Mar 25
Those who have been jealous of the 4G networks popping up all over the United States and soon to move to Canada Central America can finally have something to be proud of, at least until the world starts talking about 5G. Thanks to Ofcom who is set to auction off chunks of its network spectrum to phone carriers in 2012, it looks like 4G will be coming to the UK a lot sooner than expected, albeit not sooner than most people would want it to be.
The different parts of the proposed spectrum that is supposed to be auctioned off would bring the capacity to fill the spectrum with fourth generation data connections that have figurative speeds of up to 100Mbps although it should be noted that actual speeds will be far less than that.
Ofcom is also stipulating that whichever company successfully acquires the spectrum will be required to provide 95% of the British population with high speed broadband data connections by the end of 2017. This would facilitate in the improving of data connections in part of the country where data connections are not that strong.
Thanks to the switch from analog to digital TV, much of the bandwidth has been freed up which fits within the 800MHz spectrum. The parts of the spectrum which are up for grabs are over 80% more then what was available during 2000.
Just like in the United States, the two competing technologies for 4G, both WiMAX and LTE are not yet agreed on and it is not sure what carriers will ultimately decide on. Furthermore, the International Telecommunication Union’s Radiocommunication Sector has ruled that neither LTE nor WiMAX is sufficiently advanced to be truly considered a 4G technology. But that has not stopped carriers such as Verizon and Sprint from calling their respective LTE and WiMAX networks 4G and we highly doubt that will stop any in the UK from doing so as well, no matter what the International Telecommunication Union’s Radiocommunication Sector has to say on the matter.
Mar 22
It’s not every day that you see the launch details for some of the most anticipated gadgets leak all at the same time. However that has happened and we got a bunch of details to share with you.
First up is the Samsung Galaxy S S2 Mini which is listed among the company’s “High End” line. The launch for said device will take place in April and among other things, those who decide to drop some money on this will get 21Mbps HSDPA support as well as a 5MP camera around back and a VGA front facing camera. Android Gingerbread is the operating system of source and that 1.4GHz processor will be able to power everything the device has to offer including support for Wi-Fi hotspot.
The HTC Desire S will come in April and will be categorized within the company’s “Mid” tier range. 5MP camera around back with a 4-inch WVGA display (Super LCD) and HSDPA 7.2Mbps as well as 4GB of Memory and a 1GHz processor.
Those interested in playing on the Xperia Play will have to wait till April and the company is listing this device as their “Flagship” phone. With Gingerbread, 5MP camera, 1GHz processor that supports 60fps along with 7.2Mbps HSDPA, we wouldn’t see why not. Oh and the phone comes preloaded with FIFA 2011 among others.
LG’s Optimus 3D is also being listed among the company’s “Flagship” devices and will drop in June. Dual 5MP cameras with Android Gingerbread and 8Gb of memory with full 1080p HD shooting and of course HSDPA support up to 10.2 HSUPA.
Rounding out things is the HTC Flyer which drops in May and the Wi-Fi only Blackberry Playbook which will launch in June.
Mar 18
The years of Android have begun and even though we can think of a few corporate executives who might be fuming at the success of the boys in Mountain View California, we’re sure there is none too little cheers from that same place from these latest statistics.
According to Google, the amount of devices running the very first version of Android, version 1.5 is sitting at only 3%. The step up to that carries a bit more hitting the 4.8% margin. As for Android 2.1 Éclair, we have a modest 29% of devices who are living with that version, most of which are waiting on either their device manufacturer or service provider to push out an update to bump them up to 2.3 (hint, hint Samsung) which currently controls 61.3% of all devices. Those are pretty big numbers for Google who has been plagued by media questioning whether or not the fragmentation of Android is a bigger problem than many claims it is. Albeit, Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), only has 0.7% of device hearts at the moment and the step up to that, 2.3.3 carries a +0.3% difference. As for Honeycomb, the first operating system built specifically for tablets (in Google’s words, not ours), there is a 0.2% user share.
All in all, these are good numbers for Google who has been pushing out updates ever so timely as it tries to stay ahead of the curve. Not bad if you ask us and seeing that the company is about to face steep competition from Nokia and Microsoft thanks to their new found love, we’d say that the company does indeed have something going for them. If only they can keep it up.
Source: Android.com
Jul 12
Cheating during exams is a concept as old as time itself. Almost everyone has done it or has had a friend who has done it when they were younger. Unfortunately for today’s teachers, mobile phone technology is making it a bit more tricky to catch cheating students and prevent it from happening in the first place.
Because smart phones double as a web capable device, it is always easy to go online to search for the correct answer to exam questions. Since there are existing sites which are meant to be review material for specific subjects in school, students have instant access to exam answers as long as there is a live internet connection.
Storing formulas on the mobile phone is also common practice for cheating students. It would be easy to install apps which help speed up computing as well.
Texting friends is also a common means of cheating. For Bluetooth headset users, chewing gum may be used to disguise talking to friends on the phone while taking an exam. Those 5 megapixel cameras can also be used to take pictures of the exam to pass it along to the next batch of students who are set to take the same exam. Some business minded students even manage to sell these photos to others who are too lazy to study before the big test.
Since schools have to adapt to this tech savvy age we are living in, policies such as a ban on mobile phone use during school hours, restricting the use of chewing gum and keeping an eye out for students who brag about their cheating techniques through social networking sites are common. Some schools even install security cameras to minimize cheating during tests and some utilize computer exams.
The only problem with these is that students are usually more tech savvy than their professors, giving them the upper hand when it comes to discreet mobile phone usage.
Jul 12
While it would not be wrong to state that Smart phones allow people to get in touch with others in a deeper way despite being separated by both time and distance, the mobile phone technology is also doing some not-so-epic changes in the way people live their lives as well.
In a recent study by Oxygen Media and Lightspeed Research, they found out that at least 21% of women would actually go online and check Facebook the moment they get up. This activity precedes everything else from eating, washing the face, brushing one’s teeth or simply even getting up from bed.
Obviously, these women are not dragging themselves up to sit down at a desktop computer nor are they flipping open a netbook –these gals are checking their social networking status through the smart phone. A smart phone makes web access fast, easy and very convenient. While it is true that not everyone makes use of a handset (there are some that would use a tablet or an actual netbook), but for the most part, it is the smart phone’s accessibility that makes it all possible.
Size is just one of the many factors that make a smart phone a truly unique device –and one that is perfect for communication. First off, it is easy to carry around. This allows users to understand and learn how to use a smart phone better than a computer. Second, it is almost always on. Provided that a little energy management is put into use, a fully charged battery can get you through the day.
The most important feature of the smart phone is the fact that the device is convenient to use. No need for chairs, tables, power outlets and for those with 3G, no need for WiFi either. Women use their phones to check Facebook because it is the device that will get them online the fastest.
Jul 07
The fact that smart phones come with GPS features is a pretty well established fact, and the fact that Apps such as Tom Tom’s GPS navigation feature exists for the Apple iPhone means that even the established sat nav service companies recognize the value of the hardware that a typical smart phone offers.
But when companies such as Nokia and Google announce that they will be offering sat nav services for free, it certainly changes the perspective on what technologies people should be investing in.
Just several years ago, GPS was still in its infancy and having a dedicated device in a vehicle was a sign of luxury. Now, it is a near requirement for people who need to get to locations fast without having to spend much time learning new directions (or having to stop and ask for them). GPS is slowly becoming a basic necessity. And just as companies such as TomTom and Garmin have started growing, the advancement of sat nav services also grew for smart phones.
More than just location based services Nokia and Google are able to offer full, voice guided turn by turn navigation with additional features such as live traffic updates, weather conditions and even points of interest.
This however is not going to kill companies such as TomTom and Garmin. But they will have to turn to other markets. Unlike Google, sat nav companies compile their own maps. While community based maps often contain plenty of great local information, their reliability is not one that Google is able to assure –unlike that of a professional GPS service.
Of course, while the average person does not need that much accuracy, professionals do. This means that people who seriously need sat nav –such as delivery personnel, emergency volunteers, law enforcers, fire fighters and the like will still need devices such as TomTom’s onboard GPS units.
Jul 06
What was once a highly anticipated smartphone now enjoys worldwide popularity right after its recent release. It is no surprise as the Samsung Galaxy S i9000 has loads of superior functionality and technological advances within its aesthetically designed casing.
Almost at the speed of thought
The mobile CPU that beats at the very core of the system is a powerful and efficient ARM Cortex A8 1GHz processor. A fast CPU is rendered useless without an equally powerful operating system to run, in this case, the Android v2.1 (Éclair) OS. The combined effect of these two components is felt on the phone’s enhanced user interface, the TouchWiz 3.0.
Having these three fundamental components work synergistically and you have one superior mobile phone capable of handling even the most demanding application or function. Navigating through the user interface’s multiple home screens on the phone’s generous 4-inch display is so fast and intuitive, you’d swear it operates at the speed of thought.
Lightning-fast display
The Samsung Galaxy S i9000 is equipped with a large 4-inch capacitive touchscreen utilising Super AMOLED technology which makes images and videos so vividly real and viewable even under bright sunlight. The screen delivers 480 x 800 pixels of screen resolution with the capability of displaying a stunning 16 million colours.
The Samsung Galaxy S has an accelerometer which automatically adjusts the UI according to the phone’s orientation and a proximity sensor which shuts down the device when the user is away. The i9000 has touch-sensitive controls as well which quickly responds to multi-touch input method.
Rapid connectivity
The CPU, OS and UI on the Samsung Galaxy S are not the only fast performers on the device. Class 12 versions of GPRS and EDGE provide the phone with its primary channels of cellular network connectivity. With its fast 3G coverage, HSDPA connectivity provides internet access with speeds of up to 7.2 mbps as well as HSUPA connection running at 5.76 mbps.
Jul 06
While Nokia is still sorting out what to do with the whole Symbian-MeeGo thing on the N-series, the development of the Nokia N9 smart phone continues. And from what we have seen in the initial leaks and videos, no matter what name Nokia decides to give to the N9, it will be one smart phone to look forward to.
The biggest thing about the Nokia N9 that we are certainly excited about is that focus on HD video. The device supports not only an HDMI output port, but it can even hook up to a component cable (which is not as nice as HD, but a welcome feature for anyone who has yet to upgrade their living room telly). Of course, the onboard 8 mega pixel camera is able to take high quality images and more importantly, video is 720p HD quality too. No details yet on how big the internal memory will be for this smart phone, but regardless of the memory space, users would certainly want to use the more versatile microSD cards instead.
The screen is reported to be a 4 inch capacitive touch screen display using nHD 640 x 360 pixels (not quite the 800 x 480 pixel screens on other handsets, but the nHD is a nice touch). For those wondering what nHD means, it refers to the fact that the aspect ratio is exactly proportionate to that of a 1080p display –in this case, one third.
As with most N-series devices, the N900 sports a nice, flat, slide out QWERTY keyboard. The buttons seem even better spaced than before and this would certainly improve the typing experience for many users.
The big clincher in the latest update is that the N9 might just be a MeeGo handset after all. Despite the initial videos showing the device running the Symbian^3 OS, it is possible that Nokia might decide to turn the phone into the very first MeeGo smart phone.
Jul 01
Swype is quite a revolutionary step for touch screen input. While some people may prefer simple tap gestures to get their message across, there are still those who prefer to keep things fast. And that happens to be the biggest asset of Swype. After you get past the learning curve, you will be able to type over 50 words per minute.
That is a lot of time saved collectively. Even teachers are happier when younger smart phone owners use Swype because it totally eliminates text speak. This means that kids will not grow up writing things like “c u l8r” on their formal messages. Or it will, at the very least, encourage proper spelling and better grammar.
If you have not yet gotten hold of a Swype compatible device, this technology allows users to sort of trace through individual letters to form words. You do not have to lift your finger while typing so it at least saves the time spent lifting your digit up. Also, since the system was developed by the same guy who made T9 predictive text input, the technology is able to integrate that system to help determine what word you are trying to type.
Any new lingo that is not already a part of the system may be saved for future use. That being said, it is still going to be able to recognize proper words such as “Froyo” or “YouTube”.
This technology has been available for Android users for quite some time now, but according to reports, iPhone owners may also be able to use Swype on their devices soon. That is, if Apple gives the thumbs up to the technology and gives it support once the Swype team is done with their iPhone version. Apple has been known to set the bar high for third party developers but how can they resist Swype? T9 has become an integral part of the industry, and Swype may soon follow for touch screen devices.
Jun 28
It is not surprising that most of the smart phones that we see these days are of the same mold. While we see the occasional unique looking handsets like the Motorola Flipout and Backflip, the fact is that there has been no significant change in the layout of the smart phones we see today.
The trend is quite easy to spot. Thanks to the emergence of better touch screen technology, there has been more and more focus towards the use of capacitive touch screen displays that take up most of the front face of a modern smart phone. The addition of a keyboard or keypad usually comes in a slide out or flip-open format. Other handsets are designed somewhere in between these two types. While this is not a bad thing, eventually, the technology will move forward and these design will become archaic.
So where does the trend move to now? There are some who are talking about having a dynamic camera which can be made to tilt forward or back depending on the user’s need -which helps eliminate the whole back and front facing camera as well as the awkward feeling of waving a handset around a like a lunatic when using an augmented reality app.
There are also talks about checking the keyboard into a full touch screen display with haptic feedback as well. This would give a smart phone two screens –with the other serving as a secondary input device. However, since haptic technology is still in the early stages of being able to simulate the real feedback of buttons, many might find the transition from physical keyboard to another virtual keyboard (which does sound quite redundant), to be an unwelcome prospect.
While 3D is fast becoming the new in-thing for video playback, the technology is seeing less use in mobile devices. Despite advances in parallax technology which would enable 3D without the glasses, there is more importance in providing better touch screen performance.
