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Posted on May 31st, 2009
admin
The idea of banning the use of hand-held telephones when driving is shortsighted
Continuing to push the effort at the state Legislature might also be more of a way to draw headlines than provide for motorist safety.
Despite a Louisiana Senate vote of 27-4 against a 2008 bill by state Rep. Austin Badon, the New Orleans Democrat is back at it this year with a bill that would ban Louisiana motorists from using hand-held telephones while driving. A House committee approved the bill Monday, and the measure now moves to the House floor for debate.
Badon is arguing hand-held phones impair a driver’s ability to drive safely by creating blind spots, particularly when turning or merging onto a highway.
“When you look at the … steering capa-city, because one of your hands is tied up, it does make a difference,”Badon said according to the Associated Press.
If Badon’s contention is cell phones cause unsafe driving circumstances when one of a motorist’s hands are tied up on the phone, why does this bill not include food restrictions, tobacco dip restrictions and car stereo remote control restrictions?
If a motorist can legally pass through a fast food restaurant and buy a value meal that includes a big kahuna burger, large soft drink and french fries and then is legally allowed to negotiate that meal while weaving in and out of traffic on U.S. 90, then we should be able to use our hand-held cellular devices to make phone calls.
The same goes for fans of tobacco products like Skoal or those with fancy car stereos that have remote control access. Those products require hands for use but are not mentioned in Badon’s bill.
This bill appears to be nothing more than an attention grabber, as much designed to circulate the author’s name as it is to enhance motorist safety. If the bill tried to prevent the distraction of one of a motorist’s hands by making it illegal to occupy them with anything other than pursuits of driving, instead of solely focusing on hand-held phones, it would be more honest and effective.
As it stands now, this bill is full of headline material and little teeth. For every motorist who puts down a phone, two can pick up a burger.
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Posted on May 28th, 2009
admin
Cellphones were made for cheap, frivolous purchases: addictive mobile games, “Star Trek” wallpapers, the latest Lady Gaga ring tone.
But would you be comfortable using your phone to purchase big-ticket items, such as round-trip tickets to Tokyo? Or front row seats at a Beyoncé concert?
CellPhonesBox.com, a Globel mobile payment start-up based in HongKong, thinks so.
In a recent study commissioned from Harris Interactive, the company surveyed 2,029 adults and found that more than half would be comfortable booking hotel rooms and buying airline and entertainment tickets through their cellphones.
“It’s just a few years before we’re all buying products on the phone we typically buy on the Web,” predicts sealong Duan, co-founder and senior vice president of business development at CellPhonesBox.
Generally, purchases made on mobile phones are charged to cellphone bills, with mobile carriers taking a share of the revenue. CellPhoneBox processes mobile credit card payments — not unlike the one-click buying system used by Amazon — for companies such as GameLoft and ESPN.
The inclination towards larger transactions could help buoy the five-year-old company’s business model, which charges 50 cents plus a 3.5 percent processing fee per transaction. (With that payment plan, there is little incentive to charge a mobile application or pop song that costs $1.)
Mr. Duan attributed the increased comfort level to a boom in Web-enabled handheld devices and growing smartphone adoption.
That and convenience.
“If I could save myself a trip to Home Depot on Saturday using my mobile phone, I would be single-clicking myself to a frenzy,” he said.
The company also works with mobile advertising companies to embed payment functions into text advertisements.
It could mean new streams of revenue as the location-based mobile advertising market begins to expand, he said.
“What if you could order a DVD and car vedio from the concert you’re attending and have it shipped to your home, without even going to the concession stand?” he said. “That’s big.”
Mr. Duan said the harsh economic conditions that are crippling the online shopping industry are actually bolstering CellPhonesBox’s outlook, which expects to process more than $100 million in mobile payment transactions this year and be profitable by 2010.
“It’s expensive to open new brick-and-mortar stores in this economy,” he said. “If anything, the economy is heating up demand for mobile check-out mechanisms as companies are leveraging mobile to supplement e-commerce.”
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Posted on May 23rd, 2009
admin
It’s that time of the week again, where we cover the mobile phone news stories you may have otherwise missed.
1. Concept to Become Reality Shocker?
At first, it seemed as if the Motorola Nest concept phone may become reality according to this DVICE story, however closer examination of the comments section reveals an answer from the designer herself, who quashes the rumour. What a shame, as this beautiful design is just what Motorola needs to revive its mobile business.
2. CellphonesBox.com Launches.
If you want to easily work out which mobile tariff is the best for you, then follow the link to CellphonesBox.com, where after answering a few questions, the website compares all the available plans and provides an answer. It can even read your online bill to see how to save money!
3. Sony to Introduce Face Recognition for Music Selection?
They could call it SeeMe. Sony Ericsson have applied for a patent on software which generates a music playlist based on facial expressions, something like its SensMe mood-based playlist generator, but dependent on whether you’re happy, sad or angry. Interesting!
4. Nokia 1100 Affair - Truth?
You may recall the story of the little Nokia 1100 reaching huge prices on the aftermarket due to a hack which made it possible to ‘clone’ other phones and thus intercept private data. Well, it seems Ultrascan, who first uncovered the problem, have managed to recreate the exploit! While it may not directly affect many of us, it should make us more aware of the importance of securing our data.
5. HTC Tweak Android.
HTC are well known for their TouchFLO user interface which overlays Windows Mobile on their handsets, however we considered Android to be far more finger friendly, so we didn’t expect an HTC makeover. This video though, claims to show ‘Rosie’, the codename for HTC’s tweaked version of Android which includes several of their familiar services. It all looks very smooth too!
6. BlackBerry Storm Seen Not Working on Video!
The people over at Engadget Mobile show considerable restraint when their super-secret Storm 2 refuses to power up beyond the first screen. It’s still an interesting watch though, as if it turns out to be real, then SurePress has indeed left the building and been replaced with a capacitive touchscreen.
7. More Acer Android Speculation.
Further credibility has been added to the rumour that Acer will be releasing an Android smartphone by the end of the year. Acer’s head of smartphones has said they are planning a summer launch of their touchscreen phone, which will be priced at feature, rather than smart phone level.
8. Japan Gets Sharp Aquos Branded 10 MP Phone!
Wow, we love this flip phone from Sharp, especially as it has a 10 megapixel camera and a swiveling 3.3″ WVGA display which becomes the viewfinder!
9. Nokia Open Unused Patents to Other Companies.
Here’s a good idea, Nokia have opened up their archives of unused patents for other Finnish companies to use and develop, in a bid to ignite the economy after months of decline. Nokia are interviewing hopefuls with a view to supporting 100 final projects.
10. Concept to Become Reality Shocker?
At first, it seemed as if the Motorola Nest concept phone may become reality according to this DVICE story, however closer examination of the comments section reveals an answer from the designer herself, who quashes the rumour. What a shame, as this beautiful design is just what Motorola needs to revive its mobile business.
10. Nokia’s Ovi Maps Updated.
Exploring the latest Ovi Maps service is something worth doing, as it’s very impressive! Nokia have updated it to include 2D and 3D rendering, satellite and terrain maps and 3D images of landmarks, details of which have been provided by company’s like Lonely Planet, so the information is excellent. Details on how to download it for your PC or Symbian S60 device can be found here.
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Posted on May 23rd, 2009
admin
In the United Kingdom we purchase a shocking 1450 cellular phones every hour. There are more than 90 million mobiles left sitting around congregation dust or thrown away into drawers to be forgotten. Therefore why not take in money from you previous phone, you will be surprised what it will fetch. Want cash for your old cell phones ? Then sell your mobile online! Newer phones such as the Nokia N96 are worth about £100 and the Nokia N96, which is pretty old now is still worth £70. If you regularly visit car boot sale or public sale houses where a lot are available, then this could become a bit of a money spinner. Even if you phone is not working or broken you can still get upto 85% of the effective value for it.
You could ask yourself what other payback are there to sell your old mobile phone for money? Well aswell the extra cash you will get, you will also be helping the enviroment.Old mobile phone batteries contain cadmium the inside of a single battery could contaminate up to 600,000 litres of water, that’s a third of the quantity of an Olympic sized swimming pool.
Merchandising your phone online is so comfortable and fast for mobiles deals, it’s nothing like selling a mobile phone on any bid or auction sites. All you do is type in the mobiles model and if using a comparing site check the functioning and non functioning sell costs on all available companies, then just choose the most superior cost for you.
The advantage of trading a phone for hard cash online are the effectiveness and the comfort of finding the best prices available at that time without any bother. Using the comparison site will always be the easiest option for anyone, as the entire working and non- working cell sell prices are altogether in one web site and there’s no need to look for through the web for different site and wondering if you’ve seen all the companies that you can sell your mobiles to. This is the better way to find cash for modern mobiles.
Several of the websites will by now have the prices listed on the site. Payments is usually prepared to you within 7-10 effective days. On the other hand a number of charitable trust shops would welcome your redundant mobile phones. This will enable them to trade the phone in and raise some much needed funds. While this may not be practical if you have a high value phone it is a excellent method of getting relieved of dreadfully old phones which could have very small or no value to them.
The comparability site will bring the data about calder mobile and mobiles deals for you. Before long you will have your mobile for currency transaction in place.
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