A brilliant look at one man's mobile life over six months

What does your mobile carrier know about you? Just how much information do they collect? And what the hell does it look like? German Green politician Malte Spitz has a brilliant TED talk showing what happened when he fought Deutsche Telekom to see just what was being collected under a European law -- and won. His prize? Six months of his mobile life. Some 35,830 lines of code. And an eye-opening look at what carriers, governments and, yes, private companies could learn about you.

It's far too easy to cry that the sky is falling when it comes to online privacy. (See Exhibits A, B, C and D, to note but a few.) But that doesn't mean there's not cause for concern, or that developers don't take it seriously. (They most certainly do.) Spitz, along with ZEIT ONLINE, has given us an incredible granular look at some of that data, but we each still need to be vigilant with our online lives. Be sure to hit the link below for the full infographic.

Source: TED; Infographic: ZEIT ONLINE

Google Mobile Blog closing down, say hello to the Official Android Blog

When the Google Mobile Blog asked what its readers wanted to see more of, there was a pretty clear message. Lots more Android. As such, today sees the last ever post from the Google Mobile Blog, and the launch of its replacement. Say hello to the Official Android Blog. 

The back catalog of Android related goodness has been transferred over for fans to read back through at their leisure. It's all Android now though, just pure, honest-to-goodness Android. The devoted fans out there will definitely want to keep this one in their RSS feeds. 

Source: Google Mobile Blog, Android Blog

Samsung Mobile Unpacked event tipped for Aug. 29, Galaxy Note 2 announcement likely

Invites are starting to appear online for the second Samsung Mobile Unpacked event of the year, which will be held at the IFA show in Berlin, Germany on Aug. 29. As you may remember, Samsung only holds these Unpacked events when it's got something big to announce -- the last one was for the Galaxy S III (Galaxy S3), and before that the Galaxy Nexus.

This time around, everyone's expecting the Korean manufacturer to show off a successor to the Galaxy Note, its 5.3-inch stylus-toting smartphone/tablet hybrid. The Note's proved a surprising success over the past year, and it'd make sense for Samsung to announce a possible Note 2 at IFA, where the original made its debut 12 months ago. What's more, the event invitation shows a stylus/magic wand alongside the Unpacked logo, in what amounts to a pretty big clue.

We'll be live in Berlin for IFA later this month, so keep it locked to AC for full coverage of the Galaxy Note 2, or whatever else Samsung announces.

Source: Mobile Cowboys (Dutch), via: SamMobile

AAA Mobile folds together old discount, roadside, and map apps

The American Automobile Association has updated their Android offering so that instead of a smattering of different apps, they're all pulled together under one roof. 

• Road Service Request (app identifies location)


• AAA member discounts


• AAA Approved Auto Repair locator


• Gas station locations and updated gas price information


• Diamond Ratings for AAA Approved hotels and restaurants


• Hotel booking capability powered by Travelocity


• Listings for AAA Approved attractions and campgrounds


• AAA branch office locations


• TripTik® travel planning with interactive maps and directions


• Instant battery replacement quotes


• Electric vehicle charging station locations


• Join AAA

I'm a little surprised that AAA hasn't been working with Ford AppLink and the equivalent competing dashboard app platforms for Chevrolet, BMW, and other car manufacturers. AAA obviously has a huge vested interested in being in the automotive app space, and plugging directly into a car's handsfree and dash system is the best way to go about it. 

Some of the features in AAA Mobile are locked down to AAA members, but the app itself is free - go ahead and check it out at the download link below. Which apps do you guys use while on the road? 

Source: AAA

Download: AAA Mobile

Mobile Nations Live!

The Mobile Nations Podcast brings together the editors of Android Central, CrackBerry, iMore, WPCentral and webOS Nation. We get together whenever we feel like it, whenever we're forced to, or whenever there's free beer. Please do not feed the editors. The podcast could start momentarily.

 

ComScore finds Android and Samsung still dominating mobile

ComScore has just released their latest quarterly mobile phone report, revealing the leaders in both platform and manufacturer market share in the US. Not much has changed since ComScore’s last report, which means Android and Samsung are still well in the lead.

According to ComScore, Android controls 50.9% of the smartphone [...]]]>

Taptu launches HTML5 site to complement mobile apps

If you happened to check out Taptu in the past, then you likely already know that it's a pretty decent way to gather all the content you're interested in from around the web into one app. Now though the company has taken it one step further by offering up a full blown HTML5 site to make use of.

Rather than your Taptu account being contained to your Android device, you can fully access all your complete profile from any capable browser and enjoy it as you would any on your smartphone making it easier then ever before to share the news you choose with the people you choose. You can jump below for the full press release along with the download link to Taptu for Android.

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Reminder: Win a tablet or smartphone with SwiftKey and Mobile Nations

Just a quick reminder, boys and girls, that you've got a little less than a week left to enter to win a device of your choice (up to $800 worth) just for taking a little survey from keyboard-maker Swiftkey. 

 

Head over to swiftkey.net/survey to begin, complete the survey. If you're one of the lucky three (yes, three) winners, you could get your hands on your dream phone or tablet, even if it doesn't run Android. In fact, even if you don't currently own a device that supports their kick-ass keyboard, SwiftKey still wants to hear from you, and you could still be a winner.

The survey is open internationally for smartphone and tablet owners aged 18 and over, and it runs until midnight on Wednesday, June 6.  Be sure to check SwiftKey's site for the full terms and conditions.

Head over to SwiftKey's survey page to get started!

T Mobile added 187,000 subscribers in the first quarter

T Mobile today announced revenues of 2012 in the first quarter, added 187,000 net subscribers in the first three months of the year, compared to a loss of 99 000 a year ago. Money-Wise, TMoUS saw the increase in revenues from operations $7.2% to $ 1.27 billion, and average revenue per user spend a few bucks to $58. The great speech from T-Mobile this week at the CTIA, however, are the life after the acquisition of AT & T. And to this end, he ' s continues to upgrade its network with a modernization plan announced $ 4 billion which will open the way for LTE service in 2013.

Total clients are now 33.4 million, to a few hundreds of thousands of the end of 2011, but still 200 000 in Q1 2011.

More: T-Mobile

Virgin Mobile USA now taking pre-orders for the LG Optimus Elite

If you're looking to get in on a budget friendly Android device that also packs a little punch, Virgin Mobile USA has now opened the doors on their pre-orders of the LG Optimus Elite. Available on May 15th for only $150, the LG Optimus Elite will be the first device in the Virgin Mobile USA lineup to launch with both Google Wallet and NFC enabled. As for the specs, here is what you'll be getting:

• Android 2.3 Gingerbread


• 3.5-inch touchscreen


• 800 MHz processor


• 5MP rear-facing camera

Looking to grab one for yourself or someone in your family? Check out the source link below to head on over to the Virgin Mobile USA pre-order site. Plus, don't forget to have a look at our previous hands-on with the device.

Source: Virgin Mobile USA

HTC EVO Design 4G coming to Boost Mobile

Pre-paid carrier Boost Mobile has announced that it's to pick up its first Wimax smartphone -- the HTC EVO Design 4G. The EVO Design, which first appeared on Sprint back last November, will be available for $299 from May 31 in Boost Mobile stores and "select independent wireless dealer locations." Generally considered to be the EVO 3D's little brother, the EVO Design combines a 1.2GHz single-core CPU with a 5MP camera, 2GB of storage, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and HTC Sense 3.6. As we pointed out in our review, it's a decent mid-range handset, albeit one that's a little lacking in star quality.

Boost says it'll sell the EVO Design 4G in conjunction with its "Android Monthly Unlimited" plan, with payments that start at $55 per month and shrink down to $40 per month with successive on-time payments. We've got the full presser after the break.

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Sprint teams up with Safely and Lookout to announce Sprint Guardian suite of mobile security apps

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As concerns rise surrounding mobile security, Sprint has now taken some steps to offer their customers some of the best preventative solutions available on the market. Announced today during CTIA in New Orleans, Sprint has teamed up with Safely and Lookout to provide a suite of mobile security applications called Sprint Guardian.

• Sprint Mobile Controls – Clearly understand your child’s talk, text and app use habits. Lock your child’s phone on demand or schedule locks – during dinner, school or late at night. Browse your child’s contacts and apps downloaded to the phone.


• Sprint Drive First – Automatically locks your teenagers’ mobile phones when they’re traveling more than 10 mph and unlocks when they stop driving. Direct incoming calls to voicemail and silence distracting alerts while driving.


• Sprint Family Locator – Quickly and easily locate your family members on an interactive map. Set up automatic location checks to get notified that your kids made it to school safely and on time.

The Family Safety bundle will be available for $9.99 per month for up to five lines on the same account while Lookout Family, will be available for $4.99 per month, or up to $49.99 per year, for up to five lines on the same account. The full press release can be found below for your reading pleasure.

Source: Sprint

Nyx Mobile Lyuba Fun and Lyuba Max hands-on

Walking around CTIA, it's always fun to find new things at random booths, and after stopping by Nyx Mobile I was met with a pleasant surprise from one of their reps. He starts the conversation with "you want to see something cool?" Of course, the geek in me wanted to scream yes, and I told him that I did. That's when he proceeded to pull out prototypes of their upcoming devices, which feature edge to edge displays. That's right, only the tiniest slither of a bezel separates the screen from the edge of the device.

The first handset that came out, the Lyuba Max, featured a 5-inch display and by doing the edge to edge display and eliminating the frame around it they were able to bring a larger screen in a smaller package. They also had a 4-inch model -- the Lyuba Fun -- and they will be finalizing a build of a 3.5-inch display as well. When the devices do launch, they'll run Ice Cream Sandwich, and feature specs comparable to other high-end devices. Hit the break to check out a couple other pictures, and stay tuned for updates from Nyx Mobile on availability of these devices.

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Wimax hits Virgin Mobile with the HTC EVO V 4G

Virgin Mobile this morning announced its first Wimax-powered Android smartphone, the HTC EVO V 4G. It'll run on Sprint's current 3G and 4G networks, as was foretold in its recent Q1 earnings call. Specs are as follows:

• 4.3-inch qHD touchscreen


• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich


• HTC Sense 3.6


• Mobile hotspot capability – Connect up to five Wi-Fi devices


• 5MP camera with video and 3D HD imaging, and 1.3MP front-facing camera


• 1730mAh battery (up to six hours of talk time)


• 1GB RAM/4GB ROM


• External micro SD memory card slot up to 32GB (8GB card included)


• HDMI and Bluetooth-capable

The main attraction, of course, is Virgin's plans, which start at $35 a month for 300 voice minutes and data and messaging. Adding on a mobile hotspot will cost another $15 a month.

The phone, which costs $299, will be available online starting May 31 and in stores sometime in June. We've got the full presser after the break.

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Scalado shares their vision of the mobile imaging industry beyond 2012

Scalado, developers behind the magical Rewind and Remove camera apps, just shared a video that shows their vision for the future of mobile imaging. I think you will agree it’s pretty rad. Would you like to have this in your mobile device?

London Science Museum goes mobile with an augmented reality app

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Using your Android phone in a museum might not be your first thought, but if you head to the London Science Museum that is exactly what you should do. Featuring well known British TV personality, Top Gear's James May, their Science Stories app takes advantage of augmented reality technology to bring the museum alive. 

May will be your own personal guide to 9 of the best exhibits in the "Making The Modern World" gallery. By pointing the app at relevant points throughout the exhibits, your very own James May will appear on your screen and talk you through what you see in front of you. While not necessarily a completely new idea, it is refreshing to see an institution such as a famous museum moving into the mobile experience. Better still, at £1.99 in the Google Play Store, it's likely cheaper than those awful headphone tour guides you can purchase. Download links can be found after the break, and at the source link you can find a trigger for the app that you can try at home. 

Source: London Science Museum

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