Mobile Computing News, Reviews, & Tips
Travel Tip: Label Your Power Cords
Gadget-toting travelers often leave notebook cables or adapters behind after passing through security checkpoints. To keep from running out of power on your trip, put a tag with your contact info on your cords and adapters, suggests American Airlines spokesperson Jacquie Young. Then you can easily reclaim your lost items at the airport (one would hope).
Check out our article on holiday travel tips, which offers good advice for any season.
Gadget News: Wireless Gamers Beware of Trojan Horse
A new Trojan horse called MetalGear.a, masquerading as a Symbian operating system version of the Metal Gear Solid game, disables antivirus programs and installs a worm on smart phones, according to an alert from SimWorks International. The Cabir worm attempts to spread a second Trojan horse program, called SEXXXY, to nearby phones through the Bluetooth short-range wireless protocol. How to avoid it? Don't download and install free games on your smart phone unless you're absolutely sure they're legit.
Travel News: In-Flight Satellite TV on Your Notebook
Boeing plans to add live television programming to its Connexion by Boeing service on international airline routes by mid-2005, the company says. The TV shows will be delivered across the Connexion network, which uses satellites to provide high-speed data connections between in-flight aircraft and ground stations linked to the Internet. The service will enable passengers to watch up to four channels of live TV on a notebook connected to the service.
Travel News: Yahoo Maps Include Traffic Updates
Before leaving the hotel room for your next appointment, you might want to get directions--and a traffic update, to boot--on your notebook.
Yahoo Maps recently began adding local traffic information to its online maps service. The traffic information includes roadwork and accident reports, plus the approximate speed at which traffic is proceeding along specific roads. The service is available for about 70 U.S. metropolitan areas, with driving speed information offered for about 22 of those areas.
Gadget News: RealNetworks Tunes Don't Play on IPods--for Now
Apple Computer's recently updated IPod software doesn't allow songs bought from the RealNetworks Music Store to play on IPods. How come? Apple hasn't offered an explanation, other than this statement from a spokesperson: "We strongly caution Real and their customers that when we update our IPod software from time to time it is highly likely that Real's Harmony technology will cease to work with current and future IPods." But RealNetworks says it's working on a fix.
Wireless News: Sprint, Nextel to Merge
Sprint and Nextel Communications are seeking a merger that would create the third-largest U.S. mobile phone company. The combined company would offer Nextel's popular Push To Talk voice services as well as Sprint's Internet and data services. The deal depends on federal regulatory approval.
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