Mobile startup offers unprecedented plan: 500MB of data, free incoming calls

On Tuesday, the American mobile phone market took one step closer to looking a bit more like the European or Asian markets: free incoming calls, inexpensive outgoing calls, and a focus on data. A Canadian startup, TextNow , just launched a new mobile service in the United States. For $18.99 per month, you get 500MB of data, 750 rollover minutes, and unlimited texting and incoming calls. In the US, it’s the norm for both the sending and receiving parties to be charged for a call. But nearly everywhere else in the world, only the person who originated the call actually pays. “Incoming calls don’t really cost us that much, ” Derek Ting, the company’s CEO, told Ars. “Carriers charge you anyway because they can get away with it.” Read 5 remaining paragraphs | Comments        

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Mobile startup offers unprecedented plan: 500MB of data, free incoming calls

Apple Will Replace Your Crappy Third-Party USB Charger for $10

After a faulty iPhone charger allegedly electrocuted a Chinese woman , Apple decided to respond and help out those who may have risky USB power adapters in their possession. The company has pledged to recycle them free of charge and will give you an official Apple replacement for $10. Read more…        

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Apple Will Replace Your Crappy Third-Party USB Charger for $10

These Incredible New Buses Are Charged Wirelessly by the Road Itself

Imagine an electric vehicle that can travel endless distances without ever needing to stop at a recharging station. That sounds impossible, right? Because electric vehicles run on batteries, and at some point, you need stop and charge those batteries. Not this one. Read more…        

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These Incredible New Buses Are Charged Wirelessly by the Road Itself

A Futurama/Adventure Time crossover is real and is happening

OH MY GLOB. The voice of John DiMaggio will collide with the voice of John DiMaggio when Jake the Dog — and Finn, natch — make a guest appearance on the next episode of Futurama (airing Wednesday the 9th, at 10:00 pm EST). Read more…        

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A Futurama/Adventure Time crossover is real and is happening

Backdoor Found In OpenX Ad Platform

mask.of.sanity writes “A backdoor has existed for at least seven months in a platform sold by OpenX, the self-described global leader of digital advertising which counts the New York Post, Coca Cola, Bloomberg and EA among its customers. The backdoor was contained within the official OpenX package and recently removed. Security researchers say it meant those who downloaded the compromised software could have provided attackers full access to their web sites.” Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Firefox 23 Arrives With New Logo, Mixed Content Blocker, and Network Monitor

An anonymous reader writes “Mozilla today officially launched Firefox 23 for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. Improvements include the addition of a share button, mixed content blocker, and network monitor on the desktop side (release notes). The new desktop version was available on the organization’s FTP servers last night, but that was just the initial release of the installers. Firefox 23 has now officially been released over on Firefox.com and all existing users should be able to upgrade to it automatically. As always, the Android version is trickling out slowly on Google Play.” Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Firefox 23 Arrives With New Logo, Mixed Content Blocker, and Network Monitor

Philips grows Hue smartphone-controlled lighting lineup with $80 LivingColors Bloom, $90 LightStrips

There’s no shortage of home automation solutions on the market, but none can touch the cool factor of Philips’ Hue . The Android and iOS-controlled lighting solution consists of a base station that controls up to 50 different lights, including the company’s existing LED Connected Bulb, and two new additions, designed to let you add light without a standard lamp socket. The first product, LivingColors Bloom, is a compact fixture that you can position on the floor, on a shelf or anywhere in a room. It sits on the ground and bounces your pick of 16 million colors off any surface. LightStrips, on the other hand, is a better fit for more permanent (and subtle) installations. The 6.6-foot LED strip can be cut to size, and includes an adhesive backing, so it can be easily mounted under a counter, bed or inside cabinets. Both offerings support the full Hue color spectrum, and are compatible with existing apps and macros, including the IFTTT integration that debuted in May. Hue Bloom is set to retail for $80, while LightStrips will run you 90 bucks. Expect both products in Apple Stores this Thursday. Filed under: Household Comments

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Philips grows Hue smartphone-controlled lighting lineup with $80 LivingColors Bloom, $90 LightStrips

All the New Stuff in IFTTT for iOS, and What You Can Do with It

The If This Then That iOS app was released a few weeks ago , and people have had plenty of time to create some clever recipes that integrate the new iOS-specific features. The iOS app extends the experience of IFTTT more than you might think. Here’s everything you can do with it. Read more…        

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All the New Stuff in IFTTT for iOS, and What You Can Do with It

Solar-powered Ubuntu laptop boasts 10-hour battery, 2-hour charge time

A blazing sun and the outdoors don’t exactly make for an ideal computing environment — unless you’re toting a ruggedized laptop that harnesses energy from sunlight like the Ubuntu-running Sol. Created mainly for use in developing countries with intermittent (or non-existent) electricity, it’s equipped with solar panels that soak up the sun when unfolded. According to OMG Ubuntu, its creators from Canadian company WeWi Telecommunications claim Sol’s battery, which can last for up to ten hours, only takes two hours to charge via solar energy. The device’s official website reveals little else, but according to the nuggets of information we’ve stumbled upon, Sol will pack an Intel processor, WiFi connectivity and an HD display, with an optional satellite module for internet connectivity. While full availability details have yet to be announced, a countdown timer on its website hints at more info in just under two days. Ghana will reportedly see the hardware arrive first with an accompanying $300 price tag. Though the notebook isn’t exactly wildly affordable, it’s at least a bit cheaper than Samsung’s 2011 take on a sunbeam-fueled laptop. Filed under: Laptops Comments Via: OMG! Ubuntu Source: Sol

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Solar-powered Ubuntu laptop boasts 10-hour battery, 2-hour charge time