Crave

(Credit: Valups)

One of the big tech stories of 2009 was the transition of the U.S. broadcast TV standard from analog (NTSC) to digital (ATSC). But while ATSC broadcasts offer crystal clear high-def images, they have at least one drawback: unlike analog broadcasts, digital TV is tough to receive if you're on the move. That means that even "portable" digital TVs have to be locked down with a carefully pointed antenna before you can really watch them.

Thankfully, Mobile DTV is aiming to change that. The new standard is optimized for small screens and access on the move. Several hundred Mobile DTV channels are slated to get a wide rollout across the U.S. this year. That will include mobile-friendly versions of existing broadcast networks (ABC, Fox, and so forth), as well as cable premium channels that can be accessed on a subscription or pay-per-view basis.

So what's the catch? You'll need to have Mobile DTV channels broadcasting in your area, and you'll need a Mobile DTV-compatible product to access ... Read more

The system's base station directly connects one's home to a monitoring station.

(Credit: Medical Mobile Monitoring)

It's said we exit this life the same way we enter--drooling and in need of diapers. It is, then, cruelly fitting that Medical Mobile Monitoring has recently developed a medical-alert tracking system that resembles a baby monitor.

The company's MobileHelp medical-alert system, launched in November, tracks users no matter how far they wander, as long as they are within range of an AT&T cellular network. It costs about $35 a month. The system also uses GPS satellite tracking, so you can literally watch the person you are monitoring online in real time:

When subscribers need help, they simply press their help button and are connected via two-way voice to a central monitoring station that is live 24/7/365. The technology from Medical Mobile Monitoring also allows family members to see an online map and location of their loved ones over the Internet and be notified via mobile phone and email when an emergency arises.

Aside from such a service being both inherently creepy and inherently useful, it is also a sign of the times. In October, we covered the release of a similar tracking system, called EmSeeQ, whose faceless black watch has the unfortunate effect of looking like something Batman or a secret agent would wear, thereby calling unnecessary attention to itself.

MobileHelp's waterproof pendant may be better, but still doesn't hit the mark. ... Read more

The ethereal Google Phone could arrive as early as January 5 on T-Mobile's network, according to a report.

Google could start selling the Nexus One directly to consumers on January 5, according to a new report.

(Credit: Cory O'Brien via Twitter)

That's according to TmoNews, a blog that obsessively tracks the movements of T-Mobile. It says it has obtained an internal training document that mentions the Google Phone, thought to be the Nexus One phone distributed to Google employees earlier this month.

In the document, T-Mobile informs its employees that "the Google Android phone will be sold solely by Google via the Web," backing up other reports that Google is about to make a radical departure from its previous phone strategy and "compete with its customers," something Google Android chief Andy Rubin had said the company was not interested in doing.

The document makes no mention of timing, but TmoNews said its sources believe the phone will launch on January 5 at 9 a.m., just before the major CES trade ... Read more

(Credit: Cory O'Brien via Twitter)

We know that one of the hottest Google Android phones out there is the one you can't get yet. Well, unless you're a Google employee of course. So the question remains, when will the general public be able to get a Nexus One of their very own? Well, according to the latest rumor, it could be as early as January 5.

A tipster told Engadget Mobile on Wednesday that the Nexus One will be available on that date but by invite only. The invitations will be sent out by Google but the tipster didn't have any information as to how the company is deciding who to send the invites to and no word on pricing. It seems a little suspect to us, but hey, we know Google likes to pull surprises.

In addition to a possible release date, Engadget Mobile posted full specs for the smartphone:

• Android 2.1
• Support for T-Mobile's 3G bands, quad-band GSM/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS

Although there is no conclusive proof that mobile phones cause cancer, a Maine legislator wants to require all mobile phones sold in the state to carry warnings that say mobile phones may do so.

State Rep. Andrea Boland, a Democrat, told the Associated Press that "numerous studies point to the cancer risk." She has worked her proposal into the upcoming schedule for the 2010 session in Maine's legislature. Boland said that she uses a speaker, so she can keep her mobile phone away from her head. She also keeps it off unless she knows someone will call her.

If Boland's bill makes it through the state legislature, vendors would be forced to place labels on all mobile phones and packaging that tell customers they could get brain cancer from using the device. Those warnings would also recommend those people keep phones as far away from their bodies as possible.

Boland is apparently acting in what she believes is her constituents' best interest. But the debate over whether or not mobile phones really cause brain cancer rages on. So far, there is no conclusive evidence on either side of the debate for legislators to summarily require all mobile phones within the state to carry a cancer warning.

Boost Mobile added unlimited calls to Canada (except Northern Territories) and landlines in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey as part of its International Connect plan today. Launched earlier this year, the International Connect plan costs $10 a month and includes unlimited text messaging and push-to-talk with Canada, Baja California, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, and Chile for a flat fee.

To sweeten the deal even further, Boost Mobile has also lowered its handset prices to $99.99 for the Motorola Clutch i465 and $149.99 for the Motorola Debut i856.

Bonnie Cha, senior editor for cell phones, joins the show today to fill in for Justin Yu. It's one of the few days Wilson and Jeff aren't worried about losing their jobs for something they shouldn't have said. And no, she is NOT Nicole Lee. What better day to have Ms. Cha on the show than following the weekend that the actual Google phone leaks!

Google Nexus One

(Credit: Cory O'Brien)

The Google phone has been rumored for the last three or four years, and since the release of Google's Android operating system, the hoopla has died down considerably for an actual Google-branded phone. In typical Google fare, the company has decided on screwing its partners like Verizon and Motorola over by releasing an unsubsidized GSM phone called the Nexus One. No word yet on how much the unit will cost, but we do know that HTC designed the device. And that Google employees got the units over the weekend. Word on the street is that the device runs Android OS 2.1.

The mobile space is where all the spice is these days, and today is no different. News comes out that the venerable institution that is Playboy is jumping into the iPhone app fray with its own app. Because of Steve Jobs' no-porn rule, however, the app won't come with any outright nude pics. It will come with some scantily clad ladies and their interests. Per usual, it's all about the articles, not the pics.

(Credit: Playboy)

In videogaming news, the Pentagon is buying up 2,200 PlayStation 3s. No, they aren't using it to train soldiers with "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2", while it may be a lot of fun. The military wants to use the gaming consoles to run simulations because the $299 machines can calculate 150 GFLOPS. At The 404, we really have no idea what that means, but it sounds impressive.

Finally, Green Day comes to Rock Band. The Beatles have come already, and while we're generally excited to have one of the best modern bands, we're not really excited to have every dude singing "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" at every single graduation party. This could be a very, very bad thing.

As promised, T-Mobile last night began rolling out a new billing option for Google Android users.

Customers of the nation's largest Android carrier now have an option to charge Android Market purchases directly to their monthly bills and bypass their credit cards and Google Checkout accounts. T-Mobile is the first carrier to offer a billing alternative, though Sprint has also committed to making a similar move.

As the update is considered "invisible," T-Mobile customers will not receive any notifications of a pending software update. Rather, you can access the new billing option by logging into the Android Market and making a purchase.

This update will roll out over the course of the next few weeks and should hit all handsets by the end of the year. Similar to Google Checkout, applications uninstalled within the first 24 hours after purchase will not show up on your T-Mobile bill.

For now, the only paid apps that can be applied to your monthly bill must be in U.S. currency. Titles priced in other currencies must be ... Read more