Hasta La Gadget!

Previously we had reported how the FAA had decided that it would be OK for passengers to use their personal electronic devices (PEDs) during all stages of the flight. However there were limitations, such as the type of device being used (laptops were a no-go), and that calls were not allowed to be placed, although in the case of Southwest Airlines, they will provide WiFi so presumably VoIP is still good to go. In any case it seems that in light of this recent development, the US FCC is considering lifting restrictions on placing calls and allowing cellular voice to be used above 10,000 feet, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

This proposal is expected to be presented at a meeting in December, and assuming it is approved, airline companies will be able to allow passengers to use their devices to place calls mid-air. However it seems that despite the possibility that this rule could be relaxed, not all airline companies are enthused by the idea as they claim that this could affect passenger comfort, such as having to deal with a passenger yakking on the flight non-stop for the next 3-hours. Airlines would also be required to install special equipment to communicate with cell towers, which is an added expense that they might not deem to be worth it. Either way we guess we will just have to wait and see, but in the meantime are you for or against this proposal?

FCC Considering Allowing Cellular Calls To Be Placed In-Flight original content from Ubergizmo.

Have you ever wondered how Google rolls out its updates to its Nexus devices? Well for those unfamiliar, updates are typically rolled out in phases, but thanks to a thread on Reddit that has been answered by Google engineer, Dan Morrill, he has shed some light on how the rollout process works, which hopefully will let you have a better understanding of updates done OTA and why sometimes you have to be patient and just wait it out, instead of mashing the “Check for updates” button, which he claims will do absolutely nothing in terms of bringing you the update faster. (more…)

Google Engineer Details How Updates Are Rolled Out To Nexus Devices original content from Ubergizmo.

As it stands both the BlackBerry and Windows Phone platform are duking it to secure the third spot in the smartphone market, and recently BlackBerry had posted an image on its Twitter page which reads, “If you don’t know who’s got one, you don’t know the right people,” presumably referring to ownership of BlackBerry phones. The message seemed innocent enough, until Nokia decided to respond on Twitter with a barb of their own, saying, “You don’t know who’s got one because everyone has made the #SwitchToLumia”.

Admittedly it does seem a little arrogant of Nokia to post such a response, but we can’t but agree. So far as far as making the news is concerned, BlackBerry has been making the headlines as a company that’s fighting to survive and has recently received a $1 billion injection from Fairfax Financial, as opposed to Nokia who has been coming out with some pretty impressive products, stealing market share, and was recently bought up by Microsoft for a whopping $7.17 billion. Of course who’s to say the situations won’t be reversed next year, or the year after, but what do you guys think? Does Nokia have the right to be this cocky about their position at the moment?

Nokia Makes Snide Remark About BlackBerry On Twitter original content from Ubergizmo.

While the FAA has cleared the use of electronics on US passenger airplanes at all stages of flight, there’s still one major restriction in place: you have to shut off all cellular access. That rule may not exist for much longer if the FCC has its way, according to sources for the Wall Street Journal. The agency will reportedly use its December meeting to propose letting passengers make phone calls and use cellular data whenever they’re flying above 10,000 feet. Don’t be too eager to start chatting in mid-air, though. The FCC hasn’t publicly confirmed the proposal, and any new policy wouldn’t be mandatory — carriers could still ask for radio silence, and special equipment would need to be installed in order for each plane to communicate with towers on the ground. If implemented, though, the relaxed rules could make your phone’s airplane mode seem like more of a relic than a necessity.

Update: Chairman Tom Wheeler has issued a statement about the earlier report:

“Today, we circulated a proposal to expand consumer access and choice for in-flight mobile broadband. Modern technologies can deliver mobile services in the air safely and reliably, and the time is right to review our outdated and restrictive rules. I look forward to working closely with my colleagues, the FAA, and the airline industry on this review of new mobile opportunities for consumers.

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation, Wireless, Mobile

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Source: Wall Street Journal, FCC

Its no secret that instant messaging applications have become quite popular than texting, because while the latter incurs charges, IM apps allow users to send messages around the world for virtually no cost at all. WhatsApp is one of the most widely used IM applications out there, and it is available for a number of platforms. Originally announced at Nokia World 2013 in Abu Dhabi, WhatsApp for Nokia Asha 501 has been released today.

Before users can install the app, they will need to install an over-the-air software update that starts rolling out this week. Without first installing the update WhatsApp for Asha 501 can not be downloaded on the device. When users log in for the first time, the app will automatically locate contacts who’re already using WhatsApp. The app can be used to send text messages, photos and videos as well as voice messages. Messages are either routed through the 2G cellular connection or through Wi-Fi. The app is available as a free download for Nokia Asha 501. The Asha 500, 502 and 503 phones, which were recently announced, will have WhatsApp pre-installed when they start selling in the coming weeks. The app opens up a whole new communication channel for Asha users, who will be able to communicate with friends and family even if they are on different phones made by different manufacturers.

WhatsApp For Nokia Asha 501 Released original content from Ubergizmo.