Sign up for a new account or log in here:
also @ TechSpot: Microsoft launches YouTube app, Google demands it taken down
TechSpot News
sms articles
Messaging on chat apps now more popular than SMS texting
- A growing number of mobile users are turning to chat apps to communicate with friends and family, shunning text messaging plans that once served as major cash cows for wireless providers. Daily traffic from services like iMessage, BlackBerry Messenger and…
Android infections tripled in 2012, "Bill Shocker" costliest mobile malware ever
- Android has become an increasingly popular target for malware authors, a recent report (pdf) by NQ Mobile indicates. The security firm claims that it discovered over 65,000 types of malware -- more than double the amount from 2011 -- and bills…
Android botnet turns infected handsets into SMS spam generators
- A new Trojan called SpamSolider that infects Android devices is to blame for an increasing number of spam text messages in the US. The malicious software is bundled alongside free versions of popular mobile games like Angry Birds Space and…
Trojan bypasses two-factor authentication, steals $46.5 million
- A sophisticated, multi-layered trojan dubbed "Eurograbber" is estimated to be responsible for siphoning over €36 million -- or about $46.5 million -- from the bank accounts of unsuspecting Europeans. In a case study (pdf) performed by Versafe and Check Point Software Technologies, researchers reveal…
Rumor: Facebook eyeing mobile messaging service WhatsApp
- Rumor has it that Facebook is interested in buying the hugely popular cross-platform messaging service WhatsApp, in a move for the social network to “extend touchpoints with mobile consumers”. The ad-free messaging app has about 100 million daily users, with…
Happy Birthday: The text message turns 20 years old today
- One of the most popular means of modern communication is celebrating its 20th birthday today. The very first text message was sent from a PC to a mobile phone on December 3, 1992, by then 22-year-old Neil Papworth over the…
Two text message spammers fined $700,000 in the UK
- It seems that no matter what medium people use for communication, spammers always find a way to make it a little less attractive. Junk mail, telemarketers, email spam and now even SMS spam have all likely been experienced by most…
MetroPCS launches Joyn, iMessage and Facetime rival
- Today MetroPCS announced the launch of Joyn, a bundle of communication protocols which include functionality similar to Blackberry Messenger, iMessage and Facetime. Joyn is based on the interworkable Rich Communication Services standard and promises to (eventually) deliver Metro PCS subscribers IP-based…
Apple responds to SMS vulnerability in iOS, suggests using iMessage
- Apple has replied to a story that surfaced last week highlighting a SMS vulnerability in iOS that has existed since the original iPhone shipped in 2007 and is still present in iOS 6 beta 4. Instead of offering to fix…
SMS spoofing vulnerability exposed in Apple's iOS
- A prominent jailbreaker that goes by the handle Pod2g has exposed a vulnerability in the way iOS interprets key SMS data that could allow scammers to gain sensitive information from iPhone users. Essentially, the flaw makes it possible to change…
Tech Tip of the Week: Using IFTTT, Plus a Dozen Recipes to Get You Started
-
IFTTT (If This Then That) lets you automate tasks between popular web services such as Dropbox, Twitter, Evernote, Facebook, Instapaper, and many others. IFTTT works by telling it what task you want carried out, what will trigger this task, and it will put it into action for you.
A common example would be to have your Instagram pictures automatically backed up on your Dropbox or Box account. Certainly useful, but there's also more specific things you can do with it. For example, say I want to keep up with how a certain country is doing in the London 2012 Olympics.
Carriers lost $13.9 billion in SMS revenue during 2011
- Research firm Ovum estimates that wireless providers lost nearly $14 billion in SMS revenue during 2011 due to social messaging. If past trends are any indication, that number is likely to increase moving forward as Ovum warns operators to rework…
SMS flaw discovered in Windows Phone 7.5
- Microsoft's mobile platform is coming under increased scrutiny after it was revealed that smartphones running Windows Phone 7.5 are at risk of denial-of-service (DoS) attacks that can disable their messaging functions.
Smozzy Android app lets you surf the web via SMS
- A new Android app called Smozzy allows users to access websites without using a data plan. The clever app circumvents traditional web content delivery by utilizing Short Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), otherwise known as text messaging.
AT&T cuts $10 text messaging plan for new customers
- AT&T’s $10 text messaging plan will soon follow the company’s unlimited data plan to the grave. Engadget received an anonymous tip that the company was nixing their 1,000 message bundle, which has now been confirmed by an AT&T spokesperson. …
Carriers see high-margin SMS business slow down
- For years wireless carriers in the U.S. have been making a good chunk of revenue from text messaging, charging anything from around 20 cents a text to $20 a month for an unlimited texting plan. But growth in the volume…
Android hit with first Trojan, racks up charges via SMS
- Kaspersky has reportedly discovered the first Trojan specifically aimed at Android-based handsets. Identified as Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.FakePlayer.a, the malware is disguised as a harmless media player application and prompts users to install a seemingly standard .APK file that weighs just over 13KB.…
Most Popular
| Trending | Featured |
Subscribe to TechSpot
Get free exclusive content, learn about new features and breaking tech news.
TechSpot on: