Everywhere we turn, we’re reminded of just how vulnerable our personal information is to being pilfered by scam artists. Combined with the telecom industry’s woefully inadequate security policies, you’ve got a recipe for a perfect storm of fraudulent activity. In fact, a couple of scammers from Brooklyn, NY managed to defraud wireless giants AT&T and…
Apple blames exploding iPhones on user error
My whole life, people have come to me asking how to fix a certain computer problem or a particular gadget-related bug. I guess everyone thinks that all geeks are born knowing how to fix gadgets. But I digress. The point is that the first thing I think when someone tells me their computer/gadget has gone…
FCC ‘seeking to ensure’ wireless competition
The FCC has opened in inquiry into the state of competition in the US wireless market. Following on the FCC’s investigation into the iPhone Google Voice fiasco, the new FCC, headed by recently-seated chairman Julius Genachowski, voted unanimously on Thursday to look into business practices among US wireless carriers. Under scrutiny are carriers’ roaming deals,…
Verizon Wireless’ ‘enhanced multimedia phones’ to require new data plans?
If there’s one thing Verizon Wireless likes more than getting “accidental” revenue from feature-phone users cluelessly firing up their web browsers, it’s getting revenue on wireless data plans. Carriers make good money on data plans, so it makes sense that they push data plans on users. The latest word on the street (unconfirmed) is that…
Apple patent would tailor iPhone homescreen to your location
With technologies like cell-tower triangulation, GPS and WiFi location tracking, it’s not hard for the iPhone to determine your location. Firing up Google Maps and hitting the “Locate Me” button is proof enough that your iPhone can track you more closely than an embittered ex-girlfriend. But, it doesn’t stop there. Apple’s latest patent application indicates…
Updated Facebook for iPhone app good enough to make me use Facebook
Everyone and their grandmother is talking about the Facebook iPhone app update that just went live today. I don’t use Facebook enough (I should, but I don’t) to have cared all that much about what’s being described as the best thing to happen to the Facebook iPhone app since, well, the first Facebook iPhone app.…
Apple’s AppStore moves masses of money
A new report from AdMob shows that Apple’s iPhone AppStore is big business, bigger than you could imagine. Official numbers are staggering. Apple’s own stats show that the AppStore is home to some 65,000 iPhone apps that have apparently been responsible for over 1.5 billion app downloads since its inception last year. But, that’s just…
Augmented reality is a reality for the US iPhone AppStore!
Just yesterday we saw the iPhone AppStore open the doors to Paris Metro Subway. The iPhone app, only supported in Paris (for obvious reasons), gave us a glimpse into the power of AR. The launch of Paris Metro only highlighted how much it would suck to have to wait until Apple officially launched its Augmented…
J.D. Power: US wireless carriers service improved
In the world of wireless cellular service, having good call quality makes a big difference. Nobody wants to deal with dropped calls, echoes and static when they’re talking on the phone. Unfortunately, crappy cellphone calls are just part of the game. But, according to J.D. Power and Associates, US carriers are getting better at serving…
Samsung Messager II now available from Cricket Wireless
Not to be outdone by fellow prepaid wireless carrier MetroPCS, Cricket has today announced that the Samsung Messager II is now ready to bring its sliding QWERTY keyboard to customers with power-texting needs. As the update to the Samsung Messager, the Messager II sports an upgraded features. The Messager II boasts a 2-megapixel camera, 3G…