A low tech approach to news broadcasting is working well for Alfred Sirleaf. He runs a a news and information service called the “Daily News” on the side of a major road in the middle of Monrovia, Liberia. The simple news display consists of a few large blackboards surrounded by some ad space. Sirleaf started the news service as a way to get important news and information into the hands of people who can not afford (or even understand) newspapers. He claims to have 10,000 daily viewers, and runs the whole operation through his cell phone, aided by a group [...]

The Telegraph reports that British children are given their first mobile phone around 8 years old. Doug Aamoth with CrunchGear makes a good point that the survey conducted was in an affluent area, which could slant the results, but nonetheless it’s worth noting that children are actively using mobile phones a great deal more than in previous years. Who are these kids calling? Mainly their parents, although the survey highlights that having a cell phone is more about having cool ringtones and games among friends, rather than serving as a solid communicating platform.
On another note, Finland’s Radiation and Nuclear Safety [...]

Samsung is releasing what’s been called the “holy green grail” of gadgets. Their new Blue Earth touchscreen phone can be powered by the sun, is partially made out of recycled water bottles and lacks the toxic substances found in many other electronics. A large solar panel on the back of the device taps the power of the sun, and will be able to fully charge the extremely energy efficient phone. The manufacturer also plans to incorporate solar cells into their entire product line in the future. The Blue Earth will be released at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on [...]

Yesterday at CES, Palm unveiled their new mobile operating system and accompanying device, the Pre.  Many initially likened it to Apple’s iPhone and the Andriod-powered G1, but it is clear that Palm is looking to push for unique features.  Among the most notable innovations, Palm has developed a wireless charging station and an integration of web services into the core system.  The new operating system funcations like each window is a card and you are the saavy blackjack dealer flying through multiple operations.
Unlike the iPhone, the Pre has the ability to run background applications like gchat so you are connected [...]