December 2007 Archives
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ZDNet Punked by Fake iPhone Thumb Surgery Story
A story that should have gotten a thumbs-down from editors at ZDnet was the third most read post on ZDNet. Russell Shaw wrote, about the post Man endures thumb surgery to better enable iPhone use: “At first, this sounded quite...
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Skweezer Stats Show Dramatic Increase in Wireless Web from Xmas
Greenlight Wireless Corporation announced that usage of its Skweezer mobile browsing service has dramatically increased since December 26th, which appears to support industry speculation that mobile handsets were a popular item under the Christmas tree. Aggregated mobile Web traffic data...
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Cell Phone Lithium Batteries Limited on Airplanes
Beginning January 1, airline passengers will no longer be allowed to pack loose lithium batteries in checked luggage, under new transportation laws aimed at reducing the risk of battery fires. Passengers are permitted to carry up to two spare extended-life...
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Donate Military PhoneHome Time Via Text to 740 on AT&T
AT&T I has announced a new text messaging program that will support the USO — and U.S. military families — with free prepaid phone cards. The program launches at the AT&T Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Beginning Jan. 1, and running...
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300 Million News Year's Eve Text Messages at Verizon
Verizon Wireless expects its customers to send and receive more than 300 million messages in the 16 hours between 12 p.m. today and 4 a.m. ET New Year’s Day. Mike Lanman, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless,...
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OtterBox Drop-Protects, and Waterproofs iPhones
Now, you can take your iPhone virtually anywhere with the OtterBox for iPhone Armor Series case. The fully rugged, interactive enclosure provides complete water, dust, dirt, drop and sand protection so your iPhone is safe regardless of what the day...
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Mobile Banking Analyst Review
We are pleased to announce that our editor, Lynn Walford was asked to write an article about mobile banking for ATMmarketplace, titled "Mobile banking at market tipping point."In the article, all the top analysts from Aite Group, TowerGroup, Celent, and...
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Cognos 8 Go! Mobile Now Suppors Windows Moblie
Cognos announced that it has extended its wireless business intelligence solution, Cognos 8 Go! Mobile, to support Windows Mobile 6 smartphones. Previously their solutions were available on the BlackBerry platform. Cognos 8 Go! Mobile is the industry’s first business intelligence...
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Mobile Gamers More Casual, Wordy and Simple Says Parks Assoc.
Consumers still perceive mobile phones as casual gaming devices, despite recent efforts to introduce more advanced games and features to the platform, according to Parks Associates’ The New Frontier: Portable and Mobile Gaming. Their report analyzes trends in the mobile...
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New Cell Phone Laws for Drivers in 2008 Reminds AAA
The California Auto Club reminds motorists of the following laws that will not take effect until July 1 2008: Cell Phones and Driving. SB 1613 prohibits the use of handheld cellular telephones while driving. Starting July 1, 2008, an adult...
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Wipe Out Data Before Recycling Phones
ReCellular's cell phone data eraser site reminds everyone to clean off all your data before recycling your phone. ...
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BlackBerry Patent Has New Angled Keyboard
Various blogs have reported a new patent filed by BlackBerry for an angled keyboard for easier thumb typing:This seems to make sense. Thumbs move on angle not straight up and down. Our editor has been using an ergonomically curved Kinesis...
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Jack, McD, and StarB May Take Orders from iPods
Information Week reported that Apple has filed a patent that would enable a wireless device (such as an iPod or iPhone) to place a wireless order at a cafe or quick serve restaurant without waiting in line.The article notes that...
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RIM 10% of Smartphones in 2007 Says ABI
According to ABI, Research In Motion (RIM) is likely to end 2007 with around 10% share of the smartphone market. This means that in terms of device shipments, RIM will be the second largest smartphone vendor in 2007, after Nokia....
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I3A Camera Phone Image Quality Initiative Jumpstarted
Nearly two dozen leading companies from all areas of the mobile imaging eco-system have joined forces to work on Phase 2 of the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A; http://www.i3a.org) Camera Phone Image Quality (CPIQ) Initiative, the group announced today. Following...
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Femtocell Last Chance for Carriers to Make their Mark in Home Says ABI
One of the major talking points at recent femtocell conferences has been the question of which technology will take precedence for fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) in the home: femtocells, or Voice over Wi-Fi. ABI Research suggests that this is an outdated...
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Wi-Fi Phones up 51% in 3Q07 Says Infonetics
Sales of wireless LAN infrastructure equipment, including WLAN switches and controllers, dependent and independent access points, wireless broadband routers, and outdoor bridges, jumped 14% in 3Q07 from 2Q07, according to Infonetics Research’s latest Wireless LAN Equipment quarterly market share report....
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Recycle Your Old Cell Phone for HopeLine
This holiday season, many consumers rang in the holidays with new wireless phones,. Rather than throwing old phones into a drawer or into the trash, Verizon Wireless reminds consumers to donate their no-longer-used wireless phones to the company’s HopeLinephone recycling...
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Fring's Free Wi-Fi Mobile Calling Now Supports Yahoo and AOL Instant Msgs
Fring announced in its blog, that they have just added Yahoo!™ and AOL’s AIM® instant messengers to their growing world of online communities, joining Skype, Google Talk, MSN, ICQ, and Twitter to provide fringsters ways of staying connected with all...
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Motorola's WiMaxing to the Max
Motorola, Inc. issued a year-end update on its wi4 WiMAX solutions and customer engagements. During 2007 Motorola increased to15 its number of contracts for commercial WiMAX networks and demonstrated the historic first live mobile WiMAX 802.16e handoffs between continuous WiMAX...
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ABI Study - Recycled Handsets > 100 Mil in 2012
Shipments of recycled handsets (old handsets recycled for reuse) are expected to exceed 100 million units in 2012, according to a recent study from ABI Research. Shorter handset replacement periods, growing demand for low-cost handsets in emerging markets, regulatory requirements,...
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Mobile Banking Expected to Be a Big Hit Says Aite Group
A new report from Aite Group, LLC gauges mobile operators' current perceptions of mobile transactions. The report, which is based on an October 2007 survey of 12 international mobile operators, provides insight into how mobile operators view mobile transaction adoption...
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Armadillo Dollar Stops RFID Skimming
The Armadillo Dollar, created by Wisteria House Products of Gilbert, Arizona, protects against new wireless ID theft and RFID monitoring. When put into a person’s wallet, the Armadillo Dollar blocks the transmission of sensitive private information from RFID (Radio Frequency...
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MOTORAZR2 V9M Available from Cricket
Cricket Communications, Inc., is now offering MOTORAZR² V9m as part of its handset lineup. The RAZR² V9m features greatly enhanced dual screens, giving consumers the largest in its class two inch external screen for crisp picture caller ID and external...
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Cricket Leaps to offer Clamshell Samsung SCH-r500
Samsung and Cricket Communications, Inc., announced that the Samsung SCH-r500 handset, a sleek clamshell phone for Cricket customers, will be available to Cricket customers on Monday, December 24, 2007. The phone features: Changeable faceplates Internal antenna262K TFT internal display1.2” external...
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OED Goes Mobile with Mobifusion
Mobifusion, Inc., a global developer and publisher of mobile applications and technologies announced an agreement with Oxford University Press to create and deliver mobile editions of Oxford’s world-leading dictionaries to mobile phones and devices through key wireless operators and other...
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National Survey Says GPS More Desired Than Web Surfing
Due to soaring consumer interest in navigation services based on the Global Positioning System (GPS), a new national survey by Leo J. Shapiro and Associates (LJS) found that cellphone users cite GPS capability more frequently than Internet access as a...
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AT&T & Rock the Vote Gets to Youth Via Mobile
AT&T and Rock the Vote will use new technologies like mobile to educate and engage these young voters. “The AT&T and Rock the Vote campaign will engage young people where they are — through a device that nearly never leaves...
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Net Applications Says More iPhones Web Browse than Windows Mobile
Net Applications tracked iPhone usage since its launch. Total web browsing on the iPhone has topped the web browsing on all Windows Mobile devices combined, their report shows. Their report is a listing of the top operating system versions in...
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Santa Snow Globe Slashers Caught After Leaving Cell Phone
According to Newsday, two young Santa and snow globe slashers were caught by a homeowner firefighter, after they left a cell phone at the scene of the crime....
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What Cell Phone or Mobile Device Should Santa Use?
Santa Claus needs a new cell phone this year. What would be the best cell phone or mobile device for Santa? Commentary Feature from Wireless and Mobile NewsAware of the latest mobile phone trends because of letters from very good...
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Mobile Navigation without GPS & Web Mapping Service Launched by Fugawi
TORONTO, Canada - GPS software manufacturer Northport Systems, Inc., has launched Fugawi Touratel, a new cell phone-based outdoor navigation software and interactive web site, for use in the United States. Designed to enhance outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking,...
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Unsolicted Facebook SMS Suit Settled
A lawsuit filed in October, accused Facebook of sending unsolicited text messages to out of date/recycled numbers. Plaintiff Lindsey Abrams of Patriot, Ind, said Facebook kept sending her numerous text messages, for which she was charged 10 cents apiece and...
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LA's New Parking Meters Offer Text Alerts, Accept Credit Cards & Mobile Payments
Los Angeles, California, Mayor Villaraigosa kicked off the multi-phase Parking Management Program (PMP) and unveiled the new "Easy Park - Easy Pay" parking meters in a parking lot in North Hollywood, last week.The "Easy Park - Easy Pay" meters -...
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2.3 Trillion Mobi-Messages in 2008 Says Gartner
As the popularity of mobile messaging services continue to grow, Gartner, Inc. forecasts 2.3 trillion messages will be sent across major markets worldwide in 2008, a 19.6 percent increase from the 2007 total of 1.9 trillion messages. Mobile messaging revenue...
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Cellfire Coupons MetroPCS
Cellfire, Inc. has signed an agreement with MetroPCS Communications,, to provide mobile coupon and discount offers. Cellfire is now available to any MetroPCS customer with a compatible phone and MetroWeb service. Cellfire makes it easy for MetroPCS users to find...
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Cellware Socializes with Free Mobile Content with Ads
Cellware.com is offering free mobile content, including ringtones, wallpaper, videos, games and applications, for all types of mobile phones. Created by Advertising.com’s co-founder, John Ferber, Cellware combines a robust social network along with the ability to explore, create, and share...
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WiMax Future Uncertain, Says In-Stat
WiMAX continues to make gains, with network trials becoming commercial deployments, and well known vendors adding the technology to their product portfolios, reports In-Stat (http://www.in-stat.com). Despite many positive events over the last 12 months, however, WiMAX still faces much uncertainty,...
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Free AD Supported 800# Directory Assitance fromn AT&T in US
AT&T announced that callers coast to coast can get free directory assistance thanks to a new service, AT&T 1-800-YellowPages. The service, which has rolled out to several markets in 2007, is now available from every wireline and mobile phone in...
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LG Voyager vs iPhone Debate Review of Reviews
Reviewers are debating whether Apple's iPhone or Verizon's LG Voyager is the best phone. Who is the winner? Reviewers make comparisons between the phones because the major features they both offer are touch interfaces and full Web access. The iPhone...
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Apps Helping Vision Impaired Availble from AT&T
AT&T Inc. announced two new applications that will increase usability for wireless customers who are blind or have low vision. AT&T is partnering with Code Factory to offer Mobile Speak and Mobile Magnifier, both for Windows Mobile and Symbian Series...
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Verizon Pushes Blue-Green Treo 755p with Direct Push & Google Maps
Verizon Wireless and Palm, Inc. today announced the immediate availability of the Palm Treo 755p smartphone in exclusive deep blue- green is available online and in in stores January . Compared to its Treo 700p predecessor, the Treo 755p has...
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Qualcomm Buys Noise Cancelling SoftMax
Qualcomm announced that it has acquired San Diego-based SoftMax Inc., a market leader in noise reduction for mobiledevices. SoftMax brings multi-microphone noise suppressionand echo cancellation expertise to Qualcomm, broadening the audio and voice capabilities of the Company’s product portfolio for...
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Alltel with Voice2TXT Turns Voicemails into TXT MSGS
Alltel Wireless, and SpinVox, the leading provider of Voice-to-Screen messaging, launched a new service called Voice2TXT. The launch makes Alltel Wireless the first of the five largest U.S. carriers to offer its customers the ability to receive voicemails in text...
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Zumobi Simple Development Tools
It looks like Zumobi is going to be be blessing for mobile content developers. I just talked to Beth Goza who said that using the Zumobi Tutorial, she was able to develop a Zumobi tile that uses her own blog's...
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Rural Canadian Oil Tester Racks Up C$85,000 in Wireless Data Charges
Piotr Staniaszek, a 22-year-old oil and gas well tester in rural northwest Alberta, thought his C$10 a month unlimited data plan covered using his phone as a modem and downloading big files to his computer. It did not and he...
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Free Mobile Games from Digital Chocolate and Greystripe
Greystripe, the largest distributor of ad-supported mobile games and applications announced a Tier-1 game publisher deal to distribute free mobile games with award winning publisher, Digital Chocolate. A selection of Digital Chocolate's mobile games will be delivered through all 20...
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Zumobi Quick Widgets Available for Windows Phones
Zumobi today launched the highly anticipated Beta version of its award-winning Zooming User Interface and mobile widget platform. Zumobi can now be downloaded free from the company’s Web site: www.Zumobi.com. Content will be available from more than 75 mobile widgets...
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Paul Frank Phone Cases Available from Verizon
Verizon Wireless, has teamed up with accessories and apparel company, Paul Frank Industries, to create a line of stylish PDA and mobile phone cases and pouches. The accessories feature Paul Frank’s classic characters and whimsical designs — Julius the monkey,...
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Compete Reports LG Voyager Top Holiday Web Search
According to Elaine Warner at Compete Inc. in her blog, consumers were searching for an iPhone alternative and clicked for the LG Voyager.Q4 2006 saw a 14% increase in mobile phones sales from the previous year. Compete ranked mobile phone...
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Sprint Links to Free MySpace in Early '08
MySpace and Sprint announced today that Sprint will be the first U.S. wireless carrier to link to the free MySpace Mobile Web site once it officially launches in early 2008, at no additional charge to Sprint data subscribers. Sprint...
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Multi-Platform evite quickvite Invite Service Launched
Evite announced the launch of quickvite, a free, cross-platform mobile/Web application that enables users to plan casual, last minute get-togethers with ease. Whether picking a place to watch the game tonight or arranging girls’ night out next week, quickvite is...
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Cricket Buys Hargray, Now in Savanah & Hilton Head
Cricket Communications, Inc.announced that it has signed an agreement with Hargray Communications Group, Inc. to acquire Hargray’s wireless telecommunications business and bring Cricket service to the Savannah, Ga. and Hilton Head, S.C. areas. Under the agreement, Cricket will acquire Hargray...
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Helio Offers Free Uploading 2 YouTube
Helio introduced the ability to upload videos shot with Helio devices to a YouTube account with only two-clicks. Available exclusively on Helio service and free-of-charge for Helio All-In Members, this faster and easier upload opens YouTube to near real time...
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No Text Filtering Petition Filed with FCC
Eight public interest groups, led by Public Knowledge, petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) telling them that telephone companies should not have the legal ability to interfere with text messages. “For many people, texting has replaced calling as a way...
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Smashing Flash Lite Games on Verizon
Verizon Wireless, and Smashing Ideas, Inc announced the launch of Smashing Games. Smashing Games allows Verizon Wireless Get It Now customers to choose from a variety of Flash Lite mobile games. With Smashing Games, customers can browse through featured, new...
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Virgin Mobile Self-Services Activation with Telespree
Telespree Communications announced that Virgin Mobile USA has deployed Telespree’s Over-The-Air (OTA) solution to automate its mobile handset programming process. Virgin Mobile USA implemented Telespree’s solution to further improve its customer experience. The service allows new customers to get started...
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Evite Mobile Services Successful
If you haven’t tried evite’s send-to-phone option, it’s a great way to have the addresses of your social calendar stored in text messages in your phone. Once you’ve signed up, you can opt to notified when you receive a new...
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Linux Phone Standards (LiPS) Forum Releases of 1.0 Specifications
The Linux Phone Standards (LiPS) Forumannounced completion of the LiPS Release 1.0 specifications, fulfilling the commitment announced in June of this year. With this release, LiPS enables mobile industry players to achieve basic interoperability for applications and services deployed on...
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Smith Micro Buys PCTEL's Mobility Group
Smith Micro Software, Inc. and PCTEL, Inc., a developer of wireless broadband solutions, announced a definitive asset purchase agreement for Smith Micro Software to acquire PCTEL’s Mobility Solutions Group (“MSG”) for $59.7 million, to be paid at closing of the...
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Limit of iPhones Increased to 5
Apple has increased the number of iPhones you can buy up to FIVE phones. Formerly a limit of two with a credit card purchase was initiated in October.There has been a lot of conjecture on why the number was increased...
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Sprint Nextel WiMAX Comes Alive b4 Xmas
Sprint Nextel starts a "soft launch" testing of WiMAX XOHM service this week in Chicago, Baltimore and Washington. The service will only be available to employees....
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Microsoft Lauches Mobile Ads & Premo Content
Mobile display advertising is now available on MSN Mobile for the first time, Microsoft Corp. announced. MSN Mobile customers in the U.S. will begin to see banner and text ad placements that conform to the U.S. mobile advertising guidelines provided...
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T-Mobile Offers Hotspot@Home Slider Phone the Katalyst from Samsung
Samsung and T-Mobile announced the availability of the new Samsung Katalyst. The Katalyst adds a stylish, slider design to the growing line-up of phones that support T-Mobile HotSpot @Home service that enables customers to switch between T-Mobile phone wireless service...
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go2 Local Search Gets on Verizon's Mobile Web Deck
go2 Media (www.go2.com)announced that Verizon Wireless has added go2 as a link on the Verizon Mobile Web 2.0SM menu. Verizon Wireless Mobile Web subscribers now have easy access to the go2 Media search and directory services directly from the Verizon...
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Try Before You Buy with TryPhone
Mobile Complete launched a new interactive Web program dubbed “TryPhone,” which contains fully-functional, virtual phones designed specifically for mobile consumers. TryPhone allows users to test-drive mobile devices online before purchasing. Consumers can access the site, by going to www.tryphone.com. This...
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Dobson's Cellular One Stores Go AT&T
Beginning Sunday, Dec. 9, AT&T transitions Dobson’s Cellular One-branded stores to AT&T throughout former Dobson territory. AT&T Inc. announced that the first phase of integration will start Sunday by stocking store shelves with AT&T handsets and replacing Dobson’s Cellular One...
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Top 10 iPhone Apps
Apple has named the top ten iPhone applications at its website:Google Search Frenzic iPunchOut! Google Maps for iPhone Touch iDuckHunt by Jirbo Connect4 touch The Zinio Mobile Newsstand Finger Scan MindDojo SMASH!...
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XHTML 3G Nokia 6263 Available from T-Mobile
T-Mobile announced the availability of the Nokia 6263 with lots of features including email with attachments, a 1.3 megapixel camera with video recorder and a music player, a 2.2” 16 million color QVGA primary display, and exterior mounted music keys....
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Better Browsing Alternative Needed for Mobile Says Jupiter Research
JupiterResearch, a has found that although high-speed wireless data networks are available to the majority of all cell phone users, few are migrating “desktop” activities to cell phones. Among the most common activities, e-mail is the most widely used on...
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Google iPhone App Available
Google announced the release of a new iPhone application that integrates its multiple services into a single interface, making it easy for iPhone users to find, use and switch between Google search, Gmail, Calendar, Reader, and more. To use the...
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Nokia Gives Free Music with New Phones for 1 Year
During Nokia World, Nokia announced Nokia Comes With Music, that enables people to buy a Nokia device with a year of unlimited access to millions of tracks from a range of great artists. Once the year is complete, customers...
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Moto Z6c Slider Int'l Travel Phone Available from Verizon 2day Online
Verizon Wireless, announced the availability of the MOTO Z6c world edition with global connectivity, and multimedia features, available today online at www.verizonwireless.com and through business sales. The MOTO Z6c will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on Dec. 12....
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Personal Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot from CradlePoint
CradlePoint, Inc., announced today the availability of the PHS300 — a pocket-size, battery powered, Personal Hotspot (PHS). The PHS300 creates a fully portable Wi-Fi Hotspot from broadband-enabled cellular phones and modems. PHS300 irequires no special software to enable easy broadband...
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Palm Selling Unlocked Treo 750 Smartphones
Palm, Inc. announced the Palm Treo(750 smartphone, previously available in the United States only on AT&T’s 3G network, is now available in an unlocked version via Palm’s retail (http://www.palm.com/retail) and online stores (http://store.palm.com). The unlocked GSM Treo 750 smartphone...
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More Young Cord Cutters Go Wireless Says In-Stat Survey
The trend of young US wireless users opting to disconnect their home phone lines in favor of wireless-only options is growing, reports In-Stat. The typical cord cutter is under 35 years old with a small household and a lower income...
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Nokia Evolve 3110 Greens Mobile
Nokia announced at Nokia World, the Nokia 3110 Evolve, a mobile device with bio-covers made from more than 50% renewable material. The device is presented in a small package made of 60% recycled content and it comes with Nokia’s most...
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Leap Bidding on Spectrum T00
According to Reuters, Leap Wireless International Inc has filed to bid in the Federal Communications Commission’s auctions of 700 MHz band licenses....
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Verizon Opens Up to Goggle's Android
Verizon's CEO Lowell McAdam in a Businessweek interview, says that Verizon "plans to use Android" allowing the carrier to add more low-cost customers. Earlier this month Verizon announced that it will open up its network for new devices in 2008.Many...
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AT&T Buys Edge Wireless
AT&T Inc. has announced that AT&T, through an affiliate, has entered into a definitive agreement with Edge Wireless Holding Company to acquire full ownership in Edge Wireless LLC (“Edge Wireless”), a regional wireless company with approximately 172,000 subscribers that operates...
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Nortel & Qualcomm Dual Mode Wi-Fi/Cell VCC Passes Testing 4 FMC
Nortel has successfully tested a solution with Qualcomm that will improve the mobile phone experiences allowing users to continue conversations uninterrupted and avoid additional roaming charges when a caller is moving between different wireless networks. The completion of testing between...
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35% Tweens Own Mobile Phone & luv 2 txt
The Nielsen Company today released the findings of an in-depth study on the mobile media and cross media behavior of U.S. “tweens” (ages 8-12). While text-messaging and ringtones remain the most pervasive non-voice functions on the phone, other content such...
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AT&T Disconnects from Pay Phone Biz in 2008
AT&T Inc. announced it plans to exit the shrinking pay phone business by the end of 2008. Existing contracts and customer service commitments will continue to be honored during the period that the business is being phased out. AT&T’s Public...
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Alltel Launches Employee GPS Track & Time App
Alltel Wireless, announced the availability of TimecardGPS, an application that enables users to track an employee’s location, record shift time and capture job or work order information from LBS-enabled wireless phones. Available for $12.49 per handset per month, the service...
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