Blackberry rolls-out BBM for iOS and Android

The long-awaited Blackberry Messenger (BBM) app for iOS and Android was rolled-out on Monday with Blackberry reporting 10 million downloads in the first 24 hours of it going live.
Prior to the launch, Blackberry had described demand as “amazing” with about six million people having signed up for updates at bbm.com.
The app, which was initially planned for September but was delayed following the release of a leaked version, is being rolled-out gradually to deal with the demand, with users waiting in line, having downloaded the app, before gaining full access.
BBM goes head-to-head with cross-platform mobile messaging apps like WhatsApp, which now boasts 350 million active users, a figure that could have been more easily achievable for Blackberry had it released the app two years ago when sales of its devices were higher.

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Google introduces Maps App Android smartphones, tablets

Google has introduces Maps app for Android smartphones and tablets. It is also coming soon to iPhone and iPad. It’s a new mapping experience that makes exploring the world and getting to the places that matter to you a lot faster and easier.  The app is gradually rolling out globally in Google Play and will be available soon in the App Store. The new Google Maps for mobile builds on the design we released for iPhone last December and improves on it with a few useful search and navigation features. Google said that it is the first dedicated app for Android tablets and iPads. “We’re also retiring Latitude and are making some changes to offline and My Maps” it said in a blog.  One important change the user should know about is that Latitude and check-ins are no longer part of the new Google Maps app, and will be retired from older versions on August 9.

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'Kill switch' on smartphones takes a step forward

Image via CrunchBase

A call by federal prosecutors for phone manufacturers to install a "kill switch" to discourage smartphone theft has taken a step forward, with Apple and Samsung providing handsets whose security features will be put to the test.

As part of the "Secure Our Smartphones" initiative announced by U.S. prosecutors and other groups in June, phone makers are being asked to find technological solutions to prevent smartphone theft. U.S. law enforcement is dealing with growing crime -- including murder -- related to smartphone theft, especially iPhones, and one of the ideas put forward was the installation of kill switches to disable smartphones completely.

As part of the SOS initiative, Apple will provide an iPhone 5 with the "Activation Lock" enabled, while Samsung will provide a Galaxy S4 smartphone with the LoJack for Android feature. The smartphones will be tested for security features and "attempts will be made to circumvent the anti-theft features," said San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in a joint statement on Thursday.

The New York Attorney General's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on when the results of the tests would be published.

The prosecutors expect smartphones with kill switches to be released by early 2014, and discussions about the initiative have been held with Apple, Google, Samsung and Microsoft. The SOS initiative is also backed by state officials, police chiefs, district attorneys, attorneys general and consumer advocacy groups.

Apple's "Activation Lock" feature in iOS 7 requires an iPhone owner to enter a username and password to enable a locked or wiped phone. The feature is intended to make it difficult to resell a lost or stolen iPhone.
However, Gascon in the past has said the Activation Lock feature doesn't go far enough to reduce smartphone theft. The feature isn't as good as a kill switch, which disables a smartphone completely and makes it useless, he has said.

During a press conference last month to announce SOS, Gascon also berated Apple for being uncooperative about bringing more stringent security features to the iPhone. However, Apple's chairman, Arthur Levinson, on the same day issued a statement saying that while the company shares the concerns about growing smartphone theft, it was being unfairly targeted as not cooperating to resolve the issue.

It is estimated that about 1.6 million people were victims of smartphone theft in the U.S. last year. Around 30% to 40% of all robberies are smartphone theft, according to the U.S. prosecutors.

Source:Internet

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Huge Smartphone Sensors Set To Revolutionize Science

The latest Nokia smartphone, the 1020, comes with a massive 41 megapixel camera. Begging the question, is it a phone or a camera? This is the wrong question. All phones are camera. All cameras are phones (or will be – they will soon all have WiFi or ability to connect to the Internet). The question to me more is what happens when you connect a superior image capture mechanism to the Internet. Equally important, when you put that mega-phone into the razor-thin margin economics of hardware, prices will come down amazing fast. So now the question becomes, what can we do with this super camera?
At 41 megapixels we can get down to extremely granular detail on many things. Granted, the Nokia device here can’t do that. But the key is the sensor size, and that’s what is enormous on this phone as compared to its predecessors. With such a powerful sensor, you can deploy the phone for far greater uses. For example, a phone could now capture microscopic details in water, looking for particulate matter of bugs. A phone could capture very minute differentials in thread weaves or fabric shades to detect counterfeit clothes. A phone camera, mounted on a drone, could capture fine-grained color shifts in forest canopies to measure fire risk or species concentration. The phone becomes the scientific instrument.

We are already seeing this with many of the iPhone and Android accessories that attach cheap sensors to smartphones, delivering distributed scientific and medical information capture. From a smart jacket that is an FDA approved EKG for heart monitoring to water quality sensors, the phone is headed towards becoming an amazingly powerful data capture system to measure and monitor our physical world. This changes everything as what had been previously the province of high-end science becomes affordable to all and real-time, on-demand information capture replaces data captured rarely and at great expense.


Images and the visual realm are probably the richest sources of information. We are adept at building technology to process images, from the adaptive optics software used to correct images from giant telescopes to the nifty shake-correction software that runs in the Nokia phone. And our eyes are the most efficient sensors we have (by most arguments).  41 megapixels, of course, dwarfs the power of our eyes. And now that set of mechanical eyes is in our pocket, connected to the Internet.

Source:Internet

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Smartphone apps help people stay safe in hot, steamy temperatures

Hot, steamy weather not only feels brutal, it can actually be dangerous. But there are plenty of smart phone apps available to keep you and your family cool and safe.
Some apps remind you to stay hydrated during particular periods or even let you know where you can find nearby pool to dip in and cool off.
Sun Safe, an apple app, provides information on weather, UV conditions and can give a calculated time as to how long you can safely expose yourself to the sun. Users will also get alerts advising them to cover up the body or go inside when the weather gets too risky.
Those who work outside can use the OSHA Heat Safety tool, an app from the Department of Labor that lets workers calculate the heat index, recognizing heat related illnesses and advice in cases of emergency. The First Aid app for apple and android from the American Red Cross offers guidance on a number of potential emergencies, including heat-related illnesses and injuries.

Water Your Body, available to both Android and iPhone users, tells you how much water you should drink based on your weight, and provides reminders nudging you to refill your water glass.
Source:Internet

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A Remote-Controlled Helicopter Made Of Smartphone Parts At Tokyo's Toy Show

A toy helicopter created from cannibalised smartphones was among the main attractions at a huge toy show in Tokyo on Friday, where producers were targeting the young and the young-at-heart.
The motor that makes a telephone vibrate provides the power for the rotor blades on the Nano-Falcon, which its makers say is the world's smallest radio-controlled helicopter.
The 6.5-centimetre (2.4-inch) machine weighs just 11 grammes (0.385 ounces), has a range of just five metres (15 feet) and can fly for five minutes, but its makers say they are feeding the fantasies of adults who never really grew up.
"Japan's ageing population made us think of developing a toy targeting adults," said Naoki Nakagawa, head of sales at maker CCP.
"Ten or twenty years ago, helicopter-toys could cost a lot of money. Those who couldn't afford it at the time can now make their childhood dream come true at a reasonable price."
The mini machine retails at around 4,700 yen ($50), a price company spokeswoman Kiyoko Hayasaki said came from its use of bits of mobile phones.

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Samsung Smartphones To Get Fingerprint Feature

Though smartphone industry is carrying out various experiments in terms of screen size, RAM processor speeds, and even aesthetics, one area is yet to get its due: security.

Though there have been significant improvements in phone security mechanism recently, but most of them are based on old procedures such as PINs, patterns or no security procedure at all.
Now consider this. Your smartphone uses fingertip scanning in order to allow you access to the confidential data stored in it. Well, that’s what Samsung might be working on if a recent rumour is to be believed. 

Actually, the famous website SamMobile has received an e-mail today that displays a sequence of pictures showing off fingerprints and associated imagery. The images clearly indicate that Samsung is working on some kind of fingerprint technology for its upcoming phones. However, one should not forget that these images are the only ‘evidence' we have as of now, nothing more could be confirmed from the sources.

In case, Samsung comes up with a security system that involves using a fingerprint reader instead of the traditional home button, it would equip Samsung device owners with an essential security mechanism for data security.

It is also reported that Apple is also working on some sort of fingerprint tech for its iPhone 5S. Though fingertip scanning is not a new idea, but using it to for smartphones can surely help the handset owners.  
 Source:Internet

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Your palm could work as your mobile phone soon

Just imagine you could use you palm as your mobile phone. It may not be a dream anymore as researchers led by Masatoshi Ishikawa at University of Tokyo is developing this technology which may become a reality in a couple of years. So, don’t mistake it for a part of science fiction. Once this actually happens, you won’t need to carry a keyboard, smartphone, or a computer. According to reports appearing online, the technology which will use a camera and two rotational mirrors will enable the users palm to work as display or keyboard. The movement of a three-dimensional object can be detected by the system in every two milliseconds, according to Masatoshi Ishikawa. The users can walk with the phone image in palm, without the display ever shifting with the high-speed vision allowing the program to track moving objects. One can actually feel the sensation when a key on display is pressed. The sensation is that of a 3-gram (0.1- ounce) object. Ishikawa has been quoting as saying "You won't need a keyboard, you won't need to carry a smartphone, or a computer. You can make a call without anything". Before this, Ishikawa has created a robot hand using high-speed vision technology. This can beat any human moving 33 times faster. Source:Internet

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iPhone case enables SOS calls from signal-free zones

SatSleeve is a satellite adaptor and charger for the iPhone, enabling users to make emergency calls from any location with low signal.

Smartphones themselves obviously have their uses, but we’ve seen a few attempts to transform their cases into something just as practical – from a working pet ECG to a multi-tool kit. Now the SatSleeve is a satellite adaptor and charger for the iPhone, enabling users to make emergency calls from any location with low signal.
Those who find themselves in a remote area, underground or anywhere where a traditional mobile signal isn’t available can attach the SatSleeve to their iPhone, making it possible to receive and send signals to satellites with a geostationary orbit, accessible from almost any point on the globe. The case is only slightly larger than the iPhone itself, with a short antenna that can be extended for greater signal. Users can both make voice calls and send SMS messages over the system. As well as providing a robust satellite connection, the case contains a charger to provide extra usage time for those using the device to keep in contact with emergency services. On the back of the case is an SOS button, which can be pressed to immediately call a pre-programmed number.
As well as the case, customers will need to pay for usage of the satellite service from Thuraya, the developers of the SatSleeve. However, the company also offer a regular mobile tariff with their packages. How else can smartphone cases add functionality to a device already packed with features?
Website: www.thuraya.com

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App turns iPhone into a hearing aid

 BioAid uses the microphone and headphone functions of smartphones to amplify the sounds around deaf users in real-time.

Many of those with hearing problems have consigned themselves to wearing a hearing aid – which can often be cumbersome and expensive. The SCS1000 smart watch has already made steps towards helping deaf people remain aware of their surroundings, and now UK-based project BioAid is harnessing the power of smartphones to provide an easier and cheaper way to amplify the sounds around them.

The concept is quite a simple one: the app takes in sounds from the user’s surroundings using the iPhone’s built-in microphone, amplifies it using algorithms tailored to the user, and plays it back through either the loudspeaker or headphones in real-time. Users can configure the app using one of six settings to best suit their condition, which can then be fine tuned even further.

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Breathometer Turns Smartphones Into Personal Breathalyzers

Blowing into a breathalyzer usually happens at random holiday checkpoints, or worse, after a cop pulls over an erratic vehicle. What if you could pre-empt that potential DWI/DUI charge—a criminal misdemeanor in New York State—by measuring your own, or your driver's blood alcohol content (BAC) before even entering the vehicle?

The people at Breathometer are soliciting funds and pre-orders for their smartphone breathalyzer right now on Indiegogo. The device is a small plastic dongle that plugs into the headphone jack of either an iPhone or Android phone. You activate a special Breathometer app on the smartphone, and blow into the device, with your BAC reading displaying on your phone.

The company claims Breathometer is as accurate as any other consumer Breathalyzer on the market, which usually cost $50 and up. If the screen shows you have 0.08 pecent—the level considered "legally intoxicated"—you know not to drive. If you drive with BAC between 0.05 percent and 0.08 percent, the charge is a DWAI—Driving While Ability Impaired—which is a traffic infraction in New York.

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Smartphone theft in London mapped

Smartphone theft can be a problem in any city, but a new infographic produced by MobileInsurance.co.uk has revealed the extent of the issue in London.
It makes for grim reading, pointing out the crime hotspots on public transport and which boroughs are worst for smartphone theft. If you don't want to add to these statistics, it also provides some suggestions on what to do to avoid falling victim to such a crime.
If you're worried about losing your smartphone to thieves, we've put together a helpful set of hints and tips that should armour-plate your Android device from unwanted access. Mobile security apps like Lookout can even help you track down your device should the worst happen.

 


Source:Internet

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Coaster charges phones using energy from hot or cold drinks

Regular readers of Springwise may remember our recent coverage of the PowerPot, a cooking device that takes advantage of disparities in thermal energy to power phone chargers. Now the Epiphany onE Puck aims to achieve something similar, enabling anyone to charge their handset using hot or cold drinks.
The device is shaped like a hockey puck, acting as a coaster for cups and tumblers. It works in a similar way to a Stirling engine – technology that has been around for 200 years – which uses the energy from the heat conduction process to power a constant cycle of expanding fluids inside the coaster. The energy from the motion of these fluids is then converted into electricity. One side is colored red and the other blue – hot drinks are placed on the red side and cold drinks on the reverse. Users can plug any USB-charged device into the onE Puck, such as an iPhone, Android handset or mp3 player. Given that many office workers rely on tea or coffee to get them through the day, the onE Puck simply takes advantage of the energy those drinks give out to power phones without taking from the grid.

Source:Internet

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Thermodo Thermometer Attaches To Your Smartphone

Just when you thought that you have already seen it all when it comes to smartphone accessories, here we are with a Kickstarter project that you might want to invest in the Thermodo, which is a small thermometer that does not make use of mercury, which is subsequently attached to the 3.5mm jack on your smartphone. Not only that, dropping some money for the Thermodo will not break the bank, considering how it costs just $19 to make a pledge.
The Thermodo thermometer is tipped to roll out this coming August, assuming everything goes according to plan. Of course, those who want to fork out at least $25 for it will be able to enjoy free shipping too. The Thermodo thermometer is equipped with a keychain, letting you bring it around wherever you are.

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Now, books added to Google Play in India

Google has added books to Google Play for people in India which offer thousands of Indian titles from new releases to classics.
The books include great Indian authors such as Amish Tripathi, Devdutt Pattanaik and APJ Abdul Kalam, plus international bestsellers from the world’s largest ebookstore.
Google is offering many titles and many ways to access and read them, so that one’s library is literally at one’s fingertips no matter where one is.
The user will be able to discover, purchase and read books on Android phones and tablets, computer where one can purchase and read books on the Google Play store and read in your web browser and iPhones and iPads where one can read books in the Google Play Books app.
“You can choose from great titles from award-winning and diverse publishing houses at launch, not to mention the international publishers Google works with around the world”, it said.

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The Best Jailbreak Apps and Tweaks for iOS 6

With the new jailbreak for iOS 6, it's time to start playing around with all the great apps and tweaks on your newly freed device. Here's a look at some of our favorites available in Cydia for iOS 6.

Jailbreaking has changed a lot over the years, and while it's a little less exciting (and arguably less needed) than it used to be, jailbreaking is still a great way to get the apps Apple doesn't want you to have. It's not just apps though: jailbreaking is also the best way to quit the Apple ecosystem and get the functionality you want from third party apps and add smaller tweaks. You can get rid of the annoying password request from the App Store, or add push notifications to email apps like Sparrow. For many, solving those annoyances are reason enough to jailbreak.

Note: If you're new to jailbreaking, check out our guide to Cydia to learn how to search for and install apps and tweaks.

Customize Your UI with Dreamboard or Winterboard

iOS theming isn't nearly as popular as it is on Android, but Dreamboard is the app that makes possible. With Dreamboard you canmake your iPhone look like Android, or evenMac OS X Lion.

Dreamboard isn't the only skinning app out there, WinterBoard is excellent as well, and seems to use a little less memory than Dreamboard. It's also an excellent tool for changing the look of minor things like your lock screen or dock if you don't want to mess around with appearance of iOS. You'll find plenty of themes in Cydia, but you can also install them directly with iExplorer oriFunBox by copying themes to the theme directory on your phone.

Want this jailbreak hack? Search Cydia for Dreamboard to download and install it for free.

Activator

Activator was one of the first jailbreak apps, and it's still one of the best. Activator allows you to customize button and multitouch functionality on your iOS device. On its own, Activator is a great way to customize your buttons and gestures, but it's also the backbone of a lot of other apps and tweaks, making it a required install for just about everything that features custom gestures.

Want this jailbreak hack? Search Cydia for Activator to download and install it for free.

Tune and Automate Your Settings with SBSettings and SBProfiles

SBSettings is another longtime favorite tweak that has been around nearly as long as jailbreaking. It essentially offers a quick way to access all the settings on your device like power, refreshing, respringing, Bluetooth, and tons more. It also offers up data like your IP address, disk space available, and more right in Notification Center. We're also including SBProfiles here, which allows you to for your iPhone to read your mind. If SBSettings is a little too crazy for you,NCSettings is a simplified version that adds the same toggles to the Notification Center.

Want these jailbreak hacks? Search Cydia for SBSettings and SBProfiles to download and install them for free.

Speed Up Your Web Browsing with Nitrous

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Nitrous is a tweak that provides a huge speed boost to JavaScript. Typically, the Nitro Javascript engine is restricted to Apple's apps like Safari or iBooks, but Nitrous gives that boost to any app that uses WebKit, including Chrome. In our tests, it brought Chrome's speed up to par with Safari, which is a huge improvement. If you're using a third-party browser, Nitrous is well worth the 99¢ to add a little speed.

Want this jailbreak hack? Search Cydia for Nitrous to download and install it for 99¢.

Flex

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Flex is one of the most interesting new apps we've come across. It makes it possible to create your own minor tweaks for any of your apps—no programming expertise required. You can do all types of things with it, including getting rid of annoyances like Chrome's side-swipe tab browser, or add images to text messages. It's incredibly versatile and can do a bunch of different things. While it's pretty easy to get started with Flex, it's not for the faint of heart, and you will (probably) screw a few things up when you're messing around with settings. Thankfully, it's easy to disable any tweaks you make in Flex, and when you uninstall it from Cydia it fixes everything you messed up.

Want this jailbreak hack? Search Cydia for Flex to download and install it for $3.99.

Trick Out Your App Switcher with Auxo

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Auxo is easily the best app switcher for iOS. Auxo works just like multi-tasking usually does: double-tap the home button, and Auxo pops up. However, instead of just showing you an icon, it displays a preview of the app's current state. That in itself is cool, but what makes Auxo really handy is that when you swipe to the right it displays all types of quick toggles to functions like Bluetooth, 3G, lock rotation, and even the flashlight. All of this combined makes Auxo a brilliant little app switcher that does just about everything you'd want it to.

Of course, Auxo's not your only option. A few other great apps that rethink multitasking are out there, including: Zephyr, Switchy, CardSwitcher, Quasar (for iPad, not compatible with iOS 6 yet, but should be soon), or Aero.

Want this jailbreak hack? Search Cydia for Auxo to download and install it for $1.99.

Get Voice Search with Google and NowNow

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If you have an older jailbroken device and you wish you had something similar to Siri,NowNow is a pretty good replacement that utilizes the Google Search app to search for anything by voice. It's not nearly as integrated as Siri in controlling your device, but if you only use Siri for searching the web, NowNow (and Google Search) is far more worthwhile than Siri. You can look up just about anything, get directions, and more with just a few words.

Want this jailbreak hack? Search Cydia for NowNow to download and install it for free.

Supercharge Your Text Messaging with biteSMS

BiteSMS is one of the rare apps that people jailbreak just to use. BiteSMS is essentially an app that supercharges your messaging, allowing you to easily reply to incoming texts from anywhere in iOS, mark messages to read later, and plenty more so it operates as a full-blown messages replacement for your iOS device.

Want this jailbreak hack? Search Cydia forbiteSMS to download and install it for free (although some features are paid).

Get Homescreen Widgets with Dashboard X

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It's no secret that iOS users have been clamoring for live widgets on their homescreens for a long while. Dashboard Xbrings fully customizable widgets to iOS that are dead simple to install and use. This means you can add a clock to your homescreen, live weather stats, and plenty more. Once you download Dashboard X,you'll find a ton of different free widgets to fully customize your iOS experience. Sure, widgets will likely kill your battery, but if you want live updates on what's happening, Dashboard X is the way to go.

Want this jailbreak hack? Search Cydia forDashboard X to download and install it for $1.99.

Fix Text Editing with SwipeSelection

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Selecting text on iOS is terrible.SwipeSelection makes the process of selecting text and moving around text a lot easier. You can slide one finger on the keyboard to move the cursor around, or hold down the shift key and slide to select a block of text. Check out this video to see it in action. SwipeSelection is most useful on the iPad, but it's still rather handy on the iPhone as well.

Want this jailbreak hack? Search Cydia for SwipeSelection to download and install it for free.

The Best Minor Tweaks and Extras

Sometimes the best reason to jailbreak is to force Apple's default apps by the wayside and make your favorites easier to use. Jailbreaking also makes fixing minor annoyances incredibly simple. With that in mind, here are a few of our favorite smaller tweaks and older apps we still love.

• Springtomize: Springtomize is the swiss army knife of visual customization. With it you can control how many apps appear on the home screen, the look of Notification Center, icons, and more.
• MapsOpener: Prefer Google Maps for all your mapping needs? MapsOpener opens the map links you come across from text messages, online, and in select other apps directly in Google Maps. For turn-by-turn junkies, we also love Navigate from Maps, which puts turn-by-turn navigation one tap away.
• CallBar: When you get a call on your iPhone, it annoying interrupts what you're doing with a call screen. CallBar replaces that call screen with an unobtrusive notification bar, and adds a bunch of other cool phone features.
• Password Pilot: The fact that Apple requires your password every time you download an app is incredibly annoying. Password Pilot enters it for you automatically.
• Sparrow+: Even though it's not likely Sparrow will get updated again, we still love it as a fantastic mail client on iOS. But one of the complaints against it is the lack of push notifications. Sparrow+ adds push notifications, and makes Sparrow your default mail app when you open mail links in other apps.
• Plugication: Plugication is simple: when you connect your headphones to your iOS device, it automatically resumes your music. It's simple, but incredibly useful.
• Intelliscreen: Intelliscreen has long been the best way to supercharge your lock screen with information. It's $10, but it does a ton of great stuff.
• F.lux: We love F.lux on pretty much every device. It does one simple thing: reduces eyestrain by turning the screen an orangish color as it gets later in the day.
• CleverPin: CleverPin makes it possible to customize when your iPhone's passcode appears. On your home Wi-Fi network? No need for a password. On 3G? It requires a password.
• Zephyr: Zephyr adds all kinds of multitasking gestures to your device allowing you to quickly switch between apps. Check out this video for a breakdown on how it works.
• AnyLockApp: The camera grabber on your lock screen is great, but if you don't use the default camera app it's pretty useless. AnyLockApp lets you select any app you want to appear there (like Camera+).
• Emblem: Let's face it, notifications on the iPad are pretty poorly designed because they're just up-sized versions of what you get on the iPhone. Emblem makes them more like the banners you see on OS X, and they look fantastic on the bigger iPad screen.

Search for any of the above names in Cydia to find and download them.

We couldn't cover every single jailbreak app and tweak we love, and last years iOS 5 rounduphas plenty more options for awesome jailbreak apps.

Source:Internet

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