The UN’s International Telecommunication Union predicted last fall that the number of internet users worldwide would hit two billion by the end of 2010, and it’s now issued its full report that confirms just that — 2.08 billion, to be specific. As the ITU’s Hamadoun Toure notes, that number represents a huge leap from the mere 250 million internet users that existed a decade ago, and it means that roughly one third of the world’s population now has internet access of some sort — of those, 555 million have a fixed broadband subscription, and 950 million have mobile broadband. Just as impressive as that (if not moreso), are the number of cellphone subscriptions worldwide, which has now crossed the five billion mark. That’s up from 500 million at the beginning of the year 2000, although the agency notes that it’s only accounted for “subscriptions,” and not individual users. Any way you slice it, however, that’s quite a record of growth for the first decade of the 21st century.
Details of the new BlackBerry Messenger are leaking out all over the internet today, and what we’re seeing is an app that could make your CrackBerry even more impossible to put away. In a move that shows RIM’s eagerness to loosen up a bit, BBM 6 could be adding at least one new feature that isn’t exactly boardroom-appropriate: gaming. Rumor has it that the app’s new iteration, which will run on OS 5.0 and greater, incorporates a function that allows users to use their BBM name as their gamer name, as well as update their status automatically to reflect completed gaming tasks. BBM 6 would also allow for larger chat groups and cross chat. We’ve no real way of predicting the app’s impact, but if the rumors turn out to be true, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a second coming of the BlackBerry massage.
Canadians, you must chafe under the yoke of a Gingerbread-free existence no longer, for the Nexus S is coming to the Great White North sometime in March. According to Mobilicity CEO Dave Dobbin, the handset will be available on the company’s AWS band, but he also said that Bell, Telus, and Rogers will carry the Nexus S as well. If true, that means Samsung will be providing another model of the phone with support for WCDMA 850 / 1900 for it to work with Canada’s big three wireless providers. We can only hope that’s the case, as said model would be usable on AT&T’s network — making an awful lot of us living south of Canada quite happy. Peep the video after the break to hear the good news for yourself.
So what’s this all about? Oh, just the BlackBerry Dakota which we heard about back in July, and which definitely seems to be real. This one, pictured above in a photo procured by BGR, looks like it’s going to boast that up top 2.8-inch (VGA resolution) capacitive touchscreen we’d heard about, with the BlackBerry Bold-style keyboard you’ve come to know and love below. Yes, this ‘Berry is quite attractive in the looks department, and spec-wise, it’s a quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE device with tri-band UMTS. It also packs a 5 megapixel cam with HD video recording, 4GB of storage, plus 768MB of RAM. The phone will also have WiFi and be 3G hotspot-enabled, and it’ll run BlackBerry OS 6.1. Like we said, from the looks of it, this thing is legit, but there’s no word on pricing or availability as of yet.
As commonplace as smartphones have become, it’s about time that carriers and manufacturers start getting serious about mobile security (and no, we don’t mean iPhone tethers). According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, Verizon is currently working with Lookout, a San Francisco-based company known for remote backup and geolocation apps for BlackBerry, Android, and Windows Mobile devices, while RIM has recently announced a little something called BlackBerry Protect, which promises to lock or even wipe a misplaced phone, pinpoint the thing on a map, and make regularly-scheduled wireless backups. By far the most ambitious plans in the article, however, belong to AT&T, which — aside from recent deals with MobileIron and McAfee — is currently opening a new mobile security lab in New York City. From here, the company will research malware, worms, viruses, and other threats as they develop in the mobile sphere. “Everyone is realizing that this is an uncontrolled environment,” said AT&T chief security officer Edward G. Amoroso. “We don’t want to have the same problems that we had with PCs.”
Even if you’re not an investigative reporter, private eye or just plain creepy, there are a lot of times when being able to record a telephone conversation could save your butt. In the past, wires and microphones were an essential part of documenting a call, but now all you need is this compact Mynah handset. Named after a bird that’s capable of mimicking humans, the handset connects to your cellphone via Bluetooth and has enough storage to record 340+ hours of calls on its lengthiest setting. Obviously if you want higher quality, you’ll be able to record less.
It has a host of features for documenting the date, time, number and duration of a call, and you can set it to record everything carte blanche, or only when you specifically tell it to. And like with a TiVo if you get halfway through a call and realize you probably should have recorded it, the Mynah actually records it all along and will simply save the entire call when you tell it to. The recordings can then be uploaded to your PC via a miniUSB connection, and on a single charge the handset is good for about 8 hours of record time. The Mynah won’t be officially shipping until December 28, but you can order one now from their site for $249.
It’s true, picking a smartphone is incredibly difficult these days. Gone is the time when your options were limited and your choices simply between the lesser-of-evils. The market has exploded, and the decision-making process of finding the best device for your cash can be one of the most daunting tasks you’ll ever undertake. Android, iOS, webOS, and Windows Phone are all better than they’ve ever been before, carrier lineups are bigger, and even choosing a plan can be a daunting process if you don’t know what you’re looking for. But hey, don’t let the stress of deciding between a Droid X and a Droid Incredible put a damper on the excitement of getting a truly awesome gadget — we’ve got your back!
We’ve broken the choices down into two groups for each major carrier in the US after the break — the top pick when money is no object, and the thriftier budget choice. We’ve also included our top selections for some of the smaller carriers throughout the US, and our ultimate pick if cost and carrier don’t stand in your way. In putting together the list, we were shocked to see just how many Android devices made it, but that’s a testament to the openness of the platform (and voracious consumer adoption of smartphones). 2011 is going to be a crazy year, but if you’re in the market right now, the options are amazing — so read on to see our picks.
It might share the same loud, Swatch-esque styling and colors of the recent glut of iPod Nano watch bands, but this sWaP Rebel is another one of those far more capable watch phones that I wouldn’t mind strapping to my wrist. It doesn’t look overly monstrous either, even though it’s packed to the gills with technology. Where to begin?
First and foremost it’s a GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz phone with Bluetooth for receiving/making calls with a headset, but there’s a built-in mic too if you want to use it like Dick Tracy’s wrist communicator. The 1.46-inch touchscreen LCD is probably a bit cramped to use with your finger, but the on-screen icons look big enough that most people won’t require a special dialing wand. There’s also a built-in camera that’s photo and video capable, and while file transfers can be done over Bluetooth, the watch’s strap features a USB port for connecting it directly to a PC. Not surprisingly, that’s how you charge it too. You can expect to get about 130-160 minutes of talk time on a full charge, with 85 hours of standby, presuming you don’t play with the watch too much between calls. ~$300 (£189) unless you can maybe find one subsidized by a carrier.
Ever wanted to have the ability to block close-range cellphone signals? If so, and you didn’t want to do it in such a way that you draw the attention of everyone around you, then perhaps the self-proclaimed “world’s smallest cellphone jammer” should find its way onto your Christmas list. If the small size isn’t enough, maybe the device’s clever design will be enough to sway you for a purchase.
The world’s smallest cellphone jammer is designed to work within a small range, so if you wanted to take out a large swath of cellphone users, you’re out of luck. The device is able to take out GSM and 3G signals, all within a 34-foot radius. When the device is activated, and there’s a cellphone with the correct frequency in play, the user on the phone will suddenly be attacked by static, instead of the person’s voice on the other line.
As we mentioned above, the world’s smallest cellphone jammer is available to purchase right now. It only costs $46. However, here’s something to think about, if you’re in the United States and think this is something for you: it’s illegal to use a cellphone jammer in these parts. The fine? $11,000, on top of the year in prison you could find yourself in. Laws are different all around the world, though.
Ever have one of those dates (or playdates) where you’re vying for your partner’s attention, but they seem to be… oh.. I dunno… distracted by their phone? This sort of thing has been an epidemic ever since the first smartphone was released. Now there’s something for you, the nice man or lady, who wants to let their friend or lover know that they’re not one of “those people.” It’s the Phonekerchief, and it’s the perfect blend of sassy, ironic, and loveable.
This lovely piece of cloth is about to be put on sale (right in time for you know what) for the ultra cheap price of $15. And guess what? Not only does this cloth block your hands with it’s loud lettering, it blocks phone signals to and from your device as it’s made of a smart material that does such a thing. Wacky! Wonderful! Go buy it starting November 25th at Uncommon Goods.
