Software and games

The Washington Nationals may not have the best record, but they're ahead of the game in creating new ways to use your cell phone. As of April 26, the team is letting fans use digital tickets on their handsets to gain admission to games. After buying a ticket from the team's Web site, you can request to have it sent directly to a phone in a multimedia message (MMS). You then take your phone directly to the admission gate where they scan the bar code from your handset's screen. Then it's off to enjoy the ball … Read more

Though CTIA has come and gone, there's still some news from the show that's worth mentioning. Aside from its gallery of new cell phones, such as the Z750 and the W580, the company also announced the Z750 would be the first cell phone to support the new Java Platform 8 (JP-8). JP-8, which is based on the Mobile Services Architecture (MSA) Java umbrella standard, not only brings a new set of applications to handsets such as the Z750, it aims to standardize Java development as a whole. At CTIA I got a chance to peek at what JP-8 … Read more

Not to be outdone by the competition, Cingular/AT&T Wireless is now offering a package of unlimited texts, video, picture and IM messages for about $20 per month.

AT&T Wireless is also offering a package that includes the unlimited messaging along with unlimited Media Net and Cingular Video. That bundle will run about $40 per month.

These new packages come on the heels of AT&T already cutting global data rates. Unfortunately, it looks like these new bundles are available only for new customers.

Morgan Pozgar, a 13-year-old, won LG's National Texting Championship yesterday. Her fast fingers netted her $25,000.

Pozgar bested her East Coast competitors and won $10,000 along with the title of East Coast champ.

With little time to ice her thumbs, the 13-year-old successfully texted "Supercalifragilisticexpialidoucious! Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious. If you say it loud enough you'll always sound precocious," to beat Eli Tirosh (who won the West Coast crown).

So the next time you get on your teen's case for texting, just remember that they're in … Read more

It's being reported that Disney Mobile, a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that runs off Sprint's network, will be getting some new features. Starting later this summer, users will be able to upload photos from their camera phones to a Disney photo-sharing site. Each user will get his or her own page, and parents will be able to control the ability of the kids to share photos outside the family.

The Call Control feature will be accessible through a parent's handset in the summer as well. This feature, which lets the grown-ups dole out and restrict minutes … Read more

After crowning the West Coast champ last month, the winner of LG's National Texting Championship will be determined tomorrow night in New York, with $25,000 at stake.

The East Coast "texthletes" will use their enV or V handsets to compete in single-elimination brackets to determine the East Coast champ. That person wins $10,000, and later that day they will take on Eli Tirosh (who won the West Coast crown) for an extra $15,000.

Registration is still open as of press time, and it seems like it could be worth your time even if you … Read more

Warm up those thumbs, because Verizon Wireless announced today new plans offering unlimited text, picture, video, and instant messaging to anyone on any network in the United States.

America's Choice Select, one of the new plans, will start at about $60 for 450 daytime minutes. This is about a $20 premium from the basic service. The family plan will cost about $30 more than the basic service.

On Friday, we got most of the details right. There's no unlimited V Cast service, which is a bit disappointing.

There have been multiple reports on the Web that Verizon Wireless will offer a package with unlimited texts, picture messages, and their V Cast service starting April 15.

Representatives from Verizon haven't confirmed or denied this, but Engadget Mobile said "it appears that the single line plans cost about $20 more and family share plans start at $99.99 for 700 minutes."

This package is a good way to take advantage of phones like the Samsung SCH-u740 because you could text until your fingers bleed. And while some may scoff at paying that much for texting, it'… Read more

When I first came across Pinger, I was intrigued. It's billed as "text messaging for your voice," which conjured images in my mind of a free, accurate transcription program. I would love to dictate my text messages; it would be like having a miniature secretary in your phone.

Pinger allows users to send quick mobile-to-mobile voice messages. After setting up a free account, you call into Pinger's service, say the name of the contact you want to reach, and record your message. The service then shoots a text notification (standard text rates apply) to the recipient, … Read more