cell phones

IT users are frustrated by failure

Judi Hasson — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 11:28:39 -0500

A new study by Pew Research finds that the public does not see technology as particularly user-friendly, with nearly half of all consumers saying they need help setting up their devices or learning how to use them. It's understandable, but ironic. Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, not give us headaches. Even after everything is up and running, the poll found that chances of problems are relatively common.

The survey found that many users experienced high failure rates that included home Internet access 44 percent of respondents, computers 39 percent, cell phones 29 percent, smart phones 26 percent, and music players 15 percent. One might assume this would be a source of great frustration, but 72 percent of respondents said they were confident they would be able to fix the device anyway after using a range of available options.

While some found their own solution, and others called customer support or found a tech-savvy friend, only 2 percent tried to have their problem fixed by looking for a solution online.

For more about ignoring online solutions:
- see this profy.com article

A move to ban cell-phone use in planes?

Paul Mah — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:40:37 -0400

A House of Representatives committee has voted to permanently ban the use of mobile phones in flight by passing the Halting Airplane Noise to Give Us Peace Act. If passed into law, the legislation would prohibit the use of all voice communication devices on any scheduled flight, with the exception of flight crew members and federal law enforcement officers. At the moment, in-flight cell phone use is already banned by the Federal Aviation Administration. However, if the "Hang Up" Act is passed, it will turn this prohibition into federal law, taking it out of the hands of the FAA.

To read up more on this issue:
- check out this CNET News.com article

Spam is everywhere--even on your cell phone

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:00:00 -0400

Spam is everywhere--even on your cell phone

You thought you had wrestled spam to the ground, and maybe you have on your computer system. But now comes a new trend reported by the New York Times that spam is increasing greatly on cell phones, too.

It's just a little headache, you think. But now that many cell phones are used for email and integrated into office systems, they could provide a backdoor for new viruses. And while it's not part of your job description, it may soon be part of your problem. Spam in the form of text messages also could increase costs for your company because these messages are charged to the receiving cell.

So it's important to stay at attention. Perhaps CIOs need to survey company departments and check with accounting to see if there has been a rise text charges that may be related to spam. If so, it may be time to contact your telecommunications carrier and take necessary precautions. - Judi

U.S. ranked as world's No. 1 tech user

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 06:59:59 -0500

A new study finds that the United States, Sweden and Japan are the leading countries using technologies such as networks, cell phones and computers to increase social and economic prosperity. The study, called the Connectivity Scorecard, was created by London Business School professor Leonard Waverman. It measures countries based on 30 indicators, including usage of communications technology and how much money was invested in those technologies. The study said that the top-ranking United States had a 7 out of 10 rating, hurt by weak usage of broadband networks. It also looked at developing countries where Russia topped the list, far ahead of China and India.

For more on the U.S., and other tech scores:
- See this Red Orbit article

New TSA guidelines for batteries on planes

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 06:59:59 -0500

It just got harder to pack up your computer and carry it onboard a flight. The Transportation and Security Administration imposed new rules on Jan. 1 that prohibit travelers from carrying loose lithium batteries in checked baggage. Passengers are allowed to pack two spare batteries in their carry-on bag as long as they're in clear plastic baggies. We can't even imagine how many CIOs this will impact, but since everyone travels at some point in their work cycle, we suspect it will affect everybody. So take note of this new TSA rule that applies to all travelers, regardless of where they are going and what kind of computer they are carrying. Don't worry about the batteries already installed on devices that you are carrying, however. The TSA says it's okay to check items like a laptop or iPhone that already have the batteries installed.

TSA officials hope the new rule will take care of a safety problem. Loose lithium batteries may pose a fire hazard. The National Transportation Safety Board recently said it could not rule out the possibility that lithium batteries started a fire on a plane at the Philadelphia National Airport. There are several other rules. You can only bring batteries that have up to 8 grams of lithium content. Most batteries for cell phones and laptops meet this requirement. And lithium metal batteries, whether loose or installed, are limited to 2 grams of lithium metal. So the next time you fly, be ready and prepared to comply with all the new regulations before you board a plane.

For more on this safety regulation:
- Check out this CNET News.com Article

Bluetooth security still a challenge

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 06:59:58 -0400

Bluetooth offers a tremendous opportunity for mobile users, but Ooi Szu-Khiam, senior security consultant at Symantec, says that security is still a big issue. Indeed, research firm InsightExpress revealed that 73 percent of mobile device users are not aware of security issues that could put mobile devices such as cell phones and Bluetooth-equipped notebooks at risk. "There are many other methods that (launch) a variety of denial-of-service attacks, and even some that could allow an attack to eavesdrop on private conversations," Szu-Khiam told Cnet. He also noted that "numerous instances of mobile viruses, worms and Trojan horses" have occurred in the last year. Some of the terms used to describe these security vulnerabilities: bluejacking, bluespamming and bluebugging.

For more information on Bluetooth security:
- see the article in Cnet

ALSO NOTED: Is technology ready for the Olympics?; When to use e-learning;

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 06:59:58 -0400

> One Year until the Olympics in Beijing. Is the technology ready? Article

> When to use e-learning. Article

> Barack Obama gets Web 2.0; connects with business users on LinkedIn. Article

> Microsoft targets booming mobile search ad market. Article

> Why do we still have so much spam? Blog

And Finally… It's back to school time, but should students be able to take cell phones with them? Article

A new data delivery stream via RSS

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 19:01:37 -0500

While a few smart companies are already using RSS feeds to push business data points such as customer details, account actions and other activity-driven information to mobile workers, two vendors are pairing up to help push news and other valuable content to cell phones and handheld devices used in the enterprise. The Motorola-NewsGator deal promises to provide enterprises with access to NewsGator-managed RSS feeds within Motorola's Good Technology mobile phone client.

For more on the new content delivery system:
- read this article at InformationWeek

SPOTLIGHT: Ignoring mobile tech could prove a big mistake

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 19:01:34 -0500

If your enterprise has been a little cautious in boosting mobile computing and communications it's understandable. After all, security issues are paramount these days. But as some experts explain, that nervousness could hold back better business and client relationship management. That's because today's cell phones and mobile devices are much more than just agents of email and calling. They're strong business tools that can boost productivity in real-time, anywhere and everywhere. Article

PLUS: Faster chips will make for faster mobile computing. Article

ALSO NOTED: Hackers target Naval War College network; U.S. companies dominate technology pioneers list; and much more...

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 19:01:33 -0500

> Hackers take down the Naval War College network. Article

> U.S. companies dominate technology pioneers list. Article

> What the next generation of networking will look like. Article

> Kick-off coming for Europe's biggest WiFi city network. Article

> The dawn of the 100Gbps Ethernet. Article

> Study: Cell phones don't cause cancer. Article

And Finally... Machine beats a human chess champion. Article