing apps for their handsets and providing feedback to the developers. The network provider launched O2 Litmus to developers in December and asked them to start building apps, which could then be made available through the store. The operator has now made the site live to its customers. The apps are compatible with a wide range of handsets, including the Motorola V3, Nokia N95, O2 Xda Orbit II and Samsung U600, on a number of platforms such as BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows Mobile.

permalink (February 17th, 2009)