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mobile
July 20, 2012
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More than a quarter of high school kids have sexted

By on July 20, 2012 at 4:05 PM.

More than a quarter of high school kids have sexted

Sexting Study 2012

The issue of “sexting” has been widely covered by the media, but the practice of sending explicit images and text messages via mobile phones may be more common among minors than previously thought. A recent study of teen sexting conducted by the American Medical Association’s JAMA Network found that 28% of high school students have sent nude images of themselves using a mobile phone. 31% of those surveyed admitting to having asked someone to send a naked picture of him or herself, and 57% said they had been asked to sext. More →

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mobile
March 12, 2012
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Flying drone swarm could bring free Wi-Fi access to protesters [video]

By on March 12, 2012 at 3:00 PM.

Flying drone swarm could bring free Wi-Fi access to protesters [video]

The Internet and mobile devices were instrumental in allowing protesters and activists to organize and even topple oppressive regimes in 2011. Global media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders called out several countries that attempted to stifle its citizens by blocking Internet access in its “Enemies of the Internet” report on Monday, but protesters may not have to rely on traditional land-based or even wireless Internet service providers in the future. Read on for more. More →

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mobile
February 8, 2012
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Vonage brings free calling and messaging to iPhone, Android

By on February 8, 2012 at 5:25 PM.

Vonage brings free calling and messaging to iPhone, Android

Vonage on Wednesday unveiled a new mobile app for the iPhone and Android smartphones that affords free calling and messaging along with cheap international calling rates. Vonage Mobile allows users to make free “high-definition” voice over IP calls among each other over Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G data connections, and low-cost calls can also be placed through the app to any landline or cell phone globally. The New Jersey-based Telco says its international calling rates are 70% lower than rates from major carriers and 30% lower than Skype. ”Vonage Mobile consolidates the best features of our prior applications, while adding important functionality, better value and improved ease of use,” Vonage CEO Marc Lefar said in a statement. “It combines the best of free high-def voice and messaging along with incredible value for traditional international calls, all while using the existing mobile number and address book for unsurpassed ease of use.” Vonage’s full press release follows below. More →

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Exclusive
January 12, 2012
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WhatsApp for BlackBerry gets refreshed, here’s a first look

By on January 12, 2012 at 2:22 PM.

WhatsApp for BlackBerry gets refreshed, here’s a first look

WhatsApp for BlackBerry

The most popular and successful multi-device communication platform is without question WhatsApp. More of a text messaging replacement than straight BlackBerry Messenger competitor, WhatsApp has been the number one service people rely on to communicate across iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone devices. We were sent a preview copy of the new version of WhatsApp for BlackBerry smartphones, our exclusive first look is after the break. More →

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Exclusive
October 31, 2011
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WhatsApp users now send over 1 billion messages each day

By on October 31, 2011 at 10:35 AM.

WhatsApp users now send over 1 billion messages each day

We’ve been big fans of WhatsApp’s cross-platform messaging service ever since it first launched, and directly outside of Apple’s own iMessage or RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger service, WhatsApp is our favorite mobile solution. We’re apparently not the only ones who think so, as WhatsApp just told us that the company is now delivering more than 1 billion messages each day, a huge milestone. Here’s a quote from WhatsApp team:

The mobile messaging market is moving, choices around platforms and their pricing and how they provide an amazing customer experience are the hot topics at hand. As a leader in the messaging space and with our network now handling over one billion messages a day, we see that the power is with the consumer.

WhatsApp is positoned as more of an SMS replacement rather than a traditional instant messaging service, and with users currently sending nearly 700,000 messages each minute, the company sure seems well on its way to being just that. WhatsApp is currently available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Symbian devices.

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mobile
October 10, 2011
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BlackBerry bug knocks millions of users offline in Europe, Middle East and Africa

By on October 10, 2011 at 12:01 PM.

BlackBerry bug knocks millions of users offline in Europe, Middle East and Africa

BlackBerry users in Africa, the Middle East and Europe have been without service since 11:00 a.m. Monday, The Telegraph reports. A bug on Research In Motion’s server in Slough, England is to blame and it appears to have impaired all users, independent of carrier or device. RIM has not issued a statement on the matter. “There is an issue with BlackBerry services at present,” a T-Mobile UK representative said on Twitter. “RIM [is] investigating this at present.” Additionally, Batelco, a wireless carrier in Bahrain, issued a statement that confirmed the service was out in the entire country and explained the issue is being “dealt with by BlackBerry providers in Canada.” More →

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Software
September 16, 2011
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Microsoft shows off Windows 8 Metro apps on video

By on September 16, 2011 at 4:30 PM.

Microsoft shows off Windows 8 Metro apps on video

We’ve already seen an 11-minute walk-through video comparing a new Windows 8 beta tablet to an iPad 2 running iOS 5, but there are plenty of features Microsoft is cooking up that didn’t make it into the beta release of the OS. In a new video, Microsoft highlights a handful of currently unavailable applications that make use of the oft-praised Metro user interface Windows 8 borrowed from the Windows Phone platform. In the video, Microsoft shows off several apps including Mail, Calendar, People, Messaging and Photos, which features seamless Facebook and Flickr integration. The People application also features Facebook integration, pulling Facebook friends and address book contacts into a single stream. Microsoft’s full demo video follows below. More →

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mobile
August 30, 2011
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Samsung ChatOn to bring BBM-like experience to Android, iOS, BlackBerry, bada [video]

By on August 30, 2011 at 3:49 AM.

Samsung ChatOn to bring BBM-like experience to Android, iOS, BlackBerry, bada [video]

Samsung is set to make a big splash with new products during the IFA trade show in Berlin, which kicks off later this week, and the phone maker recently announced a new group text application called ChatOn. The application allows Android, iOS, BlackBerry and bada users to create groups to quickly send and receive group text messages. The service will no doubt compete with BBM, Apple’s iMessage, Google’s Huddle, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and GroupMe, but Samsung is trying to distinguish itself from those other services by offering a more robust feature set. ChatOn lets users to see their most messaged friends, complete with “interaction ranks,” send animated text messages and share photos and videos in a shared group “trunk.” Read on for a full intro video and press release. More →

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mobile
August 18, 2011
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AT&T forcing new text-hungry subscribers into unlimited messaging plans starting August 21st

By on August 18, 2011 at 1:35 PM.

AT&T forcing new text-hungry subscribers into unlimited messaging plans starting August 21st

AT&T will stop offering its 1,000 text message package on August 21st and will instead only offer customers a $20 individual unlimited option and a $30 family unlimited plan, Engadget reported on Wednesday. The carrier’s official statement, provided to BGR via email, is as follows:

Starting August 21, we’re streamlining our text messaging plans for new customers and will offer an unlimited plan for individuals for $20 per month and an unlimited plan for families of up to five lines for $30 per month. The vast majority of our messaging customers prefer unlimited plans and with text messaging growth stronger than ever, that number continues to climb among new customers. Existing customers don’t have to change any messaging plan they have today, even when changing handsets.

Customers will still have the option to pay by individual messages at a rate of $0.20 per SMS and $0.30 per MMS, and AT&T has confirmed to BGR that subscribers who wish to ensure they to not incur a la carte messaging fees can call customer care and have messaging blocked on their account. This feature is free, and messaging can be enabled again at any time. More →

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Featured
June 9, 2011
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Apple iOS 5: Day three

By on June 9, 2011 at 10:11 AM.

Apple iOS 5: Day three

After spending three days with iOS 5 on multiple devices now, I can confidently say that this is the mobile operating system to beat. It gives you just enough of what was missing, while still remaining solid (“closed” — a.k.a. fast, responsive, apps that don’t steal your data, etc). There have definitely been some slowdowns in daily usage due to the fact that the OS is in beta, and battery life has no doubt taken a hit, but this isn’t meant to be used on consumer devices. And even with those hiccups, it still out performs many Android handsets (though not the Galaxy S II, that battery is Teen Wolf). Hit the break for the rest of my thoughts after day three. More →

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Featured
June 8, 2011
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Apple iOS 5: Day two

By on June 8, 2011 at 10:11 AM.

Apple iOS 5: Day two

After two days of use with Apple’s brand new iOS 5 on both an iPhone 4 and iPad 2, I can confidently say that iOS 5 has not only added much-needed features and enhancements, but has pushed Apple’s mobile operating system even further out into the lead ahead of competitors. What’s incredible is that Apple’s first beta release of iOS 5 for developers already runs better than any production BlackBerry or Android OS phone, and in daily use, I haven’t had any major issues at all with the OS. Hit the break some more impressions following my thoughts after day one. More →

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Featured
June 7, 2011
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Apple iOS 5: Day one

By on June 7, 2011 at 2:00 PM.

Apple iOS 5: Day one

I’ve been using iOS 5 on my primary iPhone 4 since it was made available to developers yesterday around 5:00 p.m. This is the most solid iOS beta Apple has ever released, so far. What’s even more impressive is that Apple seems to have fixed every single gripe I’ve had with the platform. Little things that drove me insane that were available on other mobile operating systems — like setting a default calendar notification time so you can quickly go into the calendar app, jot down the meeting, location, and time, and bounce out — have now been added to iOS. Hit the break for my thoughts after spending some time with iOS 5. More →

238 Comments
Software
April 13, 2011
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HP's webOS 3.0 beta 1 gets exhaustive review via emulator [video]

By on April 13, 2011 at 8:46 AM.

HP's webOS 3.0 beta 1 gets exhaustive review via emulator [video]

The brood over at PreCentral have managed to acquire a leaked copy of HP’s webOS 3.0 beta 1 software development kit (SDK). Why is this a good thing? Because contained within said SDK rests a TouchPad, webOS 3.0 emulator, of course. While emulators only provide 50% of the TouchPad story — the other half being hardware — it is useful to get a high-level overview of what user interface will look like. If you want to whet your appetite for this summers TouchPad release, hit the jump. There’s an eighteen minute video overview awaiting your scrutiny. Be sure to click through the read link as well for a host of screen grabs. More →

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