News Byte

Messaging App KakaoTalk Hits 100 Million Users

KakaoTalk, the increasingly popular South Korean mobile messaging app, announced Tuesday that it hit the 100 million global registered user mark just over three years after launch (South Korea itself has a population of only 50 million). The app is one of a number of mobile messaging services growing in popularity in recent months, facing stiff competition from the 250-million-user-strong WhatsApp and more recent competing service MessageMe. Facebook has also stepped up its messaging game in the past year, updating its Messenger app with more features on a regular basis.

IBM Tackles Machine-to-Machine Data Deluge

Think you know what M2M stands for?

Facebook’s Hundred-Dollar Test: How Much Would You Pay to Send a Message?

Forget the phone book. Facebook wants to be the online identity directory of the world.

No Account, No Problem: Facebook Messenger Continues War on SMS With Android Update

A new Facebook update for its Messenger app brings texting to Android users without Facebook accounts.

Apple Unleashes Its New Mountain Lion System

Apple’s new operating system further blurs the line between personal computers and mobile devices.

News Byte

Rare Skype Bug Sends Messages to Unintended Users; Fix in the Works

A recent update to video- and text-messaging platform Skype has resulted in some errant text messages being sent to recipients who weren’t meant to see the messages. Skype, which is owned by Microsoft, confirmed in a statement to Engadget that it is “rolling out a fix for this issue in the next few days” and will notify users when a new updated version of the application is available for download.

“Mobile First”: Product Chief Chris Cox and Facebook Brass Make the Phone a Top Priority

The social giant’s priorities are realigning, with the utmost emphasis on the mobile device.

The @facebook Email Switch: Another Nudge Toward a Facebook Communications System

An email tweak reminds us of Facebook’s future communications ambitions.

Chances Are You're Paying Way More for Mobile Than You Need To

Does your wireless plan suit your needs? Truly suit your needs? Because if it doesn’t, you’re potentially wasting hundreds of dollars. According to a yearlong BillShrink survey of more than 230,000 wireless users, people waste an average of $336 annually by miscalculating their voice and data needs.

Verizon Upholds Tradition of Bumpy iPhone Launch

AT&T must be snickering into its cornflakes this morning. Verizon began taking pre-orders for the forthcoming CDMA iPhone this morning and is suffering some of the same issues for which AT&T has been taken to task in the past (though not nearly as severe).

Live from Facebook's Email Messages Launch