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eBay offers low-cost wireless plans to go with your phone purchase
eBay is a popular marketplace for cell phones, and now the company wants to give purchasers the option of pairing those devices with a cellular plan when they check out. It is partnering with Red Pocket Mobile to offer low-priced wireless plans to all eBay customers who purchase a cell phone.
Adidas miCoach Speed_Cell measures your dunking prowess and serving skills
When it comes to sports gadgets, runners seem to get all the good stuff: the Nike+, the Motoactv and even the FitBit. For all the footballers, basketball players and aspiring tennis stars out there, Adidas is spreading the love with the introduction of its miCoach Speed_Cell -- a $69.99 device that measures motion and performance in every direction whether you're into tackling, serving or shooting. The gadget fits on the bottom side of compatible shoes to capture seven hours of stats including average and max speed, number of sprints, distance at high intensity levels, steps and strides. The coolest part? Your personal bests will transfer wirelessly to a smartphone, tablet, PC or Mac for post-practice critique, Sports Center style. The soccer-centric company has already released a compatible pair of cleats and has plans to put out more miCoach-friendly footwear, as well as a series of sport-specific apps allowing athletes to virtually monitor their performance. Jump, skip or dribble over to the PR after the break for the full deets.
Bay Area transit operator cuts cell service to thwart protest, activists abandon cause for Angry Birds
It looks like not even good old civil disobedience can survive without decent reception these days. In a seemingly successful attempt to shut down a protest of BART -- the Bay Area's answer to a subway system -- operators pulled the plug on cell service to multiple train stations, leaving would-be activists without a major organizing tool. The demonstration would have been the second in as many months in response to the shooting of a man by transit police. Officials had this to say in defense of the disruption: A civil disturbance during commute times at busy downtown San Francisco stations could lead to platform overcrowding and unsafe conditions for BART customers, employees and demonstrators. BART temporarily interrupted service at select BART stations as one of many tactics to ensure the safety of everyone on the platform. That didn't seem to sit well with some, as the cutoff has lead to a campaign by hackers, comparing the system to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who disconnected the country's internet during its recent revolution. It may have a ring to it, but muBARTek does seem a little much, don't you think?
Jitterbug comes to Verizon's network, 'Can you hear me now' guy replaced by Wilford Brimley
We don't see much of Jitterbug in these parts, though we do love the premise: a simple handset with a nostalgic name designed expressly to not excite Grandma so much. Sure, we were disappointed when the company ditched the three-button controls for a traditional keypad, but apparently even seniors would like to call someone besides "Home," "Operator," or "911" from time to time. And now, Verizon has announced that it will be taking over as Jitterbug's wireless carrier, a move which should result in better coverage and cheaper plans -- doesn't the "greatest generation" deserve at least that much? Full PR after the break.
Is T-Mobile's data service down for you?
We've gotten more than a handful of tips about T-Mobile's data service being down to be a coincidence, from a number of different regions of the US -- Kansas City, Cincinnati, Minnesota and Cleveland, among others. We've asked T-Mo for an official comment, but in the interim let us know if you're having problems accessing mobile web or email.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Is AT&T down for you?
We're getting way too many tips on AT&T being down for it to be a coincidence -- how's it going for you? Both EDGE and 3G are pretty spotty for us at the moment in Illinois, but they're working in NYC, which jibes with reports of a Midwest-specific outage, but we're also hearing there are troubles nationwide. We've pinged AT&T for an official statement, but in the meantime let us know if things are working for you wherever you are. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Russian spy plane to be re-purposed as cellphone tower
We've already seen balloons used to provide cellphone service, but it looks like the Russians could soon be putting that setup to shame, with one of its Myasishchev M-55 spy planes now reportedly set to be demoed as a makeshift cellphone tower early next year. That'll apparently happenin Malaysia over the course of February and March, but it seems like that could just be the beginning, with one " unnamed Western firm" said to be in discussions with the aircraft's manufacturer about the possibility of resuming production of the planes specifically for this purpose. Among other things, that would allow the plane to used to provide cellphone service in disaster areas, with its 17,000 meter altitude and 5,000 kilometer range allowing it to cover a wide range on the ground with relative ease.[Via textually.org]
