NotePage SMS, Texting and Messaging Blogs

The Better Business Bureau serving Nebraska, South Dakota, the Kansas Plains and Southwest Iowa is warning about huge numbers of consumers throughout our BBBs service area and the entire country who are receiving phishing text messages on their cell phones.

The message in one of these texts received by BBB reads: Attn: Ne. Target shopper your entry won! Go to http://targetrdzn.com/?111 and
enter code XXXX to claim your $1000 Target gift card now! This link took the person to numerous pages asking for personal information in order to
continue.

complete article

In countries around the world, text-message traffic has been shrinking because Internet-powered alternatives are becoming so widely used. American carriers have fought off the decline — until now.

For the first time, the American wireless market saw a decline in the total number of messages sent by each customer each month, according to a report published Monday by Chetan Sharma, an independent mobile analyst who is a consultant for wireless carriers. In the third quarter of this year, cellphone owners sent an average of 678 texts a month, down from 696 texts a month in the previous quarter.

complete article

Pew Research Centers Internet & American Life Project obtained readings on some of the most popular mobile phone activities based on interviews of 2,581 cell phone owning adults age 18 and older.

Here is how it breaks down:

82 percent: Take a picture
80 percent: Send or receive text messages
56 percent: Access the Internet
50 percent: Send or receive email
44 percent: Record video
43 percent: Download apps
31 percent: Look for health or medical information online
29 percent: Check bank account balance or do any online banking

Checkout the text messaging and mobile phone graphics.

Keep phones and phone accessories — batteries and chargers — in sealed plastic bags to avoid water damage.

If you have an extra phone battery and you have power, charge that battery so it is ready.

Add to your phones contact list all key emergency phone numbers and email addresses, including police, fire and rescue agencies; schools and service people.

If you are being evacuated, forward home or work phone calls to your wireless number.

Use your phone's camera to take photos or video of your property and valuables before the storm hits, so you have before photos if your home suffers storm damage.

If cell service is down in your area, but your home Wi-Fi network is working, switch to Wi-Fi on your phone.

Expect high-call volume, which can lead to network congestion. If that is the case, you will hear fast busy signals on your wireless phone. If that happens, hang up, wait several seconds and then try the call again. That allows your original call data to clear the network before you try again.

NASA just made it easier to catch a glimpse of the International Space Station — the largest manmade structure in space — as it soars across the night sky. The best part: no telescope required.

The space agency has launched a new free service called Spot the Station that allows observers to sign up for e-mail alerts or text messages whenever the space station may be visible overhead, weather permitting.

complete article

A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that Bloomin Brands, parent company of Outback Steakhouse, sent unsolicited advertising via text.

The complaint, filed Oct. 19, alleges that Bloomin Brands used an automatic telephone dialing system to send text messages to thousands of cell phone owners without their consent, in violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

It seeks a judgment of $2 million to $6 million.

complete article

If someone you love is caught in the storm, the major cellphone providers are hoping you'll resist the urge to place a checking-in phone call and send a quick text instead.

Sending a text, as opposed to placing a phone call, will help the recipient of your good wishes save battery power, and it will also free up wireless networks for emergency workers. You also have a better chance of getting through with a text when the networks get busy, Verizon explains in a statement.

Saving battery power was key for friends and family members hit by Sandy.

Verizon suggests people use social networks such as Twitter and Facebook to check in on friends, and to let people who are in Sandys path inform friends and family members how they are doing.

Like NotePage and Follow NotePage on social networks including:

NotePage on Twitter @NotePage

NotePage on Facebook

NotePage on LinkedIn

Simply possessing an Election Identity Card does not guarantee that your name figures on electoral rolls in your area. The district administration, which is now revising electoral rolls till November 7, has issued fresh requests asking citizens to check if their names figure on the voters list.

complete article

Warren County has upgraded its early weather alerting system to allow residents to receive winter storm warnings. The county provides weather warnings through a service called CodeRED Weather Warning, a service of Emergency Communications Network.

complete article