Press Release:
Sprint is helping ease the minds of parents by launching Sprint Drive First, a new application that automatically locks a mobile phone when a car is moving more than 10 mph, disabling phone functionality, directing incoming calls to voice mail, and silencing distracting alerts for emails and text messages.
How to Get Sprint Drive First
Sprint Drive First, powered by Location Labs, is now available on all Sprint CDMA Android™-powered smartphones for $2 per month per phone and will be offered on BlackBerry® devices and other operating systems in coming months. Parents get started by registering for an account at www.sprint.com/drivefirst. On this website, they will see a list of phones on their account, select the phones to which they want to add the app, and they will receive detailed instructions on how to get the app. For phones already in the market, a software download is required to activate the service.* All Sprint Android-powered smartphones launching after late Q3 will have the Sprint Drive First software preinstalled and will not require a download to activate the service.
Details about Sprint Drive First
Shortly after the car exceeds 10 mph – determined using GPS and cell tower triangulation – the mobile phone will be locked. If the driver is using the phone when Sprint Drive First engages, the call will end and the phone lock screen will appear. Anyone texting the driver will receive an automated message indicating the person they texted is driving. The message is customizable by the account holder.
A locked device displays a home screen with exit and emergency 911 buttons to override the app. Sprint Drive First can be overridden if the user is a passenger in a car, on a bus or train, but the parent or account holder can choose to receive notifications when the service is overridden.
Parents have a choice of programming up to five phone numbers to ring through when the phone is locked as well as allowing functionality of three apps, such as navigation, music or weather.
When the application no longer detects movement it unlocks and full device functionality resumes. Sprint Drive First takes into account stop-and-go traffic, so the driver needs to be sitting idle for a few minutes before it will unlock.
More information on Sprint’s distracted driving efforts can be found at sprint.com/focusondriving.
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SwiftKey is arguably one of the best alternative keyboards available for Android devices (it’s my personal fave). The more you use it, the smarter it becomes, saving countless keystrokes.
Here is a news update from the Chief Marketing Officer of SwiftKey. Pretty interesting info!
In this email, I only had to type about 1/2 of the words - the rest were predicted!
10 Billion Keystrokes Saved
Our most exciting news is that, since the launch of SwiftKey last year, we’ve now saved our users over 10 billion keystrokes - an incredible milestone. If you printed each of those keystrokes out in 12-point font and put them alongside each other, they’d stretch all the way around the globe.
To celebrate, we’re running a contest on Twitter through Friday (9th), where we’re giving away a VIZIO Tablet each day (it comes with SwiftKey Tablet X embedded!). All you have to do to enter is follow @SwiftKey on Twitter and send a Tweet telling the world how many keystrokes you’ve saved, with the hashtag #SKX10bn. We’ll pick a winner randomly at the end of each day.
Free trial apps launched
If you haven’t already heard about this summer’s launch of our radically improved keyboard apps SwiftKey X and SwiftKey Tablet X, you’ve probably been hiding under a rock. Fear not, however, as we’ve launched two free apps that let new users try both our smartphone and tablet apps for a month! The apps are available on the Android Market and on Amazon Appstore in the US.
Survey shows importance of text entry
Earlier this year we conducted a major survey of over 30,000 smartphone and tablet users, in association with blog network Smartphone Experts. The results were published last week and make interesting reading.
In particular, we noted that phone users find entering text — for messaging, searches and so on — a more essential feature on their phone than voice features. But, our respondents also reported that on the whole, text entry on smartphones was a poor experience, especially on Android. Thankfully, of all those asked, 97% felt that SwiftKey significantly improved their writing experience on Android. We feel this lends strong support to what we are doing at TouchType in trying to improve the way the world enters text… and we’re just getting started!
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Announced at the beginning of the year, the DROID BIONIC will finally be available beginning Sept. 8. Here’s the press release:
DROID BIONIC is the first Verizon Wireless smartphone to combine 4G LTE with the power of dual-core 1 GHz processors, 1 GB of RAM and a stunning 4.3-inch qHD display – all in a sleek form factor that makes it the thinnest 4G LTE smartphone from Verizon Wireless. Customers can expect to fly across the Web on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network with download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G LTE mobile broadband coverage areas.
DROID BIONIC introduces a host of groundbreaking applications and accessories that turn the device into a multi-media hub, a ruler of remote access and a purveyor of virtuality. DROID BIONIC introduces ZumoCast™ by Motorola, an application that lets customers bring their digital world of videos, music, pictures and documents stored on their computers to their handset via remote access. With its revolutionary Webtop application, DROID BIONIC can beam a full-featured Firefox® Web browser 4.0, email or documents to a TV or monitor, like the separately purchased Lapdock™ with a 11.6” screen, keyboard and integrated trackpad.
Accessories such as the HD Station let DROID BIONIC users turn the phone into an entertainment center or home office. Customers can view pictures, video, and content from the DROID BIONIC on any HDTV or monitor by connecting a separately sold HDMI cable. They can also take a conference call while editing documents and surfing the Web. And, of course, the DROID BIONIC lets customers share their 4G LTE signal with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices when they activate the Verizon Wireless Mobile Hotspot. The device of the future today, the DROID BIONIC also includes the following features:
- Powered by Android™ 2.3.4 Gingerbread
- Dual-core 1 GHz processor and 1 GB of RAM
- 4.3″ qHD screen with scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass with dual-layer anti-reflective coating
- 8-megapixel autofocus camera with flash and 1080p HD video capture
- Front-facing camera for video chat over 4G LTE, 3G or Wi-Fi
- MOTOPRINT app to print via Wi-Fi-enabled printers
- Mirror Mode with HDMI out (HDMI cable required) supporting 1080p HD video playback
- Multi-window options for multitasking with ease when using the Webtop application
- Business ready with advanced security policies; resizable and scrollable email, calendar and task widgets; device and SD card encryption; and Citrix® GotoMeeting® and Citrix Receiver™ for Android
- Adobe® Flash® pre-loaded
- HTML 5 capable
- 32 GB memory: 16 GB on board and 16 GB microSD™ card pre-installed (actual formatted capacity is less)
- Support for up to 32 GB microSD cards
- Supports wireless charger
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NFL MOBILE IS BACK TO FOOTBALL NOW WITH MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Verizon Has the Only Mobile App with Live NFL Games on Thursday, Sunday and now Monday Nights, NFL RedZone on Sunday Afternoons and Live NFL Network
BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – The NFL and Verizon are bringing fans back to football no matter where they are with more live games, live NFL Network, news and information with NFL Mobile only from Verizon, powered by the nation’s fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network.
New this year, NFL Mobile will offer live streaming of ESPN’s Monday Night Football (MNF) package starting on Monday, Sept. 12 with the kickoff double header featuring the New England Patriots visiting the Miami Dolphins followed by the Oakland Raiders visiting the Denver Broncos. The 17 MNF games are in addition to the live stream of NBC’s 18-game Sunday Night Football package, NFL Network’s eight-game Thursday Night Football slate and NFL RedZone, which delivers every touchdown from every game on Sunday afternoons. NFL Mobile delivers coverage of every NFL regular season game, and fans can also use NFL Mobile to keep up with the action by watching NFL Network 24/7 throughout the entire season.
All customers who download NFL Mobile have access to:
- The latest news, information, schedules and scores from around the league;
- Extensive video on demand of game day and other exciting team action;
- New and improved Fantasy Football Tracker with deep links to the NFL.com Fantasy Football game;
- On demand access to NFL Films content;
- The ability to set your favorite team and receive daily text alerts with NFL highlights when new content is available;
- Live audio broadcasts of all regular and postseason games, including Super Bowl, with a number of games also available in Spanish;
- A redesigned scores page with enhanced content to keep you on top of all the action pre, post and during the game.
Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone customers have access to NFL Mobile premium, including all video, for the entire season. Customers with 3G smartphones who want even more NFL video can subscribe to Verizon Video for $10/month.
Premium video includes:
- Live streaming video of NBC’s Sunday Night Football and ESPN’s Monday Night Football all season and eight NFL Network Thursday Night Football games;
- Live streaming video of NFL Network, the only network devoted to football 24/7; and
- NFL RedZone with live look-ins featuring every touchdown from every game on Sunday afternoons.
NFL Mobile is available on many smartphones from Verizon Wireless, including DROID 3 and DROID PRO by Motorola. All Verizon Wireless smartphones require a data package. Data usage applies to the download and use of NFL Mobile.
Verizon Wireless is the official wireless service sponsor of the NFL. To download NFL Mobile, visit the Verizon channel in Android™ Market or call “**NFL”. For more information about NFL Mobile and a list of compatible phones, visit www.verizonwireless.com/nfl.
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We’ve had the Louisville traffic cameras available on this site for several years now – we even created a mobile-web-friendly version of the Trimarc camera links that inspired Trimarc to (officially) do the same!
Today’s free Android app of the day over at Amazon is Beat the Traffic, and it combines the traffic cams with live speed data and incident reports, giving real-time traffic conditions, and it’s pretty slick! It even does forecasts of the traffic.
The app also shows Planned Events that could impact traffic, though the one event currently showing for the Louisville map is slightly inaccurate – currently, the map shows an indicator for the U of L football game over at Papa John’s that is scheduled for tonight (9/1, 6pm) and while the description is correct, the DATE field says 8/31. Still, stuff like that has potential.
There’s a button for users to report accidents, construction and other road hazards (kind of like Waze, but not really). I could see the user input increasing the usefulness of this over time.
Definitely worth getting, especially today! :)
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When I first tell people about TrackThis, they usually respond “I just use UPS’s site, or FedEx’s site, etc”.
But TrackThis is different. It serves as a source for tracking packages from all the major carriers, and you can choose to receive instant updates via Email, SMS, Twitter and more.
Check out my brief video demo, then check it out yourself!
Here’s a screenshot showing the updates I received thus far for the package I entered into TrackThis on the video:
Posted in Tips & How-To by .
With every iteration of Google Docs for Android, more cool features are added. Here’s the latest:
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Aug 11
25
J.D. Power and Associates Recognizes Verizon Wireless for “Highest Network Quality” in the Southeast
Being a Sprint customer in Louisville, I can say I’m envious of this award VZW has received!
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Verizon Wireless ranked highest among all other national wireless providers in the Southeast in the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Wireless Network Quality Performance StudySM, Volume 2, issued today. The Southeast includes Kentucky and eight other states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
“The great Verizon Wireless lineup of devices, from smartphones and tablets to netbooks and hotspots, are all powered and backed by our network,” said John Granby, president–Kentucky/Indiana/Michigan Region, Verizon Wireless. “This study and other third-party studies are why our customers in Kentucky and the Southeast have the confidence to rely on the Verizon Wireless network to stay connected when they need it the most. We are committed to providing our customers with the best wireless experience through ongoing network investments designed to meet their wireless demands.”
At our August 23 meetup, we streamed the event via Ustream as usual, but we opted to use a Google + Huddle as the chat room, and it worked great!
When the meeting began, I simply went to my Circles, chose my Mobile Circle and initiated a Huddle. Those folks in that circle who have the mobile G+ app installed on their Android or iOS device received an alert, and BAM! they were participating in the meetup!
Some later said they had totally forgotten about the meetup, but then the Huddle popped up and reminded them! Some joined the Ustream channel to watch the meetup via video, and others simply continued on with what they were doing (one was giving his kids a bath!), and stayed connected to the meetup via the Huddle!
I’m not certain if folks who I’ve added to that circle (but have not yet joined G+) received an email notification about the huddle, but if they did, that would serve as a great reminder to join! There is a lot of potential for us to use Google + in future meetups!
If you want to be included in the Huddle for future meetups, add me (Matt Coddington) to one of your circles on G+ and I’ll add you to my Mobile Circle!
Along with the Hangout on phones and tablets, we also had the meetup presentation broadcasting via Ustream, and many were taking advantage of watching that stream on their phone or tablet as well, including Samantha and Oliver, who were tuned in from South Florida! How cool is that?! You can see my EVO 3D on her screen, as I was in the middle of a demo!
It’s a lot of fun pulling all this technology together for the meetups! Who knows what we’ll do next?! Stay tuned!
Posted in Meetup Notes News by .
Griffin Technology has released a very cool new AppPowered accessory - the HELO TC, a remote-controlled helicopter that you control with your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch! The HELO TC app transforms the Multi-Touch display of any iOS device into a remote control for HELO TC.
HELO TC is a twin-rotored, indoor helicopter built on a lightweight metal frame with a black polycarbonate body. It comes with a Flight Deck infrared module, which plugs into an iOS device to transmit control signals to the helicopter. Two modes of flight are available: Touch Control, using the Multi-Touch display to control HELO TC’s throttle and joystick; and Tilt to Steer mode, which uses the iOS device’s accelerometers: tilting the iOS device moves the helicopter forward, back, and side to side. The app can record and store up to three Flight Plans so you, or another pilot, can repeat a favorite flight pattern easily.
“HELO TC reflects Griffin’s passion for creating captivating products that keep consumers engaged and entertained,” said Mark Rowan, President of Griffin Technology. “We’re confident it will be one of our most popular items this holiday season.”
HELO TC’s built-in battery recharges from any USB power source, including your computer’s USB port. The Flight Deck module, powered by 4 AAA batteries, plugs into the iOS device’s headphone jack.
HELO TC, $49.99, is currently available at www.griffintechnology.com and will be at retailers nationwide for the holiday season.
To learn more visit www.griffintechnology.com/
The HELO TC app can be downloaded for free from the App Store at www.itunes.com/appstore
Next meetup: Feb 28, 2012
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