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Club Penguin Makes It Easier for Kids to Chat Using Predictive Text

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on October 28, 2011 at 5:00 am PT

Club Penguin, the insanely popular Disney-owned virtual world that’s accessible from the browser, has made it easier and safer for kids to communicate within the game.

Microsoft Looks to Mango to Make Windows Phone a Better Communicator

Ina Fried in Mobile on May 24, 2011 at 7:00 am PT

Among the more than 500 new features in the Mango release of Windows Phone are several aimed at making Microsoft smartphones into social butterflies.

Grrrrr…Tiger Mom Talks About Internet Frenzy Around Book

Kara Swisher in News on March 15, 2011 at 12:15 pm PT

Last night, BoomTown attended a Silicon Valley book party for Amy Chua, the author of one of this year’s most talked-about tomes: “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.” As it turns out, she says, the Internet got it all wrong about her controversial parenting advice.

Video: Ning's Andreessen and Rosenthal Talk About New Social Chat Service Mogwee

Kara Swisher in News on February 28, 2011 at 6:56 pm PT

Yes, it’s actually called Mogwee, which was the codename for the new mobile social communications service being launched tonight by Ning, the high-profile social networking platform. Part Twitter, part SMS, part Path and any number of such social start-ups, Mogwee actually stands for “more great weekends.” Here is a video with Ning CEO Jason Rosenthal and Chairman Marc Andreessen talking Mogwee.

Exclusive: Apple iPad 2 Event Set for March 2

Kara Swisher in News on February 22, 2011 at 10:00 am PT

To those who care intensely about this kind of stuff–which would be pretty much everyone in the tech ecosystem–Apple will hold its much-anticipated event on March 2, where the tech giant seems poised to unveil a new version of its hugely successful iPad, according to multiple sources. As in, iPad 2! Or, as BoomTown is now officially nicknaming it: iPad Too! According to several sources close to the situation, the Wednesday date in a little more than a week is firm and will take place in San Francisco, the scene of many such Apple events.

Assistly Extends Customer Service to Facebook Walls

Liz Gannes in Social on February 16, 2011 at 10:08 am PT

Assistly helps small businesses provide Web-based customer service and support with a platform that combines more traditional methods like email, chat and phone with Twitter and, as of today, Facebook.

HTC Shows Off First Tablet, Android Phone With Facebook Button and More

Ina Fried in Mobile on February 15, 2011 at 12:55 am PT

HTC became the latest company to “friend” Facebook, showing off a pair of Android phones that have a button for connecting directly to the social network. It also used Mobile World Congress to show off its first tablet and other Android devices.

‘With This App, I Thee Wed…’

Katherine Boehret in The Digital Solution on February 1, 2011 at 2:57 pm PT

Several wedding-planning applications for mobile devices let brides- and grooms-to-be reach for an iPhone to manage the process, from finding the dress to registering for gifts to editing the guest list.

Dispatches From the Supply Line Stoke iPad, iPhone Chatter

John Paczkowski in Mobile on January 21, 2011 at 12:44 pm PT

With the first-year anniversaries of the iPad and iPhone 4 fast approaching, and both devices destined for an update per Apple’s annual mobile device refresh cycle, the Apple rumor mill is undergoing a refresh of its own.

Verizon Wireless Touts 4G Network, Shows Off Devices

Ina Fried in Mobile on January 6, 2011 at 1:03 pm PT

Verizon showed off 10 devices coming in the first half of the year and said it will cover another 140 cities with the high-speed network by year’s end.