cell phone
China Lost Millions of Cell Phone Users in 2020: Official Data
China recently issued conflicting sets of data for the number of cell phone and landline users in the country. But the data all reflect a net loss of millions of cell phone users, leading some to speculate whether the decline was due to the economic downturn, pandemic-related deaths, or something else all together. Today, nearly […]
Defense Intelligence Agency Buying Phone Location Data Without Warrants
A U.S. intelligence agency is buying phone location data without using warrants, according to a newly released document. In a memo dated Jan. 15 (pdf) to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) said analysts had searched U.S. device location data five times in the past two-and-a-half years. The Supreme Court ruled in […]
Dialing in on Cell Phone Bans in High School
Like it or not teenagers are carrying cell phones. They are on their phone at the mall, on the bus, and in many cases, at school. According to 2015 numbers from Pew Research, 73 percent of teens have access to a smartphone. Cell phones in the classroom in particular present a variety of problems. Students […]
N.J. Governor’s Wife Caught in Distracted Driving Dragnet
Mary Pat Christie, wife of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, has been caught driving while using her cellphone and fined $250. Mrs. Christie knew she was guilty—and to her credit, didn’t try to use her position to escape the consequences. Officer Timothy Richard issued the Mrs. Christie a $250 ticket for distracted driving. This was probably […]
Ten years on the iPhone is still a high-tech wonder
Apple’s iPhone has been leading the way in personal communication devices for a decade now. When it was unveiled in January of 2007, it was one of the first phones with a touch screen. It didn’t need a stylus, and it had a keyboard big enough for adult-sized fingers. Still, it wasn’t all that. There […]
EU eliminates roaming fees
The EU has abolished cellphone roaming fees. Now EU travelers can use their phones anywhere in the zone with no added charge. “I’ve been in Europe for two weeks spending three pounds a day to be able to use my phone, and tomorrow I don’t have to, and it’s great,” said Charlie Wild, a musician […]
EU voting to make phone use more affordable
European ministers decided on April 25 to reduce the cost of using cellphones. The European Commission proposed steady annual reductions for maximum charges for data, calls, and texts. We adopted two legal acts. The first was to end the mobile roaming charges and the second to pave the way for the 5G technology by legislating […]
Comcast to sell cellphone plans on Verizon’s network
NEW YORK (AP)—The cable giant Comcast will start selling cellphone plans called Xfinity Mobile in the coming months, using a network it’s leasing from Verizon. Many subscribers will save money, especially if they don’t use a lot of data. The catch: Only Comcast internet customers can sign up. Comcast, which has nearly 25 million high-speed […]
Drop in cell phone imports cuts February trade deficit almost ten percent
WASHINGTON (AP)—The U.S. trade deficit declined sharply in February as imports from China fell by a record amount and American exports rose for a third straight month. The deficit fell to $43.6 billion in February, 9.6 percent below January’s deficit of $48.2 billion, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. Exports rose a tiny 0.2 percent to […]