cards

No, that's not a typo. Customers are reporting SIM card failures across all carriers, including CDMA-based Verizon and Sprint, which actually use the micro SIMs included in the iPhone 4S to roam on GSM networks as part of the "world phone" experience touted by Apple.

AT&T customer and Apple Support Communities member "robsdoghouse" experienced SIM card failure just after purchasing the iPhone 4S.

"I started experimenting with Siri and a couple minutes later the phone was hotter than usual and I get Sim Card failure, and Bad SIM messages."

Over 17 … Read more

Somewhere on or in my desk, I probably have your business card.

Like a lot of people, cards rain into my life constantly. Most get "filed" into small cardboard boxes that used to hold my own business cards. And then they get forgotten.

I have looked at many solutions for capturing the useful data I get from cards: Scanners, databases, and even services like Cloud Contacts, where you send your piles of cards to be scanned and entered into a database. They all take too much work (or money), so I don't stick to any of them. … Read more

Companies have long tried to get people to ditch paper business cards in favor of a digital connection.

And yet, business cards continue to pile up. Even at swanky Silicon Valley events, cards are commonplace. Detest them though you might--and I do--plenty of others seem not to care. Or they even enjoy them.

In short, this isn't an old medium that's ripe for the digital revolution. At least not entirely.

LinkedIn understands that, and today it's launching a souped-up version of its free CardMunch iPhone app (Droid users will have to wait), which already serves as a … Read more

Google negotiates with music labels, ultrabooks could add tap-to-pay, and Kobo copies Amazon by putting ads in its cheaper Touch e-reader.

Links from Monday's episode of Loaded:

No more trips to the post office or appointments with expensive photographers for holiday cards. This year, you can use a new app brought to us by the same people who made Postagram, and send out holiday cards directly from your smartphone.

Holiday Cards by Sincerely Ink (iTunes link) is a collection of roughly 30 Christmas, New Year's, and Hanukkah cards. You can also download the app to your Android device from the Android Market.

One thing not mentioned in the video is the ability to enter your address book into your account online, saving you from having to … Read more

Sprint Nextel introduced several lower cost mobile broadband plans today in an effort to push data services beyond the smartphone.

The company offers four new data plans to power tablets, mobile hot spot cards, USB cards, and connected laptops or Netbooks. The prices range between $19.99 and $79.99. The new plans don't affect Sprint's smartphone data offer, which remains unlimited.

While much of the attention has been on smartphone data plans, the wireless carriers are also seeing growth from so-called connected devices. By bringing down the prices of its monthly plans, Sprint is hoping more consumers … Read more

By next year, you'll be able to place an order for a book on Amazon by tapping your smartphone to your ultrabook.

At least, that's what Intel and MasterCard are envisioning. The companies said today they were working jointly to allow customers to pay for online purchases by tapping special MasterCard-powered PayPass cards or phones by their computer.

The introduction of the tap-and-pay feature on the ultrabook underscores the proliferation of devices capable of making and receiving mobile payments, a burgeoning field that has attracted power players such as Google. A smartphone with Google Wallet, for instance, will be able to work with an ultrabook. The feature also comes as more people take to their computers for online transactions instead of heading out to brick-and-mortar stores. … Read more

Awhile ago, Apple said it wanted SIM cards to be even smaller than the already tiny micro-Sim used in the iPhone 4 and 4S, and now the nano-SIM card is basically here.

Giesecke & Devrient, a German technology company, today announced a SIM card that's just two-thirds the size of the micro-SIM. The company says the new nano-SIM enables manufacturers to produce devices that are even thinner while offering an equivalent, if not better, level of wireless performance.

The new nano-SIM could find its way into mobile devices as early as next year. The relationship between Apple and G&D is unclear, but we're going to make an educated guess that you might find this in the next generation of the iPhone.… Read more

iPhone 4S buyers looking for an unlocked version of the new phone can now grab one directly from Apple.

The company has just started selling an unlocked and contract-free version of its new phone. In a nutshell, that means you can use the iPhone 4S without shelling out money for the usual two-year carrier contract. You can then jump from one network to another by picking up and inserting a micro-SIM card, which is available from each supported carrier.

An unlocked phone is especially handy for people who travel around the world and want to be able to use it … Read more