TechBytes: No Phone Zone Day
No phone zone day, Google for TV, Kindle upgrade, Toktumi Line2 app review.
April 30, 2010— -- Oprah Winfrey is teaming up with the government to launch a campaign against distracted driving today. She is hoping to get people to stop talking and texting while they drive. She'll ask viewers to take a pledge to make their cars " no phone zones." More than 215,000 people have already signed the pledge.
You may soon be googling from your television. The Wall Street Journal is reporting Google plans to introduce television software at an event next month. The technology is based on the Android software that powers many smart phones. It's designed to open set-top boxes, TV's and other devices to more content from the internet. Sony, Intel and others are expected to offer products that use the software.
Amazon is updating the software for the Kindle, adding some social networking features. Kindle owners will be able to share book passages with their friends on Facebook and Twitter. They'll also be able to find the parts of books other Kindle users think are the most interesting. Other enhancements include password protection and larger font sizes. The software update will be available late next month.
One of the biggest complaints about the iPhone is AT&T's often spotty service. A new app called Line2 aims to fill the gaps by allowing users to make and receive calls using Wi-Fi. It also supplies a second phone number, conference calling and a bunch of other features. USA Today's Ed Baig says the app offers an impressive set of features, with only a few drawbacks.
"Unlike say Skype, there's no instant messaging or text messaging. And the phone is supposed to make a hand-off when you move from a Wi-Fi network to a cellular network, or vice versa. That didn't always work," says Baig. "But overall, Line2 is a terrific app and a nice solution for folks who are having trouble with ATT." You can read Ed's full review on USAToday.com
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