Alice Pretchet » Mobile Devices

Americas National text alert system

Alice Pretchet — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 23:37:40 +0000

Was reading off a blog that America is launching a National alert text messaging system that alerts people in a certain areas or the entire country of severe weather, terrorists attacks or other major emergencies. And although I think this is a great step in the right direction, it does have me wondering wheather or not something more is coming with this next type of text messaging alert system such as, being located via GPS on the phone or being told you have a warrant and to come turn your self in, or other Governemt related things that can be done that might be considered BIG brother type activity.

Of course I am happy that such a system is in place to help alert the people of this great country of emergencies but I think it needs to be watched after carefully because I can see where this could be a serious problem with privacy issues. Was wondering what everyone else thought about this new alert system and future possibilities.

Wuawee connecting mobile phones with social networks

Alice Pretchet — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 03:22:27 +0000

I am wondering how they got myspace on board with this, it’s certainly a step in the right direction for me and many others to be able to more easily connect to the myspace silo. It’s a great idea, but it’s not free. A desktop widget and a cell phone app that lets you upload photos to myspace and facebook (among others) – and chat. I do not use the myspace IM client, but I do have some friends that do, so perhaps they will test this out. Not sure how many people will try it, but if the payments are cheap enough the cost may just be forgotten. We’ll see.

It’s called Wuawee – info found at Techcrunch.

Exclusive games on mobile networks

Alice Pretchet — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:15:05 +0000

Could exclusive games on mobile networks influence a persons decision to buy a contract? I think this question is being answered now and the results are something I am looking forward to seeing in the coming quarters of profits and new customers for various mobile networks. Of course content will always be a deciding factor for most people when they choose a cell phone and a service provider but games could have a huge impact.

Getting songs is something any phone can do even trailers and videos but games that only play on certain phone networks is sure to have a big impact on which new customers decide buying because they are the teenage and youth market and they play video games more than you average Joe who is in his 40s compared to a 16 year getting there first cellular phone.

Should be interesting to see is Microsoft one day releases Halo on a certain network or if Nintendo does the same with its big hit games, like Sony did recently with Verizon Wireless and its blockbuster game Metal Gear Solid which is exculsive to the Verizon customers only.

Nano-fibers may Power Mobile Devices in the Future

Alice Pretchet — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:44:52 +0000

Scientists discuss the possibility of using the “piezoelectric” effect (a property of quartz crystals, among other natural phenom) to power cell phones and other mobile devices in the future. Tiny nano fibers can convert vibration and movement into power. Currently the technology needs a zinc covering which does not play well with water.

From mobile crunch

“The two fibers scrub together just like two bottle brushes with their bristles touching,” converting the mechanical motion into electrical energy, explained Wang.

“Many of the devices could be put together to produce a higher output,” he said.

The nano-fibers use the “piezoelectric effect”, which is the method of generating power from friction.

read the story at Mobile Crunch

Podcasts gaining popularity again

Alice Pretchet — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:12:34 +0000

I have spoken with two friend in the past week that are starting new podcasts. I found that quite odd, as podcasting was a big buzz word two years ago, I had thought that there were a couple of popular podcasts out there, but for the most part rss text was still king. Perhaps since I still do not have an ipod, or similar device in my tech arsenal, then I am not as aware of the video and audio podcasts that may get listened to or watched everyday. I still use the DVR and streaming video, I do occasionally hear an audio cast withing my netvibes feed reader, perhaps if I had a portable mp3 player I would find some good webcasts to listen to.

This week I also see a story in one of my rss feeds (via netvibes) talking about podcasting picking up steam and advertisers are looking to step up advertising in this arena as well. I certainly hope Steve and Glen’s podcasts take off. I know Glen is looking to do a video podcast, I just hope there are easier ways to subscribe to them, currently Itunes will not let me preview podcasts without having iTunes installed on my machine, which means I can’t listen in at work, no iTunes will be installed on this system.

I think there was a movement for some time to rebrand podcasts as webcasts or something, since audio and video files put into an rss feed can be listened to on other portable devices, no need for an ipod to listen in. Perhaps there will be mix of this webcasting with you tube channels and such, perhaps there already is a way to auto-download video channels online without itunes, is anyone doing this already?

CES 2008 tomorrow

Alice Pretchet — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 10:46:25 +0000

Wendy and I are heading to the airport in route to the consumer electronics show this year in Las Vegas and have already been eying a couple of new gadgets to be showcased there, one of them being the Motorola mobile video projector. If this years CES is anything like last years then I am sure I am going to have a great time but my feet are going to hurt, and my mind is going to be left wanting so much, along with a lot of chit chat, laughs and good times. Anyways I am off to the airport, later.

Underwater mobiles coming

Alice Pretchet — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:53:24 +0000

Darlene wrote a great post in her blog about this company that has invented a way of allowing a person to use a mobile phone in the shower by putting a coating on mobile devices to make them repel water, the coating is called “Ion Mask plasma surface enhancement” and is made by P2I. Being able to use a mobile device in the rain or while in the shower without worry of it breaking is pretty cool and I can see almost endless possibilities for uses of this surface coating technology from laptops to clothes, it should be interesting to see what else they really do apply this coating to in the future.

Parent applications for mobiles

Alice Pretchet — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 20:55:44 +0000

I have been looking at possible parent applications with Android for cellphones and other mobile devices. And while at a wonderful party last week a friend was showing off that she had the ability to have her cellphone alerted, if her kids cellphone goes 100 feet from her home. Another really cool feature she showed me on her cellphone, is she could at anytime log onto her kids cellphone camera and see what her kids cellphone was seeing. I thought it would pretty neat to create a couple Android applications around the ideas of parents using it. Google”s new GPS feature is a a lot like this already but have it alert a user when another user goes outside of a specific area, I am not sure it does. The only thing similar to this in America that I have seen is Sprints Family Locator but you have to be a Sprint customer to use it so a universal one would be the goal.

Mobile video for home surveillance

Alice Pretchet — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 05:18:24 +0000

Since streaming video has hit mobile phones and devices, companies are now offering real time surveillance of your home on your mobile device. Of course I do this on my web cam and computer with my Motorola. The abilities of having real time video at my home and office are endless but just one example of how I used it recently, is to check up on my baby sitter when she was with our kids. Being able to record is important because then you have something to show the police, should anything need to be shown. Of course the baby sitter did a wonderful job baby sitting but having that little extra bit of security while someone is with my child alone was priceless.

Google Maps Mobile 2.0 Beta

Alice Pretchet — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 04:11:10 +0000

The Google Maps Mobile 2.0 Beta is coming out and one of the great new features in this 2.0 upgrade is that when you log onto Google maps with your mobile device that is GPS enabled you have the ability to click a button in the menu items and it will show you exactly where you are. As a parent I think this new feature could come in handy as well as people who get lost in BIG cities. Worth checking out if you have a mobile!