Students From Around The World Learn Through SMS

Students from around the world will be able to learn together by using SMS in the new school year 2009-2010. Cellular News reports.

An IICD supported Global Teenager Project will experiment with using SMS to ensure that schools without internet access can also participate in one of the world's largest online learning programs.

Although the Global Teenager Project was already widely spread throughout the world, the program was only accessible for schools with access to the internet.

Through the internet, classes around the world ask each other questions about a certain theme (such as 'politics in my country', 'teen life' and 'how HIV/AIDS affects the world') that they also talked about in class. This way they earn from each others cultures.

With the new SMS component, it is now also possible for schools in rural areas with very limited or no access to the internet at all to participate in the project.

... The first countries that will use SMS for learning in the Global Teenager Project are most likely Zambia, Ghana, South-Africa, Zimbabwe, Canada, Romania and the Netherlands.

Te reo Maori comes to iPhones

A Hamilton company has created the technology to bring te reo Maori to iPhones, one of New Zealand's official languages, where a simple text message will see English translated into Maori. Stuff reports.

The iPhone application is being launched nationally by Auckland University of Technology and Te Upukare National Maori Language Institute next week, the start of Maori Language Week.

The application for iPhone will see the Maori dictionary built into iPhones, but the pair have also developed the systems for text messaging which would see translations and definitions text messaged to phones.

Watching an iPhone Feud on 'The Daily Show'

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]

Mobile Internet Use Shrinks Digital Divide in the US

A survey, conducted in April by interviewing 2,253 Americans, found that while accessing the Internet via a mobile phone was increasing, the swell was reflected most sharply among African-Americans. Bits Blog reports.

The typical early adopter of a dozen years ago was a white guy in his mid- to late thirties,” said John Horrigan, associate director of the Pew Internet Project and principal author on the report. “Now you see the cutting edge in mobile Internet being populated by younger people of color.”

The report found that nearly half of all African-Americans and English-speaking Hispanics (the study did not include a Spanish-language option) were using mobile phones or other hand-held devices to surf the Web and send e-mail messages. By comparison, just 28 percent of white Americans reported ever going online using a mobile device.

Read full article.

Phone gadget to diagnose disease

Researchers have developed an add-on to a mobile phone that can take detailed images and analyse them to diagnose diseases such as tuberculosis., reports the BBC.

The CellScope works as a so-called fluorescence microscope that can identify the markers of disease.

It is hoped the device will be useful in the developing world, where such medical diagnostics are rare but mobile ownership and coverage are common.

The research is published in the free-access journal PLoS ONE.

Read full article. And related article in New Scientist.

China iPhone man commits suicide

A young Chinese worker suspected of stealing a prototype for the fourth generation iPhone has committed suicide. The BBC reports.

Sun Danyong was 25. He threw himself off a 12-storey building last week.

He worked for Foxconn in the southern city of Shenzhen and was responsible for shipping 16 iPhone prototypes to Apple..

One went missing. Sun reported the loss, and the company launched an investigation.

Sun's former classmates have told Chinese newspapers that during that investigation he was beaten, his house was searched and he was locked up in a room alone.

They say he described the experience in an online chat with them as one of the most humiliating experiences of his life.

Above, a video screengrab obtained by the Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper shows Sun Danyong being led into a room to be questioned on July 15, posted on The Sydney Morning Herald.

Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet in a statement to CNET on Tuesday:

We are saddened by the tragic loss of this young employee, and we are awaiting results of the investigations into his death. We require our suppliers to treat all workers with dignity and respect.

Arts Magazine Wound Launches iPhone Edition

Wound magazine, which, in its own words, “celebrates edginess and originality through works that inspire in art, fashion, architecture and design” has launched an iPhone app of its summer issue to complement the print and online versions.

In their own words:

With over 400 pages of magazine content, iWound exists to bring creative culture close-up to a global movile audience.

[via Mobile Marketing Magazine]

Visa tests mobile phone service to tackle card fraud

Visa Europe is trialling an SMS transaction alert service for cardholders in an attempt to step up card security. Computing.co.uk reports.

Using the service, Visa credit card holders can instantly receive on their mobile the time, location and amount of each transaction.

Cardholders can choose to have the updates delivered via text message, mobile email or to applications running on smartphones such as the iPhone or Android-based devices.

The alerts are being tested with Visa staff in the UK and its network of member banks, and the service will be made available to consumers if the trial is successful – in which case, future developments could include instant conversion into the user’s home currency while abroad.

Stun gun disguised as cellphone

According to Stuff, Police investigating reports of a drunken youth in Melbourne's west uncovered a stun gun disguised as a cellphone.

Police say the device, found last Thursday and acquired from overseas, looked like a cellphone but had a stun gun attached to it.

The phone/stun gun, branded as the Immobiliser, can be bought online for US$51 (NZ$78) but the manufacturer warns that they are illegal in Australia.

The weapons is a 900k-volt stun gun in the shape of mobile.

Previously: - A Cell Phone Stun Gun

Queensland Police on "wardriving" missions

This is wild. The Queensland Police fraud squad says it will be the first police force in the world to go on "wardriving" missions to warn homes and businesses if their wireless networks are not secure. WA Today reports.

Detective Superintendent Brian Hay said criminals were piggy-backing on the WiFi connections of ordinary computer users and using them to anonymously commit crimes such as fraud and identity theft.

... He said it was illegal to use someone else's network bandwidth without their permission, even if that bandwidth was not used to commit another crime such as identity theft.

Image from Jules Blog.

Apps 'to be as big as internet'

The market for mobile applications, or apps, will become "as big as the internet", peaking at 10 million apps in 2020, a leading online store says, reports the BBC.

Apps will be as big if not bigger than the internet," according to Ilja Laurs, chief executive of GetJar, a leading independent application store.

"They will peak at around 100,000 by the end of the year. That will be a tipping point and after that there will be a gradual fall in the rate of development.

"The full blossom will come in ten years and mobile apps will become as popular as websites are today with consumers," Mr Laurs told BBC News.

U.S. Withheld Data on Risks of Distracted Driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration decided not to make public hundreds of pages of research and warnings about the use of phones by drivers — in part, officials say, because of concerns about angering Congress. The New York Times reports.

On Tuesday, the full body of research is being made public for the first time by two consumer advocacy groups, which filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit for the documents. The Center for Auto Safety and Public Citizen provided a copy to The New York Times, which is publishing the documents on its Web site.

... Critics say that rationale and the failure of the Transportation Department, which oversees the highway agency, to more vigorously pursue distracted driving has cost lives and allowed to blossom a culture of behind-the-wheel multitasking.

The highway safety researchers estimated that cellphone use by drivers caused around 955 fatalities and 240,000 accidents over all in 2002.

Read full article.

Cellphones Tipped to Drive Growth in Poor Nations

The global ICT sector has witnessed an unprecedented expansion in the past decade driven by growth in the use of mobile phones, a World Bank report says. All Africa reports.

By the end of 2008, there were an estimated 4 billion mobile phones globally. No technology has ever spread faster around the world. Mobile phones now represent the world's largest distribution platform", it states.

The report titled Information and Communications for Development (IC4D) 2009: Extending Reach and Increasing Impact, takes a close look at mobile and broadband connectivity.

It analyses the development impact of high-speed Internet access in third world countries and provides policy options for rolling out broadband networks and addressing the opportunities and challenges of convergence between telecommunications, media, and computing.

Important marketAccording to the report, the mobile phone market is especially important for developing countries, where it is growing most rapidly and where it is seen as a "leapfrogging" tool.

World Poor Spell $7.9 Billion in Mobile Cash for Vodafone, MTN

GSMA - which represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry - estimates that by 2012 about 364 million handset owners without bank accounts will sign up for services that allow money transfers and payment of bills. Mobile money’s reach will increase as it becomes available in more countries and customers get more familiar with it, the group predicts. Bloomberg reports.

... “In emerging markets not many people have access to financial products,” said Howard Wilcox, a Basingstoke, England- based analyst at Juniper Research Ltd. “Typically many more people have a mobile phone than a bank account and therefore the mobile phone has in many cases become a much more trusted brand than the bank.”

Want to Find Marijuana? There’s an App for That

iPhone apps can find just about anything. They can help you find a job, locate your friends, or just pinpoint a gas station. But a new app is promising to find you something far more controversial: marijuana. Mashable reports.

Apple has approved a new $2.99 iPhone app, aptly named Cannabis. The purpose of the app is to help locate legal medical marijuana in states and locations where it can be found.

In their own words:

Looking for your cannabis medicine? Need to find a doctor? Have legal issues? Cannabis Apps has cultivated an iPhone application that allows you to quickly locate the nearest medical cannabis collectives, cooperatives, doctors, clinics, attorneys, organizations, and other patient services in states that have passed medical marijuana (cannabis) legislation.

Information is continuously updated and supplied by iMedicalCannabis.org, Ajnag.com, and the Patient ID Center.

For those states without medical marijuana laws, users can locate the nearest cannabis organization to get active and take action towards reform. Traveling internationally? Locate the nearest legal cannabis coffee shop. “Cannabis” is a handy travel companion in regions that have decriminalized.

14-year jail or deportation for SMS joke on Pakistani president

Pakistan's interior minister Rehman Malik that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been tasked to trace SMS and e-mails that "slander the political leadership of the country", under the vague Cyber Crimes Act. India's Economic Times reports.

In addition to facing up to 14 years in the jail, violators could have their property seized, Malik said, adding that the government would seek Interpol assistance in deporting foreign offenders.

Fat burning concept phone

The Stix concept phone is designed by Cyrene Quiamco and helps burn off calories to keep you in shape. This innovative device will only charge up again if you jog, jump, shake, or perform any other exercise so your kinetic energy can keep it working.

The actual phone wraps around your wrist and comes with a pedometer and heart rate monitor to track your vitals and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

[via Trendhunter]

Turkey, Italy and the UK suffer quarterly loss of customer base

Two disturbing headlines from Cellular News on cell phone networks losing subscribers.

-- UK Sees a Quarterly Loss of 600,000 Customers - In Q1 09, the UK mobile market saw its first quarterly net loss of customers for three years.

-- Vodafone Turkey Lost 1.24 Million Subscribers in Q1 2009 - Turkey followed Italy and the UK in suffering a quarterly loss to its customer base. The 1.44m decline was the largest ever seen, as well as being the first for seven years.

Classic British red phone box goes mobile

Spotted on engadget via Pocket-Lint, The London Calling Mobile Phone, a fully-functional handset, packing a color LCD, SMS and MMS functionality, tri-band GSM connectivity and pre-programmed ringtones that include "Rule Britannia" and "God Save the Queen."

Apple blocks rival smart phones

The latest update of Apple's iTunes has included a fix to block devices such as the Palm Pre that use the program for synchronising music and content. The BBC reports.

The Palm Pre smartphone is seen by many as a direct rival to Apple's iPhone because of its innovative interface and web based software.

Marketing for the new Palm Pre touted "seamless" synchronisation with iTunes, because it appeared as an Apple device.

Palm called the move a "direct blow" to Apple's users.

Drivers and Legislators Dismiss Cellphone Risks

A six page article today in The New York Times on the dangers of driving while talking/texting.

Extensive research shows the dangers of distracted driving. Studies say that drivers using phones are four times as likely to cause a crash as other drivers, and the likelihood that they will crash is equal to that of someone with a .08 percent blood alcohol level, the point at which drivers are generally considered intoxicated. Research also shows that hands-free devices do not eliminate the risks, and may worsen them by suggesting that the behavior is safe.

... The federal government warns against talking on a cellphone while driving, but no state legislature has banned it. This year, state legislators introduced about 170 bills to address distracted driving, but passed fewer than 10.

Some researchers say that sufficient evidence exists to justify laws outlawing cellphone use for drivers — and they suggest using technology to enforce them by disabling a driver’s phone.

Read full article.

Police seeking texters' tips

More than 100 Police Department and law enforcement agencies accross the nation accept anonymous tips by text message, reports The Chicago Tribune.

... Authorities stress that emergencies should be reported by calling 911, but from Boston to Los Angeles, police departments and other agencies have begun taking tips via text message.

Chicago residents have been text-messaging tips to police since September. This year, police have received 341 tips that led to eight arrests, according to Officer Michael Fitzpatrick.

Read full article.

Cell phone doubles up as a cigarette lighter

Spotted on engadget:mobile and most gadget blogs, this "lighter phone" from China's Seabright.

Hard to tell if it's the same cell phone/cigarette lighter spotted by the mobuzzTV team at the Salon International des Inventions held in Geneva in 2005.

Google patents Ringback advertising

A patent assigned to Google describes how the search giant can monetize its Voice service: play ads while a call is dialing or placed on hold. arstechnica reports.

The patent application, called "Ringback Advertising," is assigned to Google. In general terms, it describes a system for delivering ads to any sort of phone system, including IP, cellular, or landline phones. The idea is to place software somewhere within the flow of telephony data that can identify when a given call is not active, then request audio ads for delivery during that time. Although this obviously pairs nicely with Google's Voice service, there's no reason it couldn't be rolled out to telcos that choose to partner with the search giant.

Read full article.

Study: Mobile web a throwback to the '90s

Researchers at Nielsen Norman Group put people to the test to try to look up everything from movie listings to product reviews on their handsets. The conclusion: The mobile web is about as tough to navigate as traditional websites were 15 years ago.USA Today reports.

A study to be released Monday by the researchers — they’re product “usability” experts -- found that the average success rate in completing various tasks on the mobile Internet is just 59%, compared to an average success rate of 80% for websites on a regular PC.

“Observing users suffer during our … sessions reminded us of the very first usability studies we did with traditional websites in 1994," says Nielsen Norman principal Jakob Nielsen, a co-author of the study. "It was that bad.”

Read full article.

San Francisco Symphony asks you to text final piece request

This Sunday, the San Francisco Symphony is playing a free concert at Dolores Park and is asking guests to text in their request for the final piece. According to The San Francisco Chronicle, this is the first time the Symphony has opened up to requests by SMS.

People can choose between Eine kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart, Overture to William Tell by Rossini or Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G Minor by Brahms. You just text in a keyword to a number and the symphony will play whatever wins.

This is part of the Symphony's larger efforts to get more tech savvy and appeal to a younger audience. Earlier this year, the symphony launched a social networking site that allows fans to share photos, read blogs and hold discussions

Jakarta Bombings and Twitter: Timeline and Thoughts

Today’s twin bombings in Jakarta—their implications for Indonesia aside—should bring home to conventional media that social media is a multifaceted force, one that is evolving so quickly it’s fast becoming the primary channel that users tune in to for urgent news.

[via LooseWire]

Kenyan mosque jams mobile calls

A device which blocks mobile phone signals has answered the prayers of some Kenyan Muslims, reports the BBC.

Imams in Kenya have long complained that mobile phones constantly rang during prayers, disrupting services.

Imam Hassan Kithiye says he bought the machine in Dubai and it has been well received by his congregation.

A BBC correspondent in north-eastern Kenya says other mosques around Garissa town are now trying to raise enough funds to buy their own device.

Related:

-- Turkish imam to fine owners of ringing mobile phones during prayers

-- A Fatwa Against Ringtones

10% of users don't use phones for phoning

According to TechRadar, UK mobile users prefer to text than talk.

The data, from a survey by comparison site uSwitch of over 12,000 people, showed that over 60 billion texts are being sent per month, with around 67 sent per person on average.

58 per cent of mobile phone users (74 million in use in the UK) admit to only making one call a day, with 44 per cent of landline users doing less than that - showing that the art of actual conversation is being replaced by texting, Tweeting and online chatting.

In fact, around one in ten people surveyed admitting to almost never making a phone call at all.

Read full article.

A new ebook teaches developers how to market their iPhone apps

Intomobile reports on the first iPhone application marketing book (actually it’s an ebook) called “Secrets Of iPhone App Marketing: How To Get Your App Noticed & Increase Your Sales.”

iZendev

From the press release:

The purpose of the eBook is to teach App Developers the importance of a strong marketing strategy and how to create one for their application. Developers will learn the best websites for iPhone App reviews, step-by-step instructions for how to prepare and submit their app to each site, how to write an effective press release, and tips on how to keep the public’s attention. Over 1000 hours of research have been condensed into an eBook, which is on sale now, and for a limited time is priced at $49.