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Tag: Cell Phones

  • Congressman Joe Morelle Introduces Right to Repair Bill

    Congressman Joe Morelle Introduces Right to Repair Bill

    New York Rep. Joe Morelle has introduced right to repair legislation, in a bid that could have a major impact on device manufacturers.

    As phones, tablets and computers have become more complicated, the ability for the average consumer to repair them has become equally difficult. Even something as basic as changing a cellphone battery is nearly impossible for the average person.

    On the heels of the New York Senate passing its own right to repair legislation, New York Rep. Joe Morelle has now introduced right to repair legislation in the US House of Representatives.

    “For too long, large corporations have hindered the progress of small business owners and everyday Americans by preventing them from the right to repair their own equipment,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “It’s long past time to level the playing field, which is why I’m so proud to introduce the Fair Repair Act and put the power back in the hands of consumers. This common-sense legislation will help make technology repairs more accessible and affordable for items from cell phones to laptops to farm equipment, finally giving individuals the autonomy they deserve.”

    The Fair Repair Act will require manufactures to make tools, parts and information available to customers, as well as third-party repairers, making it easier for them to repair their own devices.

    Given the anti-Big Tech sentiment that seems to be growing in both political parties, there’s a good chance the Fair Repair Act could soon become law.

  • Verizon Buys TracFone For $7 Billion

    Verizon Buys TracFone For $7 Billion

    Verizon has announced that it is buying TracFone, the country’s largest prepaid wireless reseller, for $7 billion in cash and stock. Over 13 million TracFone subscribers currently use the Verizon cell network via a reseller deal. The acquisition expands Verizon’s offerings in the low-priced market segment, enabling it to upsell its premium products and services to a new set of customers. Verizon says that the “portfolio of Tracfone brands creates a platform for growth and innovation in Verizon’s support of the value and low-income segments. “

    Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg tweeted: “We are excited about the opportunity to bring Tracfone and its brands into the Verizon family where we can put the full support of Verizon behind this business and provide exciting and compelling products into this attractive segment of the market.” Tracfone is the largest reseller of wireless services in the US, serving 21 million subscribers through a network of over 90,000 retail locations nationwide.

    “This transaction is aligned with what we do best: providing reliable wireless service alongside a best-in-class customer experience,” said Vestberg. “We are excited about the opportunity to bring Tracfone and its brands into the Verizon family where we can put the full support of Verizon behind this business and provide exciting and compelling products into this attractive segment of the market. We are pursuing this important strategic acquisition from a position of strength given our very strong and prudent financial profile.”

    Ronan Dunne, Executive Vice President and Group CEO, Verizon Consumer Group added: “Since its launch, Tracfone has developed strong consumer brands and has established itself as a clear leader in the value mobile segment. This transaction firmly establishes Verizon, through the Tracfone brands, as the provider of choice in the value segment, which complements our clear leadership in the premium segment.”

    “We’re looking forward to welcoming all of Tracfone’s customers and each of Tracfone’s nearly 850 valuable employees. We are excited to expand our relationship with Tracfone’s distribution partners, and when Tracfone’s customers become part of our family, they will get the best of both worlds – more choices, better services, and new features thanks to Verizon’s investment–but with the flexibility and control that they have come to value with its prepaid plans. Being connected is now more important than ever, and Tracfone customers will benefit from Verizon’s innovations–both now and in the future,” Dunne added.

    Verizon is paying $3.125 billion in cash and $3.125 billion in Verizon common stock. The company will also pay up to an additional $650 million in future cash consideration related to the achievement of certain performance measures.

  • FDA Finds No Direct Link Between Cell Phones and Cancer

    FDA Finds No Direct Link Between Cell Phones and Cancer

    The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has released its findings after reviewing a decade of studies, saying it has not found no proof of a link between cell phones and cancer.

    The FDA analyzed “peer-reviewed in vivo (animal) and epidemiological studies published from January 1, 2008 to August 1, 2018 for in vivo studies, and from January 1, 2008 to May 8, 2018 for epidemiological studies.” The goal was to determine what, if any, effect radiofrequency radiation (RFR) had on human beings and whether it was responsible for an increased risk of cancer.

    The FDA said there were approximately 125 articles considered most relevant to the analysis, none of which adequately demonstrated a link between the level of cell phone RFR and health risks. In fact, the reports says that “based on the FDA’s ongoing evaluation, the available epidemiological and cancer incidence data continues to support the Agency’s determination that there are no quantifiable adverse health effects in humans caused by exposures at or under the current cell phone exposure limits.”

    In spite of what seems to be good news, the FDA does express concern that small subsets of the population who are already predisposed toward developing tumors may be at a greater risk and suffer more harm from RFR than the general population. The FDA recommends studies shift toward those population subsets.

    In the meantime, the report summarizes its conclusions by stating: “Existing epidemiological evidence indicates that if any risk does exist, it is extremely low compared to both the natural incidence of the disease and known controllable risk factors. As further research is conducted, we will continue to monitor the available information.”

  • Stingray: Local Cops Track Cell Phones Like NSA

    According to the Associated Press, police are able to track your cell phone with a device called Stingray. The mechanism is a suitcase-sized tool manufactured by the Harris Corporation that mimics a cell phone tower.

    There is not much known about the device, but back in 2011 the city of Miami inadvertently published the price and description of a unit in some other budget items they posted online. The info was removed, but not before it was downloaded by the folks at PublicIntelligence.net [PDF].

    That price list describes the Stingray as a “4-channel multi-transmit interrogation and direction-finding transportable unit.”

    The price for the base model Stingray II was $148,000. There are several software packages that are also available that go with the unit. Those cost around $22,000 each. There is one software package that is restricted to only Federal “customers” that costs $50,000. Other accessories are listed, including cables for around $200, a computer mouse for $50, a 20-foot antenna mast for $2,990, and a choice of regular and “ruggedized” laptops to run it all with.

    It is not known if the City of Miami purchased the Stingray system, but if they did, they can now track cell phone users.

    In one court case, a Federal agency did acknowledge that the Stingray can affect the cell phone functions of innocent civilians, who are not under investigation, in the area in which it is being used.

    Not much detail is known. What can be divined is that the unit tricks a cell phone into thinking that it is a cell tower. The cell phone then transmits all the usual info to the unit, allowing police to track the phone. This is simpler than triangulation of tower signal. Anyone who has been stuck with a phone that does not have GPS, but tries to approximate it with cell tower triangulation (ahem – Blackberry Curve), can tell you that triangulation only gets you so far.

    But what if this Stingray can also catch data, not just voice? Location services info from phones to apps is common. If the Stingray can intercept what your phone is sending to, say, Facebook (which uses that info for “check-ins”), then police can follow you within 7.8 meters of where you stand (according to GPS.gov).

    Much other information about the Stingray unit is kept confidential. Federal and local law enforcement is required by Harris Corp. to sign non-disclosure agreements about its capabilities. Police records that mention it are often redacted when they are made public. Lots of people question the wisdom – and legality – of a corporate NDA superseding American rights and transparency laws.

    Image via Harris Corp.

  • Bill That Would Ban In-Flight Calls Approved By House Committee

    Bill That Would Ban In-Flight Calls Approved By House Committee

    The FAA made a lot of fliers happier last year when it relaxed its ban on using electronic devices during take-off and landing. The ban on in-flight calls was still in effect though, but it looked like the FCC was going to strike that one down too. Well, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee doesn’t really like that idea.

    The Hill reports that the Committee, headed up by Chairman Bill Shuster, has just passed a bill that would ban in-flight cell phone calls. It’s not that Shuster thinks a cell phone call will suddenly tear a plane from the sky though. He just doesn’t want to hear you talking to your boyfriend at 30,000 feet.

    “In our day-to-day lives, when we find someone’s cell phone call to be too loud, too close, or too personal, we can just walk away,” Shuster said. “But at 30,000 feet, there’s nowhere else for an airline passenger to go. Under this bill, passengers will be able to use their mobile devices to stay connected, through getting online, emailing, texting, and more. During flights, it is common sense and common courtesy to continue keeping cell phone calls on the ground.”

    It would appear that the House Committee is not alone on this matter. A companion bill has already been introduced in the Senate by Sen. Lamar Alexander. The aviation and travel industries also backed the legislation. The U.S. Travel Association notes that polls have found that frequent fliers would prefer that in-flight calls remain banned because nobody wants to hear you blabber on like an idiot on an already stressful flight.

    It’s nothing personal, mind you. We’re all obnoxious when talking on a cell phone. Just stick to texting and we’ll all be happy. Well, as happy as 100 humans cramped in a flying tin can can be.

    Image via Thinkstock

  • HTC One-Two Punch: Bigger,Faster…More Everything

    The “Quietly Brillant” brand has been steadily growing in popularity, providing some of the first large screen smartphones along with its unique technology. HTC’s One has sealed the deal to make it one of the top phones of last year, and according to CNet, it looks as if they have no plans to fall behind with their newest One dropping soon.

    The name is under wraps; some sources believe it is called the M8, and others believe it will simply be called the HTC One 2. Although none of those names are quite spiffy, the speculated specs of the upcoming phone sure are.

    Firstly, HTC One’s Snapdragon 600 chip will be upgraded to at least an 800 to remedy the main, and often only, complaint of HTC One reviewers. A RAM upgrade has also been promised to further push the power. HTC One-Two’s screen is reported to sport a .3 inch increase to make it a solid five inches. The most impressive perk of the updated One is the rumored two rear camera feature along with an upgrade of its patented Ultrapixel camera. This means clearer pictures that just might surpass- or at least rival- the superior iPhone camera.

    HTC is holding details of this phone under close wraps– they haven’t even officially told us when they will release the phone. More details will hopefully be shared during the Mobile World Congress held at the end of this month in Spain, but the popular opinion is that the phone will be released in March.

    Image via Wiki Commons

  • Prepaid Phone Plans: The Way to Go?

    Prepaid Phone Plans: The Way to Go?

    In the ever-increasing maelstrom that is finding the cheapest cell service, many are turning to prepaid wireless. What used to be a socially unacceptable means of obtaining wireless phone service is quickly making a comeback as a totally viable, and sometimes smart, alternative.

    Thanks to T-Mobile being the first to bring the hurt down on conventional contract carriers, many are realizing, with great joy, that they don’t have to be tied down to any plan with a burdensome two-year contract.

    According to i4u.com, Logan Abbott, President of MyRatePlan, said, “I predict in 2014 we will see a bigger number of customers switch to prepaid cell phone plans than any previous year.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrG-7otAClw

    This news isn’t a surprise as the no contract, no surprises options are quickly becoming more appealing, and also more widely available. Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and Straight Talk also all offer fairly cheap plans.

    These are some great affordable options if you don’t mind a few downsides. One of them being roaming issues, and sometimes no service at all in some areas. This is the result of most prepaid providers relying on the networks of a major wireless carrier, according to The Motley Fool. For example, Virgin Mobile relies solely on Sprint’s network.

    If you’re a Sprint customer, your phone will roam when off network. If you’re with Virgin Mobile, however, you don’t roam. You just don’t have service. At all.

    However, if frugality is your top priority, perhaps a plan like The Straight Talk Unlimited Plan, which ranked #1 on MyRatePlan‘s list of best prepaid plans, would be something to check out. It offers unlimited talk, text, and data for a measly $45 bucks.

    T-Mobile, as the original mold-breaker seems to make it easiest to switch with their Simple Choice Plan, which offers up to $650 bucks to trade in your phone. Plans are a bit more expensive on a monthly basis, however, with plans ranging from $50-$70.

    That’s hard to beat, considering the average person’s cell phone bill with Verizon is $148, with Sprint is $144, and with AT&T it is $141, according to BGR.com

    Image via youtube.com

  • Tablet Phone Features Could Become More Popular

    As the tablet market has grown, so the PC market has fallen. Tablets are now nearly as ubiquitous in western markets as smartphones, and sales of the devices are expect to hit record levels this holiday season.

    Though Apple introduced the original iPad in a 10-inch size it envisioned to be perfect, consumers seem to be comfortable settling in with smaller, low-priced tablets. The 7-inch tablet market is now overtaking sales of larger tablets, and consumers don’t even seem to be excited by an array of new 8-inch tablets out this year. At the same time, sales are also picking up for extra-large smartphones (sometimes dubbed “phablets”), some with screens as large as 6.4-inches. Today a new report predicts that phones and tablets could meet in the middle sometime soon.

    The report from DigiTimes states that demand for 7-inch tablets with phone capabilities is expected to rise in the coming years. The report’s unnamed “sources from tablet players” state that the low price of such tablets will make them popular in emerging markets, where future tablet and smartphone growth is predicted.

    The most obvious factor in this prediction is price. Larger smartphones such as Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 and Sony’s Xperia Z Ultra tend to have high-end hardware for smartphones, placing them in the upper price tiers for such devices. Smaller tablets, on the other hand, often have comparable hardware but much lower prices. DigiTimes’ sources claim that consumers in emerging markets such as Brazil and China mainly use mobile devices to watch multimedia content, something that can be done for a much lower entry price with tablets.

  • FCC Chairman Nominee Supports Cell Phone Unlocking

    FCC Chairman Nominee Supports Cell Phone Unlocking

    Tom Wheeler, the man President Obama has nominated to be the next FCC chairman, has something in common with a lot of Americans. He believes that they have the right to unlock their cell phones after a two-year contract is fulfilled.

    During a nomination hearing with the Senate Commerce Committee earlier this week, Wheeler said he fully supports the ability of Americans to unlock their smartphones:

    “I am a strong supporter of intellectual property rights. At the same point in time, I believe that when I as a consumer or you as a consumer, or anyone have fulfilled our commitment and we’ve paid off our contract, that we ought to have the right to use that device and move it across carriers as we see fit. I look forward to working on this issue and resolving this issue to give consumers flexibility.”

    In the above statement, Wheeler is referring to how the legality of cell phone unlocking is decided by the Librarian of Congress as per the rules set by the DMCA. The law states that the Librarian of Congress shall name exemptions to the anti-circumvention clause. The original intent was to keep consumers from cracking DRM in the name of piracy, but it has been used to prevent consumers from doing as they wish with purchased hardware.

    Many proponents of cell phone unlocking have called for an amended DMCA, but some industry players obviously wouldn’t want that. As for Wheeler, he seems to be keeping all options on the table. Here’s what he said in a statement to Ars Technica:

    “I don’t know whether it [should be] a permanent exemption [to the DMCA], whether it is a rewrite of the Copyright Act, or what the appropriate solution is, but I do believe there needs to be a solution and consumers should have the right to unlock their phones after they’ve lived up to their side of the agreement.”

    Wheeler may not be sure on how to progress yet, but a few lawmakers in Congress have tossed up a few ideas. The first proposal, which is from Sen. Patrick Leahy, calls for cell phone unlocking to be added to the Librarian of Congress’ exemption list. It doesn’t actually fix any problems though. The fact that it doesn’t fix anything may be why the wireless industry is 100 percent behind it. They can be seen as pro-consumer in the short term, but still have the authority to enforce locked cell phones if the Librarian of Congress chooses to remove it from the exemption list in 2016.

    The second, and far more preferable, is Rep. Zoe Lofgren’s Unlocking Technology Act of 2013. The proposed law would “permanently guarantee consumers can unlock their cell phones, tablets, and other mobile communications devices in order to switch carriers.” The bill goes even further by legalizing the sharing of tools necessary to unlock mobile devices.

    Unfortunately, it seems that most of the support in Washington is in favor of Leahy’s band aid for a bullet wound solution. Wheeler will undoubtedly support it as well considering his close ties to the wireless industry.

    [Image: The Cable Center]

  • Theatergoing Hero Threw Woman’s Cellphone When She Refused to Shut Up, Stop Googling

    Kevin Williamson is a theater critic and a writer for the National Review. This does not make him a hero. What does make him a hero is that he took action on an impulse that plenty of us have battled from time to time: physically separating the loud, obnoxious, moviegoer who won’t turn off their damn phone from said phone.

    In Williamson’s case, we’re talking theatergoers here. But the principle remains the same: When you’re at a play, turn off your phone you self-absorbed butthole. I promise you that nothing you’re doing is that important. Promise.

    As he tells it, the night began with a couple of annoying women who were “talking, using their phones, and making a general nuisance of themselves.” The audience was watching a performance of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, and two women with “too much makeup and too-high heels, and insufficient attention span for following a two-hour musical” were preventing everyone from enjoying the show. Or at least preventing Williamson, as he was seated right next to them.

    Williamson claims his date spoke to theater management during intermission, whose assurances that the situation would be taken care of wound up being hollow.

    I’ll let him take it from there:

    The lady seated to my immediate right (very close quarters on bench seating) was fairly insistent about using her phone. I asked her to turn it off. She answered: “So don’t look.” I asked her whether I had missed something during the very pointed announcements to please turn off your phones, perhaps a special exemption granted for her. She suggested that I should mind my own business.

    So I minded my own business by utilizing my famously feline agility to deftly snatch the phone out of her hand and toss it across the room, where it would do no more damage. She slapped me and stormed away to seek managerial succor. Eventually, I was visited by a black-suited agent of order, who asked whether he might have a word.

    Williamson tells Gothamist that some rude Googling on the device is what eventually prompted him to remove it from her possession. He was eventually kicked out and says that “there is talk of criminal charges.”

    Whatever happens, we salute you. No, I’m not going to suggest that every annoying movie or theater attendee who refuses to follow simple rules and courtesies should be separated from their iPhones – but if I happened to be one of the crowdmembers enjoying Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 that fateful night, well, let’s just say the play (which he says was quite good) wouldn’t have been the only thing to receive a standing O.

    Of course, as of now, this is a one-sided story.

  • Newt Gingrich Is Puzzled, Apparently Doesn’t Know the Word ‘Smartphone’

    Newt Gingrich and the fine folks at Gingrich Productions are puzzled. Truly puzzled. Just what the hell do you call a phone that has apps, lets you take pictures, and allows you to browse the interwebs?

    “Think about it. If it’s taking pictures, it’s not a cell phone. If it has, um, a McDonald’s app to tell you where McDonald’s is based on your GPS location, that’s not a cell phone. If you can get Wikipedia or get Google, that’s not a cell phone. If you can watch YouTube, that’s not a cell phone – or Netflix…think about it.”

    Apparently, Gingrich wants help in deciding what we should call these futuristic devices. Here’s what he has to say on his YouTube channel:

    To call this a “cell phone” or a “handheld computer” fails to capture the change that has taken place. It is a change in kind, not just a change in scale, and just as drivers of the earliest cars called them “horseless carriages”, our language has not caught up. So having failed for several days to come up with an adequate term for the device we call a “cell phone,” we want to open the discussion up to you. Let us know in the comments what you think we should name it, and we’ll feature the best ones in a future newsletter.

    It’s a smartphone, Newt. A smartphone. I kind of get what you’re saying, but it’s a smartphone.

    Check out the bizarre video below:

  • New Light Tech Could Speed Computing, Phones 1000X

    Communication technologies including smartphones and laptops could now be 1,000 times faster.

    A University of Pittsburgh team has generated a frequency comb with more than a 100 terahertz bandwidth as a means to process communications data at a remarkably rapid speed.

    Many of the communication tools of today rely on the function of light or, more specifically, on applying information to a light wave. Up until now, studies on electronic and optical devices with materials that are the foundations of modern electronics—such as radio, TV, and computers—have generally relied on nonlinear optical effects, producing devices whose bandwidth has been limited to the gigahertz (GHz) frequency region. Thanks to research performed at the University of Pittsburgh, a physical basis for terahertz bandwidth—the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between infrared and microwave light—has now been demonstrated.

    In a paper published March 4 in Nature Photonics, Hrvoje Petek, a professor of physics and chemistry in Pitt’s Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, and his colleague Muneaki Hase, a professor of applied physics at the University of Tsukuba in Japan and a visiting scientist in Petek’s lab, detail their success in generating a frequency comb—dividing a single color of light into a series of evenly spaced spectral lines for a variety of uses—that spans a more than 100 terahertz bandwidth by exciting a coherent collective of atomic motions in a semiconductor silicon crystal.

    “The ability to modulate light with such a bandwidth could increase the amount of information carried by more than 1,000 times when compared to the volume carried with today’s technologies,” says Petek. “Needless to say, this has been a long-awaited discovery in the field.”

    To investigate the optical properties of a silicon crystal, Petek and his team investigated the change in reflectivity after excitation with an intense laser pulse. Following the excitation, the team observed that the amount of reflected light oscillates at 15.6 THz, the highest mechanical frequency of atoms within a silicon lattice. This oscillation caused additional change in the absorption and reflection of light, multiplying the fundamental oscillation frequency by up to seven times to generate the comb of frequencies extending beyond 100 THz. Petek and his team were able to observe the production of such a comb of frequencies from a crystalline solid for the first time.

    “Although we expected to see the oscillation at 15.6 THz, we did not realize that its excitation could change the properties of silicon in such dramatic fashion,” says Petek. “The discovery was both the result of developing unique instrumentation and incisive analysis by the team members.”

    Petek notes the team’s achievements are the result of developing experimental and theoretical tools to better understand how electrons and atoms interact in solids under intense optical excitation and of the invested interest by Pitt’s Dietrich School in advanced instrumentation and laboratory infrastructure.

    The team is currently investigating the coherent oscillation of electrons, which could further extend the ability of harnessing light-matter interactions from the terahertz- to the petahertz-frequency range. Petahertz is a unit of measure for very fast frequencies (1 quadrillion hertz).

    This research was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

    For more information on Petek’s research, visit www.ultrafast.phyast.pitt.edu/Home.html.

  • Can Police Search Your Cell Phone Without A Warrant?

    It all began with a drug bust in Indiana. Police on the scene used several cell phones left at the scene to figure out who was involved and make the arrests. The Judges that initially presided over the case ruled that obtaining numbers from the phones was similar to illegally taking numbers out of an address book without a warrant.

    Judge Posner, who subsequently reviewed the case in appeals court released these statements regarding the matter:

    “This is a fair literal reading of the Robinson decision. But the Court did not reject the possibility of categorical limits to the rule laid down in it. Suppose the police stop a suspected drug dealer and find a diary, but a quick look reveals that it is a personal diary rather than a record of drug transactions, yet the officers keep on reading. A court might say that acquiring information known to be unrelated to the crime of which the person being arrested is suspected is an intrusion beyond the scope of Robinson’s rule.”

    So at first he finds reason to agree with the original ruling and provides reason not to justify the search, and that it would be, in fact, an invasion of privacy. But he continues:

    “We need not consider what level of risk to personal safety or to the preservation of evidence would be necessary to justify a more extensive search of a cell phone without a warrant, especially when we factor in the burden on the police of having to traipse about with Faraday bags or mirror-copying technology and having to be instructed in the use of these methods for preventing remote wiping or rendering it ineffectual. We can certainly imagine justifications for a more extensive search. The arrested suspect might have prearranged with coconspirators to call them periodically and if they didn’t hear from him on schedule to take that as a warning that he had been seized, and to scatter. Or if conspirators buy prepaid SIM (subscriber identity module) cards, each of which assigns a different phone number to the cell phone in which the card is inserted, and replace the SIM card each day, a police officer who seizes one of the cell phones will have only a short interval within which to discover the phone numbers of the other conspirators.”

    Essentially, the judge conveys the need for urgency in the situation and justifies the speedy work of the officers involved. He gets to the core with this statement:

    “The officer who doesn’t make a quick search of the cell phone won’t find other conspirators’ phone numbers that are still in use.”

    In any event, the officers were committing the slightest intrusion possible by simply obtaining the number connected to the device and no other information from it. This is what lead to the arrests, and so the decision to allow the evidence in the case was reversed.

    It sounds like this could be a case-specific ruling, and it may have diminished implications for future cases. While the judges explanation sounds a bit confusing, there is a lot of common sense coming through in what he wrote. Law enforcement is hard enough without making every step of the process a fruitless chore.

  • People Want Water-Proof Cell Phones, Says Company That Water-Proofs Cell Phones

    People can’t stop spilling liquids on their cell phones. It’s an international incident at this point yet, instead of keeping a better grip on their beverages, people now just want their phones to absorb the water torture. In fact, most people these days expect their cell phone to be capable of surviving a dousing, according to a new study by P2i, a manufacturer in liquid repellant nano-coating technology.

    While it does sound like an obvious case of a confirmation bias at work here – a company specializing in water-proofing technology commissioning a study that shows people favor water-proofing technology? – the study did find that 51% of the people who participated in the study expect their phones to be able to fight off liquids.

    Dr. Stephen Coulson, CTO of P2i said, “It’s no surprise that on average over half of all of those questioned expect water protection to be included as standard when buying a mobile phone. Without it, users not only need to avoid liquid coming into contact with their phones but have to consider the ‘hidden’ risk of moisture that can cause corrosion, damaging the phone, its components and, often more importantly, the content and data stored on it.”

    So what are people so prone to spill onto their cell phones? The study, which was conducted earlier this month and included 2006 participants from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and the United States, found that 30% of people spill water on their phones, followed by 13% by coffee, 8% of tea. Men were more likely to have spilled coffee on their phone than women, and Americans are the most likely to get sloppy drunk and spill alcohol on their phones.

    Coulson pointed out that it wasn’t just the beverage menace that people have to worry about, though. “Mobile phones are not just susceptible to accidental spillages in pubs or cafes,” he said. “Reflecting the increasing role that they play in our lives, this survey also found that on average phones are taken out in the rain (64 per cent); in the snow (59 per cent) and even into the shower (8 per cent) and sauna (3 per cent) – all posing a risk of the phone being exposed to moisture which can cause long term damage. There is a very real demand for these devices to be able to keep up with thriving lifestyles.”

    For those of you whose lifestyles include using your cell phones while you’re in the shower – nearly 1 in 10 of you! – you need to choose a lifestyle a little less glamorous and more mindful of the fact that electronics don’t play well with aquatic environments.

  • You May Suffer From Nomophobia

    Nomophobia or “no mobile phone phobia” is the fear of losing or being separated from your beloved electronic appendage and for 66% of people surveyed a common ailment and serious issue. According to a study conducted by SecureEnvoy, a security-authentication company, ladies are first with the disorder and tend to worry about their mobile phones more than gentlemen, but fear not, Nomophobia is an equal opportunity obsession. “What this study does highlight is the extent that people now rely on their mobile phones,” adds Andy Kemshall, SecurEnvoy CTO and co founder. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to see if you have any of the symptoms.

    If you dropped your phone in the sink or toilet would you fish it out with your bare hands and wait for it to dry or turn the dripping device on immediately to see if it still worked? If you found that it didn’t work, would you have absolutely no problem going out and immediately buying a replacement phone at full retail price without hesitation? If you found yourself nodding in agreement or felt unusually queasy and uncomfortable while reading this story then your name may be Kelly Reeves (this actually happened to her) or you may suffer from Nomophobia and should read further.

    If you feel anxious when you don’t have your phone with you then you are definitely not alone. Two-thirds of people asked that question last year agree with you. Do you find it perfectly normal to have your phone on the table and check it regularly during meetings, dinners and dates? Do you check your phone at least once every 10 minutes? The average person checks their phone about 34 times a day.

    While most of this information may seem fairly normal, Nomophobia becomes pathological when the fear of losing your mobile phone interferes with a person being able to function normally. If your phone becomes a preoccupation or causes anxiety attacks, the treatment recommended is to consult with a physician or psychologist, who will likely approach it like treating obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Our phone is our life, so it shouldn’t amaze Nomophobiacs that when asked which item people would save first from a burning house, the top pick was mobile phone.

  • Facebook And Twitter Built Into Your Car?

    Facebook And Twitter Built Into Your Car?

    If you’re already concerned about how much people actually pay attention when they’re driving, you may have even more cause for alarm. More distractions are on the way. Responding to demand from their customers, more and more auto manufacturers are integrating devices to tweet, check your Facebook, buy tickets to events, and check your e-mail.

    Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, and Ford all have products in the works and we should be seeing them as soon as Spring. Ford Motors was actually the first one to start incorporating modern communication systems into their dashboards with their Sync technology. Now users will be able to interact with their Twitter account, watch streaming video, and get their news right from the drivers seat.

    Another dashboard integration we can expect will also come from the Ford Sync system. Currently Ford is developing an array of voice-activated health and wellness-based tools to aid drivers with issues like diabetes, allergies, and asthma. While this could still be considered a distraction, it sounds like it will do more good than harm.

    Of course we all know that distractions like cell phones in the car can make accidents more likely, I am surprised we’re not hearing more buzz about these innovations from the government. I know there’s going to be some users who abuse these technologies on the highway and that’s going to be a problem. I think there is the possibility that integrating these technologies into our dashboards could actually make them safer for us. Yes, it’s distracting to check your e-mail while your driving, but if your going to do it on your smartphone anyway, it might as well get integrated into your dash so at least your eyes are fixed in the general direction of the road.

  • Most People Can’t Shop Without Their Mobile Phones

    With every new study conducted on how people have integrated mobile devices into their everyday life, imagining a life without smartphones increasingly sounds like a return to a hunter-gatherer society. Solidifying that presumption are some conclusions from a new study by Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Projects conducted over the Christmas shopping season that looked at how Americans used their cell phones to guide their purchases. Perhaps unsurprisingly, most adults resorted to the cell phone lifeline in one way or another while deliberating a purchase.

    Of the 1,000 included in the study, 52% of adult cell phone users said that they used their phone while inside of a brick-and-mortar store to help with their purchasing decisions. Of those adults, one third of them used their phone to look up information about a product online, either to check out reviews or to compare prices. 38% of those adults went for a more personal touch, though, and called a friend to ask for advice.

    Regardless of how the cell phone was used, one fact is becoming very salient in our culture: we can’t buy stuff without consulting some kind of third party via the use of our cell phone. In fact, the mere presence of a cell phone in a purse or pocket seems to be affecting the way people decide on their purchases:

  • 37% decided to not purchase the product at all
  • 35% purchased the product at that store
  • 19% purchased the product online
  • 8% purchased the product at another store

    • Aaron W. Smith, Senior Research Specialist with Pew, said, “These findings show that the growing availability of smartphones and other mobile devices has dramatically changed the shopping experience.” He continued, “Consumers are frequently using their phones to make sure they get the most highly-rated product at the best price, and in many cases they are willing to go elsewhere or delay their purchase until they find the right combination of value and quality.”

    Indeed, one in five “mobile price matchers,” as Pew has labelled these cell phoned sales hounds, ultimately opted not to make their purchase at a brick-and-mortar store and instead chose to buy the product from an online store. More, 5% of of all cell phone owners actually looked up a product while inside the physical and then chose to purchase it online. Makes you wonder how much incentive apps like Amazon’s Price Check app really did influence shoppers this past Christmas. The app likely wasn’t creating a new shopping strategy in potential consumers but, rather, simply made it whole lot easier to compare prices and look up reviews while you’re standing in a store.

    Still, when only 1 in 10 cell owners who searched for the price of a product while inside a physical store still chose to make their purchase at the store, that’s not good news for brick-and-mortar stores. Did any of you out there resort to such scrutinizing shopping practices this past holiday season? Share your thoughts or experiences below.

  • Guys Beware: Cell Phones Could Damage Your Sperm

    On the list of cancer-causing boogeymen, cellphones are pretty high on the list. For years, people have been saying that they cause cancer – and for years almost as many people have been saying that the cancer/cellphone link is total bull.

    It’s a heavily debated proposition within the scientific community, and it seems like we get a new report every couple of weeks telling us to watch out or telling us to have no fear. Really, the cellphone/cancer debate is a crapshoot anyways. Even if you had definitive proof the cellphones raise the likelihood of cancer, would you stop using yours? I know I probably couldn’t live without it.

    A new study about cellphone radiation isn’t talking about cancer, but about sperm.

    An Italian report published in the Journal of Andrology has found a link between the radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation (Rf-EMR) produced by mobile phones and both decreased sperm count and decreased sperm quality.

    The study focused on groups of both humans and rats. In one experiment, rats were placed in glass cages with cellphones attached to the bottom. The rats were then exposed to the RF-EMR for 6 hours a day for four month. When they tested the rats’ sperm, they found a 25% drop in the amount of live sperm. They also found that the sperm was sticking together, which makes it harder to do its job when it gets to the egg.

    As far as the humans go, the researchers found that RF-EMR decreased sperm count and mobility, and viability. From the study:

    Altogether the results of these studies show that RF-EMR decreases sperm count and motility, and increases the oxidative stress. In human beings, two different experimental approaches have been followed, one has explored the effects of RF-EMR directly on spermatozoa and the other has evaluated the sperm parameters in men using or not mobile phones. The results show that human spermatozoa exposed to RF-EMR have decreased motility, morphometric abnormalities, and increased oxidative stress, whereas men using mobile phones have decreased sperm concentration, motility (particularly the rapid progressive one), normal morphology, and viability. These abnormalities seem to be directly related with the length of mobile phone use.

    One prevailing theory is that men who keep their cellphones in their pockets increase their risk of damaged sperm.

    Of course, like most scientific studies, more research is demanded –

    Nevertheless, more studies are necessary to provide stronger evidences that cellular phone use disturb sperm and testicular function since the existing literature has several limitations. These include dishomogeneity in terms of RF wavelength used, depth of penetration, and length of radiation exposure.

    The researchers aren’t quite sure which types of cellphones and cell service are doing the most harm.

    Of course, studies like this aren’t conclusive, but this isn’t the first time cellphones have been linked to sperm problems. A Cleveland Clinic study found similar results a couple years ago. As a precaution, it might not hurt to see how your cellphone feels in your back pocket, fellas.

  • Americans Have A Love-Hate Relationship With Their Cell Phones

    Texting by American adults has increased significantly over the past year, but still does not approach the level of text messages exchanged by young people, according to a new report from Pew Internet & American Life Project.

    Nearly three quarters (72%) of adult cell phone users send and receive text messages now, up from 65 percent in September 2009. The majority (87%) of teen cell users text. Teens text 50 messages a day on average, five times more than the typical 10 text messages sent and received by adults per day.

    Pew-Texting

    The majority of African Americans and English-speaking Hispanics own cell phones compared to 80 percent of whites. Twelve percent of African American and 14 percent of English-speaking Hispanics make and receive more than 30 calls a day on their mobile phones. Four percent of whites report placing and receiving that many calls. African American and Hispanic texters typical send and receive 10 texts a day; whites who text typically send and receive 5 texts a day.

    “Texting among adults has reached the mainstream and the charge is being lead by African-Americans, Hispanics and young adults,” said Amanda Lenhart, Senior Research Specialist at the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and author the report.

    “Of course, none of these adult groups hold a candle to teens when it comes to texting, who swamp adults in messages sent per day by a factor of 5.”

    For all of their enthusiasm for texting and talking on their cells, Americans have mixed feelings about the role of the mobile phone in their lives. Most cell users report that their cell phone makes them feel safer (91%), and that they appreciate the way it allows them to arrange plans with family and friends (88% agree.)  But mobile phone users also report that they get irritated when a call or text interrupts them (42%) and that they find it rude when others check their phones repeatedly during meetings or conversations (86%).

    Other highlights of the report include:

    *65% of American adults with cell phones sleep with their phone on or right next to their bed.

    *57% of adults with cells report receiving unwanted or spam text messages on their phone.

    *90% of parents have a cell phone compared with 72% of adults without children under 18 at home.

     

     

  • Adults And Teens Equally Likely To Text While Driving

    American adults are just as likely to have texted while driving as teenagers and are significantly more likely than teens to have talked on their cell phones while driving, according to a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

    More than a quarter (27%) of American adults say they have texted while driving, about the same proportion as the number of teens (26%) who say they have texted while driving.

    Nearly two-thirds (61%) of adults say they have talked on their cell phones while they were behind the wheel. That is significantly higher than the number of 16 and 17 year olds (43%) who have talked on their cells while driving. In addition, 49% of adults say they have been passengers in a car when the driver was sending or reading text messages on their cell phone. Overall, 44% of adults say they have been passengers of drivers who used the cell phone in a way that put themselves or others in danger.

    Pew-Cell-Distractions

    Besides driving, 17 percent of adults have been so distracted while talking or texting that they have physically bumped into another person or object. That amounts to 14 percent of all American adults who have been so engaged in talking or texting that they have bumped into something or someone.

    "While previous research has shown that one in four teen drivers text at the wheel, this data suggests that adults are now just as likely to engage in this risky behavior" said Mary Madden, Senior Research Specialist at the Internet & American Life Project and co-author of the report.

    "Adults may be the ones sounding the alarm on the dangers of distracted driving, but they don’t always set the best example themselves." 

    Other findings from the report include:

    *82 percent of American adults now own cell phones and 58 percent send or receive text messages.

    *51 percent of men who use text messaging say they have sent or read messages while driving compared to 42 percent of women who have done the same.

    *While 59% of texting Millennials (ages 18-33) say they have sent or read messages at the wheel, 50% of text-using Gen Xers (ages 34-45) and 29% of texting Baby Boomers (ages 46-64) report the same.

    "It is just as hard for adults as it is for teenagers to resist chatting with friends and sending off that quick text even in the midst of heavy traffic," said Lee Rainie, Director of the Internet & American Life Project and co-author of the distractions report.

    "Constant mobile connectivity to friends, family and colleagues is a hallmark of age and it is hard to resist even in situations where it would seem smart to stay focused on the task at hand."
     

     

  • Advocacy Group Aims To Take On Distracted Drivers

    U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and National Safety Council President Janet Froetscher today announced the creation of FocusDriven, a national nonprofit organization designed to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.

    The group will be led by Jennifer Smith, who has been an advocate against distracted driving since her mother was killed by someone talking on a cell phone while driving in 2008.

    Focusdriven is a result of a September 2009 national Distracted Driving Summit in Washington, DC. Since the two-day meeting that brought together affected families, law enforcement, researchers and public officials, family members of distracted driving victims have worked to create an advocacy organization with support from the Department of Transportation and the National Safety Council.

    FocusDriven’s website has information on distracted driving, help for victims and family members, and ways to get involved.

    "I first met several of the founding members of FocusDriven at our Distracted Driving Summit, and I’m deeply impressed by their commitment to turn these tragic events into positive actions that will help save lives," said Secretary LaHood. "Their stories are not just heartbreaking; they’re also a clear and compelling call to action."

    FocusDriven is modeled after Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), which helped to change society’s attitudes about drinking and driving
     

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    > Senators Push For A Ban On Texting While Driving

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