Phone Prize

Some frequent fliers may delight to hear they can use their phones in-flight, while Iranians can't see the Persian Gulf on Google and they're less than pleased about it.

Facebook sugar daddies are surprisingly elusive creatures, and now that Eduardo Saverin may be banned from the U.S., there's slimmer pickings.

Meanwhile, Steve Jobs became a children's icon -- at least for those with iPhone-loving parents.

Virgin Airlines Okays In-Flight Phone Use

Passengers aboard flights on Virgin's Atlantic route, including the London-New York flight, will be able to use their phones to make calls and send texts in flight, which may offer the airline a leg up on competition, especially since JFK-Heathrow is a popular business route.

The service will begin with certain limitations -- only six people at a time can make calls, though everyone can text -- and at first, only passengers with certain service providers will be able to get a connection.

For U.S. fliers, T-Mobile is the selected carrier, although all passengers will have to turn off their phones once they come within 250 miles of U.S. airspace.

Iran's New Enemy: Google

The Iranian government is furious at Google for removing the name of the Persian Gulf from its mapping services, and plans to sue the search engine giant to have the title reinstated.

No word yet on why Google removed the name -- it may be a glitch, because "Persian Gulf" still shows up in Google Earth, and the U.S. recognizes the body of water as such.

Iran's neighboring Arab countries have taken issue with the name of the Persian Gulf in the past, preferring to call it the "Arabian Gulf," so Iranian officials are likely hypersensitive because they see the name diss as Google taking the side of its enemy countries.

Steve Jobs Comes Alive in Children's Book

"Who Was Steve Jobs," an illustrated children's book detailing the successes of the late Apple founder, is now available for purchase at bookstores and online (including through Apple's iBookstore, appropriately).

Part of an ongoing series on inspiration people, the Steve Jobs book focuses on Jobs' positive accomplishments and is aimed at children in grade school.

The book is available for $5, and the "Who Was" series also covered luminaries like Walt Disney and J.K. Rowling, so Jobs is in good company.

Facebook Founder Kicked Out of U.S.?

Eduardo Saverin, the co-founder of Facebook, made waves this week when the media learned he plans to renounce his U.S. citizenship to live indefinitely in Singapore. Saverin, a Brazil native who immigrated to the U.S., may be doing so to take advantage of the tax breaks Singapore offers on the eve of Facebook's IPO. Analysts estimate Saverin could save millions doing so.

But Saverin, portrayed by Andrew Garfield in "The Social Network", may end up banned from re-entering the U.S. if the government verifies he chose to renounce his citizenship for tax purposes.

Saverin and his lawyers are fighting to prove the billionaire is not making the decision to save money, but the timing of the announcement may hurt his case.

Single Facebook Millionaires Wanted

One San Fransisco-area writer went in search of Facebook "sugar daddies" and gold-diggers who pursue them, but she had a hard time uncovering any blatant examples of a for-profit dating scene.

The writer did uncover some "techie hot-spots," including expensive hotel bars and wine bars. Barstaff said women often waited around these locales until a financially confident Silicon Valley-type picked up their tab, though the writer did not see the behavior first-hand.

Perhaps when the IPO happens it will be easier to spot the men flush with new-found riches?

The Chat Room: Do We Really Need to Make Calls on Flights? originally appeared at Mobiledia on Thu May 17, 2012 3:44 pm.

New media is giving cable stations problems, as viewers flee to online alternatives, but ESPN's mobile apps and online presence offer a model for traditional media to transition into the future.

Media-Mind is our column charting how technology's opportunities and challenges transform traditional media and entertainment, for better or for worse.

The worldwide sports leader has several cable networks, including ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, each of which is viewed via the company's comprehensive mobile app, Watch ESPN. The app is available for iOS and Android and provides access to popular shows like "SportsCenter," "Pardon the Interruption" and "Mike and Mike in the Morning."

In addition to giving viewers the opportunity to watch ESPN wherever they go, the app is available for free to customers with Bright House Networks, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Verizon FiOS TV as an extension of their cable subscription.

Broadcasters like NBC, CBS and FOX, along with pay cable stations, are losing ratings as customers look to Hulu and Netflix to watch their favorite shows on demand. The loss of live viewers diminishes the stations' worth to cable providers and hurts advertising revenue, something ESPN's strategy is helping it avoid.

ESPN's decision to offer its own app rather than license its product to other companies allows the network to control the way it redistributes its content. Watch ESPN puts all the company's broadcast content in one place, making it the best option for viewers who want to watch the station's programming on-the-go. In addition, the station's partnership with cable companies make sure it is still valuable to providers at the same time, serving its customer better.

One of the only flaws the Watch ESPN app has is it's only available to subscribers of specific cable providers. For example, a New York viewer who has Cablevision as their provider does not have access to the Watch ESPN app. However, as ESPN continues to work out deals with remaining cable providers, the app will become even more of an asset to the company as it attempts to reach viewers all over the world.

There is even an alternative for customers who aren't somewhere they can watch ESPN. The company's new ESPN Radio app allows customers to stream more than 30 of its radio stations across the company. Users can download the app for a one-time fee of $5 and stream unlimited for as long as their data plan will allow, and they'll have access to podcasts featuring commentary from the station's analysts and reporters.

ESPN Gets It

Any time new media arises, the automatic reaction of content providers seems to be to stick with traditional methods for as long as possible. However, by embracing mobile devices' ability to carry its product beyond the TV, ESPN is blazing a trail to increase its audience and reach markets it may never would have otherwise.

ESPN specializes in live programming, the one type of show that analysts say is immune to DVR and capable of sustaining ratings. However, the company still went out of its way to create new ways for its fans to view its content and its future-focused emphasis is paying dividends. The network adopted a philosophy that viewers should be able to watch ESPN on "the best available screen," and its digital portfolio has added value to its affiliates, its rights holders and advertisers.

ESPN's model for offering content digitally may not work for other cable stations, but the company's success suggests that embracing new media is a good thing, if done correctly.

Media-Mind: How ESPN Gets It Right originally appeared at Mobiledia on Thu May 17, 2012 2:58 pm.

Scientists are helping paralyzed people move objects with their minds, suggesting people with physical disabilities may have sophisticated tools at their disposal soon.

Brown University researchers successfully completed a trial with two tetraplegic patients, people who have no control over their limbs. As part of their "BrainGate2" study, the researchers developed a neural interface powerful enough to translate users' thoughts to a robotic arm machine, which can complete tasks from commands given by thought alone.

The neural interfaces work through tiny devices implanted in the users' brain, requiring surgery, but the promise of the robotic arm is immense -- people who are permanently paralyzed can regain the ability to feed themselves, reach for things, and do a number of activities previously out-of-bounds.

The scientists are working to improve the accuracy and speed of the robotic arm, so users can feel confident and empowered while completing tasks with the device, which isn't the only remarkable innovation science is making to empower paralyzed people.

A few weeks ago, a paralyzed woman completed the London Marathon using the ReWalk, a bionic suit that allows people with use of their arms to control their legs. Although quadriplegic people cannot use it, paraplegic people could reap enormous benefits from the device, as they could walk around without a wheelchair.

The ReWalk, priced at over $69,000, is still prohibitively expensive for most people, and although the BrainGate apparatus is still in clinical trials, it will likely come with a hefty price tag if it becomes available for commercial use. Innovations like eye tracking may help paralyzed people use devices at a more affordable price, but eye tracking does not allow them the precious movement offered by the ReWalk and Brown University's robot.

Scientists are making swift progress in technological advances for those with physical challenges, indicating future generations of people with physical disabilities will regain significant control of their bodies. At the same time, the fact that nobody is close to developing affordable innovations suggests the day when these remarkable products are available for everyday people with disabilities is still in the distant future.

How Mind-Controlled Robots Help Physically Disabled originally appeared at Mobiledia on Thu May 17, 2012 11:06 am.

Several companies are marketing waterproofing technology to protect electronic devices, an endeavor that may revolutionize the mobile market.

P2i, HzO and Liquipel are all competing for commercial clients interested in making their laptops and mobile phones fully submersible.

U.K.-based P2i is already "working with virtually all the big names," according to Applications Director Nick Rimmer, who wouldn't disclose specifics but affirmed water-repellent phones will hit the market "within months." The high prices people pay for smartphones, combined with their need to be connected to them at all times, is opening new markets for these innovations.

P2i's method for waterproofing a mobile phone involves placing the device in a vacuum chamber and spraying it with chemical agent. An electric current then pulses through the chamber, permanently bonding the waterproofing agent to every atom on the phone's surface.

P2i's competitor Liquipel, a California-based startup, lets consumers waterproof their phones at $60 per device. Liquipel is reportedly negotiating at contract with Fujitsu to coat its upcoming tablets and phones, as the company aims to expand its mail-in business.

HzO, a Utah-based company, is also developing nano-technology to waterproof electronic devices. The startup says its coating, which covers a phone's internal circuitry, can protect submerged devices for longer than P2i's technology.

"We're vastly different from P2i or Liquipel," said HzO president Paul Clayson. "We take a solid chemical, turn it into a gas and introduce it into a vacuum chamber to deposit on the electronics. Our coating is thicker, building layers on top of each other and providing a protection that can endure underwater for extended periods of time."

All three companies seek to improve upon past waterproofing techniques, like Keystone Echo's MarineCase and Grace Digital Audio's Eco Pod.

The MarineCase is a silicon cover for iPhone that lets users record videos and take pictures in up to twenty feet of water, making it a useful tool for divers.

The $50 Eco Pod is another waterproof case made of polycarbonate material that shields phones from drowning. It comes with submersible headphones too, allowing swimmers to enjoy music while doing laps.

The iPhone-specific LifeProof case works in up to 6.6 feet of water, meeting military specifications for those leading rugged and active lifestyles.

But P2i, HzO and Liquipel may make external waterproof cases unnecessary, if future phones and other electronics use nano-technology coating off the shelves.

Such a development would greatly benefit those who live in waterlogged climates, where consumers are willing to pay more for protection from the elements. And accident-prone mobile users will have nothing to fear after dropping their phones in a puddle if nano-technology waterproofing catches on.

The possible applications for solid waterproofing technology are endless, as consumers may soon find out should companies like P2i, HzO and Liquipel revolutionize the market.

Coming Soon: Waterproof Phones originally appeared at Mobiledia on Thu May 17, 2012 9:51 am.