How Much Can a Celebrity Make for Tweeting?

The weirdest thing about the rumor that Kim Kardashian gets paid $10,000 for a Twitter endorsement is that it’s true. New York Magazine reports.

The pay rate for endorsing companies like Old Navy, Toyota, Best Buy, and American Airlines is determined by the size of a celeb’s following and how that group responds to his tweets with shares and retweets.

On that sliding scale, Snoop Dogg (6.3 million followers) is in the top tier of payments, on the upside of $8,000 apiece, while Paula Abdul (2.2 million followers) falls somewhere in the middle, in the $5,000-each range, and Whitney Port (800,000 followers) falls in the bottom tier, making around $2,500 per tweet.

Dizzy yet? Read more.

Global mobile health apps market to nearly double in next year

The global market for mobile health applications for smartphones is expected to nearly double in 2012, rising to $1.3 billion, according to a new study. Medcity News reports via @jranck.

While a projected doubling in growth is certainly impressive, it pales in comparison to what the mobile health apps market experienced in 2011, when it grew seven-fold to $718 million, according to research2guidance, a German firm that specializes in research into mobile markets.

Nonetheless, the market for mobile health apps is in its “embryonic state” and has plenty of room for growth. The market’s anticipated $1.3 billion size in 2012 is only a fraction of the overall $6 trillion global healthcare market, according to the report.

Read full article.

Pew: More Than Half Of Adults Used Cell Phones In Stores For Purchasing Decisions During The Holidays

The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project released a new study claiming more than half of adult cell phone owners used their cell phones while they were in a store to seek help with purchasing decisions this past holiday shopping season. [via TechCrunch]

-- 38% of cell owners used their phone to call a friend while they were in a store for advice about a purchase they were considering making.

-- 24% of cell owners used their phone to look up reviews of a product online while they were in a store.

-- 25% of adult cell owners used their phones to look up the price of a product online while they were in a store, to see if they could get a better price somewhere else.

Read full article. Link to Pew Study.

"Of Mice and Men" & cell phones

An interesting take on the health studies surrounding cell phones. By The Washington Times.

To evaluate the possible health effects of cell phone radiation, as with any other environmental hazard, scientists must consider different types of scientific evidence, including animal toxicology studies.

n sensu stricto animal toxicology studies, animals are exposed to a large overdose of tested chemical or radiation, beyond the levels normally encountered by human beings in real situations, and examined for any detrimental health effects. In another type of toxicology studies, animals are exposed to the potential hazard for their life-time and examined for the impact of the hazard on their health and on the health and development of the offspring.

However, in case of the studies of cell phone radiation, there is a limitation that precludes the use of toxicology to the fullest.

It is impossible to perform toxicology studies exposing animals to large overdoses of cell phone radiation. Large overdoses of cell phone radiation (microwaves) will heat animals, impacting animal health. Moreover, it is impossible to transfer this information to humans, because current cell phone safety standards are set at levels that do not cause heating.

What is the value of animal studies showing no effect for the human health risk analysis? It is very minimal, at the best. Certainly it is not proof of human safety.

Read full article.

Obama Campaign Using Mobile Payments Device Square For Fundraising

According to TechCrunch, Square, the mobile payments device is now being used by the Obama for fundraising.

Staff, fundraisers and others are being equipped with the card reading devices, says Square, enabling the campaign to take donations on the go via Android devices, iPhones or iPads.

... With Square, there is both a convenience added for both the payee and fundraiser. The donation is instantly processed, and Square will send the receipt via SMS or email to the payee.

Read more.

Wireless Companies to Face New U.S. Disclosure Rules Under Bill

According to Bloomberg, Mobile carriers such as AT&T Inc. and makers of wireless devices including HTC Corp. would be required to disclose when phones contain monitoring software under draft legislation in the U.S. House.

The proposed measure released today responds to concerns of lawmakers who learned last year that mobile-phone software provider Carrier IQ Inc. gathered data on wireless phone users.

“Consumers have the right to know and to say no to the presence of software on their mobile devices that can collect and transmit their personal and sensitive information,” Representative Ed Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts who wrote the bill, said in a statement.

Read more.

The beginning of Africa’s long, slow transition away from SMS – new browser kids on the block making mobile Internet access easier

At the end of 2011, there were the first signs of smartphone use on SMS: for the first time in some countries, rather than the volume of SMS growing inexorably, it declined for the first time. Russell Southwood CEO of Balancing Act looks at how wider use of mobile Internet may affect SMS volumes in Africa and at two of the new generation of interfaces designed to make it easier for Africans to use the mobile Internet.

[Balancing Act Africa via @jranck]

Text Messaging as an activist tool

The Christian Science Monitor on text messaging as an activist tool over the years in China, Korea, Africa and the Middle East. A good summary. [via Laurent Haug+]

Many, many more examples here.

Great mobile payments and branchless banking Videos

In the early days of mobile banking some crude mobile banking video's were made - a clear indication that the product specialists could not describe what they wanted to build to the video producers. But since a few years ago, some brilliant little video-clips were produced - either to advertise a new service or to inform or educate stakeholders. Watch some of the best clips: [ MobileBanking via @jranck]

Above video: Safaricom's Award winning TV advert, for their Award Winning Mobile Money transfer service M-PESA

Ugg boots banned at school after students caught hiding cell phones in the fuzzy footwear

According to The Daily Mail, students at a Pennsylvania school have been told to leave their ugg boots at home after they caught one too many students hiding cell phones in them.

Image from Australian Ugg Boots.

Fines threat for credit text messages

UK Firms face raids and fines of up to £500,000 for sending unsolicited text messages about credit or compensation. The BBC reports.

Typical messages claim recipients are entitled to money, promise to write off debts or find a loan, or suggest accident compensation can be claimed.

But in many cases, the products they are selling can actually make people financially worse off.

Read full article.

Police track phones with silent SMS

In Europe security services have been sending thousands of Silent SMS messages, allowing them to locate and track phones without the recipient's knowledge. A legal vacuum exists around the technique. Owni.eu reports via @jranck.

Also known as Flash-SMS, the Silent SMS uses an invisible return signal, or “ping”. Developers from the Silent Services company, who created some of the first software for sending this type of SMS, explain:

The Silent SMS allows the user to send a message to another mobile without the knowledge of the recipient mobile’s owner. The message is rejected by the recipient mobile, and leaves no trace. In return, the sender gets a message from a mobile operator confirming that the Silent SMS has been received.

Read full article.

Previously: - Silent SMS track terrorists

Cell phone ban for commercial drivers - how it will affect them

The US cell phone ban for commercial drivers means for most companies that they will have to double up personnel if theirs driver arent' allowed to make a phone call to announce an upcoming delivery (most companies give a 30 minutes heads up). If the driver is alone, he will have to pull over to make his phone call. [via Cracked Door]

"The final rule prohibits commercial drivers from using a hand-held mobile telephone while operating a commercial truck or bus. Drivers who violate the restriction will face federal civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense and disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle for multiple offenses. Additionally, states will suspend a driver's commercial driver's license (CDL) after two or more serious traffic violations. Commercial truck and bus companies that allow their drivers to use hand-held cell phones while driving will face a maximum penalty of $11,000. Approximately four million commercial drivers would be affected by this final rule."

Read full article.

The Big Bang Theory. Raj buys new iPhone and falls in love with Siri. Genious

Watch last night's episode of Big Bang Theory on Suri. Genious!

Is iMessage Starting to Take a Bite Out of Standard Texting?

Nevan Mrgan, an app developer for Apple’s mobile operating system, saw a noticeable decline in the number of standard text messages he was sending almost immediately after Apple rolled out iMessage on Oct. 12. [via Bits]

... Although the number of text messages sent by cellphone customers in the United States is still growing, that growth is slowing, and many analysts expect that it will gradually taper off. Countries like Finland and Hong Kong are already seeing serious shifts in the number of text messages their cellphone customers send.

AT&T and Verizon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether they were noticing an impact on their businesses.

Read full article.

North Korea threatens to punish mobile-phone users as 'war criminals'

North Korea has warned that any of its citizens caught trying to defect to China or using mobile phones during the 100-day mourning period for Kim Jong-il will be branded as "war criminals" and punished accordingly.

[via The Telegraph]

Agency using cellphones for quick job placements in Japan

According to The Economic Times, a placement agency in Japan is using phone handsets' global positioning system to quickly match workers to temporary jobs, doing away with interviews and other formalities.

The service provided by Tokyo-based firm LocationValue was launched in 2006. Job applicants are to send the company their resumes and make requests about the times of the day and workplaces where they want to work, the Kyodo news agency reported.

The firm locates the applicants, using the global positioning systems built into their cellphones and promptly contacts prospective employers.

Employers can view applicants' track records of work performances on LocationValue's phone site and dispense with face-to-face job interviews before landing capable workers.

At present, an estimated 320,000 workers are registered with the company's service.

Read full article.

UK mobile operator O2 sends your phone number to every website you visit

According to TNW, if you reside in the UK and you are one of the millions of subscribers to mobile operator O2, you may be alarmed to learn that the carrier is sending your mobile number to every website you visit on your mobile phone.

Twitter: More than 760,000 tweets sent during State of the Union address

According to Twitter blog, President Obama’s State of the Union address saw the microblogging service record more than three quarters of a million tweets relating to the speech. TNW reports.

According to Twitter, 766,681 tweets specifically mentioned “State of the Union” or its hashtag #SOTU while Obama took the stage. Other statistics revealed show that education, energy and jobs were the most discussed topics from the address, while 548 members of Congress joined in the conversation on Twitter.

Read more.

Why You Shouldn’t Text and Walk

Casey Neistat filmed a PSA-type video about the dangers of texting and walking at the same time for the NY Times. [via Gizmodo]

Google Data: Smartphones Overtake PCs

New data from Google released exclusively to Ad Age shows that more consumers in key global markets have Internet-capable mobile devices than computers.

Read full article.

Huh? Text Messaging Horror Haunts Europe

I don't fully understand this article or how the title relates to the content. Seems overly complicated but it's related to "text messaging corrosion" and published by Forbes no less. See for yourself.

Orange to provide free access to mobile Wikipedia in Africa

In the first partnership of its kind, mobile telecommunications operator Orange and the Wikimedia Foundation will provide more than 70 million Orange customers in Africa and the Middle East (AMEA) with mobile access to Wikipedia – without incurring data usage charges.

[IT News Africa via @mobileactive]

'Republik Twitter': A New Twitter-inspired film

A new Twitter-inspired film, Republik Twitter, coming to the big screen in Indonesia next month. TheNextWeb reports.

The film is romantic comedy that looks at how young people use Twitter and social media in general. We should point out that this isn’t a look at its founding story — as The Social Network loosely was for Facebook.

The film is slated for release date on February 16, just after Valentine’s Day, and it will be in Bahasa Indonesia and not English, as is almost all of the promotional materials.

Read full article.

SpareOne, A $50 Cell Phone That Runs On One AA Battery

SpareOne is a simple phone that can run off of an AA battery—perfect for stashing as an emergency phone along with a prepaid SIM card.

Spotted at CES by Brian Lam of WireCutter.

[via FastCompany and BlogLaptop.]

Cell Hound alerts prison officials as soon as a cellphone call is made

The federal government confiscated more than 21,000 cellphones in 2010 from inmates in correctional facilities nationwide. Prison security officials have longed battled contraband, such as cellphones and now a Maryland company may have an answer. 11News reports.

Security Products ITT is marketing Cell Hound, its technology that can alert prison officials as soon as a cellphone call is made. Company director Terry Vittner said the technology is better than cellphone jamming, which creates radio frequency pollution. The pollution prevents calls from going out or coming into the facility.

Cell Hound can also used by businesses that want to know if workers are on the phone during critical work hours.

Read more.

London 2012: Olympics to create 'record' wireless spectrum demand

The London Olympic and Paralympic Games are likely to require up to 20,000 separate wireless frequency assignments, according to the communications regulator Ofcom, nearly double the amount of licences that it granted for the city over the course of last year.

[via the BBC]

Police Report 90% of Crimes in India Solved by Cell Phone Records

According to The Times of India, 90% of the cases in one city are solved using forensic information derived from cell phones. Call data records, or CDR, obtained from cell phones is one of the most important tools Indian law enforcement deploys these days. Law Enforcement Today reports.

Almost everyone uses a cellphone these days. And these are very good tools to track a criminal, even when he or she is on the move," said a police official. Fixed landline phones might provide important data regarding an ongoing case, but cellphone records, on the other hand, prove to be not just the decisive indicators of a person's location, but important evidence for impeachment in many cases.

Cops say that CDR has come in handy for almost every high profile crime case which has occurred in the city in the last seven years. "Now we have better and more accurate CDR technology, which certainly has improved the capabilities of the force. We have solved cases within 24 hours using CDR," the official said.

Read full article.

Studies show that mobile phones encourage a more secure, connected and productive life

Numerous studies have shown that there is a strong link between mobile phones and economic growth. The theory here is that mobile phones encourage improved access to educational opportunities, health resources, business and employment opportunities. Another tie into this theory is that it will be more women accessing mobile phones that will encourage this economic growth. SocialEarth reports via @mobileactive.

Why? Studies have shown that mobile phones encourage a more secure, connected and productive life.

Security: Studies have shown that an overwhelming majority of women feel safer because of their mobile phones globally.

Connectedness: 85% of women report feeling more independent because of their mobile phones. With access to hospitals and other information for their daily lives, at the click of a button, women can be connected to the rest of the world from the most rural regions.

Productivity: From India to Senegal to Kosovo, women are beginning to realize that the power of mobile phones unlocks economic opportunities in their regions. According to one study regarding women’s opinions on mobile phones, more than half agree that mobile phones encourage additional income.

However, there are certainly hurdles to women owning mobile phones in developing countries. These hurdles include the costs of handsets and service, a lack of understanding as to why they need mobile phones, fear of not being able to learn how to use the technology, and cultural issues relating to the stigma of a women’s role.

Read full article.

Sweden races to beat US on mobile phone payments

According to The Global Post, Sweden is racing to become the first developed country whose people regularly pay for things with their mobile phones.

The country's four leading mobile phone companies will soon launch a combined mobile wallet service, which will allow payments at shops, between users, and to vending and parking machines. The scheme uses 'near field communications' to allow to payments to be made by simply tapping a phone against another or against a vendor's terminal.

Because four mobile providers — Telia, Tele2, Telenor and 3 — have formed a joint venture to provide the service, it will be available to 97 percent of Swedish mobile subscribers from the moment it goes live this summer.

Read full article.