Switched

Dish Network to Stream Live TV to Its Free Mobile Apps in September

Matt Evans — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Audio/Video, Cell Phones, BlackBerry, iPhone, Web, BlackBerry 101

In an effort to combat other satellite companies and cable providers, Dish Network Corp. will begin streaming live content to subscribers' smartphones and mobile devices next month, without extra charge. Currently, Dish's mobile apps only allow a subscriber to browse shows, set them to record and use their cellular device as a remote control. With the new app installed, however, a subscriber will be able to remotely change channels and watch live TV, as well as view whatever content is stored on their DVR. Fortunately, if you already subscribe to Dish, you likely have a Slingbox or HD DVR, so you'll only have to download the free app available on the iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and BlackBerry once it becomes available in September (Android phones will get the app in October). [From: AP, via: Yahoo! News and Engadget]

Dish Network to Stream Live TV to Its Free Mobile Apps in September originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 08 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saudi Arabia Announces Immediate Suspension of BlackBerry Data Services

Amar Toor — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

On Sunday, telecom regulators from the United Arab Emirates announced their plans to suspend e-mail, instant messaging and Web-browsing services for BlackBerry users, due to manufacturer RIM's refusal to allow the government to monitor the data sent across its network. Now, another major Middle East country has instituted a similar ban that, unlike the UAE's, will go into effect very soon.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) formally asked Saudi Telecom, Mobily and Zain Saudi Arabia to suspend services to BlackBerry users, beginning this Friday. As the Saudi news agency SPA told Al Jazeera, telecom regulators decided to implement the ban because RIM's BlackBerry data service "in its present state does not meet regulatory requirements." According to CNET, some 700,000 Saudi Arabian users are expected to be affected by the latest suspension.

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Saudi Arabia Announces Immediate Suspension of BlackBerry Data Services originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poor RIM. Study Finds Less Than Half of BlackBerry Users Loyal to Their Phones

Amar Toor — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 08:45:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

Our smartphones are, to a certain extent, like our children. We keep them by our sides at all times, curse at them when they do something wrong, and, on occasion, lose them at bars. One thing we don't normally do with kids, though, is robotically trade them in for a smarter, better-looking model. And, according to a new study from Nielsen, that's exactly what most heartless BlackBerry owners are planning to do in the near future.

As All Things Digital reports, Nielsen's survey shows that only 42-percent of current BlackBerry owners say they're loyal to their RIM smartphones. A full 29-percent say their next phone will be an iPhone, and 21-percent say they'll be switching to an Android. Among the three major brands, Apple seems to inspire the most loyalty among its consumers, with 89-percent of respondents saying their next phone will stay within the Jobs family. Meanwhile, 71-percent of Android users promise to stay true to their smartphones. On the other side of the coin, only 2-percent of iPhone users and 3-percent of Android devotees say they'll be switching to a BlackBerry.

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Poor RIM. Study Finds Less Than Half of BlackBerry Users Loyal to Their Phones originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands On With the BlackBerry Torch

Thomas Houston — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:50:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

We got a few minutes with BlackBerry's newest phone at today's Torch/BlackBerry OS 6 launch event. Offering a middle ground between the touch-based Storm and full-keyboard smartphones, RIM's Torch opts for both a touch interface and full slider, QWERTY keyboard. Loaded with a new UI and much-needed WebKit Web browser, BlackBerry OS 6 is a big step forward for the company, so keep reading to get our first impressions.

Gallery: BlackBerry Torch

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Hands On With the BlackBerry Torch originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Torch Gets Official, Runs BlackBerry 6 OS

Thomas Houston — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:05:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

We're live at RIM's BlackBerry event in New York, and the company's Torch phone (previously known as the 9800) just appeared on AT&T's site for $199. The first device running the brand new BlackBerry 6 operating system, the touchscreen and slider phone Torch represents a new form factor for RIM. Though the phone has hardly been a secret, we're finally getting the official specs and details. The Torch packs a 5-megapixel, flash-equipped camera, and comes with 4GB of internal storage. The usual Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity (802.11b/g/n) are here, as well. The Torch lands August 12th. Check out our hands-on with the Torch and BlackBerry OS 6 here.

Gallery: BlackBerry Torch

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BlackBerry Torch Gets Official, Runs BlackBerry 6 OS originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dropbox Releases Beta Version for 1,000 BlackBerry Users, Fills Quota Immediately

Amar Toor — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

The mobile version of Dropbox, the popular app that lets users sync files across disparate computers and gadgets, has always been restricted to the iPhone and Android-powered phones. Now, though, BlackBerry users can get in on the action as well, thanks to a newly released beta version of the app. As with the iPhone and Android versions, Dropbox for BlackBerry enables users to open files, stream music and upload content to 2GB of cloud memory. As Ubergizmo reports, the beta version runs best on OS 5, as some users have reported having problems when running it on earlier OS versions.

Before downloading the new app, you'll have to sign up on Dropbox's website. The bad news, unfortunately, is that the beta version was made available to only 1,000 users, and that quota, according to Wired, has already been filled. Organizing your chaotic digital life, then, will probably have to wait until the next batch of beta. [From: Wired and Ubergizmo]

Dropbox Releases Beta Version for 1,000 BlackBerry Users, Fills Quota Immediately originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UAE, Saudi Arabia to Implement BlackBerry Bans

Amar Toor — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

Multi-billionaires in Dubai and Abu Dhabi may soon have more trouble doing business on the go, as officials in the United Arab Emirates have announced that, as of October, BlackBerry users will no longer be able to send e-mails or instant messages within the country. As the New York Times reports, Sunday's announcement comes after a lengthy standoff between the Middle East nation and Research in Motion (RIM), which produces the BlackBerry. Because encrypted data sent via BlackBerry is automatically routed to servers located outside of the UAE, it's difficult for Emirate authorities to monitor user activity. RIM has thus far refused to meet the UAE's demands, but the looming threat of a ban, as the country's telecom regulator told the BBC, will certainly put the Canadian company under serious pressure.

Should the ban go into effect, it could severely hamper RIM's business not only in the UAE, which boasts an estimated 500,000 BlackBerry users, but throughout the Middle East, as well. Authorities in Saudi Arabia, for example, are already planning on instituting a ban on BlackBerries next month, while regulators in Kuwait and Bahrain have begun raising similar concerns over RIM's services.

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UAE, Saudi Arabia to Implement BlackBerry Bans originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cell Phone Autocorrect: How It Works and Why You'll Never Avoid Embarrassing Texts

Matt Evans — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:25:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

The modern smartphone possesses the ability to surf the internet, scan retinas, fly a hovercraft and even make calls ~~using your left hand~~. So, you'd think getting one of these hunks of plastic to send a sensible text would be a cinch. It's not, however. Auto-correction software for phones too often mutates a word into something completely nonsensical or embarrassing. [Ed. Note: We once had a phone that often switched "home" and "good," which lead to a couple of embarrassing professional moments when we agreed to, "Be good all night to finish project."] So, then, if software such as T9 isn't tapping into our inner thoughts, how does it actually work?

The fundamental algorithm driving auto-correction software is, in fact, not much different from your run-of-the-mill spell checker; it recognizes text input, and then crosschecks completed words against a built-in dictionary. Some software will attempt to guess the word you're typing before you have completely entered it. However, Scott Taylor, vice president of mobile solutions at Nuance, testifies that building a correct dictionary and an accurate prediction system are no easy tasks. Privacy policies prohibit companies from retrieving and analyzing words that actual people have typed and sent. Instead, companies like Nuance are forced to analyze a massive pool, or "corpus" of articles from the popular media, and then create their own language model based on the articles' "structure of language [and] frequency of use," Taylor says.

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Cell Phone Autocorrect: How It Works and Why You'll Never Avoid Embarrassing Texts originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'BlackBerry Protect' Brings Mobile Backup and Remote Wipe to Your Phone

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, Web, BlackBerry 101

BlackBerry isn't in danger of becoming irrelevant anytime soon thanks to its deeply entrenched enterprise install base. But it would be foolish to pretend there were no threats to the throne. Apple's iOS and Google's Android have been adding enterprise-friendly features, and Microsoft will soon be introducing the exciting looking Windows Phone 7 later this year. Recent teasers of BlackBerry OS 6 have revealed a company in the midst of a severe identity crisis that, rather than doing what it does best, is trying to compete with the other boys on the block at their own game. That's why we're excited to see BlackBerry Protect, a new distinctly business-user-friendly tool to secure your RIM handset (or fleet of handsets).

BlackBerry Protect offers remote management tools that should come by default (and for free) on every modern smart phone. First, the service will back up or restore your data over 3G. In the event you lose your precious CrackBerry, Protect can set off an alarm to help you locate your phone or remotely wipe it to protect sensitive information. If you still think you've got a chance of uncovering your phone, BlackBerry Protect can lock your handset and use GPS to locate it on a map. All of these features will be accessible through a handy Web interface.

Gallery: BlackBerry Protect

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'BlackBerry Protect' Brings Mobile Backup and Remote Wipe to Your Phone originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a Nutshell: What Are QR Codes?

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, iPhone, BlackBerry 101

What is a QR Code?

At its most basic, a QR Code is a barcode on steroids. They're used for encoding information in two-dimensional space -- like in the pages of magazines, in advertisements and even on TV and Web sites. They were originally used to track auto parts, but have become popular (especially in Japan) for much broader, often commercial purposes.

How is it different than a barcode?

Whereas a barcode encodes data in only the horizontal plane (as scanners read the width and distance between the vertical lines), QR codes encode data both horizontally and vertically in a grid of tiny squares. This allows for much more data to be encoded in a smaller space. Barcodes, then, though ubiquitous, are good for little more than identifying products and objects. Specially programmed scanners can read barcodes, and match them to product names, prices and inventory, but that's about it. QR codes, on the other hand, can actually embed that information in the code itself, and, when read with the proper software, can trigger actions like launching a website or downloading a file. Additionally, QR codes can be read from any angle, while barcodes must be aligned properly.

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In a Nutshell: What Are QR Codes? originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adults Text While Driving Just as Much as Teens

Warren Riddle — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 09:25:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

Adults frequently employ heavy-handed tactics to combat teen texting and driving, but impudent kids remain unfazed by gory films and harsh laws that specifically apply to minors. According to media portrayals, teens seem determined to endanger everyone on the road. But, before adults implement more restrictions or disseminate further propaganda, society's elders may need to cast a long, hard look in the rear-view mirror.

According to the Pew Research Center, a new study -- which will inevitably inspire a stream of "jump off a bridge" lectures -- indicates that "Adults are just as likely as teens to have texted while driving." Even more embarrassing for the patronizing parents and policy makers, the study concludes that adult drivers simultaneously chat on their cells dramatically more often than younger motorists. Of adults who text (at any time), 47-percent admit to reading or sending messages while behind the wheel, compared to 34-percent of 16- and 17-year-old texters.

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Adults Text While Driving Just as Much as Teens originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FaceCash App Lets You Buy Goods With Your Phone and Face

Amar Toor — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

If you blame your credit card for making it all too easy to unconsciously rack up piles of debt, just imagine the kinds of splurge purchases you'd make if you could pay with your face.

FaceCash, the new mobile payment system from ThinkLink, is an app that allows users to store credit card and bank account information directly on their smartphones, enabling them to purchase groceries, clothes or more smartphones without ever having to whip out their wallets. As Engadget reports, all you have to do is sign up, register your credit card or bank account with ThinkLink and then let the frivolous spending begin. The app, available for BlackBerry, iPhone and Android, also allows users to directly transfer cash from one person to another, and then automatically archives every purchase made. In order to prove your identity, you'll have to show the cashier a photo of your face, which is stored on your phone.

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FaceCash App Lets You Buy Goods With Your Phone and Face originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 19 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Best BlackBerry Apps

Warren Riddle — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

Thousands of apps now inhabit BlackBerry's App World, but many of the categories definitely seem overpopulated with overpriced, duplicated and sometimes completely worthless selections. Compelling and highly entertaining free apps can fulfill the mobile needs of most every BlackBerry user, but possessing the patience and digital dexterity to scroll through the inordinate supply of choices may seem impossible. Well known apps and services like the BlackBerry App World, the official Facebook app and Google Maps should be loaded on everyone's smartphones at this point. We've also previously discussed the superior benefits of ScoreMobile and Uber Twitter. However, for folks interested in music, restaurants, security and other services, a few specific -- and absolutely essential -- free apps should alleviate the daunting and confusing task of selecting the proper offering.

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The Best BlackBerry Apps originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In A Nutshell: What Is 3G?

Terrence O'Brien — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:46:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, Columns, BlackBerry, Web, BlackBerry 101

Part of being a good user and consumer is understanding how technology works, why we use it the way we do, and what that barrage of acronyms and PR jargon means. We're here to help you make sense of it all, and to give you a better appreciation of how those transistors, pixels, and antennae work together to deliver the conveniences of the modern world to your living room or office.

What is 3G?

3G is an umbrella term for a collection of technologies that make up the third generation of cellular data networks. These standards allow cell phones (and other devices capable of connecting to a cellular network) to send and receive data at speeds comparable to cable or DSL. There are two major families of cellular tech, commonly called CDMA (code division multiple access) and GSM (global system for multiple access), each having their own confusing array of specific sub-technologies, that qualify as "3G."

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In A Nutshell: What Is 3G? originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Radiation-Shielding Products Appear on the Market for Paranoid Cell Users

Terrence O'Brien — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 07:15:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, Computers, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

The debate over whether or not the electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell phones is dangerous to the human body is far from settled. Some, though, would rather be safe than sorry, and a market has opened for products that claim to protect against those invisible waves of energy. While allegations of those waves' danger may not be grounded in good science, some of the protective designs are.

Using special fabrics that incorporate metal fibers, Belly Armor makes t-shirts, blankets, and a belly band for pregnant women. The fibers act as a sort of Faraday Cage, shielding the fetus from any nearby radiation source. The company claims that the Chinese government has tested its products, and has shown that the blankets and shirts block more than 90-percent of electromagnetic radiation.

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Radiation-Shielding Products Appear on the Market for Paranoid Cell Users originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 07:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Best Twitter Apps for BlackBerry

Warren Riddle — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

Twitter's 140-character format -- and the tendency of users to follow hundreds, if not thousands, of incessant linkers and tweeters -- provides an almost perfect mobile means of instant communication and interaction. Together, the App World and the Web currently offer a variety of free apps allowing BlackBerry tweeps to keep a constant eye on their feeds and friends, with each selection offering its own multi-blogging benefits and frustrating faults. Since that Little Blue Bird has constructed a nest in the heart of contemporary pop culture, what better way to judge the primary twi-teria (C'mon, you knew the annoying Twitter puns would be inevitable) than with a 1-to-5 birdie scale?

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The Best Twitter Apps for BlackBerry originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 18 May 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Data and Texting Usage Trumps Calls in the U.S.

Caleb Johnson — Sat, 15 May 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

Of all the things people do with a cell phone, making actual phone calls is at the bottom of the list. The New York Times reports that, according to CTIA's numbers from 2009, data usage from text messages, e-mails and other services was higher than that of actual voice data. Simply put, for the first time ever, Americans text more often than they call. "Originally, talking was the only cellphone application, but now it's less than half of the traffic on mobile networks," Sprint Nextel's Dan Hesse said. Case in point, in 2009, the number of text messages sent by an individual jumped by 50-percent. Despite the fact that 90-percent of U.S. households have a cell phone, the number of voice minutes leveled off and even dropped over the past two years.

The New York Times interviewed many who claim that traditional calls are more invasive than texting, tweeting or Facebooking. Good magazine editor Zach Frechette explained, "You can respond when it's convenient, rather than impose your schedule on someone else." Traditional phone calls won't fall by the wayside, though. At least, not until our Granny figures out how to text message.[From: The New York Times]

Data and Texting Usage Trumps Calls in the U.S. originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 15 May 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Introduces New Pearl 3G and Bold 9650 Handsets

Terrence O'Brien — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:24:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

RIM may not be Apple, and the BlackBerry Storm certainly isn't the iPhone, but, when the company that made mobile e-mail a "must" for the business professional releases some seriously updated hardware, we pay attention.

The new Pearl 3G finally brings the tiny, pseudo-QWERTY, consumer BlackBerry model into the 21st century by adding 802.11n Wi-Fi, GPS, and both T-Mobile and AT&T 3G capabilities. Like the rest of the BlackBerry lineup, the handset is ditching the trackball in favor of an optical pad, but, oddly, customers will have the option of picking up the Pearl with the traditional SurePress, or with a decidedly un-smartphone-like numerical keypad.

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BlackBerry Introduces New Pearl 3G and Bold 9650 Handsets originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Undercover Actresses Flaunt Their 'MackBerries' in New Marketing Scheme

Warren Riddle — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cell Phones, BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

Way back in 1998, 'The Truman Show' provided a revealing, and prescient, glimpse into the burgeoning world of reality television and surreptitious marketing techniques. Annoying and (sometimes) sneaky product placements are certainly not a new phenomenon, but the advertising scheme has almost reached ubiquitous Truman-esque status as it has expanded to corrupt almost all aspects of daily life.

According to the New York Daily News, BlackBerry recently joined the ranks of nefarious placement perpetrators with a troubling, and alluring, new practice. The company has apparently hired charming temptresses to act as innocent pedestrians in order to entice unwitting, smitten males to play with the vixens' Pearl smartphones.

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Undercover Actresses Flaunt Their 'MackBerries' in New Marketing Scheme originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MoSoSo 101: Checking in With Foursquare, Yelp and Location-Based Apps

Sean Captain — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: BlackBerry, BlackBerry 101

What About Privacy?
MoSoSos can be as revealing or discrete as you choose, but, by default, most of them report nothing. If your phone has GPS, any of the apps will find your location from a list created by users, or will allow you to register a new spot in the system (for example, your apartment). In most cases, you have to manually "check in" by pressing a button to broadcast your location. Loopt does have the ability to run in the background, constantly tracking your location and sending updates to friends, although you can choose to disable that feature. Once Apple launches iPhone OS 4.0 this summer, and thus enables apps to run in the background (already possible on Android phones), it will be easier for MoSoSo apps to constantly track users.

If you pick the right settings, you can be a member of a MoSoSo network for months yet remain invisible by never checking in, or you can update friends every time you walk down the street. Likewise, you can decide who gets updates. Even if you link a MoSoSo to Facebook or Twitter, you'll be asked at each check-in whether or not you want to push that update to other networks. And you can decide whether updates go to everyone on the MoSoSo network (even people you don't know), or just to your friends.

But there is one big loophole; MoSoSos, especially Foursquare, took some heat recently from a now-defunct site called "Please Rob Me," which drew attention to how easy it is to see when someone isn't home by perusing his or her profile. That happens specifically with MoSoSo accounts linked to Twitter, where, by default, someone doesn't have to be an approved "friend" to follow updates. Mix that with location data, and the whole world can know when you're away.

Please Rob Me, developed by a company called Forthehack, displayed these results under the cheeky headline "Recent Empty Homes: New Opportunities." Despite the name, however, Forthehack wasn't doing any hacking. It was simply running a search for Foursquare on Twitter using the term "4sq -@foursquare."

If this gives you the willies, disable the link from your MoSoSo to Twitter. Then, for good measure, never tweet anything about where you are, and be sure to disable Twitter's own ability to track your location.

How Big Is This Thing?
Although Foursquare is its poster child, mobile social media is much bigger than that. MoSoSo, itself, is becoming bigger than all of its social networking predecessors. Location is becoming an integral part of online interaction.

Twitter can be set to automatically broadcast your location from a GPS-equipped device, and Web browsers - even on laptop or desktop computers - can estimate your location based on the IP address assigned by the Internet service provider. Google now leverages that technology with cell phone GPS data, providing local results when you run a search.

Dozens of programs or Web services now tap location data to deliver better information -- and better-targeted advertising. And, remarkably, in most cases, the feature is more helpful than annoying or creepy.

Gallery: MoSoSo

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MoSoSo 101: Checking in With Foursquare, Yelp and Location-Based Apps originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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