photo credit: Unlimited Free Texting

Tired of going over the limits of your cell phone plan? At least with texting, there is a solution. With mobile broadband access, you can download apps to give you unlimited texting. It is no surprise that these apps are some of the most popular apps downloaded. Many of these free apps come with ads, but it is a small price to pay for a new phone number that delivers unlimited texting to your cell phone. Read the rest of this entry »

photo credit: Smartphone Shopping

Who is that suspicious person lurking about the isles with their cell phone? It’s Super Shopper scanning barcodes via Smartphone for the best deal on that item. Say what? Yes, indeed. No longer are you subjected to blind shopping if you didn’t catch all the ads in the Sunday paper. You can now download a shopping app that will allow you to scan the barcode of an item and get the best prices from all the competing stores. Read the rest of this entry »

photo credit: Windows Phone Apps Too Expensive?

Comparison chart shows paid apps for Windows Phones are on average more expensive than apps for iPhones. According to O’Reilly Research, the average Windows phone app will cost you $6.16, whereas the apps for the iPhone are only $3.43 on average. In an article by Jay Yarow, Business Insider, gives us a comparison chart for the various app categories. Read the rest of this entry »

photo credit: Cyberbullying

Is technology responsible for cyberbullying? Does cyberbullying even exist? Yes, unfortunately, cyberbullying is a real phenomenon. Cyberbullying is the new term for online bullying, i.e. writing nasty comments about someone on the various social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. It has received a lot of press lately with some high profile teen suicides being blamed on cyberbullying. But the issue of whether or not technology is responsible is murky. The problem doesn’t lie with technology but instead with the cruelty of people using online methods of taunting and harassing others.

Does Cyberbullying Exist?

Is it illegal to taunt someone online? Different states have different laws or regulations about cyberbullying. Massachusetts passed legislation in May and 44 other states have some sort of legislation pending, even if only to discourage bullying at school. There is concern among lawmakers that even if passed, there will be legal challenges concerning the right to free speech.

High profile teen suicides have made big splashes in the media. Tyler Clementi, a student at Rutgers University, committed suicide when his roommate posted some very personal info on the web about Tyler. The two fellow students involved have been charged with invasion of privacy that could result in 5 years in prison. Megan Meier, a 13 year who committed suicide, was taunted by an adult neighbor, Lori Drew, who posed as a teenage boy on MySpace. Ms. Drew was convicted, but the conviction was overthrown because the laws are so vague.

Many teens live in a naïve world. They don’t realize that what may have started out as a joke or a flirt could end up hurting their entrance into some colleges or even their careers later on down the line. Imagine how surprised and hurt that teen will be when the photo they sent over their phone to their current sweetheart ends up on the web after a breakup. James Lipton, Inside the Actor’s Studio on HBO, has been instrumental in a campaign about sexting, a term coined from sex and texting. See my blog, Sexting: Give It a Ponder before you text.

What is the solution? Do you think we need laws with stiff penalties to stop this new trend of cyberbullying? Is public awareness through the press, as well as campaigns at schools against bullying the answer? Clearly something needs to happen to protect the young people. Will it take more teen suicides to make this a top priority with lawmakers? But will the laws even be effective? What’s your take? Give us a shout about your feelings.

photo credit: Get More Battery per Charge

Does your battery seem feeble on your new Android Smartphone? According to Gadget Girl at Gaj-IT, when she spoke with Larry Page at Google IO, Larry told her that if she wasn’t getting 24 hours from her battery, something was wrong. Most people I know only get about 5 or 6 hours from their battery, if that. So what gives? Read the rest of this entry »

photo credit: Flammable Batteries

The FAA is urging airlines to take special precautions when transporting lithium ion batteries as cargo. The Federal Aviation Administration’s warning comes on the heels of the recent UPS cargo plane crash in Dubai. The FAA’s concern is justified regarding the flammability of bulk shipments of rechargeable batteries in the holds of cargo planes. What a perfect way to blow up a plane. Add a small remote triggering device, and boom! Read the rest of this entry »

photo credit: Organic Battery

Scientists at the University of Texas (UT) are working on a non-toxic, organic battery. Made from plastic, the battery would last longer than the batteries we use today, as well being flexible. These batteries could be used for cell phones as well as laptops. While not there yet, the scientists are a step closer to creating a battery that will revolutionize the battery industry. Imagine not having to worry about the toxic waste ending up in our landfills. Read the rest of this entry »

photo credit: Playstation Phone

Sony is planning to release a new Playstation Phone in time for this holiday shopping season. The new Playstation Phone is part gaming device and part Smartphone. So far we haven’t seen evidence of this phone on the market. Read the rest of this entry »

photo credit: Mobile Diagnostic Kit

Last week at the mHealth summit, the federal government announced plans to launch an online health data website. Todd Park, CTO at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced the open health data campaign on the HealthData.gov site would be released in December, providing a wealth of information for developers of mobile health apps. The site would provide information about childhood obesity, smoking cessation rates and all kinds of other important research data, according to an article by Kenneth Corbin, EnterpriseMobileToday.com. Read the rest of this entry »

photo credit: Cell Phones and mHealth

Last week the mHealth Summit took place in Washington, D.C. Participants shared information on mobile technology, health research, and policy. Leaders of governments, the private sector, non-profits organizations and academia met at the mHealth Summit to dialogue and collaborate to advance mobile health projects. Cell phones play an important role in the mobile health technology strategy. Read the rest of this entry »