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NHTSA issues guidelines to limit car texting, email access

By Michael Oryl on Thursday February 16, 2012

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed a set of non-binding guidelines for auto manufacturers that deal with the issue of distracted driving due both to in-car electronics as well as dashboard integration with portable electronic devices that car drivers carry with them, such as mobile phones. More

industry

news

Mozilla offers first peek at Boot2Gecko user interface, promises more news at MWC

By Dan Seifert on Thursday February 16, 2012

Last year, Mozilla announced a project called Boot2Gecko that is essentially a mobile operating system built with existing web development tools. Now we have our first look at the Gaia UI that Boot2Gecko will use, and Mozilla has promised more announcements to come at Mobile World Congress later this month. More

software

news

Swype keyboard now works with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

By Dan Seifert on Thursday February 16, 2012

Swype has updated its virtual tracing keyboard for Android deices to be compatible with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. As well as gaining compatibility for the latest version of Google's mobile OS, accuracy has been improved and there are downloadable languages for tablets and support for add-ins with DragonGo. Swype beta only works on phones that do not have Swype pre-installed from the factory, though that isn't much of a concern for you if you have an Android 4.0 device at the moment. The updated version can be downloaded from Swype's website now.
source: Swype, via: Android Central

cell phone

news

U.S. Cellular adds to its list of markets with 4G LTE

By Dan Seifert on Thursday February 16, 2012

U.S. Cellular has announced the next wave of markets that it will bring 4G LTE services to. By the end of 2012, U.S. Cellular plans to have 54 percent of its customers covered with LTE. More than 3,600 additional towns in Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin will be added to the markets that already have 4G LTE coverage. U.S. Cellular has also announced that it will offer a 4G LTE mobile hotspot from Samsung alongside the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with LTE and the Samsung Galaxy S Aviator smartphone that it will launch in the near future.
source: U.S. Cellular

u.s. cellular · cell phone

news

Clik turns your smartphone into a dead simple YouTube remote

By Dan Seifert on Thursday February 16, 2012

Clik, a new smartphone app from the makers of Kik, lets you control YouTube video playback in your desktop or laptop browser directly from your iPhone or Android smartphone. More

software

news

Apple wins against Motorola in German slide-to-unlock patent case

By Dan Seifert on Thursday February 16, 2012

Apple has won an important victory against Motorola in its German patent case concerning slide-to-unlock screen gestures. The court decided that Motorola infringes on Apple's patent in two implementations, both of which concern slide-to-unlock gestures on smartphones. More

apple · industry

news

Clearwire to launch TD-LTE network in June 2013

By Dan Seifert on Thursday February 16, 2012

Clearwire has revealed that it plans to launch its TD-LTE network in June 2013. The company says that it will have 5,000 cell sites up and running by that time. Coverage will be expanded to 8,000 cell sites shortly after the first 5,000 go live. Clearwire says that it is focusing its TD-LTE efforts in congested urban areas first, before planning a wider deployment. The new TD-LTE network will support LTE Advanced technology for even faster speeds than today's LTE networks offer. It will be overlaid on Clearwire's existing WiMAX network and will use 2.5GHz spectrum.
source: Clearwire, via: Fierce Wireless

clearwire · carrier

news

HTC offers bootloader unlock tool for older smartphones

By Dan Seifert on Thursday February 16, 2012

HTC is continuing its plan to offer bootloader unlock tools to those that want them, and now it has added some older, long-forgotten smartphones to the mix. Added to the list of smartphones that can be unlocked with HTC's tool are the HTC Hero, HTC Legend, HTC DROID Eris, T-Mobile myTouch 3G, and T-Mobile myTouch 4G. Many of these devices have been off the market for a considerable amount of time, so it's nice to see that HTC is still supporting their owners. Interested parties can head to HTC's developer website to get cracking on their bootloader.
source: HTC, via: SlashGear

htc · android · smartphone

news

Sony Mobile Communications formed as Sony completes buyout from Ericsson

By Dan Seifert on Thursday February 16, 2012

Sony and Ericsson have announced that the planned buyout of Ericsson's stake in the Sony Ericsson joint venture by Sony has now been completed. Sony will integrate all of Sony Ericsson's businesses into a new division called Sony Mobile Communications. The buyout plan was announced in October of last year and is estimated to be worth 1.05 billion EUR (US$1.47 billion).
source: Sony

sony · industry

rumor

WSJ: AT&T in pursuit of Leap Wireless, MetroPCS, Dish Networks for spectrum grab

By Dan Seifert on Thursday February 16, 2012

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that AT&T is in hot pursuit of Leap Wireless, MetroPCS, and Dish Networks to acquire more spectrum holdings in the wake of its failed T-Mobile USA acquisition. More

at&t · rumors · carrier

rumor

LightSquared may pursue spectrum swap with Department of Defense

By Dan Seifert on Thursday February 16, 2012

Facing the stark reality that its 4G LTE network may never get off the ground, LightSquared may be looking to swap its spectrum holdings with the U.S. Department of Defense in a last ditch effort to gain approval from the Federal Communications Commission. More

rumors · lightsquared · carrier

news

Google Maps for Android updated with better battery performance, bug fixes

By Dan Seifert on Wednesday February 15, 2012

Google Maps for Android has been given a update today that includes better battery performance for Latitude and Location History users and other bug fixes. Thrilling stuff, we know, but we also don't know a single Android user that wouldn't appreciate better battery life, so we will take improvements where we can get them. The updated Google Maps app for Android is available in the Android Market now
source: Android Market

google · android · software

news

iOS apps to require user consent for contacts, says Apple

By Dan Seifert on Wednesday February 15, 2012

In response to the controversy surrounding the unrestricted access to the iPhone's address book that iOS apps have, Apple said that a future software update for iOS will add a requirement that apps prompt users for permission to access their address books. The company says that the prompt will be similar to the way apps currently have to request permission to access a user's location. Apple did not say when the software update would be available. The controversy started earlier this month when it was revealed that Path, a social networking app, was uploading iOS users' address books and storing the data on Path servers without first asking permission. Path has since changed its app and deleted the stored data, but it was soon revealed that this is common practice among iOS apps.
source: All Things D

apple · ios · software

video

Clear for iPhone video tour

By Dan Seifert on Wednesday February 15, 2012

Clear is a new task and to-do list app for the iPhone that breaks away from the traditional look and feel of most to-do list apps. Clear does away with any sort of buttons or interface, and instead relies on gestures for navigation and actions. As a result, it is a very attractive and fun app to use. Power users will miss things like reminders, tags, and syncing with other clients, but for those looking for a simple task management system, Clear seems to be a nice option. Clear is available in the iTunes App Store now for $0.99. More

video · ios · software

news

Verizon grows its 4G LTE footprint even further tomorrow

By Dan Seifert on Wednesday February 15, 2012

Verizon Wireless will expand its 4G LTE footprint even further tomorrow, as it has announced the upcoming availability of 4G LTE service in Cookeville, Tenn., as well as greater coverage in Little Rock, Ark.; Rapid City, S.D.; Clarksville, Tenn.; and San Antonio, Texas. Verizon currently has the largest 4G LTE network in the U.S., with 196 markets and 200 million people covered. The expanded coverage is set to go live tomorrow, February 16.
source: Verizon Wireless

verizon · carrier