AT&T streamlining individual messaging plans August 21st, leaving unlimited as the sole survivor

Do not adjust your computer screen, because the screenshot you’re seeing above is real. Confirmed by multiple sources, we’ve exclusively learned that AT&T — the protagonist of choice — is trimming its individual messaging packages from two to one on August 21st. The remaining survivor? The Messaging Unlimited plan for $20, which means the $10 bundle that offers 1000 messages is riding into the sunset. If you aren’t keen to do much communicating within 160 characters, you’ll be left with no other choice besides the pay-per-message option at twenty cents each (thirty cents for MMS). Fortunately, the Family Unlimited Messaging is left unscathed, continuing to offer all-you-can-eat texts for $30. Tend to do only an average bit of texting and looking to move to Ma Bell? Our friend, you’d best be making that transition before the end of this week.

Update: And just like that, AT&T has confirmed this report. A spokesperson for the carrier provided the following statement, while also affirming that “current customers can keep their texting plans even if switching handsets.”

“We regularly evaluate our offers and are making some adjustments to our messaging lineup.

Starting August 21, we’re streamlining our text messaging plans for new customers and will offer an unlimited plan for individuals for $20 per month and an unlimited plan for families of up to five lines for $30 per month. The vast majority of our messaging customers prefer unlimited plans and with text messaging growth stronger than ever, that number continues to climb among new customers. Existing customers don’t have to change any messaging plan they have today, even when changing handsets.”

[Thanks, Anonymous]

via:mobile.engadget

The Grammar of BBM

In these times of ever-shortening missives of 140 characters or less, people are cramming more and more information into less and less space. This shortening of words and phrases can lead to disastrous consequences. Take this text message for example, “n e ice cream left?” You’ll notice that the person texting has used the exact same number of characters to type “n e” as he would have to type “any.” This young texter now looks like a complete fool and faces banishment from his humble seaside village.

We of the Society of People Who Wish Everyone Could Just Use the Same Words but It’s Probably Not Going to Happen Because Honestly? Who’s Going to Listen to Us? Societies (it’s a big society) have put together this handy guide to the proper use of the noun and verb forms of BBM.

BBM – Noun – acronym for BlackBerry Messenger, a highly popular messaging app exclusive to the BlackBerry smartphone

BBM – verb – to send a message via BlackBerry Messenger or to BlackBerry Message (where Message is a verb)

100 Billion Messages Isn’t Cool. You Know What’s Cool? A Trillion.

Sean Parker probably never said “a million dollars isn’t cool” but it’s sort of true.

There’s an interesting angle to the iMessage news and that’s the effect on the carriers and the SMS industry. One of the most compelling and disruptive elements of BlackBerry Messenger is that it’s success has cost the carrier a tremendous amount of money in text messaging fees because users are sending their messages over RIM’s servers and opting our of SMS plans. That’s not to say that the carriers don’t love BlackBerry because there’s obviously a new source of revenue being generated in data plans which they love, but they still must feel the effects of BBM. Last we heard, BlackBerry Messenger users sent 100 billion messages per month. What is going to happen to SMS when users are spread out across BBM, iMessage and other IM apps such as Live Profile. Is this the death of SMS in North America?

Americans sent 2.1 trillion messages in 2010 and the industry has generated 81 billion dollars globally as of 2006. A lot of SMS traffic happens in regions where smartphones aren’t as popular such as China and South East Asia, but these are also regions where BlackBerry has seen incredible growth. It’s only a matter of time until the other smartphones such as Windows Phone and Nokia get turned on to the idea of a BBM-style platform and the carriers and businesses that rely on SMS will have lost that revenue entirely. It’s going to start in North America and eventually the world, but with BBM and iMessage, we’re starting to see a significant dent in global SMS usage.

Will the carriers fight back or embrace it as more users get turned on to smartphones? Carriers could simply raise data costs to make up for lost revenue, or they could begin to sniff out BBM and iMessages in order to try and tax the user.

via:bbcool

Android, iOS see continued growth in U.S. at cost of RIM

On Friday comScore released its latest mobile subscriber market share report, which suggests that both Android and iOS are increasing their U.S. market shares at the cost of RIM’s BlackBerry OS. ComScore surveyed 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers during a three month period ending in April 2011 and found that Android’s U.S. market share jumped 5.2 percentage points to a 34.6% grip of the industry. Meanwhile, Apple’s iOS market share grew a marginal 1.3 percentage points to a 26% share. RIM’s BlackBerry OS share fell from 30.4% in January to 25.7%. Samsung remains the most popular mobile phone manufacturer with a 24.5% share of the market and is followed by LG (20.9%), Motorola (15.6%), Apple (8.3%), and RIM (8.2%). Hit the jump for the full release from comScore.

 

comScore Reports April 2011 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share

RESTON, Va., June 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending April 2011. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 24.5 percent market share. Google Android led among smartphone platforms with 36.4 percent market share.

OEM Market Share

For the three month average period ending in April, 234 million Americans ages 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 24.5 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG with 20.9 percent share and Motorola with 15.6 percent share. Apple jumped to the #4 position with 8.3 percent share of mobile subscribers (up 1.3 percentage points), while RIM rounded out the top five with 8.2 percent share.

Top Mobile OEMs3 Month Avg. Ending Apr. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Jan. 2011 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Jan-11	Apr-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Samsung	24.9%	24.5%	-0.4
LG	20.8%	20.9%	0.1
Motorola	16.5%	15.6%	-0.9
Apple	7.0%	8.3%	1.3
RIM	8.6%	8.2%	-0.4

Smartphone Platform Market Share

74.6 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in April 2011, up 13 percent from the three-month period ending in January 2011. Google Android ranked as the top operating system with 36.4 percent of U.S. smartphone subscribers, up 5.2 percentage points. Apple also gained share, capturing the #2 position with 26.0 percent of the smartphone market. RIM ranked third with 25.7 percent share, followed by Microsoft (6.7 percent) and Palm (2.6 percent).

Top Smartphone Platforms3 Month Avg. Ending Apr. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Jan. 2011 Total U.S. Smartphone Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers
	Jan-11	Apr-11	Point Change
Total Smartphone Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Google	31.2%	36.4%	5.2
Apple	24.7%	26.0%	1.3
RIM	30.4%	25.7%	-4.7
Microsoft	8.0%	6.7%	-1.3
Palm	3.2%	2.6%	-0.6

Mobile Content Usage

In April, 68.8 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device. Browsers were used by 39.1 percent of subscribers (up 2.1 percentage points), while downloaded applications were used by 37.8 percent (up 2.4 percentage points). Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 2.7 percentage points, representing 28.0 percent of mobile subscribers. Playing games comprised 26.2 percent of the mobile audience (up 2.5 percentage points), while listening to music represented 18.0 percent.

via:BGR

Mobile Content Usage3 Month Avg. Ending Apr. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Jan. 2011 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Jan-11	Apr-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Sent text message to another phone	68.1%	68.8%	0.7
Used browser	37.0%	39.1%	2.1
Used downloaded apps	35.4%	37.8%	2.4
Accessed social networking site or blog	25.3%	28.0%	2.7
Played Games	23.7%	26.2%	2.5
Listened to music on mobile phone	16.5%	18.0%	1.5

Review: BullGuard Mobile Security 10 For BlackBerry v10.0.233

Do you remember my post on the ZeuS trojan? With the issue of the ZeuS Trojan BlackBerry variant targeting BlackBerry devices, I set out on a mission. My mission was to seek the antivirus/security softwares that are capable of defending your BlackBerry from this and other malware. One such software is BullGuard. Check it out…

I sent out emails inquiring who had the virus definitions for the ZeuS, and the only one who responded was BullGuard. I thought it would be a great idea to do a review on this product and let you see how it works. I didn’t test the antivirus for good reason, but I did show the definitions from BullGuard. BullGuard has had the definitions and able to detect and remove the ZeuS trojan since the end of September 2010! It detects the trojan before it’s installed.

Customer service is fantastic through email. The live chat isn’t as helpful, but through email they are fast to respond and are very precise with answers and assistance. The app itself installs quickly, and with a key you have after purchase, you set it up and you’re ready to go. The nice thing about this app is that you have a dashboard to send commands and view your device.

The BullGuard Mobile Security 10 if you look closely, is very similar to SMobile security Shield, and if you look at the screens, you’ll see Junos Secured. Junos Networks is the company that acquired SMobile Systems. BullGuard includes the following for the device through the app:

• Antivirus and Antispyware with real time detection and removal of viruses and spyware via direct download, SMS, MMS, e-mail, Bluetooth, and infrared.
• Antitheft: Look and wipe remotely, track your phone via GPS (I can tell you that when you click on the larger map, it’s very precise).
• Parental Control: Monitor your child’s calls, text messages, and photos.
• Firewall
• Spamlifter: Block calls and messages
• Basic Backup: Contacts and Calendar
• Forgetfulness: If you forgot where you placed your phone, you can log in and have the sound alarm so you can find your phone.
• Support: Free support 24/7

GroupMe for BlackBerry in open beta

GroupMe is a group texting and conference call application available for iOS and Android devices that recently entered into an open beta for BlackBerry. It’s like a private chat room over SMS, or reply-all text messaging. GroupMe enables you to organize and communicate with groups of people right on your device. Even people without a smartphone can participate by creating their groups online.

GroupMe has pretty straightforward directions for getting set up and forming your groups, and walks you through each step. Each group is given a unique phone number. When you send a text message to a it, the message is sent instantly to everyone in the group. When you call the number, it automatically dials all the group members for a conference call. You can save the number assigned to your groups in your Contacts for repeated use. You can also create groups that are short-term, which can be set up to expire automatically after a set amount of time. You can even send pictures to your groups.

GroupMe seems like a pretty cool application if you have a group or groups of people that you send SMS messages to frequently, or if you have a need for an easy way to set up call conferencing. The UI is simple and user-friendly, and you will be on your way to group texting in no time. While GroupMe is free to install and doesn’t cost anything to use, it does use minutes and SMS from your mobile plan, so you will likely want to be sure you and anyone you add to your groups has unlimited texting, otherwise I can see this burning through their allotted monthly amount in no time. In order to be eligible for the beta your BlackBerry must be running OS 5.0 and higher, and you have to be in the US. Hit the links below if you’re interested in downloading, and check out some screenshots after the break.

For full details and to download the GroupMe beta for your BlackBerry
To download GroupMe from BlackBerry App World

 

AT&T to offer unlimited any mobile to mobile calling; carrier agnostic, available TODAY

Piggybacking on an offering available to Sprint customers for some time, AT&T will launch an unlimited “Mobile to Any Mobile” calling plan beginning tomorrow. Details on the plan, for the time being, are scarce. What we do know is that users will be required to have the $20, unlimited text-messaging plan ($30 for family plans) to be eligible for the program. No word on whether there will be an added fee for the any mobile-to-mobile privilege, or if it will now be a part of the unlimited messaging plan. Seems like a pretty good deal if it’s included free of charge… thoughts?

UPDATE: Unlimited, any mobile to mobile calling is included free with the unlimited text messaging plan. The full press release just crossed the wire and is waiting for you after the break.

AT&T Introduces Unlimited Calling to Any Mobile Number

New Feature Offers AT&T Wireless Customers Unlimited Calling to Any Mobile Number

Go ahead and dial up those digits–no matter which wireless network you’re calling. AT&T* today announced customers can enjoy unlimited mobile calling to any mobile number in America. Unlimited Mobile to Any Mobile is available to AT&T customers with an unlimited messaging plan and a qualifying voice plan**.

Beginning Thursday, Mobile to Any Mobile will be available to new and existing AT&T customers with a qualifying voice plan who subscribe to unlimited messaging plans. Existing customers with an unlimited messaging plan can activate Mobile to Any Mobile by visiting http://www.att.com/anymobile. The URL will be available beginning Thursday.

“Mobile to Any Mobile is an exciting offer that will keep our customers connected to the people they want to talk to, when they want to talk to them, without the hassle of watching minutes,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “We’re giving customers more options and even better value. And when you include Rollover Minutes, a benefit available exclusively from AT&T that lets customers keep their unused minutes for all domestic calls, including to landline numbers, it’s clear that AT&T offers the most flexibility in the industry.”

Unlimited messaging is available for $20 per month on an individual plan and $30 per month for a FamilyTalk Plan, which allows for up to five lines.

For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit http://www.att.com/.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

**Mobile to Any Mobile Calling – Available only with select Nation and FamilyTalk plans. Direct calls to & direct calls received from US mobile numbers only. Rollover Minutes: Unused Anytime Mins expire after the 12th billing period. Night & Weekend & Mobile to Mobile mins do not roll over.

Read

via: bgr

Dallas Police Department Launches iWatch Smartphone App

Meredith let us know that they have helped the Dallas police department launch a new smartphone application that allows citizens to anonymously report crimes. Recently we have seen law enforcement make use of the BlackBerry part of their on the go crime fighting gadgets. So if you are a Dallas area resident you can pick up the app at this link via app world.

Read the full description Below:

iWATCH DALLAS

FACT SHEET

About

iWatch Dallas was created in 2010 by the Dallas Police Department as a virtual extension of community policing that enables citizens to anonymously report suspicious behaviors and activities in real time. It can be accessed through iWatchDallas.net, text messaging, standard calls or branded mobile smart phone applications designed for iPhone, Blackberry, Android and Symbian platforms.

How It Works

There are four ways for private citizens to submit tips to the Dallas Police Department using iWatch Dallas:

1. Download and launch the mobile smart phone application – send an anonymous text tip, an anonymous email or a public text tip with a photograph
2. Online at iWatchDallas.net
3. Text message “DPD + your tip” to 274637 (CRIMES)
4. Phone call to (214) 671-4TIP

Once received, tips are directly forwarded to the Dallas Police Department’s intelligence-gathering and analysis unit known as The Fusion Center. Here, police determine which tips are actionable and deploy officers as needed. Tips received via text message, email and the smart phone application remain anonymous.

Reporting

iWatch Dallas is NOT a replacement for 911. If you see criminal activity in real time or have an emergency, please call 911. If you have a tip about suspicious behaviors or activity, use the iWatch Dallas program. The following tips or facts should be reported using iWatch Dallas:

• Types of Crimes: Narcotics, prostitution, burglary, auto, gang, theft, swindle, criminal fence and homeland security
• Details: Time of day, where it happened, act(s) witnessed, a description of individual(s) involved, possible vehicle model, color and license plate number

Visit www.dallaspolice.net for more information.

Learn Everything About BlackBerry Messenger Version 5.0.1 With The Official User Guide & Release Notes!

BlackBerry Messenger version 5.0.1 was release less than a few days ago and as promised, I have here the official user guide and release notes. According to the release notes, among the changes in version 5.0.1 were enhancements to application updates, chats, contact lists and text messaging. The BBM 5.0.1 user guide will help you learn how to use the latest version and includes info on shortcuts, chats, BlackBerry groups, contacts, backing up and more.

If you run into any problems with version 5.0.1 feel free to leave a comment!

BlackBerry Messenger Version 5.0.1 User Guide