Google+ Hangouts got a major face-lift yesterday when Google announced that all of their chat services would be merged together into one app. Essentially, users can now message each other over various platforms, as well as video chat. Furthermore, you can send someone a message without even them being signed in, hinting to the possibility that Hangouts could be an SMS replacement.
The US Patent and Trademark Office has granted Apple a patent that would allow a phone to automatically and intelligently select the best method to contact someone given the current situation. In order to determine what the best communication method would be, the phone would use its GPS, microphone, accelerometer, etc. to determine the best course of action.
Mobile instant messaging apps have overtaken SMS for the first time, new research suggests, marking a likely end of the text message cash-cow for operators. Nearly 19bn IM chat messages were sent every day in 2012 on average, according to research firm Informa, in comparison to 17.6bn traditional text messages, with analysts claiming some carriers are already "seeing a decline in their messaging revenues."
Automotive manufacturers have been pushing to get improved hands-free technology into automobiles all around the world. Handsfree technology allows drivers to do things such as make phone calls without actually having to touch their mobile phone. Some vehicles will even read text messages out loud to the driver and will allow the driver to send text messages using their voice.
iMessage is a convenient way for iOS users to swap messages, and it seems that extends to those engaging in less-than-honest dealings, particularly of the drug variety in this case. The folks over at CNET got their hands on an internal Drug Enforcement Administration memo that details an investigation and the difficulty suspects who use Apple's messaging system pose.
We're here at Facebook's phone event, where they just announced Facebook Home, a new home screen of sorts built for Android devices. The company is going a little deeper in depth on some of the new features, one of which is a new messaging system called Chat Heads, which essentially allows you to message your Facebook friends in a new way.
We all know that texting while driving is dangerous, but it turns out that almost half of all commuters in the US admitted to doing it anyway, according to a survey conducted by AT&T. Not only do 49% of commuters text while driving, but 98% said that texting while driving is dangerous and that they probably shouldn't do it.
State governments around the US have been cracking down on mobile phone use during the past couple of years. Some states even make it illegal to use your mobile phone at all while driving, while some states will allow you to talk, but not text. However, it turns out that 1 in 3 US drivers still text when behind the wheel.
If you've ever received a spam text message offering a free gift card or prize from a popular retailer, it could very well have originated from one of the 29 defendants the FTC has charged with sending over 180 million spam text messages. The text messages alleged that individuals could receive a prize from Best Buy, Walmart, Target, or similar stores for free by providing personal information and applying or subscribing to services.
Blackberry is working on implementing a money-transfer feature for its Blackberry Messenger service. It hopes that this feature will make Blackberry Messenger stand-out from all of the other messaging apps like WhatsApp, iMessage, and Facebook Messenger. Blackberry lost about 1 million BBM subscribers last quarter, and it is steadily losing more. With 3 out of 4 Blackberry users using the BBM service, Blackberry believes that this move will have positive effects.
Facebook is working together with 18 carriers throughout 14 countries to bring free or discounted data for Facebook’s messaging services. The free/discounted data will be available for Messenger on Android, Messenger on iOS, and Facebook for Every Phone within the next few months. This will allow people to save money on their current messaging plans, and will also draw in more users from those emerging markets.
Texting while driving is obviously really dangerous, and many states have already banned the use of mobile phones altogether while driving, with more and more states moving closer to that goal. However, with voice controls in smartphones becoming more prevalent, drivers are resorting to hands-free texting in the car, but recent studies show that hands-free texting is just as dangerous as hands-on texting.