Modular smartphone launched by @Fairphone – a mobile designed with a long lifespan, OMG! – an annotated infographic

Amsterdam-based technologists Fairphone has announced a new modular smartphone. The company aims to produce a smartphone designed with minimal harm to the planet and with a longer lifespan than most phones. The idea behind this phone is that its battery, circuitry, screen, cameras and microphone modules can all be switched out with relative ease, whether to replace broken components or to upgrade to more powerful versions in the future. “We need to build products that last much longer than the next upgrade cycle”, the company says. Is this a (slight) return to the concept of quality before profit? To the … Continue reading Modular smartphone launched by @Fairphone – a mobile designed with a long lifespan, OMG! – an annotated infographic

Did you get my message? How to send texts from anywhere in the world – an annotated infographic

A new gadget called the goTenna allows network-free texting from virtually any corner of the globe. If your mobile phone network goes down or is out of range, sending text messages is impossible. The new goTenna uses low-frequency radio waves to create its own network, enabling users to exchange text messages without relying on mobile phone masts or cell towers. Click on the graphic for an expanded view. Continue reading Did you get my message? How to send texts from anywhere in the world – an annotated infographic

Android mobile TV games subscription service launched

PC and mobile gaming provider Exent and consumer electronics provider Vestel announced at IBC 2011 that they have teamed up to launch the world’s first all-you-can-eat Android TV game subscription service. As the Games on Demand provider for the Vestel Smart Box Set-Top Box (STB), Exent will bring consumers top Android mobile games to TV for the first time ever. The companies said that GameTanium on the Vestel Smart Box represented “a giant leap forward in casual gaming for TV” which capitalizes on the continued migration of STBs from Linux to Android-based operating systems, which has paved the way for … Continue reading Android mobile TV games subscription service launched