Mac News: Mobile Tech

Google Latitude Lets Users Follow Their Own Footprints
November 11, 2009

Users of Google's location-aware mobile software can now track their whereabouts over time and receive alerts when contacts are nearby, thanks to two features added to the software on Tuesday. The free application, Google Latitude, was introduced earlier this year for a variety of cellphones.

Schools Slam Kindle Over Blind Access Failure
November 11, 2009

Amazon's Kindle can read books aloud, but if you're blind it can be difficult to turn that function on without help. Now two universities say they will shun the device until Amazon changes the setup. The National Federation of the Blind planned to announce Wednesday that two major schools won't consider big rollouts of the electronic reading device unless Amazon fixes the problem.

Samsung Chimes In With Bada Mobile OS
November 11, 2009

Does the mobile phone world really need yet another platform, open source or otherwise? South Korean-based electronics firm Samsung answered yes to that question on Tuesday when it announced the launch of Bada. Bada, the Korean word for "ocean," is a new open platform that Samsung hopes will become a top phone OS in the future.

Apple's Mobile Machines: New Lands, New Carriers ... New Products?
November 11, 2009

The iPhone has launched with relatively weak sales in China, and the situation echoed what the handset faced in India, where the device was launched in August of 2008. There is little demand for the iPhone in India, ccording to BusinessWeek. The problem is perhaps structural. Apple appears to be going into developing nations with the same mindset as it has in the United States.

The PC Privacy Battle at the Border
November 11, 2009

Civil liberties groups continue to lock horns with the Department of Homeland Security over border searches of electronic equipment, although relatively few people have been affected. The Department's statistics show that only 1,000 laptops were searched between October 2008 and August 2009, a time period in which more than 221 million travelers came through U.S. ports of entry.

Mobilization and the Big Security Opportunity
November 10, 2009

It seems like it was just yesterday that talking on a mobile phone made you cool. You were obviously important, walking around with the confidence that you could be reached at all times. Well, times have certainly changed. Roughly half the planet's population -- over 4.1 billion people -- now pay for what was once limited to a select few, according to a recent United Nations survey.

New Worm Gives Jailbroken iPhones the Ol' Rickroll
November 10, 2009

Although it apparently causes no actual harm besides a trivial annoyance, a worm that hits jailbroken iPhones has security researches worried. The so-called Ikee worm was discovered by security researchers recently. It installs a picture of pop singer Rick Astley and displays the message "Ikee is never going to give you up" on victims' iPhones.

Nokia Recalls Potentially Hazardous Chargers
November 09, 2009

After a flaw was uncovered in some of its handset chargers that could expose consumers to a shock hazard, Finnish mobile giant Nokia on Monday announced a recall program through which it is offering a free exchange. The problem affects a limited number of chargers of certain model types manufactured by Chinese third-party supplier BYD Electronic, Nokia said.

Samsung Intrepid: Sleek Hardware Makes Up For Uncomfy OS
November 09, 2009

Business users whose lives revolve around their mobile phones won't be disappointed with Samsung's Intrepid smartphone. The handset, which uses Sprint's 3G network domestically and also connects to 3G networks abroad, is packed with features aimed at the pinstripe crowd. Intrepid runs under the latest version of Microsoft's cellphone operating system, Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional.

Steve Jobs Conquers the Decade - Now What?
November 07, 2009

Now that Fortune has named Apple CEO Steve Jobs CEO of the decade, where will he go from here? Throughout his career, Jobs has typically led the market, bringing out products that consumers didn't know they wanted until they saw them -- products like the iPhone and iPod touch, for instance. He will probably continue doing so, but in the future he may delegate more responsibilities.

Verizon Launches a Droid of a Different Color
November 06, 2009

Amid the frenzy Friday surrounding the launch of Verizon Wireless's Motorola Droid smartphone, another Verizon Android handset also made its debut -- the HTC Droid Eris. The Eris is essentially a slightly modified version of the HTC Hero, a phone Sprint started selling last month. The one-two punch powered by the Droid and Droid Eris mark the beginning of a new Android line of phones from Verizon.

Droid Lurches to Life
November 06, 2009

Today is the day of the Droid. The Motorola smartphone touches down today in what's shaping up to be one of the biggest handset launches in recent memory. Of course Verizon is going all-in as far as advertising is concerned, but there's more to the Droid's story than a marketing campaign.

Droid: Enjoyed
November 06, 2009

If I had my way, I would encourage Verizon Wireless to invest in both hologram technology and more "Star Wars" film rights. That would allow the carrier to hire an Alec Guinness lookalike who could pop up in 3-D visions in Verizon stores across the country, wave his hand over racks full of Motorola's new smartphone, and in full Obi-Wan Kenobi drag intone the words, "these are the Droids you're looking for."

Let's Give the iPhone Hackers a Big Round of Applause
November 06, 2009

I'm the kind of guy who rarely bothers to hack my devices. By "hack," I mean use the hacks and instructions of those who are much more intrepid than I. Tinkering with a device that I shelled out hundreds of dollars for, if not more, isn't something I take lightly. If I break it, I've not only lost usage of the device, I'm out of the money, too. If I had a bigger bank account, I might be more cavalier about it all.

There's Something About Droid
November 05, 2009

Verizon Wireless is stoking the excitement around its upcoming Motorola Droid smartphone, which it will officially put on sale on Friday. The buzz on the Droid isn't driven entirely by a marketing team, though. The phone's hardware has received many positive reviews, and it will be the first phone to ship with an updated version of the Android operating system.

AT&T Sees Red Over Verizon's Map Slap
November 04, 2009

AT&T Wireless has filed suit against Verizon over the latter's latest ad campaign. That campaign, which claims Verizon has five times more U.S. 3G wireless network coverage than AT&T, shows two maps of the United States side by side, one with each company's coverage. The map purporting to show AT&T's 3G coverage has large areas of white space, implying a lack of overall coverage in those areas, AT&T said.