A Short History of the Smartphone

February 27th, 2010
A Short History of the Smartphone

Modern technology moves fast and furious, especially when it comes to capabilities of the smartphone. Just what is a “smartphone”? Actually there are no agreed upon or exact definitions for the term. Most would agree however that smartphones do more – much more – than what Alexander Graham Bell first envisioned when he invented the original telephone back in the 1870s.

Definition

The smartphone differs from ordinary mobile phones in that they are capable of advanced functionality because they contain software applications that can be run directly from the phone itself. This software is typically open-source, an advantage that makes adding applications as easy as loading them onto the phone via wireless downloads. Today, these devices are not considered very “smart” unless they can accomodate a datebook/calendar, advanced internet connectivity, photography, music and even video capability.

Origins

IBM was the first to venture into the business of offering consumers a highly advanced mobile phone. In 1993, the company introduced what could be considered the world’s smartphone – simply called Simon. Considered low-end by today’s standard, this first smartphone featured an amazing array of features – email, address book, clock, calendar, note pad, and even the ability to send and receive faxes.

During the mid-90’s, Nokia began to heat things up by introducing its first line of smartphone – the Nokia 9000 series. This phone was not only the first in a series of popular smart phones manufactured by Nokia, they were also the most expensive, coming in at 20-40% more costly than its rivals. The Nokia 9210 was indeed the first real and true smartphone due to its open operating system.

Cutting Edge Smart Phones

The 21st century has spawned smartphones that are incredibly powerful and easy to use. Touch-screen functionality has become the norm and manufacturers such as Apple, Nokia and Research in Motion are furiously vying for the smartphone consumer and business dollar.

Apple changed the smartphone industry with its introduction of the Apple iPhone in 2007. Nokia has since countered with the unveiling of its Nokia XPress Music Phone in 2008. The Nokia 5800 is a touch-screen lovers dream that includes just about every feature a user would want. The handset even comes with millions of downloadable music tracks at no cost. Google recently joined the fray by introducing it Android phone during the same time period.

The Future

Could the smartphone get any smarter than it already is? Sure can! In the not so distant future, virtually everyone on earth will be carrying some type of smartphone – devices that will make today’s handsets pale in comparison. Increased bandwidth and speed will allow phones to be able to handle video in real-time with no problem. In the future, these mobile handsets will be indispensable to daily life, used for a wide array of functions, including consumer purchases, banking, real-time video connectivity, advanced GPS tracking, entertainment and much more.

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A Technology Degree Offers Endless Opportunities

February 26th, 2010
A Technology Degree Offers Endless Opportunities

Every minute of every day some new form of technology is being invented. Technology is popping up all over the place and it does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Every year companies try to out do each other by coming up with the biggest and best product and knock their competitors out of the water. Now, if you buy a computer, IPod or any other electronic device, it is practically out of date before you even walk out the door of the store because a new company came up with a better idea. This is why the career field of computers and technology continues to grow making room for individuals with a technology degree.

When the IPod was first marketed, people all over the world rushed out to the nearest electronic store to purchase the latest technological craze. As soon as they took that product home and got used to the features, Apple was pushing out a new product, the IPod Nano. This IPod was smaller than the first and had more memory, making it more portable and easier to use. Similar to Apple, video game companies are coming out with new game systems and games before customers are used to the one they already have. With the high turn around of computer games and electronic devices, the need for experts with a technology degree continues to grow. That makes the technology career field one of the fastest growing career fields today.

With a technology degree, individuals can work in many different places and hold various jobs. These jobs include computer programming, network engineering, information technology, database technologies, network security and management information systems. All of these fields offer numerous jobs and opportunities for students. Because of the diverse curriculum and the wealth of knowledge available in these technology programs, students are not stuck in one dead end job for their whole life. Receiving a degree in a technology field allows students flexibility and the ability to adapt to any computer or electronic related career.

There are numerous institutions in the United States that offer a technology degree, but not all of them offer certification in certain programs as well. Not only do employers look for employee candidates who have a degree, they also look for candidates who are knowledgeable, have real world experience and are certified in certain programs. Gaining a certification will set students apart from other candidates who do not have these certifications or real world experience. By obtaining a technology degree, students can become a Cisco Certified Network Associate, a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, a Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator or a Microsoft Certified Application Developer among other certifications.

While obtaining a technology degree, there are also many opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in the field of computers and electronics. Since there is a large job market in this particular career field, there leaves open the opportunity for a large internship market. Internships are important to students because employers look for individuals with real world experience. This career field is so fast paced that one minute an individual can be programming a computer game and the next minute they can be coming up with a new database. This makes it important to gain as much real world experience as possible before attempting to break into the work force. It is also important for individuals to stay on top of the current technology that is out there. New products come out every day leaving room for new improvements and advancements in technology.

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Biometric Technology, are They New Toys for Children?

February 26th, 2010
Biometric Technology, are They New Toys for Children?

As a mother, I can truly understand how parents across the world feel about their children. The parent-child relationship is a universal one. It crosses languages, barriers, and borders and speaks the same language of love and protection. All parents have the same goal – to protect their children from the problems of the world. Obviously, most parents would like their children to grow to be model citizens and they would never want their children to be associated with anything criminal. Fair enough… but (and of course there is a but to everything, isn’t there?) there are two sides to everything. The knife that we use to cut fruits and vegetables could also be used to kill! Does this mean that we should stop using it?

I believe it all depends on how people look at things. We can choose to be positive and to look at all the positive aspects of life, or we can choose to be pessimistic and to be threatened by every fly that passes by. (Flies can carry germs!)

Recently, I have been reading countless accounts of parents who are paranoid about fingerprinting their children, and so far I haven’t been able to understand what the real issue at hand is. We have made numerous technological advancements to make our lives easier. We believe that now, in the 21st century, we are more civilized than man has ever been. So why are we not able to accept certain changes which come due to new technology? Is it because we are inherently pessimistic and cynical? I’m sure that when Marie Curie discovered Nuclear Physics her intentions were clearly not to create nuclear bombs. Humanity has benefited greatly from the development of nuclear science. Still, every time we hear the word nuclear we think of bombs and wars. It is the pessimistic nature of modern man that guides our thought process in this way.

It is true that fingerprinting has been used in the past for identifying criminals. However, the technology has evolved just as most technologies tend to do. It is rare to see someone today with a car phone or with a computer the size of an entire room. These technologies have evolved, and certainly for the better. Today, fingerprinting is generally used as a device to accurately identify people. In fact, there are a number of other biometric technologies available. Such technologies include signature readers, retina scanners and DNA samples. These have all been used to identify criminals at some point or another. But DNA is also used for many scientific tests and the study of DNA has advanced so greatly that medical science could not possibly think of doing away with it. If you were being treated for a sickness and your DNA needed to be analyzed for a possible genetic disorder, would you choose to die instead because DNA sampling is used to identify criminals? Of course this is an extreme example, but I doubt that anyone answered “Yes, of course!”

We show our children TV shows like Star Trek, The Jetsons, etc. All children have seen doors slide open and computers accessed by using fingerprinting technology “in the future”. Why can’t we realize that “the future” could be now, if we would only allow it to happen?

Parents are concerned that their child’s fingerprint will be stored in some kind of database. To be honest, I was also concerned about this at first. However, I felt that I should gather extensive knowledge about the technology before I shot it down without a second thought. I have done online research and contacted reputable firms that offer biometric technology like M2SYS, Motorola, NEC (citations to these websites are given below) etc.

M2SYS they are an American reputable leading company in fingerprint biometric technology and most of their clients are private firms, school, gyms, banks, clinics, etc. Motorola and NEC are big multibillionaire companies that produce high-fi biometric technologies for big government agencies all around the world.

These companies confirmed what really happens when an individual is fingerprinted. It basically breaks down into an initial enrollment process and an identification process. During initial enrollment, an individual scans his fingerprint for the first time. The biometric software recognizes certain unique, key points of this individual’s fingerprint. These points are then converted into a series of numbers, or a binary string. Then, each time the individual scans their fingerprint for identification, an algorithm is used to determine if the binary numbers match up with the fingerprint. If they do, then voila! The software provides instant and secure identification.

If you are still scratching your head at this point, you are not alone – I was too. Most of us will never understand the entire science involved in biometric identification. But what is easy to understand is this: every software company uses a different algorithm. There is not some magic, all-encompassing fingerprint algorithm that every company uses within their software to identify people. This means that if you had two children attending schools in different districts that were both using fingerprint identification by different biometric companies, and you accidentally sent them to the wrong schools (Mondays…) there is no way that either child could be identified. Their prints are not stored in some common database. All that is ever stored is a binary number associated with points of their prints that can only be accessed by the company that has provided the biometric software. These companies are not even associated with the government. They are mostly private technology companies just looking to sell their software solutions.

Biometric technology can be beneficial to our children by improving the security at schools and increasing the overall safety of our children, all with binary numbers which are useless to anyone but the private biometric company. I would advise every parent to do some research into the realities of biometric identification and to unveil the myth behind the infamous fingerprinting technology.

Of course if we want to think negatively, nothing is one hundred percent foolproof. Computers make our lives easier but they can be hacked too. However, if the biometric software is hacked, the thief would be disappointed that all he would receive were the useless strings of numbers. As one company put it, it would be easier to steal fingerprint data from something a child had touched than to design an intricate reverse algorithm; all to retrieve a useless series of points of a fingerprint.

Life is full of possibilities if we think positively and are open to new technology. I, for one, am more interested in my child safely growing up in a world full of amazing technological advances that my generation could never have even dreamed. I believe that this world is possible if we don’t hinder its progress by bashing advancements that we know nothing about. In the end, we may all have different opinions, but I am asking that we all gather knowledge about each new technology before we ruin a great possibility for our children.

Resources:

http://www.m2sys.com

http://www.nec.com

http://www.motorola.com

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NEW VIRUS ON CELLPHONES MAKES YOUR CELLPHONE MAKE CALLS WITHOUT YOU KNOWING IT

February 25th, 2010
NEW VIRUS ON CELLPHONES MAKES YOUR CELLPHONE MAKE CALLS WITHOUT YOU KNOWING IT

Virus Attacks on cellphones

An increase in virus attacks has been seen globally in October 2009, and it is only the beginning.

I warned about virus on the smart phones to become a growing problem as early as in May 2009. The attacks so far have been less malicious than just to prove that the cellphones are vulnerable to attacks through various ways.
The fact that the cellphones are less protected than the PC’s makes us believe what we see now is only a beginning.
You should begin to check your phone bill more closely now, as a virus has been found that makes your phone make a call on its own.
This is the first virus where we see some economic gain can be found, and we will talk about large money here. Just taking some few cents from each phone would make billions of dollars globally.
The hackers industry is on the loose, and they really want your money – and they are not shy of any methods to get it from you.

As a background, you can read some of the articles i have written about this issue previously. There can be some learning lessons in these articles as well.
October 2009
http://www.articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/avoid-to-get-the-first-virus-on-your-iphone-1438490.html
June 2009
http://www.articlesbase.com/technology-articles/iphone-and-ipod-touch-are-vulnerable-to-hackers-and-new-viruses-950916.html
May 2009
http://www.articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/hackers-will-attack-cellphones-with-sms-bluetooth-and-other-innovative-ways-be-aware-912220.html
http://www.articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/virus-on-your-cell-phone-possible-or-not-912285.html

This is how you secure your cell phone

It is totally irresponsible of any company to not install anti-virus software on their cell phones, however it goes for all of us individual users as well.
So far there has been seen as no need to install any anti-virus software on the cellphones as attacks have not been around for so long. However, there are several things you can do yourself to avoid viruses on your phone.
Turn off the bluetooth function when you are not using this function on the phone. Virus can be transferred through the bluetooth system and the probability will increase that someone will take over your phone.
Do not open files or MMS that you did not expect to get or know about in forehand.
If you surf on the internet with your cellphone, avoid pages you are not sure of or have no knowledge about at all. You have to remember that you probably are better protected visiting the same pages with your PC since it has a anti-virus software protecting you. The Cellphone is just like a PC without the anti-virus software installed.
You can buy a anti-virus software through the internet, however you can not find any proven good anti-virus software for free for your cellphone yet.

E-mail is vulnerable in particular.
You would hardly think of surfing the internet or running a email program without using a anti-virus software on your PC. However, the smart phones have become like mini-computers with an operating system and add-on software which all are vulnerable to virus attacks.
It is just here the cyber criminals have found an interest to tap into. The hackers are no longer the boys in the boys room sitting and making codes just to prove themselves. They are now part of an industry funded by major criminal organizations able to create malicious software with almost no limits any longer.
However, the problem is that most of the users do not even know how to install antivirus software on the cellphone.
This is a problem that face lots of cellphone users today, and it just indicate that if you want to have a sophisticated cellphone, then you need to become a more sophisticated and knowledgeable user. However, one can say that sellers of the hardware should take some responsibility to enhance security of the use of their product.
You do not sell a car without complying to some safety regulations and measures.  And this lead back to the regulators, that they have no regulations on how safe a cellphone should be to attacks, and maybe this will wake up the legislators to demand some safety measures a hardware should comply with before it is sold into the consumer market.
No smart cellphone to be sold without any proven anti-virus technology enabling the user to feel some safety when using this product. Yes, it will increase the price of the product, but i believe the users will be willing to take this cost given the dangers he or she can be exposed to with a cellphone that is not protected at all.
So far there have not been any complaints in major scale based on the latest calling virus found on the cellphones.
So far you are responsible for any use of your cellphone number and have to pay to the provider any costs associated with your cellphone number.
This is were the conflict starts, who should be responsible to provide a secure service – the users or the provider?
There are several examples of people complaining of phone bill exceeding what they thought they could have been responsible for. However, it is almost impossible for the users to win through with these cases, as collecting evidence could only be done by the provider itself, which is part in the case. The consumer is bound to have lost. It is here the legislators should put some demands to the providers to be able to protect their users. The providers says they are not responsible for the virus attacks and can not be held responsible. On the other hand they provide a service that is prone to virus attacks, and should feel morally obliged to protect their consumer and clients.
We are having a mighty challenge at hand in the near future as these virus attacks will become more frequent and have more stealth power than today.
There are examples produced in the last few weeks of cellphones been taken over and started producing cellphone calls by itself, without any interference of the owner of the phone and the subscription. These examples shows that the phone has begun systematically calling phone The calls varies from few seconds to several minutes and will give the users an extra cost of few cents to Euros or USD pr call.
One examples shown to the public is that one cellphone made around 100 calls during a period of 2 days. It was only found since the user wanted to check why the phone bill showed a discrepancy from previous bills he had.
The evidence that this was a virus, comes from the fact that the calls did not show up on the cellphone call log at all. There is no doubt at all, the cellphone has been taken over by a virus.
This is only the beginning as the cyber criminals have found out tht it is very easier to take over your phone than your PC, as most have antivirus protection on the PC’s but not on the cellphones.
They have also found a very easy way to take money from the users as these services will be directed and used towards special phone services owned by the cyber criminals and therefore will get easy income from the users.
You might ask now, how is the phone infected in the first place?
There are several ways this can happen, but the most probable is that the owner has received a MMS with a virus infected file that takes over the phone. You might levee you open a photo, but in the background the cellphone loads a virus to be hidden on your cellphone.
Another way this method can occur is through surfing on the internet as some web pages have photos with this type of malicious code attached to it.
Another way is through the bluetooth system as files can be loaded onto your cellphone without your knowledge at all.

It is very difficult to detect these attacks and the only measure so far, is to double check your phone bill and make sure you can account for the calls made there. If not, then you should consider the fact that you have been attacked and there is a need to clean your cellphone to avoid further take over of the cell phone.

By taking over your phone, the cyber criminals will gain information on your cellphone which can be valuable, like email adresses and information inside these (sensitive information, passwords, number, accunts etc)
A virus can also make the phone to call expensive pay services abroad and the owners of these services can make a hugh amount of money on this.
Some viruses are just what it is – a virus to demonstrate a methodology or a way to contribute to the open source society amongst the cyber criminals to gain more knowledge about how to exploit your phone.

The best way to avoid attacks on your cellphone is of course to install a anti-virus program and not to open any files you have no idea were they come from.
The virus is not placed on the SIM card (as of yet not found that is), but is installed in the operating system on the phone itself.

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Understanding How Hospitals Buy Medical Technology

February 25th, 2010
Understanding How Hospitals Buy Medical Technology

Modern hospitals depend heavily on medical technology to diagnose, treat and prevent diseases. A typical mid-sized hospital has hundreds of items of medical equipment, from simple stethoscopes and blood pressure monitors to highly sophisticated MRI machines and linear accelerators. Hospitals are complex enterprises with entire departments dedicated to technology planning, assessment, acquisition, maintenance, upgrade and replacement at the end of the product life cycle. They have elaborate systems, programs, policies, procedures and protocols in place for purchasing new medical equipment.

To sell successfully to healthcare providers, marketing and sales professionals have to be well versed in the buying processes that healthcare providers use. Medical device marketing is quite different from any other marketing. Typically, hospitals have a review process to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate their medical technology needs. The review’s scope depends on the cost of the technology, and may involve many departments. For expensive equipment, the review most likely will be elaborate. For less expensive and disposable items, the review may simply assess the department’s current needs, and the proposed purchase’s operational and financial impacts. In either case, a market survey and literature search take place to some extent, and this is supplemented with extensive data collection and analysis when needed. This is why white papers and case studies published by medical device manufacturers are very useful during the review process – the decision-makers look for every bit of information they can find. Hence, white papers and case studies can significantly influence the decision-making process. A typical review process includes the following phases:

1. Strategic planning 2. Assessment 3. Acquisition 4. Utilization 5. Repair and maintenance 6. Replacement and disposal

The process starts with strategic planning. In this top-level phase, the relevant stakeholders (e.g., Directors, Professors, Managers, Doctors, Engineers, Purchasing, etc.) review key issues, success factors and resource allocation, and assign responsibilities for sustained improvement in technological performance. They identify the services their facility provides, and the technologies that would complement their existing services. The typical questions to answer are: Where are we? Where do we want to be? How are we going to get there?

Because medical technology greatly impacts the cost and structure of healthcare delivery, hospitals include technology assessment in their planning process, which typically includes cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses.

Cost-benefit analysis calculates the costs of applying the technology and compares them to the benefits resulting from its application. It provides criteria upon which to base decisions of whether to adopt or reject a proposed device. The device is adopted if its benefits exceed its costs. However, one limitation of this analysis is that it expresses all benefits, including therapeutic effects, in monetary terms. Hence, hospitals also conduct cost-effectiveness analyses to quantify therapeutic effects in terms of reduced patient hospital stays, and compare these to the costs of the technology’s implementation. Although at first glance the chosen technology may seem to have limited impact on other facility operations, stakeholders also examine the likely effect of the new equipment on existing services.

Other aspects of cost-effectiveness analysis include assessment of long-term replacement strategies and identification of emerging technologies. Since medical devices have finite longevity, hospitals have replacement plans to minimize the effects of unforeseen capital replacement. By identifying emerging technologies that fit into the projected plans of the hospital’s service area, the hospital tries to avoid investing in nearly obsolete technologies.

Purchase of a new technology is justified only when an increase in equipment’s cost-effectiveness is clearly demonstrated. The typical questions asked during the analysis are:

* Will the new medical device increase the volume of the service? * Will it raise the costs of the service? * Will the device generate additional revenues and, if so, how much? * What is the new device’s expected lifespan? * What is the device’s reliability and the costs associated with its repair and maintenance? * How reliable and reputable is the manufacturer? * What impact will the new device have on routine operating costs? * What will the disposal cost be? * How easy is the device to operate?

Once the technology has been assessed and the decision to purchase has been made, the next phase in the process is technology acquisition, which typically includes the following steps:

* Preparation of general and functional specifications * Clinical, technical and cost evaluations * Review of proposals and evaluations, and making a final decision on a device manufacturer * Contract negotiation for the device’s acquisition * Preparation and issuance of a purchase order * Contract award

A contract award is the green light for the medical device company to deliver and install the product.

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Smartphones – They Do It All For You

February 23rd, 2010
Smartphones - They Do It All For You

In the world today, millions of people have never heard of Smartphones. They are incredible pieces of technology that that are small enough to hold in your one hand, however they have the capability of a top of the line computer. Smartphones are also known as Cell Phones. Since their inception, Smartphones have grown with the times. The technology of the first phones has paled in comparison with today’s phones.

When Smartphones were first introduced, everyone was amazed with features like calculators, calendars and notepads. Today, Smartphones are equipped with Internet access, where you can download and install programs to enhance the phone address books, email, and many other features and accessories. Smartphones are considered mini computers, they are called Smartphones because they are able to very efficiently manage and edit the information that is on them.

Most likely you have seen the more popular brands of Smartphones. They are Blackberry, Nokia and PalmSource to mention but a few of the more popular brands of Smartphones on the market today. Many companies have realized that these phones are sought after more and more and they have developed generic brands to be sold at a much lower cost. Smartphones are not just a passing fad; they are the wave of the future.

They are equipped with the latest technology and, contrary to popular opinion, they are not only sought after by teenagers. Business people, above everybody else, have realized that the convenience of having one of these phones means instant and full access to customer and other business information. People from all social levels are coming on board and are seeking information regarding Smartphones. They are flocking to local retailers to purchase them, because prices are coming down all the time.

Perhaps Smartphones are so popular because they allow a person to carry their entire database of friends and family and business clients and associates with them wherever they go without having a clunky address book or daily planner under their arm. Another benefit of Smartphones is that their cameras are top of the line; most of them even have video capabilities.

Software developers have also recognized the significance of the arrival of Smartphones. Many different programs have been developed specifically for use with Smartphones. Some of this software is available as downloads and include encyclopedias, games, GPS systems and text messaging. Unfortunately a mouse is not available most of the time, but those who are proficient with the mini keyboards can sent text messages in a flash.

Most people do not understand the full potential of their Smartphones. These devices can one day make computers, digital cameras and camcorders obsolete. Software is being developed continuously and, in the not too distant future, technology will be available that will make Smartphones a staple in any home.

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Comparison Shopping with a Cellphone

February 23rd, 2010
Comparison Shopping with a Cellphone

How often do you find something at a store and wonder how much cheaper you could get it online? Now you don’t have to wonder–you can call 1-888-FRU-SHOP. That’s the number for Frucall, a first-of-its-kind price-comparison shopping service currently in Beta.

How Does Frucall Work?

Frucall is pretty simple to use despite all the technology behind it:

*Call 1-888-FRU-SHOP from any phone in the US.
At the prompt, enter the product’s bar code number. That’s the number directly below the bar code. (Hint: don’t forget the first and last digits, which may be offset from the rest of the code.)

*A computerized voice confirms the product’s name and states the price, as well as shipping information.

*The whole process takes about ten seconds. There are no signups, no downloads, and funky add-on services or charges to your phone bill.

Beta Limitations

Frucall has been launched to the public in Beta mode, though it has already been tested for more than two months on an invitation-only basis. The Beta service works well, though there are still a few limitations:

  • During the initial Beta period, Frucall only searches Amazon. The designers, however, are planning on adding additional sites soon. They eventually expect it to become an internet-wide ecommerce price comparison service for cell phones.

  • Because the Beta only searches Amazon, you can’t use it for things that aren’t sold on Amazon. The Beta is most valuable when you’re out shopping for clothes, appliances, electronics, books, music, DVDs and stuff like that, but for now you cannot use it for grocery shopping.

  • You won’t be able to buy the product using your phone until this feature is implemented sometime in summer 2006.

First-Ever Voice-Activated Mobile Price Comparison Service

Mobile phone technologies are all the rage these days, from movies to games to weather reports to shopping. For the most part, these technologies have a dedicated core of people who tend to be very comfortable navigating all the options on the little screens and touch pads of their cell phones. Right now, mobile applications aren’t as appealing to people who are less nimble-fingered, less technologically savvy–or just less patient.

Frucall, however, might just be the first mobile application both you and your grandmother could use. The usability factor for Frucall is high since it’s all voice-activated, and, ultimately, that’s what cell phones were made for: talking, not running software.

Looking out for people who actually like mobile software, Frucall’s designers are working on a WAP (mobile application) version as well, which will be available in a couple of months.

In the meantime, Frucall’s voice-activated interface is a blessing for die-hard cheapskates: they can call the toll-free number from a payphone without even having to pay cellphone airtime.

In short, if you’re serious about saving money, you just got another tool in your toolbox.

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How to Choose an Ideal Web Hosting Company

February 22nd, 2010
How to Choose an Ideal Web Hosting Company

Before coming directly to characteristics of good and cheap web host first it’s better to have review of the fundamentals.

Defining Web Host.

A web host is a service provider that places websites of its customers on a server, which is connected to Internet.

For proving this facility a web hosting provider is generally having high-speed Internet connection as they have to host thousand of web sites on many servers depending upon requirement. Essentially the host providers rent out space where a user can get his website made available to whole world through www i.e. World Wide Web.

The best part of web hosting facility is that now its easy to manage the website even for a layman as all the technical aspects like maintenance of complicated server technology, technical maintenance etc us now the work of these providers. Now one can easily focus on his own Internet business for rest there is host provider.

Now coming to the point following are the features offered.

Features

The followings are the features available in most web hosting plans:

? Control Panel

A control panel is an interface by which access of website on web server is made possible, it helps in setting up and constantly updating as well as customizing the website. Some host providers customize their own control panel so as to enable them to upgrade and expand it when and where required.

? Disk space

Most of the sites that have less data or graphics or video clips or big downloadable files can use 50MB of disk space easily. This helps in further growth for reseller as he can use that space of host providers for other purpose.

? Bandwidth

It is the amount of data sends or received through a unit of time. When a visitor downloads files from website on his own computer then that time it is the bandwidth which is making that possible.

? Email Account

With the use of POP3 email accounts one can check email from Outlook, Netscape Mail, Eudora or any other Email software.

? Scripting language

As now the latest technology is based on Unix and Linux platform only host that support latest versions languages like php, perl and CGI must be selected as that can only provide the optimum utilization of money one is paying.

? Database

For displaying big amount of data like user accounts, stock prices, maps, Interactive news, message boards and forum etc that should be accessible also there is a need for an account that offers a database. For this MySQL, most popular and powerful built on Linux operating system is used. Besides language, many other features are also there like ability to handle millions of entries all at once, flexibility and speed allowing storage of logs and big pictures, ability to scale well under heavy traffic conditions that all together makes MySQL ideal for database-intensive or e-commerce-enabled Web sites.

Customer Support

Customer support is also an important criterion while selecting a good web host service and it is equally important both for an expert as well as a layman.

Following are the essentials for a good support system:

? size of the database.

Size of the database is an important feature as it helps in providing quick search for any answer and thus helps in getting solution of any problem without even bothering customer support staff. If the database is large its easy to search for information from it. Some web host providers even provide video tutorial guide, which helps in step-by-step setting up of account even for a layman.

? efficient customer staff

In order to get fast and good response quick customer support is a must. The following are few forms of customer support:

a. Email support

b. Phone support: Generally for sales and technique aspect it is used. A well-equipped and knowledgeable staff knows and problems and provide with immediate and relevant remedy without wastage of time.

Clove Chat support: Some web host companies like Lunar pages and Globat even have live chat support for their customers, but irrespective of how many support channels a company is offering its more important that the available staff is responsive to the need.

Price calculation on basis of ratio of Disk space to Bandwidth ratio What is the amount that one must pay depends upon the disk space and bandwidth that is available with the host plan. Thus price must be ascertained keeping in mind the above two factors.

Popularity

Besides all of the above features it’s all in vain if web host is not offering an effective marketing plan. It is so because if a web host provider is not having good customers or members as well as steady growth of them, then it’s not possible for them to survive in this competitive world.

The popularity of a particular web-hosting provider can be judged by the number of awards won as well as the reviews of other websites and also from the ranking in Alexa traffic.

All the hosting providers listed on our Top 10 Cheap Web Hosting Directory are among the top 40,000 most visited websites in the world.

Trustworthiness, Speed and Uptime Guarantee

For any company if its website is not available or accessible, then it tends to not only loosing of customer but also it hampers credibility therefore its important to check if web host provider is guaranteeing at least 99% uptime. However to ensure maximum uptime, installation of redundant back-up systems is quite important “Redundant means having an alternative Internet connection on the verge of interruption of main Internet connection. It tends to minimize downtime and is a part of host provider’s management system For a matter of speed, how fast a site is depends upon the types of network connections. Other matters like routing, web server set up and local area networks also play an important part but still they are after the factor of Internet connection.

Many hosting providers still connect to the Internet through T1, or T3 connections. However the best one would be one using OC (Optical Carrier) lines.

A T1 line offers data transfer rate of 1.5 Mbps (megabits per second), while a T3 line supplies data transfer rates of 43Mbps. OC-1 refers to a circuit that transmits 51.85Mbps. Higher levels are multiples of that speed. Ultra-High Speed OC3 and OC12 lines offer 155Mbps and 622Mbps respectively. Some hosting providers have connections to major Internet backbones at the speed of OC48 (2488Mbps) and OC96 (4976Mbps).

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Cheap Smartphones – Organize a Perfect Day for You

February 22nd, 2010
Cheap Smartphones – Organize a Perfect Day for You

Smartphone is the other term for cellular phone that is more than just a phone. It’s the upcoming trend and addition of latest technology that has certainly propelled several smartphone manufacturers to add more and more qualitative features to their smartphones. The very first smartphone came into market in the year 1992. At that time experts say it was a concept phone. Even with that concept phone you could send emails and fax.

These days, the definition for smartphone has changed a lot. Now, in the markets you can purchase cheap smartphones that are of high quality. Don’t go after the term “cheap”. These cheap smartphones are very capable of performing all of your daily activities that you expect form it! These days’ smartphones are coming into market with more advanced features that can certainly help you in a much better way. You can surf the web, check your emails, and keep yourself in touch with friends and several social networks. Some of the cheap smartphones are also equipped with GPS capabilities and games for their users to have fun.

It’s the demand for the ultimate accessory that has propelled smartphone manufacturers to release their cheap smartphones into market. These gadgets are the best way to organize your life. The calendar, scheduling options, calculators, and the full address books can really arrange a perfect day for you in an organized manner. With such features available to your smartphone you can add multiple details for each entry.

One more feature that has proven to be very handy with smartphones is the camera. People are now able to snap pictures during some of the auspicious moments of life. Some cheap smartphones are even enabling with capturing videos. If you don’t have a camera with you then you can take pictures or videos with your smartphone straightaway. There are different types of cheap smartphones available in the market, but most of them come with a stylus. The stylus is the feature added to a smartphone in order to enter information into your phone. So what are you waiting for? It’s the time to grab one for your purpose!

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A Fact; Canada Web Hosting: the Closer the Server the Faster the Response Times

February 20th, 2010
A Fact; Canada Web Hosting: the Closer the Server the Faster the Response Times

Before choosing a Canada web hosting provider, one should realize that it has several advantages that most people may not be aware of at the outset. Obviously, if a company is intending to target a Canadian audience, it would most probably look for a Canadian web host having servers located in Canada to get best site responses as well as best search engine rankings on Canadian search results. So, being closer to the server will enable one to experience better response timings.

Search Engine Results Page

Another important advantage to using Canada web hosting is SERP or search engine results page which is the page that a search engine returns displaying results of its search. Most leading search engines will normally show four kinds of listings on their SERPs. These are listings indexed by the search engine spider, listings indexed into the search engine’s directory by humans, listings that are to be listed and finally, and most importantly, Canadian search results.

However, Canadian bandwidth is more expensive than that of US counterparts who sell bandwidths at less than half the Canadian Internet Service prices. Nevertheless, being close to the server gets better response times and even though this only amounts to milliseconds, it is of importance to a number of webmasters.

Depending on which city or location that the business or individual is located in, the company or individual can select the Canada web hosting server according to its proximity to their own location and, thus get the maximum mileage out of their websites. To find a decent web host one may make use of hosting directories that contain names and addresses of Canadian web hosts and, this is a recommended strategy due to the fact that such sites aggregate a great deal of information pertaining to the Canadian hosting industry as well as its participants.

Leveraging a host directory will enable regular customers to contrast as well as compare different features of several Canada web hosting firms. The best web hosting directories will contain catalogues which allows one to search for hosts that meet specified criteria is it cost based, technology or geography based.

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