The Prague Post Online: Espionage agents, paranoid conspiracy theorists and others prizing their privacy have cause to thank Marian Kechlibar. Kechlibar, 27, and his friend Ji?í Šatánek, 31, have devised a new program that codes text, or SMS, messages so that no third party — police, secret service, even mobile phone operators — can read them. “We felt that there […]

Iconoculture: Through its Off the Hook program, Cell-Phones-n-Plans offers teens hankering for cellphones a way to show parents they’re serious about cellular responsibilities. The free program includes prewritten e-mails teens can send to parents explaining that they understand cell responsibilities and a teen/parent contract stipulating things like allowed monthly minutes, phone etiquette, and required discussion of bills with parents. Parents […]

Yenra: Predictive text software developer Tegic and love author John Gray offer the top-ten tips to help ensure a successful union of texting and dating in 2006. It’s no secret that text messaging is on the rise. In fact, even texting to share amorous thoughts is on the upswing, according to the first annual T9 Texting Outlook Survey. Sixty percent […]

Iconoculture: Your phone is reeking. Japan’s Keitai KunKun smelltones release subtle (yet unmistakable) aromas like Berry and Wild Nature. There’s even a special blend for Hello Kitty. The smelly celly accessories are triggered by the signal of an incoming call, e-mail, or text message. Keitai KunKun isn’t the only tech company following its nose: Singapore’s Nice Smell Kaori-chan Perfume Straps […]

ChannelNewsAsia.com: Xavel Inc. has a client base marketing gurus dream about. When they’re done shopping, customers are in the habit of e-mailing their friends to pass on a recommendation. The Tokyo-based fashion retailer operates a cellphone shopping site, not a conventional outlet. It means the referred customer can be making the same purchase within minutes. Net effect: Projected sales of […]

TrendBlog: “Sorry I can’t make tonight, but this round is on me.” Corney & Barrow, one of London’s Financial District’s largest bar operators, have joined forces with Buy Me a Beer.com to makes it possible for people to buy their friends a drink online. These drinks may be “virtual,” but they still quench the thirst after a hard day at […]

BloggingBaby: Picture this: you’re sitting at a swanky bar (okay, maybe it’s just a Chevy’s) and your cell phone does a little musical number to let you know that you have a new text message. You flip your phone open and check your inbox. Ah ha! It’s your EggAlert reminding you that you’re about to ovulate. EggAlert is software created […]

Tech Digest: In a move aimed at putting Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. at the top of the growing mobile comic market, the company has announced plans to roughly triple the amount of comics made available for Japanese viewers. Mobile Manga has been around for about a year thanks to the development of technology to encode pictures for rapid transfer to […]

Tech Digest: NTL and O2 today revealed what those lucky punters who are trialling digital TV to mobile phones in Oxford are going to be watching. And if they were expecting live football or blockbuster movies on their Nokia 7710 handsets they are going to be sorely disappointed. For in the first six months of the trial our TV to […]

Textually.org: Apparently, French distributor Spy-Phone is offering two Nokia Spy Phones, normal mobile phones that can be called and it silently activate themselves. The caller can then surreptitiously hear what happens in the vicinity of the phone. The French spy phone offered is an unlocked 3310 Nokia GSM mobile phone, apparently it will not work on US networks and sells […]