Best Phone Blog

Smart phones are expensive and easily resalable bits of modern technology and as such, one should always be aware that smart phone theft is pretty high –simply leaving the phone lying around is a sure way to get unsavory characters interested in it. There is also much to lose as well. Aside from the fact that being stolen from can be emotionally scarring and the direct financial loss will surely affect you, there is also a matter of privacy that should not be forgotten.

Sure, there are plenty of semi-obvious things that you would not want exposed to the public –and most of that may often include entire albums of the most ‘candid’ shots you have taking with your smart phone’s five or eight mega pixel camera (or recorded in 720p HD). But beyond those embarrassing pictures of that ski trip that had you slamming face first into another skier on the slopes, there are a lot of other things to be worried about.

First off, smart phone information is a stalker’s paradise. It has information on who your friends are, what your last online or SMS communications were, where you’ve been, where you will go and for those who update the phone’s organizer function, what your plans for the rest of the week is.

GPS and location based apps keep a record of what routes you take and where you spend most of your time in. Even if you live your life as an open faced book with the people around you, being exposed to such as high degree is never a good idea. Even worse is the fact that smart phones often contain very sensitive information; banking and financial data is also stored in the smart phones of some folks.

From credit information to your PayPal account, a single online transaction on the smart phone will leave a trace of your financial data on the device.

One of the best things about smart phones is that they allow users to consolidate various accounts online into a single inbox and be able to check all their emails, private messages, instant messages and other details in a single threaded inbox view.

Push email has really changed the way we access information. However, most folks tend for forget that one other feature that consolidation does is to bring together one’s address book; which leads us to the topic at hand, be careful when sending messages to everyone, because you can never really tell who everyone is.

Also, judging by the number of incredibly embarrassing videos that folks tend to self upload in the first place, it seems that being able to use media sharing sites while being intoxicated is not much difficult so it might be an idea to leave your shiny new Galaxy S at home if you’re planning a big night out!

So yes, be careful with the information you obtain at any given moment, with smart phone technology able to access the web easily and instantly, it would be all too easy to accidentally send the wrong things to the wrong people. According to recent reports, the most likely possibility of an office blunder comes in the form of miss-sent email messages.

Of course, the worst part is accidentally writing an email and sending it without thinking about the consequence. Unlike in desktop environments where there are so many things that would prevent a person from being active. Smart phone access is instantaneous and quite unforgiving considering the fact that it will not give users the time to think about whether they will send an email or not.

According to the study, over 1/4 of men are reported to have sent emails that they regret while about 17 percent of women have confessed that they sent an angry email all too soon. In any case, avoiding becoming part of the group is as simple taking the time to decide what you really want to write in the first place.

Our society today is using more smart phones than even before and as each day passes, the more we grow dependent on the technology –and for good reason too. Smart phones are no longer the simple communication tools that the first mobile handsets were. They can do so much more now –businesses rely on enterprise devices for their employees on the field and people in general consider the smart phone as an all in one device.

And by all in one, the smart phone serves as a media player, digital camera, internet and email access device, and of course, as a mobile phone.

Google’s Eric Schmidt believes that the future of the world relies heavily on the information and convenience that the internet provides. And while the web was first made accessible through computers, it is hard to deny the fact that accessing cyberspace through portable devices is much more logical. Information, anywhere, anytime –this is probably some of the key factors that Google considers when creating new technologies for users.

The Google augmented reality feature, Google Goggles. It turns search into a visual experience and provides users with instant, real time data and information about the things they see around them.

Cheaper devices are also making the internet more accessible to people too. As technology progresses, many of the once high end devices are now made more affordable (and partially obsolete) with all the new models being released. This means that more people will get to go online and as this continues being connected to the web will become a given standard.

Of course, the fact that wireless LAN and 3G technology keeps improving is also an important factor. Having a decent mobile phone is one thing, but having a reliable network also matters a lot for smart phone users.

We have all seen the impressive concept videos of “future smart phones” made of transparent, super thin, flexible touch screen displays and many believe that the technology has plenty of potential to make mobile phones even more convenient to access.

But as cool as having a wrist mounted device would be, nothing is more practical than the concept devices that sit safely in the pocket or a bag (as having a fragile electronic gadget on the wrist is not really conducive to commuting and any other activities).

Augmented reality will play a very important role in the future, as it allows users to instantly pick up relevant information about where they are and about the things around them. The functions can serve from simple visual instructions on where to go, what do to and what time things will happen. Take the Tube for example, bringing up a handset will give the user arrival and departure schedules as well as destinations, possible stops and even ticket prices. Some phones can do these now at a considerable length, future technology is aiming to make it instant.

HD is making a serious show on mobile phones these days as 720p video recording is fast becoming the new standard for high end smart phones. DivX encoding is also being supported more as well. Eventually, most media formats might be compatible with handsets as well (such as OGG, MKV and others).

While high definition video is making a solid mark on the mobile phone industry, the same cannot be said of the 3D technology. Considering that many people have only recently switched to HD, only a few are willing to invest in a 3D television. This is even more the case for smart phone users as handsets are not exactly good for 3D video –even with the glass-less parallax technology.

While it has already been confirmed more than a month ago, the acquisition of smart phone manufacturer Palm by Hewlett Packard is still underway. For the most part, the two companies are already considered as one. Technically, there are still papers to be signed and various other proceedings to be followed through.

In any event, the deal is already pushing through and despite the initial statement from HP that hinted at the possibility that they would not be delving into the smart phone industry, it seems that HP is now intent on ‘speeding up’ their entry to the market. In any case, it is hard to tell what the famous (yet fickle) company is planning on doing at this point.

Regardless of how Hewlett Packard decides to play this out, many industry believe that the acquisition of Palm can nothing but a great thing for HP. While Palm’s WebOS has made it well known in the phone industry, it has yet to make a name for itself with the average market. Even the older Palm PDAs and pocket PCs were catering to a very niche crowd, and their later venture into smart phones was little different.

HP on the other hand, caters to a larger market. These general use devices such as printers and laptops are used both by enterprise and general buyers. Being tied up to HP’s name and brand will help spread Palm to a larger market range –a feat that it failed to achieve before the acquisition.

At the same time, HP will have a new operating system and the entire library of patented technology that Palm has developed throughout the years. For now, existing Palm owners will be happy to know that the WebOS mobile platform, as well as the Palm smart phones will continue to be supported and developed for by HP.

If you just recently bought a smart phone, then chances are you are new to apps. While the technicality behind it may not be so unfamiliar, there is still a significant degree of difference to the mentality behind getting apps for a mobile phone and apps for other electronic devices like a computer or a laptop.

Unlike desktop computers, laptops and other hardware, the smart phone is an in-pocket tool that people carry around almost the whole day, every day. While fitting it in with plenty of apps is tempting, that would prove to be very counterproductive, what is important is determining what apps are needed and what are not. And there are plenty available, whether you choose the Bada operating system (as seen in the new Samsung Wave 2), the Google Android OS (with it’s flagship phone, the Nexus One) or the latest iPhone.

For new users, the best thing to do is to avoid “tool” apps that are meant to enhance, change or alter the current performance of your phone or mobile operating system. The reason for this is that despite the fact that many experts would recommend such tweaks, the smart phone is a personal tool, and what might be convenient and effective for one person does not necessarily apply to you. Give the handset several months of use before you learn what kind of adjustments you would like to see and get the appropriate tool apps if available.

Games a major type of apps that people go for, and this is something that one should try out. Playing games will make a user more familiar with the control and response of a handset. Just be sure to download content in moderation and avoid storing too many rarely used games that would clog up your menu.

Lastly, check your interests. Be it personal or professional, there are plenty of apps for people have different interests. From media to travelling to food to clothing, these apps can range from simple reference guides to real-time internet based apps that provide you with the latest news, updates and even location based services.

Chances are, you have already heard of Foursquare, a smart phone application that lets people log in their attendance or presence in establishments all over the world. The point of the app is simple: check in enough times and earn badges. These virtual badges commemorate many visiting highlights –such as the 20th time a user has checked in to a bar.

It’s a basic concept, but some establishments are now rewarding users depending on the number of badges they earn for that place. More often than not, Foursquare users have to ask the staff if they have earned anything for their badges. Of course, in order to do this, a user must have a smart phone with GPS capabilities.

Now, another location based service is also promising actual rewards for checking in and these promises are actually constant. Looptstar is a new location based service that works pretty much like Foursquare, but has official industry partners; which means that the rewards are already stated beforehand.

These real life incentives come in different forms, visiting the Gap store twice will grant users a purchase discount on the second visit. Checking in other locations will net users free downloadable content (usually music MP3s and other similar media).

While Looptstar promises plenty of actual rewards, some locations still have virtual bonuses –Starbucks grants an Honorary Barista title to the one with the most Looptstar check-ins; similar to the Mayor badge of Foursquare.

For now, the presence of these location based networks is still a novelty for many users. Even with their growing influence, Foursquare and Looptstar are still far from the industry giant Facebook. But if this trend keeps up and more and more businesses start recognizing the value of these location based services, it is not too hard to imagine that these apps will someday become the pioneers in the new frontier of social networking.

Hotel goers have something to be excited about. With the advent of new technology, devices such as the iPhone now have the potential to give you that hassle free dream holiday that you have always wanted. For years, hotel chains have been experimenting with the many different ways of giving you accessibility options from devices such as your handy smart phones.

Back in 2006, hotels such as the Marriott started making these features a reality. Select establishments such as the Nine Zero in Boston have relied on different, more convenient ways to identify and let their patron in. These range from iris scanners, biometric systems to RFID.

While it is not yet a commonly used technology, smart phone accessibility alternatives may soon include hotel check ins, bill payment relaying, room service computations, instant reservations as well as feedback services. From the moment you inquire about the hotel services down to your check out, smart phones have the potential of making your stay more pleasurable.

This month, there is another trial that gives smart phone owners a chance to enjoy perks over those who are not so tech savvy. To be specific, the InterContinental Hotels Group revealed a project called “OpenWays”. This will be tested in the Houston Downtown Convention Center at the Chicago Holiday Inn Express.

OpenWays enables iPhone owners to use an app to open the door to their room. It is inevitable that other smart phones will be supported to make this technology accessible to more patrons. The implementation of other uses such as bill checking or extending your hotel stay, may be close at hand now that there is something to kick things off.

The OpenWays app will not be up for public use yet but seeing the way smart phone technology is evolving, this is definitely just a matter of time.