UPDATED 07:30 EDT / JUNE 20 2012

Swype Keyboard Adds Voice and Handwriting

Today’s mobile news roundup features Nuance’s new keyboard, Comwave’s ePhone, an ex-Googler’s launch of MightyText, and more.

Nuance’s new keyboard for smartphones

Nuance, the software company that specializes in speech recognition, launched new software allowing smartphone users to input text via a combination of tapping, tracing, handwriting and speaking.  The launch is in response to the growing demand for technology that learns from users.

According to Nuance, some OEMs have already implemented the new Swype platform in their devices, mostly those supporting the Android platform, but Nokia and BlackBerry can use a developer kit from Nuance to make their own versions of Swype.

Comwave’s take on VoIP

Comwave, Canada’s largest independent communications company, launched ePhone, a VoIP app for Android smartphones and tablets.  What makes ePhone different from other available VoIP apps and services is that it provides you with a real phone number that allows users to receive calls from any telephone in the world.

“Having a Toronto or New York phone number on your cell phone or laptop computer is powerful especially when you travel and want to get around those annoying roaming fees,” Said Yuval Barzakay, President.

The app can save you money, as it includes free calling to 57 countries for a year while other services charge by the minute.  Interested users can try the app for free, which is available in Google Play and will only cost $30 per year after the free trial.

“While other Apps seem to put walled gardens that confine you to the App, ePhone allows you to communicate for free to non ePhone users as well. Now, someone can be in New York with their traditional cell phone and call an Android ePhone user across the globe in India and allow another computer ePhone user to join in,” added Barzakay.

Ex-Google geeks launch MightyText

Maneesh Arora, and Amit Sangani, both former Googlers, created a tool that allows people to read and reply to messages sent from an Android device to any device they are using.  The app, MightyText, is the duo’s take on iMessage for Android.  The app works by syncing a user’s existing Android number to send and receive text and MMS.

MightyText has been available in beta for months to 250,000 users, sending more than 2 million messages daily.  The app also organizes a user’s messages, such as texts, picture messages, and phone calls for easy browsing.  The best part about this is that since you’re using your existing Android number, people can’t tell that you’re not using your phone.

Net Nanny protects kids on Android devices

Many parents these days just give their kids smartphones or tablets to keep them busy but though their intention might be good, this could actually expose their kids to more harm.  ContentWatch updated their Net Nanny app to now feature an App Manager, which gives parents control over the apps used on smartphones and tablets.

“While using apps on smartphones and tablets, kids are at risk of exposure to adult or mature content, malicious apps and unintentional in-app purchases,” said Russ Warner, CEO of ContentWatch/Net Nanny. “Instead of surfing in a browser, kids spend much of their time using apps on their mobile devices. Many mobile apps access the Internet as part of their functionality.”

The updated Net Nanny with App Manager now features App Inventory Report, Block or allow specific apps, App Installation blocker, and Remote Administration, aside from the previous existing features such as Age-Appropriate Filtering, Filtering Categories, Non-Protected Browser Blocking, Circumvention Prevention, Real-Time Contextual Analysis, and Profanity Masking.

Net Nanny is offering a June-only 15% discount on a one-year subscription.  The ongoing subscription is $19.99 per year for one mobile device, and up to 50 percent off for multiple devices.  The app is available for download here.


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