AT&T is set to begin offering a service that stops stolen phones from accessing its network, according to a report from The Verge later confirmed by The New York Times. The service will include a database tracking stolen devices and blocking them from being used on AT&T’s network, and will eventually be expanded to cover other carriers. The creation of the database follows an announcement from the FCC this spring that it was teaming up with law enforcement and the wireless industry to fight a rise in cellphone thefts.
A group of former Nokia employees are aiming to give the Finnish handset maker’s MeeGo platform a second chance through a new startup company. Jolla says it will develop a new operating system based on Nokia’s MeeGo platform that will feature a new user interface, with a smartphone running on the software slated for unveiling later this year.
PCTEL is buying the assets of TelWorx Communications for $16.5 million, with a potential earn-out that would bring the total value of the deal to $18 million. TelWorx specializes in wireless and fiber optic solutions for the enterprise, defense, transportation and carrier markets. The transaction includes TowerWorx, which provides mobile towers for defense, industrial wireless and other applications.
Kaltman Creations LLC has come out with two new devices under its Invisible Waves line that help identify wireless devices’ frequencies. The RF-id SOLO and RF-id STATION units are designed for use by professional audio wireless users, such as production companies and frequency coordinators. The devices were unveiled last month at the 2012 InfoComm show in Las Vegas.
Game developers will soon have access to targeted messaging services based on a new offering from Urban Airship in conjunction with predictive analytics specialists GamesAnalytics. Available for both iOS and Android, the deal will enable developers to use Urban Airship’s push notification platform to trigger highly targeted push messages based on player behaviors identified by GamesAnalytics’ Predict platform. GamesAnalytics’ says its predictive modeling can be used to determine a variety of information, from which gamers are most likely to churn to which virtual goods any given player is likely to purchase.
