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You can bring your own Android phone to Xfinity Mobile
You no longer need an iPhone if you want to bring an unlocked smartphone to Xfinity Mobile. The Comcast wireless service (which runs on the network of Engadget parent Verizon) has expanded its bring-your-own-device program to include Android smartphones. It's currently limited to semi-recent Samsung phones ranging from the Galaxy S8 to the Galaxy Note 9, so you'll want to forget dreams of bringing an S10 or Google Pixel to the network for now. The list of compatible devices will expand in the "near future," Comcast said.
Investigators can't make you give up your work phone's passcode
American law enforcement might have free rein to make you unlock a phone using your fingerprint, but personal passcodes? Nope. A Pennsylvania-based federal judge has ruled that the Securities and Exchange Commission can't make two former Capital One employees hand over the passcodes for their old work-supplied smartphones to prove that they're guilty of insider trading. While the US Constitution's Fifth Amendment doesn't protect people from self-incrimination using corporate records, both devices were locked with codes that only their owners knew. That's personal information still covered by constitutional protections, according to the court.
BlackBerry bids farewell to its hardware past by acquiring Good
If you had any lingering doubts that BlackBerry's days as a hardware-first company are over, they've just been eliminated. BlackBerry has acquired Good Technology for $425 million, giving it one of the better-known names involved in making smartphones work-friendly. The crew in Waterloo isn't shy about the reasons behind its move, either. Good is well-known for helping corporations and governments keep tabs on non-BlackBerry platforms, especially iOS. While BlackBerry already has some tools for this, the deal both improves its weak points and gives it a foot in the door at places where Good may be the only way to secure Android or iOS gear -- the firm has certifications that even BlackBerry lacks.
Helio's cellphone service comes back to life with a $29 plan
Remember Helio, the virtual carrier that tried to cater to the tech-savvy young crowd (not so successfully) with data-centric plans and rebranded basic phones? It's baaaack. Ubi Telecom, a mobile company focused on Korean-speaking Americans, has quietly revived the brand as a mostly bring-your-own-device service on Sprint's network, with Verizon* as a roaming partner. However, it's definitely not the provider you remember from a decade ago. Service is much cheaper at $29 (tax included!) for unlimited data, text and voice, but that data is capped at a paltry 128Kbps -- you won't be checking out Netflix. The ready-to-go phone catalog is old, too, with the Galaxy S4 being as good as it gets. The resurrected Helio makes sense if you think that even Virgin Mobile's $35 plans are too rich for your blood, but it won't trigger those warm, fuzzy nostalgic feelings.
IBM tech finds virus-laden apps before they reach your phone
Mobile malware is bad enough by itself, but it's a nightmare at work -- one infection could put everyone's phones at risk, if not the whole business. IBM has a fix, though. A new version of its MobileFirst Protect tool now automatically looks for virus-ridden Android and iOS apps on staffers' phones, and puts any compromised device on lockdown before it can pose a threat to you or anyone else. It immediately limits access to apps and services, and it'll let your IT staff know if there's trouble. The system automatically updates its malware knowledge, too, so it shouldn't be caught off-guard by recently discovered exploits. Yes, IBM's threat tool is another form of corporate oversight, but it could prove a lifesaver if it prevents a careless coworker from wrecking your personal phone. [Image credit: IBM, Flickr]
Apple and IBM team up to put more iOS devices in the workplace
If you had any lingering notions that Apple and IBM were still bitter arch-rivals, they just got swept away. The two companies have just launched a partnership that could give iPads and iPhones a much larger presence in the workaday world. IBM has agreed to develop over 100 enterprise-grade apps solely for iOS, along with iOS-focused cloud services; it will also sell Apple's mobile gear as part of its larger solutions, and it's even handling on-site support. Apple, meanwhile, is offering a special business-friendly support plan.
Android for Work lets your personal and business data coexist on one device
If you've bemoaned the inability to use your personal Android phone for company business, Google has some heartening news. It just unveiled Android for Work, a code platform that lets your business and personal info coexist on a single device. The technology (derived from Samsung's Knox) keeps the data types separate without requiring any changes to existing apps. Every major Android manufacturer should have Android for Work certification in the fall, with promises of both guaranteed updates and full security. The office-friendly feature is baked into the Android L release from the start, but don't despair if you're toting an older device -- Google is promising an app that works on Android gadgets running Ice Cream Sandwich or later.
Citrix announces DesktopPlayer for Mac, bringing Windows virtual desktops to MacBook users
One challenge for enterprise IT departments embracing "bring your own device" (BYOD) schemes is that they lose control of the highly controlled managed desktop environments that they've created over the years. This is especially true when employees decide that their device of choice is going to be a MacBook... Citrix today announced a solution that will make both employees and IT departments happy -- Citrix DesktopPlayer for Mac. For many enterprises, Citrix XenDesktop provides a way to create standard cloud-based desktop images complete with operating system, productivity apps like Microsoft Office, policy controls and proprietary applications, and then distribute those images to networked employees. Any changes that need to be made to the image go through a rigorous test, and then the revised image is pushed to employee PCs. What Citrix Desktop Player brings to MacBook users is a way to use the same Windows virtual desktop images on their devices, even when there's no network availability. While the base OS X load on the MacBook remains under the control of the employee, the enterprise gains control of the virtual desktop. According to Citrix, an IT department can "prevent access to, expire or even remotely wipe local virtual desktops in the event of device loss, theft or when an employee or contractor leaves the company." DesktopPlayer comes from Citrix at the right time -- the company cites information from Forrester Research showing by 2016, the number of employees using their own laptop or tablet will double. Citrix did its own survey and found that BYO MacBooks will grow from a present level of 5 percent of employee base in enterprises to 16 percent by 2016. DesktopPlayer is available as a XenDesktop FlexCast add-on at US$75 per user/per device. The company has a 90-day free trial available that can be used with Synchronizer to manage up to 10 MacBook Pro or MacBook Air laptops.
FreedomPop now lets you bring your own phone, offers $99 HTC Evo 4G
FreedomPop's free cellphone plan is tempting, but we doubt that everyone wants to use one of the carrier's few available handsets. Thankfully, they won't have to. The discount provider has just launched a bring-your-own option that lets anyone with a compatible Sprint phone (CDMA plus LTE or WiMAX) jump on FreedomPop's extra-frugal services. Subscribers who don't yet have a phone are getting a little more choice at the same time; the carrier is simultaneously resurrecting the HTC Evo 4G, which is available for $99 contract-free. You'll still have to live in an area with healthy Sprint coverage for FreedomPop's plans to make sense, but the new option means that you won't have to abandon a favorite device if you're interested in switching.
BlackBerry announces cloud-based enterprise mobility management for iOS
Embattled mobile hardware makers BlackBerry has announced that it is bringing a new cloud software solution to iOS to enable "trusted and simple" enterprise mobility management on Apple's devices. The new cloud solution (which apparently doesn't have a name yet) aims to tackle the BYOD complexities of the modern office. BYOD stands for "bring your own device" and refers to the wants/needs of the modern worker to work on devices of their choice -- often their own personal devices -- be it Android, iOS, Windows Phone or BlackBerry. BlackBerry says its upcoming solution will enable companies to "manage apps, get friendly technical support and a whole lot more," including: Simple and fast deployment. No server hardware or software to install, just register and go. Administrators can easily manage and secure smartphones and tablets. The simple Web-based admin console will provide easy activation and deployment of BlackBerry, iOS and Android™ smartphones, app management, security policy configuration and compliance monitoring. Administrators can secure, deploy and manage apps. Administrators will be able to build a catalog of public apps from the App StoreSM, Google Play and the BlackBerry World storefront, and then view app distribution and usage for all users and devices. End-users can manage their own devices through the self-service console. End-users will be able to easily perform common management tasks such as setting up or changing device passwords and remote wipe and lock without relying on an administrator, giving them independence and saving on helpdesk calls. There's no word on a release date or exact cost, but BlackBerry says enterprise mobility management will cost "less than a cup of coffee a month."
BlackBerry developing 'simple' enterprise cloud service for BB, Android and iOS
BlackBerry is in dire straits, but a freshly announced enterprise cloud service could be something of a Lazarus Pit. A post to Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog states that the service will allow admins to keep an eye on employee smartphones and tablets as well as distribute apps. This apparently won't require any IT experience or servers, and will cost "less than a cup of coffee" per user per month. The as yet unnamed service will operate across Android and iOS as well as BlackBerry, which could make it attractive as a BYOD tool and potentially keep it relevant regardless of the Canadian firm's manufacturing future.
T-Mobile brings Simple Choice plans to business customers on August 26th
Coming August 26th, T-Mobile will make its Simple Choice plans available to business customers, effectively severing the tie between the cost of devices and mobile service. The pricing structure is geared to customers with six lines or more, with rates that start at $20 per line for unlimited talk, text and 500MB of overage-free / throttled data. Keeping in line with its approach on the consumer end, business users can then pay for additional data, starting at $30 for an extra 2GB and going up to $50 for unlimited 4G data (and 2.5GB of limited hotspot use). T-Mobile is hoping its new approach will be popular with the BYOD crowd, but it's also performing a balancing act with a subsidized Simple Choice Classic plan that runs an additional $20 per month. Meanwhile, companies with less than six lines can tap into T-Mobile's small business plans, which parallels the pricing that individuals pay.
MetroPCS launches GSM-based Bring Your Own Phone service in four cities
We'd heard rumors that T-Mobile would take advantage of its MetroPCS deal to offer bring-your-own-device service to more customers, and it isn't letting us down with the launch of MetroPCS' Bring Your Own Phone. Much like T-Mobile itself, MetroPCS can now offer its plans to customers with unlocked GSM phones. Don't be too quick to hop aboard, however. Only those in Boston, Dallas, Hartford and Las Vegas can switch service right away, and the carrier's official support is limited to Android, iPhone and Windows Phone devices. Should everything line up, though, Bring Your Own Phone is available today.
CES 2013: FileMaker celebrates half a million iOS downloads
FileMaker was here in attendance at the Digital Experience event last night at CES in Las Vegas, and they had some big news to announce: The company has reached a full half million iOS downloads for its database-driven software solutions. That's a big milestone for the company, and while iOS installs still pale in comparison to the huge amount of desktop users, a rep from the company told us that this many downloads signifies a big shift that FileMaker is going through. Initially, we were told, when devices like the iPad first arrived, they were seen only as content reading devices -- even Steve Jobs sat down on stage with the iPad and showed off how it worked as a content reading device. But what FileMaker's seen since then is that users have started bringing their iPads to work, and using them to actually browse through and compile business information. The third phase, said the FileMaker rep, is actual creation on the device itself, which is what they say is driving adoption of their apps. FileMaker's apps can not only create databases and information files, but the apps can also deliver some custom interactivity as well: The staff showed off a point-of-sale solution, as well as even a very simple math game, all put together with FileMaker's software. The company said that the biggest challenge in acquiring new users is just teaching them how versatile the software can be, and just what it's capable of. Finally, we asked about the emerging trend of "bring your own device" among iOS devices, where users are bringing their own personal iPhones and iPads to the work environment. FileMaker said that it has benefited from that trend for sure, and that it's just one of many drivers for their iOS popularity. FileMaker is one of the oldest brands around in Apple software, and it's interesting to see that it's finding such success on Apple's newest platform.
Microsoft's going to make it pricier to bring your iOS device to work
When you can't beat 'em in the tablet and smartphone market, license 'em. That seems to be the tactic that Microsoft will begin using on December 1, 2012 when it starts charging more for user client-access licenses. Many companies are now embracing the BYOD (bring your own device) model, allowing employees to bring their own tablets, smartphones or laptops to work. According to a post on Business Insider, businesses that use Microsoft enterprise software like SharePoint pay for the part that runs on the server and also for the number of clients that are using the software. Companies with more employees pay more than those with fewer people on staff. There are two kinds of client access licenses (CALs) that enterprises can buy: a "Device CAL" that covers each device, and a "User CAL" that covers all devices that a particular employee uses. For companies using the BYOD model, User CALs were a pretty good deal. Well, that's what Microsoft is going to start charging more for on December 1, raising the price of a User CAL by 15 percent. It should be noted that the higher price also pertains to Windows phones and laptops and Surface tablets, although Business Insider does point out that better deals are probably available from Microsoft for an all-Windows environment. The enterprise software affected includes Microsoft Exchange, Project Server, SharePoint Server, Visual Studio Team Foundation Server and multiple CALs for Windows Server.
Daily Update for October 16, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
iPhone appealing as BYOD smartphone thanks to security warning
When it comes to mobile devices in enterprises, Apple's iOS platform leads the way. But according to an opinion post by Computerworld's Jonny Evans, iOS may become even more dominant in enterprise computing thanks to a security warning about Android devices that came from the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a Federal task force that includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance. That security scare, dealing with Android malware, isn't the only reason why corporate IT departments are welcoming iPhones into companies as "bring your own device" (or BYOD) equipment. As Evans notes, a new system from HID Global brings government-level biometric security to the iPhone, and the next iPhone could feature built-in identification technology from Microlatch and Apple-owned AuthenTec. Evans lists six reasons why Apple provides the most secure BYOD smartphones on the market: Apple's iOS is inherently more secure than Android for a host of reasons, not least device fragmentation and the availability of security updates. Apple's App Store is more secure because it is curated. The FBI and others note the frequency of malware attacks on poorly protected Android devices. BYOD means enterprises are looking to standardize around a set of secure devices, but need to make those decisions sooner, not later. Solutions are already available that allow an iPhone to meet government agency-level security requirements, including secure monitoring of communications sent using that device. With the Lightning data transfer protocol, Apple is already laying the ground for future device security improvements. In conclusion, Evans notes that "the platform's current position as the world's most secure mass market mobile OS makes it the best platform for enterprise deployments." It's a good read for anyone in corporate IT or who is attempting to persuade their employer to allow iOS devices in a BYOD situation.
Fido switches on LTE, gives Canadians a taste of slightly more budget-minded 4G
Canadians have had fairly limited options for LTE-based 4G if they didn't want to turn to the three main carrier brands: they could go to a Bell-owned Virgin Mobile, and that's it. While there isn't a truly independent LTE carrier yet, Rogers' lower-cost Fido label has just taken its promised LTE access live to at least offer some competition among the smaller names in the field. Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, St. John's, Toronto and Vancouver can immediately hop on the network at speeds of up to 100Mbps. Bring-your-own-device users don't have to pay a premium to get the faster speeds, although there's currently little choice in hardware if you want to buy straight from the source: the lone LTE device on offer is Sierra Wireless' AirCard 763S hotspot, which costs $50 on a two-year contract. The flexible rate data-only plan also isn't the greatest deal, starting at $22 for a gone-in-five-minutes 100MB per month to $92 for 9GB. All the same, light data users in the True North will be glad to know they don't have to be relegated to 3G to save a few dollars.
Daily Update for July 20, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Qantas replacing staff BlackBerrys with iPhones, Australian flights may be held up by Tiny Wings
RIM has already been feeling the sting of lost customers. That sting isn't getting any gentler, as Qantas just outlined plans to replace all 1,300 BlackBerry phones in the fleet with iPhones. As the airline explains to The Australian, a mix of cost overhead and employee feedback is steering the decision to wing it Apple's way. We also imagine Qantas may be facing the usual airline dilemma of having to replace large swaths of equipment after clinging to old technology for dear life. Naturally, the company is keen to reassure passengers that the security is up to snuff as well, and a Bring Your Own Device effort could see Android fly once it's approved. The time scale is indefinite enough that it's unlikely that we'll see the airline crew members distracted by a game of Amazing Alex on that next flight to Melbourne -- we only know that they'll be weaning themselves off of BlackBerry Messenger before too long.
