Now here's an interesting question, one that young digital media users don't hear a lot: "What does the good side of the Internet look like?" They're invited to submit a creative answer to that question in video format, either as individuals (aged 13+) or as students on behalf of a particular school, for the 2013 "What's Your Story" contest launched today, Safer Internet Day, Feb. 5 (for more on … [Read more...] about Great opportunities launched on Safer Internet Day
mobile phones
Global mobiles: Research
Almost half (46%) of the world's people now have mobile phones, according to The Economist, citing research from GSMA, the international mobile carrier association. That's 3.2 billion people who "have at least one active mobile phone" – compared to the mere 1-2.45 billion who use the Internet (the high end is from the ITU via Wikipedia). But they're not two separate figures, since many people in … [Read more...] about Global mobiles: Research
Texting apps taking over the world, it seems
You know that texting doesn't just happen on phones, right? Kids can (and do) download a free texting app to any wi-fi-enabled device – iPod Touches, iPads, Android tablets, etc. – and text with their friends for hours without racking up any Verizon, AT&T or other mobile carriers' charges. For the same reason that they're popular in countries where SMS, or text messaging, costs a lot, they're … [Read more...] about Texting apps taking over the world, it seems
1 billion smartphones
As of the beginning of this month, there are now a billion smartphones being used on the planet, up from 708 million a year ago, MobileBusinessBriefing.com reports, citing data from Strategy Analytics. That's 1 in 7 people on Earth, the market research firm says, and "16 years after the first smartphone [the Nokia Communicator] was launched in 1996." The iPhone arrived in the market in 2007. The … [Read more...] about 1 billion smartphones
Does tracking our kids’ every move make them safer?
Reflecting on a cellphone app developer's claim, I'm thinking that tracking our kids' movements, moment by moment, isn't the best way to enhance "family awareness." Those are the words of Chris Hull, CEO of the company that developed the Life360 tracking app, in an interview for Time. Is that "awareness" as in "surveillance"? Oddly, Time interpreted Hull's reference to be "family awareness" as … [Read more...] about Does tracking our kids’ every move make them safer?