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Global Mobile Mobile News Headlines

Latest mobile phone and tablet news

  • T-Mobile Seeks to Block Verizon Spectrum Deal Feb 22, 2012

    T-Mobile Seeks to Block Verizon Spectrum Deal T-Mobile seeks to block Verizon from buying cable company spectrum, as carriers fight to protect their interests and boost bandwidth in competing for faster networks.

    In a filing late Tuesday, T-Mobile asked the Federal Communications Commission to halt a pending $3.6 billion deal between Verizon and Comcast, on grounds the deal would give the company an "excessive concentration" of wireless spectrum. [...]

  • Cell Phones Encourage Selfishness, Study Says Feb 22, 2012

    Cell Phones Encourage Selfishness, Study Says Cell phones may encourage selfish behavior, according to one study, even though other examples demonstrate the devices can also foster social connectedness.

    Study participants at the University of Maryland were less likely to exhibit "prosocial" behavior, like accepting volunteer positions and solving word problems for charity, after using their phones for a short period. These selfish behavior patterns reappeared even after participants simply drew pictures of absent phones, leading researchers to conclude just thinking about the devices often satisfied a need for connection. [...]

  • Motion-Sensing Software to Combat Distracted Driving Feb 22, 2012

    Motion-Sensing Software to Combat Distracted Driving Motion-sensing technology is re-routing voice calls as texts or voicemail, highlighting the innovative ways companies are taking to curb distracted driving.

    NEC's technology can tell whether the phone's owner is walking, in a car, in a train or at rest, and then determines the best possible transmission of an incoming call, choosing to send an email or a voicemail depending on the user's status. The company expects to debut the motion-sensor software at Mobile World Congress 2012 next week, and have it ready for release in June. [...]

  • More Smartphones, More Smart Thieves Feb 22, 2012

    More Smartphones, More Smart Thieves The incident rate for identity theft is rising, as customers choose smartphones for a growing number of activities and the fight against potential hackers gains momentum.

    A new study shows 13 percent rise in ID theft cases in 2011, totaling more than 11.6 million in the U.S. as opposed to 10.2 million in 2010, according to Javelin Strategy and Research. Identity theft poses a serious threat to personal finance, and consumers heighten risk as they enter personal data on mobile devices. But the attacks are not proceeding unchecked, as consumers, services and law enforcement step up efforts to prevent and address credit card fraud and identity theft. [...]

  • Biden Removes Political Hurdles to Spectrum Reform Feb 22, 2012

    Biden Removes Political Hurdles to Spectrum Reform Vice President Joe Biden revealed plans to expand wireless bandwidth, lifting a political barrier to spectrum allocation as the crunch intensifies in the wireless industry.

    The Vice President shared a report from the President's Council of Economic Advisers with emergency first responders Tuesday, touting the benefits of dedicating more airwaves for wireless devices and creating a dedicated broadband network for law enforcement and emergency services. [...]

  • Samsung, Blockbuster to Boost Entertainment on Devices Feb 22, 2012

    Samsung, Blockbuster to Boost Entertainment on Devices Samsung will partner with Blockbuster for a new streaming video service, as manufacturers race to boost content for connected entertainment systems.

    The service, which will stream movies to Samsung's smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs, will launch in the U.S. and Europe in early 2012, followed by Australia in September. "Smart" home entertainment systems are an up-and-coming trend in the tech industry. Apple is reportedly launching a voice-controlled iTV, and Google is developing an integrated digital home music system. Both Apple and Google's services will connect users to vast stores of content through iTunes and YouTube, respectively. [...]

  • T-Mobile to Sell Samsung Galaxy Blaze Next Month Feb 22, 2012

    T-Mobile to Sell Samsung Galaxy Blaze Next Month T-Mobile plans to exclusively sell the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G in March for $150 on a two-year contract, continuing the carrier's focus on high-end Android offerings.

    The device touts the Android 2.3 platform, cutting-edge entertainment apps and a 4-inch AMOLED screen. T-Mobile is promoting the Blaze's navigation system, a sophisticated hands-free GPS. The Bellevue, Wash.-based carrier pursued this exclusive partnership to bolster its reputation and keep up with competitors. Following its failed merger with AT&T, T-Mobile reformulated its strategy to hone in on high-end Android handsets. [...]

  • Microsoft Wages Patent War Against Motorola Feb 22, 2012

    Microsoft Wages Patent War Against Motorola Microsoft is firing at Motorola for its treatment of fair-use patents, piling evidence against Motorola for alleged abuse of standard patent usage guidelines.

    Microsoft filed a complaint with the European Commission over how Motorola handles its fair-use standards essential patents. The move comes after Motorola offered what the company considered unfair terms on a video technology patent for Windows computers and Xbox. Motorola is now threatening to ban sales over possible infringement, a move that's worked in similar claims against Apple. [...]

  • U.K. Court Serves Papers on Facebook, Spurs Privacy Concerns Feb 22, 2012

    U.K. Court Serves Papers on Facebook, Spurs Privacy Concerns A U.K. court served legal papers through Facebook, pushing the network further into the official public sphere and sparking privacy concerns.

    British judge Justice Teare allowed lawyers to serve papers via Facebook in a commercial case that faced difficulties locating one of the defendants, setting a precedent in the U.K. for using the social media site in an official legal capacity. "It's a fairly natural progression", said Jenni Jenkins, lawyer at Memery Crystal, the firm representing one of the parties in the case, to The Telegraph. [...]

  • Doctors-Only Social Networks Protect Patient Privacy Feb 22, 2012

    Doctors-Only Social Networks Protect Patient Privacy A new breed of exclusive, secure social media sites allow doctors to collaborate and share knowledge on mobile devices without compromising patient privacy.

    Addressing the medical community's needs for privacy and collaboration, creators of Doximity conceived it as a professional network for physicians, similar to LinkedIn. The site recently added a newsfeed feature that allows doctors to use the platform to post messages and collaborate with colleagues. The site has about 40,000 physician members. [...]

  • For Gen Y, Smartphones Are Necessities Feb 22, 2012

    For Gen Y, Smartphones Are Necessities People are replacing TVs, stereos and more with smartphones, a new study finds, as mobile technology increasingly becomes a necessity across all age groups and income levels.

    Research firm Nielsen found around 48 percent of the U.S. population own smartphones, particularly people younger than 34. Even those making less than $15,000 per year are likely to own a smartphone, especially if they're between the ages of 18 and 24. Smartphones don't come cheap, but the study proves they are no longer a luxury item. [...]

  • Hackers Eyeing U.S. Power Grid, NSA Warns Feb 21, 2012

    Hackers Eyeing U.S. Power Grid, NSA Warns The Anonymous hacking collective may attack U.S. power grids, warns the National Security Administration, suggesting federal agents will watch hackers even more closely in the future.

    NSA chief Gen. Keith Alexander recommends the government keep close tabs on Anonymous since the group is growing bolder amid calls to strengthen U.S. infrastructure against cyber-attacks. Anonymous hacktivists, known for supporting freedom of speech and exposing security errors, generally enjoy broad underground support for actions like defending WikiLeaks and attacking Mexican drug cartels. [...]

  • Barnes & Noble Launches Cheaper Nook Tablet to Compete with Fire Feb 21, 2012

    Barnes & Noble Launches Cheaper Nook Tablet to Compete with Fire Barnes & Noble plans to launch a new Nook Tablet, featuring 8-gigabytes of memory, for $200 on February 22, as the company attempts to better compete with the Kindle Fire.

    The retailer's new tablet will sell in conjunction with the $250 model and feature 512-megabytes of RAM while still offering support for Hulu Plus, Netflix and the apps that are available on the more expensive version of the device. Barnes & Noble has not released any additional information, but analysts expect the tablet to have the same design as the current Nook Tablet. Analysts expect Barnes and Noble to continue to sell the $250 Nook as a premium device. [...]

  • App Simplifies Braille, Aims to Revolutionize Texting Feb 21, 2012

    App Simplifies Braille, Aims to Revolutionize Texting "Braille Touch," a free app which simplifies Braille texting for the blind, aims to revamp keyboard possibilities for the mainstream smartphone market.

    Georgia Tech's research team, spearheaded by Mario Romero, reports the Braille Touch app slashes costs for visually impaired smartphone users and could transform traditional mobile device typing. Instead of relying on an expensive, bulky keyboard hook-up, Braille Touch works on a standard smartphone. It features six touchscreen buttons users press in patterns to signal the alphabet's letters, with the app announcing each letter so users immediately hear what they wrote. [...]

  • Apple Cleans Up Factories with Environmental Audits Feb 21, 2012

    Apple Cleans Up Factories with Environmental Audits Apple's third-party examinations of suppliers' environmental safety records in China are pending, suggesting the internationally renowned company is addressing criticism of its manufacturing at all levels.

    Apple consented to independent environmental reviews to start as early as March in at least two of the California company's Chinese suppliers, in response to reports the suppliers were polluting air and water, threatening Apple's reputation in the country and throughout the world. [...]

  • Ericsson Leans on Wi-Fi to Manage Network Traffic Feb 21, 2012

    Ericsson Leans on Wi-Fi to Manage Network Traffic Ericsson's agreement to buy Wi-Fi technology firm BelAir Networks hints at plans to integrate Wi-Fi in mobile devices, as a way to conserve wireless spectrum and gain a competitive edge.

    The acquisition will allow the Swedish handset maker to add Wi-Fi to its cell phones, boosting its appeal to both wireless carriers and consumers. Demand for Wi-Fi integration in mobile devices will grow as data-hungry phones continue to proliferate and max out spectrum capacity. [...]

  • LightSquared Inches Closer to Bankruptcy Feb 21, 2012

    LightSquared Inches Closer to Bankruptcy LightSquared is in danger of defaulting on a large payment to one of its key partners as the company continues to face the fallout of its failed broadband network.

    The broadband start-up owes $56 million to U.K.-based satellite operator and spectrum owner Inmarsat. LightSquared, however, is defending its place in the dispute with the Inmarsat, saying the agreement between the two sides is multi-phased and the lender has not fulfilled all of its obligations to receive payment. "LightSquared has raised several matters that require resolution before the first phase comes to a close", according to LightSquared's statement. [...]

  • Political Hurdles Amplifying Spectrum Crunch Feb 21, 2012

    Political Hurdles Amplifying Spectrum Crunch Carriers, regulators and lawmakers all agree over the need for more spectrum, but efforts to expand it are often mired by political infighting, which could hamper the latest efforts to resolve the shortage.

    The current bill in Congress to extend the payroll tax cuts and unemployment benefits includes FCC authorization of incentive spectrum auctions, which will expand airwaves, bring service to rural areas and ease data congestion on networks. Revenue from wireless auctions is expected to offset the tax cuts and unemployment benefits. [...]

  • Apple Says Motorola Abuses Patents, Shifts Legal Strategy Feb 21, 2012

    Apple Says Motorola Abuses Patents, Shifts Legal Strategy Apple is taking issue with Motorola's treatment of fair-use patents, filing a formal complaint about potential violations and pushing for changes to how patents are defended.

    Motorola stated in its annual report with the Securities and Exchange Commission that Apple filed a formal complaint to the European Commission over Motorola's use of FRAND patents. Apple alleged the rival manufacturer violated existing fair use laws with its use of the patents in a number of lawsuits. FRAND patents, which allow reasonable use standards between patent owners and other manufacturers, are becoming central to many of the patent lawsuits embroiling the industry. [...]

  • Apple Opens Up Foxconn to Scrutiny, Preps for Changes Feb 21, 2012

    Apple Opens Up Foxconn to Scrutiny, Preps for Changes Apple is encouraging additional media scrutiny of Foxconn factories as the company pushes to create a reputation for transparency.

    ABC's Nightline plans to air "iFactory: Inside Apple" tonight, focusing on the tech giant's controversial Foxconn factory with a rare peek into its working conditions. "We'll hear how Apple polices itself by ordering the largest independent audits this industry has ever seen", anchorman Bill Weir promises in Nightline's preview clip, highlighting Apple's proactive response to the allegations. The Nightline broadcast is part of a broader move on Apple's part toward more transparency over its labor issues, a marked change from its previous silence. [...]

  • Automakers Pressured to Curb Distracted Driving Feb 21, 2012

    Automakers Pressured to Curb Distracted Driving The U.S. Department of Transportation proposed new guidelines to prevent cell phone use while behind the wheel, pressuring automakers to join the fight against the rising safety hazard of distracted driving.

    Federal regulators are asking car makers to either stop integrating built-in features like online connections that encourage drivers to look away from the road, or to make it impossible for drivers to use those features while the car is in motion. [...]

  • Apple to Overhaul ITunes, App Store Feb 21, 2012

    Apple to Overhaul ITunes, App Store Apple will redesign its iTunes and App stores, ramping up competition against media-streaming rivals Amazon and Google with more interactive and easier-to-use services.

    Apple revealed its redesign plans to record labels and entertainment companies yesterday, 9to5Mac reported, offering few details other than it expects to launch the overhauled iTunes and App stores for the desktop OS first, then follow up with refreshed iOS versions. The redesign will coincide with the latest Mac OS update, OS X "Mountain Lion", which will integrate third-party services with Apple's desktop ecosystem, including social networking, music listening and media streaming. [...]

  • IPhone 5 Expected in October with Major Changes Feb 21, 2012

    IPhone 5 Expected in October with Major Changes Apple will launch the iPhone 5 in October, according to Japanese blog Macotakara, a permanent change to the handset's release schedule to accommodate major changes of its flagship model.

    Apple unveiled the first four iterations of its smartphone at the World Wide Developers Conference in June, with a release following just a few weeks later. However, the iPhone 4S broke that tradition last year with a pre-holiday October launch, which led to the highest sales of an Apple handset ever. [...]

  • Kenyans Tweet to Tackle Crime Feb 21, 2012

    Kenyans Tweet to Tackle Crime Kenyan villagers are using Twitter to prevent crime, as more Africans leverage mobile services to foster peace, handle life issues and access medical advice.

    The crime rate is down in the village of Lanet Umoja, thanks to administrative chief Francis Kariuki's tweets about robberies, missing children and stolen farm animals. Chief Kariuki has 300 official Twitter followers, plus thousands of local residents without smartphones who access his tweets via third-party mobile apps. Most tweets deal with petty theft, broadcasting news like, "There is a brown and white sheep which has gone missing with a nylon rope around its neck and it belongs to Mwangi's father". [...]

  • "Smart Pills" Send Stats to Smartphones Feb 17, 2012

    "Smart Pills" Send Stats to Smartphones A pill that sends vital signs straight to your smartphone may prove a breakthrough advancement, but the possible effects on modern medicine may push the limits between useful developments and digital doctoring.

    Pharmaceutical companies are developing a pill containing a biodegradable chip along with the medication to send information on patient's vital statistics to a smartphone, according to a recent article in Chemical and Engineering News. [...]

  • Mobile Photo Editing Tool Erases Background Objects Feb 17, 2012

    Mobile Photo Editing Tool Erases Background Objects The "Remove" smartphone app lets people cut unwanted objects from their photos, joining other image editing apps in improving mobile phone pictures.

    Remove automatically identifies and deletes undesirable background objects like passing cars and people, leaving users with an clutter-free photo. The app boasts the world's first optical removal software, according to maker Scalado. It works by taking a series of photos in quick succession and then identifying moving objects that obscure the stationary backdrop. [...]

  • Angry Birds Flies Into Outer Space Feb 17, 2012

    Angry Birds Flies Into Outer Space Developer Rovio is set to launch "Angry Birds Space" on March 22, a large addition to the franchise that could pave the company's way to an IPO.

    The new title will be Rovio's largest release of new content in the Angry Birds franchise. The company has remained cryptic on how much the game will cost, but did release a short teaser trailer and offered some details about what fans should expect. "Angry Birds Space is a completely new game with innovative new gameplay, but with some of the familiar Angry Birds elements that fans already known and love -- plus some surprises", said Rovio spokeswoman Sini Matikainen to AllThingsD. [...]

  • Google Scores Unlock Patent, Rivals Apple Feb 17, 2012

    Google Scores Unlock Patent, Rivals Apple Google is challenging Apple's attempts to claim ownership of slide-to-unlock features, with a recently awarded patent that attempts to best its rival.

    Google has a new patent on a slide-to-unlock feature that lets you unlock the phone and place a certain command, like making a phone call or opening email without going through the home screen. This development affects the Android versus iPhone competition on two fronts, largely due to Apple's existing patent on slide-to-unlock interaction. In the courtroom, Google's innovation prevents future lawsuits from Apple once Android manufacturers implement the unlocking feature on new devices. [...]

  • Foxconn Workers Get Raises as Apple Pressures for Change Feb 17, 2012

    Foxconn Workers Get Raises as Apple Pressures for Change Foxconn Technology is raising the wages of its workers, as the group responds to public criticism surrounding working conditions in its factories.

    Foxconns's workers will receive raises of anywhere between 16 and 25 percent a month. Junior level workers in the factory will now make about $285 a month and have the potential to earn more if they pass an upcoming technical examination. "As a top manufacturing company in China, the basic salary of junior workers in all of Foxconn's China factories is already far higher than the minimum wage set by all government", the according to a company statement on the matter. [...]

  • Do Google Ads Track Apple Users? Feb 17, 2012

    Do Google Ads Track Apple Users? Google may have tracked Apple's Safari users without their knowledge, raising questions on the search engine's attention to privacy.

    Coding for Google's "+1" button in advertisements placed tracking cookies in Safari browsers across all platforms when users clicked the social media site's button, The Wall Street Journal reported. Safari browsers generally do not allow tracking cookies from third-party advertisers, but Google's "+1" buttons in ads contained a piece of workaround code that may have allowed it get around the Safari block, tricking the Apple browser into allowing it to place tracking cookies. These cookies have the potential to store and track Web viewing history. [...]

  • Dish Emerges as Pivotal Spectrum Player Feb 17, 2012

    Dish Emerges as Pivotal Spectrum Player Dish Network plans to use its spectrum to build a wireless network, pending regulatory approval, or sell its airewaves to carriers in need of precious bandwidth.

    Satellite TV provider Dish Network is seeking a waiver from the FCC to begin building a high-speed wireless network on the spectrum it currently owns, according to CNET. However, if the agency is not satisfied with Dish Network's plans, it can deny the company the waiver, forcing the satellite provider to explore other options, including a sale of its spectrum or a partnership with another company. [...]

  • Scared of Being Without Your Phone? You've Got Nomophobia Feb 17, 2012

    Scared of Being Without Your Phone? You've Got Nomophobia The fear of being without a phone is so prevalent it now has a clinical name, nomophobia, and the numbers of those afflicted is rising.

    The study, commissioned by authentication-firm SecurEnvoy, found that 66 percent of the 1,000 people interviewed worry about being without a phone, up from just over 50 percent four years ago. The news is not surprising, considering the increasing dependence on mobile gadgets for everything from GPS directions, weather reports, and social media to banking, texting, and games. A mobile device is a conduit not only to information, but to community, relationships and self-expression, and being without it causes anxiety and feelings of loss in many users. [...]

  • Turn Your Smartphone Into a Remote Control Feb 17, 2012

    Turn Your Smartphone Into a Remote Control An app from Stoneface Media allows users to turn any device with a browser into a smart TV, using technology that could expand possibilities for smartphones.

    The Clik app allows users to pair their smartphone with any device with a Flash-capable browser using a QR code. The app then lets users play YouTube videos on the secondary device and use their smartphone as a remote control. Stoneface's app somewhat resembles Apple's Airplay technology, and playing YouTube videos over a computer doesn't look like much of an accomplishment when viewers can visit the website and control videos with their keyboard. [...]

  • Instagram Offers Posters, Retro-Style Feb 17, 2012

    Instagram Offers Posters, Retro-Style Instagram users can turn digital photos into posters, as consumers revisit traditional photo printing methods to make their memories last.

    U.K. users can click on the "Buy" button on maker Firebox's Instagram poster page, choose which photos to upload, and receive a 24-inch wide poster print of their favorite photos in the mail. For the U.S., Printstagram offers the same service, and prints stickers and mini-books as well. Services like these build on the phenomenal success of Instagram, one of the most successful iOS apps for iPhone and iPad. [...]

  • Cybersecurity Act to Protect U.S. Infrastructure Feb 17, 2012

    Cybersecurity Act to Protect U.S. Infrastructure The Cybersecurity Act of 2012 aims to protect critical U.S. infrastructure, helping the government shield private utility companies as it ramps up defenses against cyber attacks.

    The bill calls on the Department of Homeland Security to assess and strengthen cyber defenses at power companies and water utilities to prevent catastrophic outages. "The prospect of mass casualty is what has propelled us to make cybersecurity a top priority for this year, to make it an issue that transcends political parties or ideology", said Sen. Jay Rockefeller , co-author of the bill. [...]

  • Young Users to Spur Tablet Growth Feb 17, 2012

    Young Users to Spur Tablet Growth Parents who have a tablet often hand it over to the kids, Nielsen reports, underscoring a chance for tablet makers to widen their devices' appeal.

    Nearly 70 percent of children in households with tablets use the devices, a report from research firm Nielsen reveals. Kids use tablets in many ways, both at home and while traveling. About three quarters of kids who use tablets play games on the mobile computers, and over half use them for learning. Tablet makers that hone in on the educational and entertainment potential of tablets could widen their appeal and increase sales as they reap a whole new segment of the market. [...]

  • Apple Gains on Android with Slide-to-Unlock Patent Win Feb 16, 2012

    Apple Gains on Android with Slide-to-Unlock Patent Win Apple gained an edge in its patent battle with Android devices after securing a ban on Motorola smartphones for a slide-to-unlock infringement.

    Apple secured the permanent injunction in Germany over almost all Motorola smartphones, which use the commonplace feature. Apple will likely try to apply this patent to any other smartphone maker on the market as its next offensive in the intellectual property wars between Apple and Google. But the prevalence may backfire on Apple, if Motorola, now owned by Google, argues fair use grounds in a potential appeal. Apple brought three infringement claims against Motorola in the lawsuit, which was argued in a German court December. [...]

  • Sony Begins Entertainment Push After Sony Ericsson Buyout Feb 16, 2012

    Sony Begins Entertainment Push After Sony Ericsson Buyout Sony completed its Ericsson buyout, revamping its mobile technology strategy with streamlined gaming and entertainment integration.

    The electronics giant plans to merge its newly acquired mobile division into its electronics division, bolstering its product line-up and helping the company better compete in the smartphone market. The deal also fuels Sony's migration from low-end phones and puts a renewed emphasis on cutting-edge smartphones like its Xperia handsets. The buyout figures into Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai's larger strategy to focus on producing high-end devices with unique capabilities that capitalize on Sony's strengths. [...]

  • Tim Cook Takes Apple in More Open Direction Feb 16, 2012

    Tim Cook Takes Apple in More Open Direction Apple today unveiled updates to OS X Lion for the Mac in an unusual way, but it's not the only thing the company has done differently since Tim Cook took over as CEO.

    The CEO has gradually opened up Apple as a company, showing an responsiveness that extends to everything from how it responds to criticism to how it conducts its PR campaigns. For example, Apple allowed several news outlets an advanced look at Mac OS X Mountain Lion, before lifting its media embargo at 8:30 a.m. The update has several new features that make OS X more like iOS, but more surprising than the new features was the way the company unveiled them. [...]

  • Apple, Twitter Deepen Ties with Mac OS Feb 16, 2012

    Apple, Twitter Deepen Ties with Mac OS The latest Mac OS provides a direct pipeline to Twitter, deepening the relationship between Apple and the social media platform and leaving Facebook out of the equation.

    Apple today released a developer preview of the latest version of Mac OS X, called Mountain Lion. The OS update will closely tie several third-party social services to Apple's operating environment and allow people to post directly from other services to Twitter. Mac integration represents the next stage in a steadily increasing relationship between Apple and Twitter. Last year, Apple integrated the popular social media platform with its mobile devices in an iOS update. [...]

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