Steve Largent, president and CEO of CTIA, just announced that they are reactivating Text 2Help for the SoCal fires.
The national Text 2HELP Initiative is a partnership between The Wireless Foundation and the American Red Cross that allows customers of participating wireless carriers to send a text message to the American Red Cross and make a donation for relief efforts during a major natural disaster.
Wireless phone subscribers can send a text message to “2HELP” (24357) containing the word “GIVE” and a $5 tax-deductible donation will be made to the American Red Cross for disaster relief efforts. Donations will appear on customers’ monthly bills or be debited from a prepaid account balance.
We’ve all done it, pressed send on a call to a friend on the other side of the world in the middle of the night, not quite realizing it is so late/early there. More often times than not, I am the recipient of early morning calls from people who have forgotten I have moved to the west coast. A new piece of software, Time Translator attempts to fix this problem by flashing the caller the local time of the recipient before the call goes through.
I love the idea, however Time Translator bases local time on the area code, not on location of the phone. Because of that, I feel the product is sub par.
1) With number portability, people often move outside their area code. So a user like me, who has moved from NY to LA would still receive annoying early morning calls because callers would think I am 3 hours ahead of my actual time.
2) It also doesn’t take into account people who often travel. Again, someone like me who is back and forth a lot between the east and west coasts could really benefit from a service like this, but Time Translator simply doesn’t base time zones on dynamic data.
Time Translator plans to release a location based service at a later time. In an email with TT, they stated that “Until we take on this project we are counting on the fact that most people turn off their cell phones when they are asleep. Hopefully we will not have to count on that for long.”
With my new job, I now feel like I live in airports. I am often running late and rushing around… so anything to speed the travel process up would be greatly appreciated. According to the SF Chronicle airline boarding passes will be moving to my cell phone screen.
The International Air Transport Association, which represents 240 airlines, said it has taken a step toward allowing passengers to check in for flights using a bar code sent to their cell phones via e-mail or text message, making the process truly paperless.
According to the association’s plan, passengers would register their mobile phone, personal digital assistant or smart phone when buying a ticket. They would receive a text message with a bar code, or instructions to download it. The bar code would become the passenger’s boarding pass and it would be read directly from the screen of the mobile device, said the association.
U.S. carriers were among those who signed off on the standard for the bar code, but implementation of the plan in this country will require authorization by authorities including the Transportation Security Administration, which requires passengers show a photo identification and boarding pass, noted Steve Lott, a spokesman for the International Air Transport Association in Washington.
Frankly, I hope American Airlines adopts this soon. Checking in during my taxi ride to the airport could really save a lot of time, especially at LAX on the early morning flights.
A month ago my friend Ken Banks of Kiwanja launched a competition that encourages grassroots NGOs in developing countries to submit ideas on ways they could use text messaging in their work. This can be in health, human rights, the environment, activism, education or whatever. The best four entries will win laptop computers, Nokia phones, GSM modems and $1,000 in cash, courtesy of a range of sponsors which include Hewlett Packard, Nokia and Wieden+Kennedy. I think its a worth wile cause on many fronts. Visit www.ngomobile.org for more info via http://www.saidia.org/2007/09/18/ngos-going-mobile/http://whiteafrican.com/?p=748
Efforts to curb the practice of using electronic wireless devices, such as a BlackBerry device, while driving have picked up steam following the release of a Nationwide Mutual Insurance survey(pdf) that found one in five drivers texting while driving. Nearly three-quarters of drivers use cell phones.
The New Jersey Assembly and Senate voted to send to Gov. Jon Corzine legislation that would allow police to pull over drivers for typing, reading or sending text messages while at the wheel. The bill – S1099 – also would allow primary enforcement of the state’s ban on drivers using any cell phone that is not a “hands-free” device.
In 2004, New Jersey made it illegal to talk on a hand-held cell phone while driving. The law, however, allows police to ticket drivers only if they are stopped for another offense.
If signed into law, New Jersey would become the fifth state to adopt the stricter rule. Only Washington has banned text messaging while behind the wheel.
Violators of the cell phone restriction would face $100 fines. “Texting” while driving would also result in $100 fines.
“Clearly, this is a problem that will become more severe in the future as wireless communications become more commonplace,” David Mayer, D-Gloucester, said in a written statement. “We need to act now to discourage it.”
Maybe its just me, but I feel like the whole world has an iPhone and I don’t. Everywhere I turn, there’s another iPhone user. In fact, at my last staff meeting, two were given away just because (while cool, its not quite as awesome as Twitter giving ALL employees a new iPhones). The only thing stopping the purchase is the fact I am on a different carrier. But Congress is working on making the switch just a little bit easier.
Consumers have been able to take their phone numbers with them to another cell phone operator since late 2003. And since then millions of people have exercised their right to keep their numbers and switch to another carrier. But the process has not always been smooth. And the Senators say that if the process is burdensome or slow, it will likely deter many consumers from changing providers even when they dissatisfied. Ultimately that hurts competition and pricing for all consumers.
Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Senator Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) introduced legislation to expand number portability rules. The bill is called the Same Number Act of 2007, and it aims to help consumers keep the same phone number when leaving one voice service for another–regardless of wireless or landline. The bill also aims to expedite the number portability process because extended waiting periods for number porting could deter some consumers from making a switch.
“This legislation would require the FCC to revisit its number portability rules and extend them to all applicable voice communications services, not just telecom services. As a result, consumers will be able to take full advantage of new choices and cheaper prices as they become available,” Stevens said.
With little fanfare the Barak Obama campaign has followed the Edwards and Hillary campaign in launching a multi-facited mobile campaign. Obama supporters were emailed about the announcement with an emphasis on taking Obama’s “movement for change” “offline.” And by “offline” they meant your cell phone. Supporters can join by either texting the word “GO” to the short code 62262 (OBAMA) or signing on via the mobile registration API on the website.
The campaign is the first to utilize its own Shortcode (OBAMA/62262). The Edwards and Hillary campaign both utilize a shared shortcode that is used for other non-profit or commercial campaigns, though apparently the Clinton campaign is rumored to be working on getting its own.
While it’s too early to comment on the quality of the campaign, the Obama people are showing a little ingenuity here in a number of ways.
Tonight, the Edwards campaign plans to send text messages to more than 13,000 supporters in a high-tech fundraising pitch that comes as all the candidates are aggressively tapping donors before the June 30 campaign FEC deadline.
Those who reply to the text message will get a cell phone call with a pre-recorded message from Mr. Edwards:
“I’m calling to remind you that with just over a week before the end of the quarter the time to act is now. I’m not asking you to help us out-raise everyone else. I’m only asking you for what we need to get our message of real change out to voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, and other key states nationwide.”
Supporters who want to make a donation will have the option of dialing into a special phone bank the campaign has set up from 7 to 10 tonight. And if by chance you miss that window, you’ll get another plea via texting.
I’ve been trying something out that I figured I’d share and see if any one has any advice or comments. In summary, cell phone + larger battery cover + contactless credit card (e.g. Visa PayPass, AmEx Express Pay) = mobile payment enabled cell phone. In other words, I’ve been trying to make my own version of the converged mobile device/wallet by inserting a contactless payment credit card into my phone. I’ve tried just about all the major credit cards and their contactless payment solutions (I’m now on Express Pay) and haven’t really gotten one that can 1. fit in my phone after being trimmed down 2. reach the contactless payment terminal through the battery cover. If any one has any thoughts please do share in comments, and I’ll keep trying and post an update if I’m successful.
I’ve been trying something out that I figured I’d share and see if any one has any advice or comments. In summary, cell phone + larger battery cover + contactless credit card (e.g. Visa PayPass, AmEx Express Pay) = mobile payment enabled cell phone. In other words, I’ve been trying to make my own version of the converged mobile device/wallet by inserting a contactless payment credit card into my phone. I’ve tried just about all the major credit cards and their contactless payment solutions (I’m now on Express Pay) and haven’t really gotten one that can 1. fit in my phone after being trimmed down 2. reach the contactless payment terminal through the battery cover. If any one has any thoughts please do share in comments, and I’ll keep trying and post an update if I’m successful.
