Orgoo Integrates Your Email, IM, SMS
TechCrunch is blogging about a new Ajax-based service called Orgoo. Orgoo claims to integrate your email, IM, chat, SMS, video messaging and other web communication accounts all in one place.
Los Angeles-based Orgoo is a new webmail service that is going to be a popular application for some users. Not only does it emulate Outlook-style desktop mail applications extremely well, it also integrates instant messaging from all of the major IM providers directly into the interface. If you are looking for a service-independent webmail/IM service, you'll want to check this out.TechCrunch says Orgoo is offering 3 GB of storage for free. Competition includes Goowy and Foldera. These kinds of services will probably be of interest to people who like to try lots of different email and IM providers.
If you've been around long enough to remember Oddpost, which launched in 2002, you'll see similarities with Orgoo. Like Oddpost, Orgoo is an Ajax webmail service that lets users access their favorite email accounts via POP or IMAP access. Evolution of the Oddpost service stopped, however, in 2004 when it was acquired by Yahoo. Much of the Oddpost engine has now been integrated into Yahoo mail.
The key difference between Orgoo and the major Internet webmail services (Gmail, Yahoo, Live Hotmail, AOL) is that it also integrates instant messaging from all major providers.
Posted on May 14, 2007
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Study Finds 3G Phones Will Change Social Habits
A study on 3G phones, the next-generation of the cell phone which has broadband speed and video recording, has found the the phones could change the way people behave. A BBC article about the study says men and women used the phones differently and that the phones could eliminate blind-dates.Men used the technical capabilities of their phones more extensively than women, the report suggested, often adopting fictional personas to make amateur news reports, dubbed the "Andrew Marr effect" by researchers.The article also says some people made short films and news broadcasts with the phones. Some women also shopped with the phones asking other people how they looked in different outfits. We can also be sure that teenagers will come up with new and unexpected uses for the 3G phones.
Some women used their phones to take pictures of taxi drivers in an effort to guarantee personal safety.
The increasing use of camera and video capabilities has already opened up new opportunities for phone users to contribute to news coverage on TV and online.
And the time-honoured blind date could soon fall out of fashion, if the report's conclusions are correct.
More and more people might use 3G phones to check out a potential date before meeting them, or use video calls as part of an interactive dating service.
Posted on March 23, 2006
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Wi-Fi Hotspots Pass 100,000 Mark
Computerworld reports that public Wi-Fi spots have passed 100,000 worldwide with the U.S. leading the world with over 37,000 Wi-Fi hot spots. The article cites data from JiWire Inc., a directory of Wi-Fi hot spots.
The number of hot spots soared in the past year, hitting 100,355 last week, up from about 57,000 a year ago, the South San Francisco, Calif.-based company is expected to announce tomorrow.The article says that the majority of the hotspots are free. According to JiWire over 92,000 of the Wi-Fi hotspots provide free access. JiWire says most of the hotspots are in hotels, restaurants, cafes and shopping malls.
The U.S. leads the world in hot spots, with 37,073, JiWire said, followed by the U.K. with 12,668. The other eight countries in the top 10 are South Korea, with 9,415 hot spots; Germany, with 8,614; Japan, with 5,951; France, with 3,886; Italy, with 1,767; the Netherlands, with 1,703; Canada, with 1,397; and Switzerland, with 1,295).
The city with the largest number of hot spots is Seoul, with 2,056, followed by Tokyo (1,802); London (1,627); Paris (895); San Francisco (801); Daegu, South Korea (787); New York (643); Singapore (619); Busan, South Korea (617); and Hong Kong (605).
The hot spots in the latest survey, which is updated weekly, are dominated by hotels (26,330) and restaurants (19,653). Cafes are a separate category, with 13,815, and are nearly tied with stores and shopping malls, at 13,827. Pubs make up 6,285, while all other locations total 20,445.The JiWire directory can be searched online or downloaded to your PC or mobile device.
Posted on January 24, 2006
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Self-destructing Text Messages Popular in the UK
The BBC reports that a new self-destructing SMS service called StealthText proved popular on its opening day with thousands of people subscribing. The BBC says the service, which was based on military technology, allows messages to be destroyed just 40 seconds after they have been read.
"The technology behind StealthText is derived from military technology, so the comparisons with Mission Impossible are justified," said Carole Barnum, chief executive of Staellium UK.So far the service only works with a UK registered phone service. No word on when it will be available in the U.S.
"The ability to send a self-destruct message has massive benefits for people from all walks of life, from everyday mobile users through to celebrities and business people," she said.
The most high-profile case of embarrassing text messages in recent years was the revelations of messages sent from England football captain David Beckham to his personal assistant Rebecca Loos.
Privacy comes at a price. Each text using the system costs 50 pence, though users have to sign up for a minimum of 10 messages.
Posted on December 14, 2005
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Wireless Operators Offering High-Speed Surfing
The Sun-Sentinel reports that Cingular is joining Verizon and Sprint in offering high-speed wireless services that is comparable to DSL.Cingular, the largest mobile phone service provider, joins two other large wireless operators--Verizon Wireless and Sprint--in rolling out third-generation technology that carries data at speeds comparable to landline DSL.A CNN article about the Cingular service says that it will first be offered to laptop users. It sounds like a service that could be popular with travelers. Gearlog says there is also a $99 PC Card that will be needed to connect your laptop.
Cingular's initial products are aimed at business customers and limited to inserted radio cards that enable laptop computers to go online. The carrier said it will have consumer-oriented 3G phones available early next year.
The new service costs about $60 a month for unlimited service with monthly rates as low as $20 for limited service. That is comparable to rates offered by other wireless operators.
Posted on December 7, 2005
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What Sites Do Mobile Web Surfers Use?
A new study by found that only about 5% of mobile phone users actually surf the Web and when they do they access information like weather, email and sports data. They also check their email. Forbes.com reports on the study's findings:Mobile-research firm Telephia, which surveyed mobile phone users in June, reports that Yahoo!'s mail, search and driving directions sites were the second, sixth and tenth most popular destinations, respectively. The most popular site: The Weather Channel, presumably for cell-phone users who hadn't yet left their homes or offices. Other highly ranked sites: Microsoft's Hotmail, Google's search page and The Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN.The screen is small and mobile phone surfing can be slow so it may be a while before people use their phones to surf the web for large blocks of time.
Posted on September 12, 2005
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