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NUTS: Apple Unveils IBooks 2, SOPA Divides Industry
Jan 21st
Apple unveiled iBooks 2 and a plan to improve the U.S. education system, while debate over the Stop Online Piracy Act ignited across the country.
News Under the Sun is a weekly column rounding up all the events in the mobile industry. Want the news but don't want it every day? Subscribe to our weekly Facebook or Twitter page.
Apple Unveils IBooks 2, Gains on Android
Android's overall market share dropped by 12 percent in the weeks following Apple's release of the iPhone 4S, which launched to record-breaking sales in October of 2011. Loyal Apple fans proved they're willing to wait for preferred devices, and leached precious points away from Android's diminishing lead in the U.S. smartphone market.
That loyalty extends into the business sector. A study by IDG revealed more and more workers are choosing their iPads as their go-to business device, as the decline of RIM's BlackBerry in the business world leaves an open spot for Apple to fill with their popular hardware.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based company unveiled iBooks 2 in New York City on Friday, along with a two-part initiative to improve the U.S. education system with digital textbooks and free textbook-crafting software. Apple also partnered with textbook companies like McGraw-Hill to offer lower prices on digital textbooks to U.S. schools.
Apple also has big plans for Siri, filing a new patent application signaling the voice recognition software could be included in many upcoming products and services including computers, tablets, televisions, cameras, and vehicles.
Abroad, the company plans to improve working conditions in its China-based factories, after audits raised concerns about worker safety and pollution. The company is rapidly expanding its product line in China, and addressing concern over underage workers and environmental hazards in the country's factories could give the company's reputation a boost.
Both Apple and Samsung are coveting HzO's "WaterBlock" technology, which debuted at CES last week. The innovative system coats each individual piece of circuitry inside a mobile device, rendering it completely waterproof, a feature likely to become popular with consumers.
In legal news, Apple filed suit in Germany seeking to ban several Samsung smartphones and tablets, fueling the ongoing legal battles between the two rival companies. Apple has long contended that Samsung's Galaxy devices "slavishly" copy its designs, and shows no signs of backing down in its fight to protect its patents.
Samsung Loses to Apple, Beefs Up Battery Life for 4G
Samsung sought to block Apple's devices from being sold in Germany, but a German court ruled against the phone maker. The decision is a blow to Samsung, which still has four lawsuits and six patent claims pending against Apple in litigation that spans 10 countries.
Meanwhile, Samsung announced it will sell $1 billion in U.S. bonds to fund mobile processor manufacturing operations and finance production of next-generation OLED flat-screen displays. The plans are part of a massive global expansion, as the company tries to diversify its product line and appeal to a wider variety of consumers.
The South Korea-based company will also boost its smartphones with super-powered batteries that will last an entire day without needing to be recharged. The new batteries will be slightly larger, but will prolong the life of mobile devices on speedy, battery-draining 4G networks, giving Samsung a competitive edge with consumers.
Motorola Triumphs Over Apple
Motorola won a significant advantage over Apple in its own litigation with the iPad maker. An International Trade Commission judge ruled Motorola Mobility's phones don't violate three of Apple's patents, a rare loss for Apple and a boost for Motorola.
T-Mobile Partners with Wal-Mart, Tweaks Data Plans
T-Mobile is refocusing its energies on budget-conscious value plans after its failed merger with AT&T. The carrier will partner with Wal-Mart to offer unlimited data plans for $45 per month, but customers might be unhappy with the slow speeds offered by the plans.
The Bellevue, Washington-based company will also offer new and existing customers 5-gigabytes and 10-gigabytes of uncapped data a month starting on January 25 and lasting through March, another move to lure back customers lost during the period of uncertainty surrounding the failed merger.
AT&T Increases Data, Prices
AT&T will also give customers an extra gigabyte of data, but it will cost them. The carrier reports data usage on its network rose by 40 percent in the past year, and the changes will better serve customers as data consumption continues to ramp up overall in the industry.
Sprint, HTC Remove Carrier IQ
Wireless carrier Sprint and handset-maker HTC are working together to remove controversial Carrier IQ software from their mobile devices, as privacy concerns mount over the data collection service. The two companies plan to replace Carrier IQ with a similar, but more secure, information service.
Google Gains Advantage over Oracle, Wins Top Honors from Fortune Magazine
A U.S. District Judge canceled the upcoming March trial between Google and software maker Oracle, saying Oracle needs to lower the amount it's seeking in damages. Oracle sued Google for $2.6 billion last June on the grounds the Android operating system infringes on Java patents, but judge William Alsup feels that amount is unrealistic, lending Google an upper hand in the court battle.
In other legal news, evidence brought by the U.S. Department of Justice proves Google and Apple, along with several other companies, entered into "no poaching" agreements to prevent the respective companies from recruiting one another's employees. Such pacts violate antitrust laws, and though several cases alleging collusion already settled out of court, participating companies could face backlash over the newly public evidence.
They can't leave to go work at Apple, but according to Fortune Magazine, Google employees wouldn't want to anyway. The magazine named Google the number-one company to work for in 2012, an honor that could help the company lure top tech talent to its Mountain View, Calif.-based headquarters.
However, Google's big budget, which increased by 29 percent in 2011, offset revenue in spite of booming services like Google+. The decreased profit margin disappointed shareholders, but top Google execs see the expense as a future investment.
Microsoft Increases Revenue, Nabs Instagram
Microsoft's revenue is also on the rise, up 5 percent this quarter to $20.5 billion. The tech giant's video game division, including the Kinect and Xbox systems, contributed to the gains, and analysts are optimistic about the company's new line of Nokia Lumia Windows phones, which will debut in the U.S. this spring.
Windows managed to nab popular photo-sharing app Instagram for its new phone line, a boost for the new operating system's app market, which currently lags behind Apple and Google Android with a fraction of their offerings.
The software giant also formed a patent licensing deal with South Korea's third largest cell phone maker, Pantech. The phone maker joins fellow companies like Samsung, HTC and LG, all of which pay a per-device fee to Microsoft to run the Android operating system.
Amazon Changes Publishing Industry with E-book Lending
Amazon e-book lending soared in December along with Kindle Fire sales, and the Kindle Owners' Lending Library lent 295,000 titles to Amazon Prime members since its November launch. Combined with the Kindle Direct Publishing Program, where authors can self-publish their books, the Amazon marketplace presents big challenges for the traditional print publishing industry.
HP Goes Futuristic with Touchscreen Wall
Hewlett-Packard unveiled the VantagePoint, a 132-inch multi-touch wall it will market to business users later this year. The pricey technology, expected to retail for $125,000, could also pop up in public places like shopping malls and parks, encouraging businesses to snap up the suite for their own offices.
Facebook Bolsters Security, Preps for IPO
Facebook is publicly criticizing the alleged masterminds behind Koobface, a malware program aimed at stealing valuable information from the social networking site. The cooperative's members reportedly earned $2 million from their scams last year, and Facebook is urging its users to protect themselves against more attacks.
The social networking giant is also prepping for its upcoming Initial Public Offering by boosting content, adding 60 popular apps to its interface. The new additions include Pinterest, Ticketmaster, eBay, and Foursquare, and more are soon to come.
Twitter Acquires Summify, Brings Viewers Back to Television
Meanwhile, Twitter acquired news start-up Summify to boost its new "Discover" tab, as the social networks ramp up offerings to keep users on their sites and remain competitive.
Live broadcasts like the Golden Globes also bring TV viewers to social networking sites and vice versa, proving the two mediums are mutually beneficial. Viewers gravitate toward live updates and trending topics, and networks are catching on, employing more interactive features during awards shows in particular.
The White House Opposes SOPA, EU Scrutinizes Google
The White House voiced opposition to the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act, going against the entertainment industry's wishes, but siding with internet giants like Google, Yahoo!, Facebook, Twitter, and eBay.
Wikipedia, WordPress, and other web sites blacked out their services to protest the legislation, which they say will censor the Internet, fueling the debate and making a bold statement to legislators.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice shut down file-sharing service Megaupload on charges of piracy, saying the site is responsible for "more than half a billion dollars in harm to copyright owners." The site's demise adds yet another dimension to the raging piracy debate.
The European Commission is increasingly scrutinizing Google over antitrust practices, a hindrance to the search giant in its attempt to acquire Motorola. If Google is found guilty, the European Commission can employ a range of penalties against the company, including a fine of up to 10 percent of Google's global revenue.
Hackers Breach Zappos, Protest SOPA
Online shoe store Zappos is warning customers to change their passwords after hackers filched information including email addresses, home addresses, and phone numbers from more than 24 million users. The massive security breach highlights the need for enhanced consumer protection, and might urge wary customers to return to brick-and-mortar stores if they keep occurring.
Meanwhile, hacktivist collective Anonymous infiltrated web sites belonging to the FBI, U.S. Department of Justice, Recording Industry of America, and the Motion Picture Association of America, among others, in protest of the Stop Online Piracy Act. The group's tactics, however, could work against them, proving the point of the opposition in support of the bill to prevent hacks similar to those the group itself performs.
News Under the Sun is a weekly column rounding up all the events in the mobile industry. Want the news but don't want it every day? Subscribe to our weekly Facebook or Twitter page.
NUTS: Apple Unveils IBooks 2, SOPA Divides Industry originally appeared at Mobiledia on Sat Jan 21, 2012 2:26 pm.
Celebrate Chinese New Year with free calls – Localphone
Jan 21st
Celebrating Chinese New Year at Localphone and we're welcoming in the Year of the Dragon with free calls to China for 4 days! Offer valid 1/21 through 1/25.
T-Mobile’s ‘secret menu’: Extra goodies you need to ask for
Jan 20th
For a limited time, T-Mobile is offering up mobile hot-spot capability to customers on the 5GB or 10GB premium data plans as a free add-on--you just need to ask for it.
The Score: Google Spends A Lot, But Working There is Cool
Jan 20th
Google is spending too much money and investors are nervous, but you can't beat its offices if you're looking for a great place to earn a paycheck.
The Score is a weekly column scoring controversial events in the mobile industry. Want to get to the point? We'll break it down and give you the score.
Earnings Are Up, But So Is Spending
The Setup: There's good news and bad as far as Google's finances are concerned -- which do you want first?
The good news is that Google's revenue went up by a third, and Google+ doubled its membership numbers. Users activate more Android devices every day, and CEO Larry Page said he's "super excited about the growth of Android, Gmail and Google+."
After all, the numbers beat earnings reported in last quarter's successful showing, coming in at over $10 billion for the first time, and those are numbers that should keep anyone happy, right?
Anyone, that is, except for investors and analysts. That's because as the money comes in, Google throws it right back out on new business ventures. It has stockholders worried that Google, like a redneck who's just hit the big Powerball drawing, is spending its money as fast as it's making it.
Google Ads marked an 8 percent loss in cost-per-click, the amount advertisers pay to promote on all those ads that pop up on websites and blogs around the Internet. If people don't click on the ads, Google doesn't earn money from them -- and neither do the blogs. If the blogs don't make money, they drop Google Ads. It's a vicious circle, but in the end, Google loses. And 8 percent of millions of dollars is a figure with a lot of zeroes after it. Google revenues: -500 points.
Google is moving ahead with its buyout of Motorola Mobility, which will give it a huge patent portfolio and technology for its own line of smartphones. However, the sale will cost billions, and people are already criticizing it for spending money on the Chrome browser and Google+. However, Google likely sees that money as an investment in its future, since its search engine may not always be enough to keep it prosperous. Google revenues: 200 points.
Governments in the U.S., Europe and Asia are watching Google's practices to make sure it isn't violating anti-trust law. The Android OS is booming, which means the Google search browser is on more phones than ever -- and smaller search engines are complaining Google is pushing them out. Antitrust legislation costs money to fight -- and investors would rather not spend that money. Google revenues: -250 points.
The Score: Google revenues: 50 points.
What it means: Google's a strong company and with Android booming, it's going to stay strong for a long time. People are learning how to use Google+, even though its system of circles and other features can be a bit daunting at first.
Plus, Chrome is gaining in popularity as a user-friendly browser, which never hurts. But Google's spending a lot of money to make all this happen.
True, the Motorola Mobility expenditure is an investment in the future, but Google needs to find some way to work out its antitrust problems overseas and here at home that doesn't involve tying itself up in court and spending money on a trial.
But as anybody knows, you have to spend money to make money -- and without the investments into technology and social media, Google's prospects in a few years would be very bleak indeed.
Wouldn't You Like to Work for Google?
The Setup: Fortune Magazine ranked Google as the best place in the country to work. And why not? The pay's probably pretty good, and it's in sunny California.
But pay and sunshine aside, there are a lot perks that come along with working for Google, which explains why so many people want to work there -- not that it's easy to get a job, as anyone who has taken the Google employment test with all its trick questions can attest.
Google hired 7,000 people in 2011, and employees who spoke with Fortune raved about the tech giant's mission, culture and perks, including bocce courts, a bowling alley and free eyebrow shaping. Yes, you read that right, eyebrow shaping. It's not likely that someone is hired just to walk up and down the partitions, armed with tweezers to make sure everyone has perfectly arched eyebrows, right? Do they have the same eyebrows, arched in a question mark to reflect Google's great search engine? Do you hear the sound of "ow, ow, ow" every day in the office? Google workplace: 500 points.
Google also boasts a 40,000 square-foot employee park next to its headquarters, free food with a focus on health, and on-site doctors. Google is also friendly to growing families, granting women 18 weeks of maternity leave at 100 percent pay. Google workplace: 200 points.
Qualcomm, Intel, Microsoft, Cisco and Adobe all rank inside the top 100, but 21 spots separate Google from the highest ranked among those companies. Google workplace: 200 points.
Google's top spot gives it company something to tout when its recruiting employees. After all, if you're just getting out of school and you're the next Steve Jobs, do you work in a basement or do you get to play bocce at work? Okay, probably in the basement if you're Steve Jobs -- but most top people want top perks when they're starting out, especially in an industry with a shortage of available engineering and design talent. <Google workplace: 300 points.
The Score: Google Workplace: 1,200 points.
What it means: Everyone knows a happy employee is a productive employee, and nobody has it down better than Google. People probably don't even want to go home after a day of work at Google. They probably hang out, have cocktails and watch some TV. To anyone who's ever had to work inside a cubicle, Google sounds like paradise on earth.
But don't forget, just like Spider-Man said, with great power comes great responsiblity. Google has the power to make its workplace nice, but the employees have the responsiblity to make Google great.
And they'll have that power with perfectly groomed eyebrows.
The Score: Google Spends A Lot, But Working There is Cool originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri Jan 20, 2012 4:01 pm.
Google, Apple Sued Over "No Poaching" Pact
Jan 20th
Google, Apple, and other Silicon Valley companies entered into illegal "no poaching" deals, according to the Department of Justice, showing extreme measures technology giants take to keep top talent.
The DoJ released evidence from its investigation into the hiring practices of top tech companies, demonstrating non-competitive hiring agreements existed, as the companies prepare for a class action lawsuit by the DoJ in San Jose on the matter next week.
The DoJ launched an investigation into hiring practices at several technology and entertainment companies in 2009, including Google, Apple, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Adobe, Intel and Intuit.
A former Lucasfilm software engineer also sued the companies, alleging they had secret agreements not to recruit each other's employees, pacts which violate antitrust laws, keep employee salaries and benefits down, and prevent organic shifts in talent between companies.
The cases settled out of court, and until now the general public had no way of knowing whether Silicon Valley's top technology firms agreed to settle out of fear their secret "gentlemen's agreements" would result in punitive action.
The DoJ document, published in part on TechCrunch, does not specifically address an agreement between Apple and Google, but it includes an e-mail message from Adobe senior vice president of human resources, Theresa Townsley, confirming Adobe and Apple agreed not to hire each other's staff. It also alludes to similar agreements between Lucasfilm and Pixar, as well as a Google-Intel no-poaching pact.
The evidence exposes the extreme measures top companies take to keep the right talent on board to develop innovative new technologies needed to stay ahead in a cutthroat field. However, it also brings to light how these measures don't always have the best interests of the technological innovators themselves at heart.
Companies hand out bonuses and stock awards to keep top executives, such as the $380 million in stock Apple recently gave its CEO, Tim Cook, but they may in turn cap salaries of employees on the front lines and ensure nobody else can make a better offer, in effect tying them to the company through a lack of choice.
Now that the DoJ evidence is in the public eye, however, tech talent can demand a higher degree of transparency about the hiring practices at the companies they work for, and developers, designers, and other technical staff will likely gain a greater degree of negotiating power.
Tech companies are also known for their creative retention tactics. Fortune magazine named Google the number-one company to work for in 2012, highlighting the Mountain View, Calif.-based company's supportive corporate culture and many employee benefits, including generous family-leave policies, on-site doctors, and free food with a focus on healthy options, as well as a bowling alley, bocce courts, and an employee park onsite.
Perks like these make for a happier workplace and help retain talent, but Silicon Valley's giants must follow up the fun, supportive culture with fair hiring and compensation practices to avoid further investigation.
Google, Apple Sued Over "No Poaching" Pact originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri Jan 20, 2012 3:31 pm.
Microsoft Stakes Future on Windows 8, Nokia
Jan 20th
Microsoft's Kinect and Xbox business picked up the slack as its core Windows division faltered, but pressure is intensifying on its mobile initiatives to propel the company forward
The Redmond, Wash.-based tech giant's revenues went up 5 percent this quarter to $20.5 billion, pointing to the success of CEO Steve Ballmer's strategy to refocus energies on tablets, smartphones, and cloud computing as consumers go increasingly mobile in their computing choices.
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen anticipated the company's priority shift, stating, "Here's what the death knell for the personal computer will sound like: 'Mainly I use my phone/pad, but I still use my PC to write long emails and documents.' Most people aren't there yet, but that's where we're headed."
Brisk Xbox and Kinect sales propelled Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division, with 15 percent reported growth. Its popular Kinect technology bolstered the numbers. Kinect, a motion-sensing device that hooks up to the Xbox, broke gadget sales records when it came out. Analysts expect continued sale success for both Xbox and Kinect, a motion-controlled technology that it will likely integrate into future devices.
In addition, Microsoft profited from healthy sales of its Office software, and introduced a cloud-based Office suite meant to compete with Google, Amazon, and Apple's cloud software to attract businesses. It is developing the Office suite for the iPhone and iPad, a move to integrate its software into more mobile platforms. The company attempts will also launch Windows 8 next year to aggressively compete against rivals.
Microsoft will also continue to boost momentum in the mobile market this year as its partnership with Nokia begins to bear fruit. Last year, the Finnish mobile company agreed to feature Windows as its primary OS. European sales of the Nokia Lumia 800 exceeded expectations, as Nokia struggled to meet consumer demand. Nearly half of smartphone users are considering a switch to Windows, which bodes well for the Lumia 800's North American debut.
However, Microsoft continues to struggle in the interim with the impact of smartphones and tablets on PC sales. Windows 7 and Windows Compact 7 failed to establish a stronghold in smartphones and tablets, and aged rapidly. Microsoft's 2012 launch of Windows 8 will offer the company an opportunity to reintroduce its operating system to consumers increasingly reliant on mobile technology.
Windows 8 is the first OS tailored for both tablets and PCs, and tablet makers like Acer said they will explore the new OS in 2012 offerings.
The Windows division wrestled for yet another quarter with lagging PC sales. Though Microsoft cites Thailand's flooding-induced shortage of hard drives for some of the downturn, the steep decline in netbook sales is likely more responsible for the dip. Demand for netbooks are eroding in the face of increasingly affordable and popular tablet options, especially the iPad.
Microsoft's continued success hinges on its ability to push its mobile products into competition with Google's Android and Apple's iOS, as well as its sustained focus on innovations in its entertainment and software divisions.
Microsoft Stakes Future on Windows 8, Nokia originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri Jan 20, 2012 2:50 pm.
Samsung patent lawsuit against Apple struck down in German court
Jan 20th
Judge says one of the claims Samsung brought against Apple is not valid. But many more lawsuits before courts have yet to be decided.
Originally posted at The Digital Home
Samsung Loses Patent Battle to Apple in Germany
Jan 20th
A German court rejected one of Samsung's patent claims against Apple, dealing a blow to the South Korean company's bid to block its rival's devices.
The ruling, by a court in Mannheim, Germany, covers one of the three mobile patents Samsung claims Apple infringed upon. The court will rule on the other two patents on January 27 and March 2.
The judge didn't give a reason for rejecting the patent claim, but Samsung's legal efforts against Apple will likely continue, despite the setback. In addition to the two pending patent cases, Samsung has filed four other lawsuits targeting Apple, including six more patent claims.
Apple has a similar number of cases pending against Samsung, as the rivals continue their battle worldwide in 10 countries, including the U.S., Australia, Asia and much of Europe.
Some of the European cases, though, may eventually be thrown out. The European Commission is examining many of the patent claims to see if the disputed intellectual property falls under industry-standard, or FRAND standards, meaning their use is common for mobile devices and cannot be claimed by one company in court.
Samsung passed Apple in the third quarter as the world's top smartphone maker, with its many phone models pushing it to the top of the pile. However, Apple claims Samsung's Galaxy devices "slavishly" copy its iPhone and iPad designs, and wants them blocked worldwide -- and in some cases, it is succeeding.
The cases between the two have bounced back and forth ever since Apple first sued Samsung last April. For example, Samsung's Galaxy 10.1 tablet went under a temporary ban in Australia, but a court lifted the block in time for the Christmas shopping season.
Meanwhile, courts in Paris and Italy have rejected Samsung's bids to block Apple devices.
The ongoing legal battles may eventually weaken the once-close business relationship the two companies enjoyed. Although they have fought each other in court, Apple remains Samsung's largest parts buyer, with the South Korean company's processing chips serving as a central part for Apple's mobile devices.
Many analysts describe the battles as a war by proxy Apple is waging against the Android OS, the fastest-growing mobile operating system since it is open-source and used in a variety of devices.
The courtroom fights between Apple, Samsung and other Android device makers likely will continue as the sides fight to dominate the market, unless another competitor -- like Microsoft with its Window Phone -- steps up it competition.
Samsung Loses Patent Battle to Apple in Germany originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri Jan 20, 2012 1:16 pm.
Card.io App Takes on Square, PayPal
Jan 20th
Card.io, a mobile payment startup, unveiled an app that allows users to receive payments, in a bid to compete against front-runners Square and PayPal.
The Card.io Payments app allows users to enter the amount they want to charge someone, letting another user pay by holding their card in front the smartphone's camera lens. The app will automatically log the card's information and process the payment into the user's checking, savings, or PayPal account.
"Most consumers don't have separate hardware to swipe a credit card, so we built this app for them," said Card.io co-founder Mike Mettler. "Whether you're splitting the bill at lunch, paying a friend for gas on a ski trip, or buying a couch on Craigslist, Card.io payments is the fastest, easiest, and most secure way to accept a payment."
Some of Mettler's claims about his company's new app may be true, but the service lags behind competition when it comes to price.
Card.io may be easier to use than Square because it does not need a dongle accessory, but it also costs more each time a customer uses the service. Square charges 2.75 percent for every card swipe, and Card.io takes 3.5 percent, as well as an extra 15 cents for every transaction.
Meanwhile, PayPal, the most widely used of the three, takes 2.9 percent and 30 cents per sale.
PayPal's established, worldwide base of users will likely give the company an edge over Card.io, at least in the near-term. The ability of the Card.io app to take a user's card information is easier than manually entering credit card numbers, but the strong customer base of PayPal may not switch Card.io, especially as PayPal begins ramping up its own mobile solutions.
Analysts have been looking to near-field communication technology for years to finally get the mobile payment ball rolling. Several companies are working on technology that will allow user's to make payments with their phone at retailers, but Card.io's app bypasses NFC, opening the service up to millions of users right away.
The goal of mobile payments is to end the customer's need to swipe their credit cards, Card.io does that, users just have to take pictures of their credit cards instead.
Card.io App Takes on Square, PayPal originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri Jan 20, 2012 1:09 pm.
EcoATM Recycles Phones for Cash
Jan 20th
A California company has created an automated kiosk offering cash in exchange for mobile devices, an effort to ease recycling of mobile products and reduce waste.
About twice the size of a traditional ATM, ecoATM has a large touch screen, a metal tray and connecting cables that assess any used cellphone, MP3 player or tablet by scanning and testing its condition and operability. The machine then provides a quote based on what its global network of electronics recycling companies will likely pay to resell the used device.
The machine will also offer a dollar for any device not eligible for resale. These devices will be taken apart in an environmentally responsible way to extract valuable parts and metals. The machine also includes measures aimed at preventing thieves or repeat sellers, requiring a government-issued ID and a scan of a recycler's thumbprint.
"Almost everyone has a collection of used portable electronics stored somewhere," said Tom Tullie, chair and CEO of ecoATM, to Tech Week Europe. He added that his San Diego-based company's product is "a great example of technology solving a problem created by technology."
The mobile industry is making strides toward greener products and practices, as noted in last November's "Guide to Greener Electronics" published by Greenpeace. In addition, most phone carriers and various retailers do offer recycling programs for their customers, especially during National Cell Phone Recycling Week, as part of April's Earth Day activities.
But these programs are often limited and under-publicized, and generally don't offer money in return for old devices. And while any quote from ecoATM likely won't match what one could get selling a used handset on eBay, the kiosk does cut out the hassle of selling on the online auction site, which also levies hefty seller fees.
EcoATM unveiled its product at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and 50 such machines are already in use at grocery stores and malls in the company's home state. The company plans to roll out 500 more nationwide by the end of the year.
EcoATM Recycles Phones for Cash originally appeared at Mobiledia on Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:47 pm.
