Mobile

Thu
17
Mar
John Lister's picture

New Crowdsourced GPS App Tells You When to Leave

A Google-owned app aims to tell you the right time to leave on a car journey based on current traffic. It's something of a chicken and egg situation though, as the more people who use Waze, the more accurate it gets. Waze was developed by an Israeli ... company and bought out by Google in 2013. Unlike most GPS navigation tools, it doesn't work solely by databases of roads. Instead, it gathers anonymized information from users about their journeys, measuring exactly how long they take to cover a particular route and where they are being held up. The idea is to use this crowdsourced ... (view more)

Thu
03
Sep
John Lister's picture

Acer Releases Phone PC Running 'Real' Windows 10

Microsoft's goal of having Windows 10 used on just about every form of computing device has taken one step forward. Manufacturers have already incorporated it into a phone and even a portable stick. Acer, the company that helped establish the idea ... of the netbook as a way to run 'real' Windows on an ultra-portable device, has announced what it is calling the first PC Phone. At first glance, the Jade Primo looks like a high-end smartphone running Windows mobile; however, it has fairly impressive specifications, including a Snapdragon 808 Processor, a full 1080p HD 5.5" AMOLED ... (view more)

Wed
29
Apr
John Lister's picture

Yahoo Testing Ear Print Login System on Smartphones

Yahoo is testing a system that could use your ear as a way to log in to a smartphone. It's designed as a cheaper and more practical alternative to using fingerprint recognition. Biometric identification has become more popular in recent years as a ... way to increase security, rather than relying on passwords or other inputs that could be guessed or hacked. The concept of biometrics has become ever increasingly mainstream, especially with the latest models of iPhones that include a fingerprint scanner. In fact, Barclays Bank has a system for online customers that scans the pattern of finger ... (view more)

Tue
28
Apr
John Lister's picture

Facebook Debuts Free Video Call Service

Facebook has begun rolling out its free video and audio call service to other Facebook users via its Messenger app. It's arguably the biggest challenge yet to the Skype audio and video calling platform, which is now owned by Microsoft. Facebook ... began offering video calls back in 2011, when it partnered with Skype but has since developed its own technology. The new call service works in the dedicated Facebook 'Messenger' app, which is available only on smartphones and tablets and does not work through the Facebook website. Last year, Facebook removed the messaging feature from its main ' ... (view more)

Fri
03
Apr
Dennis Faas's picture

Best Mobile, Pocket-sized Computer and No Data Plan?

Infopackets Reader Steve T. writes: " Dear Dennis, I just read yesterday's survey article entitled ' Are Smartphones a Vital Tool in 2015? ' and was intrigued with its findings. Personally, I don't own a smartphone because I cannot afford to pay for ... the data plans. I would like to know, is there a cheap mobile device that I can use that is similar in size to a smart phone, but doesn't use a mobile data plan? " My response: Yes. You can use a small sized tablet (around 8 inches or so) but it's not very mobile in the sense that won't fit very nicely in your pocket. As such, I think best choice ... (view more)

Wed
04
Mar
John Lister's picture

High Tech or Flop? Order Pizza Using Car Dashboard

Twenty years ago, ordering a pizza online was virtually unheard of, but in 1994, the first-ever online pizza transaction took place . The idea proved to be way ahead of its time, but eventually caught on and more restaurants followed suit. In recent ... years smartphone apps have been developed so that mobile users can order their favorite foods on the go. Flash forward to today, and now Domino's and Pizza Hut have both reached agreements to allow customers to place orders through unconventional means -- by using smart watches and dashboards on high-tech cars. Domino's is no stranger to ... (view more)

Tue
03
Mar
John Lister's picture

Over 30? New Tinder Dating App Costs up to 4x More

Smartphone dating app maker Tinder, Inc. has sparked controversy after announcing it would start charging based on age for its newly revised premium services. Users in the US will have to pay $9.99 a month if they are under 30 years old, and $19.99 ... if they are 30 or older. In the UK, the price difference in age for the same service is almost quadrupled. The move has not only outraged older customers, but ignited accusations of cynicism with the suggestion the people behind the app want to make it full of younger, and theoretically more attractive, singletons. How Tinder Works Tinder is a ... (view more)

Fri
29
Aug
John Lister's picture

Facebook Rejects New Snooping Claims

Facebook says there's no truth to claims that its Messaging app is spying on smartphone users. It says the confusion over wiretapping stems from security measures on iPhones and Android handsets. The issue involves the tool for Facebook users to ... exchange messages with one another. Whereas computer users are able to message other members through the Facebook website, this same feature is no longer supported in the official Facebook app that runs on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Instead, these users must install and run a separate app called Messenger. The Messenger app ... (view more)

Fri
08
Aug
Brandon Dimmel's picture

Is a Kill Switch the Solution for Mobile Phone Theft?

California is about to implement a "kill switch" requirement for all smartphones sold there. The plan requires vendors sell smartphones equipped with a feature that allows owners to remotely disable the device if it is lost or stolen. California's ... kill-switch bill was approved by the state's assembly yesterday morning. Now, experts believe it's only a matter of time before Governor Jerry Brown signs the bill, making it law. Kill-Switch Software Wipes Personal Data, Locks Phone The bill mandates that smartphones contain software capable of wiping all personal data and ... (view more)

Fri
25
Jul
Brandon Dimmel's picture

Report: Apple Tablet Market Dominance May Be Over

A new report shows that Samsung may soon challenge Apple for control of the highly lucrative tablet computer market. The report shows that Apple's hold on the tablet market is fast declining , while Samsung tablets -- like the Galaxy Tab 4 -- are ... being embraced by consumers. New research from industry analyst firm IDC shows that Apple continues to have a lead in the tablet market, with the company selling 13.3 million units of its popular iPad in the second quarter. That represents a 26.9 per cent market share, suggesting that more than one in four tablets sold today are iPads. Samsung ... (view more)

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Mobile