Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[11 iPhone Smoking Apps for Kicking the Habit]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/23/11-iphone-smoking-apps-for-kicking-the-habit/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/23/11-iphone-smoking-apps-for-kicking-the-habit/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/23/11-iphone-smoking-apps-for-kicking-the-habit/#commentsFiled under:

smoker and stop smoking app
So, you've decided to quit smoking. That's a great first step, but where do you go from here? Do you hurl your cache of Lucky Strikes into the incinerator? Call your local hypnotist? Or do you just blaze through an entire pack in one sitting, until even the faintest smell of tobacco sends you into a fit of dry heaves? We can't help you choose a path to carcinogenic emancipation, but we can tell you where you might find some extra support: your iPhone. Whether you're inching your way out of the grave, or rocketing out on the wings of a cold turkey, there are plenty of apps out there that can help you along the way. Here are a few worth checking out.

Still, as useful and diverse as these apps may be, they'll only be as effective as your willpower allows them to be. As with any self-help program, getting the most out of these tools demands that you be vigilant and honest with yourself. No single app is a silver bullet to a smoke-free life, but with this artillery under your iPhone's belt, you just might have an easier time kicking that nastiest of habits.

Continue reading 11 iPhone Smoking Apps for Kicking the Habit

Switched11 iPhone Smoking Apps for Kicking the Habit originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleappsfeaturesiphoneiphone appsIphoneAppssmokingtopMon, 23 Aug 2010 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[One-Third of U.S. Families Live Without Landline Phones, Report Says]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/one-third-of-u-s-families-live-without-landline-phones-report/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/one-third-of-u-s-families-live-without-landline-phones-report/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/19/one-third-of-u-s-families-live-without-landline-phones-report/#commentsFiled under:

citi investment report chart on landline use
If you terminated your landline phone service recently, count yourself among a growing number of Americans transitioning to a purely mobile existence. According to a new Citi Investment Report from analyst Jason Bazinet, nearly 30-percent of all U.S. households have now disconnected their landlines -- up from 25-percent just one year ago. As Business Insider explains, the "wireless substitution" has noticeably accelerated over the past nine quarters, with more than 1-percent of households disconnecting their lines each quarter.

A quick glance at some comparative statistics from the past few years reveals just how drastically some American households have transitioned from landline to wireless. In 2003, the Center for Disease Control's National Health Interview Survey began tracking wireless substitution rates, as mobile phones had already become ubiquitous. At that time, just 2.8-percent of adults and 2.9-percent of children in the U.S. were living with only a wireless phone and no landline. By 2005, though, one out of every ten families had cut their lines. And, as Bazinet's report proves, this trend is showing no signs of decelerating anytime soon. [From: BusinessInsider, via: Textually]

SwitchedOne-Third of U.S. Families Live Without Landline Phones, Report Says originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CellPhoneCellPhoneslandlineLandlineServiceLandlineTelephonephonestatisticstopwirelessThu, 19 Aug 2010 16:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Facebook Places Shares Where You Are]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/facebook-places-shares-where-you-are/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/facebook-places-shares-where-you-are/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/facebook-places-shares-where-you-are/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Facebook Places
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Since March, at least, we've known that Facebook Places has been coming. We also knew that, despite its built-in audience, Facebook would have to offer more functionality than established location-based services like Foursquare if it hoped to succeed. Finally, after months of testing, Zuckerberg and crew have taken the cover off Places, and entered a brand new realm of usage. You'll be able to start checking out the new tools tonight (Wednesday) by visiting the mobile Facebook page on your smartphone or updating the official iPhone app.

Places, much like Foursquare, lets you check in from various locations while you're out and about. Checking in is connected to pages for those places (whether it be a restaurant or a park) that track recent activity at their respective locations. In addition to simply announcing that you're at a location, you can see if any of your other friends have checked in from there, or tag the friends who are currently there with you. The functionality of tagging is almost exactly like mentions on Twitter ('@' prefix and all), but, as with Facebook's photos, users have the option to untag themselves or prevent themselves from being tagged altogether.

Gallery: Facebook Places

Places logoTagging friends

Continue reading Facebook Places Shares Where You Are

SwitchedFacebook Places Shares Where You Are originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookFacebookPlacesgeolocationgeotaggingLocationBasedServicesplacestopWed, 18 Aug 2010 21:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Heidi Montag's Plastic Surgeon Was Texting Just Before Fatal Accident]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/heidi-montags-plastic-surgeon-was-texting-just-before-fatal-acc/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/heidi-montags-plastic-surgeon-was-texting-just-before-fatal-acc/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/heidi-montags-plastic-surgeon-was-texting-just-before-fatal-acc/#commentsFiled under: , ,

dr. frank ryanPlastic surgeon Dr. Frank Ryan, the man who turned Heidi Montag into a tragicomedic freak of science, died in a car crash on Monday after driving his car off of a cliff in Malibu. And, according to one of Ryan's former flames, texting might be to blame.

Charmaine Blake, Ryan's ex-girlfriend, recently revealed to People that the surgeon was tweeting about his border collie just before his fatal crash. "He lived up in Malibu on a tiny street and he was texting while driving and he accidentally went over the cliff," says Blake, who is also a celebrity publicist. Blake went on to say that investigators have already told Ryan's family that the doctor's tweeting caused the accident, although the California Highway Patrol has yet to declare an official cause. Although CHP officer Steven Reid confirms that Ryan was indeed typing away on his phone, he insists that, at this point, the tweeting is just "one of the elements that we are investigating."

Continue reading Heidi Montag's Plastic Surgeon Was Texting Just Before Fatal Accident

SwitchedHeidi Montag's Plastic Surgeon Was Texting Just Before Fatal Accident originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CarCrashcelebritiescellphoneCrashDistractedDrivingFrankRyanHeidiMontagPlasticSurgeryTextingTextingWhileDrivingtoptwitterwebWed, 18 Aug 2010 09:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Shopkick Wants to Reward You For, and Track, Your Shopping Habits]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/shopkick-wants-to-reward-you-for-and-track-your-shopping-habit/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/shopkick-wants-to-reward-you-for-and-track-your-shopping-habit/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/shopkick-wants-to-reward-you-for-and-track-your-shopping-habit/#commentsFiled under: ,

Shopkick
Advertisers and retailers have been looking for new and unique ways to leverage the recent influx of GPS-enabled smartphones in attracting customers and gathering important information about their shopping behaviors. Foursquare introduced some new ideas, but retailers wanted to take it a step further. Enter Shopkick. The new app turns shopping (and violating your privacy) into a game that, retailers hope, will encourage customers to wander into stores, and explore their shelves. Unlike Foursquare, Shopkick doesn't just tell your friends when you check it, but it also lets the retailers know when you enter a store. This allows businesses to build a powerful and rich database of customer behavior, and also to see how their offers and rewards influence movement.

If you're okay with a slight violation of privacy and being tracked like you're on a watch list, joining Shopkick is easy. Simply download the app (iPhone only at the moment, but an Android version is in the works), and grant it permission to access your location. In no time at all, Shopkick will alert you when you're near a store and reward you "Kickbucks" for visiting retailers or for scanning items on the shelves. There are also a series of achievements and bonuses to earn that are designed to keep users engaged; although, in our brief hands-on, they were just annoying. The bulk of the rewards are handed out for visiting shops, but some points can be accrued without ever leaving your couch. Simply looking at the entries for businesses in your neighborhood can earn you Kickbucks, which can be redeemed for gift cards or Facebook credits. (However, the number of "Kickbucks" needed to earn even a $2 gift certificate ensures that only the most extreme shopaholics will benefit from the system.)

Continue reading Shopkick Wants to Reward You For, and Track, Your Shopping Habits

SwitchedShopkick Wants to Reward You For, and Track, Your Shopping Habits originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsbest buyBestBuyfoursquareGpsTrackinglocationlocation based servicesLocationBasedServicesmacysmarketingmobilemobile appsMobileAppsmososoprivacyrewardsshopkickshoppingtopWed, 18 Aug 2010 08:10:00 EST<![CDATA[eBay's Half.com App Scans Bar Codes for Best Textbook Deals]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/ebays-half-com-app-scans-bar-codes-for-best-textbook-deals/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/ebays-half-com-app-scans-bar-codes-for-best-textbook-deals/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/18/ebays-half-com-app-scans-bar-codes-for-best-textbook-deals/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

eBay launches free Half.com app that scans bar codes.

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With the fall semester around the corner, eBay has launched a mobile app for its discount site Half.com, which scans barcodes to locate the best deals on textbooks and other back-to-school products. According to CNET News, users snap a picture of a barcode (say, that expensive Biology 101 textbook), and the free iPhone app scans it using RedLaser technology, then trolling Half.com's inventory for the best prices on new and used items. If you find a better price on the site than at your college bookstore (and you likely will), you can even purchase the product within the app, and share the deal with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.

It's no mistake that this app was launched right as kids are headed back-to-school, since Half.com sells truckloads of textbooks. eBay clearly knows how important mobile shopping is to the future of its business, too. According to Tech Crunch, the company is on pace to sell about $1.5 billion worth of goods via mobile phones this year alone. Looks like the future is, uh, bright. [From: CNET News and Tech Crunch]

Continue reading eBay's Half.com App Scans Bar Codes for Best Textbook Deals

SwitchedeBay's Half.com App Scans Bar Codes for Best Textbook Deals originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barnes & Noble revamps, re-brands Nook apps.

Earlier this summer, Barnes & Noble slashed the price of its e-reader, and last month announced a Nook desktop app geared toward students. Now the big-box bookseller is re-branding and revamping the iPhone, iPad and PC versions of its Nook apps as part of the continuing e-reader war. According to Engadget, the formerly titled Barnes & Noble e-reader products now sport the 'Nook' brand name and logo. During the overhaul, the iPhone and iPad apps received the most new features -- including customizable themes, day and night reading settings, and loads of font and brightness options for the viewer's pleasure. As for unique features on each device, the Nook app for iPhone 4 now supports the Retina Display, and iPad users can rate titles within the app. The Nook app for PC was slightly neglected, with its biggest change being the ability to access the B&N eBookstore as well as shared content. Not that it matters too much, since most people will use Nook software on mobile devices, rather than PCs -- you know, since the Internet is dying, anyway. [From: Barnes & Noble, via: Engadget]

SwitchedBarnes & Noble Updates Nook App for iPhone, iPad and PC originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MobileASLEngineers at the University of Washington are currently testing a new device that, if successful, could drastically alter the ways in which deaf and hearing-impaired people use cell phones to communicate. The tool, called MobileASL, uses compressed video signals and motion detection technology to discern American Sign Language, and then transmits images across cellular networks. So far, UW's team of engineers has managed to minimize the device's data usage while maximizing the image quality around a user's hands or face. Because the motion detection system can pick up a user's sign language, the feature will automatically turn off when not in use, thus saving battery life.

On July 28th, researchers began a field study with 11 participants in an attempt to examine how hearing-impaired students use the phone, and to detect any obstacles they might encounter. Within the first two-and-a-half weeks of the test, the participants placed around 200 calls, each lasting an average of 90 seconds. While most testers said they typically rely on text messages to communicate, most have found MobileASL to be substantially more convenient. "It is good for fast communication," says tester Tong Song, a student at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. "Texting sometimes is very slow, because you send the message and you're not sure that the person is going to get it right away. If you're using this kind of phone then you're either able to get in touch with the person or not right away, and you can save a lot of time." Researchers are hoping to conduct a larger follow-up field study this winter.

Continue reading Engineers Test MobileASL for Cell Use by the Hearing-Impaired

SwitchedEngineers Test MobileASL for Cell Use by the Hearing-Impaired originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twitter for Android
It's no secret that the Android Market is considerably smaller than Apple's App Store, but this shouldn't get Android users down when searching for the Twitter app that will maximize their micro-blogging. There are more than enough high-quality Twitter apps available in the Market, and, as Android continues to grow, the offerings will only get better. Here's a list of some apps that let us tweet easy and powerfully.

Continue reading The Best Android Twitter Apps

SwitchedThe Best Android Twitter Apps originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidfeatureshootsuiteseesmicsocial networkingSocialNetworkingtopTouiteurtweetcastertweetdecktwiccatwidroydtwittertwitter for androidTwitterForAndroidMon, 16 Aug 2010 13:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Justin Bieber Sics Twitter Fans on Enemy by Posting His Number]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/justin-bieber-sics-twitter-fans-on-enemy-by-posting-his-number/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/justin-bieber-sics-twitter-fans-on-enemy-by-posting-his-number/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/16/justin-bieber-sics-twitter-fans-on-enemy-by-posting-his-number/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Bieber Tweets Rival's Phone Number
Okay, so he's not exactly a violent mob boss, but the world has now learned a valuable lesson: don't cross Justin Bieber. While it's not quite breaking someone's legs, the floppy-haired, Segway-riding teen heartthrob decided to make one boy's life a living hell when he tweeted the kid's phone number to roughly 4.5 million followers.

Allegedly, Kevin Kristopik hacked the account of one of Bieber's close childhood friends. In response, the Biebs apparently took a page from M.I.A.'s play book and tweeted, "everyone call me 248-***-**** :) or text." Of course, the phone number was not his own but that of Kristopik, and Bieber's fans flooded Kristopik's phone with tens of thousands of texts and phone calls.

Continue reading Justin Bieber Sics Twitter Fans on Enemy by Posting His Number

SwitchedJustin Bieber Sics Twitter Fans on Enemy by Posting His Number originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BiebercelebritycellphoneJustinBiebermusicprivacyrevengesocialnetworkingtextingtoptwitterMon, 16 Aug 2010 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Gresso's $1 Million Cell Phone Has Diamonds But No Apps]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/13/gressos-1-million-cell-phone-has-diamonds-but-no-apps/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/13/gressos-1-million-cell-phone-has-diamonds-but-no-apps/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/13/gressos-1-million-cell-phone-has-diamonds-but-no-apps/#commentsFiled under:

Gresso's Las Vegas Luxor Jackpot
The luxury feature phone market is one that we'll truly never understand. It seems to us that slapping diamonds and gold on phones still stuck in 2004 is a waste of both money and raw materials. But our smug attitude isn't enough to stop companies like Gresso from pushing these suckers, adorned with some of the rarest goods on Earth, to status-craving moneybags. The $1 million Las Vegas Luxor Jackpot may not be the world's most expensive phone, but it's not far behind, thanks to its rows of black diamonds, a polished sapphire keypad, 18k gold faceplate -- and a back plate made of 200-year-old African blackwood. (Because, apparently, plastic is for plebes.)

Only three of the Luxor Jackpots are being made. The rest of you will have to make do with the plain Jane Las Vegas Luxor handset, which ditches the black diamonds and sapphires, as well as $980,000 of the price tag. But don't worry; the pedestrian $20,000 Luxor still gets you into the exclusive club of rich idiots willing to pay insane amounts of money for a useless piece of luxury that you gave up with your brick phone of '04. [From: Gresso, via: Engadget]

SwitchedGresso's $1 Million Cell Phone Has Diamonds But No Apps originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gadget Dryer

We've all lost a high-tech gadget or two to that most low-tech of the natural elements: water. (Or, in the recent case of this writer's laptop, coffee.) Always miles ahead of us stateside folk, who have alternately used hair dryers and bowls of quick rice to dry out our devices, the Japanese have implemented the Dryer Box, a sort of clothes dryer for drowned gadgets.

The copy-machine-sized boxes have found homes in several of Tokyo's Yodobashi Camera retail outlets, and promise that, if they don't resurrect, they don't collect. If your phone is among the lucky ones (which will have to do with whether or not the electronics have shorted), you'll owe 1,000 yen (around $12). And that, dear readers, is a small price to pay when you can avoid telling your friends that you totally forgot your phone was in your pocket when you jumped in the lake. [From: Dryer Box and Wired]

SwitchedJapan Introduces Gadget Dryer For Soggy Phones, Clumsy Bloggers Rejoice originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cameracellphonedryerboxjapankeyboardlaptopOnlyInJapansmartphonetopwetcellphoneFri, 13 Aug 2010 07:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Delta Booking Flights Through Facebook, iPhone App Coming Soon]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/13/delta-now-accepting-ticket-orders-through-facebook/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/13/delta-now-accepting-ticket-orders-through-facebook/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/13/delta-now-accepting-ticket-orders-through-facebook/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Delta Ticket WindowStarting today, you'll be able tag where you've been (or where you will be going), update your friends on your travel plans, and actually purchase your tickets all in the same place -- as long as you plan to fly Delta. The airline has opened an online Ticket Window, which lets customers purchase tickets through Facebook. Delta is the first airline to offer such a service through the social network, which is shocking since the larger airlines have been slower to adopt social marketing tools than have budget-oriented competitors like Southwest and JetBlue.

Delta will be making other improvements to its digital presence. The airline will launch a revamped website, and expand the Ticket Window widget to other sites -- namely by embedding it in banner ads, thus allowing you to book flights without interrupting your browsing experience. Most interesting, though, is the planned release of an iPhone app that will let customers check in, track their flight status and even use the app as an electronic boarding pass. The idea of never again having to fight with an airport kiosk or an employee at the check-in counter is certainly enough to catch our attention. [From: Huffington Post]

SwitchedDelta Booking Flights Through Facebook, iPhone App Coming Soon originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airlineairlinesdeltafacebookSocialMarketingsocialnetworkingTicketWindowtoptravelFri, 13 Aug 2010 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Unveils Voice Actions and Chrome to Phone, Skips Video Calls]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/12/google-unveils-voice-actions-and-chrome-to-phone-skips-video-ca/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/12/google-unveils-voice-actions-and-chrome-to-phone-skips-video-ca/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/12/google-unveils-voice-actions-and-chrome-to-phone-skips-video-ca/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Google Voice Actions

It was shockingly last minute, but Google decided to organize a little press conference today. On the menu were a pair of new features for Android that close a few of the remaining performance gaps between iOS and Google's mobile OS. Although there was no mention of video chat (as many speculated), and although we were denied a peak at the next generation of Android (dubbed Gingerbread), we did get two genuinely useful tools for enhancing your Android experience.

Voice Actions is a voice control application for Android devices running 2.2 (Froyo). The ability to initiate some functions with nothing but the power of your voice is one of the few features iOS could claim that Android lacked. But, rather than simply match Apple's offering and move on, the Voice Actions feature delivers far more flexibility. Simply tap the microphone icon on the search widget, and you can tell the phone to play music, call a contact, or navigate to a destination using Google Maps Navigation. But those are the simpler actions. You can also send e-mails and text messages by speaking a contact's name, and then dictating the message you want to send. If you want to call a business, just say its name, and let Google find the number for you. Check out the video after the break to see it in action.

Continue reading Google Unveils Voice Actions and Chrome to Phone, Skips Video Calls

SwitchedGoogle Unveils Voice Actions and Chrome to Phone, Skips Video Calls originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Androidchrome to phoneChromeToPhonetopvoice actionsVoiceActionsThu, 12 Aug 2010 14:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Touchscreens Pose Smudgy Security Risk Thanks to Greasy Faces]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/12/touchscreens-pose-smudgy-security-risk-thanks-to-greasy-faces/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/12/touchscreens-pose-smudgy-security-risk-thanks-to-greasy-faces/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/12/touchscreens-pose-smudgy-security-risk-thanks-to-greasy-faces/#commentsFiled under:

Smudgy Android Phone
The greasier among you take heed: your touchscreen cell phone may be vulnerable to smudge hacking. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania (.PDF) have found that, with a camera and some basic photo processing, they can map taps and swipes on a cell phone's screen, thanks to the thin layer of oil left behind when you hold the device to your face. With just a little increase in contrast and under ideal conditions, the researchers were able to guess the patterned passcode to an Android phone 92-percent of the time. Granted, Android phones using the pattern unlock screen are particularly vulnerable to this type of hacking, and, under less than ideal conditions, the accuracy of guesses dropped dramatically.

Still, the research shows how simple it can be to collect information with relatively basic tools and skills, thanks to your greasy skin. Though it would take considerably more effort, the authors of the study believe this simple technique of looking at smudges could be used to decipher traditional alphanumeric passphrases and PINs on ATMs. To make matters worse, simply sliding the phone into your pocket or wiping down the screen does almost nothing to erase your oily tracks. Guess you'll just have to learn to love speaker phone and sausage styli, or do what ladies have been doing for decades and give your phone a good powdering to combat shine. [From: PC Pro and Geekosysystem]

Continue reading Touchscreens Pose Smudgy Security Risk Thanks to Greasy Faces

SwitchedTouchscreens Pose Smudgy Security Risk Thanks to Greasy Faces originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidatmcellphonesgreaseoilOilySkinsecuritysmudgesmudge hackingSmudgeHackingtoptouchscreenThu, 12 Aug 2010 08:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple Plugs iOS PDF Hole With 4.0.2. Update]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/apple-plugs-ios-pdf-hole/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/apple-plugs-ios-pdf-hole/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/apple-plugs-ios-pdf-hole/#commentsFiled under: , ,

iPhone Update Alert
It was only about a week ago that the Web-based JailbreakMe iPhone hack started setting off security alarm bells across the Internet. So, color us shocked that Apple, not usually known for its swift release of security patches, released iOS 4.0.2 for the iPhone and 3.2.2 for the iPad today, sealing up that bug for good. Disabling the exploit used by JailbreakMe is the only change to this version of iOS -- effectively killing this jailbreak method -- so don't expect any other improvements to your iDevice experience. [From: Engadget and Redmond Pie]

SwitchedApple Plugs iOS PDF Hole With 4.0.2. Update originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleiosios 4Ios4jailbreakjailbreakmepdfsecuritytopWed, 11 Aug 2010 16:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Colleges Removing Student Landline Phone Services]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/colleges-removing-student-landline-phone-services/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/colleges-removing-student-landline-phone-services/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/colleges-removing-student-landline-phone-services/#commentsFiled under: ,

landline telephone It may have taken some time, but universities across the country seem to be finally coming to terms with the death of the landline. Last week, the University of Virginia removed around 3,850 phones from dorms across its Charlottesville campus in a move that school officials claim will save $500,000 per year. In the last few years, carriers like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile have also expanded cell phone campus coverage, making UVA's decision to abandon landlines more appealing. "Students may still request a land-line telephone, but I don't anticipate that a lot will," reads a statement from chief housing officer Mark Doherty. "Over the past several years, land-line use has decreased a lot."

Virginia isn't the only school slashing landline services from its budget. The University of Kentucky began snipping its cords back in 2008, and the University of South Dakota discontinued its service last winter. Others, meanwhile, are sticking with landlines, albeit for varying reasons. A spokeswoman for Princeton University, for example, told the Wall Street Journal that the school wouldn't be eliminating its self-run landline service, since the infrastructure is "already in place." Virginia Tech is similarly reluctant to do away with traditional phones, in light of a deadly 2007 shooting incident at the school, during which many students were unable to obtain a wireless signal.

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SwitchedColleges Removing Student Landline Phone Services originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CellPhonescollegeCollegeseducationlandlinemoneyprincetontelephoneUniversityOfKentuckyUniversityOfSouthDakotaUniversityOfVirginiaUVAVirginiaTechWed, 11 Aug 2010 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone Users Have More Sex Partners, OKCupid Survey Finds]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/iphone-users-have-more-sex-partners-okcupid-survey-finds/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/iphone-users-have-more-sex-partners-okcupid-survey-finds/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/11/iphone-users-have-more-sex-partners-okcupid-survey-finds/#commentsFiled under: , ,

OKCupid Smartphone Graph
We all know that iPhone users struggle to place or receive calls on their smartphones -- except, apparently, when said calls are of the 'booty' variety. According to a recent survey from OKCupid, iPhone owners, on average, have more sex partners than either Android or BlackBerry owners. In a survey of 9,785 smartphone users, OKCupid's team of statisticians found that the typical male iPhone keeper has bedded ten unique people by the age of 30, while your everyday iFemale claims to have conquered 12.3 different Justin Long look-alikes. Male BlackBerry users, by comparison, say they've slept with an average of 8.1 different people by the age of 30, with female BB-ers laying claim to laying 8.8. Last and, well, least, are Android users, who report having done the deed with roughly six unique individuals (6.0 for males, 6.1 for females -- curiously Android-genous).

Of course, these sex-tistics only apply to 30-year-old users, so you could reasonably speculate that older BlackBerry patrons would see a spike once they cash in on those swanky stock options, or that iPhone clients may experience a lag once their trust funds run dry. (We kid.) OKCupid, though, managed to piece together stats from users ranging in age from 18 to 40, and the same sexual discrepancies seem to persist across the full sample.

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SwitchediPhone Users Have More Sex Partners, OKCupid Survey Finds originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidBlackBerrydatingDatingSitesiphoneIphone4okcupidpromiscuityPromiscuoussexSexPartnerssexualsmartphonetopWed, 11 Aug 2010 10:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell Streak Tablet/Phone Lands on AT&T this Thursday for $299.99]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/10/dell-streak-tablet-phone-lands-on-atandt-this-thursday-for-299-99/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/10/dell-streak-tablet-phone-lands-on-atandt-this-thursday-for-299-99/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/10/dell-streak-tablet-phone-lands-on-atandt-this-thursday-for-299-99/#commentsFiled under: ,

Dell Streak
Apparently today is the day that everyone announces the products we knew were coming. After Motorola and Verizon drew early attention for announcing the extensively leaked Droid 2, Dell and AT&T finally announced the official availability of the Dell Streak. The five-inch Android powered tablet will go on "priority pre-sale" Thursday with general availability coming Friday. What can be described as either an extremely tiny tablet or an incredibly over-sized cell phone will run you $299.99 with a two-year contract, or $549.99 without one.

The 512MB of RAM and 1Ghz processor will make sure it will do fine the speed department. Despite having just been announced, the Streak is already looking long in the tooth with its 800x480 resolution screen (same found on the smaller 3.7-inch Nexus One) and Android 1.6 OS (which is now two major iterations behind). Still, it could make a compelling option for those who are intrigued by the iPad, but are more concerned with placing calls than reading books. Check out what our friends' at Engadget thought of the Streak if you're on the fence about ordering one.

Gallery: Dell Streak

SwitchedDell Streak Tablet/Phone Lands on AT&T this Thursday for $299.99 originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidattdelldell streakDellStreaktablettopTue, 10 Aug 2010 17:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Droid 2 Finally Gets Official, Complete with R2-D2 Version]]>http://www.switched.com/2010/08/10/droid-2-finally-gets-official-complete-with-r2-d2-version/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/10/droid-2-finally-gets-official-complete-with-r2-d2-version/http://www.switched.com/2010/08/10/droid-2-finally-gets-official-complete-with-r2-d2-version/#commentsFiled under:

Droid 2
The announcement of the Droid 2 hardly feel like news at this point. We knew it was coming. We've seen the spy shots, read the manual, and even gotten a detailed spec list -- all long before today's announcement. We almost feel like we could review the device already, as we already knew that the Droid 2 keeps the original's sliding QWERTY form factor and 3.7-inch screen. As for the insides, you'll find the storage has been bumped to 8GB, and that you get an 8GB microSD card for storing additional media. Most exciting, though, is that the Droid 2 will run Android 2.2, or Froyo as it's better known, as well as the Flash 10.1 plugin.

You won't have to wait long to get your grubby little mitts on one. The Droid 2 goes up for pre-sale tomorrow, and should show up in stores Thursday for $199.99 with a two-year contract. If you're part of the uber-nerd crowd, you may want to hold off till September when the online-exclusive R2-D2 edition of the Droid 2 goes on sale. And, just in case you're not eligible for an upgrade yet, Verizon has decided to give everyone whose contract expires before December 31st, 2010 the option to upgrade now. And that applies to any smartphone, not just the Droid 2. What a bunch of sweethearts. [From: PR Newswire, via: Engadget]

SwitchedDroid 2 Finally Gets Official, Complete with R2-D2 Version originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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