Mobile

A security researcher says hundreds of millions of mobile phones could easily be hacked with nothing more than a specially crafted text message. The hacker could then intercept calls or use the compromised phone to make cash. Karsten Nohl says the ... problem is with SIM cards, which are used to tell a phone which account to use and the number on which to send and receive calls and messages. He says many SIM cards still use an outdated algorithm for encryption to stop other people accessing information about the account. (Source: srlabs.de ) Nohl says his testing found a major flaw with these SIM ... (view more)

What's the extent of America's addiction to smartphones? A recent study shows that most Americans keep a smartphone nearby, while nearly one in ten have used such a device during intimate encounters. The study, which is being called the '2013 Mobile ... Consumer Habits Survey', was carried out by Harris Interactive on behalf of mobile credit card validation company Jumio. The survey included more than 2,000 people from the United States (of which 1,102 were actual smartphone owners) and was carried out in mid-June 2013. (Source: latimes.com ) Most Smartphone Users Keep Their Device Nearby -- All ... (view more)

Despite fresh hardware designs and a completely new mobile operating system , Canadian smartphone company BlackBerry is still having trouble selling its devices south of the 49th parallel. That's why several retailers have now drastically reduced ... the price of the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone. According to reports, Amazon.com and major electronics retailer Best Buy have both slashed the price of the BlackBerry Z10 -- a touchscreen device that resembles the iPhone -- to $49 with a two-year contract. The device, which went on sale just four months ago, originally cost $199 with a contract. ( ... (view more)

Waterloo, Ontario-based Intelligent Mechatronic Systems (IMS) and BlackBerry recently took the stage at the Telematics Detroit conference. Their focus: showing people how they plan to bring a new generation of high-tech tools to the 'connected' car. ... IMS' major unveiling involved its 'DriveSync' device, which effectively turns any car into a connected car. 'Black Box' Tracks Driver Behavior How so? IMS' DriveSync involves a driver connecting a small black box to a vehicle's on-board diagnostics systems. From there, the device gathers critical information, including vehicle location, speed, ... (view more)

Lockset manufacturer Kwikset has introduced a keyless front door entry system. Called Kevo, the two-part system connects a mechanical door lock with a smartphone app for easy access. Once an individual has changed over their current deadbolt to the ... one provided by Kevo (a process that takes about 5 minutes to complete), they program their smartphone app to create an administrator account. From there, the owner can sync the phones of other family members to the Kevo deadbolt, granting them access to the front door. Users Tap Smartphone for Access Anyone who has an administrator account can ... (view more)

A recent study by Gartner found that Microsoft's Windows Phone mobile platform has now surpassed BlackBerry in smartphone market share. But there's hope yet for the Waterloo, Ontario-based firm: the company is rapidly preparing itself to take ... advantage of the 'connected' car revolution. It's expected that BlackBerry's mobile operating system, QNX, will be the key to connecting drivers' smartphones to their in-car infotainment systems. Inside the Car: QNX Eclipsing Windows QNX is slowly but steadily taking over as the dominant platform for connecting mobile devices to a vehicle. The reason: ... (view more)

Google's Android platform continues to establish its dominance over the growing smartphone market. And as sales of Android-based devices rise, Apple's market share is starting to decline. According to analyst firm Gartner, in the first quarter of ... 2013 Android smartphones accounted for 74.4 per cent of global sales. That means more than 150 million devices are now running the mobile operating system (OS). It also means that Android's share of the smartphone market has skyrocketed approximately 20 per cent since last year. (Source: zdnet.com ) Android Up, Apple Down Facing a reverse trend is ... (view more)

Samsung says it has made a key breakthrough in the journey to making ultra-fast 5G wireless technology available to consumers. But critics say such a wireless standard is a long way off and have questioned the firm's use of the term "5G". The new ... development from Samsung is called an adaptive array transceiver. It's designed to use very high frequencies, currently reserved for sending signals to and from satellites, for cellphone data. So far, it's proven difficult to use those frequencies for cellphone towers because poor weather conditions can compromise the signal. According to Samsung, ... (view more)

A team of researchers has developed a smartphone capable of folding and contorting when receiving a phone call, text message, email, or social media post. The device, which is being developed by researchers at Canada's Queen's University, is called ... 'MorePhone' and features a flexible plastic exterior. Internally, shape-memory alloy wires contract and bend based on electronic signals and are able to reform to the original shape of the device on command. Message and Caller-Specific Curls The technology also can be programmed to alter the phone in a way that suits the owner. In other words, ... (view more)

Nokia has launched a $20 cellphone that comes with no service commitments. The handset lacks many modern mobile tech features but lasts up to 35 days before requiring a recharge. Originally the Nokia 105 handset was designed for the developing ... world. However, the company is now expanding the device's release area to include Europe. The phone boasts 12.5 hours of talk time or 35 days on standby. It's also designed to prevent dust or liquids getting into the phone through the keypad, something that may be particularly useful in some remote areas. The rest of the phone is relatively basic, with ... (view more)