Archive for Messaging
by Darla Mack
August 4, 2008 at 12:11 am · Filed under Mobile messaging 2.0, Messaging, Mobile Research
We don’t need doctors or law officials to remind us that texting while performing certain actions may be hazardous to our health. Take driving for instance. We know that texting while driving is a definite “no no” and could result in an accident, but many motorists choose to take that risk on a daily basis.
In an article found on MSNBC.com, ER doctors continue to warn us of text messaging mishaps caused from driving, bike riding and even cooking.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has no national estimate on how common texting-related injuries are. But since 2005, the agency has received at least seven reports of serious texting mishaps, including a 15-year-old girl who fell off her horse while texting, suffering head and back injuries, and a 13-year-old girl who suffered belly, leg and arm burns after texting her boyfriend while cooking noodles.
Other reports include a 39-year-old man who suffered a head injury after crashing his bicycle into a tree while texting and a 16-year-old boy who suffered a concussion because he was texting while walking and banged into a telephone pole.
Since our attention is supposed to be focused on the primary task at hand, how is it that we succumb to the art of text messaging at the most inappropriate times. Is it because it’s something that will only occupy a small portion of our time? I mean some of us can compose and send a message in just a few blinks… but as you can see, that’s a few blinks too many.
Distractions as brief as 2 seconds can cause accidents or near misses while driving a car, according to a 2006 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. Dr. Mary Pat McKay, an ER doctor at Prince George Hospital in Cheverly, Md., who has worked with the NHTSA, said similar lapses may be responsible for text-message mishaps during other activities as well.
image: Ariel Skelley / Getty Images stock
by Darla Mack
July 8, 2008 at 11:52 pm · Filed under Mobile messaging 2.0, MMS, mobile social networking, Messaging, Mobile Research, Social Networking
The most portable device in todays time is the cellphone. For basic everyday non-professional photography the cameraphone has been the most popular choice amongst young adults
In a survey compiled by Wirefly 45% of adult cell phone users report using their mobile cams at least once a week with many snapping shots ever day.
Young consumers ages 18-30 make up 63.8% that use their at least once a week, with 26.3% also snapping shots daily. Those figures fall to 40.7% and 13.2%, respectively, for consumers over the age of 30.
The survey also states that 73.5% adults age 18-30 assign photo IDs to people in their address book, while just 47.4% of the over-30 crowd do the same.
What message should this send out to handset manufacturers? Make better cell phone cams!! It’s clear that the demand is there.
Other interesting results from the full pool of respondents include:
96.3% of adult cell phone owners report that they have a cell phone with a camera.
19% of adults prefer to use their cell phone as their primary camera for all photography.
77.2% of photos taken remain stored in the phone, 45.4% are used as wallpaper and 38.6% are sent to friends via MMS.
20.2% of respondents say they have snapped a photo of an attractive man/woman, and 7.5% have photographed an unsuspecting stranger.
46.4% of all adults and 2/3 of adults age 18-30 say that they use their cell phone to snap self-portraits.
19.8% say they have snuck a picture while pretending to do something else.
13.9% of adults report that they have sent a flirtatious, suggestive, or nude photo - a figure that rises to 28.1% of respondents age 18-30.
via: Cellular-News
by Darla Mack
July 1, 2008 at 1:09 am · Filed under Mobile messaging 2.0, Messaging, T-Mobile
T-Mobile users will be in for a surprise coming this fall. SMS overage chargers will be increased from 15 cents to 20 cents. To grandfathered BuddyTime customers and those on unlimited message plans this means absolutely nothing, but to others you need to start regulating your monthly messages.
The change will take effect August 29.
[via: BGR]
by Darla Mack
June 22, 2008 at 10:17 pm · Filed under Mobile messaging 2.0, Twitter, mobile social networking, Jaiku, Messaging, LinkedIn, Social Networking
One of my mobitopia buddies, Sir Erik Thauvin (lol that’s not really his name but I like calling him that) introduced me to Hellotxt awhile back and my initial thought was this is the place to be for updating all of your social media networks simultaneously… especially via mobile.
You know who you are… you Twitter, Jaiku, Pownce, Bebo, Facebook and so on people that bounce from spot to spot in order to make sure all of your locations are updated.
That’s where HelloTxt comes in.
HelloTxt is an aggregate of microblogging services through which the user can insert their messages on all main microblogging services in a simply and simultaneous way.
Now although it is web-based, it still offers the solution of multi-service update in a convenient way. Updates can be sent via email gateway, sms gateway or through the users dashboard.
There is a mobile web version of hellotxt (m.hellotxt.com) that does the same thing, however I think it would be much better to have a real mobile client than just having to use the mobile browser all the time. But its still a good solution for quick multi-service updates.
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by Paul Ruppert
May 28, 2008 at 3:43 pm · Filed under SMS, Messaging, Micropayment
China mobile has announced a partnership with the Red Cross Society of China where CMCC customers can make donations to earth quake relief through SMS transactions.
Using the text relief service, China Mobile subscribers can send donations in increments of 1 or 2 RMB (roughly 29 US cents or 19 Eurocents), to earthquake victims. The donations will be deducted from users’ mobile fee accounts. 
Initially the web wags thought this was a hoax, but in reviewing the Chinese sites and via Xinhua, China’s official news agency, the SMS relief text is the real thing.
I am of a certain age to remember as an elementary school kid in the late 1960s we used to bring in pennies, nickels, and dimes for such things as the Fireman’s Fund, the United Way, as well as making CARE donations to feed “hungry children in eastern Europe.” CMCC’s efforts are remeniscent of such small donations from so many meaning so much. A simple and great idea swiftly executed.
The cost of the donation is not so inconsequential. 2 RMB is roughly 30 times the average retail cost of an SMS in China, so such transfer pricing would be the equivalent of a kid in the US sending a $3 SMS.
Why Not do this Globally?
Here’s a suggestion for the mobile industry. Why not make this a global initiative? Afterall, in the Philippines you can make cross boarder transfers of top offs and payments from Saudi Arabia or closer from Malaysia. Why not marshall the global wireless industry, with each operator enabling a Text for Relief program within their own network to benefit the earthquake survivors and homeless in China? There are roughly 1000 mobile operators around the globe, with all of them having text messaging capability. Think of how so many could be united behind this effort and make a real impact, just by sending a simple SMS.
Technologically it would be very straighforward with the infrastructure already in place. The transfers of such payments could be affected through the clearing house functions surrounding international roaming, with each carrier routing the funds to a central receiving bank, say the GSM Association or an entity in the Chinese government. This would not be that difficult. Perhaps there might even be a business in it. And it wouldn’t need to stop with just the quake relief in China. Any natural disaster could trigger the phenomenon with major benefits resulting. Consider this a Manifesto for Messaging Relief Capabilities on a Global basis.
Texting to Say You’re “Safe”
In a related effort, SINA, China’s leading on-line media company, partnered with China Mobile Sichuan to launch a platform locating information about people caught in the earthquake region, as well as posting a report on one’s own status by using a common short code 100865 through the Internet, SMS or voice IVR. The estimated millions of homeless then have a readily available source to find informaiton on friends and families. The 100865 service serves as a platform for people to simply and swiftly reconnect with one another. Within three hours of the service launch 1,600 people had used the inquiry service online, with nearly 800 of them finding good news about their relatives and friends.
Internet users may search for information about their relatives or friends by logging onto http://xunqin.sina.com.cn and entering their names and addresses. The platform also provides phone numbers of major hospitals and emergency centers in Sichuan for further inquiry. The SMS inquiry service is only available to CMCC subscribers in the Sichuan Mobile users. Callers within Sichuan can directly dial 100865, while callers outside the region must dial the long-distance code 028 first.
Our hearts are with the Chinese people suffering in the quake-hit areas.
Take action and click on the icon below to find out more ways which you can contribute to the relief of quake victims in China, or please visit my personal blog “>(click here)) for both Asian and western relief organizations providing assistance in China. Stay tuned for more information on how “texting to give” might be possible.
href=”http://www.lostlaowai.com/china-earthquake-how-you-can-help” title=”China Quake Relief”>
by Paul Ruppert
May 24, 2008 at 2:32 pm · Filed under Messaging
There’s a snack like piece in the Economist on how the French are revolting against SMS truncification of the “langue glorieuse de la France.” Seems President Bling himself, Mon. Sarkozy’s concern is DefCon Level 1: “Look at what text-messaging is doing to the French language!>”
Recall that about 30 years ago at the dawn of globalization France rebelled at the intrusion of English in all the marketing messages corrupting their national identity. Today the use of English is severly ristricted in advertising or on the radio, and english straplines require a French translation. Quelle horreur. C’est un menace!! Beaucoup d’agitation de rien!! [Much ado about nothing]
No doubt the next step will be restrictions on text messaging!!
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by Darla Mack
April 22, 2008 at 1:54 am · Filed under Mobile messaging 2.0, SMS, emergency services, Messaging, CTIA Wireless
MSNBC reports that the Text Messaging Alert System has been approved and will possibly be in affect sometime in 2010.
Federal regulators approved the service last Wednesday and consumers will have the option to opt out of receiving the messages… but why would you?
The plan stems from the Warning Alert and Response Network Act, a 2006 federal law that requires upgrades to the nation’s emergency alert system. The act tasked the Federal Communications Commission with coming up with new ways to alert the public about emergencies.
Since text messaging has become one of the most popular methods of communication in todays society, it goes without question that this would be the appropriate way to reach out and inform.
According to the regulations, there will be 3 different types of messages in affect. The first being a national alert from the president in regards to a terrorist attack or natural disaster. The second would be involve “imminent threats”, such as natural disasters (hurricanes or tornadoes) or university shootings. The third, which some of us are already familiar with, would be reserved for child abduction emergencies or so called Amber Alerts.
“The ability to deliver accurate and timely warnings and alerts through cell phones and other mobile services is an important next step in our efforts to help ensure that the American public has the information they need to take action to protect themselves and their families prior to, and during, disasters and other emergencies,” FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said following approval of the plan.
Consumers may opt out from receiving these alerts and might possibly not be charged for receiving them.
by Darla Mack
April 11, 2008 at 5:02 pm · Filed under Mobile Etiquette, Messaging
Although unofficial, today marks the very 1st Annual 411 day. V-ENABLE has moved its popular Mobile411™ application that was previously only available to select US carriers to a mobile web version for all users. Consumers can now go to freemobile411.com or fm411.mobi from their web-enabled handset.
Press Release
Today V-ENABLE, leading provider of mobile search and enhanced directory assistance solutions, has unofficially created the 1st Annual 411 Day (on 4/11/08), one hundred and thirty years after the first operator assisted phone call took place. To celebrate America’s history of search, V-ENABLE is announcing FreeMobile411™, a mobile search service now available on any web-enabled handset free of charge at freemobile411.com and fm411.mobi.
According to a January 2008 survey by Local Mobile Search of Opus Research Group, respondents indicated that a substantial number of their mobile calls (over 30%) were for residential queries. Unlike other free 411 services, FreeMobile411™ features not only 14 million businesses and 140 million residential listings but it also allows users to browse by category, get maps, driving directions, see other businesses nearby and connect to an operator if needed at any time during the process.
FreeMobile411™ is the first service that integrates operator assistance. Unlike automated 1-800 services, FreeMobile411™ offers the option of operator assistance, allowing consumers to speak with a live operator to ensure a satisfying search experience.
“411 has come a long way and we hope FreeMobile411™ brings together all of the rapid advances in web and mobile services, while keeping the human touch of the live operator, into one service,” said Craig Hagopian, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of V-ENABLE Inc.
Previously, the popular V-ENABLE Mobile411™ application was only available with select carriers, such as Alltel and MetroPCS. Now with the release of the mobile web version FreeMobile411™, anyone with a web-enabled handset can enjoy the service free of charge at freemobile411.com and fm411.mobi.
by Russell Shaw
February 19, 2008 at 7:23 pm · Filed under Mobile messaging 2.0, SMS, Studies + Research, Messaging
As I’ve already pointed out, today, the Mozilla Foundation announced Mozilla Messaging, a new open source initiative largely aimed at bringing greater collaborative functionality to the Firefox email counterpart known as Thunderbird.
A significantly expanded Thunderbird is pretty close to the hert of Mozilla Messaging. The newest Thunderbird will be known as Thunderbird 3.
Comments made today on the blog of Mozilla Messaging’s CEO David Ascher point to increased SMS funtionality
David writes in part (bold face is mine):
It is worthwhile considering what the right user experience could be for someone using multiple email addresses, multiple instant messaging systems, IRC, reading and writing on blogs, using VoIP, SMS, and the like. What parts of those interactions make sense to integrate, and where?
I don’t believe that stuffing all of those communication models inside of one application is the right answer. But the walled gardens that we’re faced with today aren’t the right answer either. There is room for innovation and progress here, and we need to facilitate it.
In other words, when it comes to SMS via Thunderbird- the Mozilla Foundation is thinking about it.
Next entries �
We don’t need doctors or law officials to remind us that texting while performing certain actions may be hazardous to our health. Take driving for instance. We know that texting while driving is a definite “no no” and could result in an accident, but many motorists choose to take that risk on a daily basis. 
