CellphoneJammer
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Wolfhound sniffs out inmates' cellphones much better than an actual wolfhound would (video)
Are you the warden of a small-town prison, or perhaps an irate movie theater usher who's sick of ungrateful patrons interrupting Step Up 3D because they can't be bothered to turn of their handsets? Cellphone jamming is, for the most part, still out of the question, so Berkeley Varitronics has introduced a little something called the Wolfhound. Previously known as the Bloodhound, the device lets you hone in on RF signals, which means it won't help you if phones are powered down, but if your perp has one on standby, or if they're talking, texting, or surfing the web, you're golden. Interested? Of course you are! Hit the company up for a price quote -- but not before checking the video after the break.
TxTStopper announces cellphone jammer for your car, Microsoft too busy texting and driving to notice
Texting while driving is some pretty dangerous bloodsport. Knowing that still isn't going to change the behavior of an insolent teen. So why not take matters into your own hands, parents, and install a mini cellphone jammer in the family car? TxtStopper, a professionally installed 12 volt device, will apparently shut down all communications on any US cellphones operating in the car -- yes, including the non-driving passengers -- when the car is on and in gear. Unfortunately, TxtStopper's site chooses to prey on consumer fears rather than offer up any real technical details so we'll just trust them that it works as advertised, ok? For $200, maybe not. As an aside, the image above was grabbed from Microsoft's promotional video for its new Windows Live Messenger beta. A touch irresponsible to be promoting its mobile Messaging app for smartphones in this way don't you think? Skip ahead to the 1 minute 55 second mark of the embedded video if you need an outlet for your Monday morning angst. [Thanks, Max]
Prison cellphone jamming gets its first test in Maryland
As we wait for the Safe Prisons Communication Act to pass the House, word comes out of Maryland that FCI Cumberland will begin testing cellphone jamming technology this week. As you well know, critics of the plan have voiced concerns that the technology could interfere with emergency response and legitimate cell phone use near prisons, but the state is determined to put those criticisms to rest -- and to keep inmates from using contraband cellphones for prank calling the warden's wife, sexting folks on the outside, ordering brutal execution-style "hits" on people, and quite frankly bedeviling the law-abiding citizens that prisons are meant to protect. We can't help but wonder how HBO's Oz would have turned out differently if this had happened ten years ago.
'Safe Prisons Communication Act' passes Senate, inmates won't be able to hear you soon
Inmates certainly are industrious folk, relying on pigeons and helicopters and surely the odd baked good or body cavity to smuggle cell phones into prisons. Soon it'll be all for naught, with the Senate unanimously passing the Safe Prisons Communications Act of 2009, allowing prisons to use cellphone jammers. Now the Act will be run over to the House, where we presume it'll flow through with equal expediency. Mind you, cellphone jammer usage outside of jails will continue to be decidedly illegal, meaning activating one could result in your going to jail. Now that would be tragic. [Via textually.org]
Cellphone jammer crammed into key fob, ends texting / talking while driving
Face it, kids. You missed the best time to be a teenager by around five or so years. As it stands now, technology is cutting into that adolescent fun, with device like Ford's MyKey and this one here ensuring that you're actually safe behind the wheel. In all seriousness, the terribly named Key2SafeDriving is a fine concept (at least in the parent's eye), as it fuses a cellphone jammer (of sorts) into a key fob in order to put the kibosh on freeway conversations. Essentially, the signal blocking kicks into action anytime the "key" portion is flicked out, connecting to a handset via Bluetooth or RFID and forcing it into "driving mode." No actual jamming, per se, is going on; it's more like a manual override of the ringer. Anyone who phones / texts you while you're safely driving will receive an automated response informing them of such, though we are told that handsfree devices can be utilized. Researchers at the University of Utah are hoping to see it on the market within six months via a private company "at a cost of less than $50 per key plus a yet-undetermined monthly service fee."[Via Gadgets-Weblog]
Japan installs cellphone jammers near ATMs to prevent fraud
If you're tired of being scammed at ATMs by kind, gentle-hearted con artists (and then forgetting it ever happened), you'll be stoked to know that Japan is looking out for you. Chiba Bank has installed phone signal jammers at four unnamed ATMs at bank branches in the Tokyo region, and while it has gone down as the first institution to go to such lengths, we highly doubt it'll be the last. It's not entirely clear what exactly the criminals were able to convince people to do via mobile, but it's probably something like "psst... get me out some cheddar and meet around back." Not that we have any experience in the field or anything...[Via textually]
Brando's Palm Phone Jammer kills GSM calls dead
We've seen all manners of jammers before, including one or two that shut down cellphone calls, but now even Brando's joining the fun with its diminutive Portable Palm Phone Jammer. Yep, the same company known for cranking out obscure USB-related peripherals and objects that heat and / or cool most anything you need is now giving you the opportunity to scramble GSM 850-, 900-, 1,800- and 1,900MHz cellphone calls "within a 30-foot radius." Granted, these aren't exactly legal in America, but for those looking for a little revelry elsewhere, you can pick one up as we speak for $166.[Via The Raw Feed]
