Today's Mobile Minute brings you coverage on the debate between native apps and web apps, an Android application that uses Spyware to mine GPS data, questions about how to define "mobile" devices, an infographic that details texting habits in the US and around the world, and a controversy over a mobile water-finding app for people crossing the Mexico/US border.
- Curious about how native apps compare to web apps? Not sure which is right for you? Check out this handy chart from WebMonkey breaks down native apps and web apps in everything from running animation/graphics and ease of content distribution, to creating user interfaces and profitability.
- An Android application called Tapsnake is actually Spyware; once downloaded, the application reports GPS data from the phone every 15 minutes.
- Devices such as the iPad, Kindle, and Tablet have sparked a debate - what is a mobile device? Is it strictly a mobile phone? Or any device that can be accessed while on the move? PaidContent.org reports that Apple's move to have content work across iPods, iPhones, and iPads might bring licensing agreements into question.
- An infographic on Mashable illustrates texting habits, from comparing texting rates by age groups to the number of mobile users who admit to sending SMSs while driving. The graphic also shows how texting habits have increased over time, and reports that roughly five trillion texts are now sent annually worldwide.
- A UC San Diego professor was recently found innocent of inappropriate use of grant funding after his project, the Transborder Immigrant Tool, brought up controversy over illegal immigration. The app allows people illegally crossing the Mexico/US border to find water using GPS-enabled mobile phones, hopefully reducing the number of deaths due to exposure.
[Mobile Minute Disclaimer: The Mobile Minute is a quick round-up of interesting stories that have come across our RSS and Twitter feeds to keep you informed of the rapid pace of innovation. Read them and enjoy them, but know that we have not deeply investigated these news items. For more in-depth information about the ever-growing field of mobile tech for social change, check out our blog posts, white papers and research, how-tos, and case studies.]
Image courtesy Flickr user QiFei
Thanks to Dan Sinker for his contributions! Tag anything you see on twitter or your RSS feed #mobilemin and we'll include it in a future Mobile Minute!
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