Blog | News & Information on Wireless Services & Telecommunications

More ways to green your life and charge your phone

Posted: 02/01/10 by Molly Kocour

Last week, we tweeted about a cellphone battery that would run on soda.  While the idea of a soda-fueled cellphone is still highly conceptual, the New York Times highlights another environmentally-friendly method to charge the electronics in your life.

"The technology uses a photosenstive dye to start its energy production, much the way leaves use chlorophyll to begin photosynthesis.  The dye-sensitized cells will be used to provide power for devices ranging from e-book readers to cellphones."

The cells are incorporated into panels that are sewn to a variety of accessories including: covers for e-readers, backpacks and sports bags, and will enable consumers to charge their electronics via a USB cord.  You can read more of the article here.

Savitz’ Savvy

Posted: 01/04/10 by Mobile Future Team

Eric Savitz writes the Technology Week column for Barron's and his business perspective on technology's changes is always refreshing.  Case in point, his predictions for the Consumer Electronics Show, which begins January 7th:

[M]obile devices should be the big story. New phones are likely to be unveiled by Palm, Motorola and others. There will be a host of new e-book readers; keep your eye on the QUE from start-up Plastic Logic. The netbook surge rolls on, aided by variants known as smartbooks -- generally Linux-based, with non-Intel processors, and offering handy features like instant on. Even now-mundane devices like cameras and camcorders will offer wireless connectivity. Also expect a host of new tablet-based PCs, taking advantage of special features in still-nascent Windows 7.

Incidentally, we're offering Savitz' insights solely for their own merits and not to help convince our bosses to approve our last-minute CES travel request.

Library in a Pocket

Posted: 11/18/09 by Mobile Future Team

If you're looking to brush up on a little reading, you don't need to carry around a stack of books or even buy an e-reading device. You've already got them with you.

A recent article in the New York Times describes how phones are gaining an edge over e-readers like Kindle. Many people are finding that there is no reason to spend $300 on a new device when they've already got access to thousands of books in their pocket. This trend has caught on with application designers:

Over the last eight months, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and a range of smaller companies have released book-reading software for the iPhone and other mobile devices. One out of every five new applications introduced for the iPhone last month was a book, according to Flurry, a research firm that studies mobile trends.

Many new reading applications feature videos, music and other multimedia features, in addition to colorful screens that can't be found on the Kindle. The fact that smart phones go with us everywhere, take up less space and can perform more functions make them an easy choice for e-reading.

Calling Ms. Rowlings

Posted: 01/15/09 by Molly Kocour

According to Business Week and technolgy uber-sage Walter Mossberg, the word "page turner" may no longer describe a great book.  BusinessWeek reports this week that competitive pricing and the promise of easier access to new content make your mobile phone the ideal option for electronic books.

And Mossberg writes this week about his test drive of two services that turn your mobile phone into a book reader.

Why the interest?  Start with the potential consumer base: According to Business Week, while Sony and Amazon have sold fewer than a million of their e-book readers, there are nearly 300 million mobile phones capable of downloading and displaying book text:

"Phones may not have the large screens and sophisticated technology of [an Amazon] Kindle or a [Sony] Reader, but they have the advantage of being within arm's length pretty much all the time. They also save consumers the $250 to $360 expense of an electronic reader."

Now look at the pricing, especially for copyright-free content like those classics you were supposed to read in college but never got around to it.  The complete works of William Shakespeare?  They're free online.  Gulliver's Travels?  It's 99 cents on iTunes.

So if you're stuck on the LIRR coming into Manhattan or waiting for the BART at Balboa Park, there's no reason ever again to be bored.  You might not be able to watch Brad and Cate in Benjamin Button so read the book.