NYPD Creating A Social Media Division

Chances are Twitter and Facebook aren’t the first places you think of when it comes to tracking down criminals. Recognizing that social media plays a key role in our society today, the NYPD has formed a new social media unit to help find criminals based on their online activity.

The new unit will track activity on MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook to try and get the inside scoop on things like troublesome parties, gang activity, or other criminal activity. The hope would be that some of those issues could be stopped before they happen.

According to the NYPD, social media has been key in solving several crimes in the past, where criminals have bragged about committing the crimes online, or have had online fights that have turned into real-world bloodshed.

Social media also played a part in the recent riots in London, with people using the sites to organize as well as to notify police where riots were so they could be stopped.

What do you think about the police having a social media unit? Is it a good idea?

[via NY Daily News]

Teen arrested after inciting riots using BlackBerry Messenger

A teenage girl was arrested yesterday, charged with inciting riots via RIM’s favourite messaging service, BlackBerry Messenger. She is said to have sent a BBM message encouraging others from her home town of Clacton, Essex to copy the rioting and looting that was occuring in London, an offence under the Serious Crime Act 2007.

Earlier this week we reported that RIM promised to help in any way they could to aide in finding the people behind the riots. Does this mean that RIM has made their data available to the UK government? Yesterday the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron said that he would be in talks with RIM, Facebook and Twitter to look at ways they could prevent rioters and looters communicating through these services to organise criminal activities, stating “We are working with the police, the intelligence services and industry to look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality” It is the wish of the UK government to stop these services during periods of unrest. MP David Lammy of Tottenham, where the riots started, made his plea of shutting down the BBM service after the first night of riots, with a lot of other MP’s agreeing.

We’ve mentioned before that BlackBerry is very popular among teenagers, so it comes as little surprise that BBM would be used to communicate. But are the UK government right in requesting these services be stopped? And should RIM have given in to these demands?

Source: The Telegraph

Via:cb

British Parliament member calls for BBM suspension following London riots

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion has agreed to work with London authorities as they begin their investigation into recent riots. According to some Londoners, rioters were using RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger service, along with social networks such as Twitter, to organize the attacks. “It is clear that technology is being used, including in demonstrations, to direct people and undermine the police,” London’s deputy assistant commissioner Stephen Kavanagh told Bloomberg. “It is not for us to to moan about this, but to adapt policing style and deal with it.” RIM typically prides itself on the security of its BBM service and has denied access to governments worried the chat platform could be used for planning terrorist attacks. “We feel for those impacted by the riots in London,” RIM wrote in a recent tweet. “We have engaged with the authorities to assist in any way we can.” Read on for more.

Official BlackBerry Blog hacked – Group responds to official RIM statement on London riots

Earlier this morning the group TeaMp0isoN hacked their way into the official BlackBerry Blog. Just yesterday, authorities in London had asked RIM for help given the role BBM has played in the riots taking place. RIM put out an official statement in regard to BBM and the riots, to which the hackers had this to say:

Riots in London fueled partly by messages sent via BlackBerry Messenger

 

A few short years ago, if a riot broke out somewhere in the world, you found out about it the next morning when your newspaper was delivered, or on the 6 o’clock news. Nowadays, news spreads at the click of a button, with millions of smartphones connected to Twitter and Facebook. Riots in Vancouver less than two months ago were seen almost instantly through pictures and videos as people used smartphones to record what they saw and upload to social networking. As a result, police were able to apprehend many people who were involved in the looting and destruction.

This weekend rioting again broke out, this time in London. Stemming from a peaceful protest over the shooting of a man named Mark Duggan, things quickly escalated and the gathering erupted into violence. As seen in Vancouver, the destruction and looting was spread across social media and in moments the whole world knew what was happening, including pictures of the people responsible.

T-Mobile's You Fix gives budget-minded Brits a new approach to pay-as-you-go

If you’re a Londoner who’s struggling to live within your means, T-Mobile is hoping its latest You Fix plans are the solution to your budgetary woes. The Magenta-clad carrier’s UK arm promotes You Fix as the ultimate hybrid of pay monthly and pay-as-you-go. Customers sign a 12 month commitment to one of three plans that range between £15.50 ($25) and £26 ($42) per month, and the most expensive plan brings 300 minutes and texts. Once the allotment is met, consumers can top off their accounts based on T-Mobile’s traditional PAYG rates, or bide their time until the new month rolls around. Additionally, You Fix’ers may choose between one of seven free add-ons each month, including options to add data or unlimited texts. Subsidized phones are also on the menu, with the BlackBerry Curve 8520, HTC Wildfire S, and Samsung Galaxy Gio leading the pack. Looking to save a few quid?

Check the full schedule of plans in the PR beyond the break.

RIM Holding Press Event on 08/03 in London England

Research In Motion is holding a press event on Wednesday in Central London, England. The assumption among many who are planning to attend is that they’ll either officially announce the BlackBerry Bold 9900’s European release dates or that they will use the press event to announce the remaining OS7 devices to come.

Will you be in attendance?

• Let Us Know What You Think RIM Will Announce in London in the Comments below.

Starting Today BlackBerry stands are coming to a train station near you

 

BlackBerry UK has announced that it will be hitting several train stations with BlackBerry stands offering up services to help you get the most out of your device. If you can make it to a stand between 2-3pm you can also be in for a chance of picking up some goodies too, including tickets to see Tinie Tempah and Wretch 32, amongst other special guests. You can also get yourself a free cup of coffee.

The stands will be popping up in train stations around London, Manchester and Leeds, starting Today, Monday 4th July until Tuesday 12th July. It looks like the main focus of these stands are to help customers update their BlackBerry devices. Probably most beneficial for those average Joe consumers who don’t hit up sites like our very own NHCBBA, where we have a whole host of BlackBerry 101’s to help you update your device’s OS. Of course, you can still drop by and try to bag yourself some goodies. I am little disappointed that there will be no stands making their way across the border, it would have been nice for BlackBerry to have at least come to one train station in Glasgow.

Below is a list of the train stations the stands will be visiting:

• Free coffee at BlackBerry Stand (London St Pancras) – Monday 4th July
• Free coffee at BlackBerry Stand (London Waterloo) – Tuesday 5th July
• Free coffee at BlackBerry Stand (London Liverpool Street) – Wednesday 6th July
• Free coffee at BlackBerry Stand (London Victoria) – Thursday 7th July
• Free coffee at BlackBerry Stand (London Paddington) – Friday 8th July
• Free coffee at BlackBerry Stand (Leeds Train Station)- Monday 11th July
• Free coffee at BlackBerry Stand (Manchester Piccadilly) – Tuesday 12th July

via:cb

Welcome a New R and B musician Wyne Solo to the NHCBBA DJS/Artists Alliance

Star music management is proud to present WYEN SOLO with her new Song Named ( SMILE )….

Who is a 22 yr old female singer/songwritter who is at present recording an album with groove odyssey records in london england.

Wyen’s debut single smile was licenced to universal records and was put out on the rnb love songs collection 2011 that was released at the beginning of the year.

International house legends Bobby & Steve along side executive producer Michael Hughs also done a house mix to the track that has taken the house seen by storm,  the track is being played by lots of radio dj’s pirate and mainstream and on a lot of internet radio stations also, Wyen has also done lots of radio interviews,  shows,  meet and greets and guest appearances.

Provided By: Star Music Management also (The Lab Recordings)

Vodafone lets Londoners pay for taxis via text message, charge their phones in transit

Mobile payment systems may be gaining only gradual steam in the US, but over on the other side of the pond, Vodafone UK has launched a broad new campaign to integrate smartphone technology where Londoners may need it most — in the back of taxis. As of today, many cab passengers will be able to charge their smartphones in transit, thanks to a wide range of chargers that the mobile carrier has installed in more than 500 of London’s iconic black vehicles. Vodafone is also rolling out a new payment scheme today, whereby cash-strapped travelers can text their cab’s license number to a specific code, allowing any owed fares to be charged directly to their phone bills. The system certainly doesn’t sound as elegant as some of the NFC-based operations we’ve heard about, but it still beats having to navigate your cab driver to the nearest ATM, with the meter tick-tocking away.

The Guardian

via:engagdet