TASER International Inc., a market leader in technologies that protect life, will introduce a groundbreaking new family safety platform called PROTECTOR during the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that runs from January 7-10 in Las Vegas, NV.
PROTECTOR is a revolutionary toolset that gives parents the ability to supervise their children’s mobile phone usage and driving behaviors. Parents can manage the contact lists and content of their child’s mobile phone – including calls, texts, emails, photos and video, and can automatically limit phone functionality to prevent dangerous distractions while driving. PROTECTOR uses integrated GPS, allowing parents to track their child’s location, monitor driving habits, and release vital records to the authorities in emergency situations.
“Our mission at TASER International is to protect life – PROTECTOR is our latest technology breakthrough to further our mission by empowering families to protect the most precious of lives: our children,” says Rick Smith, CEO and founder of TASER International. “Auto accidents are the leading cause of death among American teenagers, and distracted driving is becoming a major factor in these accidents. PROTECTOR will play a significant role in addressing this national tragedy.”
“Keeping my family safe is crucial, but being engaged and staying involved in my kids’ lives is important too. With PROTECTOR, I can do both,” says Smith. “Many kids spend more time with their mobile phone than their families, and most parents have been helpless, in the dark as to who their kids are interacting with and what kind of content their kids are exposed to every day. PROTECTOR empowers parents to stay involved and provide parenting guidance in a fast moving, mobile world.”
PROTECTOR works on multiple devices, each managed through an intuitive control panel accessible through a smart phone, PC, MAC or smart TV. Parents can control who their children interact with and monitor their mobile phone activity and driving behavior at any time – and change permissions and settings in real time. PROTECTOR is carrier-independent and seamlessly connects parents and children, even if they’re on different cellular networks.
Smith adds, “It’s unlike anything on the market today. PROTECTOR is a technologically advanced, yet flexible product suite that grows with the family by providing controls as needs and situations change – from a child’s first mobile phone through the critical teenage years. PROTECTOR adapts as children mature. Through a simple, user-friendly interface, parents can modify parameters or rules anytime.”
TASER will introduce PROTECTOR at CES from booth SOUTH 4 36200 in the Las Vegas Convention Center Thursday, January 7 through Sunday, January 10, 2010. PROTECTOR is anticipated to launch as a subscription service in mid 2010. More information will be available at www.PROTECTOR.com on January 7, 2010.
GOGII, Inc. announces today the launch of textPlus, its popular next generation texting application, on the Android Market. Previously available only on the Apple App Store, the unique textPlus app now brings sponsor-supported free and unlimited messaging to Android users and allows them to have instant group “conversations” in text with friends on most U.S. carriers.
“We’ve already seen overwhelming consumer response to the textPlus app in the Apple App Store thanks to the millions of consumers who’ve embraced our game-changing features – from casual texters to the staggering number of consumers who text as their primary mode of communication,” said Scott Lahman, CEO and co-founder of GOGII. “We’re pleased to make textPlus available to Android users, and offer even more text-happy mobile consumers this tricked-out, next generation texting service.”
By leveraging GOGII’s interactive messaging technology, textPlus allows both old-style texting – one-to-one conversations – and next generation texting – rich, engaging environments and instant group text conversations. A useful ‘reply-all’ feature, similar to email, turns texting into a chatroom that lets users make plans with several friends at once, introduce people to one another or just carry on a group conversation – all in text and all for free.
Additional features make it easy for Android texters to make textPlus their preferred SMS service, including the international ability to send free messages from abroad to friends in the U.S. using a U.S. 10-digit phone number and free Notifications when messages come into the app, even when closed. What’s more, textPlus lets Android users communicate with friends who aren’t using the app – they simply pay for texts through their existing carrier plan.
GOGII expects the textPlus Android app to be met with the same degree of consumer fervor on the Android Market that it has on the Apple App Store. To date, the textPlus app has already seen almost 3.5 million downloads, and over 350 million messages have been sent using the service since June. And while only the top 5% of applications in the Apple App Store reach 100,000 unique monthly visitors, textPlus exceeded that by over 7 times in its second month of release.
Coming soon to Android are textPlus “text addresses,” which let users personalize texting and facilitate conversations, all without requiring a phone number.
The textPlus application can be downloaded for free from the Android Market.
Mint.com, the leading online personal finance service, today added an inbound SMS feature to its award-winning product, allowing users instant access to an overview of their entire net worth – wherever they are. Users can simply text “Bal” or “Balance” to shortcode “MyMint” (696468) to receive real-time balances for the checking, savings, credit union and investment accounts they track using Mint.com. Because the free online service now supports over 7,500 financial institutions, Mint.com is now offering free mobile access to the majority of US banks. Mint.com users can now find out in the checkout line whether they should use debit or credit, and which of their cards to use. This new inbound SMS feature helps avoid overdrafts and other fees, and lets users maximize reward points.
With nearly 600,000 users, Mint.com is the fastest-growing personal financial service, tracking more than $50 billion in transactions and $15 billion in assets. And it’s free. Mint’s “Ways to Save” feature has already identified more than $100 million in potential savings for its users. This new inbound SMS capability is the latest in a series of MInt.com innovations which help its users stick to budgets, avoid unwanted fees, and ultimately save and do more with their money.
“90 percent of our users tell us they understand their spending better after using Mint, and about half have already changed their spending behavior,” said Aaron Patzer, founder and CEO of Mint. “In the past few months, we’ve seen an even sharper change, with users cutting hundreds of dollars in monthly spending across categories. As the holiday season approaches, we’re proud that the more than half a million Mint.com users are well-prepared to shop within their budget and avoid crushing debt, especially in this uncertain economy.”
A January, 2008 Mint.com survey found that over 4 in 10 people spent more than they’d planned during the 2007 holiday season. At that time, 6 in 10 respondents said they planned to make some changes to their holiday spending this year. And in fact, the majority of Mint.com users have adjusted their budgets downward since the beginning of the American economic crisis in September, reversing a more typical seasonal trend to increase budgets for the holiday season. Overall, Mint.com users are planning to spend 3% less in the coming months, with the largest reductions planned in Travel (down 20%) and Personal Care (down 24%). Users are planning to maintain, not increase, their average monthly spending this holiday season by shifting spending from general Shopping purchases (budgets down 7%) toward Gifts (up 8%). Thousands of Mint.com users have already added customized Gifts and Shopping budgets since Mint.com introduced personalized spending categories last month.
In addition, Mint.com’s blog features tips and tricks for surviving the holidays. Among Patzer’s key recommendations: Don’t spend more than one paycheck on the holidays. For someone making $60,000/year, that means spending no more than their average $1,500 bi-monthly paycheck on gifts, decorations, food and drinks for parties— everything.
“For many, budgeting is a dirty word. But in this economy, with the generosity of the season pulling at our wallets, budgeting is essential and doesn’t require as much work as some think. Pick a few problem areas – you may go out to restaurants too much, or spend too much on clothes. If you track and budget in just those categories, you’ll likely find enough money for gifts,” continued Patzer. “We recently had a user write in that after Mint showed her the ‘error of her ways,’ she’s cut out $5 visits to Starbucks, $7 visits to the work cafeteria, and is eating and drinking at home more. After two months, she’s not only cut $680/month in spending, but she’s also lost 3 pounds!”
Mint.com has recently released major updates to the product, adding: support for 1,000’s of new banks; mortgages, loans and investment tracking; customizable spending categories; and automatic budgeting features.
If that’s not nuts enough for you, then check this out. While California legislators agreed with a Harvard study (full report in PDF) that claimed 2,600 people are killed each year from talking on a cell phone while driving, those same legislators felt it was fine to allow drivers to do a little text messaging while navigating fossil fuel burners! In addition to that, you can take pictures with your phone, download games, surf the Internet, and be a good citizen and report accidents on Twitter. All without any fear of being pulled over and cited. Phew! I don’t know what I would have done if I couldn’t tweet while driving!
California is getting the word out and displaying warnings on its electronic signs through out the scene, as seen here on Interstate 80 Business in states capitol, Sacramento. (Note the reddish haze in the picture from the smoke coming from the nearly 900 fires currently a blaze in Northern California.) Surely many will ignore this sign because they are too busy talking on their phone but come July 1st, they’ll fine out quick enough. 
Now, I wonder if all the cops I see talking on their cell phones while driving will go hands-free as well. Wonder if I can slap ‘em with a $20 fine if they don’t.
CallWave, Inc. today announced the launch of its text messaging gadget (also known as a widget) for Microsoft Vista – a free, desktop-based application enabling users to send text messages to virtually anyone, anywhere from their computer whether their handset is nearby or not.
For mobile phone users who also use the web each day, the CallWave Free Text Messaging gadget delivers invaluable ease and efficiency – making the PC a natural companion to the mobile phone.
By making it easier to send text messages worldwide, CallWave Web 2.0 widgets and gadgets can dramatically increase text daily usage and adoption. While text messaging continues to grow in popularity, many consumers find it difficult to text on a phone’s small interface. CallWave solves this problem – using the familiarity and ease of the computer for text messaging. Additionally, users who are in front of their computers everyday may prefer the convenience of communicating in that environment.
During the beta, subscribers can send an unlimited number of text messages to phone numbers in the United States and Canada. The service also supports international SMS. With the gadget running on Microsoft Vista, users can view a list of contacts and select who to text. Replies to the message are routed to the subscriber’s handset. Subscribers will be given access to their messages stored in a permanent, searchable archive, accessible from a personal web page.
The CallWave Free Text Messaging gadget is free and available at http://www.callwave.com and the Windows Live Gallery.
fastmobile, the leading mobile integrated communications company, and its technology partner Jataayu Software, today announce the COAI and each of the nine operator members of the Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI – Airtel, Hutch, IDEA Cellular, BPL Mobile, Aircel, MTNL, BSNL, Reliance Mobile and Spice Telecom), have selected fastmobile and Jataayu to provide a range of services that will enable them to activate and sustain mobile communities. The deal will be the first major deployment of instant messaging services that adhere to the principles of the GSM Association’s Personal IM initiative launched at the 2006 3GSM World Congress.
“Our deal with fastmobile and Jataayu is crucial to the evolution of mobile communications services in India, where innovation is intrinsically linked to market development and success,” said TV Ramachandran, Director General of the COAI. “COAI members will soon be able to provide subscribers with extra features such as presence-based address books, email, instant messaging and content-sharing IM buddies for events like ICC World Cup Cricket. Importantly, we will also be able to create new kinds of commercial opportunities, such as person-to-person commerce and contextual advertising services.”
“fastmobile is delighted to be working with the COAI in the fastest growing mobile market in the world – together, these nine operators will serve close to 200 million subscribers by the end of 2007. Soon, we will be enabling these consumers to enjoy a more seamless, rich mobile communications experience without hurdles or limitations, engendering a sense of mobile community,” said John Hoffman, CEO fastmobile. “In turn, activating mobile communities will increase data stickiness and boost revenues for COAI operators.”
“We are excited to be working with fastmobile to deliver a StandardsPLUS IM client to all COAI operator members,” said Mayank Sharma, Head, Operator Solutions Business Unit, Jataayu. “We strongly believe that standards are critical for mass adoption of sophisticated messaging. Our standards-based products and fastmobile’s track record in innovation will provide a tremendous step forward in making advanced mobile devices and services more user friendly throughout India”
As part of the project, fastmobile will deploy its StandardsPLUS fmX1.5 (fastmobile eXperience) client with IMPS functionality provided by Jataayu.
Playing with MacSabber has been so fun that we here at SvenOnTech lost all hope of being productive and went searching for more fun Sudden Motion Sensor (SMS) applications. Boy did we find some good stuff.
We found this great widget that turns your SMS Mac into a full out level. Now you’ll be able to tell if that table at Starbucks is truly leveled while surfing SvenOnTech. Carpenter’s Level Dashboard Widget is probably the most fun and honestly the most useful widget we have! (Ya, most of our widgets are games.)
Speaking of games, we found another SMS program that turns your Mac notebook into a full out game. Literally. Bubblegym is the first tilt-sensitive game for any notebook, ever. You use your PowerBook (yes, the old-skool notebook only) to move pieces of fruit around the screen and get it through the shrinking goal. Seems fun, but if you’re a MacBook or MacBook Pro user, you have to use your arrow keys and, aah, no fun. (We hope for an update soon!)
If you’re interested in other SMS applications, take a spin over to William Computer Blog. He has a great list of such programs, including the ones we’ve listed, for your enjoyment.