Man Fined for SMS Hate Message

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cell Phones

Be careful when you text message. A German man was fined $2,300.00 for accidentally passing on an SMS hate message right before Germany defeated Turkey in the Euro 2008 soccer tournament. The message said, “by opening this SMS, you have killed a Turk.” Accused with inciting racial hatred, the man claimed that the only reason he was caught was because he accidentally forwarded it to someone whose house was searched by police. We figure texting something like that in the first place would be about the same as saying the “b” word in an airport.

Read More | Reuters

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Inauguration: DC Verizon Wireless customers send 2.9 millon SMS messages

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cell Phones, Corporate News, Wireless / WiFi

Barack Obama continues to reach the hearts of minds of the nation’s younger citizens, and you just have to look at the way technology is being used as proof. My pal John Czwartacki from Verizon just shared an interesting piece of info - Verizon Wireless DC customers sent and received 2.9 million SMS messages between the hours of 10:00 am and 2:00 pm yesterday, during the inauguration. That’s a lot of tap-typing. To give an idea of reference, that is more than three times the number os texts sent last week during the same four hour timeframe.

[Thanks, CZ!]

Read More | CZ

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Mobile Carriers Warn About Coverage

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cell Phones, Handhelds

Mobile service providers are nervous that today’s inauguration won’t be able to handle the demand of cell phone and handheld calls, texts, photos and videos of the event. COWS (Cells on Wheels), COLTS (Cells on Light Trucks) and SatCOLTS (Satellite Cell Sites on Light Trucks) are being sent in to meet the demand. Carriers are also increasing in-building coverage on Capital Hill, along the parade route, the National Mall, and other high traffic areas. Even with the boost, those attending may still get a “no, you can’t” signal and carriers are hoping that users will text instead of making their calls,or taking photos and video.

Update: In fact, this seems to be the case, so if you are catching up on your handheld or cellie, there may be a delay.

Read More | eWeek

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Peek Portable Email

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Internet, Misc. Tech

Email addicts might want to look into Peek, a simple device that makes it easy to check messages on the fly. Available in 3 colors, it features a full keyboard, scroll navigation, and is lightweight with a 2.5-inch color display. The Peek is compatible with most providers in the U.S. and holds up to 8MB memory. You get unlimited access and text messages for a flat monthly rate of $19.95. Right now they are running a special of $20.00 off the $99.95 price until December. Their new software, including shortcuts, will be loaded in the devices, and a rechargeable lithium ion battery, case and AC charger are included.

Read More | Peek

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Gmail Now Offers Drunken E-mailing Protection

Posted by Patrick Phelps Categories: Google, PC / Laptop, Software

First there was drunk dialing – with a virtual Rolodex of both personal and work-related contact information just a keystroke away, it was only a matter of time before Google Labs came up with an idea to combat the latest device of the cocktail-inspired composer: drunk e-mailing. Mail Goggles, a new Gmail feature offered only on weekends between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. was created with the intoxicated in mind. The program requires users who’ve enabled the function to perform five simple math problems within 60 seconds of clicking the send button, just to verify that you’re in the right state of mind – a designated driver on the so-called information superhighway.

Read More | The New York Times

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Obama campaign using SMS to announce VP running mate

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cell Phones

Whether you like him or you don’t, you have got to hand it to Barack Obama and the things his campaign is doing to reach potential voters and get them engaged. Case in point, his using SMS as a marketing tool. You see, Obama is set to announce his running mate between now and the Democratic Convention. That’s a given. However, instead of just leaving it at that, he is inviting his supporters (or, really, anyone) to sign up so that they can get an email and/or SMS the moment that the announcement is made. From the site:

Barack is about to choose a running mate, and he wants you to know first. You have helped build this movement from the bottom up, and Barack wants you to be part of this important moment.

Sign up today and we’ll send you an email announcing Barack’s running mate.

You can also text VP to 62262 to receive a text message on your mobile phone.

How’s that for using today’s technology to reach out? Meanwhile, McCain is still trying to grasp just what the Internet is.

Read More | Obama VP SMS Sign up

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Kwame’s Last LOL?

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cell Phones, Editorial

If you live in the environs of Detroit, Michigan, then you already know that we are in the midst of political controversy. Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick had a more than business relationship with his now former chief of staff Christine Beatty. We wouldn’t presume to know or care what the politician does with his personal life as he is always up to some shenanigans, but one of the things mentioned during the uncovering of the scandal was text messages between the two. Apparently there were over 40,000 of them recovered.

We guess we assume that everyone text messages, so we found it somewhat amusing when they showed some of them and had interpreted them with differing versions of “LOL.” Local news anchors either literally said “L - O - L” or “hehehe.” Go figure.

While there is more to the story (including a public apology tonight after getting caught) that you can read if you are curious or simply want a giggle, we wondered about two things. Can a cell phone hold that many messages at a time? And even weirder, if you were supposedly in charge of an entire city, married, and having an affair, would you keep those messages around for just anybody to read? Hmmm. Like we said, we just wondered. Blogs are great for initiating discussions about topics like that.

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OMG! - MBF Z2

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cell Phones, Misc. Tech, Music, Portable Audio / Video, Wireless / WiFi

Constant texting need no longer be a pain with tiny cell phone keyboards or as expensive. Zipit2 sends text messages, music and video, and works on all IMs, including Yahoo, AOL, and MSN. It can handle multiple recipients at a time with a singular buddy list MyFriendz. The Zipit2 costs $149.00 and you will get 3,000 messages (1,5000 in and out) per month for a subscription fee of $4.99 when it launches in February with 10 free each month. Beginning December 20, the company is offering free messages until the end of January. Current users will receive an offer to upgrade. We suspect it will now be even more hazardous to text message while driving.

Read More | Zipit Wireless

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Google and eBay to Connect Users, Merchants, and Advertisers Globally

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cell Phones, Corporate News, Google, Software

Google Inc. and eBay Inc. announced today that they have reached an agreement to benefit users, merchants, and advertisers over our entire planet. Google will begin to place ads on eBay and will become the exclusive provider of text ads outside of the US.
They will also launch “click-to-call” advertising, a feature that makes it easier for businesses to connect with customers. As of today, “click-to-call” works this way: you provide your phone number, Google calls you, and connects you with the company. In the near future, Google and eBay will use their VoIP clients (Google Talk and Skype) for click-to-call. They will begin to test the two components at the beginning of next year for several months.

Meg Whitman, eBay Inc. President and CEO, claims, “By combining the power of eBay in e-commerce and Skype in communications with Google’s leadership in search and advertising, we can increase the usefulness of the Internet for shoppers, merchants and advertisers around the world.” Okay, but couldn’t you just become “Googlebay” and spend a smidge of the profits on feeding the planet?

Read More | Google

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