It’s getting remarkably easy to hack ATMs these days, and security researchers say that Microsoft’s aging Windows XP is making the problem worse. This week, security analysts at Symantec blogged about a new technique popping up in Mexico that uses text messages to give hackers access. It’s as wild as it sounds.
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The latest in a long line of NSA-centric leaks comes a report about alleged project “Dishfire” from The Guardian, a program said to result in the harvesting of millions of … Continue reading
You know the feeling. You and a friend are having a conversation via text and the little bubble with the blinking dots shows up indicating that she’s typing. So much anticipation! You’d stare at those dots for hours waiting for a text, wouldn’t you? Wouldn’t it be funny if the dots just kept blinking?
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We’ve all seen funny screen captures where the autocorrect function of our smartphones results in rather embarrassing and unintended messages, but at the same time it looks like maybe the next time you receive a jumbled text message, there is a slight chance that this could be indicative that the sender could be having a stroke. According to a report, a man in Boston received a couple of text messages from his wife where he could not understand what she was trying to say.
Since he knew that her autocorrect function was disabled, he somehow sensed that something was wrong and rushed her to the emergency room where symptoms of confusion, poor motor skills and an MRI diagnosis confirmed that she was having a stroke. (more…)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: LifeBot 5 Telemedicine Tool, ViSi Mobile Monitor Assists Doctors On Their Rounds,
SMS messaging turned 20 years old yesterday, and feels even older. It’s decrepit, though, wildly overpriced, and too limited to be our long-term texting solution. More »
The above photo is a real example of texting gone horribly wrong. Morbid and hilarious for us, but uncomfortable for the him (or her). And it just brings up so many questions. More »
A few years ago texting was the bomb. It was quick, easy, way better than having to open yourself up to an actual back-and-forth conversation with someone, and perfect for surreptitious communication in class or meetings or whathaveyou. That said, I’d be glad to never get a text message ever again. More »
AT&T’s already working on an app to keep folks from texting while driving, but earlier this month it gave folks at a Los Angeles hackathon the chance to develop their own solution. David Grau, a creative director and designer at an interactive agency, and 11-year-old Victoria Walker were awarded $20,000 by Big Blue to bring their smartphone application to the public. Dubbed Rode Dog, the prize-winning software allows friends and family to organize themselves into “packs” and monitor their text messaging habits. Watchful users can spot when a fellow group member is texting and initiate a barking noise on the offender’s phone. Much like squawking seat belt systems, the app is designed to remind drivers of their wrongdoing and doesn’t stop the ruckus until they acknowledge it. If you’d rather have a chicken or other animal grab your attention, the duo crafted an in-app shop that offers other wildlife sound sound effects. Rode Dog isn’t expected to hit iOS, Android and Windows Phone until its fully polished, but you can sign up to receive word of its launch at the second source link below.
Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation, Mobile
11-year-old wins $20,000 at AT&T hackathon for creating app that discourages texting while driving originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Sep 2012 05:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Allegations of misleading advertising practices among Canada’s big telecom companies has been a recurring subject for some time, and it’s now been brought to the fore once again in the form of a multi-million dollar lawsuit. The country’s Competition Bureau announced today that, after a five-month investigation, it has decided to sue all three carriers and the industry group that represents them over ads that promote so-called premium texting services. In addition to demanding that such ads stop, the government agency is seeking full customer refunds for any charges incurred and a $10 million penalty from each carrier, plus an additional $1 million from the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association. For its part, the CWTA has unsurprisingly taken issue with the lawsuit, saying in a statement that it reached out to the Bureau last year to discuss the issue, and that its actions today “could disrupt the text message services, such as severe weather alerts, charitable donations, flight status updates or sports scores, on which millions of Canadian consumers depend.” You can find that full statement, and the Competition Bureau’s announcement of the lawsuit, at the links below.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Canada’s Competition Bureau sues Bell, Rogers and Telus over alleged misleading advertising originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 16:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Text messaging is arguably the most casual form of communication available—and, back when we all first began to text on our dumbphones, the sort of shorthand style that developed was perfectly reasonable. Why strain to type out full words, when a universally understood abbreviation could do the job just as well? More »
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