Push

AT&T brings enhanced push-to-talk app to iPhone

AT&T has unveiled an iOS app that turns the iPhone into a walkie-talkie for the business world.

Known as Enhanced Push-to-Talk (Enhanced PTT), the new app brings two-radio features to the iPhone 5 and 4S. With PTT, mobile users can talk to one person via a private call or a large number of people though a group call. And like a walkie-talkie, a phone equipped with the app can switch between talk and listen mode with the touch of a button.

The app supports up to 250 people, gearing it for certain types of workplaces and first responders, … Read more

Send information directly to your smartphone with PushBullet

Android phones feature a drop-down notification window, typically used for system notifications. PushBullet is an application that makes it possible to send information to the notification bar from any Web browser. This is a welcome addition to the Android operating system.

Downloading and installing PushBullet is a simple two-part task. First the application must be downloaded on the smartphone and registered using a Google account. Then the user must go to PushBullet's Web site and register using a PC. Once the app has been set up, it provides an easy way to send notes, Internet links, addresses (opening in … Read more

Sprint tacks $10 charge on to iDEN subscribers not on CDMA

Sprint will begin charging Nextel iDEN customers who do not upgrade to Sprint's CDMA push-to-talk service an extra $10 a month starting in January.

The move is apparently designed to encourage customers migrate from the iDEN network, which Sprint plans to shut down on June 30, 2013. The charge will not apply to CDMA customers.

"Customers that migrate prior to January will likely find a price plan comparable to what they have now," Sprint spokesman Mark Bonavia said in a statement. "They are also eligible to receive a variety of very attractive device offers."

Sprint, … Read more

DeLorean push car costume for the littlest Marty McFly

Instructables user cory4281 scores a major win for geek moms everywhere with an impressive DeLorean push car and Marty McFly costume for her son on Halloween.

The "Back to the Future"-inspired costume began with a red puffy vest her son already had and an innocent aside about Marty McFly. It ended with the transformation of a push car into a little souped-up DeLorean with wheels rotated down, ready to fly through time.… Read more

Next step for app notifications: Location-based messages

Urban Airship wants to wed its push notification service with location and history data to provide more accurate and timely alerts.

The company, which provides a push-notification platform to various parties (including CNET), unveiled its Location Messaging Service today. The service allows its partners to tap into a user's location history to provide notifications such as news, deals, and other alerts. Consumers have to opt into the service for each app to allow Urban Airship and that specific app to look into their history and send notifications.

Location-based notifications are seen as a boon to retailers looking for a … Read more

Nook goes HD to face-off with Kindle

Wednesday's CNET Update puts a filter on it:

Barnes & Noble added two Nooks to the tablet family that have better screens and faster processors. Arriving in October, there's the 7-inch Nook HD (starting at $200 with 8 GB) and the 9-inch Nook HD+ (starting at $270 with 16 GB). They weigh in lighter than the competition and both have slots to add your own memory cards. But neither has a camera.

Gamers will be interested in the Wikipad, 10.1-inch tablet that has a controller dock with two analog sticks, a directional pad and four buttons. It … Read more

How push notifications can save your app from getting dumped

Generally, I'm not a fan of apps shooting push notifications out to my phone.

No, "Words with Friends," I don't care that I'm about to forfeit my game. There's a reason I stopped playing it. I don't need an alert any time I get a new friend on Facebook.

But apparently, notifications do make a difference when it comes to engagement, and sometimes they're what keeps an app from getting deleted off the phone or being one of the myriad of unused "zombie" apps left ignored on a smartphone. With … Read more

LinkedIn adds Facebook-like alerts

LinkedIn hums along on its promised site redesign, rolling out a notifications stream today that may strike a familiar cord with Facebook users.

The professional networking site adds icons to the top left corner of a user homepage, including a little flag that will feature a red circle if you have any new activity, according to a blog post written by LinkedIn Associate Product Manager Angela Yang.

"Launching today is our new notifications feature, which will keep you notified in real-time when someone likes what you've shared on LinkedIn, views your profile, accepts your invitation, and much more,&… Read more

How to set up tweet notifications in latest Twitter for iOS, Android

Twitter just updated its Android and iOS apps with a long list of new features. We had a good idea of what to expect in the update, thanks to a leak, but now we get to see how it all works.

One of the more interesting features included in the update is the ability to get notified of tweets and retweets from specific Twitter accounts. This is sure to come in handy if you have a favorite celebrity you don't want to miss a tweet from, or are watching a company's feed for an announcement or contest.

To … Read more