Posts Categorized: telecomunications

Canadians pay some of the highest wireless prices in the world — but report says they’re worth it

Posted by & filed under telecomunications.

Canadians pay some of the highest prices in the industrialized world for cellphone plans, but a new report argues there are good reasons for it. Published by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI), a pro-free-market think-tank, the report takes aim at a 2017 wireless price-comparison study, commissioned by the federal government and completed by consulting firm Nordicity. The annual study found that — once… Read more »

Gadget Ogling: An Emotional Keyboard, a Puzzling Phone, and Exquisite Headphones

Posted by & filed under business models, emojis, Hardware, media, music, Sentiment Analysis, telecomunications, texting.

Description: Taking a look at a new emoji keyboard, modular phone and VERY pricey headphones. Source: Tech News World Date: November 7, 2015 Welcome to Gadget Dreams and Nightmares, the column that ventures forth into the land of new gadget announcements to seek out the best and brightest gizmos. On the horizon this week are a modular smartphone,… Read more »

Here Are The Requirements a Symbol Must Meet Before it Becomes an Official Emoji

Posted by & filed under app, Collaborative filtering, emojis, industry analysis, media, smartphones, telecomunications.

Description: A lot of work goes into deciding new emojis. Source: Tech Insider Date: October 25, 2015 What makes an emoji? Those symbols on your phone aren’t just random. They’re actually designed by a consortium of people in the tech industry so there’s a standard any device can read. Read More Questions for discussion: 1. Do you tend to use… Read more »

With the Click of a URL, Anyone Without Skype Can Still Join a Conversation

Posted by & filed under business models, media, Social Media, streaming video, telecomunications, video.

Description: Skype is making it easier for literally anyone to chat long-distance. Source: Mashable Date: October 16, 2015 On Thursday, the platform launched an update that lets anyone join a conversation, even if they don’t have Skype. Share a unique link with someone via email, Facebook, WhatsApp, you name it, and anyone can join via Skype for Web…. Read more »

How Facebook is Using AI to Help Bring Photos to Life for the Blind

Posted by & filed under Artificial intelligence, digital divide, FaceBook, health, Personalization, social impacts, Social Media, System development, telecomunications.

Description: New AI technology can interpret the content of photos and provide more context than was possible before. But there’s still a long way to go. Source: Fast Company Date: October 16, 2015 Trevor Thomas is a professional hiker. Heading out on some of America’s most famous trails with his dog, Tennille, for treks of up to six… Read more »

This App Is Building a Giant Network for Free Messaging

Posted by & filed under app, bandwidth, industry analysis, national culture, smartphones, social impacts, telecomunications, texting, WI-Fi, wireless networks.

Description: Manila is using the FireChat app to build a city-wide mesh network. Source: Wired Date: October 12, 2015 Last fall hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong and encountered a serious logistical issue: Their phones weren’t working. The sheer number of people concentrated in the area crushed the network,… Read more »

If Your Smartwatch is Distracting You Behind the Wheel You Could be Charged: Police

Posted by & filed under Apple, Hardware, industry analysis, national culture, smartphones, social impacts, telecomunications, texting, user habits.

Description: Smartwatches may not fall under Ontario’s distracted driving laws, but the wearable devices can still get you in trouble on the road, according to police. Source: Global News Date: June 8, 2015 More and more people are investing in smartwatches, thanks to high profile releases like the Apple Watch; but consumer adoption of the devices is raising questions… Read more »

Study Shows Alarming Rise in Smartphone-related Injuries

Posted by & filed under addiction, health, industry analysis, national culture, smartphones, telecomunications, texting.

Description:With smartphone use on the rise, medical professionals say they are seeing more injuries related to the devices. Source: The Globe and Mail Date: Sept 8th, 2015 Questions for discussion: 1. Have you noticed any pain or issues with your health that may be related to smartphone use? 2. Other than the issues brought up in this news… Read more »

Facebook’s WhatsApp Hits 900 Million Active Monthly Users

Posted by & filed under app, business models, industry analysis, media, national culture, smartphones, social impacts, telecomunications.

Description: Google is setting itself up to own the entire mobile experience, with the launch of its new wireless carrier Project Fi. Source: CNET Date: Sept 3, 2015 Messaging app WhatsApp keeps growing more popular with users each month. The Facebook-owned app, which is used by people around the world to send texts without paying carrier fees,… Read more »

With Quickie, Make A Quick 5-Second Video Call With Your Friends

Posted by & filed under app, Apple, business models, media, smartphones, telecomunications, video.

Description: Quickie, A new iOS video chatting app, is hoping to rival FaceTime. Source: Tech Crunch Date: April 17, 2015 Meet Quickie, a nifty little iOS app to make 1-on-1 video calls that automatically end after a few seconds. You might use Quickie to tell a joke to a friend or say good morning to your partner for example…. Read more »