All That Gadget

iDongle hardware iPhone jailbreak tool makes hacker life a little simpler

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:44:53 +0000

If you needed any more proof that Apple’s lame cat-and-mouse game with the iPhone jailbreak community has only served to increase the scene’s resourcefulness and creativity, look no further than the iDongle, a slick piece of hacker-made hardware that can jailbreak and activate an iPhone 3GS or iPod touch running OS 3.1.2 just by plugging it into the dock connector. What’s more, it allows a jailbroken iPhone to be rebooted away from a computer, which is currently a problem for on-the-go hackers — just stick this guy in your bag and you’ll be good to go. There’s only a dozen prototypes right now, but pre-orders are being accepted to raise funds for production — we’ve got a feeling quite a few people are going to be interested. Video after the break. Continue reading iDongle hardware iPhone jailbreak tool makes hacker life a little simpler iDongle hardware iPhone jailbreak tool makes hacker life a little simpler originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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iPhone SDK 3.2 showing first hints of multitasking for third-party apps?

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:44:33 +0000

Naturally, we need to first disclaim this noise by saying that rumors of third-party multitasking capability in the iPhone are as old as the iPhone SDK itself. That said, it’s hard to ignore a new reference to a “multitasking dialog box” buried deep within the iPhone SDK 3.2 beta that — while not new to beta 4 specifically — we’re told didn’t exist in 3.1.3. Now, the wildest possible speculation would have us believing that this is the very first by-product of a new multitasking system for developers that’s being developed for the platform, presumably destined for an appearance in OS 4.0 when it’s introduced along with new hardware this summer — but it’s just as likely that Apple will continue to keep the iPhone’s multitasking capability to itself, a function it uses liberally among the phone and music apps, just to name a couple. For what it’s worth, AppleInsider is citing a tipster claiming that Apple’s got a “full-on solution” to multitasking that would properly address its main concern — battery life issues — for release this year, so maybe we’ll be able to chuck those awful push notifications before we know it. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be over here in the corner running a few dozen apps on our Pre Plus . iPhone SDK 3.2 showing first hints of multitasking for third-party apps? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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Unreal Engine 3 up and running on webOS, and we’ve got video!

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:44:25 +0000

Palm just showed us the Unreal Engine 3 running on webOS, which apparently took a couple weeks to port over to the platform using that fancy new PDK . It runs at a pretty smooth clip, with just a tiny bit of artifacting in our enemy’s death animation. As an added bit of wow factor, Palm has it currently setup to demonstrate the game at 1 fps when in card view. Like most touchscreen shooters, this doesn’t really solve the problem of simulating dual analog sticks, but it’s still a fun and good looking engine for a mobile device. We’re still unaware of any games that have been built for the mobile engine, which has now been shown for iPhone , Tegra 2 , and will be headed to the iPad as well, but we have to assume we’ll be seeing some before too long. Check out the webOS video after the break. Continue reading Unreal Engine 3 up and running on webOS, and we’ve got video! Unreal Engine 3 up and running on webOS, and we’ve got video! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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Talkin’ Windows Phone 7 Series gaming with Microsoft at GDC

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:44:21 +0000

We already got a look at Microsoft’s little XNA show-and-tell as relates to Windows Phone 7 Series, but our colleague Andrew Yoon over at Joystiq had a chance for longer sit-down with Xbox Live general manager Ron Pessner and XNA Game Studio manager Michael Klucher at GDC today, and he’s been kind enough to share the interview with us. The main topic of conversation was the company’s plans regarding Xbox LIve and, specifically, how it would be integrating it into Windows Phone 7 Series. And believe us, there was plenty to discuss — including the sweet science of porting games from Zune HD to 7 Series phones (”it’s 90, 95 percent code reuse… in an hour or couple of hours, we’re taking games that were written for Zune HD and putting them on the phone”), the importance of maintaining a consistent gameplay experience amongst different hardware, and the reasoning behind limiting devices to asynchronous multiplayer. What are you waiting for? Hit the source link to embark on this miraculous journey of discovery. Talkin’ Windows Phone 7 Series gaming with Microsoft at GDC originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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Mobiado’s 712GCB: ‘your choice of yellow or rose gold’ is really all you need to know

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:44:17 +0000

Were you up late at night trying to imagine what a Mobiado 712ZAF might look like were it covered in 8 microns of 18-karat gold? Well, an honest night of peaceful slumber might finally be within reach now that the Canadian company has answered the call with the 712GCB. The pricey candybar carries over everything you love (or hate) about the 712ZAF, including the 2.2-inch QVGA display, 5 megapixel camera, AGPS, and tri-band 3G, but swaps out the plebeian bits of colored steel for your choice of yellow or rose gold. Price is, of course, unlisted — but you were just planning on putting it on the black card without asking any questions anyway, weren’t you? Mobiado’s 712GCB: ‘your choice of yellow or rose gold’ is really all you need to know originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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Android’s American market share soars, WinMo pays the price

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:44:11 +0000

Mobile manufacturer and platform market share stats for the US are in for the month of January thanks to comScore, and as usual, they tell a fascinating (and somewhat unpredictable) story of what’s actually going on at the cash registers. Motorola — which has long since fallen off its high horse on the global stage — still maintains a commanding presence in the American market by representing some 22.9 percent of all subscribers, though that’s down 1.2 percent from October 2009; that’s particularly interesting in light of the Droid’s success, and a possible sign that smartphones still aren’t on the cusp of dominating the phone market overall. Samsung recently touted the fact that it had held onto the States’ overall market share crown, though Sammy was undoubtedly referring to sales, not subscribers — in other words, there are still a ton of legacy RAZRs out there inflating Moto’s stats. Turning our attention to smartphone platforms, BlackBerry OS, iPhone, and Android all saw gains, while Windows Mobile and Palm both saw significant downturns. You might use Palm’s loss of 2.1 percent of overall market share in a single quarter as a big nail in webOS’ coffin, but we’re inclined to believe this includes legacy devices — and considering the huge installed base of Palm OS -based handsets ( Centros , for instance) that are coming off contract these days, it’s neither surprising nor alarming to see that kind of drop. Android’s gain, meanwhile, likely comes in large part from WinMo’s whopping four percent loss — it’s no secret that WinMo 6.x is well past its expiration date with customers leaving in droves (even before Windows Phone 7 Series announcement), and our informal observations lead us to believe that many of those folks are heading for Android. After all, it’s kind of convenient that Android gained 4.3 percent and WinMo lost about the same, isn’t it? BlackBerrys still dominate the American smartphone landscape, and the iPhone market looks like it might be mature for the time being — Apple added just 0.3 percent to its market share in the quarter, possibly a sign that folks are holding out for whatever Cupertino brings us come Summer. Is this a sign that Palm needs to step up its game yet again? Undoubtedly — but at the same time, we wouldn’t call the loss of those Palm OS subscribers a death knell just yet. Android’s American market share soars, WinMo pays the price originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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First Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Series devices to boast 480 x 800 pixel displays, HD2 owners sigh

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:44:08 +0000

Even though Microsoft’s big MIX event is still days away, the Windows Phone 7 Series development platform is already pretty well defined. It’s also clear that Microsoft wants to keep things tidy for developers by requiring all WP7 phones to meet a certain base-level spec . Now, thanks to a post from Microsoft’s Shawn Hargreaves, we know the display resolution for the first batch of Microsoft’s next generation phones: 480 x 800 (WVGA) pixels at launch, with a future update that will introduce a 320 x 480 (HVGA) native resolution. Dedicated hardware will ensure image scaling across all those pixels without taxing the GPU. That allows game developers, for example, to write to a lower resolution (requiring less horsepower) and then scale up as required while remaining compatible to a variety of screen resolutions. Now, for those playing along at home, the HD2 getting ready to launch on T-Mobile in the USA is also WVGA and it features a 1GHz Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm, Microsoft’s WP7 silicon partner. So we can assume (but not guarantee) that it meets the image scaling hardware requirements described by Hargreaves. Man, if only the HD2 had three-buttons . [Thanks, Cytrix] First Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Series devices to boast 480 x 800 pixel displays, HD2 owners sigh originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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Vodafone’s Wayfinder is first victim of free smartphone navigation services

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:44:05 +0000

Back in January 2009, as Vodafone was preparing to close a

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Target Fights Papercuts With Cell Phone Coupons

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:44:03 +0000

Filed under: Cell Phones As far back as 2008, retailers were flirting with the idea of offering customers coupons via cell phones. It never really caught on, but, now, Target hopes to change that. According to a press release , the retailer began a program today that allows customers to receive digital coupons on their cell phones. Using a barcode on the screen, customers can scan and save money at any Target store in the U.S. The coupons will have an expiration date and can only be used once. To take part in the program, customers can visit a Web site to register, or download a free iPhone app . While Target claims it’s the first to offer this service at every store, other retailers have experimented with the concept. According to USA Today , J.C. Penney is testing a similar scanning technology at 16 locations across Houston, Texas, while grocery stores like Kroger and Safeway have implemented similar projects, although on a smaller scale. Continue reading Target Fights Papercuts With Cell Phone Coupons Target Fights Papercuts With Cell Phone Coupons originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read

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eCards Too Much Work? Procrastinators Send Video Cards From Phones

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:43:36 +0000

Filed under: Cell Phones Forget thumbing through racks of paper greeting cards . Some card companies are now offering a video alternative on cell phones . According to The New York Times , American Greetings has taken the lead, and is now offering short video messages that are selected from a Web site and sent to a phone. Best of all, these e-cards are available to customers of all the major service providers. You don’t need a data plan to send or receive a greeting, but you will have to pay an annual $15.99 subscription fee. That price will get you access to about 500 video cards, with plans for thousands more. Yet, unless you’re a chronic card sender, Hallmark’s pay-as-you-go service seems like a better option. It costs just 99-cents to send a card from the Web to a cell phone. While video greetings aren’t about to eclipse text messages in popularity, some predict they do have huge market potential. Portio Research, a British firm, estimates it’ll be worth about $31.5 billion by the end of this year. We’d be open to dropping some cash on a video greeting and saving a trip to the store — unless there’s a pricey subscription fee. Then, a simple hug or phone call on a friend’s birthday will suffice. [From: The New York Times ] eCards Too Much Work? Procrastinators Send Video Cards From Phones originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read

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PDF Suite Lets You Create, Edit, Read PDF Files

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:40:03 +0000

If you’ve been looking for an affordable alternative to Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro ($449 MSRP), look no further than PDF Suite. Priced from $39.95 ($59.95 for Professional version), this software enables you to “create PDFs from an existing document or start from a blank page; you’ll be able to edit any PDF file by modifying the text or images, create and fill forms, apply 256-bit passwords and restrictions, customize printing.” More information . Videos after the break.

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PDF Suite Lets You Create, Edit, Read PDF Files

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Tecmo Bowl Throwback Confirmed

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:40:00 +0000

Tecmo Bowl Throwback has been confirmed for release on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network. Due to EA’s exclusive agreement with the NFL, this game will not have real players or teams, but rather gives players the option of customizing their characters. Click here to play the NES version of Tecmo Super Bowl online. Continue reading to see a crazy Tecmo Super Bowl run. In the Throwback news release, the company adds that the game has been rated “E for everyone” by the ESRB. The publisher somehow managed not to refer to the ratings board as “blabbermouths.” [via LAtimes ]

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Tecmo Bowl Throwback Confirmed

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5 of the Coolest Cutlery Sets Ever

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:57 +0000

Cutlery sets can be found at just about any department store, and even supermarkets, but here are five examples you don’t see everyday. To start, we have the interesting Shape/Form set above. Continue reading to see them all. [via Toxel ]

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5 of the Coolest Cutlery Sets Ever

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Google Maps Now Offering Bike Directions

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:54 +0000

That’s right, Google Maps now offers biking directions in the US. Just enter your destination, and you’ll get step-by-step directions, complete with outlined trails, biking lanes, and bike-friendly roads. Video after the break.

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Google Maps Now Offering Bike Directions

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Street Fighter 4 (IV) iPhone Available Now

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:51 +0000

Finally, Capcom’s Street Fighter 4 for the iPhone and iPod Touch is available, priced at $9.99. It offers 8 characters, head-to-head Bluetooth matches, various difficulty levels, and more. Video after the break. Click here to download now. Click here for first picture in gallery.

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Street Fighter 4 (IV) iPhone Available Now

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5 Geeky Periodic Table of Elements

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:46 +0000

The Periodic Table of Elements claimed its way to fame in classrooms and text books around the world, and now these science fans have taken it to a new level of creativity. Continue reading to see 5 of the geekiest examples ever. [via Walyou ]

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5 Geeky Periodic Table of Elements

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Deal of the Day: $899.95 Panasonic HDC-HS250-K HHD HD Camcorder for $499 Shipped

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:42 +0000

Amazon has the Panasonic HDC-HS250-K HD Camcorder for just $499 shipped, originally priced at $899.95. This camcorder “records high-definition AVCHD video to built-in 120GB hard disk drive or optional SD/SDHC memory cards.” Product page . Video after the break. …holds at least 15 hours of HD video at maximum quality * holds up to 50 hours of standard quality video * 3MOS System has separate image sensors for red, green, and blue * 9.15-megapixels total. [via Amazon ]

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Deal of the Day: $899.95 Panasonic HDC-HS250-K HHD HD Camcorder for $499 Shipped

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The Story of Stuff

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:40 +0000

There’s been a lot of internet buzz lately about The Story of Stuff, an animated documentary on consumerist American society , so we’ve embedded the full video after the break. The 20-minute clip “divides up the materials economy into a system composed of extraction, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal.”

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The Story of Stuff

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LEGO Music Sequencer

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:37 +0000

Musician Yoshi Akai wanted to combine his love of art and music, so he built an innovative music sequencer using the two. This creation “uses three-dimensional Lego structures to emulate a three-channel, eight-step sequencer, where each differently colored plastic brick produces a different sound.” Video after the break. …complex combinations (including tremolo and overdrive) are possible when the blocks are stacked. Akai tells us it works using resistors embedded in each and every block. [via Engadget ]

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LEGO Music Sequencer

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Google Apps Marketplace Launched

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:33 +0000

The Google Apps Marketplace has officially been launched. What does this marketplace offer? Well, it features “products and services designed for Google users, including installable apps that integrate directly with Google Apps.” Continue reading for the entire Google Campfire One presentation.

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Google Apps Marketplace Launched

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RIM tweaking Storm2’s SurePress underpinnings, Verizon units getting swapped out

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:17 +0000

We hadn’t heard that the Storm2’s unique piezo-actuated touchscreen was acting up in any statistically significant way, but apparently, there’d been enough with dodgy lower left corners to prompt RIM to do something about it. BerryScoop and BlackBerry Leaks are reporting that Verizon stores have been ordered to return their existing stock in favor of new Storm2s with “silicone actuators” added to “to improve touchpad performance and tactile response,” and don’t worry, current customers — it seems you’re more than welcome to exchange your old unit for an upgraded one provided you’re “experiencing touchpad performance issues” (wink, wink). Unfixed handsets need to be out of stores by March 11, so it looks like you can definitely find the new ones hanging around this week — let us know if you can tell the difference. RIM tweaking Storm2’s SurePress underpinnings, Verizon units getting swapped out originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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Motorola CLIQ XT hands-on

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:14 +0000

We know you’ve barely recovered from our Devour review , but Moto just threw another Blur-ified phone in our laps this afternoon - the CLIQ XT . We’ve been playing around with the Android 1.5-based, Flash Lite -supported, multitouch-capable handset for the last couple of hours — but before we grace you with our first impressions, just a fair warning: we don’t yet know the price of the new T-Mobile Android handset, though Motorola did promise us that it will hit shelves this month. With that said, hit the break for a quick rundown of our early thoughts. Continue reading Motorola CLIQ XT hands-on Motorola CLIQ XT hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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Verizon selling Casio Brigade on the downlow?

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:12 +0000

It feels like the Brigade’s been in the public conscience for forever and a day (and let’s be honest, November is forever and a day ago by phone standards), but amazingly, Casio’s latest rugged G’zOne for Verizon still isn’t being offered — at least, not in any official capacity. It seems some HowardForums posters have managed to order and receive their Brigades by calling the carrier’s telesales directly, and a few uploaded shots of the boxed QWERTY clamshell is enough to have us believing it’s the real deal. For what it’s worth, this tends to happen pretty frequently with Verizon — they’ll start selling and shipping new devices over the phone a couple weeks before announcing availability or offering them via the web — so it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that we’re going down the same road again here, and a few brick and mortar locations have apparently started to take delivery, too. Expect to pay $249 after $50 rebate — in other words, enough cash so that you’d better really need a messaging-centric dumbphone with a tough shell. Verizon selling Casio Brigade on the downlow? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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Samsung Galaxy Spica comes to Rogers

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:09 +0000

Granted, they got off to a slow start — but every since the Dream and Magic originally launched, Rogers has done a pretty commendable job of leading the Android charge north of the border. Latest in the line is Samsung’s venerable i5700 Galaxy Spica , a phone that won’t win any awards for running up-to-date firmware (it still rocks Cupcake ) nor any medals for being high-end (the camera’s just 3.2 megapixels with no flash), but at the very least, it makes an interesting, cheap Magic alternative with a high likelihood of an Android 2.x upgrade down the road. If you’re willing to commit three years upfront, you can score this bad boy for CAD $79.99 (about $78) right this very second — or a more daunting CAD $399.99 ($390) commitment-free if you’re into that sort of thing. Samsung Galaxy Spica comes to Rogers originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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Bluetooth Access Point brings text messaging, voice messaging, email to the friendly skies

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:05 +0000

Whether you covet your Irish friends’ ability to make in-flight cellphone calls or value your aerial naps too much to care either way, you must admit that the promise of in-flight SMS, MMS, voice messaging, and text email is tantalizing. To this end, the kids at Asiq have announced a little something called the Bluetooth Access Point. This device uses the aircraft’s satellite link to send data to your respective carrier, eliminates the need for a picocell, and boasts up to 3Mb/s speeds. Now let’s see how quickly this bad boy gets approved for use! (Or not.) PR after the break. Continue reading Bluetooth Access Point brings text messaging, voice messaging, email to the friendly skies Bluetooth Access Point brings text messaging, voice messaging, email to the friendly skies originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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Sony Ericsson X10 unboxed by — who else — Sony Ericsson

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:39:02 +0000

Guys, guys, look: unboxing is our job. We know it’s fun and we know it brings eyeballs to your site, but we think your customers would be better served if you just concentrated on shipping the mighty X10 rather than teasing them with a product they can’t yet have. Apparently, Sony Ericsson just took delivery of its first commercial samples of its inaugural Android device, so to kick off the occasion in style, a couple staffers have unboxed them in glorious high definition for us — both the white and black versions, mind you — using none other than their own Vivaz to maximize the meta factor. There’s not a lot to the video, really (even the captions are disappointingly accurate ), but if you’re truly desperate for X10 eye candy as you wait for the retail launch, it’s worth a gander. Full video after the break. Continue reading Sony Ericsson X10 unboxed by — who else — Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson X10 unboxed by — who else — Sony Ericsson originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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‘SeeClickFix’ Directly Alerts City Hall About Vandalism, Potholes

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:38:59 +0000

Filed under: Cell Phones , BlackBerry , iPhone Winter may be drawing to a painstakingly slow close, but the countless potholes it leaves in its wake can linger for much longer. Whereas most of us simply wait for the public works crew to get around to fixing the mini-craters in our streets, a new GPS-based Web site called SeeClickFix now gives citizens the ability to instantly alert municipal officials to problems worthy of their attention. Ben Berkowitz, SeeClickFix’s cofounder and CEO, recently spoke with NPR about the service, which uses GPS technology and smartphone photography to transmit evidence of public vandalism directly to city hall. According to Berkowitz, the idea for the site was born out of the difficulties he experienced in trying to contact local authorities about some graffiti on his neighbor’s building. After multiple calls went unanswered, he decided to create the site, which sends automatic alerts to local governments whenever a citizen posts a photo of something in need of a fix. With the help of a specific smartphone app , users can send a picture of a vandalized storefront or pock-marked roadway, and can even transmit the exact GPS coordinates of the incident directly to local brass. Continue reading ‘SeeClickFix’ Directly Alerts City Hall About Vandalism, Potholes ‘SeeClickFix’ Directly Alerts City Hall About Vandalism, Potholes originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read

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‘Silent Communication’ Lets You Talk Without Speaking

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:38:54 +0000

Filed under: Cell Phones One day, Professor Tanja Shultz of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology grew annoyed at a fellow train passenger who was loudly squawking into their cell phone. “I thought ‘I need to change this’,” she recently told the BBC, after unveiling — at the Cebit Electronics Fair in Germany — a device that can essentially read lips. Called “silent communication,” Shultz’s system would allow cell phone users to move their mouths without actually speaking , allowing for a totally voiceless conversation. Utilizing nine electrodes stuck to the user’s face, the prototype detects the electrical potentials from the muscles that move during speech. The electromyographic pulses are amplified and sent wirelessly to a laptop, which then translates the signals into a synthesized speaking voice. Shultz says that the technology could be used to help people who have lost the ability to speak, which is a perfectly reasonable application. Still, imagining how this might be implemented on a mass scale leaves us a little bewildered. Continue reading ‘Silent Communication’ Lets You Talk Without Speaking ‘Silent Communication’ Lets You Talk Without Speaking originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read

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Babies With BlackBerrys: Kids Increasingly Wielding Cell Phones

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:38:49 +0000

Filed under: Cell Phones At an age when we were still playing with plastic toys, 10- and 11-year-old kids today are downloading games, sending text messages and surfing the Web with cell phones . After the communications fall-out of 9/11, many parents saw cell phone ownership as not just a priority, but a safety measure. Providers cashed in on family plans, and the nation took up talking and walking. Yet, now we have a generation who can’t remember what it’s like to dial. According to the New York Times, a recent study (PDF link) from Mediamark Research and Intelligence found that the percentage of cell phone owners among kids aged 6 to 11 has doubled since 2005. According to the study, boys are to blame. While girls are still more likely to have a mobile device than boys, the gap between them closed in the last five years to 21.8-percent for girls and 18.3-percent for boys (it was twice as big in 2005). Overall, about 36-percent of kids in the previously mentioned age group own a cell phone. That’s just staggering, since even the youngest among us didn’t get our first cell phones until we could legally drive [Edit. Note: To be fair, back then, they were brick-like and made horrible noises when the call didn't go through]. Continue reading Babies With BlackBerrys: Kids Increasingly Wielding Cell Phones Babies With BlackBerrys: Kids Increasingly Wielding Cell Phones originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read

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Cell Phone Accelerometer System Alerts the Boss to Your Laziness

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:38:17 +0000

Filed under: Cell Phones Once a bastion of laziness, the office cubicle may no longer be safe from workers’ oldest enemy: work. According to Asiajin , a team of researchers from KDDI Corporation, one of Japan’s largest cell phone companies, recently developed a technology that would let your boss remotely monitor your every move. The cornerstone of the monitoring system is deceptively simple: a cell phone equipped with an accelerometer . If your workplace decides to implement the device, one would input actions into the phone as you’re doing them. That way, the device could accurately determine whether or not a movement corresponds to a purported action. For example, if your job is mopping the bathroom floor, but the accelerometer isn’t detecting any movement (because you’re taking a nap in the storage closet), your boss would know. As time goes on, and as you enter more actions, the system becomes more accurate. Therefore, after a few weeks, the office should run like a well-oiled machine. As experienced office grunts, we’re not too thrilled about this. After all, being lazy while making money is the American dream. [From: Asiajin , via: Fast Company ] Cell Phone Accelerometer System Alerts the Boss to Your Laziness originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read