Google's Android Phones Challenge Apple iPhone For Smartphone Market Share

At a media forum on Thursday July 8, 2010 at the Allen & Co's Sun Valley conference, Google executives Larry Page and Sergey Brin informed Journalists that Steve Jobs was re-writing Android's history to align with Apple's interests. They argued that contrary to Steve Jobs claims Google had been working on Android long before the iPhone Applications.

Just like Apple, Google has been, achieving success with its Android powered smartphones as sales have continued to rise dramatically. A confirmation of Android's growth could be gleaned from the positive comments made by Google's Senior VP of Product Management, Jonathan Rosenberg in July 2010. According to Mr. Rosenberg there are 160, 000 Android-based devices being activated daily. He stated that Android search grew by 300 percent in the first half of 2010, with strong growth expected to continue in the second half.

Iphone Application

Mr. Rosenberg added that overall revenue jumped by 24 percent year-on-year and profit increased by 19 percent, as well. Informed reports show that as at May 2010, there were 50, 000 Android Apps but today they are over 70, 000 and by the end of the year they should reach 100, 000. In addition, Google has tried to encourage developers of applications for the Android operating system through a contest. Also according to data made available by Andro Lib, Android users have downloaded more than one billion application till date.

Interestingly, another measure of the success of Google Android phone could be seen from positive figures posted by HTC the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer in the second quarter of 2010. The company in July 2010 announced that its net income rose by 33 percent for the second quarter, and total revenue was 58 percent more than last years figures. According to the Wall Street Journal for the second quarter of 2010, HTC made a profit of 8 million.

The rise in the profit of HTC is a reflection of the success of Google because analysts believe that it is Android phones that are driving the company's growth. The wide acceptance HTC's Google Android powered phones like Evo 4G, the Droid Incredible, the Google Nexus One, and T-Mobile-My Touch 3 are helping to position HTC as a leading smartphone manufacturer.

A pointer to the rapid growth of Google's Android could be discerned from the fact that Comscore reported on July 8 2010 that Google's Android platform grew by 44 percent from February to May. According Comscore in the three three-month time frame from December to February, Android had a mean market share of about 9 percent of smartphone's in the United States. However, in the following three-month time frame, from March to May, Android market share grew to about 13 percent.

Remarkably inspite of the increase in Android's market share Comscore report showed that as at July, 2010 that RIM was number one with 41. 7 percent share of U. S. smartphone subscribers, followed by Apple with 24.4 percent share. Microsoft was 3rd with a 13.2 percent share; Google's Android was 4th with 13 percent and Palm was 5th with 4.8 percent market share. Market analysts say a review of the totality of the Market will tend to suggest that Android is growing at a rate that will see it outpace all its competitors.

The Google -Apple face off in the smart phone market is turning out to be like Apple -Microsoft war of the 80's and 90's. In the Apple-Microsoft war of the 90's Microsoft gained competitive advantage over Apple because while Microsoft was forming partnerships with PC vendors, Apple kept its operating system closed for use in only its own computer systems. In that kind of arrangement Microsoft Windows soared in market share while Apple stagnated.

In the present case Google's Android platform is growing rapidly because it is free so many handset manufacturers are showing a preference for it. Also and is available on multiple-carriers like AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile. However, the Apple iPhone Os runs only on a single device -the Apple iPhone and on one carrier ATT. Experts believe if this trend continues it that may lead to slow growth for the iPhone in future.

Industry sources say, it may only be fair to make comparisons between Apple iPhone and other smartphones running on Android on an individual basis to determine how well each one stacks up against the iPhone. Experts believe that collectively the smartphones running on Android may eventually have more market share than the Apple iPhone smartphone which is a single device, but individually none of the Android phones would likely outsell the iPhone which is regarded as the fastest selling smart phone in history.

A pointer to what the future of the smartphone market will look like is contained in recent report published by IDC, a Market intelligence company. According to IDC's analysis by 2013 Symbian will be number one mobile OS worldwide, while Android will be the No. 2. IDC predicts that Android may likely achieve the fastest growth of any mobile operating system ever.

Google's Android Phones Challenge Apple iPhone For Smartphone Market Share

NIU and Lextech partner to offer smartphone application courses

NIU and Lextech partner to offer smartphone application courses Tube. Duration : 2.58 Mins.

The Department of Computer Science at Northern Illinois University is partnering with Lextech Global Services to offer a series of courses that will teach students how to write apps for the iPhone, Android, Windows Phone and other mobile-device platforms. Students in the courses are gaining skills in one of the hottest new areas of computer programming.

Keywords: Lextech, NIU, Northern Illinois University, smartphone apps, app programing, app, certificate program, iphone, Android, mobile phone, mobile device, Alex Bratton, Nicholas Karonis, Computer Science, programming, Lextech Global Services

What Are The Things That You Must Know About Smartphone App Development

When Apple released its iPhone Applications that you have developed.

Even so, before getting into the Development of Smartphone applications you will need to try and do things in a manner that ensures that your application can be used by a broader segment of users. There are some issues that will have to be addressed including learning about the carriers that offer devices for a particular platform.

Create An Iphone App

Blackberry for example offers devices that almost all the major US carriers serve but not each model is available for each different carriers network. The prices charged by a particular carrier are another factor that has to be addressed. If your application is heavily dependent on access to the Web or requires transfer of data via the internet, then you must pick a carrier that offers the right kind of device for your platform and their data plans also need to be affordably priced.

A second important consideration that needs to be addressed before getting involved with smartphone app Development is that of the number of handsets that are available and the features being offered by the handset. This is because a customer is very choosy about their handsets. It therefore makes sense to serve greater variety of Smartphone devices for a particular platform as this will help ensure that your application can reach out to a broader audience.

However, it is the nature of your application that is really an important issue. You must ensure that the application can serve many different devices. You must be able to handle Smartphone with touch screen and accelerometer as well as compass. Also, make absolutely sure that your application is very robust and can survive in a particular platforms environment.

Finally, before starting with your smartphone app Development, be sure to check that the platform you have chosen has a sound application delivery method. The development of applications for Smartphone has become very strong industry and it is going to be the hottest area in the entire software industry in the coming years. It pays to get into this field that is growing and offering interesting challenges to those who are capable of creating the best applications for a Smartphone.

What Are The Things That You Must Know About Smartphone App Development

Golf GPS Apps For Your Smartphone - What Are the Pros and Cons?

The number of golf GPS devices and the number of apps for smartphones is growing quickly. It is very difficult to keep track as developers try to carve out their niche in the market. As a golfer who is looking for one of these devices, you can be overwhelmed by the number of choices available to you.

First, should you buy a standalone unit like a SkyCaddie or a Callaway uPro, or should you go with a much cheaper golf GPS Application that you can download for your smartphone? Now, surely there is no way that a app for the iPhone can match all the features of a SkyCaddie, anymore than a Ford Fiesta can match all the features of a BMW. But people do drive around in inexpensive compact cars and they do get everywhere they need to go (without the luxury of course).

Application Development

So, if you want a golf GPS device that costs less than a round of golf, but one that can still get you safely around the course, you might consider a smartphone app rather than a much more expensive standalone device. Here are some of the pros and cons of using a smartphone app.

Pros

The price. There is really no comparison here. If you already own a smartphone, then the cost of a good GPS app can be less than one tenth of the cost of a standalone unit.

Free trial. You can download many of these apps for free and try them out with no obligation to buy. This is a relatively hassle-free way of testing the waters to see what the various apps have to offer.

Touchscreen. Many phones like the iPhone or the BlackBerry Storm have touchscreens. Smartphone golf apps often display an aerial view of the course and the golfer can pinpoint any spot on the course to get instant feedback. This is a feature that some of the more expensive models lack. SkyCaddie, GolfLogix, and Sureshot, for instance, do not have touchscreens and do not have a view of the fairway at all.

No subscription or annual fees. With most golf GPS apps, you can usually download all the courses you need or you can use software to map your own courses for free. For some of the top brands subscriptions and annual fees alone can cost much more than a smartphone app.

Cons

Accuracy of GPS. There is debate about whether or not the GPS chip in smartphones is accurate enough for golf. The iPhone claims its GPS is accurate to within 1-7 yards. But the maximum error of 7 yards is still a long way from the 1-3 yards of SkyCaddie or the sub-meter accuracy of Sureshot.

Accuracy and number of mapped courses. You may have to settle for fewer available course maps. Generally with phone apps you will not get professionally mapped courses: there are no armies of mappers (ala SkyCaddie) walking courses to mark all the key spots with pinpoint precision. More likely you will have to settle for self-mapped courses or courses mapped by your fellow software users (mostly from Google Earth). How accurate these maps are is debatable.

Battery life. Golf GPS apps can be a huge drain on cellphone batteries. You may find yourself just barely able to finish a round with a fully charged battery. The standalone devices, on the other hand, have batteries that can last for several rounds of golf.

There may be no clear decision to make here: it will probably come down to personal choice (and economics).

Golf GPS Apps For Your Smartphone - What Are the Pros and Cons?

Windows Mobile 7 And The Smartphone Market!

Microsoft has come up with a new improved mobile platform with Windows Phone 7. The new mobile platform which was recently unveiled in Taiwan is available with the Nokia Lumia series and HTC's two new phones: HD7 and Mozart.

The mobile platform is a means for Microsoft to recover lost ground in the mobile market which has drastically changed in the last three to four years. Windows Mobile 6 wasn't much of a success as the iPhone won accolades for its path-breaking design and features. Even the Android OS was touted to be an iOS killer and is indeed revving up competition.

Application Development

The new offering from Microsoft which is Windows Mobile 7 is a clean break from the previous version. Windows Phone 7 has to capitalize on its features and market well and is still not an iPhone/Android killer. It can though put up a worthy fight with the biggies. The Nokia Lumia series which has Windows Mobile 7 has a touch screen keyboard which does work well and the Applications which support mails, music and video are fantastic. Additionally, according to analysts, the new OS boasts of clarity and simplicity.

Windows Mobile 7 apps offer different choices to the market and differentiate from the crowd. One of the best parts of WP7 is that it supports Zune and Xbox Live integration. There are a number of third party Applications related to social media like Twitter and Seesmic.

Windows Mobile 7 Application Development involves optimum utilization of the.NET framework. Microsoft has molded the framework for apps creation. Developers can write programs in different languages which are supported by the framework, one of them is C#. The apps are run within a runtime environment which is termed as Common Language Runtime or CLR.

One can use several approaches while developing apps for the Windows Phone 7 Development. One can make use of Silverlight or one can even use the XNA framework. Silverlight was the original choice of the developers for creating rich internet Applications. Silverlight is slowly becoming popular but has a long way to go to compete with other similar technologies. There has been better market adoption though in recent years. One of the Developments is that Netflix is now using Silverlight to stream videos one of the most popular TV channels NBC recently used Silverlight for the broadcast of Olympic games.

On the other hand, XNA is Microsoft's own game Development framework which has been widely used for making apps for Windows and Xbox 360. The XNA is almost perfectly suitable for games development.

Windows Mobile 7 And The Smartphone Market!

Sprint HTC EVO 4G Android WiMax Smartphone Demo at CTIA

Sprint HTC EVO 4G Android WiMax Smartphone Demo at CTIA Video Clips. Duration : 7.23 Mins.

Sprint gives us a demo of the HTC EVO 4G, a WiMax Android smartphone with HTC Sense UI, with key features including an 8-megapixel camera, 720p HD video recording and encoding, HDMI output to TV, large 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen, mobile hotspot app, kickstand for multimedia consumption experience, and more. The device also has a fast Snapdragon processor. This is the smartphone to beat!

Tags: HTC, Sprint, Sprint HTC EVO 4G, Sprint EVO 4G, EVO 4G, HTC EVO 4G, wimax, 4G, Android, Sense UI, Sense, HD video, HDMI, Snapdragon, chuongvision, pocketnowvideo

iPhone vs Windows Phone: Which smartphone is simply faster?

iPhone vs Windows Phone: Which smartphone is simply faster? Video Clips. Duration : 2.23 Mins.

We offered iPhone users 0 that Windows Phone is simply faster at the everyday stuff they do on their smartphones. Who will win and who will get smoked by Windows Phone? See more of the Windows Phone Challenge at newwp.it

Keywords: Windows Phone, Windows Phone challenge, simply, faster, challenge, smartphone, iphone

Smartphone Apps Via Mashup - The New Trend to Great Apps

Mobile websites and smartphone apps have been rising in both popularity and accessibility in recent months. One of the most significant reasons for this is the ease of creation for the developer and even the business-owner. Creating apps via 'mashup', an aggregation of technologies, allows for shorter Development times and easier to support apps.

Many Development studios use native-only platforms for their code and app Development. By no means is this a bad thing. In fact, in my Development work, there are many apps that I've directed through the cycle with completely native Java/Android/iOS code. For many of our apps, however, mashup was the best solution.

Create An Iphone App

Wikipedia defines mashup as: "In web development, a mashup is a web page or Application that uses and combines data, presentation or functionality from two or more sources to create new services. The term implies easy, fast integration, frequently using open APIs and data sources to produce enriched results that were not necessarily the original reason for producing the raw source data." For the purposes of this article, we'll define mashup as a combination of HTML services (such as Javascript) with native Android or iOS (Apple) code.

Since there are services available for creating your own app via mashup, the technology (or combination technology) makes it easier for a business owner to implement their own app in just a few days or even hours for those who are adept at many technologies. There are some caveats here with 'do it yourself' mashup apps:

You have to support your own coding (no help desk here) You have to be sure you write the mashup app in a method which supports usability (many people really have no clue what is needed to make an app look and feel usable) You have to market your own app You have to control your own updates and bug fixes (this can be time-consuming - especially for a business owner)

There are other considerations, but these listed give you a general idea of what kind of burden you may have if you 'do it yourself'. Of these considerations, I believe the biggest would be the last. If you're a restaurant owner, your principal work is running a restaurant. It's not creating and supporting apps. Consider this, if you have your own company, do you use a service like ADP to run your payroll? Or, do you calculate the gross to net and print all the paychecks for employees yourself?

If you're in the market for a new app for your business, you can specify that the app be created completely using native code. An app developer would tell you that this is a solid method which contributes both to speed of the app and reliability. The cost for this app would be considerably higher than an app developed with mashup. However, you will be able to rest easier knowing that the app would be solid.

If you have an app created by a developer using mashup tools, the cost will be typically half or less than that of pure native code development. For those enterprises that need to save money while having wonderful functionality, mashup may be the way to go.

Should you decide to go the mashup route, you can end up with a fantastic app. Your big decision here is to pay a developer or build it yourself using a web-app service company. Either of these allows for significant cost-savings (for the development portion only) over native coding. However, you really must keep in mind the ongoing support cost of the app.

As a business owner, you really should keep in mind that mobile technology cannot be ignored. Marketing, branding, ease of access and other considerations have to be made. The mobile trend is moving upward and it's becoming a 'must have' rather than a 'nice to have'. How are you going to work with it? For most small to medium sized businesses, mashup may be the way to go.

Smartphone Apps Via Mashup - The New Trend to Great Apps

The Omnia 7 - A New Smartphone From Samsung

The past three months has seen the smartphone market bombarded with a new range of high specification Windows 7 handsets, with the model standing out from the crowd being the new Omnia 7 from Samsung.

Looking around the physical design of the handset, the phone does immediately catch the eye with its sleek lines. Unlike many Samsung handsets, the Omnia 7 is constructed largely from a metallic material rather than plastic. What this helps the phone achieve is a sense of robustness when in use, whilst also helping the model look very high end. One useful feature this phone sports is a physical camera button, much more useful than having to access Applications in order to take a snap. Another physical button on the chassis is the "Home" key, giving the Omnia 7 and all together iPhone look about it. Despite its large dimensions, thanks to the screen, the phone does maintain a very respectable 138 grammes in the weight department, making it feel comparatively lightweight against the likes of the HTC HD7. Like the majority of similar phones available, the 8GB of internal storage capacity does seem a little on the low side, especially without the option of adding a micro SD card, it should however prove ample for the average phone user. This memory ideal for storing all manner of media files that the device is capable of handling. Multiple audio file formats, along with high quality 5 mega pixel still shots and HD footage can all be stored in order to view at a later time.

Iphone Application

One area where the Samsung Omnia 7 really is without parallel is its screen. The 4inch display found on this model produce an image quality that surpasses many of its rivals. The wise decision to incorporate Super AMOLED technology results in not only a wafer thin display, but also one with a natural depth of colour, especially on blacks, than the TFT styled counterparts. A key element with many modern smartphones is web connectivity, and the Omnia 7 features a good range of options that include WiFi, 3G, EDGE and GPRS. Regardless of how you are connected, the powerful ghz processor that really is the engine on this model keeps proceedings moving along at a very quick pace. This makes for a very satisfying user experience. The new operating system is also a joy to use, with the colourful arrangement of tiles making a nice change from the widget based homescreens.

Whether you are looking for just a great quality smart phone, or a Windows 7 model, the Samsung Omnia 7 ticks all the right boxes with what is one of the most pleasing releases of the past few months.

The Omnia 7 - A New Smartphone From Samsung

Digital Music App for Smartphone 'Genie'_SHINee Promotion Clip

Digital Music App for Smartphone 'Genie'_SHINee Promotion Clip Video Clips. Duration : 0.78 Mins.

새로운 음악 세상 지니가 정식 오픈되었습니다~! 스마트폰 전용 디지털 음악 콘텐츠 앱인 '지니(Genie)는 모바일 어플리케이션과 모바일 웹( m.geniemusic.co.kr )에서 사용할 수 있습니다. The new world of music 'Genie' has been launched! The digital music contents app 'Genie' for Smartphone is available both on mobile phone and mobile web (http Only Korea for now! ♬ Digital Music App for Smartphone 'Genie'_SHINee Promotion Clip ℗ SMEntertainment

Keywords: 지니, genie, 샤이니, shinee, music, 음악, app, 앱, 어플리케이션, application, mobile, 모바일

SmartPhone Security (Part II)

With that increased utility, though, comes more vulnerability. Having a wealth of information--personal and otherwise--in your device makes your phone a target, and as the bad guys ramp up their efforts to infiltrate it, the good guys are gearing up their efforts to keep the bad guys out.

Does Smartphone Security Really Matter?

Create An Iphone App

The short answer is yes, absolutely, more and more. The degree to which it matters, however, depends on the individual user, or the individual company.

Threats to your mobile security are not always easy to see. They range from the simple (such as when someone finds your phone and reads all of your e-mail) to the highly complex (such as Trojan horses, viruses, or third-party apps that share your personal information).

Here are some common security risks, with tips, tricks, and tools to combat them.

Don't Lose Your Phone:

This may seem like a no-brainer, but don't put your phone down on a bar (especially if you work for Apple and have a prototype that no one is supposed to see). If you're in a public area, don't put it in a pocket or an open bag where it's visible and could be grabbed easily. Obvious suggestions, sure, but these kinds of on-the-street situations account for most cases of phone theft.

Your First Line of Defense:

Set your phone to lock, or time out, after a certain period of inactivity, requiring a password to get back in. All of the major smartphone operating systems support this function.

You'll want your password to be something hard for you to forget and easy to type since you'll enter it frequently throughout the day, yet difficult for someone else to guess. Anything containing your name, information found on a driver's license, or a number as simple as "1234," for example, are not good passwords.

Here's how to find time-out settings on various smartphone OSs:

* Android:

Previously, Android supported only pattern unlock (in which you draw a pattern to access the phone), but with version 2.2 of the OS, it now supports PINs and passwords. From the home screen, press Menu, Settings, Location & Security, and under Screen Unlock you'll find many options for setting passwords. To set the screen time-out, however, you must go back to the Settings menu and this time click Display. (Hint: If you decide to go with the pattern unlock, create a complex one that crosses over itself, or someone might deduce your pattern from the repeated smudge marks on your screen).

* BlackBerry:

From the home screen click Options, Security Options, General Settings. There you'll see options to enable the password, set or change the password, and set the security time-out options.

* iOS:

Earlier versions of iOS allow only for a four-digit PIN unlock code (which isn't ideal). Luckily iOS 4 introduced the option to set a longer password. Open the Settings app, and then select General, Passcode Lock. Just above Passcode Lock is the Auto-Lock option, which controls the time-out.

* Windows Phone 7:

Open Settings, and then select Lock and Wallpaper. From there you can set or change the password, and also set the screen time-out.

Your Second Line of Defense:

Remote wipe, plus the aforementioned password protection, is the bare minimum that most IT departments will require, although the specific steps you'll need to take very much depend on the level of security at your company.

Remote wipe means that if your phone is lost or stolen, you can remotely clear all of your data--including e-mail, contacts, texts, and documents--off of the handset, thus keeping that information out of the wrong hands.

You or your IT department can set this feature up for any of the major OSs, as well as use Microsoft Exchange to wipe the device (provided that you have an Exchange account). Those people without Exchange accounts or IT departments have other, simpler options.

* Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone 7:

If your OS is among one of these, you're in luck, as you can find many fantastic third-party Applications that allow you to remotely wipe your device. Lookout Mobile Security is just one example that not only enables you to wipe your device via the Web but also lets you track a lost device through GPS, back up your data over the air, and even scan for viruses. Its basic version is free, but to enable advanced features such as remote wipe you will have to pay for a Premium account ( a month or a year). You'll encounter big players in the security-app game, too; for instance, NotifyMDM, Symantec, and Zenprise sell multiple-mobile-device management systems to companies.

* iOS:

iPhone Application-store screening process, attempting to weed out any bad eggs before they get in. Again, however, undesirable things slip through.

Android takes a different approach, having looser central control but providing the end user with more information. Before you install an application on Android, the app must ask you for specific permissions. Don't simply ignore such messages. If you're just trying to install a simple wallpaper, ask yourself why it needs access to your contacts and your location. Be judicious when granting permissions.

Additionally, with all platforms, always pay close attention to app ratings and read the comments to see what other users have said. If an app has merely 50 downloads and a two-star rating, do a little digging and find out why. The best protection here really is common sense. Failing that, Lookout Premium can provide you with an overview of the permissions you have granted.

Even major companies including Facebook and Pandora have been sharing (read: selling) more user information than was commonly thought. Your options are pretty much limited to avoiding these applications or starting a letter-writing campaign.

Which OS Is the Most Secure?

There is no easy answer to this question. All of the major smartphone OSs have made significant strides in the last year.

"From an enterprise control and security standpoint, BlackBerry is still the gold standard," says Khoi Nguyen, director of product management for mobile security at Symantec. RIM's phones also feature advanced, device-wide encryption--including for the SD Card--that's cleared for usage at some of the highest levels of government.

Yet in the last six months Apple and Android have expanded support for security management, and more companies appear comfortable using them, Nguyen adds. Also, to enable further security, device manufacturers such as HTC and Motorola have added proprietary software on top of the various OSs their phones support.

With Windows Phone 7, Microsoft is following a similar strategy to that of Apple and Google in that it's starting out by keeping its mobile OS consumer-focused. The company is likely to add more business-friendly security in days to come, however.

One of the biggest holes in Android's security that's slowing its mass adoption in the business world is its lack of encryption, especially on the SD Card. That's a significant risk for business users, who save their e-mail attachments on unencrypted SD Cards.

BlackBerry phones offer the option to encrypt SD Cards, whereas iOS and Windows Phone 7 do not currently support removable storage. That said, many companies are willing to accept phones with unencrypted SD Cards, as long as remote wiping is set up. This arrangement will be fine for most consumers, too. It's important to note, though, that in order to wipe a phone remotely, it must be powered on and have a data connection. So if someone pulls the battery out of your Droid before you wipe it, you cannot erase your SD Card.

Smartphone Security For the IT Crowd:

The enterprise ecosystem has changed dramatically in the past year. Each end user wants to stick with the device they prefer personally, and they want to use it for work. Denying them that freedom doesn't always go over so well.

"The days of the IT department trying to regulate what devices users can and can't have--that battle is lost. So they should focus on their real mission, which is providing security to their users," says Datoo of Zenprise.

With so many platforms and new devices flooding the market, how can the IT pro at a small company possibly develop software to track them all, and keep them virus-free? More companies are turning that job over to software developers such as NotifyMDM, Symantec, and Zenprise, which enable management of a company's devices from a single interface.

Third-party software allows an IT admin to search all devices at the same time--whether for 5 or 57,000 users--while still accommodating the latest, most cutting-edge phones.

It's a brave, new, constantly evolving world out there. While we have yet to see an attack on smartphones that rivals the scale of PC attacks, attempts are becoming more and more frequent, and they will continue to proliferate. It's a brave, new, constantly evolving world out there. While we have yet to see an attack on smartphones that rivals the scale of PC attacks, attempts are becoming more and more frequent, and they will continue to proliferate. Critical thinking and consistent communications with your IT dept. may be your best line of defense.

SmartPhone Security (Part II)

Could Your Smartphone Replace Your Credit Card?

Smartphone payment technology appears simple, easy and maybe the way forward? However, industry experts say it is unlikely that the phone will take over from the credit cards due to factors such as costs, internet reliability and security.

Anonymous industry sources recently revealed to Bloomberg that phone companies AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are developing "contactless" payment technology for their mobile phones.

Application Development

The technology is thought to be one of the biggest Developments in this form of contactless mobile payment. Could credit card comparison be replaced with smartphone comparison?

The smartphones would be embedded with a secure near-field communication (NFC) chip that would allow you to buy items simply by hovering the item over transaction machines.

But many factors will hold the smartphone back from replacing cards.

Firstly the reliability of the internet. Aaron MacPherson IDC Financial Insights practice director for payments and security stated on Wired.com that it will be almost impossible to compete with Visa and MasterCard. The internet is generally insecure and therefore cannot substitute for the reliability and speed of card networks.

There will also be no benefits cost-wise as the charges and fees are likely to be transferred onto the smartphone, again due to the power Visa and Mastercard hold over the payment market.

In fact, since there may be fewer deals available this way, it could be bad for consumer choice in the short term.

The three percent charge that card companies bill merchants for a card purchase will be applied to smartphones as merchants are charged for these transactions no matter how payment is made.

Costs that are added to cards for the cohort of missed bills and 'chargebacks' (when money is paid to a customer following fraud) are also likely to remain. These are both a massive expenses to credit card companies who must add this to the bill of their customers to make up for the company's losses.

Wired.com states that these same middlemen will remain with the smartphone. This is again because no start-ups will be able to offer a solution to these costly charges due to the power of Visa and Mastercard.

Then there's security issues. If you end up switching your card for your phone you need to take a few precautions as the phone technology has potential to be vulnerable to theft and fraud.

Khoi Nguyen, the group product manager for the Mobile Security Group at Symantec says on Macworld.com that smartphones will need to have a remote-wipe Application installed so that data can be erased if the item is lost or stolen.

As the user you will also need to be careful with the Applications you download and make sure that you install antivirus programs.

But Kurtz stated that smartphones have the potential to be safe and popular if carriers, device makers and users take all these precautions.

Could Your Smartphone Replace Your Credit Card?

Tracking Lottery Results - From Print to Smartphone

Checking the lottery results and seeing if you have become an instant millionaire can now be done in a host of different ways thanks to the Development of the internet, digital TV and smartphones meaning that you don't have to rely on watching the draws live or wait until the results are published in the following day's newspaper to find out if you are suddenly rich!

Many daily newspapers publish the UK lottery results and some also carry news of other draws, such as the Euro lottery and the Irish Lotto. They are very handy for checking the results a day late but if you can't wait that long there is a host of other ways to find out the results; many available while you are on the move.

Iphone Application

The iPhone 3G has proved immensely successful since its launch in 2008. Much of that success has been attributed to the wide availability of Applications that can be used on the phone. Indeed, Apple recently announced that there are now in excess of 85,000 different iPhone apps available for download, and amongst that number are quite a few that provide instant access to the latest lottery results; allowing users to check numbers wherever they may be.

General news and lottery-specific websites also carry the latest lottery results and some of the more advanced sites provide sophisticated results checking tools that allow visitors to automatically check UK National Lotto results up to 180 days old. All you need to do is choose the numbers you have played from the 49 available and then save them as your numbers. Not only will such tools check your numbers against the latest draw but will also check the previous 52 draws for both Wednesday and Saturday draws showing whether that number combination has won on any of those occasions.

Such automatic lottery result checkers are great if you find any old tickets, as prizes can be claimed up to 180 days following the date of the draw, so by checking you may just find that you have won a tidy sum! The latest results are available a few minutes after the draw has taken place, if you can't get access to a TV to watch the draw this is the next best thing.

Of course, online lotto result checking sites are also accessible via mobile phones that allow web browsing, so those without iphones can also check the results on their mobile. If all else fails mobile phone users can simply ring friends or family to get the results from TV text if they are that desperate to find out whether they have won.

Tracking Lottery Results - From Print to Smartphone

Nokia N900 Smartphone - Dining Room Table Reviews

Nokia N900 Smartphone - Dining Room Table Reviews Video Clips. Duration : 10.03 Mins.

*** UPDATED NEWS BELOW *** Review of the Nokia N900 smartphone from my dining room table. Now available as a 60 fps H.264/AAC download via BitTorrent. 720p: thecanadianpublic.com (186 MB) 1080p: thecanadianpublic.com (453 MB) Music by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com . "Operation IVY" and "The Last Man on Earth" available at http . *** UPDATED NEWS *** The issue with the MicroUSB connector breaking off as previously reported by Engadget ( www.engadget.com ) appears to have been mainly an isolated incident since no further reports have come in about the problem. Also, I've have accidentally jerked the cable on my phone more than once, and the connector hasn't budged at all. Skype Video has been working on the phone since last Spring, a month before iPhone released their "face plant" feature which by the way only works on their Wi-Fi connection. The N900 doesn't have this limitation, but watch out for your phone provider's data caps! Dumped Firefox Mobile. The phone's built-in browser must be the first built-in browser to be preferred over third-party browsers. Nokia did a great job with this one. A switch for the phone's radio is available. Install "Cellular Modem Control Buttons" from the Application Manager, press the power button, and switch between Tablet Mode and Phone Mode. Hopefully, Nokia will release something less cryptic that will work from within the status area popup window alongside the other radio switches (WLAN, Bluetooth). Our channel's N900 compatible live ...

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Blackberry Torch Release - What Is A Smartphone Anyway?

The latest Blackberry has just been released in time for Christmas. Called the Blackberry Torch, it is the latest smartphone to hit the shelves. If you happen to be wondering what a smartphone is - you are not alone. Join me in finding out what the Blackberry Torch is all about and what a smartphone is anyway.

Many people nod their head wisely when people speak of the latest smartphones, but in reality have no idea what the product is. A smartphone is a mobile phone with attitude. It is a handheld computer system inside a mobile phone which offers the ability to connect to the internet anywhere that has internet access.

Create An Iphone App

The first smartphone was unveiled in 1993 by IBM and contained an address book, world clock, calendar, note pad, email, calculator, fax and games. This mobile office also happened to be a mobile phone - but without the buttons. Relying on touch-screen to use the Applications, the technology was unheard of at the time and was truly forward thinking. (The touch screen worked by adding information through a virtual keyboard and function buttons).

Having begun the trend, many big names produced their own version of the same (with and without buttons) - until 2007, when Apple introduced the iPhone. This was based on the iPod and was almost an entire multi-function computer that happened to make phone calls. It also included other features such as a camera and music player.

Back to the present and the Blackberry Torch. Competing alongside the Galaxy 5, EV04G, and iPhone 4, it measures 111 x 62 x 14.6 mm, (4.4-inches top to bottom and 2.4-inches across when closed). The handset weighs 161.1g and the phone packs 512MB of RAM and 4GB of hardwired storage. Features include a slide out QWERTY keyboard, large touchscreen pad, 5 megapixel 'zero shutter' camera with image stabilization and auto-focus and a customizable homescreen. It comes loaded with the Blackberry 6 operating system and enables shortcuts to apps, texts and emails and any of the social bookmarks you need.

The other feature that sets the smartphone apart from mobile phones is the price - the Blackberry Torch will set you back 569.99. Much admired and desired as a must-have, smartphones are destined to remain on the wish-list for the vast majority.

All this technology was truly life-transforming, allowing business people the world over release from board-room tyranny. It meant that business could be conducted anywhere in the world with internet access, any time of the day or night.

As always, life-transforming technology comes with life-transforming options. Many people have a dream to escape the rat-race and start their own home based business. They have a vision to build a different, better life that gives them better choices. If you are considering a different life, click on the following link now. http://www.earnyourwealth.co.uk The iMMACC internet centre has been created to offer a serious solution to the "what business can I run from home?" question. I hope this article on the Blackberry Torch release has helped you find out what a smartphone is anyway!

Blackberry Torch Release - What Is A Smartphone Anyway?

Smartphone Application Collaboration

Are you able to envision Google and Apple getting together in a joint endeavor? Okay, perhaps not quite but Google Voice is supposedly going to be accessible as an Application for Apple's iPhone Applications at some point later on.

All things considered, individuals would like to be in a position to make use of FaceTime on cell phones other than iPhone Applications are created with higher performance and attractiveness. Proprietary solutions, additionally, are a thing to consider. The long term is looking much better for people and businesses alike, particularly wherever price or tradition is a thing to consider.

Create An Iphone App

It might also help to make us all really feel much better. A few of us get exhausted with the "us and them" debate and "mine is much better compared to yours". It is uncommon that something is genuinely superior at this sophisticated degree. Distinct, yes. Superior, no. I can merely see consumer advantages with these types of advancements and I anticipate a richer cooperation.

Smartphone Application Collaboration

How to Become a Smartphone Master

We've all seen them. They're the highly productive ones in the office who sit at their computer and dance around their keyboards. They jump between programs with the flick of a finger. They cut and copy. They paste and pivot. All with the greatest of ease.

They're the ones you go to when you're having computer problems and you're a bit envious that they get things done twice as quickly as you. If only you'd learned those tips, tricks and shortcuts...

Iphone Application

Now, imagine you could be like this, but with your smartphone instead. While it may seem like an odd idea, there is a good reason why you should master your phone.

In some ways the smartphone is replacing the PC and is well on its way to being the most-used device in human history. Think how many times you pull your phone out of your pocket to check the time, text someone, make a call, queue up some music, look at a map or check Facebook. The smartphone has replaced the calculator, the diary, the MP3 player, the media player, the GPS and the list is growing.

Think how good it would be if you could master your phone like those computer literate people have mastered their computers. The reason why this is such a good idea is that it saves you time and who isn't short of that these days? Even if you're saving yourself a split second here, a split second there, it all adds up and pretty soon you'll be wanting better tips, quicker shortcuts or more efficient ways of doing things on your phone.

Here are some examples of tips and tricks for your smartphone that you can learn to save you time and illustrate my point:

- On iPhones, did you know you can leave out the.com when entering URLs?

- On Nokia phones running Symbian ^ 3, did you know you can remotely lock your phone if it has been stolen? To do this, go to go to Menu - Settings - Phone - Phone management - Security settings - Phone and SIM card - Remote phone locking.

- On the Blackberry Torch, did you know that while in the Email Application, you can use the keyboard shortcuts rather than go through the menus? For example: R to Reply, L to Reply to all, F to Forward, N to go to the Next Message or P to go to the Previous Message

- On some Samsung phones, did you know you can long-press on any input area to change the input method?

- On many smartphones, did you know you can flip the phone upside down to silence an incoming call?

For the average user, their phones are a bit of mystery and many don't take the time to really get to know the operating system of their phone. Some people are even afraid to poke around the menus or settings in case they break something. Fortunately, with today's smartphones, the operating system is designed so that they're pretty much impossible to break. The worst that you can do is to give your background a funky colour or make it vibrate when it shouldn't vibrate.

There are plenty of ways to learn these hidden tips and tricks, but here is a list to start you off:

- Read the manual. This one can be a bit tedious, but believe it or not, your manual contains a wealth of information containing tips, tricks or shortcuts to help you master your phone

- Browse discussion forums. Go to Google and search for the word "forum" followed by the make and model of your phone. You will often find thousands people sharing tips and tricks or helpful information

- Go to YouTube and search for the words "tips and tricks" followed by the make and model of your phone. You will often find a number of 'how to' videos related to your phone

- Ask as friend that owns the same phone as you. You will find that most people are happy to show off their knowledge phone knowledge

- Simply play with your phone. Explore its menus. Poke around the settings. You are very unlikely to break it!

- The best method however is to browse a dedicated tips and tricks website, like http://www.phonetipsandtricks.com who have compiled hundreds of tips for dozens of smartphones. While the above suggestions will give you the information you need, this site contains all the information in one place and in 5 minutes you can absorb dozens of useful tips, saving you hours of reading and watching YouTube clips.

So, I suggest you give the above list a try. You'll really notice the productivity boost you'll get when you really master your phone and learn to use it properly and efficiently. People may even come to you and ask how you became a Smartphone Master.

How to Become a Smartphone Master

Motorola DEFY with MOTOBLUR. The Lifeproof Smartphone. Official Promo.

Motorola DEFY with MOTOBLUR. The Lifeproof Smartphone. Official Promo. Tube. Duration : 1.42 Mins.

Are you ready for everything life throws your way? Introducing Motorola DEFY with MOTOBLUR, the first android smartphone that is water resistant, scratch resistant and dust proof. Lifeproof you might say. With Android 2.1, access to thousands of apps, Connected Media Player, and the latest MOTOBLUR it's also boredom proof. MOTOROLA. GET READY. For more information please visit www.motorola.com or join our channel at www.youtube.com/motorola

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10 Benefits of a Business Smartphone You May Not Have Thought Of

It still astounds me that there are business owners out there who don't use a smartphone or who haven't given their staff smartphones. I don't know how their business survives. There are so many benefits to a smartphone and you will most definitely recoup any initial costs quiet quickly through improved productivity from your staff.

The purpose of this article is to outline for you 10 benefits to your business if your phone of choice becomes a smartphone- whether iPhone, Android or BlackBerry.

Iphone Application

You'll get back wasted time-if I told you there was one simple device you could get that would save you up to two hours per day you'd think I was crazy. I'm not though. With a smart phone you can reply to emails on the go not have to wait until you get back to the office to respond. You can do this waiting for meetings or even waiting for a coffee at your local café. I often respond to articles whilst I am riding on an exercise bike at the gym.

You could double your customers-The right smart phone process can eliminate some double handling and some admin work. I've seen examples of tradesman clients who have been able to see twice as many clients in a day because they got a smart phone. This is because they can do a lot of work with one click on their smartphone that used to have to be manually handwritten and then typed up by someone back at head office.

You could carry less when you travel-Work from the office doesn't stop when you travel and you often see business travelers with piles of papers when they travel. There are all those reports that have to be read and edited. These days a lot of these papers could be saved as PDFs and stored on your smart phone. You can edit these documents as well

You could save the environment- if you aren't printing out all of this paper that I mentioned above fewer trees will be cut down and the environment will thank you for it.

You could get paid faster- With high speed data now available on business phones, many industries now have apps for electronic billing and invoicing. As soon as you have finished a sale or a job, you can send an invoice to the customer straight from your phone. Studies have always shown that the quicker you invoice a customer the quicker that you get paid.

You can work anywhere- With a smartphone you can take calls, respond to emails, edit and create documents and invoice customers no matter where you are. Smartphones are great for sales teams whose time would be better spend on the road than cooped up in the office.

You could learn something- There are countless educational apps available on smartphones. You can learn languages or just download a brain training app that improves your mental capacity. Many organisations also use training videos on smartphones to educate their staff about new products and services.

You could get fit- One of my personal favourite apps is RunKeeper. Whilst it doesn't do the work for me it allows me to track my activities and, from there, I can assess and track how my fitness is improving.

You can network with clients and contacts- With so many social networks to keep track of it's great to have all of them available to you on your handset with the right Applications. That way you can keep up to date with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and now Google+.

You can be entertained- Smartphones are also a great entertainment tool. If you have kids you can keep them entertained on long trips with games, videos and music (or you can keep yourself entertained on flights or in hotels after your business meetings.)

If you run a fleet of business phones, you should update them to smartphones as soon as possible. Your staff will love you for it and you will see benefits from it. You won't regret it!

10 Benefits of a Business Smartphone You May Not Have Thought Of

How to Sync Your Computer, Smartphone, and Tablet PC

Several years ago the business community used laptops while working outdoors, or used desktop computers while in the office, and used similar PCs while at home. Perhaps the rich had BlackBerry too. Today almost everyone carries a smartphone, regardless if it runs iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7, or even the BlackBerry's OS. On different occasions you could carry a tablet PC that runs a different operating system than your smartphone. And you could also have an ultralight MacBook Air to your Windows-based PC at home or in the office as well.

To manage these critical devices, plus their assorted OS, Applications, including their connectivity alternatives, can be challenging. But of course with the correct blend of software and services, handling numerous platforms and mixing your data can be painless.

Create An Ipad App

What to Sync?

Before you download a cluster of cloud-related apps, ensure you lay out your needs. For instance, if you often operate at home, and you don't attend meetings frequently, it won't be necessary to sync your calendar through multiple devices. But if you're a promising writer or a creative type, you'd consider ways to log your regular stream of ideas electronically. But if you're carrying on a joint project, it would be necessary to share a selection of documents with your coworkers.

The other vital thing is to know which of your platforms necessitate sharing of data, and what types of data are to be shared. Such as, a Wi-Fi-only iPad 2 that you use solely as an email and a browsing tool; you don't access work data with it, though you use it occasionally as a note-taking device.

However if your activities are within a corporate environment, your company's IT policies have to be taken into consideration. IT supervisors would normally give directions on what sort of information the firm wants left in the cloud as opposed to its own servers. Ensure that you consult your IT department if you are about to share possibly sensitive or proprietary data across platforms.

The outcome is that your integration wants will differ depending on what your activities are, how often you travel , and which devices you carry with you.

Syncing Browser Data

Sometimes you don't create a load of documents, but you browse a lot. Luckily, you can now sync bookmarks, passwords, including other data through platforms with all major browsers. One of the most transparent browsers is the Google Chrome, and with a Gmail account- you just need to enable sync at Chrome options panel under the 'Personal Stuff' tab.

Firefox is bit difficult to sync: You are required to enter a special passcode on all platforms you'd want to enable Firefox Sync. It's a sufficient amount of an annoyance that's why it's generally unpopular.

You can also sync Internet Explorer bookmarks, however the task requires you to have Windows Live Mesh downloaded and installed. Gainfully, Live Mesh also allows you to share additional settings: such as sync Office templates across PCs, including also sync vital folders with Windows Live SkyDrive, cloud-storage service by Microsoft.

How to Sync Your Computer, Smartphone, and Tablet PC