data

Connected but private: Transporter aims to be your off-cloud Dropbox

The cloud may be the future of all things storage, but the present is more complicated: it can be expensive, potentially insecure, and you're left trusting a third party with all your data.

That's what inspired The Transporter, a Kickstarter project started by former employees of Drobo. Transporter aims for something more secure and distributed, while still being sharable. The concept largely works like Dropbox, with a Transporter folder that lives on your desktop and syncs with files stored on the physical Transporter drive (which resides someplace you designate). You can easily give others access to specific folders, … Read more

WhatsApp privacy practices under scrutiny

One of the world's most popular cross-platform applications "violates" international privacy laws, according to the Canadian and Dutch data protection authorities, because it requires users to provide their entire contact list to the service.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and the Dutch Data Protection Authority today announced their findings for what they called a "collaborative investigation into the handling of personal information" by the California-based company.

WhatsApp, an instant messenger application for iPhone, Android devices, and BlackBerry smartphones, provides a free service to rival text messaging, and sends more than 1 billion … Read more

Samsung reigns with 30% of Q4 smartphone shipments

Samsung was the clear leader in the smartphone market last quarter, according to new data from Juniper Research.

The research firm today reported that Samsung shipped 63 million smartphones in the fourth quarter, accounting for 30 percent of all shipments worldwide during the period. Apple came in second with 47.8 million sold. Most companies report shipments into the retail channel. Apple, however, reports total sales, which is why Juniper was forced to interchange those measures.

Apple and Samsung have easily separated themselves from the rest of the mobile pack. Nokia was only able to ship 6.6 million smartphones … Read more

New bill asks companies to notify EU of security breaches

Proposed legislation in the European Union would force tech companies that have access to user data -- such as Facebook, Google, and Microsoft -- to report any security breaches to local cybersecurity agencies, the Financial Times reported today.

This is the European Commission's effort to make private companies accountable for privacy and security problems, European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes told the Financial Times.

If passed, the measure would require each of the EU's 27 member states to set up local cybersecurity agencies to implement security standards on online networks. Social networks, e-commerce companies, and large online platforms … Read more

Unlimited Verizon data customers beware: Make sure your next phone is 4G

Some Verizon Wireless subscribers will do almost anything to keep their unlimited data plans. And that includes buying a new device at full price instead of signing a two-year contract and taking a sweet subsidy on that new phone.

But what happens when a Verizon subscriber who bought a 3G iPhone realizes she may still see her unlimited data service slowed? In this edition of Ask Maggie, I explain the finer points of Verizon's unlimited data policy and why 3G device users need to be careful. I also help another reader decide if the Verizon Share Plan could work … Read more

iPhone 5 users gobble up the most data in Europe, study says

iPhone 5 users in Europe are keeping mobile networks busy by eating up the most data.

Among 125 devices included in a study out today by Arieso, users of the newest iPhone downloaded 50 percent more data than did those with an iPhone 4S and four times as much as did those with an iPhone 3G. But Samsung users also proved to be big data hogs, at least in terms of uploads.

Owners of the Galaxy S3 took first place in terms of the amount of data uploaded, followed by those with the Galaxy Note 2. That put the iPhone … Read more

MetroPCS debuts new 4G LTE plans starting at $40

Prepaid carrier MetroPCS is rolling out a new line of wireless plans that it's dubbing "simpler" 4G LTE plans. All three plans offer unlimited data and are available on several of the smartphones MetroPCS offers.

The cheapest plan is $40 per month and includes unlimited data with the first 500MB of data running at 4G LTE speeds. The next unlimited data plan is $50 per month and the first 2.5GB of data runs on 4G LTE. And the final $60 per month plan offers complete unlimited data at 4G LTE speeds. All three plans include unlimited … Read more

Facebook yanks Instagram usage data from public view

Facebook has pulled Instagram traffic from public view, according to a story out yesterday from TechCrunch.

Instagram's page on AppData, which reports user numbers based on data obtained through Facebook's API, now states that "Facebook no longer reports new data for this application."

As an example cited by TechCrunch, Instagram showed 45.8 million monthly active users on January 7 as measured by Facebook logins. That number was zero as of yesterday.

Facebook told TechCrunch that the move was designed to bring Instagram in accord with its other apps, which don't appear separately in AppData.… Read more

T-Mobile rips up contract on unlimited data plan

LAS VEGAS--Take that, Sprint.

With T-Mobile USA and Sprint Nextel jockeying for customers with their respective unlimited data plans, T-Mobile today upped the ante by offering its plan without a contract.

For $70 a month, T-Mobile customers can get unlimited data, text messages, and phone calls.

The no-contract option represents T-Mobile's desire to further expand into the prepaid business -- a move that will be accelerated by its pending merger with regional prepaid carrier MetroPCS. The company has been aggressive as it works to re-spark customer growth.

In August, T-Mobile opted to follow Sprint's lead and offer an unlimited data plan without any strings. … Read more