News

Sales of subnotebook reach for new heights

Paul Mah — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:38:12 -0400

According to market-research firm Gartner, worldwide shipment of subnotebooks is on target to reach 5.2 million this year, with 8 million units expected to be sold in 2009. Gadget site Brighthand estimated that this could well represent a staggering 50 million units by 2012. Numbers aside, the question to ask when approaching this new category of devices is this: Do subnotebooks represent an additional sale for manufacturers? Or rather, do they end up cannibalizing sales from traditional laptops and desktops? Moving ahead, I suppose another pertinent question to ask would be whether some of these devices would find their way into the enterprise.

To more information from the original article:
- check out this Brighthand article

Wall Street Journal goes native on the BlackBerry

Paul Mah — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:54:17 -0400

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has released a native BlackBerry application that was custom-created just for its site. Among other features, it comes with a tabbed design with stories separated by categories, customized category listings, stock quote tracking, and even social networking stuffs such as Delicious and Facebook support. In addition, headlines and viewed articles are cached for offline reading. The WSJ.com Mobile Reader is free, and you can download it here. Implicit to the release of such an application is the tacit acknowledgment that the number of mobile devices will not only remain superior to that of a full-fledged desktop environment, but will pull ahead as handset makers turn to churning out smartphones to compete.

To look at the original reference:
- check out the Mobilecrunch article

Overheated iPod batteries reported in Japan

Paul Mah — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:53:46 -0400

A report from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry says that there have been cases of iPods overheating and scorching nearby materials. While the exact cause of the overheating wasn't mentioned, it is not hard to imagine that it is likely related to malfunctioning lithium-ion batteries. At the moment, the Japanese government is only issuing a warning to iPod Nano owners to beware about overheating, in particular when charging.

The associated risk of lithium-ion batteries overheating is a long-running one. Laptop providers such as Apple, HP, Dell and others have, on occasion, issued recalls for batteries at great expenses. Apple's Japanese office did not have an immediate comment on this issue.

For more about overheated iPod batteries:
- check out the article from InformationWeek

HP unveils new range of ultra-portable business computers

Paul Mah — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:52:38 -0400

Hewlett Packard on Monday introduced three new ultraportable computers, consisting of a standard notebook, tablet PC, and a lower-end machine in the "value" category. The smallest and lightest of the trio, the 2530p is built with a part magnesium alloy chassis that meets a number of military-standards tests for ruggedness. On the other hand, the 2730p is a pen-based tablet that can also be used as a lightweight notebook. Weighing 3.7 pounds, it is heavier than the three-pound 2530p, though it has a thickness of only one inch. More interesting, battery life for the 2730p could be extended to a total of 12 hours with an optional battery accessory. The Compaq 2230 notebook rounds up the offerings at four pounds, boasting a 12-inch LCD display.

Check out the other features of these new HP ultra-portables here:
- check out this article from InformationWeek

New Atom chips due as early as next month

Paul Mah — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:52:00 -0400

If everything goes according to plan, Intel will launch its first dual-core Atom processor next month. This revelation was made by an Intel employee to a CNET reporter, even as senior vice president Pat Gelsinger delivered his Intel Developer Forum (IDF) keynote speech yesterday. Indeed, IDF saw Intel showcasing a plethora of Atom-based devices on operating systems ranging from Vista and XP, to Linux.

A Calpella system also was demonstrated, which is the mobile implementation of Intel's new Nehalem architecture. Due to appear late next year, the Calpella likely will feature a "turbo mode" technology that will dynamically switch off underutilized cores on a processor to conserve power. The idea is that two fully utilized cores is a better situation than running four cores inefficiently. It is fully built into the processor and requires no "operating system intervention."

For more on the story:
- check out this article from CNET News

Apple acknowledges releasing software fix for iPhone

Paul Mah — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:50:09 -0400

Apple has acknowledged that a software update for the iPhone partially fixes connectivity problems with the new iPhone 3G. Reports have placed at least some of the blame on faulty 3G chipsets from chipmaker Infineon Technologies. Articles

Apple iPhone less stable than Windows Mobile

Paul Mah — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:41:12 -0400

The Mobile Gadgeteer of ZDNet, Matthew Miller, rants about a number of issues he experienced with his recently purchased iPhone. Probably the chief among them would be "major issues" relating to the native Safari web browser that "I never see on Internet Explorer Mobile or Opera Mobile on Windows Mobile."

Other issues include various problems related to the installation of applications. Miller went on to lament on the number of resets he had to do on his iPhone 3G to get it working stably. If you have ever been a Windows Mobile user like I was, you will know that is saying a lot by itself. Still, it is really only Apple's second mobile device out the door. It's not like Microsoft's Window Mobile was perfect a few years go either. Let's just sit back and see what the iPhone 3.0 will offer.

For the low-down on the iPhone 3G:
- check out this ZDNet blog

Google Translate for the iPhone

Paul Mah — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:36:25 -0400

With the heat being turned up on Apple's iPhone and Google's soon-to-be-released Android-based devices, seeing "Google and iPhone" in the same sentence caused me do a double take. As it is, Google has released an iPhone version of its Google Translate web service for translating languages. Apparently, you can get between 200 and 400 translation per 1MB of data download. Interestingly, the project came about due to a Google engineer requiring this feature on his iPhone. I suppose he'll have to switch to an Android device once they come out. Anyway, if you have an iPhone or an iPod Touch, you can point your browser over to translate.google.com.

To read more about Google Translate for the iPhone:
- check out Google's Mobile Blog

T-Mobile USA to start its own Apple-style App store

Paul Mah — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:32:15 -0400

It appears that starting this Fall, T-Mobile USA will ditch its traditional stack of pre-installed applications on the phone. Instead, T-Mobile will be replacing it with a platform that will be open to any developer, for any platform. That's right, supported platforms would include the likes of Windows Mobile, or even include the currently nowhere-to-be-found Android.

Love it or hate it, no one can doubt the success of Apple's application store concept. But that's just 10 million Apple iPhone (well, 10 million is the target for end-2008 anyway, versus T-Mobile's 31.5 million subscribers). A number of details aren't clear at the moment, including how free applications will be handled. Still, it looks like T-Mobile will adopt a revenue-sharing model, with the carrier getting a higher percentage of the cut for applications that consume network resources.

For more about T-Mobile's plan for an application store:
- check out the article from the Washington Post

A look at Nokia Email

Paul Mah — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:10:42 -0400

A contributor over at Brighthand tested a new product called Nokia Email, which is the latest offering from Nokia's BetaLabs program. Nokia Email is essentially a downloaded application that connects to a service back end. In its current iteration, it has support for email accounts from Google, Yahoo (some countries only), and a few other webmail services, excluding Microsoft's Hotmail/Live service. Described as a product that functions well, it works by querying Nokia's service, which in turn connects to the desired email accounts.

To put it more concisely, it works just like the RIM-pioneered BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS). You might recall that Nokia recently stopped distributing the BlackBerry Connect application on its mmartphones; now you know why. Nokia Email is free, and you can download it here. It remains in beta, though the word "beta" is, more often than not, just a marketing tag.

Check out the full Nokia Email Review here:
- check out this article from Brighthand

Dell unveils new business laptops

Paul Mah — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:01:04 -0400

Dell announced seven new Latitude notebooks earlier this week aimed squarely at business people that prefer to work via a laptop. Under development for the last two years, some features that can be found in these new Latitudes include a dedicated security subsystem to protect data, and longer battery life to the tune of 19 hours on one of the models.

What is interesting is that they also include proprietary technology that allows immediate access to features such as web, email and calendaring, all without having to "boot up the system completely." Additional details are not available at the moment, though it has been reported to involve the use of a separate low-voltage processor that bypasses the main operating system altogether. In this mode, the laptop could apparently run for several days.

For more on the story:
- check out this article from InformationWeek

Another explanation as to why Garmin's nüvifone is late

Paul Mah — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:00:15 -0400

GPS-aficionados have probably already heard that Garmin's nüvifone will be delayed until 2009. This unconfirmed report now shifts the real blame to manufacturer Asus and its relative lack of experience in making phones with touchscreens. Article

Android-based devices to debut this year

Paul Mah — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:48:59 -0400

HTC's CFO Hui-ming Cheng has confirmed that its first device based on the Android operating system will debut in the fourth quarter of this year. The HTC Dream was originally scheduled to be released in the third quarter, and the initial rumors of its delay added fuel to concerns by some that Android-based devices will not be out before the end of 2008. Cheng's comments will certainly put a stop to them now.

Putting a new mobile operating system out is certainly no small task, especially given that Google's Android operating system was unveiled less than a year ago. Indeed, the delay in releasing the HTC Dream is due to the Android team putting the finishing touches on it--not due to problems with the hardware.

For more on this Android-based Smartphone:
- check out this article from Brighthand

Student arrested for pictures taken from webcam

Paul Mah — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:29:19 -0400

A 23-year-old student, Craig Matthew Feigin, has been arrested and charged with modifying computer data as well as disrupting or denying computer system services. Apparently, a young woman passing through town had problems with her laptop. She was introduced by friends to Feigin and left her laptop with him. Unknown to her, other than fixing her computer problems, Feigin took the opportunity to install a couple of applications on-the-sly--the popular Log Me In remote-access application and a more nefarious one called Web Cam Spy Hacker.

Feigin was busted when the woman got suspicious of a constant "on" light and approached a friend, who uncovered the unauthorized applications. Apparently, the Web Cam Spy Hacker software is available at a Web site registered to Feigin's residential address. Police recovered more than 20,000 photographs, with some showing the young woman in various stages of undress. After his arrest, Feigin admitted to doing the same to other women. A police detective noted that, "We have eight or nine more potential victims that we know of now."

For more details on this case of computer voyeurism:
- check out this Gainesville Sun article

How your mobile phones and laptops lie to you

Paul Mah — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:27:58 -0400

Your mobile phone and laptop are constantly lying to you. Referring to the signal strength and battery life displays on such devices, blogger Dan declares,"Neither display is actually telling you what you think it's telling you." For example, four or five bars of reception on your mobile phone does not necessarily equate a high-quality conversation. The reason is because the signal bar does not take into consideration the amount of interference at your current location, or the signal-to-noise ratio. Ditto that for Wifi signal strength.

It gets worse when it comes to battery meters--especially those for mobile phones. Dan highlights how mobile phones seem to spend most of their time showing a full or almost full reading. However, the situation goes downhill--to flat, pretty quickly once the gauge reaches the halfway mark. Dan attributes this to pressure from marketing departments to reflect higher performance than is actually the case.

To check out what Dan has to say:
- check out the blog entry at Dan's Data

Lenovo joins netbook fray with Ideapad S10

Paul Mah — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:27:03 -0400

Lenovo has announced its entry into the increasing popular netbook market with the Ideapad S10. This new netbook will sport a 10.2-inch screen and a keyboard that is 85 percent of full size. More interestingly, it will run Intel's new Atom N270 processor, as well as packing 2GB of RAM and a standard 5,400 rpm hard disk under its hood. In addition, it will have an ExpressCard slot for WAN connectivity, two USB ports, a built-in webcam, a headphone jack, and a 4-in-1 card reader. Battery will come in the form of either a 3-cell or a 6-cell pack. Running on Windows XP, the Ideapad S10 is expected to be available in October and will be priced at $399 and $499 depending on size of hard drive.

For more on the Lenovo Ideapad S10:
- check out the article from The Inquirer

Mobile operators faces suit over texts

Paul Mah — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:26:01 -0400

Subscribers in Canada are furious with Canadian mobile operators Telus and Bell Mobility over changes that will see them paying a 15-cent charge for each incoming text--including spam. Unlike the situation in the United States, this is a departure from the current situation in which users are not charged for incoming text messages. Bell plans to start charging on Friday, while Telus wants to implement the new policy at the end of August. Some customers are not amused, and the two companies could be facing separate class-action lawsuits over the unilateral changes of the cellular contract. The case will be presented in September where a judge will first have to approve the class action suits.

For more on the story:
- check out this article from InformationWeek

Beware your laptop's built-in Webcam

Paul Mah — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:24:54 -0400

Computer spyware took on a heightened dimension as a young man was arrested for his high-tech voyeuristic ways. Apparently someone who is handy with computers, our protagonist took to illegally installing spyware on the laptops of women who approached him for assistance with their machines. The unauthorized software secreted onto his victims' computers allowed him to snap pictures from the built-in Webcam now found in practically all new laptops.

I admit that I have always been wary of the Webcam built into the lid of my laptop--which do I bring everywhere with me. After all, the system administrator and programmer in me know just how easy it would be to craft a custom malware not in the virus definitions of existing antivirus products. With some preparations, I reckon it will take less than 30 seconds of unattended access to an unlocked desktop to plant nefarious software.

Of course, I just keep an eye out for the tiny LED light that comes on whenever the camera is activated. However, in cases of less savvy users who send in their laptops for servicing, I wonder just how hard it would be for some immoral technician to paste some epoxy over the said indicators, or somehow disable the LED itself.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to just paste a stick tape over the built-in Webcam. Would you consider doing that? - Paul

iPhone 3G problems surfaces

Paul Mah — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:23:29 -0400

After a few weeks of using the iPhone 3G, Philip Berne lists a litany of complaints about Apple's new phone. Among other things, there are issues that pertain to battery life, reception and buggy applications. Report

Pitting the VIA Nano against the Intel Atom

Paul Mah — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:38:47 -0400

The folks over at HotHardware managed to get their hands on a mini-ITX reference platform with a VIA's new Nano L2100 1.8GHz processor. For purposes of comparison, they pitted it with an Atom 230 processor clocked at 1.6GHz. HotHardware ran a battery of tests on both platforms (you can check out the full review if this is your cup of tea).

Bearing in mind the unavoidable differences in the processor speed, the VIA Nano appears to be a stronger performer across a variety of workloads. But with Intel's superior financial clout, the landscape could change relatively quickly, of course. In the meantime however, OEMs will do well to adopt the current generation of C7-based products to the pin-compatible VIA Nano for its superior performance. And yes, HP's popular Mini-Note 2133 does come to mind here.

For more on the story:
- check out this article from HotHardware

Apple finally restores MobileMe

Paul Mah — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:42:00 -0400

Apple admitted to problems with its sync service, saying it has restored full email service to the 1 percent of its total subscribers who had been locked out of their accounts for more than a week. Some users dispute Apple's claims though, saying that they were still unable to access their accounts despite being told that their email service had been completely restored. The new problem also left some customers with missing contact and calendar data from their iPhones and iPod touches, though not from their personal computers or MobileMes. This issue appears to have been fixed too, though users in some cases will have to follow these instructions to reset their data before their devices will work properly.

For more on the woes over at MobileMe:
- check out this MacWorld article

Twitter shines as dust of SoCal earthquake settles

Paul Mah — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:41:09 -0400

A quake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale hit Southern California near Los Angeles on Tuesday morning. Instead of the earthquake itself however, the talk of the town appears to be the blistering speed at which news of the natural disaster spread. Indeed, Twitter "tweets"--or messages--were pouring in well before the information was up on any of the major news networks. Twitter's improved search site also was credited for making sense of the thousands of updates generated from instant citizen journalists who happened to be on the scene. I suppose this represents another feature in the cap against naysayers of Twitter. In the meantime, check out the chart showing how quickly the information spread.

For more information on this story:
- check out the Los Angeles Times article

Nokia removes BlackBerry Connect from E71 and E66

Paul Mah — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:40:26 -0400

Citing RIM as a competitor, Nokia has chosen to eliminate the BlackBerry Connect application from its new E71 and E66 smartphone offerings. What it means is that customers will not be able to use these devices to access BlackBerry-enabled corporate email systems. Somewhat ironically, E71 owners will still be able to sync the phone with Microsoft's Mail for Exchange, Nokia's own Intellisync, and various other consumer e-mail accounts such as Gmail and Hotmail. Not surprisingly, the primarily reason appears to be that Nokia is having a hard time penetrating the BlackBerry-dominated North American market. The recent launch of Apple's iPhone 3G, which is being pushed by AT&T, couldn't have made things any easier.

For more on Nokia's decision to drop BlackBerry Connect:
- check out this InformationWeek article

Gartner says $100 netbooks are at least two years away

Paul Mah — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:39:39 -0400

Gartner says that the days of $100 netbooks for use in developing countries won't be appearing on the market for at least another two to three years. In addition, the research outfit has warned that vendors trying to bring low-cost computing to underdeveloped regions put themselves at risk of underestimating both the infrastructural and social barriers that can prevent such a venture from working. To succeed, it proposed that netbook vendors position their systems as Internet access devices.

Playing devil's advocate, The Register disagreed, citing the just announced NPX-900 which sells for just $130 in quantities of 100 units. The website countered that the availability of netbooks at the magical $100 mark will take no more than six to 18 months. What do you think? Does it really matter if a netbook can be purchased for $200 or $100?

For more on this topic:
- check out this article from The Inquirer

Number of iPhone applications passes 1,000 mark

Paul Mah — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:36:27 -0400

The number of iPhone applications on the App Store bypassed 1,001 on Monday night. According to Apple, 25 million apps have been downloaded as of July 21. Article

Don't upgrade to the iPhone 3G

Paul Mah — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:50:16 -0400

Can't get your mind off the new iPhone 3G? Chris Maxcer over at TechNewsWorld just penned an editorial to discourage readers, assuming they already own the original iPhone, from upgrading to the 3G version. While already an iPhone 3G owner himself, he wrote, "I simply can't in good conscience recommend the iPhone 3G to existing iPhone customers."

According to Maxcer, the only real difference between the two models is that the iPhone 3G comes with 3G support as well as built-in GPS hardware. Beyond these two features however, the other improvements are relatively incremental, and by themselves would not justify the price for an upgrade. If that doesn't deter you, Maxcer calculated the cost of getting the new iPhone and concluded that customers will be spending more over the life of this phone as a direct result of tariffs from AT&T.

For more on why you should wait:
- check out this TechNewsWorld article

UK Ministry of Defense admits to the loss of hundreds of laptops

Paul Mah — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:49:57 -0400

The UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) has come clean and admitted to the loss of a staggering 658 laptops and 121 USB flash drives since 2004. Only 32 of these laptops were recovered. This revelation came only after a parliamentary question was tabled, and the final figures are at odds with earlier indications from the MoD. There was no additional information available as to whether the lost laptops and flash drives were encrypted, though the likelihood is that the majority of them were not. Clearly, the issue of lost laptops and flash drives will be one to dog corporations and even governments for some time yet. To make matters worse, the recent development of "cold boot" attacks threatens to render disk encryption less robust than it once was thought to be.

For more information on this story:
- check out the iTnews Australia article

RIM Patches serious PDF flaw in BlackBerry Enterprise Server

Paul Mah — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:49:13 -0400

A critical bug in the PDF Distiller component of RIM's BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) could potentially result in a code injection and execution. A BlackBerry user will have to first open a maliciously crafted PDF document to trigger the flaw, though the dangers of this vulnerability cannot be understated. It is known that systems running BES 4.1 Service Pack 3 (4.1.3) to 4.1 Service Pack 5 (4.1.5) as well as BlackBerry Units prior to 1.0 Service Pack 1 (1.0.1) Bundle 36 are affected. RIM has released an official patch in the form of Service Pack 6. In the event that an installation is not possible, the recommendation will be to disable PDF processing in the Attachment Service. Instructions for this can be found here.

For more on this vulnerability:
- check out this The Register article

Designing a dedicated web tablet

Paul Mah — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:48:35 -0400

Michael Arrington over at TechCrunch has issued a call to create a "dirt cheap touch screen web tablet" that will be used primarily to surf the Internet. The basic idea is to give it relatively low-end specifications and squeeze it all into the form factor of Apple's Macbook Air. The device will run nothing more than a customized fork of Firefox on top of a lean Linux kernel.

Apparently, a supply chain management company has said that such a machine can be created for just "a few hundred dollars." The goal though, is to get it down to below $300. So what's next now? Well, the marketing documents are being outlined, after which the specifications for the hardware will be drawn up. The response from the community to get this moving seems to be overwhelming so far. Check out the project page here.

For more on this Web Tablet:
- check out this article from TechCrunch

Popularity of smaller PCs a cause of worry for industry

Paul Mah — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:47:51 -0400

The increasing success of netbooks, which come with little on-board memory and a comparatively slow processor, is apparently starting to worry industry players. Besides posing an outright challenge to the traditional notion of consumers wanting ever more powerful machines, low-cost netbooks also poses a threat to already thin profit margins. Some manufacturers such as Fujitsu are more upfront about the threat, noting that "It's a product that essentially has no margin." Others, like Sony, while admitting that it is investigating what customers want in a second PC, have declared that "We are not looking at competing with Asus." Not everyone is shying away though. For example, Hewlett-Packard recently entered the market with a scaled down notebook it calls the Mini-Note. Would you get a netbook as your primary work machine?

For more on the story:
- check out this article from the New York Times

Toshiba Matsushita Display to mass-produce OLED screens

Paul Mah — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 05:51:34 -0400

Toshiba Matsushita Display, a joint venture between Toshiba and Matsushita (Panasonic), is currently working on mass-producing OLED screens. Targeted output is as many as one million 2.5-inch OLD displays starting from Autumn of 2009. Article

E.U. to regulate roaming charges for text messaging

Paul Mah — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:00:06 -0400

The European Commission will announce new legislation that is proposed to reduce tariffs that users have to pay when sending or receiving text messages when roaming. A report in January pegged the average rate that users have to pay for text messages in the third quarter of last year to be $0.50. The decision to reduce the roaming costs of text messages comes one year after price caps for voice roaming were introduced. That earlier move benefited consumers as it resulted in lower tariffs of 60 percent across the E.U. No price cap has been decided on for text messages at the moment.

For more on the story:
- check out this article from New York Times

Symbian open to further ties with Google

Paul Mah — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:35:54 -0400

Smartphone software maker Symbian hinted that it could expand its collaboration with Google all the way to the operating system level. Nigel Clifford, Symbian chief executive, told reporters that Symbian "will be happy" to collaborate with Google whenever the opportunity presents itself. He added, "And that could be on the application level or that could be on the more fundamental operating system level." Google applications such as its maps and search engines are currently used by Symbian, of which 47.9 percent is owned by mobile phone giant Nokia. Over 200 million phones run on the Symbian operating system at the moment and Nokia wants to increase that with a bold $410 million plan to buy out the other shareholders of Symbian before making it available, royalty free, to other phone makers.

For more on mobile mail:
- check out this Washington Post article

Developers growing impatient over lack of Android updates

Paul Mah — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:31:02 -0400

It appears that third-party software developers are becoming increasingly frustrated over the lack of information pertaining to the status of the platform. Nicolas Gramlich, who runs the independent Android Development Community message boards, lamented about the unresolved bugs in the existing SDK, as well as the lack of information on future developments. For some unfathomable reason, it appears that a new and improved SDK is being shared only with the 50 finalists in the Android Developer Challenge instead of being publicly released. To rub salt on the wound, an email congratulating the 50 finalists on their access to the private download site was accidentally sent to everyone who have entered the contest. Whatever it is, Google surely doesn't expect to capture the extremely competitive smartphone segment with the same take-it-slow approach as with Gmail, does it?

For more on Google's Android:
- check out the Ars Technica article

Free laptop-tracking system becomes available

Paul Mah — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:29:59 -0400

A joint research project between the University of Washington and the University of California-San Diego bore fruits in the form of Adeona, an open-source service aimed at helping businesses and individuals track the movements of lost or stolen laptops. When installed on laptops, Adeona will set up an encrypted connection to the open source OpenDHT storage servers. Should a laptop become lost, installing Adeona on another computer with the correct password will allow the victim to track his device via IP addresses. Unlike other commercial laptop-tracking products, privacy is maintained as no other users will have access to personal data on the protected laptop.

For more on this new open source service:
- check out this TechNewsWorld article

Text messaging used to avoid taking mobile calls

Paul Mah — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:28:47 -0400

CNET News.com ran a story on teens are pushing parents to adopt text messaging to avoid having to converse on a mobile phone. The idea is to just let a parents' call go unanswered before shooting a text message over to inquire about the purpose of the missed call. The reason this happens? "Teens are pushing their parents to go on mobile because they don't really want to communicate with them directly," says Stephen Saiz, manager of consumer insight and strategy of the Walt Disney Internet Group's North American mobile division.

When reading the source article, I can't help but wonder just how many adults pull this on work-related matters as well. Meetings or conference calls for example, could be feigned when selectively missing calls from certain parties. Have you done something like this before? What were the circumstances leading to it?

For more on teens using text messaging to avoid calls:
- check out this article from CNET News.com

Sony rolls out new VAIO laptops

Paul Mah — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:25:42 -0400

Sony finally has confirmed the existence of its new VAIO Z, FW, SR and BZ laptops. Based on Intel's new Centrino 2 processors, many of them will offer a Blu-ray drive and HDMI. Article

Mobile mail goes mainstream

Paul Mah — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:05:20 -0400

Just like nobody could have imagined the ubiquity that the humble email would eventually grow to enjoy when it was first invented, it's hard to believe how mobile devices can now be used to send and receive emails, among other capabilities. Indeed, standard consumer-grade mobile phones from manufacturers such as Nokia, Motorola and LG are now capable of connecting with Exchange servers as well as other email providers while on the go. Jason Guesmann, of mobile messaging software provider Seven, summed it up best when he noted, "The technology is here, the phones are there, and the customer demand is there." What other technologies do you reckon will make their way into our smartphones and other handheld gadgets?

For more on mobile mail:
- check out this InformationWeek article

Citi lets customers in the Philippines make text message credit card purchases

Paul Mah — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:04:25 -0400

Citi Mobile is allowing users to authorize credit card transactions by texting or calling merchants rather than the traditional approach of swiping their credit cards. Already, the bank has deals with retailers, as well as restaurants such as McDonald's, to allow users to remotely pay for their goods and have them delivered. Other services, such as the purchase of Internet access time and paying of utility bills via their handsets, are also possible.

The heavy use of SMS in the Philippines makes them an ideal candidate for a text messaging-based service. Unlike the United States, text messaging costs just under $0.02 per message, and is much cheaper than prepaid voice minutes. In fact, the average usage of text messages is now 12-15 SMS per day, according to Citi. Mobile commerce might actually be upon us at long last.

For more on Citi's plan for text messaging-based payments:
- check out the Finextra article

BlackBerry Thunder to utilize haptic technology

Paul Mah — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:03:33 -0400

Rumor has it that RIM's upcoming BlackBerry Thunder smartphone will feature "localized haptic" technology. What that means is that touching a letter on the screen, for example, will result in the feeling that the screen has "pushed in" just a little. In short, you get at least some tactile feedback, complete with an audible key click sound when you press your finger onto the display. From what we hear, the BlackBerry Thunder will support both QWERTY-landscape, and SureType-portrait, virtual keyboards. The interesting thing is that RIM has always criticized Apple for putting out a virtual keyboard that was "unusable." If the rumors are right, then RIM has just pulled off an unprecedented coup against interface champ Apple. Little else is known about the BlackBerry Thunder, except that the display is 360 by 480, and that the first Thunder production runs are starting up this week.

For more on the new BlackBerry Thunder:
- check out this CrackBerry.com article

Samsung starts mass producing 128GB SSD

Paul Mah — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:02:46 -0400

Samsung has started mass producing 128GB solid-state drives (SSD) in both 1.8-inch and 2.5-inch versions. A 256GB version is expected to enter production sometime later this year. Prices for the 128GB drives were not available at the moment. On the technical end, the SSDs consume about 0.5 watts in active mode, and just 0.2 watts in standby mode. The attraction here lies in their low power consumption, which paves the way for higher capacity gadgets and laptops that carry a longer battery life.

Samsung claims that its 128GB drive will last 20-times longer than a conventional laptop hard disk. Whatever the case, you can expect the prices of flash drives to drop as more manufacturers switch to full-scale production.

For more on Samsung's SSD:
- check out this article from PC World

Man receives five-digit mobile broadband bill

Paul Mah — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:01:45 -0400

Thirty-four-year-old Ian Dobsyn, an IT worker from Greater Manchester in the U.K., must have gotten bored while he was on an overseas holiday. Rather than going out sight-seeing, he took the time to download his favorite television show, Sky's Prison Break, as well as a number of songs using his mobile broadband connection. He eventually returned home from Portugal to find himself slapped with a whooping $62,500 bill from Yes Telecom. Dobsyn said, "The figures looked like they had come down from the Moon. I just laughed. There had to be some mistake." Fortunately for him, he was able to get his provider to agree to a revised bill of just $453.

For more on the story:
- check out this article from CD Freaks

Receiving a five-digit mobile broadband bill

Paul Mah — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:00:16 -0400

I remember when I was much younger and on my first long overseas trip for three weeks in a neighboring country. I had my own mobile phone then, and missing my loved ones as I did, I made a number of phone calls back home. Imagine my shock when I arrived home to receive a $1,000-plus bill at the end of the month. And I hadn't even started working yet!

Now, I did make checks prior to my trip with the mobile phone company on the relevant IDD charges. Unfortunately, in what I finally realized was the official policy then, the phone company deliberately hid the full extent of the costs from me. Through what I can only call sleight-of-speech, they told me only the components of the costs that I asked about, such as the IDD rates. It was a hard lesson to learn.

Still, nothing is as absurd as the story of a man who managed to clock up a five-digit mobile broadband bill. It's one thing to know that you've downloaded a fair amount of data; it's another matter entirely to receive a bill of more than $60,000.

I mean, just how ridiculous is that? What about you? What are the highest mobile and data rates that you have incurred as a result of overseas tariffs? - Paul

Nokia acquisition of NAVTEQ cleared by EU

Paul Mah — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:32:55 -0400

The European Commission has OKed Nokia's proposed $8.1 billion acquisition of digital map maker NAVTEQ. In a written statement, an EU executive said, "The commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area, or any substantial part of it."

As Nokia looks for new sources of revenue from the maturing mobile phone industry, the NAVTEQ acquisition will give it a stronghold in the navigation business, considered to be one of the fastest-growing segments in the technology industry. With the EU approval under its belt, Nokia expects the deal to be closed within the "next five business days."

For more on Nokia's acquisition:
- check out this Guardian article

New hands-free cell phone law takes effect in California

Paul Mah — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:32:16 -0400

New regulations prohibiting drivers in California from talking on their mobile phones while driving took effect yesterday. Adult drivers will still be allowed to be on their phones if they use hands-free devices, though this exception is withheld from drivers younger than 18. A California Highway Patrol spokesman noted that efforts to publicize the law appeared to have worked, with many motorists spotted using hands-free headsets. It should be noted that certain countries, such as Singapore, have long since prohibited mobile phone use while driving in the absence of hands-free devices. It remains to be seen if other states will follow in enacting similar legislation.

For more on hands-free regulations:
- check out the SFGate article

Texting gets more expensive

Paul Mah — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:31:37 -0400

The cost of sending text messages has gone up since 2005, from 10 to 20 cents per message. What is ironic here is that text messages cost carriers next to nothing to transmit. Now, let's assume for a moment that text messages are not carried in the reserved field of packet headers, and actually consume valuable data bytes. Even so, the 140 bytes of data taken by each text message is puny compared to the bandwidth (and protocol overhead) of transferring emails or downloading files such as mp3s over a cellular network. The question is: Why are users allowing mobile operators to get away with such blatant price hikes?

For more on the rising cost of texting:
- check out this CNET News article

Twitter worth $1 billion?

Paul Mah — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:30:41 -0400

Could Twitter become a $1 billion company? There are some who believe it's possible, though not by making money off of advertising, as you might expect. Nate Westheimer thinks the answer lies in the P2P mobile payment space. While Twitter is hardly ubiquitous at the moment, its penetration and usage base of early adopters is what the doctor ordered (similar to when PayPal, with a core group of such people, managed to convince the world that sending money to an email address is the logical thing to do). Another thing that Twitter has going for it is that its users are comfortable with the rigid syntax needed to send payment on their way.

For more on Twitter and mobile payment:
- check out this Silicon Alley Insider article

iPhone with hardware keyboard on the horizon?

Paul Mah — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:30:07 -0400

According to The Register, Apple has sent working prototypes of iPhones sporting hardware keyboards to senior executives at some wireless operators to garner their feedback. Undeniably, the lack of a hardware keyboard has made it a harder sell to certain groups of users, such as those hooked on to text messaging, as well as a fair portion of businessmen. Of course, there are those who are skeptical that Apple will ever come out with a hardware keyboard for the iPhone. Explaining, Tom Krazit over at CNET wrote, "But Apple has invested so much in the software that runs the iPhone that I would be surprised if it changed the game so early in the life of the product." What about you; what do you think?

For more on Apple's iPhone:
- check out this article from The Register

Opera Mobile 9.5 beta due by mid-July

Paul Mah — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:33:17 -0400

The Opera Mobile 9.5 beta is due to be released less than two weeks from today, on July 15. This version represents a considerable rewrite, and will be more aligned with Opera on the PC platform. Article

British Telecom workers to go on mobile blackout

Paul Mah — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 06:36:43 -0400

Up to 13,000 British Telecom (BT) employees have opted to take industrial action to express displeasure over a deadlock in resolving disputes regarding pay and working hours. In a sign of the times, however, not only are they insisting on capping work hours to contractual terms of 36 hours per week, the activists will also render themselves incommunicado.

A spokeswoman said, "Once the 36 hours are up, we expect our members to go home and switch off their BlackBerries, mobile phones and PCs." The members hope to show the amount of lost productivity when an employee does not work outside of contracted hours.

For more on this BlackBerry blackout of sorts:
- check out this UNI Telecom article

Related Article:
Does your BlackBerry stress you out?