The makers of a smartphone launching next month claim it offers complete security from snooping on all forms of communication. But full details of the Blackphone and how it maintains privacy haven’t yet been published. The Blackphone is a joint project of Geeksphone, a Spanish smartphone manufacturer, and Silent Circle, a US firm which already […]
Sprint has ditched a phone plan that let customers upgrade their handset midway through their contract. The One Up plan was only available for four months before the unexpected withdrawal. One Up was the Sprint answer to the other major carriers all adopting a model that took the “standard” deal of a two year commitment […]
AT&T has announced a way for Internet content providers to pay for customers to get the content over 4G without it counting towards their data allowance. It’s being promoted as a sponsorship opportunity, though has raised questions over net neutrality. The system will be available to anyone accessing 4G through an AT&T data plan on […]
A woman from Taiwan needed a police rescue after being so engrossed in Facebook that she fell off a pier. The unnamed woman was visiting St Kilda’s pier in Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne, Australia. While clutching her cellphone, she fell off the pier at around 11.30 pm at night. The good news is that […]
Canonical has confirmed a currently unnamed manufacturer will release an Ubuntu smartphone in 2014. It follows failed attempts to Canonical to produce the device itself. Canonical, which develops Ubuntu and operates commercially by charging for support and related services, first showed off the “Ubuntu Touch” system for smartphones at the start of this year. At […]
American Idol host Ryan Seacrest has invested a million dollars in a company that plans to sell slip-on physical keyboards for the iPhone. As well as funding the company, Seacrest is the co-founder alongside Laurence Hallier, chief of tech marketing firm Show Media. It’s reported that the company plans to raise $5 million to get […]
The four major US carriers have completed work on a joint database for registering and tracking stolen phones. It will integrate with international databases, which could cut down one form of organized phone theft. The database involves AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon, and is overseen by industry group CTIA-The Wireless Association. It’s the final step […]
The Federal Aviation Administration has lifted a ban on most electronic gadgets on flights, even during parts of takeoff and landing. But passengers will still be banned from making voice calls on their cellphones. Although the new rules are in effect, it may be a few months before fliers notice the difference. Individual airlines must […]