We’ve all seen movies where a terrified homeowner hides under the bed or in the closet, afraid to call 911 because of menacing home invaders. Well, worry no more, hypothetical crime victim: Verizon has announced plans to let …
texting
92 Teen Text Terms Decoded for Confused Parents
Not so long ago, most teenagers’ text messages read to other people like a jumble of seemingly disconnected letters, numbers, and odd punctuation. Using a combination of shortened words, creative spellings, and a liberal …
Poll Finds Average Teen, Like, Totally Sends 60 Texts a Day
Back in my day, teenagers talked on the phone, often ones connected to long, stretchy things called cords. Today, it’s all about texting.
A new poll from the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that the average teen …
Should We Ban Apple’s Siri While Driving?
Look out, Siri. Federal regulators have you in their sights.
Last week the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) issued a recommendation that state governments ban hands-free, as well as hands-on, mobile device use …
Pakistan Tries to Redefine What Citizens Can and Can’t Text to Each Other
There’s little to make you feel as out of touch with what’s happening with “the kids today” as discovering that there are all manner of words that apparently have double meanings that you were entirely unaware of. For example, …
Samsung ‘ChatON’ Messaging to Challenge Apple and BlackBerry
A war’s brewing between BlackBerry Messenger and Apple’s upcoming iMessage, and Samsung isn’t content to sit on the sidelines. The phone and tablet maker plans to launch its own mobile messaging service called “ChatON,” with the promise of supporting even its competitors’ smartphones.
Like BBM and iMessage, ChatON will let users send …
AT&T Texting Plans Whittled to Unlimited and Pay-Per-Text
On August 21, AT&T will once again “streamline” its text messaging plans, leaving only unlimited and pay-per-text options for new subscribers.
AT&T is removing a plan that offered 1,000 text messages for $10 per month plus 10 cents for additional messages. AT&T’s other texting prices will remain the same, at $20 per month for unlimited
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Study: Fewer than 50% of Smartphone Users Make Calls
What’s the point of a smartphone?
If you answered “To make calls,” then congratulations: You’re in the minority. A new survey from social communications company CloudTalk has found that making calls is only the fourth most popular activity for smartphone owners… and one that only 43% of Americans actually engage in.
(More: Oops: …
Philadelphia to Ticket People for Texting While Walking [UPDATE]
Correction Appended: July 19, 2011
UPDATE: Awww. It’s not true. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter himself took to Twitter, saying, “It is NOT illegal to text and walk in Philly. You will NOT be fined. You will NOT be ticketed.” Carry on, then. No gold-paved streets after all. — [via Philly.com and this person, who seems nice]
Back …
Watch the World’s Fastest Texters Do What They Do Best
Could you beat the world’s best texters in a race of speed and accuracy? Try your hand…err fingers at the LG Mobile World Cup. Winner gets $50,000 (split from a grand prize of $100,000) and the honor of being known as “the world’s fastest texter.”
You’ll have stiff competition from 13-year-old Briana Hendrickson, co-representative …
AT&T To Combat Verizon With New Text Plans, (Technically) Faster Network?
If rumor is right, it looks like AT&T is going to start their attack plan to beat the Verizon iPhone. A source has leaked to Gear Live a Best Buy company memo that says that AT&T will be changing text messaging plans to $10 for 1000 messages and $20 for unlimited texting. Each additional message will remain $.10. It says that new plans …