emergency

FCC requires VoIP providers to report service outages

The Federal Communications Commission has decided to require all interconnected VoIP service providers to report network outages in much the way landline and cell phone service providers must follow.

The goal of today's ruling is to build a more reliable 911 emergency call-in system and to make all of the U.S. communication infrastructure readily available in times of crisis.

"We are helping ensure that consumers will have access to reliable phone service, particularly when calling 911, whether they are using a traditional telephone or one that operates by interconnected VoIP service," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said … Read more

Google now posting emergency alerts via Google Maps

People looking for information on a natural disaster or other emergency anywhere in the world can now stay abreast of the latest details courtesy of Google Maps.

The new Public Alerts page, which Google is launching today, aims to keep you informed of emergency alerts for floods, tornadoes, winter storms, and other dangers that may be headed your way.

The idea is tell you what's happening, when and where the disaster may hit, how severe it will be, and what resources are around to help you, according to a Google blog post.

You can search for a specific item … Read more

Where's the emergency alert system for the Web?

At 11 a.m. Pacific Time, 2 p.m. Eastern today, for the first time ever, FEMA will activate the Emergency Alert System nationwide. Everyone watching television or listening to the radio will get the familiar alert tone on their show, and will have to sit through the "this is only a test" message for 30 seconds. Update: The broadcast test was apparently not a success.

And everyone on the Web will have no idea that the EAS is being tested.

The broadcast-based Emergency Alert System is "decades old," FEMA's Rachel Racusen told me, and … Read more

Get a Mophie Juice Pack external iDevice battery for $17.95

Today's post is dedicated to my father-in-law, Don Whalen, an incredibly skilled, larger-than-life man I loved and admired. He passed away suddenly last night.

iPhone battery problems got you down? Or perhaps you have an older iPod or iPad with a battery that just doesn't hold a charge like it used to. Whatever the case, it's always a good idea to pack a power pack.

Today only, and while supplies last, Laalo has the Mophie Juice Pack Boost external battery for $17.95, plus $4.95 for shipping. The Mophie has a built-in, retractable connector for … Read more

Help, I'm Getting Arrested!

I'm Getting Arrested is a creative Android app that, according to developer Quadrant 2, was inspired by a real-life "Occupy Wall Street" incident. It lets you quickly notify your family, friends, and crack legal team (if you have one) of your situation with a single tap of your finger. Just initially enter a custom message and some SMS-ready numbers to contact in the event of your arrest. Then, as you're about to be corralled into the back of a squad car, fire the app up and long-press the bull's-eye for 2 seconds. From there, you … Read more

Help, I'm getting arrested!

Imagine you're in New York (or perhaps another major metropolitan city) peacefully protesting.

Your cause? Let's say, to curb excessive influence of big business and the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans on U.S. laws and policy. You're holding up a sign declaring your heartfelt beliefs and chanting a bit with some of your fellow demonstrators when, all of a sudden--bam! The cops slap the cuffs on you, with the intention of carting you off to the nearest police station. Meanwhile, your friends and family are at home completely clueless about your situation.

Enter I'm Getting Arrested, … Read more

New tech aims to help soldiers battle limb injuries

When Army National Guardsman Ed Salau's Bradley Fighting Vehicle filled with smoke on November 15, 2004--"sometime after George Bush declared victory on the aircraft carrier and sometime before we won the war in Iraq," he likes to say--Salau and his gunner managed to crawl out of the hatch.

The first thing that hit them was that they'd somehow managed to survive two rocket-propelled grenades that had been fired at their vehicle. But Salau's leg seemed to dangle and flop below him. With the battle still raging around him, he grabbed the radioman's belt … Read more

Overhyped: Internet TV, augmented reality, tablets

E-book readers have bottomed out, Internet TV is nearing the peak of inflated expectations, location-aware apps have emerged onto the plateau of productivity, and augmented reality is beginning a long slide into the trough of disillusionment.

At least these are the conclusions from the Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies 2011, an annual report from market research firm Gartner that positions emerging technologies on a rather dizzying roller-coaster graph from research and development to mainstream adoption.

Each technology starts with a "Technology Trigger" and rides up a "Peak of Inflated Expectations," down a "Trough of Disillusionment," then up a "Slope of Enlightenment" before reaching a "Plateau of Productivity."

Sounds more like a Zen monk's career path or the arc of a Hollywood thriller than a road map for a technology such as e-books.… Read more

Video, SMS support coming to 911 service

The Federal Communications Commission is planning to rapidly roll out several new ways for people in the U.S. to call the emergency 911 line.

Speaking yesterday at the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials annual meeting, FCC chairman Julius Genachowski said that his organization has developed a "five-step action plan" to deploy Next Generation 9-1-1.

Next Generation 9-1-1 is the next phase of the emergency service. It's designed to offer users more ways to contact emergency officials, as well as improve the network to ensure it holds up for the new communication technologies.

According to Genachowski, a … Read more