How to Connect USB Devices to Your Android Phone

A little known fact is that many of the Android devices on the market today are compatible with a technology called USB On The Go or USB OTG for short. USB OTG lets you turn your Android phone or tablet into a USB host and connect standard USB accessories including flash drives, hard drives, gaming controllers, keyboards and more. You may find it difficult to believe that you can connect a USB device such as a flash drive into the micro USB port on your device. All this is possible thanks to a cheap OTG cable. OTG cables are available from many stores such as Amazon for a few bucks or less.

Please note, USB OTG is not compatible with every phone and table and in some cases only a few USB accessories might work with your phone.
I have paired the OTG cable up with the Samsung Galaxy S3 and have found that the adapter works with a huge number of USB devices.

USB Flash Drives
When you plug a flash drive into your phone or tablet, the device immediately displays the contents.

You are then free to view or playback any media you have on the drive. You can also move data from the USB drive to your phone SD card by simply tapping and holding the file you want to move.
Other storage devices including memory card readers also work with the adapter. This means that you could take some photos with your digital camera and quickly transfer them to your Android phone for editing and uploading on an app like Instagram.

USB Mouse
When you plug a mouse into the USB port, even a wireless mouse, a pointer will show up on the screen. You can then use your mouse just as you would your finger. You can swipe through pages, select icons and more. This would be more useful on a large screen device such as a tablet, as it makes browsing the internet a much better experience.

USB Keyboard
If you find yourself doing a lot of typing on the go you'll be happy to hear that with the adapter you can connect a USB keyboard to your device. Once you plug it in using the OTG cable, simply open up a notepad app and you can start typing on the keyboard as usual. It's also possible to use shortcuts such as Ctrl+C and Ctrl+Z.

USB Game Controller
It's also possible to connect a PS3 controller to your Android device and not only navigate the interface but you can also play games. Just plug the controller into the USB port and launch a game such as Sonic. Not every game works with this, so you'll have to do some testing to find out if your favourite games will work. In Sonic for example, I can use my PS3 controller the way I would use a controller on the Sega Megadrive. You can also do the same with the Xbox 360 controller, and many other PC USB controllers.

These are just a few ways the OTG cable can make your Android device a whole lot more useful. My advice is to try other devices too, and see how the OTG cable can add a lot of new functions to your Android phone or tablet.

This Android Game Controller works well with the Android devices I tested it on. Test the controller with different games to see what games work best.

For the latest technology news, tips and gadgets visit Android Gadgets.

Adam D. Gibson is a student who enjoys writing articles on technology and computing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_D._Gibson

Business Features and Programs for the Samsung Charge

Many small business owners look at their as a huge tool to keep in touch with employees, customers and other business associates. They fail to realize that the Samsung Charge can help them accomplish much more than that. The Samsung Charge could do tons like help manage emails, schedules and even manage their finance. If you explore all the awesome features that the Charge offers, you'll most likely find some amazing things to benefit you.

But even then, many small business owners are constantly trying to find way to multitask. One of the best things about the Charge is that it makes it easy to multitask. For instance, if a user is on the phone with a client, but needs to reference an e-mail, they can do both things at once. Not only can users talk and surf the web or access e-mail at the same time, but they can do so quickly.

 The Samsung Charge, which is 4G capable, is one of the fastest phones available. This is perfect for the business owner that doesn't have time to wait around while their phone loads a web page. And if you're looking for an even easier way to multitask, you might want to use a headset to take calls.

The Samsung Charge can also work as a planner. Balancing a hectic schedule is no easy feat. Instead of carrying around a separate planner, small business owners can track their schedule in their phone's calendar. Those that need a better calendar can download the Business Calendar app from the Android Market. This application is easier to use and will sync to a user's Google calendars, which is a nice bonus. Business Owners that need help remembering everything that happened throughout their day can also download the myDay Journal. This application makes it possible for small business owners.

The Android store provides tons of unique apps that can help you run your business more effectively.

One such app is called ProOnGo Expense. ProOnGo Expense allows business owners to track their business expenses, their employees' expenses, scan and store receipts, track mileage when traveling, and track the time they spend with clients. ProOnGo Expense can also be synced to your business credit cards so that every expense will automatically be recorded. The app can also be synced to QuickBooks to keep everything organized. Another beneficial app is Square. With Square, there is no reason not to accept credit cards. Square works as a point of sale system that allows business owners to accept all major credit cards. After creating an account, users will even be sent a free credit card reader.

Business owners can also use their phone to share files. Instead of transferring files using a data cable, DropBox is an app that will let you store files wirelessly. Dropbox gives users 2 GB of free storage, but can be upgraded if you end up needing more. Taking advantage of these business apps will ensure that you get the most from your Samsung Charge. The only thing you will need to remember is to keep your battery fully charged. You wouldn't want your new business tool to run out of power in the middle of a busy workday. That is why accessories are the best way to fully take advantage of your phone's features.

With the release of a great phone, you'll need Samsung Charge accessories, please visit Think Mobile Solutions and choose the best Samsung Charge screen protectors for your needs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=German_Beltran

The Best eBook Reader Apps for an Android Tablet

This Christmas I received an Android Tablet. It's probably one of the best gifts I've enjoyed so far, and it's something I use daily for a variety of tasks. I use it most, though, for reading books - I am a life-long reader, but found my reading has increased since eBooks hit the mainstream. Nearly half the applications on my tablet are eBook readers, too, so I manage to meet my reading goals each month. Some are proprietary, linked to a specific bookstore, while others allow you to read novels purchased from a variety of sources.

A person looking over my shoulder might ask why I have so many eBook reading apps installed. For one, if I buy a book from a specific store with a corresponding app I have it in place for when I want to read. Discounts come at different times, and once in a while I'll get a gift card, so you can say I shop universally. I do, however, read everything I buy.

If you have an Android tablet and want to turn it into a digital reading device, there are a number of free apps available to you. In a matter of minutes you can have a book open to enjoy, at home or at the coffee shop... anywhere you want to relax. While I still read print books, I find one advantage to having these applications on my tablet is that if I want to buy a book right then and there, I don't have to leave my seat.

Which are the best reading apps for the Android? I have a few personal favorites which I use regularly and highly recommend. You can search your app store and download them today, and use them to open books in different formats, mainly PDF and ePub.

Aldiko: With the Aldiko reader you can get books directly from free and paid sources like Smashwords, Feedbooks, and All Romance. If you have a cloud device, you can use Aldiko to open your eBooks.

Bluefire Reader: Bluefire has a direct link to Books-A-Million for recent bestsellers and popular favorites.

Moon Reader: There are two versions of this application - free and a premium paid one. With these app you can purchase directly from stores or download free titles from Project Gutenberg.

Overdrive Media Console - I like Overdrive specifically because it links up to my online library account. I can check out library eBooks any time of day, and when they expire they are removed from my reader. No more overdue fees!
Reading eBooks has never been easier with the Android tablet. Install the right app for you today and explore new worlds.

Kathryn Lively writes about romance eBooks and romance novels.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathryn_Lively

A Look At How The Samsung Galaxy Note Is Suited To Business Users

The Samsung Galaxy Note is one of the most advanced handsets currently available from the popular brand. It is particularly suited to business users, thanks to its spec list and a wealth of downloadable apps. In this article I will take a closer look at the handset's credentials as a business device.

Stylus Pen
The Samsung Galaxy Note has a stylus pen included, which can be used to accurately edit files like spreadsheets, as well as offering a precise means of inputting text using the Qwerty key keyboard on the 5.3 inch touchscreen. The stylus pen can also be used to sign digital documents thanks to the handset's built in handwriting recognition software. The stylus pen is stored inside the device by inserting it into a hole of the top of the handset when not in use.

Apps
The Samsung Galaxy Note runs Android v2.3, so users are able to browse hundreds of thousands of apps in Google Play, the recently rebranded Android Market. There are numerous apps within the business category of this, which can massively increase the functionality of the Samsung Galaxy Note for business use. Notable apps include Business Card Reader. This allows you to take a photo of a business card using the phone's 8 megapixel camera. It will then save an image of the card, as well as create a new contact using the numbers and email addresses displayed on the card. This will instantly be saved in your contacts folder for future reference. Other apps which can be useful for business users include apps which allow wireless printing of documents, and several available organisation apps, along with the standard Android Calendar. Documents To Go is a popular app for business users, and offers a smartphone optimised version of Microsoft Office titles including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Email
Of course, the Samsung Galaxy Note allows users to access write and send emails on the go. As part of the Android OS, there is a default email app which allows you to sync multiple accounts and carry out all the email tasks that you can on a desktop computer. Many email services, such as Gmail, Yahoo! and Windows Live all offer their own apps with smartphone optimised email interfaces, all of which are available for download from Google Play.

Of course, there is a lot more to like about the Samsung Galaxy Note than just its business credentials. It has one of the highest resolution touchscreens out there and a powerful dual-core processor so it is also suited to multimedia use, web browsing, gaming etc.

The Samsung Galaxy Note is available now on a number of major UK networks, several of which offer the handset for free on selected tariffs.

Check out the best Samsung Galaxy Note deals and Samsung Galaxy Nexus deals at PhonesLimited.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_C_Wesley

Android Business Card Scanner Reviews

Android business card scanners can conveniently help you to scan, arrange and save data on your gadget. Working with Android business card scanner is very simple and it takes little time to learn how to apply it. According to sources, this is a file scanner that is designed with small feeder on the front or the upper part that allows you to directly scan and save the card sized files. In addition to that, this is also constructed with optical character recognition application that converts the text from any files into an innovative format which can also be edited by the gadget. The application can also access multiple categories like email, digital image, and web address.

Using an Android scanner is very helpful to individuals that manage a sales business. It helps them to organize their contacts in a specific structure that can be effortlessly found through follow up times.

 In addition to that, the reasons why sales manager use is that it can help them to simply scan the card.

Since there are instances that some files from the cards are intentionally put in the wrong place during saving process, it is always better to review the files that you have scanned to ensure that the file has been properly put in the right location. This android business card scanner is also popular in large organizations because it helps them to simplify the whole process of accessibility.

Android business card scanner reviews are made various card readers for Androids. Here are the following business readers that you will also use along with an Android phone.

AccuWeather is the main Android card scanner that provides you a good access of weather apps. Although the interface is odd, you will still have fun because there is an entertaining lifestyle page that identifies if your local situations will be affected by incoming unpleasant weather conditions. This also helps you to identify how your area will be affected by bad weather.

CamCard provides highly innovative features for your Android. Since Android business card reader applications get card images, people today are eager to get Camcard to experience capturing photos with proper and organized angles. Another good thing is that CamCard organizes the card image content and then saves it in your Android's photos section. In addition to that, it also organizes the contact details and directly saves them to the phone book of your gadget. In addition to that, you will also enjoy the multi language support including Korean, English, Chinese, and many more. CamCard also has the ability to save the files directly like vCard system address book. It also enhances and directly trims the card image and detects the card language type.

Another Android business card scanner app is BizSnap that modifies your Android into handy business card scanner through simply taking a picture of a business card using the camera of your Android phone. This is appropriate to businessmen since it allows them to immediately get the contacts they need.

Read more Business Card Scanner Reviews [http://www.businesscardscannerreviews.org/] and learn more about Android Business Card Scanners [http://www.businesscardscannerreviews.org/android-business-card-scanner-reviews/].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ron_Simpson

Business Apps

Fundamentally, the web was the last platform and mobile is the latest one. Consumers all around the world have heartily embraced the idea of "apps," and, indeed, there are applications for ever iPhone, iPad, Android or tablet these days. iPhone and Android are not only for entertainment, gaming, net surfing, etc. but they have conquered the corporate world as well.

Today, various business apps like 'Goods Order Inventory', 'floral app', Moving Manager, 'Tracer Pro', 'QRBAR, etc. are available at the online market. No matter what platform or technology you prefer - Apple's iPhone, Apple's iPad, BlackBerry or Android - apps for each of them are available and can make every entrepreneur's life much easier. There are many free business apps available at the online market. Some are paid also; therefore, you need to buy them for complete usage and advantage.

Reason for the popularity of business apps is the fact that today's trendy entrepreneur wants to have everything at his finger tip. Entrepreneurs from old school also advocate for these apps, as these apps are user-friendly and easy to operate. Through business apps, owners get the real-time data on their iPhone, Android phone, or any other Smartphone they use.

The market of mobile phones, just for the business apps, is also big enough and it is getting bigger day by day, as new apps are coming with latest features in it, to cater to the needs of latest business personals. Android and iPhone business app development has become a major area of interest amongst many application developers. In the modern and competitive world, mobile application development market is regarded as the fastest growing arena.

Business app development has become prominent with the most advanced Apple operating system 5. Some of the most outstanding features are its handsets supporting up-to-the-minute network support, WI-Fi finder as it helps in finding the network and providing user the opportunity to find network and carry out their net related task, access to social media services which helps them in staying connected and also in spreading their message far and wide, and Skype of course for internal communication part and smooth running of organization.

Business apps are not at all luxury but necessity for today's business personals. They need new technological innovations as our old technology is based on limitations. All the required great programs like operations research algorithms, transportation routing designs, equipment deployment, etc. were left undeveloped due to limited capacity of old times. However, today science and technology has reached new heights.

Now, nothing is impossible for our talented programmers and developers. They develop powerful new technologies that allow businesses to gain competitive advantage that enable businesses to:
• Find and exploit arbitrage opportunities better/faster than competitors,
• Model auctions, buyer behavior, etc. during selling and negotiating events,
• Understand and model how supply chains will weather disruptions,
• Evaluate hundreds or thousands of different what-if pricing and promotion combinations and their effect on -
- the company,
- its competitors,
- its supply chain partners and
- its bottom line
• Process mass data feeds fast, frequently and efficiently,
• And much more.

Therefore, business apps are changing the face of the modern business and the way app development companies are coming out with new apps, they are only making life easier for the businessman.

Be it blackberry or the android or the iPhone, all are in the race of coming out with something innovative and new, thus the competition of producing and manufacturing something better remains open.

We at MyMobileInnovations have focused approach to provide unparallel expertise in Mobile Application Development for several kinds of platforms such as iPad, Android, Palm web OS, Windows Mobile, J2ME & Nokia, iPhone, Blackberry, etc. amongst others. Moreover, with have rich experience in developing several Mobile Applications including GPS, WI-Fi, Socket Communication, Maps, Web service (SOAP/REST API), Ad - Server, Shopping Cart, Bluetooth, Game application, Social Networking, Payment Gateway e.g. Google Checkout, PayPal, etc.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tasha_M_Thompson

Nokia 6700 Excellent Features & Outstanding Outlook

Over the past few years the Chinese Mobile Industry has witnessed a major revolution. In fact, China has emerged as one of the few countries in the world that continued to enjoy steady growth despite declining global shipments of mobile handsets. Today China is the world's largest mobile communications market. In fact, the ratio of mobile subscribers in China has surprisingly crossed the ratio of fixed-line subscribers in last few years.
 
Looking at the present scenario, China has even emerged as the world's largest mobile phone manufacturing base. Today China is one of the few countries in the world that are differentiating themselves from their competitors, with enhanced manufacturing capabilities and highly developed product development strategies, to produce mobile models with value-added features and pioneering designs. In fact, the issue of long awaited 3G license is just one of the few examples that have helped China emerge as one of the world's major 3G mobile makers.

If we study the recent statistics, in the first quarter of 2008, the total mobile phone shipment in China reached 134 million units, which was 34.5% higher than the previous year. Apart from this, the subscriber ratio of mobile service also reached a new height touching 480 million at the end of the first quarter of 2008, which has increased roughly 20 million in comparison to the statistic data at the end of last year. Besides this, the most interesting trend that gained enormous popularity in recent years has been content usage. As per the latest research conducted by independent body, in 2008 mobile subscribers sent 502.7 billion SMS messages, which was surprisingly 42.3 percent high from 2006 statistics.

Apart from all this, as per the leading industry experts, the major growth in Chinese mobile market has been the outcome of recent industry deregulation, liberalised foreign ownership laws and rapid expansion of networks. Adding to this, a drastic fall in the price of the mobile handsets has further contributed to strong growth.

The impressive expansion of China's mobile handsets has been a major driving element to push the country's current economic development. As China has entered WTO, the local mobile device industry which previously considered being isolated has now became the major part of the global electronic market. Chinese mobile market and the industry development is evolving in a faster than ever speed. Looking to its vast market reach, certainly Chinese mobile market offers tremendous opportunities for investment and trade both for the present and future. In fact, today global players in telecom industry are stepping towards China to enjoy the slice of this fast growing cake.

Check out http://www.rightwholesale.com/ for latest fashionable & affordable Chinese Cellphones accessories. Rightwholesale.com is one of the largest China Electronics Wholesale distributor in China offers China Electronics products including Car DVD Players, MP3 & MP4 Media Players, iPhone & iPod, Cellphone Accessories, Digital Cameras, Computer Input/Output accessories and many more at very affordable wholesale prices.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Manoj_Tiwari

Smartphone Application Development Outlook

Mobile usage and more specifically smartphone usage, represents a unique opportunity for application developers and brand owners alike to generate new revenue and brand awareness.

 The combination of always on 3G Internet, GPS and portability, means that consumers are increasingly turning to their smartphones for business, shopping and leisure activities. Unlike open platforms such as the Internet, smartphones are separated by a range of operating systems, handsets and carrier support.

Market share Trends
The mobile operating systems to target are Apple's iPhone OS 3.0, RIM's Blackberry 4.6+ and Google's Android. These are the largest growing mobile OS platforms; others such as Symbian and Windows Mobile are experiencing slower growth in market share and also suffer from platform "fragmentation", further lowering their effective market share. Of all the competing operating systems, only the iPhone/iPod Touch allows for near universal application development.

The Risk of Fragmentation
Software fragmentation simply put, is the incompatibility that arises from software that starts from a common codebase and over time through updates and revisions, forks into multiple sets of unique code. A non-tech example would be the English language; today there are numerous dialects of English around the world. Some are easily recognizable, while others are beyond comprehension without a translation. Fragmentation, makes it impossible to create one version of an application per platform, instead the developer needs to craft multiple versions, each one tailored to a specific device or operating system.

There is significant platform fragmentation with non Apple devices, notably the Blackberry OS, with a large roster of legacy devices such as the blackberry 8100, 8700 and 8800 families. For example the Blackberry Storm 2 runs os5.0, has a touchscreen, accelerometerc and Open GL for 3d graphics. The Blackberry Bold 9700 however, launched at the same time uses the traditional keyboard/ non touch screen layout, does not include Open GL support and uses a different screen resolution.

 Things are potentially worse with Google's Android, due to its open source nature and lack of standardized models. Each manufacturer can build a totally unique Android phone running on a variety of OS versions, ranging from Android 1.5, 1.6, 2.0, 2.0.1,and 2.1.

The iPhone line can be drawn into three main groupings; the original iPhone, the iPod Touch and the iPhone 3GS. The vast majority of software written for the platform will run on the original iphone, except for applications that use the compass, MMS, or GPS. The iPod Touch does not have a camera, so any app that needs a camera will not function. The iphone 3GS is the newest model and is becoming the baseline model for app developers, especially those utilizing live video and location based services.

When developing native apps for the Blackberry, the largest pool of compatible devices are the Blackberry Curve 8300, 8900 and the 8500 series, followed by the Bold 9000, Bold 9700 and the Blackberry Tour.

Android OS has a large number of devices, but models marketed under "with Google" can be thought of as reference phones with common specifications and functionality. The T-Mobile MyTouch 3G, T-Mobile G1, Sprint Samsung Moment, all fall in this category. HTC's customized Android devices are also popular; these include the HTC Hero and the Verizon Droid Eris.

App development tools
Native iPhone apps are built with Apple's Objective C language using Xcode and then submitted to the "App Store" for distribution to the general public. There are several third party tools that allow development with other languages such as Actionscipt (Flash CS5), Lua, and Javascript.

 The third party development tools take higher-level scripting languages listed above, coverts the code into Objective C and also exports the finished app as a.ipa file for submission to the App Store. Each of these third party tools supports at least several unique iPhone features such as the accelerometer, multi touch input to varying degrees. Other features such as GPS location and the camera may be limited until these tools mature.

Blackberry apps can be built with the Blackberry JDE plug-in for Eclipse using the Java language. Applications can also be built with the Javascript based Phonegap, which may lower the level of developer experience needed to begin development. Blackberry apps can be sold via the official app store known as Blackberry App World or they can be sold through 3rd party providers such as Mobihand.com. Android is also based on Java, and it too uses Eclipse IDE with the Android Development Tools plugin. There is no oversight by Google on the types of apps that can be built for Android, Google, however does reserve the right to remove malicious apps.

Types of apps to create
On the iPhone, the majority of apps currently available are games; they can range from Adobe Flash games ported with minimal functionality to full 3d games using Unity 3d. Outside of games, many iPhone apps are mobile extensions of websites utilizing open API's. Examples include Tweetie 2 using the Twitter API, and Insight, which provides two-way syncing with Basecamp.

 These apps can be built by single person/small teams and don't need custom designed artwork or interfaces. Today's independent game developers are being obscured by large studios with 3D artists, modelers and programmers with access to brand name IP's.

The majority of non gaming apps are complex widgets that communicate with 3rd party API's and follow Apple interface guidelines reducing the need for graphic artists.Android roughly parallels the iphone in with games being the most popular downloads followed by general interest apps.

Blackberry apps are primarily business applications such as Poynt, with fewer games on the platform compared to Apple and Google's offerings.

Currently, technology such as augmented reality, which overlays internet data, live camera feeds and GPS into a seamless experience, will begin to mature in the next year and become mainstream. Apps that utilize the camera to read barcodes for price comparisons will also gain prominence.

 This article hopefully has given you a clearer understanding of the smartphone market and their associated ecosystems. Currently, web developers have been on the sidelines waiting for tools to mature and leverage their web based skills.

In 2010, there should be significant traction using common languaded such as Javascript, Actionscript and XML. Off-Site Services plans to make extensive use of these and the native developer tools to build new experieces for its client in the advertising and creative industries.

Brent Gairy is technical director at oss-usa.com where he oversees website development for clients in the advertising, and creative industries.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brent_Gairy

Blackberry 8110 Pink - A Shinny and New Outlook of Mobile Phone

Blackberry has introduced a new mobile phone in pink color, which is named as The Blackberry 8110 Pink phone. This smart mobile phone is installed with the advanced and unique features that have been described below.

The Blackberry 8110 Pink mobile phone has the flexibility to add up to 10 email addresses.

The addresses could be related to both work and personal fronts. Also, it includes Google mail and Google talk for instant messages with friends, relatives or business people. Moreover, this handset has inbuilt 2 mega pixel camera that provides the high quality images. The other features of this 91grams in weight mobile phone are voice dial, blackberry maps, vibralert and GPRS.

The Blackberry 8110 Pink mobile has a half QWERTY keyboard design that makes this phone look slim and comfortable while holding. The shinny trackball in the middle of this mobile helps the user to trace the menu and its other options speedily. These two awesome features provide a beautiful and rich look to this handset.

The users can watch news and sport clips while on move. Also, they can play videos and listen music files in 3.5 mm stereo audio jack. These are the exciting and lively features that can change the mood of the user positively.

Blue tooth and USB cable devices are extremely helpful to receive and transfer the desired data from other mobiles, computers and laptops. The data could be anything like pictures, wallpapers, songs, music videos etc. This handset has an expandable memory slot also that benefits the user to upload the data in quantity.

Text messages, reminders, alarm clock, contact book are the other necessary inbuilt features of this smart Blackberry 8110 Pink. It is a friendly and portable handset that carries all the great features a person demands for.

This Blackberry 8110 Pink mobile phone has all the above features that can enthusiast any person to carry it once in life. It has the potential to satisfy the needs and wants of mobile tech lovers and non-lovers. So, stop wasting your time, go and buy this beautiful package soon from the near by mobile outlet.

Blackberry Pearl Red [http://www.paymonthlyphone.co.uk/mobiledeals.asp?id=Blackberry8120Pearl2Red], Blackberry Pearl Pink [http://www.paymonthlyphone.co.uk/MobileDeals.asp?id=Blackberry8110Pink] and Blackberry Pearl White [http://www.paymonthlyphone.co.uk/mobiledeals.asp?id=BlackberryPearlWhite] are the popular mobile phones and these mobile phones are available on Mobile Phone Shop UK.
Faith Hill is Search Engine Marketing Consultant for Cheap Mobile Phone Contract UK.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Faith_Hill

Global Mobile Trends and Enablers: Current State and Future Outlook

The year 2011 was marked with more innovations and developments in the mobile space than ever before. With healthy growth rates recorded in 2011 and optimistic predictions for the next few years, 2012 looks like the year of even more interesting mobile developments.

A wide array of factors contributed to the global growth of the mobile applications (apps) adoption in 2011. Among them are advancement of network technologies, reduction of mobile data usage costs, increased usage of smartphones, restructuring of the revenue-sharing patterns and a significantly increased full or partial subsidy of apps via mobile advertising options.

According to the Mobile Stats and Facts 2011, of the world's 4 billion mobile phones in use, around 1.1 billion were smartphones. In Q1 2011 the global mobile phone market ballooned with a 19.8% growth rate year-over-year due to a significant rise of smartphone shipments. As estimated by IDC's Worldwide Mobile Phone Tracker, vendors shipped 371.8 million units in Q1 2011 compared to 310.5 million units in Q1 2010. In North America, the mobile phone market was kept front and center by Apple's iPhone and HTC Thunderbolt, while in Western Europe it was ruled mainly by new devices from HTC, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson.

On the global scale, Nokia took the leading position in terms of shipment volumes and market share (although the latter dropped from 34.7% to 29.2 % year-over-year), followed by Samsung. Apple maintained its spot #4 on IDC's List of Top 5 Mobile Vendors.

The breaking news of 2011 was the launch of the partnership between Nokia and Microsoft in an attempt to regain ground lost to the iPhone and Android-based devices. The new strategy means Symbian and MeeGo, Nokia's existing smartphone operating systems, will be gradually sidelined. Symbian is being currently transformed into a "franchise platform", while "MeeGo will place increased emphasis on longer-term market exploration of next-generation devices," according to the company statement. However, Nokia still expects to sell approximately 150 million more Symbian devices in the future.

Regarding the overall mobile usage patterns of 2011, 61% of people reported using their mobile devices to play games, 50% - to do a web search, 49% - to access social media, 36% - to read news and 33% - for general entertainment purposes.

In 2011, over one third of the Facebook's 600 million user base used Facebook mobile apps, 50% of the Twitter's 165 million user base used Twitter Mobile and over 200 million YouTube views occurred on mobile devices every day. Overall, 30% of all smartphone owners accessed their social media accounts via mobile browsers in 2011.

In 2011, many large brands started blending mobile technologies with their business goals in order to increase their presence in at least one of the top app stores. This has opened up new horizons for already booming mobile apps markets and creating new venues for the further market development. On the other hand, most of these brands did not aim to monetize their apps and only used them as an add-up to their brand equity. Last year, the Apple App Store remained the overall leader and the "store of choice" for both brands and users. On the other hand, Android Market has gained a substantial ground with 50% of the global brands preferring to publish their apps in it during 2011. The newly introduced Amazon App Store has gained 14% of the brand mobile apps' publications in only three months of being around.

The world mobile app market was estimated at $6.8 billion in 2011, according to Markets & Markets, a US-based research firm. It is expected to grow steadily to reach $25 billion over the next four years, with the Apple App Store accounting for 20.5% of the total revenues.

According to iSuppli, an IHS-owned market research firm, the collective revenues from Apple, Google, Nokia and Blackberry app stores grew around 78% in 2011 from 2009 and are anticipated to reach $8.3 billion in 2014.

In 2011, Apple held the major mobile apps market share in terms of the revenue generated.
However, in terms of mobile app downloads, Android outpaced Apple, according to the data from ABI research.

Eight Trends That Ruled The Global Mobile Market In 2011
1. Near Field Communications (NFC) Technology
In 2011 Sprint Nextel joined forces with a variety of handset makers and technology companies to implement NFC payment systems. Google used VeriFone Systems and ViVOtech software to run the test service in five US cities. The Google NFC-enabled services allowed consumers with specially equipped phones running on Google's Android OS to pay for goods and redeem coupons with their handsets at NFC-equipped cash registers.

2. iPhone 4S
Many expected Apple to introduce its next-generation iPhone 5 in the 2011 "Let's Talk iPhone" event. Instead, Apple unveiled its iPhone 4S, the "smartest" smartphone ever. Equipped with an 8-megapixel camera, iCloud capabilities and Sprint network access, it comes with the powerful voice recognition software and other innovative features. Apple reported to have sold over 4 million of its iPhone 4S devices in just three days after the official launch.

3. QR Codes
2011 was the year of a massive use of two-dimensional quick response (QR) codes in digital and print marketing campaigns. When a code image is captured by a mobile device or a tablet, the user gets immediate access to an abundance of brand's / product's information. With QR codes companies have a much better chance to easier and faster reach their target audience and stakeholders.

4. Increased mobile gaming
Games were the most popular type of apps among smartphone users in 2011. According to the latest Report by Nielsen, last year many smartphone owners were ready to actually pay for mobile games - more that they would for any other app category
5. The Cloud
In 2011, Apple introduced its highly-anticipated iCloud service which allows storing music, photos, apps and more and pushing them automatically to all of the user's devices via a wireless technology.

 Google launched a similar music Cloud service allowing users to upload their music libraries and stream them from both mobile devices and PCs.

With these and other Cloud services available more mobile apps are expected to move to the Cloud in the near future and will be accessed and executed directly from the Cloud through a mobile web browser interface. To facilitate this change, several technologies are already used. For instance, HTML5 is used to enable caching on the handset and avoid fluctuations in network service delivery.
Additionally, in 2011 some providers of mobile solutions offered integrated mobile browsers to allow direct access to apps from the publisher's website and elimination of visiting app stores. It means that both app developers and publishers can now interact directly without involvement of / sharing profits with any third-party app stores.

6. 4G Technologies
In 2011, every mobile carrier announced its plans to update their networks to one of several faster cellular data technologies such as HSDPA, HSPA+ and 3GPP LTE. The carriers' investment in higher speeds and better bandwidth will help the industry to keep up with the exploding demand for mobile Internet during 2012. A vast majority of mobile devices already shipped in 2012 are 4G-enabled, even though they still actually connect to 3G and EDGE networks.

7. Augmented reality
Augmented reality (AR) refers to the addition of a computer-assisted contextual layer of information over the real world, creating a reality that is enhanced or augmented. Although different forms of AR such as head-mounted displays have been around for over 30 years, in 2010 and 2011 AR evolved from being a cool gadget on the periphery of visualization and graphics technologies to a central player in the technology landscape due to the increased bandwidth and adoption of smartphones.

AR proliferates rapidly into various domains from education to tourism / traveling to video production etc. Many AR apps such as Layar use GPS positioning and geo-tagging to annotate existing spaces with an overlay of information and 3D images and characters.

8. Mobile advertising
According to Stephanie Baghdassarian, Research Director at Gartner, "mobile advertising is now recognized as an opportunity for brands, advertisers and publishers to engage consumers in a targeted and contextual manner, improving returns." In 2011, mobile advertising budgets were set to increase tremendously across the various categories and regions. The global mobile ads market generated around $3.3 billion in 2011, more than double the $1.6 billion generated in 2010.

Mobile Market Expectations For 2012
In 2012 we will most likely see:
- Increased investments in NFC technology across handset makers and carriers
- Improved in-app billing security
- More location-based mobile commerce solutions allowing users to check in to a store to alert a retailer of their presence or to add items to a shopping cart simply by taking their photo or their bar codes photo in the physical store
- LTE 4G as a mainstream technology in North America and Western Europe
- iPads and tablets continuing to replace PCs as a business tool of choice
- Apple iPad 3 and long-awaited iPhone 5 with enhanced functionalities accommodating the high-speed LTE network and NFC technology
- Enhanced social sharing as a result of the smartphones' boom
- Extended mobile search to allow consumers to interact with results such as placing an order directly from the mobile phone, booking a ticket or making a hotel reservation
- Gamification as the ultimate way of engaging a new generation of users focused on converting their everyday experiences into game-like pursuits
- More object recognition (OR) apps allowing users to track their surroundings for specific objects of interest
- More unified communication (UC) clients for mobile instant messaging provided by over-the-top service providers such as Skype
- More powerful mobile email solutions through a series of technology enhancements enabling low-cost mobile extensions to existing e-mail services (Gartner expects mobile e-mail users to account for 10.6% of the global mobile user base by 2014)
- More organizations developing a strategic approach towards their mobile service delivery and differentiation (smartphones vs tablets)
- Tablet commerce (T-commerce) and e-wallet as two new buzz words
- Strategic partnerships between mobile carriers and popular video providers like YouTube or Vimeo to allow users to replicate their online behaviors on their mobile devices

Viktor Bogdanov
PR Manager
Ciklum
About Ciklum:
Ciklum is a Danish innovative IT outsourcing company specializing in nearshore software development in Eastern Europe, in Ukraine and Belarus. Ciklum's unique business model merges the human element with IT to not only help companies to grow, but provide ongoing resources that sustain growth with the flexibility to scale up or down as markets shift. Established in 2002, Ciklum employs more than 1,500 IT specialists with more than 150 global clients' own software development teams.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Viktor_Bogdanov

The HTC Sensation - Revolutionizing HTC's Outlook on Mobile Technology

It looks like every new handset made by the Taiwanese phone mogul HTC is based on the Sensation. The current flagship sports a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, an 8 megapixel camera, a larger 4.3 inch display, and the latest android iteration. It is either the company has matched these specs or made them even better.

An example of this is the EVO 3D. This smartphone packs relatively the same phone specifications compared to the current flagship. However, it does come with one improvement. The phone will allow you to record 3D videos with its dual 2 megapixel cameras. It will also allow you to watch your stereoscopic videos on its 4.3 inch screen without having to wear 3D glasses.

Yet another example is the flagship's XE version. This handset takes power and performance to whole new heights. It also has some unique features to offer. When it comes to power, the Taiwanese phone manufacturer has bumped up the original 1.2 GHz dual-core processor to a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor Qualcomm MSM 8260 Snapdragon chipset with an integrated Adreno 220 GPU for intense graphics. The upgrade does not end here. The XE will also sport Beats Audio technology. It comes with Dr. Dre's Beats headphones. This is something the original HTC Sensation did not come with.

Lastly, the up and coming smartphone comes with red accents and the Beats logo on the back. This will spice up the phone's looks.

Another phone is the Vigor. This is rumored to be the Sensation's replacement. It is said to be HTC's new flagship. Like the current flagship, it will sport a 4.3 inch display. However, it will come packed with a more powerful CPU just like the HTC Sensation's XE version. It will come packed with a 1.5 GHz CPU with two cores. It has not been confirmed if this smartphone will sport Beats Audio technology. However, leaked images of the handset have revealed a rubberized back and red accents just like the XE. This suggests that the phone will sport Beats.

The last phone on HTC's roster is the Runnymede. It is also known as the Bass. This is by far the most ambitious handheld mobile device the Taiwanese firm is currently developing. It rocks a 4.7 inch S-LCD capacitive touch screen. This will offer so much real estate for touch features.

 It is rumored to pack a 1.5 GHz dual-core CPU under the hood.

With all of these new and rumored smartphones by the Taiwan-based firm, you can see that it all started with their current powerhouse of a handset. This is the HTC Sensation. This phone has revolutionized HTC's outlook on mobile technology.

For the best deals on the HTC Sensation and the HTC EVO 3D, visit us at PhonesLimited.co.uk.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sethe_Gomez

How to Have a Smart Office in 5 Easy Steps?

First, it was smart phones, then smart cars and now it is smart offices. So what exactly is a smart office? Smart office is an economically as well as ecologically sustainable office, which has at least the following three characteristics: 1) smooth workflow, 2) optimal efficiency and 3) ability to meet regulatory compliance.

And we all know how important it is to achieve all this while we are struggling with economic crisis, especially if you are a small business owner. But the question is how do you go about this? Here are a few steps that can help you to create a green, economically sustainable office.

Instructions
Step 1. Identify the challenges
The first step to create a smarter office is to analyze your current situation and identify problems and future challenges. Most often small businesses cannot sustain because of internal problems like high operating costs, poor workflow and efficiency and threat from competitors. If you think you are facing the same threats, you must think of a solution to reduce operating costs and improve collaboration.

Step 2. Do some research
Research is the next logical step after analyzing you problems and challenges. Research on the internet, ask some entrepreneurs that you may know or join some business forums. You can even read case studies of small business owners to read more about their problems and solutions. Once you have thoroughly researched the market, comes the time to take action.

Step 3. Find out about management software
From all the solutions you come across, a few will be management software solutions. A lot of small business owners are using management software to ease their day to day tasks and improve efficiency. Document management software is one such example. There is more to this software than managing documents. It helps in improving workflow and efficiency of staff. It can also help you meet regulatory compliance and retention policies.

Step 4. Document management system (DMS)
There are a lot of software solutions on the market. For small businesses, it is advisable to choose entry-level software that doesn't cost too much and can give you immediate return on investments in terms of saved paper costs, shipping costs and improved productivity. A quick Google search will give you the names of leading document management software providers.

Step 5. Best business practices for a smart office
Once you adopt best practices at work, you can improve work, communication, security, customer handling and document management. In the day and age of technology progress, you wouldn't want to waste time on filing and sorting documents or worst looking for them amongst piles of paper files.

Document management is an essential part of best practices in small business and allows you to handle document and work flow, so that you can make your office a smart office. Document management software also helps you create a green office, which plays a crucial role in best business practices. This way you cannot only have an economically but also ecologically sustainable office.

Mariah Williams is interested in all things tech. She is currently reviewing software solutions that can help small businesses to create a smarter, greener, economically-sustainable office.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mariah_Sarah_Williams

Microsoft Word on My Android?

Productivity on the run is more feasible than ever before after the introduction of the Honeycomb Android operating system and duel-core tablet processing. High-powered Android phones and tablets are empowering mobile users to catch up on work even though they happen to be out of the office.

Microsoft Word represents one of the first productivity products people think of when it is time to create or edit a document. Many Android users will want to know where they can find a copy of Word to put on their Android tablet or phone.

As of the writing of this article, Microsoft had not developed office productivity applications for either of the popular iPad or Android mobile platforms.

But don't worry, while you will not find an application from Microsoft at the Android market, you can still work on Word-formatted documents when you are on the go.

Microsoft's failure to meet the demand created by the rapidly-growing Android and iPad mobile market has created a void that is being filed by several Android developers.

Makers of Android rich-text word productivity applications include Quickoffice, OfficeSuite by Mobile Systems, Smart Office by Picsel and Documents to Go by Dataviz.

These word processing applications are designed to allow users to view, create, edit and share Microsoft Word documents.

Mobile users are not limited to working with just Word documents. These productivity applications also allow the creation of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and Microsoft PowerPoint files.

All of these applications come with a price tag. Prices range from $9.72 for Picsel's Smart Office application to $16.99 for QuickOffice Pro HD.

One application has even been optimized for Android tablet users. QuickOffice Pro HD was developed to take advantage of the Android Honeycomb tablet's wide screen. This contrasts with the more limited, and less expensive, QuickOffice Pro version that is designed for use with a smaller sized Android phone screen.

You have the option to take a couple of these products out for a test drive prior to paying out your cash.

Documents to Go, by DataViz, can be downloaded from the market in a "viewer" only mode.

Documents to Go Viewer allows users to view Microsoft Word documents but does not allow new documents to be created or existing documents to be edited. Android users can also download a 30 day trial version of Mobile System's OfficeSuite application.

To date, Microsoft may not care too much about writing iOS and Android software. However, these word processing applications are doing an excellent job of filling the Microsoft void.

For more information about Android word processing applications visit http://www.AndroidWordProcessor.com and for insight into iPad word processing applications point your web browser to http://www.iPadWordProcessor.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=JW_Murphey

5 Advantageous Business Applications for iPhone 5

When Apple announced the new features of iPhone 5, users, as well as developers knew that this device is going to provide them with endless opportunities.

 Apart from the various built-in apps, Apple brought in more third-party apps that were specifically designed for iPhone.

The more applications you get, the faster your works get done. Among the different categories of applications that are there in the AppStore, the business apps are certainly going to get a thrust. Whether it is managing files or getting your expense reports, the AppStore is filled with advantageous business applications for your iPhone 5 that enable you to be updated on almost every necessary thing.

While browsing the AppStore, you'll find plenty of applications in the business category, and if you're trying to find some handy ones, then given below are 5 prolific applications that are certainly going to be very helpful for you.

Concur - Travel, Receipts, Expense Reports
While you are busy in traveling to and fro for meeting your clients, purchasing important items for your business and making other expenses for your business, Concur takes care of your travel, receipts and other expense reports so that you can keep a check on them and can stay productive. Both small and large businesses could track and manage their expenses.

Right from the cab fare to hotel charges, Concur enables users to import data from credit cards, check, approve and submit expense reports and manage their airfares, hotels and dining itineraries. With Concur in your iPhone 5, no need to shuffle through your receipts or remember your expenses as your expenses gather at one place and your expense report gets ready when you get home.

CareerBuilder for Employers
If you are in search of talented professionals, then CareerBuilder for Employers will help you to find out the most suitable candidates. This business application lets you access the applicants who have applied to your job postings. Through your CarrerBuilder account, you can review the resumes of the applicants and can contact them directly from iPhone. You can also view applications up to last 7 days.

After selecting the right candidates, you can save them to a folder, call them or email them directly from iPhone or flip through them. You receive push notifications when you get new applications. With CareerBuilder beside you, you can find the best talent for your company.

Go Daddy Domain and Email Manager
Now, this app is a must have for all those business people who need have multiple Go Daddy domains, and you also receive notifications about your upcoming expirations. This helps you to renew all your products on time. It enables you to send and receive emails from Go Daddy in its Mobile Workspace mail client. Through this application, you can manage your dedicated and virtual servers, Go Daddy account settings, hosting, as well as email accounts.

The good thing is the iPhone version of the app includes of Online Storage file manager through which you can easily manage your documents from anywhere.

Smart Office 2
Microsoft Office has become indispensable software for businessmen, and if you work with MS office documents in iPhone, then Smart Office 2 will also become crucial for you. This application makes editing, creating and sharing MS office documents absolutely easier. This one comes incorporated with Printing so you do not even need to buy a separate Printer app. It even gives you Cloud file access so that you can download your important files directly from Dropbox and Google Docs.

Among the various features that it has, one of the most significant features is its support for a wide range of important languages including Chinese (both traditional and simplified), Japanese, French, Russian and Turkish. With Smart Office 2 in your iPhone 5, you can load email attachments and edit them even when you're out of office.

It allows you to create documents with the scratch and is the only application that comes with a free set of preloaded templates. All these features certainly make Smart Office 2 the new hub of mobile office activity.

Parkmobile
You visit lots of places in the town and so, you have to be alert about your parking data. Parkmobile is one of those build-to-make-your-task-easy apps that provide you secure online access to your parking data so that you can keep track of any change in your account settings and of your parking expenses. It also provides a better way of paying for your parking using your iPhone. Also, you need not worry if you're driving a different car as it lets you quickly change your license number and activate your parking session.

So, whether it's a private parking lot or a public one, you need not worry as Parkmobile can be found right from city streets to airports.

So, with Parkmobile in your iPhone 5, you'll never have to search for coins or worry about a dysfunctional parking meter as it offers you plenty of flexible solutions that make your day easier.

All these third-party apps in the AppStore are geared towards making your daily tasks easier. However, if you think that your needs are a little different and that you need customized business apps, then the simplest option for you is to hire iPhone application development services because hiring professional services would provide you with flexible solutions that would best suit your requirements.

The sixth generation of iPhone comes embedded with an impeccable design and lots of useful features. If you want iPhone apps that can leverage maximum benefits from this platform, then hire iPhone 5 application developer from IAD to get the most affordable solutions for your business apps.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Upen_Peterson

Smart And Elegant Ways To Use Social Media To Empower Your Business

Business vendors have to constantly engage with their customers. It is also equally important to stay in touch with the colleagues in office even though you are in a remote place. There has been enough talk happening in the social media place. Most offices think that the social media websites are pointless and is simply a waste of time that will affect productivity. Business is always about branding.

 It is important to create a brand name or personality who can influence the brands. The social media is a very good platform to reach out to the customers. However, it is easier said than done. It takes a lot of quality time and effort in creating content that can resonate the firm's portfolio and popularity.

Be Watchful and Alert: It is always good to be a listener in the social media platform. There are social listening tools like Sprout Social and Radian6 which will help you to gather information from tweets and other social interactions about the product that you wish. It even collects information about your competitors and how they execute the advertising ideas. It also helps you to avoid having a misstep and avoids any kind of embarrassment.

Be-Self Conscious: By being a good listener, you can garner information about your own products and what people think about you. It is a very good platform to know the customer's views. Every company has its own set of disgruntled customers. It is important to listen to them and take effective measures to improve the services. There are several cases where company's internal practices and trade secrets were let out through these channels unofficially. The loop holes can easily be identified and concrete actions can be taken to boost the image of your company.

Be Fair And Transparent: Social media platforms act like a two way channel where you can exercise the give and take policy with your customers. Do not try to hide yourself in the social web simply because there is no place to hide.

 It is better to face the wrath and come out of it cleanly.

Make sure you social media planner and organizer are aligned towards the firm's vision and mission.

It is the best platform to build a clean image. Being transparent in handling the queries and giving suggestions to customer views helps you to build the brand name and identity.

Be Smart And Proactive: Being proactive and creative will be the most important trait. Larger set of interactions are very much encouraged which will help to build a good list of potential customers in the long run. Debating and interacting in a positive manner is always a boost to the brand image.

 Business vendors can try out their new ideas and execute them in the online platform as a beta version. This will help to garner true feedback and what people think about it.

It is always better to use the social media platform to construct your business and reach closer to the audience in the long run.

Having issues building traffic to your site? The 4000+ word Traffic Building Tips is the best and complete resource available online to help you get started with real traffic to your site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shabbir_Bhimani

Why Smart People Use Collaboration Tools For Business

A smart company owner uses collaboration tools to make their business more efficient at making money and generating products faster. Collaboration tools may be the most secret thing that every successful business has in their arsenal. This may be the biggest secret to getting a business off the ground quickly.

1. An enterprise owner should focus on doing 1000-dollar work and not ten dollar an hour work
The truth about most businesses is that the business owner is trying too hard to do all the jobs themselves.

 This is rarely the best idea in any business model. Delegating to employees or outsourced workers can increase the effectiveness of a business owner by an incredible amount. A business owner is too important to be bogged down by menial tasks such as writing articles, sending and answering e-mails, and etc.

A business owner needs to focus on things that bring that business money.

They should not have to drive to the post office to pay bills; this is a job that is easily handled by someone else who is happy to do this for $10 an hour or less. The job of the business owner is to find the people who are willing to do these jobs and let them do them. If an enterprise owner can find these people then they will increase their output in the necessary areas of their business by uncountable percentages. This alone will bring a business more money, and therefore, the company owner more time to do whatever they want.

2. Having employees that can work faster is a massive advantage
Maximizing the ability of the employees or outsourced workers to do work will also help a business owner save money. Employees and outsourced workers get distracted far too easily by each other.

The ability of the business owner to manage their employees effectively will affect their bottom line in a business. If a business owner delegates their $10 an hour work to these people, it does not mean that the work is any less important.

 It is important to make sure that each of these employees has all the resources available to them that they need to complete that job.

 If they need access to the business owner, another employee, or an outsourced worker then they should have access to that person with as little work as possible.

The person on the other side of this request should not have to be interrupted by a phone or the ringing of that phone call. They should be able to respond to that request based on their work and based on urgency of need.

3. Sharing files allows a mentor to work with a business much faster
Business collaboration tools also allow a mentor to work with a business much faster than they would have been able to do before the use of collaboration tools. The business owner only needs to contact their business mentor through the tools and then send the files that need to be sent through the system as well. This speed allows both parties to have communication that is quick and immediate. A mentor can then help a business owner make changes to the product very quickly based on the advice of their business mentor.

In conclusion, smart corporation owners use collaboration tools to speed up all their processes in a business. Eventually these tools allow a corporate enterprise owner to focus on those things that they can do to help the business grow faster. They are no longer tied to activities that do not generate as much results because they can outsource that work to employees or outsourced workers effectively. If a business owner wants to grow their income and their business's bottom line, then they need to find the right tools for business collaboration and start using them today.

Scott Buendia consults for Bizbuilt.com. All the views and tactics in this article are tactics and ideas of the author; they do not necessarily represent the ideals, beliefs, or trademarks of Bizbuilt.com. Visit his card on Bizbuilt here, https://www.bizbuilt.com/socialmediaprivacy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_L._Buendia

10 Apps for Keeping Your Android Phone Virus-Free

To protect pertinent information in your devices is one of the very first things that you should be placing attention to. There are hundreds of applications available in the Web to keep your phones virus-free. Here are the 10 most important ones:
1. Lookout Mobile Security
The Lookout Mobile Security anti-virus application scans all your software apps on a daily or weekly basis. It mainly scans and cleans your mobile phones and alternatively, it maintains a back-up file of your valuable data. This is a free application but if you opt to purchase a premium account, which will cost you $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year.

2. Phone Spam Blocker USA
The Phone Spam Blocker USA protects yourself if you are getting spam calls or text messages. This app allows you to search suspicious numbers to report a new phone spam. As a whole, this app helps you to restore your privacy and to avoid your identity from being stolen.

3. Super Security
The Super Security application offers a cloud-based antivirus engine that provides a strongbox to hide your sensitive data. Its features cover a wide range, including an anti-malware tool, a task manager and a missing device-find back tool. This app can be downloaded for free in the Web.

4. Anti-Virus Laser
This is an action puzzle game that allows the user to delete viruses by controlling the laser beam and frying the viruses before they reach out. The user can upload his score and check his world ranking. This app has a free version which covers 10 levels.

5. SmrtGuard Mobile Security
The SmrtGuard Mobile Security is another application that protects your phone from viruses. This app is combined with other security features like anti-spyware and anti-spam to secure your mobile phone. Its other features are Remote Lock, Find Phone via GPS, Audio Ping, Call Blocker and SimCard Guardian. This free anti-virus application also secures a wireless backup.

6. AntiVirus Free
AntiVirus Free is a basic mobile anti-virus application that scans and cleans your Android phones and protects them against viruses and malware to ensure integrity of your data. Moreover, this app blocks spam messages, filters problematic files and folders and deletes them.

7.AVG Antivirus
The AVG Antivirus application scans and deletes all viruses and malware in your mobile phones. This app also helps locate lost devices via GPS and helps protect your Androids from SMS spammers.

8. Aegislab Antivirus Free
This is an anti-virus application and phone security tool that identifies malware in the market and helps find suspicious transmission of backgrounds that causes potential bills for users.

9. Aegislab Antivirus Elite
This application, which is previously known as AppScan Beta, is a mobile security tool that offers real time and manual scanning for viruses. In addition, this has a remote lock and remote data wipe feature for missing devices.

10. Dr. Web Anti-Virus
Recently, Dr. Web has released an Android version of their anti-virus. This application helps protect your phones from viruses and malware. Its features include a high-speed scan, a reliable resident protection, a flexible configuration, a minimum system load, a user-friendly interface and a protection from unwanted incoming calls and SMS. This application is available for free download in the Internet.

It is good to know that most of the basic anti-virus applications are available for free in the Web. Protecting information is a critical issue nowadays and these anti-virus applications have clearly made significant contributions in making lives easier and safer for Android users.

Danny writes for Android Tablets Fanatic and is available to write guest posts for your blog/website so just contact him if you're interested in free content for your website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danny_Mitchell_Ashton

Know More About the Free Android Security Software by Avast

Software security has long been the concern of users worldwide. With the technological advancement it is essential to take this factor into consideration. When the world is fast shrinking and the Smartphone has now become synonymous with computing it is important to create security software. Avast is an extremely popular name known for providing computer security. With its breakthrough in providing software security to Android software it has proved its innovation and credibility.

 This software by Avast is available for free and it provides security from virus, theft and comprises firewall components.

Let us find out what this software is all about and how it is capable of providing security to android phone users.

Antivirus feature- It provides real-time security and automatic updates. The users get free mobile security feature that provides protection against online threats and is integrated with the Android browser.

Call and SMS security feature- Another amazing feature about this software is the 'filtering' option for all calls and SMS. Now the user need not bother about annoying sms and calls that can be barred by specifying phone numbers in a well defined group.

Firewall component- The firewall component is only available to rooted devices to block specified applications. This enables in protecting the device against illegal access. It provides protection against USB bugs so that your device cannot be altered through computer software. It can also enable data connection and GPS module.

Anti- theft feature- An interesting feature that comes with Avast security is that of the anti-theft feature. The user is free to make changes to the anti-theft feature by changing its icon and renaming it in order to hide it from prying eyes. This feature is also capable of operating in a stealth mode for accessing via phone call. This feature enables wiping, tracking and locking of the device. For added security the users can define two numbers so as to receive notification in case of device theft. Later on this can be controlled via SMS.

Special features for rooted devices- The rooted phones are protected against factory resets. The device can be locked via SMS command when the SIM card is changed. The user can utilize the features that enable texting, initiating a call, setting off an alarm, GPS location tracking, data erasing, downloading contacts and even rebooting the phone. It comes packed with security features for rooted devices as well. It provides the users free of cost security for SIM-card change notifications, privacy reports, firewall, call and SMS filtering and application management.

Avast is a Free Mobile Security that is known to provide complete Android security. This security software is known to have surpassed all the other existing commercial products. What is especially attractive is the easy to use display function and its' capability to provide detailed instructions.

It provides complete security to mobile and rooted devices and it is exactly what the user has been looking for.

She is a Technology writer who is keen on any new emerging technology updates. She is working with Qresolve as a Technical Support Engineer. Semeli Karen McPherson has been offering online tech support to global customers for issues related to laptops, desktops, Mac and devices including iPods, tablets, iPhones, computer support and more.She caters to the segment of core technology and provides viable solutions to any issues related to technology and software. Her expertise and skills in handling key technology issues is immaculate and quick result bearing. Through her articles and postings she aims to provide knowledge and solutions to common technology issues that a user faces.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Semeli_Karen_McPherson

Protecting Your Android Phone With the Best Security Applications

Your computer is an investment - and an expensive one at that - and so you regularly need to back up data to prevent any loss of or theft of confidential information. Your car is also an investment and so you might install any anti-theft software like LoJack to help recover it in case of a theft. If you take all the necessary steps to protect your car and your computer, then why not protect your Android Smartphone as well? Since your phone is probably the most used device, whether you know it or not, you will end up carrying a lot of sensitive information on your phone. So, if your phone gets stolen or if you lose it, then all this information will not be as personal anymore. Just like your computer and your car, your phone is also an investment.

So, it is very important to safeguard your text, photos, contacts and videos. Even if you do take care of your phone and never lose it, there are certain applications that you can download. However, it is important to note that although most anti-theft applications claim to be a 100% effective, not all of them are as honest as you think they are.

Fortunately, the Smartphone market, especially the Android based phones, offer a great range of security options. Here are a few applications that will help secure your Android phone:

• Lookout Mobile Security: A great application, the Lookout mobile security application is great for Android phones. A free account will allow you to scan your phone for malware, and will help you backup and restore your data online. It will also use GPS to help you locate your phone.
• Norton Mobile Security Beta: Smartphone's contain a lot of sensitive data, from text messages to credit card numbers. So, if your phone is stolen, there are chances that your identity might also get stolen. The Norton mobile security app will help you remotely lock your phone and wipe it clean. You can now lock the SIM card so that a phone thief won't be able to sell or swap your phone with someone else. You can even block calls, text messages and scan your phone.
• WaveSecure Mobile Security: WaveSecure comes replete with a number of features, like the option lock down and wipe your phone remotely, the option to backup your phone and restore information, and a thief will not be able to uninstall the program without typing in a password.

Apart from these, the Snuko anti-theft device is probably the most powerful and effective security measure available in the industry. Meant for computers and mobile phones, you can now use the Snuko anti-theft device for your Android Smartphone. The Snuko features include:

1. Geo-location: With this feature, you will now be able to track your phone down to within just a few metres.
2. Data Encryption: You can now secure your contacts and any other important information so that no thief or unauthorized person can view them.
3. Data Capture: You can now backup all your important documents even after your phone is stolen or lost.
4. SIM Card Data Capture: You can now view the phone number and SIM card details of any unauthorized SIM cards that may be inserted in your phone.
5. Phone Lock Down: Once you receive all the essential data from your phone, you can now lock it down so that no one else can use it.

What with these features at your disposal, it is very important to protect your Android phone with Snuko.

Snuko UK Limited, a subsidiary of Snuko PLC, is a UK registered IT and Security Company specializing in securing people's computers and smart phones.

For further information, please visit: http://snukoantitheft.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/protecting-your-android-phone-with-the-best-security-applications/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Smanuvaa_Anuvaa

Benefits of Mobile Security Software

Mobile Security Software works just like most Antivirus software on PCs, it defends your computer. But since mobile security software is for mobile devices, they have to be different.

Software for mobile protects you from viruses. Viruses can be obtained discreetly just by downloading something. Viruses are very simple to get, difficult to find, and can be very bad for your mobile device.

Another thing security for mobile does is that it gets rid of Snoopware. Snoopware can be downloaded similar to a virus but snoopware takes a hold of your camera, taking photos and videos when you don't want it to. This can be especially bad if the hacker behind it accesses personal information or your address.

With M.S.S you can also get a black list/white list. The blacklist is a list of people and phone numbers that you don't want to receive data from. This means that if they try to call or text you they cannot contact you. The white list is the list of people that you know and want to receive calls and texts from.

They also usually include an anti-spam. Anti-spam is a way to block texts that are just spammy, or trying to sell you something. This is very useful to cut down on time spent reading texts.

Security Software also has firewalls. Firewalls can control what comes into the phone, like downloads. This eliminates most viruses before they even get into the phone, which is very handy.

Most mobile security programs don't use a lot of your phone's resources. Most of the time you can't even notice that you have a mobile security software in use. Also, the battery doesn't take much of an impact if it does at all.

Most security for mobile are very inexpensive. Norton Mobile Security is only $29.99 a year per phone, which is only about 8 cents per day.

Security for Mobile protects your phone very well. This is great because most smartphones today store a lot of data, and some of the information can be very valuable. Mobile Security software is easily worth the money especially if you obtain data a lot.

Check out my mobile security software site http://www.freesmartphoneapps.org/mobile-security-software/

Mobile Security: Be the First to Know

Mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets have been much more powerful and can hold so much more information than ever before. Resent researches have shown that this evolution will lead to more security risks for the mobile devises.

Nowadays, we've become accustomed to having access to the Internet just about anywhere. What sometimes we forget is how vulnerable that makes us to security threats.

Fortunately, a combination of plain old common sense and some technology can protect our devices, quickly and fairly easily.

In order to try to keep your mobile devises and your data secured we provide you some tips that will be of great assistance:
1. It is crucial to make sure that all your software is up to date. It is always a good idea to check often the products' website to see if there are any updates available. The installation of the latest updates is of high importance and you should never forget to have your software up to date.

2. Always use strong passwords. A strong password is not less than 10 characters and it includes a combination of letters, symbols and numbers. Actually, a strong password looks more like a sentence than a word! You should always avoid using dictionary words and standard phrases, because most of them are included in most dictionaries for hacking, so you should create your own passwords.

3. You should know that most of the default settings of a browser are adequately configured in order to provide the higher level of security, so you should choose not to mess with the security settings.

4. Most of the public available Wi-Fi networks are not encrypted and should be totally avoided. If you try to connect to an unencrypted public wireless network, you will be lucky if a hacker won't access your data.

5. On the other hand if you pay in order to access a wireless network doesn't mean that you're safe.
6. In case you're willing to access a website in order to make a purchase, or access your banking account, make sure that the website is encrypted and the URL starts with HTTPS. The letter "S" refers to the encrypted protocol which means that the user is more secured than in an unencrypted website.

7. You could always use a VPN if of course you have access to one. A VPN provides secure access to an organization's network and allows you to get online behind a secure layer that protects your information.

8. In case that the mobile device that you use automatically enters passwords and login information into websites you often visit, you should turn that feature off. That will block all cookies and autofill in order to enhance your privacy.

9. Everyone is using free apps which are really tempting to get because there are actually free. A user should always be selective about the applications that he/she downloads particularly with developers you don't now.

10. If of course you are afraid that your mobile device might be stolen, you could always install an application by which you will be able to remotely access you devise and delete all your data. There are also applications available which are able to trace a devise by using the mobile GPS service.

Of course all the above measures may be time consuming for a user, but on the other hand it is up to the user to decide whether to have his data secured or not.

Trust-IT Security Intelligence

Ledia Maratou

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ledia_Maratou

Samsung Moment, a Phone That Challenges the iPhone 4G

The android market has literally changed the cell phone industry. This has been made possible by the many enthusiastic and skilled people who have created thousands of applications that can be downloaded and by the many users. The number of phone companies that have rushed to embrace the android services have been increasing by the day. The first companies to adopt the android services such as HTC, Samsung and Motorola have been joined by other phone manufacturers.

The specifications of the phone have been many and quite intriguing. The phone comes with an 800 MHz processor and a 3.2 inch HVGA AM-OLED display.The optical track pad is of fairly high quality and can be easily used for a variety of applications. This phone does have many of the features that a person would want. For instance, there are the sprint specific media services that will easily enhance your media capabilities in the phone. The phone comes with a QWERTY keyboard that can be easily used to key in data. The keyboard has keys that are arranged in five rows and in the same way as the keys in the personal computer. The keys are fairly spaced apart from each other and you therefore won't get any problems pressing the wrong keys. The white keys and the blue light means that you can use the phone even in a dark place.

This phone is quite large although it can still fit into the pocket. The AM-OLED screen has a high resolution that ensures that resolute images are produced. Thus you will be able to can view images and pictures on the screen easily. You also get to have your own screen settings on the phone. You can adjust the screen such that the display will remain the same even when you rotate the phone. There is a proximity sensor in the phone which automatically switches off the screen of the phone immediately someone calls. There are ports in the phone which can be used as a port for USB or as a slot for charging the phone. The memory space of the phone can be increased by the memory card that is available.

The phone has 3G connectivity and hence one can access many applications on the internet. The Wi-Fi connectivity is also enhanced as well as the Bluetooth functions. The browser on the phone allows you to access the email services such as Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail. The Moxier mail system that has been installed in the phone allows one to access HTML messages and office suite documents such as word, excel and PowerPoint. This phone however does not come with some applications such as the notepad or the world clock.

The GPS services on the phone come in handy when one wants to pinpoint the exact locations to a place. This service is enabled because of the Google maps feature in the phone. You can therefore be able to easily see live images of towns and streets. If you are new in a certain area, then this service will obviously be of great help.

Dave has been writing articles for about 6 years now. You can also check out his latest website on the android tablet [http://www.androidwins.com/content/category/7-android-tablet.html] and android os [http://androidwins.com].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Ahmad

Is It Worth Upgrading To Microsoft Office 2010?

 Microsoft Office was launched in the August 1989 as commercial office suite containing relevant desktop applications and services. Today, it is a coined suite for every computer user to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and sending/receiving emails. More than 500 millions of users are using Microsoft Office around the globe.

Features of Office 2010
Following are the new features introduced in the Office 2010. If you're facing some problem with these features then take help of Microsoft Office Support.

Enhanced Picture Editing
All the programs of Microsoft Office 2010 have enhanced image editing pictures. You can perform the advanced editing options like removing the background images, increasing the brightness of selected portion or adding special effects in the Office itself.

Multiple Authoring
Share a document with other users on the network and author it collectively from different machines. The changes will be live to all users immediately without any delay or save. You can do co-authoring for Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations.

Social Connectivity
Outlook Social Connector provides quick view of emails, attachments, and appointments. You can use it to get the information of selected persons from different online social networks.

PowerPoint Broadcast Slide Show
This feature allows you to stream your PowerPoint presentations to the audiences over a network. It doesn't matter whether a viewer have the PowerPoint installed in their computer or not. They'll get the live streaming in their Web browsers.

Better OneNote
Microsoft OneNote 2010 is more intelligent than its predecessors. It has numerous new features including Linked Notes, auto highlighting, page version tracking etc. You can now organize audio & video files, share text & images, and track document versions using it.

Improved Data Presentation in Excel
Microsoft Excel 2010 has improved analytical and chart features. You can use Sparklines to have a compact and clear presentation of the visual data. Slicers help you to filter the PivotTable and segment it in different layers.

Microsoft Office BackStage
The traditional menu system is replaced with Microsoft Office BackStage. Now, it provides enhanced menu system and Ribbon interface.

Does it worth upgrade?
Most of the new features introduced in Microsoft Office 2010 are more useful for the business or commercial users instead of home users. If you've previously upgraded to Office 2007 and only using it for your home, then it doesn't worth to spend $100 to $150 for business class features. In addition, Office 2012 is in pipeline and Microsoft has plans to release in the middle or end of the coming year 2012. This will surely have more advanced features and better user interface enhancements over Office 2010.

If you can't wait for the latest version and can afford $150 more then you can think to upgrade to Microsoft Office 2010.

Precautions
If you've purchased the complete license of Office 2010 then you've to uninstall the previous versions of Microsoft Office. On the contrary, the upgrade license requires you to just run the installation from CD to overwrite the existing version. Getting problem in installing or using Office 2010, then make sure to take help of Microsoft Office Support without any delay.

Herry Willson is a content writer working with SupportMart to scatter his purpose and valuable thoughts for computer users across the country. SupportMart ensures availability of online technical support 24/7, which is just at a click of a mouse and provides all sort of supports for your PC. To know more about Microsoft Office Support, call SupportMart at 1 800 793 7521 Or log on to http://www.supportmart.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Herry_Willson