Are Smartphones Making Us Less Connected?

We use them to tweet when waiting in line at the checkout. We use them to Facebook, when our mate's ordering the next round at the bar. We use them in class, to text and BBM and do anything other than the work we've been assigned to get on with. Hell, occasionally we even use them to make phone calls, the original purpose for which mobile phones were invented, believe it or not.

How we use our phones is entirely up to us of course. When we use them can be a cause of contention however. When it comes to smartphone etiquette, it would appear that there are very few clear-cut rules, but plenty of grey areas.

For example: Is it acceptable to use your smartphone at meal times? If it's Sunday lunch with the in-laws, the answer to that one's 'probably not' - no matter how bored you may be of their inane chatter. What if it's just you and your flatmate eating a TV dinner on the couch? They're probably not gonna complain should you elect to whap out your smartphone and Facebook a snap of the 'on nom nom' pizza you're presently devouring.

Few would dispute that smartphones, with their exhaustive array of apps, labour-saving devices and high speed internet connectivity have made our lives better. But is it possible to have too much of a good thing? At what point should you stop tweeting and step away from the smartphone - when you finally fall asleep at night, with your cherished iPhone 4S still grasped in your hand? When you take a shower? Or will they have to prise it, Charlton Heston style, from your cold dead hands?

According to Sherry Turkle, a psychologist at MIT, "technology is taking us places we don't want to go". Turkle opines that our near-constant connection to social media is paradoxically making us more anti-social. With many of us eschewing real-life conversations for their digital equivalent, are we at risk of losing our social skills altogether?

Sherry Turkle believes that technology is taking us towards a Siri-like scenario in which our devices can offer us "companionship without the demands of friendship".
Are our girlfriends, boyfriends and BFFs in danger of being supplanted by our pocket-sized companions? Could we reach a stage where Siri knows us better than our closest friends?

As it is, internet giants such as Facebook and Google already know a disturbing amount of information about our browsing habits, buying behaviours and idiosyncrasies. By extension, that Android device in your pocket is packing more of your vital stats than you ever imagined. When our mobile devices start to speak like us and think us, it leads to a worrying conclusion: what if our smartphones aren't turning into our new best friends? What if they're becoming pocket-sized versions of us?

We enjoy symbiotic relationships with our smartphones at the best of times, and feel lost when they're not within arm's reach. Now, they would appear to be turning into our miniature doppelgangers - the Danny De Vito to our Arnold Schwarzenegger. Like it or not, we're all now inextricably twinned with our smartphones. Without them we are nothing, and without us, they too are nothing. Touché.

For the latest smartphone news and contract comparisons visit Best Mobile Contracts, a leading UK phone comparison website.

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Send to Many on the HTC Explorer With Its Intuitive People Widget

Send to many on the HTC Explorer with its intuitive People widget for group messaging, along with its Smart Dial and other simple solutions to make your phone work better for you. The handset also features a 3 megapixel camera and the Android operating system along with HTC Sense for speed and easy communication with friends.

The handset offers an impressive group text messaging feature through its intuitive People widget which connects your favourite contacts together into one place and allows you to see all of their information. It includes their latest social networking updates, and more, along with you being able to select the primary method of contacting them, such as by phone, email or text message. This allows you fast communication with your best friends and those who you most contact respectively. The phone also has smart dial which makes it quick and easy for you to find who you want to call by simply typing one or two letters of their name and allowing the feature to do the rest. It doesn't just work by text recognition, but also by placing recognised names in order of preference such as your call lists, and particularly who you have called recently.

The Explorer which offers many similar features to the HTC Rhyme for example, comes with a 600 megahertz processor and 512 megabytes of random access (instant) memory with which it is able to power the Android operating system along with the Sense user interface, for multitasking and speed along with impressive graphics and crisp text on its 3.2 inch touch display. Additionally, it provides you with a great 3 megapixel camera for photo and video capture along with all of the messaging and social networking apps and features you could want in order to share your multimedia. Connectivity is also impressive with Bluetooth 3.0 for fast and simple wireless file sharing with compatible devices, while the microUSB connection provides a wired alternative. Meanwhile, for entertainment there is the Music application and internal FM radio along with SRS virtual surround sound for better sound quality from your mobile device. Other features include an internal GPS antenna and the Android Market app for downloading new applications to your phone.

The HTC Explorer is a lightweight and compact device which offers many great features and includes easy to use software which allows you to seamlessly stay in contact with your friends over multiple forms of communication. The group messaging within the People widget and the smart dial are two such features.

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The HTC Sensation XE With Expansive QHD Display

Expansive qHD display on the HTC Sensation XE along with the Beats Audio sound enhancer mean that this handset provides unbeatable audio and display among its many other attributes. The handset is backed by the Power of a 1.5 gigahertz dual core processor also enabling it to speedily serve you news, information and more through its Web browser and other applications.

The phone offers a simple active lockscreen function which enables you to use many chosen widgets and apps without having to fully unlock your mobile. For example if you setup the camera as one of your lockscreen apps, you can simply drag and drop the camera icon into the grey ring at the bottom of the 4.3 inch qHD display at anytime and instantly open the camera with no unlocking required. In this particular feature you can also now hit the instant shutter tab onscreen to begin snapping photos immediately as this 8 megapixel camera can be ready and capture a still photo in less than a second. It also includes auto focus and a dual LED flash, along with its accompanying front facing VGA counterpart for video calls or capturing shots of oneself. Video recording is in full 1080 pixel HD meanwhile, allowing you to share immaculate quality video clips with your friends either on the handset or on a large HD screen using the impressive DLNA wireless sharing technology for multimedia.

Among its many other features the Sensation XE deals you a great Music player with sorting of artist, track and genre, along with playlist creation. You can immerse yourself in your own tunes with the customised earphones which come as part of the Beats Audio technology offering improved and enhanced sound quality form your mobile phone wherever you go. For live news and music there is also an integrated FM radio while further means of listening is offered by the Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP profile for wireless stereo headsets to be used. Social networking integration, impressive communication and the powerful overall Android operating system meanwhile all add to the capabilities of this sleekly designed and impressive handset.

With the HTC Sensation XE you will be able to go anywhere in the knowledge that you have a smartphone which will let you capture photos or video in HD instantly, communicate seamlessly with friends through multiple methods and enjoy your music. As similar handsets such as the HTC Sensation XL offers, this phone packs all of this incredible functionality into a slim and good looking device.

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The Best to-Do List Is on the iPhone 4S With Reminders

The best to-do list is on the iPhone 4S with Reminders offering a simple and easy to use built-in application for you to use to organise what you need to do and when. Best of all it works alongside the Siri voice control feature and iCloud remote storage also both built-in to this handset out of the box.

The iPhone 4S is the latest in the series of mobile phone sot be released by the renowned Apple brand and offers many additional built in applications and improved benefits and features to its predecessor iPhone 4 respectively. One of the many new preinstalled apps to be featured as part of the iOS 5 operating system which the handset is running is Reminders. This is a simplistic application which enables you to create individual to-do lists which you can organise seamlessly according to priority, deadline, location or a customised list. You can create lists for a range of tasks you need to complete within a day or simply a list of individual tasks to complete one bigger task, such as a shopping list. It is also called Reminders as it allows you to set an optional reminder for a specific day or location making sure you get the tasks done and on time.

Better still the application can also be controlled by Siri. This is another major new feature of both iOS 5 and the iPhone 4S which allow you to control your handset with your voice by simply speaking to it. You can ask it questions regrading the weather and get a weather update, or use it to create and send text messages, start calling someone and more. Additionally, you can simply hold the Home button on the front of the sleek device and let Siri appear before asking it to remind you o do something. It will automatically take what you have said and create a reminder for you within the Reminders app.

In addition to this, you also get your Reminders on all of your Apple devices, such as a Mac computer or iPad through the new iCloud remote storage service. This is also preinstalled within the iOS 5 operating system, and allows you to automatically backup all of your iTunes music, photos, videos and other files as well as to-do lists within your iCloud space. The service also pushes all of these to every other Apple device you have.

With Reminders it is easy to set yourself tasks and carry them out on time especially with the aid of both Siri allowing voice control of your iPhone 4S and iCloud to back up what you have and push it to your other devices. Just three more reasons why so many have chosen this handset as their mobile phone.

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Megabytes Starting to Bite

Recent surveys are showing we are spending more money on our mobile phone contracts when we shouldn't be, by being on the wrong tariff or using data that we didn't know we were. It is becoming important for mobile phone users to fully understand specialists words around the industry and to keep track of how they are using what is made available to them in their contracts.

What is a Megabyte?

According to a Carphone Warehouse survey, only a small minority of the public know what a megabyte is or even how it relates to how long of a video you are allowed to watch on a video site like YouTube or how many songs you are allowed to download.

Megabytes can be explained as being a measure of digital information. One megabyte is 1000 kilobytes, or the size of a photo from a low megapixel digital camera, or a stack of email or one minute of a song. Gauging how much data you are actually using at times can be extremely difficult because there are different formats and ranges of content quality that can affect these measurements that are based on average songs and photos.

How Megabytes Can Affect Your Data

Two gigabytes is how much data it would cost you to watch a two hour standard definition video from Netflix it has been found. For those who are not totally informed of what a gigabyte, or 'gig', translates into in terms of megabytes that would be 2000 megabytes. This exceeds most existing data plans in the UK.

Most YouTube videos that are 10 minutes will consume anywhere from 20-40MB. With a 500MB month data plan (which is the average) will mean 5% of your data will be consumed on watching a single video. Even on higher data allowances this is still quite costly for most people who want to get a few minutes of entertainment. Regular messages using the "free" iMessages on an iPhone only use kilobytes but if you start adding video and pictures to the message then it can easily start costing a lot more than you think.

Which data plan is right?

A large majority of mobile phone users will not need to be using a sizable data plan as they don't come anywhere near their limit. However if you like to, watch full length TV shows or movies on occasion, look through a few dozen web pages full of pictures or even just send some random videos/picture messages to your friends then you are going to need a better data plan than the average one.

Many mobile deals offered have taken this into account when offering deals but people need to have a solid idea of how much data they use on average before making an informed choice.

Finding Out How Much Data You Have Consumed

To find out how many megabytes or data you have consumed, you will find that there are various ways available to get this information. A universal way for all smartphone handsets is to download an application that analyses data usage such as Data Usage or DataMan.

The iPhone gives users the option to check your data usage within the general settings menu. If you have an iPhone all you will have to do is to click on Settings, then General, go to the Usage option and finally Mobile usage. Do not worry if the number seems really high because it will show all the data usage since you have had your phone because you have never reset the settings.

At Mobilesplease.co.uk you are able to compare mobile phones and get generous data limits. Mobilesplease offers over 2 million mobile phone deals from all retailers and networks across the UK.

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Why Prepaid Phones Are a Great Option in a Phone Market That Is Shifting So Often

Prepaid phone companies always try to offer the lowest deal to win over customers; because of this,consumers that are prepaid customers are likely to change the deal they are on. The great thing about prepaid phones there are no contracts, and porting a phone number is usually not a problem.

Given that you can chop and change providers as many times as you like, if you're trying to save some dollars a great way to start as the monthly phone bill is one of the reasons we have a hard time getting ahead in this economy.

Consumers who stay on postpaid plans can often fall into the trap thinking that the phone network is superior on a plan, when in actual fact, there is no difference what so ever. Now I am not trying to write of all postpaid plans because there are some plans that represent good value, but this is rare from my experience.

The most common misunderstanding is that there is something technically wrong or inferior about a prepaid phone. This may have been the case in the early days when phones had little to no features, but as of the last few year this is anything but the case. Prepaid providers have a large range of smart phones and cell phones to suit all consumers. Of course if you absolutely must have the latest and greatest phone and don't have the cash to purchase it outright, then a plan is going to be one way to get that phone by paying it off over several months or years.

When you go shopping in a supermarket, for example, it can be hard to find people to help you work out which prepaid plan to get, as they are not paid like the staff that sell contracts on high commission rewards to try to push phone plans. Since there are no commissions, the savings are passed on to you the consumer.

One of the most effective ways to work out which prepaid plan to get, is to do the research yourself. There are many websites that are designed to help you find the best prepaid phone plan by comparing the plans side by side as well.

Take the time to compare the different plans that are available on prepaid because often even more dollars can be saved when you delve into the fine details of each of the plans.

Dan is a contributor to Wontek. With a passion for all things prepaid and showing people how to save money he is highly respected in the prepaid phone industry. The best way to save on prepaid phones at the moment is a sim card from Straight Talk with a unlimited plan. Compare prepaid cell phone plans yourself at Wontek.

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HTC Sensation 4G

HTC continues to play a major role in Android device development, and its HTC Sensation 4G is no exception to this rule. The device combines a powerful processor and one of the best displays HTC has ever incorporated into any of its devices, offering consumers a high-end device that feels sturdy and performs solidly.

Unibody Design Makes HTC Sensation Ultra Durable

For nearly a half-decade, Apple has constructed everything from its laptops to its tablets and smartphones using unibody aluminum contraction. Android device developers are finally catching on, including HTC; the company has left the plastic behind with its latest smartphone offering and instead has switched to a black, unibody aluminum design that makes the device feel more solid and easier to hold. It has the added effect of making the HTC Sensation 4G one of the most durable Android phones on the market, perfect for consumers who have a tough relationship with gravity and frequently crack their battery covers and screen edges.

Great Power for the Price

The HTC Sensation 4G is one of many new dual core Android smartphones, outshining almost every other single core phone on the market. Device manufacturers have largely had to choose between two separate dual core processor offerings: the Tegra 2, or the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. While the Tegra 2 is known to be the fastest dual core mobile processor currently available to Android smartphones, the Snapdragon is more affordable for device manufacturers to use.

Because HTC has always been a company that valued both accessible price and great performance, the Snapdragon processor is included with its Sensation 4G smartphone. It's slightly less powerful than the competing Tegra 2, but the HTC Sensation 4G manages to complete all of its tasks with easy. The device is lightning fast when using the HD video recorder, the included camera, or multi-tasking with several applications open and running services at the same time.

Part of the qHD Screen Trend

In order to compete with the proprietary Retina Display seen on iOS devices, Android device manufacturers have increasingly been switching to qHD technology for their screens. These screens provided enhanced pixel density that makes it virtually impossible to identify individual pixels on the screen. This enhances the readability of text, and it makes pictures look outstanding with brighter colors and higher resolution.

HTC has never been known to cut corners on the displays it uses in its devices, and the Sensation 4G is no exception. The device has deep blacks and bright whites, paired with a vibrant spectrum of colors, and looks good even in bright daylight.

Quality Construction Makes this Device a Must-Have

The combination of unibody aluminum construction, a high-quality, qHD glass screen, a thin form factor, and dual core processing, make the HTC Sensation 4G a no-brainer for the power-hungry Android enthusiast.

For more information about htc sensation 4g, Please visit: http://www.letstalk.com/

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Combine Smartphone and Tablet With the Samsung Galaxy Note

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Steps On How To Boost The Speed Of Your Android Smartphone

Here are the top ways in which to speed boost your Android phone as of April 2012

Launcher
There are a few primary launchers that most people use on the Android platform. By the way, this applies to most Android phones Pre-Ice Cream Sandwich.

-LauncherPro

-GO Launcher

-ADW Launcher

After playing with all of them I found GO launcher to be the quickest and gave the smoothest scrolling experience. Some argue that it lacks features that the others have, but we're after speed here and I still use it to this day.

Clean Cache
This will remove any temporary files that you no longer use and should give a slight speed boost. Here's an easy way how:

Download the app 'Android Assistant' from the market. Once downloaded open the app and go to the 'tools' tab at the top. Think click 'cache cleaner'. A list of unused resources from some of your apps should appear. Note: This does not delete the apps associated with those files. Just unnecessary resources. Now click 'Clean All'.

Go back to tools and click 'Startup Manager', and check mark any app you don't want or need to start when your phone boots up. Your selections will save automatically. I recommend completing all the steps before rebooting.

Now go the 'Monitor' tab and click 'Quick Boost'. After that you can close out of Android Assistant.

Titanium Backup
If you're like me and own a Droid Razr Maxx, you may have heard about how Motorola preinstalls a number of useless programs/apps onto your phone before you even turn it on for the first time. Why not just delete them you ask? Well, people have reported that they were unable to update to new firmware releases after deleting their bloatware. There is only one way to overcome this. Titanium Backup.

You will need the paid version of Titanium Backup to use the method I'm about to describe. It costs a couple of dollars on the marketplace. With Titanium Backup you will be 'freezing apps'. What this does is stops an apps processes and keeps it from using any resources on your phone all while still technically being 'installed'. This alleviates most of the threats involved when deleting bloatware and will also speed up your device. Use Google to find lists of any potential bloatware for your phone.

Optimize Your Homescreens
A few weeks after I got my Maxx I noticed decreased performance beginning to set in. After doing all of the above steps I noticed a nice improvement, but it still didn't feel as quick as it once did right after I got it. What solved that problem was totally revamping my home screens with limited icons and effects. I know it is very tempting to make your phone look sexy but I chose performance over looks. Before I had compact rows/columns where I can fit tons of icons. If you use any of the cool home screen transition effects then you'll know that ALL icons have to perform the effects animation. For me this resulted in sluggish home screen transitions which was easily solved by changing my rows/columns layout to stock. I now have a big calendar with all days displayed and 9 icons on my primary home screen.

Uninstall Apps
Go through your apps and uninstall any that you do not use. I know this is hard because many of us enjoy having hundreds of apps, and it is an essential component to the Android experience. Just do your best and make sure you are not uninstalling any bloatware if you are a Motorola user. I can't speak for non-Motorola folks.

If you can't recognize what apps are bloatware then use Google and type ''*your phone model* bloatware''.

Conclusion
There you have it. I hope you enjoyed my guide on how to boost the speed of your Android phone. Your phone should have gained some performance with at least one of the steps above. Just remember that your phones speed is also determined by the Android smartphone you choose to buy.

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HTC One Series Smartphone - What's New For Android Users?

World's renowned Smartphone maker, HTC Corp, Taiwan has finally launched an ultimate range of phones that are enriched with advanced camera and music features. These brand new designs have been introduced in order to recover from the rapid fall that company experienced last year. It was losing its fight at the end of last year, when its sales were drooping drastically and investors deserted all its shares on the concern that it may lose the edge.

The launch hosted at Barcelona Mobile World Congress is being considered as a crucial venture for HTC with its battle against big players like Apple Inc. and Samsung. Brand's rise from a vague contract maker to a designer of Smartphones was quite rapid and analysts after scrutinizing the new gadgets said that its approach with the novel devices characterize a pragmatic choice for a business that lacks the resources of its big playing rivals.

HTC Android One Series

HTC One series comprises three models, namely One X, One S and One V, that run the latest version of Google's Android software. All these gadgets are loaded with Image Sense camera technology that offers photography on a par with traditional digital cameras, including low light shooting and fast autofocus. In addition to this, these devices feature sharing software and photo storage, as well.

The fast processors for graphics along with polycarbonate and metal cases make the newly launched devices even harder and resilient than the standard ones. Music features include integrating internet radio and using audio technology from Beats Electronics, which the brand bought last year, for games and music.

Experts Comments

Principal Analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media stated that HTC seems to have learned from its mistakes that it made in 2011. He added that company is now aiming to focus on what they do best and have built their brand on bringing innovation through design of premium devices rather than spreading efforts across all the segments of market.

Head of research at CCS Insight stated that the products look competitive, but company executives will be looking over their shoulders nervously to see how these new devices stack up against rival Android Smartphones that are also being announced at the show. Principal analyst at Ovum added that company's strategy to streamline its branding and to offer fewer, better differentiated products is a reaction to both market forces and engineering necessity.

While the big brand was expecting a drop in revenue of as much as 36% for the first quarter, the launch of new Smartphone range is anticipated to prove as a ray of hope.

Charu Mehta is an adept and adroit content writer with more than five years of writing experience. Her ambidexterity to create both inspiring and intelligent content makes her a laureate pacesetter in this avocation. Her dedication while writing reflects her zeal and passion towards her work. And this what makes her an expert author...

Personal URL: charu.freelancer@gmail.com

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3 Simple Tips for Choosing a Smartphone

Smartphones have made our lives easier and convenient. But with so many options available out there, how do you choose a smartphone, which meets all your requirements perfectly. A Smartphone can help you get directions, easily share information among your friends, listen to music, watch movies and helps you to stay connected, no matter where you are.

Most people, who have never used a Smartphone before, tend to get seriously confused. After all, there are so many questions running through their minds. Like, which platform is the best? Is it the Android, Blackberry or iPhone? How to avoid expensive data plans or call minutes, which you are never going to use? What to do in case, your cellphone carrier is not compatible with the phone you want to buy? And the most important question is... Do you really need a Smartphone?

Over the years, Smartphones have become more affordable and every other person is carrying one. But, if you too are planning to buy one, it's best, if you did a bit of research and really spent some time, trying to figure out what features you actually need, and how much you are willing to spend. We are going to list down 3 tips for you, which are going to help you make your decision with ease, and avoid the confusion.

Android, Blackberry or iPhone

This question pops up on everyone's mind, while thinking of buying a Smartphone. And it can get really confusing. All the three platforms are equally good, but they do have their own drawbacks. A large number of phones are running on android, and the operating system has a phone for every budget, along with a vast library of free applications that work across multiple platforms. The Blackberry on the other hand, is perfect for chatting and browsing the internet. And the iPhone has one of the largest collections of applications. But, the apps can only be used on an iPhone, and not on any other platform.

Therefore, it is important that before you make that decision. You find out, what you are going to do with your smartphone. If you are going to download a lot of free applications, then go for the android. Similarly, if you plan to stay connected all the time via messenger and email on the go, the Blackberry is the best choice for you. And if you are a big fan of Apple, then the iPhone is what you want.

Set your Budget

Smartphones have become cheaper, but the same cannot be said about carriers. So, you need to decide how much money you are willing to shell out, before you step into a cellphone outlet. Most of the carriers are offering discounts and bundled packages, but even with the discounts, you could still end up paying almost triple the amount, you spent to buy the phone.

So, it's important to check out, which carrier is offering you the best plan. Because, a $90 plan for 2 years would be too much compared to the cost of the Smartphone itself. And you really need to think it out, for what purpose are you going to use the phone. If you are going to use your phone to download a lot of apps, surf the internet or chat a lot. Then you need an unlimited data plan, to cut down on downloading charges.

Similarly, if you are going to use your phone to make a lot of calls, you should go for a plan that offers you discounted call rates. Plus, you need to find out, how much penalty you are going to be charged, if you walk out of the contract. And then, choose your carrier based on all the points that we discussed. It will not only save you a lot of money, but will also help you choose the best plan for your Smartphone.

Experience it

Now that you know, which phone, platform, plan and carrier you want to go with. It's time, to experience it all in person. Since, your phone is the only thing, which you are going to use the most. It's important, that you check out its features in person, see whether the keypad is comfortable enough for you, and if it's a touchscreen, check out how responsive it is.

Click some pictures to test out the quality of the camera. And make sure the music and the video player are up to the mark. Run a few applications on the phone and see, whether the phone hangs up, or not. Basically, a Smartphone is meant for multitasking, and it is better to always test out a phone for any possible drawbacks, before you make your choice.

Since, you might be using the same phone for the next 3 to 4 years. You should always make sure, that it is what you are looking for. If you follow these 3 simple tips. We are sure, you will be able to find a phone, which is just perfect for you, and could literally help transform your life.

The author of this article is a freelance copywriter and editor and writes for a number of blogs and websites and can be reached at freelancewriter25@gmail.com to provide his writing services for your blogs and websites,

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The Still Booming iPhone Repair Industry

The iPhone repair industry has rocked the world of the typical tech repair person. It's become something that the older generation computer repair people can learn and start offering in their businesses to keep them current, and keep them on the leading edge of tech repair.

Some people say there's a window. Some people say it'll be around for the next 10 years and some people say it's just begun. I want to talk about all of those things to try to present my idea of the longevity of this kind of business. First, I'd say that in my opinion, it's only just begun. Here's why.

The iPhone repair model targets very specific customers. It targets customers who normally don't purchase warranty plans, won't stand in the Apple line to get the newest version phone the day it comes out and aren't into spending a fortune to get their phones worked on or fixed when something goes wrong.

Right now, we have the iPhone 3G and 3GS as the oldest model phones, that are still widely in use. Here, years later after their launch, people are still paying repair shops to replace screens so they don't have to go buy brand new phones, and perhaps spend a couple hundred (and even more) dollars. Even though 2 more versions of the phone have been launched, a great deal of people still have those older model phones. When they break, what will that type of customer do? What decision are they most likely to make? Will they pay a small fee to get the phone repaired and keep it operating, or will they opt to spend several hundred dollars to get a new one?

The answer, in many cases is, they're going to want to keep their settings, keep their setup, and pay a small fee to get the phone fixed. That is the iPhone repair person's customer. That's where the most business can be captured.

And what about the iPhone 4 models? We have the 4, and the 4s, both extremely susceptible to broken screens. The truth is, it's the same situation as the 3G and 3GS models. People will want to keep their phones, keep their settings and pay a small fee for a fix that targets the specific problem, rather than paying a large fee that basically gets them an entirely new device.

People are about saving money. That isn't to say that all iPhone users will think and act this way. In fact, what you may call "real Apple users," a term coined by a friend of mine, are always going to get the appropriate warranties with Apple, and stay on top of having the newest devices.

Ultimately, I see the industry being around for at least 3 more years, and probably 4. People will still need repairs on the 3GS, the 4 and the 4s for a long time. And, when the iPhone 5 comes out, despite the rumors that it will have stronger glass (gorilla glass 2) and an anti crack warning system, I believe the phones will still break and repair shops targeting the specific problem will still be needed.

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5 Mobile Marketing Myths Debunked

Not many people understand mobile marketing. Even as we move closer to a phone for every living man or woman on earth, mobile marketing is still a new phenomenon especially for business owners. Why is this so? Perhaps because of some myths people have about this type of marketing using mobile devices. Let's debunk five of them today.

1. It is only for big corporations.Well, not quite true. Whether you own the corner shop, a small estate day care, laundry or a one-man plumbing service, you can use mobile marketing successfully. You can send text messages to your clients informing them of special offers. You can receive orders using your phone. And you ask you customers to forward you phone number to people who may need your services.

2. Mobile is for teenagers. Cell phones are owned by nearly everyone. In fact, the average age for people who send text is 35. And the older generation is increasing using their phone to download apps, doing shopping, check emails, update social media posts and send text. Apparently, people under 25 text more than those above this age, but their text message are more interactive. The older generation also prefers voice over text, but open rates are the same across demographics.

3. People don't want to receive marketing messages. Not quite true. Millions of people subscribe to text message services to receive updates on the weather, news, horoscopes, or quotes. In fact, people won't mind receiving message informing them about new arrivals or special offers; as long as they do not become 'too much'. It is illegal to send unsolicited messages, but it is perfectly in order to send messages to people who opt in to your list.

4. Mobile is just like the web, only smaller. There about 260 million websites. However, there are nearly 6 billion mobile handsets worldwide; more than PCs and TVs combined. So the marketing potential is bigger and the advantages are huge. For instance text messages have an open rate of 97% and are read within 4 minutes. In addition, mobile websites are not the same as standard websites in design, functionality and use.

5. The only form of mobile advertising is SMS. True this the most popular way of reaching consumers. However, it is not the only way of advertising. We have blue tooth marketing, webs apps, MMS campaigns and many more. It is upon each individual business to figure out what works best for them or a combination of different methods.

Mary Wilhite is a Mobile Marketing Specialist, also known as the Mobile Marketing Queen. Teaching small businesses, entrepreneurs, and internet marketers how to attract better customers with mobile marketing devices. Get more of her mobile marketing tips, tricks, and strategies today. Just click here http://marywilhiteblog.com/

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Four Hubs of the Samsung Galaxy S2

Four Hubs on the Samsung Galaxy S2 provide different resources for different users such as the Social Hub for those who love social networking whenever they can. The handset also offers a powerful processor and camera among many other great features.

The Social Hub as mentioned on the handset provides a simple and intuitive means to socialising with friends and integrates social networks such as Facebook and Twitter within your contacts so you can clearly see what your fiends are tweeting and updating their status as while also being able to instantly respond or contact them via multiple methods of communication. As with all handsets including what the Samsung Galaxy Note offers with this device you can seamlessly call, text or email your contacts and add multimedia form your cameras including photos and videos. The main camera on this phone is 8 megapixels with auto focus and LED flash along with the front 2 megapixel camera for video calling in better quality too. Meanwhile, video recording and playback are in full High Definition and the large 4.3 inch display with Super AMOLED Plus technology brings everything to life.

Other Hubs on the Galaxy S2 include the Readers Hub which provides a portal for book lovers to browse and download electronic books to the handset with a choice of thousands of titles respectively. The other two are the Music Hub which offers a full music playing application and includes the ability also to find and download new music again with a huge range of tracks to discover. You can also sort your tracks based on artist, genre or album and view album artwork while browsing them, as well as create playlists. Finally, the Games Hub is the place for gamers to go on the phone with the ability to play and download console quality games wherever you go. All of these come with simple to use navigation and touch gestures of the display guide you through their user interfaces, along with the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system which is powered by the dual core application processor present. Meanwhile, the Handset provides excellent connectivity also including Bluetooth 3.0 and USB 2.0 among others.

With the four different intuitive Hubs featured on the Samsung Galaxy S2 it is clear that any user has plenty to keep them occupied whether at home or out and about. The two great cameras also provide a way to capture good times on photo or video also.

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Guide on Buying Wholesale Cell Phones

Every retailer wants to experience success in every possible way. The goal is to walk on a straight path and go up as much as you can. Going down is the last option and this is what you should avoid. Having the ability to buy cell phones with the right price at the right moment is any retailer's dream.

Before you start making those wholesale cell phone purchases, the best way to know if you are doing the right thing is by knowing what other retailers are selling. Visit their stores and just look around on what they are selling. Look at the products that are on display. Make an observation on what seems to be selling fast and try to remember those items that are not moving so well. If you see a friendly staff, you could ask directly what products are moving fast.

Buying the cell phones that you need for your shop or store can be done through different channels. Some retailers find it effective when they do a search online. Some would join buying groups to help them get more information. The others go to buyers' markets and the rest attends trade shows.

Perhaps the most effective way in getting all the information that you need to know is through trade shows. When you are in a trade show, it is an all star cast wherein all the necessary personalities in this kind of business are present. You get to see manufacturers and their product offerings plus wholesale dealers that have forged ties with these suppliers. Do not forget to bring with you the requests from customers because they will help you in identifying what will help move your cell phones. You might be concentrating too much on one cell phone product but what people want could be otherwise.

Search the internet for more information about trade shows in your area, the schedule and all available information that you may need in order to be able to attend the next one. Do remember though that trade shows are not for public consumption. You need to make sure that you will be able to show proof that you are in the trade business and established at that. Some information that you can use as proof includes business cards, permits or license and your tax identification card.

You also need to take note that there are several kinds of wholesale dealers in the market. Different wholesale dealers mean different ways on how they distribute their products. You may take the opportunity to learn all these things while you are at the trade show and see which fits best for your business. Do you prefer wholesale cell phone dealers to bring the products to you? Or perhaps you might want to visit wholesale dealers and get the supplies yourself based on your availability.

When you are already operating your business, getting wholesale cell phones will no longer be a problem because in a short span of time, it is expected that you have established your role in this kind of business and instead of you searching for wholesale dealers on cell phones, they will be the ones going to your place of business and offering their products, deals and whatever packages available for your consumption.

Wireless Association is an online marketplace where you can find wholesale cell phones and wholesale dealers

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Common iPhone 4 Problems

Your expensive smartphone may be the best gadget you have, but some people say it does not come without glitches. Problems with the iPhone 4 or 4S are not uncommon. You can find an owner in the neighborhood who is experiencing problems with their handy gadget. For some, the outright solution is to have an iPhone 4 repair. For others, their solution is to return the item. What are the common iPhone 4/4S issues?

The battery discharges fast.

This is a problem of many electronic gadgets, like digital cameras and phones. But, a communication device that has a fast draining battery is not a good combination. Imagine talking to someone on the phone, or expecting an important call or text message, and then the battery suddenly runs out. It's exasperating, isn't it?

Battery issues are common with those gadgets that are loaded with too many apps. Check the applications you have installed on your device and turn off or delete those that you do not use anymore. Doing that should save your battery life.

The iPhone gets hot.

Have you experienced calling someone over the phone and feeling the heat building up right on your ears? This could be another battery or app issue. The first thing you need to check is whether you have too many apps. It seems as though your iPhone 4 shouldn't contain too many applications. Remove those that you don't use or need.

The screen has a yellowish tint.

This is common with this particular device. This is probably due to the adhesives that have not completely dried up. Should you take it to an iPhone 4S repair center? It seems unlikely that a repair is needed for this particular problem. You may return the item, or you can just wait for the problem to go away as it usually clears up on its own after a while.

3G fails.

There have been reports of slow 3G, which can be due to a problem with your gadget. However, the 3G signal varies from place to place. So, check whether the 3G signal in your location is good or not. There are also certain times of the day when the speed would become slow. Take note that the 3G speed also depends on the weather conditions.

Siri doesn't work.

For many iPhone 4S users, Siri is an important feature. But what if you get trouble using it? This problem is partly due to the popularity of the software application. The volume of the traffic may be too overwhelming for servers to handle. That's why users sometimes get the "sorry something's gone wrong" message. Try turning off Siri, resetting it, and then turning it back on. That works most of the time.

Another thing about Siri is that it is susceptible to errors. It may not understand even common expressions, but this is due to the fact that Siri is still "learning." The application is dependent on the information input from users. However, its database is increasing at an exponential rate as the iPhone is getting more popular in different parts of the world.

Other problems:

There were reports from users complaining that the earpiece would go mute during a call, which is a frustrating issue. This can be remedied by using earphones. Some users also report problems with the device's camera. Problems can surface every now and then. A persisting problem should be reported to the iPhone or Apple customer support.

For more information about an iPhone 4 repair and an iPhone 4s repair, visit our website fixiphones.net.

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A Review for The Acer Iconia Tab A100

Everything is mobile these days and somehow there has been a great need for tablets. While Apple leads the pack in the market, Asus and Dell have also taken heed. Acer now has Iconia tab A100 which is actually its first seven inch Android powered tablet to be released in the market. It is a little bit different from the standard 10.1 inch tablet but the seven inch Acer Iconia Tab A100 provides a better balance between productivity and portability. While the hardware is good on this, Acer is struggling a bit in the user interface department.

It has an industrial design in its 450g weight and 1024x600 capacitive touch screen. The color reproduction is sharp and bright. It is very much Acer looking as it reflects their laptop's bulky design. It features a home button just below the screen which is perfect for Android Honeycomb users.

The power button can be found on the side, volume buttons are on top along with a screen orientation lock. A microSD slot is also included to provide more memory. There is even an HDMI cable for those who want to hook up their HDTV. However, you need to be informed that its charging slot is for a socket and power brick so this may be something that can take in negative points if this does not suit you well.

A100 is quite quick in its operations - 1,800 on the Quadrant Standard benchmark, 89,000 in the Rightware Browsermark page loading test. This is all because of the NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core 1GHz system on a chip.

The rear five megapixel camera is able to shoot 720p HD video but the photos are low in focus. The battery can hold up to just 1530mAh charge, not much compared to others. With this, you can only av up to five hours if you have the brightness on high and the internet on. You will also notice that the screen resolution is quite smaller compared to other Android phones which is not much of a good thing if you want to make the most out of this tablet.

Conclusion
It is a nice try for Acer. However, if you really need to have a tablet that is medium sized, then you should still go for the iPad or its closest rival, the Xoom 2: Media Edition.

Performance: 4/5
Features: 3/5
Usability: 3/5
Overall Verdict: 3/5

This article was written by Mike who is keen on saving money and making money online by getting cash for phones when comparing prices from recycling companies.

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The Logic Behind Mobile Device Management Software

When companies need to get their mobile device management function under control, they often use technology. Software designed for this purpose helps companies faced with increasing costs, difficulty tracking devices, and too much time spent running relevant reports. By using this software on a regular basis, companies can reduce their telecommunications expenses while efficiently managing relationships with multiple carriers and identifying usage issues that must be addressed.

Software vendors keep convenience in mind when developing packages designed for managing mobile devices. The software must be easy for anyone to access and use. This makes cloud-based software one of the best offerings because it is not tied to a particular corporate location. As long as the client has access to the Internet, the software can be accessed and fully utilized. Making the interface as intuitive as possible enables any authorized client representative to use it. IT workers no longer need to be the only users.

Clients want their software to have different capabilities based on their needs. For example, a company faced with call or data overages on a regular basis wants to identify which area of the business is causing this. Being able to filter and sort reports by fields like location, cost center, and department makes it much easier to find the culprits. The problem can then be addressed by adjusting the telecommunications plan for that area in particular, rather than adding expense throughout the organization. Being able to identify and handle issues in a targeted manner improves time and cost efficiencies.

With tablet computers, BlackBerry's, and smartphone's becoming more common in a business setting, many companies are experiencing more issues managing data. They want software that tracks data charges in addition to calling minutes. Identifying where overages are occurring is the first step in addressing the issue. Software vendors must build these and other features into their packages so clients receive the information they need without having to piece together the details themselves.

As companies grow, they often expand operations to different facilities throughout the country. In many cases, this requires using multiple telecommunications carriers. These logistical complexities make it more difficult to manage mobile devices and track usage. Rather than having a disconnected management system that makes it easy to miss opportunities for cost control, they want a centralized system that designated staff can access from any location.

All of this creates challenges for software developers but these are not insurmountable. A good system compiles telecommunication and data costs for all locations and all vendors into a single repository. Users can slice this data in a variety of ways to create the most meaningful reports. The vendor maintains a supportive relationship, making it easier to troubleshoot issues.

This is what mobile device management software is all about. Not all vendors have developed comprehensive solutions to user problems and needs. Those that have are currently experiencing the most success. Many companies are quickly realizing that it is infeasible to manage mobile devices in-house and are turning to these vendors for help.

To a small business owner, every penny counts. Using a mobile device management service will help you control costs in an oft overlooked area of business. To learn more about mobile device management services from Gill-Technologies.com, visit our website today!

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12 Months With the Samsung Galaxy S2

I took the leap into the world of Android smart phones a couple of years ago when I purchased a Motorola Milestone which it has to be said was a very impressive device at the time, further down the line I stayed with Google's Android operating system and invested in an HTC Desire when they were first released which eventually led to me getting my hands on the best-selling Android smart phone of 2011; the Samsung Galaxy S2.

From the very moment I received the phone I was impressed, Samsung have managed to shrink down their packaging to almost the same width and height of the phone in order to keep fright costs low and save in excess packaging materials, but once that box was opened things went from impressive to exciting!

The Samsung Galaxy S2 is so very slim and and lightweight it's hard to imagine how they have managed to pack so much technology into its sleek housing, the first thing to hit you when you first turn on the Galaxy S2 is its amazing Super AMOLED screen, it is so bright and clear that you can even see it in direct sunlight - this was not the case with my previous HTC Desire.

For the first few weeks I really enjoyed showing off my new gadget and all of the features it had to offer, then as time progressed it became more of a very desirable business tool as I used it more for internet access and keeping up to date with the latest news, then a trip abroad was on the cards and this is where the Galaxy S2 really came into its own.

For the first time I could see and fully operate the touch screen on the beach thanks to that AMOLED technology and better still there's a feature that lets you turn the phone into a public Wi-Fi hotspot which proved invaluable when only a 3G connection was available.

But, after returning from my trip and stupidly dropping my pride and joy accidentally things took a turn for the worse, whilst browsing the internet one day the screen flashed 'super-bright' white, almost like a camera flash and that was the end of that amazing screen.... just darkness followed.

Being within my 12 months manufacturers warranty I sent my Galaxy S2 back to Samsung for repair only to be advised three days later (quick turnaround time!) that the phone had suffered from water damage, I knew this not to be true and was very disappointed with their service, however what happened next almost defies belief.

I took the phone apart myself to have a look inside to see what they meant by 'water damage', I honestly could not see how they came to that conclusion and screwed the phone back together, as I reinserted the battery something amazing happened, the screen came on all on its own!

Now, there is a downside here in that the camera no longer works, however the screen is still fully operational to this day and as I use it mainly for internet access this has been a god send.

All said and done, I am now at the end of my 12 month contract term and ready to take on a new handset, but there is no immediate upgrade to the S2 available, the Samsung Galaxy S3 is to be officially launched in London on May 3rd 2012 and despite all that has happened with my Galaxy S2 I am going to wait it out for their next flagship device.

I've looked at the new HTC One X which is probably the most advanced Android phone currently available but I have a feeling that Samsung will topple it with their Galaxy S3, so for now I continue to use my S2 and just hope that the screen holds out until next month.

There are thousands of Samsung Galaxy S2 deals and information about the release of Galaxy S3 deals available from the company I work for; Phones Limited.

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Making Your Mobile Phone A Business Tool

If you are on a hunt for a mobile phone, it is always good to consider what you are going to use your mobile phone for, and plan what kind of phone you will buy according to your needs. Of course, for the younger generation they would most go for style and other frivolous things like colorful accessories like colored pads, multi colored bodies, and other things that go with their teenage way of life. But if you are on the lookout for use to start a small business venture, functionality will be your preference rather than those units designed for stylish living.

With the enhancement of cell phone connectivity, purchasing a cell phone will no longer require you to be automatically locked in to a particular communication provider because of number portability. This will enable you to choose your own features and kind of service you would want to have for your mobile phone use. The lock-in features have been cause of concern for many mobile phone users because of the fixed kind of usage that it has, by not affording the buyer to choose his or her own options for the kind of providers that they would want to have.

Let us look now at the features that you have to train your sights on in choosing the right cell phone for your business needs. A longer battery life is important to consider. When choosing, look for a mobile phone that uses Lithium-ion or Li-ion battery rather than nickel-metal-hydride or NiMH battery. The main reason for this is that in terms of weight and battery life, Lithium-ion batteries are more superior than the nickel-metal-hydride batteries. It has been verified in laboratory tests that the battery life of a lithium-ion battery will last longer than a NiMH battery by almost 20 to 25 per cent. Aside from

Battery life, the weight of a Lithium-ion battery is comparatively lighter than a NiMH which would give you easy handling of your mobile phone due to its lighter weight. Using a NiMH battery would feel as if your cell phone is made of lead. Talk time with a Lithium-ion battery powered cell phone can give you an airtime of 3.5 hours even up to 5 hours, depending on the cell phone you choose. Usually, mobile phone comes complete with a desk top charger. It would be to your advantage if you can buy a travel charger because it would be handier and much easier to carry with you during your business travel trips.

If your business calls for you to travel overseas, choose a phone most suited to overseas travel which would be of course a tri-band GSM. By the way, if you do not know yet if what GSM stands for, it means Global System for Mobile communications. Purchasing a tri-band GSM phone will let you communicate using your cell phone in Europe, Asia and in the U.S. This tri-band GSM are the mobile phones of international businessmen and executives.

And the last thing that you should consider in buying your phone is computer adaptability You will have no problem in this area since most of the new phones sold in the market today are all computer compatible. Good luck with your new mobile phone, and hope it can help you in your new business venture.

Sherry Khan working on website Mobile Phone Articles and providing free articles on different issues relating to mobile phones.

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Finding A Cheap Cell Phone Plan You Can Actually Use

As expenses seem to grow every month it is becoming a necessity for many people to re-evaluate their needs to see where they can cut corners. Researching the best cheap cell phone plans is one great place to start in your efforts to decrease expenses.

Defining The Terms

Cheap is a relative term so it will mean different things to different people. The same is true for the term "best". What is best for one person may not be best for the next. The point is to find a compromise between the best plan for your needs at the lowest price you can find. The word compromise can be important here because you may need to give up a few features if you really need to cut costs. It all depends on your needs and your budget.

Looking At All Of Your Options

There are a few different types of plans available. Consider each plan without prejudice to determine what is best for you. There are contract plans and prepaid or pay as you go plans. Under these categories there are individual and family plans.

If you are looking for cheap cell phones that aren't tied to a plan consider prepaid or pay as you go plans. Prepaid and pay as you go plans don't tie you to a contract so they are a good choice for anyone not ready to commit to a set plan. The options in these plans have grown considerably so don't dismiss these options without looking at them. With a prepaid or pay as you go plan you pay for minutes and a set amount of service time in advance. You can continue to renew your service before current service expires or you can cancel at any time without penalty.

Contract plans typically offer cheaper high-end phones and a better selection of phones with the commitment to a set contract. For some people these plans are the cheapest option; for heavy cell phone users an unlimited contract plan may be the best way to go. The most important thing to consider here is your actual phone usage. Don't try to save money by signing up for a contract plan that doesn't really give you enough minutes or text each month because if you go over your allotted minutes or texts you will end up paying overage fees and in the end this plan may cost you more than a more robust plan would have cost you.

Should You Consider A Family Plan?

Family cell phone plans can be a good option for more than just a typical family with teenagers. This can be a good choice for couples or for adult children and parents living in different households. Just make sure everyone using the plan is in agreement on the plan and that the relationships are such that sharing this type of plan won't cause unneeded stress or frustration with each other.

Be realistic about your needs when searching for a new cell plan that is cheaper than your current one. There are a lot of options available these days; just make sure you know the pros and cons of any option you seriously consider.

For more specific plan details on a wide variety of cell phone carriers use Todd's comprehensive online guide: Cheap Cell Phone Plans

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3 Ways to Harness The Power of Mobile Marketing

Mobile is hot. I don't need to give the statistics. A casual observation will tell you that there are more mobile phones today than TVs and PCs combined. Mobile is personal, and is an effective marketing tool and a highly coveted gadget. Unfortunately, not many businesses have realized that it is time to go mobile. It is time to tap into this mobile power and market your goods and services inexpensively and build a brand. Here are some tactics that can place your business on the path of mobile marketing prowess.

Make your website mobile

More smart phones are getting into the market each day. These phones are able to read mobile websites. The beauty is when doing a search from a mobile phone, local business sites rank higher. People who use a mobile phone to do a search are eager to get information; they want to make a decision that can't wait. Perhaps they are looking for a hospital, mechanic, restaurant or direction to a store to carry out an activity that is urgent. If you do not have a mobile website, then you are losing on these motivated surfers that use phones.

Mobile SEO

In addition to having a mobile website, have it optimized for mobile phones. The key is to make your site get displayed and viewed well using the phone that a most of your clients use.

You also need to submit your site to directories. This is important because sites will get indexed and crawlers will easily find it. Plus, the links you get from the directories will help in your ranking.

You mobile website content should be centered on your keywords. Normally Google crawlers review all the websites with the keyword and decide which are the most relevant and bring the search results on a page. That means if you get the keywords right, then your site will rank high on search results.

Embrace social media on the move

People now use their mobile phones to make posts on their Facebook pages, tweet and check emails. That means that you need to have a big presence on the key social media sites. You need to have a Facebook fan page, be engaging and educate your clients. Participation in the social media should not just be for entertainment. At least 20% of your activity should be geared to marketing. You should mention your products on you tweets, Facebook pages and provide a link to your mobile website. Participation in Groupon should also greatly help in your marketing efforts.

Mary Wilhite is a Mobile Marketing Specialist, also known as the Mobile Marketing Queen. Teaching small businesses, entrepreneurs, and internet marketers how to attract better customers with mobile marketing devices. Get more of her mobile marketing tips, tricks, and strategies today. Just click here http://marywilhiteblog.com/.

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How To Choose The Right iPhone For You

Choosing a mobile phone will be one of the toughest decisions that you will make in your life due to the countless brands and models nowadays, not to mention that every company keeps on releasing new models every single year.

Apple's several models of their mobile phone are one of the newest and most popular one nowadays due to its unique features and design. However, Apple has released other products including the iPad, iPod touch and more that it has now become challenging alone for customers to choose which one of the Apple gadgets they should get. This is because there are some customers that are on a tight budget, therefore, they go for the more wallet and budget-friendly products instead even though they don't have the features to make and receive calls.

Here are some tips to help you in choosing the right iPhone for you:

1. Even though you may be on a tight budget, you always have the option to save. These gadgets won't disappear into mid-air that you really need to get them right away. You can get the phone you want even if your salary or allowance doesn't allow because you can save. If you are worried about the length of time it takes to save up for these fancy gadgets, there's nothing you need to worry about. Even if you buy the latest model, it won't be the most modern one for long because there will always be new ones released. So, at least, when you can finally afford the device that you want, there will be a more recent version than the one you originally wanted to avail.

2. If you really cannot wait and you really feel like you must get one now, then, you may opt to look at and compare different iPhone deals. There are several websites and stores that offer cheap and affordable iPhone deals. One of these would be the cellular networks in your area, as some actually offer special postpaid or prepaid plans that give a free iPhone along with the chosen plan. For example, your cellular network offers a postpaid plan of $16 per month with a free device of your choice. However, these choices are usually limited to a small number of 5 or 6. Therefore, if you want an affordable or somehow free iPhone, then, look at the plans that offer that particular device as one of the choices.

3. Legitimate discount websites don't offer a free iPhone, but, instead, present discounts on these gadgets for a limited length of time. One example of a website would be eBay. Sometimes, eBay offers special iPhone deals at a discounted, affordable price, however, the catch is that these deals do have deadlines, so, once the offer expires, you are going to have to wait and/or look for another one.

4. Choose the device that is the most favorable to you, meaning choose the one with the features that you are most eager to have. Not all models are the same and the newer ones will obviously have better features than the older releases. So, if you are on a budget, carefully decide on the Apple model that you want before choosing a postpaid plan or one of the special discounted iPhone deals so that you will only look out for those that present your desired gadget at a desirable price.

5. Also, consider the quality of the device you want to have. If you want a high-quality one, then, don't go for deals that offer second-hand models on discount websites such as eBay.

For more information about iPhone deals and free iPhone offers, visit our website http://www.simplyfreeiphone.com/blog/iphone-deals.

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The Sony Xperia U Shows Your Personality

The Sony Xperia U is more personal with the exchangeable bottom caps which do more than just alter the exterior of the handset. The phone also offers the power of Android and xLoud enhancement to your sound and entertainment as well as cameras and more.

Originally many mobile handsets offered a considerable range of colours to distract from the lack of particularly distinct or exciting software and capabilities. As smartphones have become more advanced though the range of colours particularly for some models has deteriorated somewhat. Cue this phone however and its exchangeable bottom cap which seamlessly slots on or off the base of the sleek and slim design to offer a different colour in contrast with the black or white body colours available. You can choose from black, white, pink or yellow to add a personal touch to your handset which is all about you. It gets better than just an exterior alteration though, whatever colour cap you connect your favourite music artist album art and photo shades will change to match it. This is a simple yet elegant way to personalise a smartphone to be more inline with your taste and allow you to stand out a little more.

As with other handsets such as the Sony Xperia S this phone also offers you a vivid ultra bright 3.5 inch touch display with mobile BRAVIA Engine enhancing every image, text and interface it offers your eyes. Additionally, the handset is being powered by a 1 gigahertz dual core processor and running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, which in time will be upgradeable to 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich respectively. The Xperia Also comes with a 5 megapixel camera that includes auto focus and LED flash along with up to 16 times digital zoom to provide instant photography and 720p HD video recording as you require. Meanwhile the integrated social networking such as Facebook inside Xperia 2.0 and Twitter are present so you can easily and instantly share your media with your contacts. There are also other forms of communication for this, as well as good connectivity on the device such as the wireless DLNA technology for sharing multimedia between your handset, computer or television.

If you are looking for a well designed smartphone which offers you all the functionality you could imagine needing then the Sony Xperia U matches up quite significantly. It provides you with speed, ease and the ability to entertain yourself, others with the multimedia you can capture with its main camera and communicate effectively, while also allowing you some individuality.

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Better 8 Megapixel Camera on the iPhone 4S

The better 8 megapixel camera on the iPhone 4S provides greater ability to capture stunning photos on your phone, to what Apple boast may mean you don't need another digital camera, because it's all on your phone. As well as its camera the handset does also bring to life a range of other impressive new features.

The iSight 8 megapixel rear facing camera on this device provides over 60 per cent more resolution than its previous iPhone 4 counterpart, along with better megapixels that let in more light. This has a dramatic effect on the overall quality of your photos and video and subsequently means that they will both be clearer and much better. The camera also uses a next-generation backside illumination sensor which monitors the light exposure to the lens and adjusts the brightness of images and video accordingly. To aid when light is poor such as at night, the LED flash automatically (if turned on) activates itself and works wit the camera. Meanwhile, the simple face detection within the full screen viewfinder offered by the 3.5 inch Retina display provides an easy means of capturing your multimedia. Video is recordable in full 1080 pixel High Definition too.

Other new features that the iPhone 4S deals are the integration of the recently released iCloud service which provides a place that you can backup and store (remotely) up to 5 gigabytes (of free) documents and music, as well as your photos and videos. Best of all if you have other Apple devices such as iPad or a Mac you can view your media and other files on those automatically also through the iCloud. As with many other newly released handsets, this one which partly lead the way, provides you with a simple voice command application called Siri. This intuitive app allows you to speak to it and follows what you say with the relevant information or app. For example you can tell it to email one of your contacts and then maybe attach a photo you captured with the iSight camera. The possibilities on this handset really are difficult to exhaust especially when the App Store (preinstalled) provides you with literally hundreds of thousands of other apps to download and use on your phone.

Previous models in this series had been slightly criticised for their relatively simple cameras which don't match other handsets on the market. The iPhone 4S goes toward putting that right and in the meantime also adds many other new and exciting features too.

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Synergy Between Satellite Communications and Mobile Backhaul Markets

Mobile backhaul service is a booming market, especially now that 3G services are on the rise in various regions of the world. This trend is mainly influenced by the growing prevalence of social networking multimedia applications and wireless communications devices. Since bandwidth is a limited resource, these tools can turn out to be expensive and may slow down network performance.

Cellular backhaul offers an extremely efficient means to enhance 3G network performance. Satellite communications, especially in developing countries, provide cost-effective mobile backhaul infrastructures, making wireless telephony more accessible in remote areas. Markets where GDP is not high enough to support a large market of mobile devices and subscription packages will benefit a lot from satellite communications and backhaul services.

The growing usage of mobile telephony, the rapidly evolving types of mobile usages like SMS and flexible bandwidth plans, and government support for satellite broadband expansion at consumer level have improved the growth prospects of the mobile backhaul market and satellite communications usage. Backhaul infrastructures make it easier for satellite communications carriers to integrate cellular services with data transmission via various hybrid terrestrial and wireless networks.

There is a growing demand for 3G and 4G networks in both developed and underdeveloped countries. Potential market niches are opening up faster than ever, as seen in rapidly growing presence of the social media delivered through mobile platforms. These developments have recently impacted the political environment in various Middle Eastern countries like Egypt and Libya, which also influences the choice of means to facilitate wireless data delivery.

3G infrastructures are being rolled out at a fast rate across various countries in Africa and other developing economies. The rising popularity of iPhones and more attractive enhancements in Blackberry and other wireless communication services strengthen the demand for 3G mobile backhaul and satellite communications solutions aimed at cellular network carriers. But can the industry provide sufficient network capacity to 3G base stations?

If we take a look at expected usage patterns over the next 2-3 years, we can say that 3G mobile broadband traffic growth will be highly visible in the following areas:

*metropolitan centres - the home of tach-savvy people
*hot spots like resorts, mining camps where almost all tourists want to stay connected wirelessly
* distant rural areas with no or little access to traditional telecommunication or Internet services

Governments of various countries have expressed their support to mobile backhaul via satellite communications. Villages and towns in outback regions cannot afford the large infrastructures needed to support seamless communications via broadband connectivity. Due to the lack of terrestrial infrastructures to deliver Internet services in many underdeveloped areas, many telecommunications carriers will continue to rely on satellite backhaul services.

I write about satellite communications trends and latest technological developments in the field of wireless voice and data communications.

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The Thinly Designed HTC One S

The thin design of the HTC One S provides an impressive look for you as well as its many features such as an instant capture camera, Beats Audio sound technology and more. The Android running handset also offers a large display and forms part of the new One series form HTC respectively.

The 8 megapixel camera on the device is able to capture a still photo while also recording High Definition video, full 1080 pixel, and also has continuous capture which means that you never miss a thing when creating your multimedia form great moments with friends or family. The camera is also supported by a smart LED flash and BSI sensor to promote better lighting when it is dark, or in poorly lit areas. The dedicated imaging chip meanwhile ensures that you can snap away and edit instantly before being able to seamlessly share your footage or photos via social networking and other communication offered by the handset such as multimedia messaging and email. Furthermore, for video calling the phone One S offers a front facing VGA camera also.

Running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) latest version of the respective operating system the handset also provides better speed and performance than its predecessors and many other phones currently available. This intuitive OS features a simplified user interface with less of the common icons and text and instead focussing on the apps and widgets you personally use the most. The 3D holographic background meanwhile, still offers a futuristic and distinct look. An operating system is particularly well placed when it is combined with the appropriate processor, and the 1.5 gigahertz dual core chip within this phone easily matches up to the OS functionality. Meanwhile, there is also 1 gigabyte of instant memory (RAM) and for storage the handset provides 16 gigabytes.

The phone also offers impressive sound quality and custom earphones as part of its Beats Audio integration. This audio enhancing technology ensures that you get the very best sound form your mobile when listening to your music library which you can upload using the microUSB connectivity. Additionally, you can seamlessly find and download more music straight to the device through the Music store preloaded. For more apps and widgets besides the many which have also come out f the box, you can download those also from Google Play, the new name for Android Market.

With such an elegant design the HTC One S is an impressive and powerful handset featuring many apps that any user will enjoy using and find extremely useful. The phone provides good speed and performance too.

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The Growth of Prepaid Mobiles

Mobile phones are used by almost all irrespective of their age. Compared to postpaid mobiles, the market of prepaid cell phones has gone up in the past years. This article explains what makes prepaid mobiles so popular.

The use of mobile phones has increased at such a rate that mobiles have become a necessity for most of us. Cell phone users consider prepaid mobiles more convenient than post-paid connections. Let us see why prepaid mobiles became so popular among the cell phone users.

The cell phone market has grown up tremendously since the time it was introduced to the public. Postpaid mobile phones were mostly used in the beginning. Slowly the prepaid mobile industry caught up with postpaid and now there's a visible shrink in the postpaid mobile market. Users find it more convenient to use prepaid phones than postpaid connections. The advantages of using prepaid mobile connections are stated below.

* No Contracts: A major advantage of prepaid mobile phones is that you don't have to sign a contract for a year or more with any service provider. You don't have to commit to a particular service provider for a long time. You can use prepaid connections of any service provider as long as you want to and you have the complete freedom to discontinue the usage.

* No Surprise Bills: Though postpaid service providers offer many kinds of perks to their customers, the hidden costs are not revealed until the bill appears at the end of the month. This leaves the customers helpless as this gives them no choice other than pay the bill at the earliest to avoid disconnection. Prepaid mobile phones are a boon to the mobile users when it comes to the payment. The users can buy talk time for the amount they wish. There are no hidden costs here and no surprise bills every month!

* Controlled Expenditure: Prepaid mobile plans give the users a hold on their monthly expenses on calls. Users needn't keep track of the minutes allotted to them every month. They can spend the amount they have bought. To know about the best unlimited cell phone plans, you can contact different service providers and decide upon the one that matches with your requirements.

* Easy Availability: You need to check your credit balance before you take a postpaid connection. This problem doesn't persist if you choose to go for a prepaid mobile connection. You can avail the best plan that suits your budget and use it until the validity expires. Recharging your account with extra minutes is also possible for prepaid accounts.

* Variety of Plans: Postpaid accounts may not give you a variety of plans to choose from. Prepaid cell phone connections have this option where you can choose which plan to use according to your usage. For instance, if you are a person who makes more STD calls, you can avail a plan which gives you a discount on each STD call you make.

The benefits of using prepaid mobile phones are as mentioned above. The users have a complete control over their mobile phone expenditure and it is always better than waiting for a shock when you get the monthly bill.

The writer of this article is related to PagePlusWireless, a leading service provider of prepaid cell phones. To avail prepaid Page Plus minutes, please contact the nearest dealer or avail the offer online.

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The iPhone 4S in White Provides Great Gaming

The iPhone 4S in white provides great gaming with the Game Center as one of the many new features offered by this model of the iconic series of smartphones by Apple respectively. Among the many other new apps which come preinstalled are apps for messaging, finding where you are and more, along with some fantastic hardware too.

The handset features the new iOS 5 operating system which runs comfortably with the A5 processor chip to ensure speed and ease when using the powerful device. Among its many new features and built in applications offered is the Game Center. This simple app allows you to invite and challenge your friends within your phone contacts as well as others to play against you in a vast range of games offered. It creates an entire social gaming network for you and lets you create an alas which can be shared with the entire Game Center community. More people can find and add you too, as the app lets you assign multiple email addresses to your profile. You also get requests form your friends and others too, and can see all the games available to download clearly by tapping the Games icon. The app can also suggest people you may wish to befriend based on the games you play, and you can then start brand new friendships and create new opponents. All of this is then fed to a leader board so ow can see exactly how you fair against your friends.

This is one intuitive and powerful app that the iPhone 4S has to offer and is another reason that so many on iPhone 4 contracts have upgraded as soon as possible to this impressive device. Other features include its stunning Retina display which provides for no pixellation of your games or other apps whatsoever as the resolution of pixels is so impressive. The iSight 8 megapixel camera on the rear along with the front VGA camera meanwhile provide easy support for both great photos and video clips in High Definition. Other impressive preloaded apps meanwhile include Safari for fast and rich Web browsing and Siri which lets you command the handset with your voice. The Notifications Center now also lets you know at the top of the display (rather than in the centre as previously) which apps need your attention.

The iPhone 4S in white is a spectacular handset which provides fast and robust software and hardware. Simple looking yet impressively powerful apps such as Game Center instantly help this handset to provide both gaming and socialising on a great phone.

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Finding a Prepaid Plan Can Be a Hard Task But There Is Help

It's become increasingly harder to find a cell phone or smartphone that is perfect for your needs. This is primarily because there are so many different phones on the market right now.

Not only are there so many phones, but there are innumerable categories of phones. Whether you are looking for Android based phone or an Apple iPhone, the choices are so vast that one finds no logic in trying to figure out where to start. If you are new to the whole phone phenomenon then prepaid phones are a good place to get an entry level phone without breaking your budget or needing a credit check.

For many years people have lived in fear of their phone bill at the end of the month. Some companies bank their whole marketing scheme on the idea that the phone bill is scary because there is no way of knowing just how much you may be demanded to pay, it's a bit like indentured servitude. This is why many people have opted for a prepaid plan. There is no bill at the end of the month because you have already paid for the investment. This eliminates some of the financial strife that is just about as welcome in these times of economic hardship as a red hot poker in the eye. There are some great tools online that will compare different rates that are available on prepaid plans. So if you do choose to get a prepaid smart phone, you know that you are going to get a good rate.

There is a misconception that when you get a prepaid phone, you need to settle for a cheap phone. This is not the case. prepaid phones have advanced and many if not all of the features available on the most expensive phones, available on a prepaid option. Comparing the different providers side-by-side on good sites is a great way to find out the cheapest phone that will serve your purposes. One thing that helps using a comparison site is comparing the reviewer's opinion as well as unbiased user opinions. The cheapest phone is not always the worst phone just as the most expensive is not always the best. Review sites can help you make the distinction. One thing to look for in a good review site is videos of the actual phone being used. This helps to get some idea of the relative size, shape, and various functions of the phone. Some videos will show you everything that you can expect with the phone or so called 'un-boxing' videos.

Dave is a passionate phone fanatic that tries to find the best way to save money in these hard financial times. He recommends the Compare Prepaid Plans tool at the Wontek website. When you are researching the Internet for the best way to save money on your phone Compare Prepaid Plans because they are many that can sometimes have fine print that can catch you if you're unaware.

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How To Make Your Blogger Site Mobile Friendly And Why You Need To Do That

Increasingly more web users are accessing the internet through mobile devices these days. That includes smart phones, features phones, tablets and e-book readers.

And they want your website to have easy navigational path and big icons that are "thumb friendly" for tapping.

Do you know if you have any readers visiting your website through mobile phones?

Do you know if they are leaving your blog site because they cannot read the fonts on your site?

You Need A Mobile Friendly Blog Site

With a mobile friendly site, you do not need to squint, zoom or pan to read words on websites while using your mobile phones. Most websites unfortunately are not set up with the mobile users in mind. And reading on these sites can be challenging.

But with more people using smart phones and tablets, site owners now need to make the necessary adjustments.

You want your blog posts to load fast - under three seconds to be precise. And you want the entire site to fit into that the tiny 3-inch screen on your phone. That does not mean you squeeze everything in by shrinking your website down. You would actually need a new design for the mobile users.

WordPress.com (not the self hosted models on WordPress.org) as well as Tumblr and Posterous have standard mobile themes that cater to mobile users.

But you will need to make your Blogger blog sites mobile friendly. This is not something technical, it is just going to the right place and activating the mobile template.

Follow these steps to turn on the mobile template for your blog site on Blogger

Step 1: Log in your Blogspot Dashboard and choose Settings at the top menu

Step 2: From Settings Choose "eMail & Mobile"

step 3: Here, select "yes" to turn on the mobile template

Step 4: Preview the themes and choose the one you like.

Step 5: Once you are satisfied, you save your current setup and that would make your blog site easy to read on mobile devices.

The mobile friendly website will have a different display when viewed with a mobile device than if you were to view it using your personal computer. That way it caters to both group of readers although they are accessing the same domain or web address. This way you get to keep your readers happy no matter what devices they use to visit your site.

If your blog or website is still not mobile-friendly then this is one thing you would want to do right away. The number of mobile users will only increase. And these mobile friendly sites become more of a necessity with time.

Louisa has posted a video with step by step guide on how to make your Blogger site mobile friendly on her blog.

Louisa YS Chan is a Mobile Marketing and Social Media Specialist in Kuala Lumpur helping professionals and small businesses market their products and services online.

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Top 3 Free Android Apps for Communication

The Android market is flooded with applications, and it can really get confusing for people to choose an app, that is perfect for them. There are a lot of articles out there, which have listed the best Android must-have apps. But, not a lot of them talk about applications that are specifically designed to solve your communication woes. I am going to list down some apps that are just amazing. And anyone, who has ever used these apps, has only good things to say about them.

# Handcent SMS

This free app can really spice up your phone, when it comes to texting people. Handcent SMS is one of the best applications out there, and the recent update has made it even fancier. The added features include...

The ability to backup your sms'.You can schedule a sms.You can send e-cards and greetings to your friends using the application.Downloadable themes, fonts and smileys.

And if that doesn't sound tempting enough, there are tons of other features, which make this killer app a must-have for any communication fanatic. Just give this application a try, and you will never go back to your default boring android texting application ever again.

# TiKL- Touch to Talk

If you often find yourself dialing numbers to call up your friend or girlfriend, you will find this application to be an absolute relief. It will literally turn your Android into a Walkie Talkie, and all you need to do is push a button and you can directly talk to your friends, who have the application installed on their phones as well.

The application is available free of cost on Google play, and has pretty good reviews from users all across the world. And the best part is that, the application only makes use of your data plan, and therefore, you are not charged for any calls. Great isn't it?

# Opera Mobile

The Opera Mobile is undoubtedly, one of the best browsers for your android. It has many advanced features such as...

The ability to synchronize bookmarks, Speed Dial and more between your computer and your mobile phone.Built-in support for Facebook and twitter, which makes, sharing web content much easier.You can download games and applications from the Opera Mobile Store, directly from the Speed Dial itself.

Opera has a very strong reputation, and has been around since many years. And now, you can experience the power of this browser, on your phone as well.

The android marketplace is growing bigger and better with every passing day. But these 3 applications, in my opinion, are simply mind-blowing. I do agree though, that everyone has their favorites. And currently, there are applications that are slowly catching up with the apps that we just discussed. Just take a peek, and you might come across an app, that is worthy of being number 4 or better... on this list.

The author of this article is a freelance copywriter and editor and writes for a number of blogs and websites and can be reached at freelancewriter25@gmail.com to provide his writing services for your blogs and websites,

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Have Beauty and Power With the HTC One S

Have beauty and power with the HTC One S which offers both an amazing digital camera along with being an impressive and well-performing mobile phone. The handset has many features in addition to simply allowing you to make calls and capture photos too.

The phone offers an all-in-one camera and phone solution within its extremely attractive and slim design it provides rich colours and detailed photos and is supported by the dedicated ImageChip. The Always Focus and Continuos Shooting also allow you to consistently capture the perfect photo every time. The main 8 megapixel camera comes with HTC ImageSense and offers an intuitive set of full screen controls on the 4.3 inch touch display offered, along with a smart LED flash to enhance light in poor conditions. The Always Focus provides you with a continuous auto focus and ensures that photos stay focussed without blurring as you capture, while the Continuos Shooting allows you to instantly snap multiple photos at a time. You can also snap photos while in video recording mode which enables you to capture full HD (1080 pixel) video clips respectively. Meanwhile, the VGA front facing camera is amiable for video calling and self portrait photos.

The One S is similar to the HTC One X in a variety of features including its Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system which provides a radically revised user interface and home screens with less icons over text and more seamless finding of the apps you want. Additionally, the handset has the HTC Sense 4 features which include widgets such as People and entertainment apps like Music and Watch for movie downloads on your phone. The phone also offers the impressive Lockscreen feature which allows you to easily use apps and widgets such as the Weather widget or your camera without unlocking the screen, simply by setting up the appropriate icons and dragging them to the ring at the bottom of your home screen. Meanwhile connectivity offered by the device is also impressive with Bluetooth 4.0 wireless sharing, WiFi for fast internet access in hotspots and DLNA for sharing your HD videos on a large screen such as your television.

With so many impressive and powerful features the HTC One S is a great mobile, however it is also predominantly both a mobile phone and equally a digital camera in your pocket. This is further enhanced by the intuitive onscreen touch controls and software featured.

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